The story picked up from book two almost exactly where I had anticipated it would and pushed forward with now-Queen Beatrice, her princess-sister Samantha, her prince-brother Jefferson, Nina, Daphne, and introduced the newest girl-we-love-to-hate, Gabriella. I was thrilled to read American Royals III: Rivals by Katharine McGee, which I received as an ARC from Net Galley. The fourth book in the American Royals series, Reign is out August 29, 2023! Thank you so much to and for my copy of the book. But she’s still evil and had a major twist at the end of the novel! I can’t wait to see what’s she’s up to next. This book has so much going on and it was so fascinating to see Daphne and Nina team up and it almost humanizes Daphne. They put aside their differences and realize they have a lot in common. They are in cahoots together to take down yet another rival, Lady Gabriella Madison. She finds an odd friend in her former rival Nina who has also recently lost her scholarship to King’s College. They already don’t have much money and this would be humiliating for Daphne. But she has a difficult time after her father was found gambling and it’s been threatened to strip their family of their nobility.

Prince Jefferson is still dating the wretched Daphne. I really feel for Sam and Marshall who just want to do their own thing privately, but because of who they are, they have too much spotlight thrown on them.

It’s making it a lot harder for them to just be together. He will also have to give up his dukedom if they marry and his family is getting in the way. Princess Samantha is still happily dating Marshall, the Duke of Orange, but the press have had a lot of comments on their interracial dating. Beatrice needs to make sure she’s truly over Connor and committed to Teddy. Beatrice is committed to her engagement and future with Teddy, but it’s hard as he prepares to renounce his role as the Duke of Boston to his younger brother. They understand what it’s like to be a monarch. But she’s also very lonely and finds a friend in Princess Louise of France. She’s representing America at the League of Kings and trying to make a name for herself. Queen Beatrice is trying to prove herself and step out of her father’s shadow. With the king’s coronation this past weekend and recently receiving an ARC of Reign, I realized I had never read Rivals! I fixed that ASAP and it was incredible.

American royals series book 2