If you love romantic comedies like When Harry Met Sally or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but just wish they were a little bit, well, gayer, then you’re in luck! Red, White & Royal Blue just premiered on Prime Video and we’re happy to report, it’s just as heartwarming and unrealistic — some of the highest praise when talking about a rom-com — as we hoped it would be.
Based off the bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston, the film follows Alex, the son of America’s first woman president, and Henry, a British prince, whose shared dislike for one another nearly causes an international incident at a royal wedding; to atone for this lapse in decorum, the two must embark on a public friendship tour of sorts to convince the world they’re actually the best of friends. A story is more than its tropes but Red, White, & Royal Blue has some of our faves: enemies to lovers, fake relationship, and even a royal relationship. It’s a fun escape from real life that we wish we could replicate via watching similar films ad infinitum.
Unfortunately, it’s still difficult to find an LGBTQ+ romantic comedy that isn’t bad or just plain depressing, but luckily there’s a large variety of queer literature to satisfy even the pickiest of readers. While you can – and should – read Red, White, & Royal Blue if you enjoyed the movie, there are many more books that celebrate LGBTQ+ love that are just as worth your time. Here are eight books like Red, White, & Royal Blue that will help even the most jaded reader find their inner romantic.
8. In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan
In Other Lands is unlike Red, White, & Royal Blue in that it’s a deconstruction of YA fantasy like the Percy Jackson series, but don’t let that deter you; if you like bisexual protagonists with a lot of sass and some good gay romance, this is the book for you! The novel follows Elliot, a sarcastic 13-year-old boy who discovers he is one of the few humans able to see a wall separating our world from a world filled with magic and really hot elves. When he’s invited to attend an academy on the other side of the wall, he doesn’t hesitate and meets Serene, a beautiful but sexist elf (elf culture is revealed to mirror our own patriarchal gender roles) and Luke, a bright human boy who Elliot finds annoyingly likable.
The book follows four years of Elliot’s life as he learns not just fantasy skills but that he’s inherently lovable despite a lifetime of parental neglect. Elliot can be brash, if not plain awful at times, but his faults feel so endearingly human that it’s hard not to root for him. If you love obnoxious bisexual representation (who doesn’t?) and fantasy novels, you’ll enjoy In Other Lands.
7. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Boyfriend Material is great for a lot of the same reasons Red, White, & Royal Blue is; we got (two) British leading men, fake feelings that soon become real, and meddling media for our main characters to deal with. Protagonist Luc O’Donnell is the son of a famous rockstar, his estranged father who spends more time frequenting rehab centers than spending time with his son. Naturally, this has made Luc tabloid fodder for much of his life and he’s developed a reputation for being a spoiled mess of a nepo baby. Luc usually tolerates this reputation (no matter how undeserved) until one especially bad candid photo threatens to ruin his career in fundraising.
Enter Oliver Blackwood, an upstanding lawyer with nary a scandal in sight, who Luc describes as the “good gay” who can help repair his damaged rep. As the pair are as single as they come, they decide to be each other’s fake date for an important event, but as any romance reader knows, fake relationships are never as easy as they seem. Expect lots of laughs and sweet moments.
6. She Gets the Girl by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
She Gets the Girl is a sweet sapphic romance written by real-life couple, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick, and is loosely based of their own love story. The novel follows two freshmen at the University of Pittsburgh who team up to help each other land the respective girl of their dreams. Alex Blackwood, is a headstrong girl with a big heart who prides herself on being able to get any girl she wants, but unfortunately, keeping said girl is another thing entirely. Meanwhile, Molly Parker knows she and her crush Cora Myers would be perfect for each other, if only she could muster up the courage to talk to her first.
Alex decides doing a good deed by helping Molly get the girl will prove to her own estranged ex that she’s a nice person who’s worthy of a second chance and Molly decides she could use the dating advice, no matter how frustrating she finds Alex. While the two try to help each other romance their respective crushes, they soon realize they’re falling for each other instead. Yes, it’s a trope we’ve no doubt read countless times before, but we love it nonetheless!
5. Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Heartstopper is another feel-good book series (and it’s been adapted into an amazing Netflix show) with two adorable leads. Charlie Spring is a shy, openly gay teenager who finds himself seated next to Nick Nelson, a star rugby player one grade above Charlie, who seems painfully straight at first glance. Despite believing there’s no way his feelings could be reciprocated, Charlie finds himself developing a crush on Nick as the two develop a close friendship.
Meanwhile, Nick is struggling with his own feelings for Charlie as he discovers he’s bisexual. Sooner than later, the two admit their feelings for each other and a wholesome romance ensues; not to say that there’s no problems for these boyfriends and their friends (homophobia, transphobia, eating disorders, and mental health are some issues tackled in the series) but Heartstopper is a breath of fresh air as a coming-of-age queer love story.
4. Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins
If you loved the royal aspect of Red, White, & Royal Blue, you’ll fall in love with Her Royal Highness too. In this book, average Texas teen Millie Quint applies for a scholarship to a prestigious Scottish boarding school after her sort-of girlfriend gets back together with her ex. When Millie surprisingly gets accepted, she can’t believe her luck; she moves to beautiful, green Scotland where her American accent is seen as charming and where she can focus on her studies, forgetting her romance troubles.
Enter Millie’s roommate, Flora, an actual Scottish princess with a posh personality to match. The two roommates couldn’t be more different and clash from the start, making their road to eventual romance all the more fun to read. If you’re a rom-com lover, you know what’s going to happen just from the synopsis but that’s honestly part of what makes us like the genre so much!
3. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is a critically acclaimed novel about two teenage boys who meet each other in the summer of 1987 and bond over their classical names. Aristotle “Ari” Mendoza is a sweet, soft-spoken boy who struggles with his self-confidence and can’t swim, while Dante Quintana is loud, self-assured, and a great swimmer — but don’t worry, he can teach Ari. The boys’ relationship is the center of a story filled with loss, family, and discovery in a world that can be hateful towards those who are different.
I don’t want to spoil anything, but Ari’s character development throughout the novel is well-done and the touching ending will resonate with you long after you finish the book. Although not a romantic comedy, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe tackles serious issues while telling a beautiful love story anyone can enjoy.
2. The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun
The Charm Offensive is as much for fans of Red, White, & Royal Blue as it is for fans of The Bachelor and other reality shows about finding love from a giant pool of fellow singles. The book follows Dev Deshpande, a hopeless romantic and the ultra-successful producer of the popular reality dating show Ever After as he tries to help the current season’s star, Charlie Winshaw, find love in one of the 20 women competing for his hand. Dev has his work cut out for him with Charlie, a disgraced tech genius with severe anxiety and OCD who suffers from panic attacks and hates interacting with people.
Soon, Charlie realizes he connects more with Dev than with any of the contestants which leads to a cute behind-the-scenes romance between the two. It’s a very lovely story which depicts the two leads’ respective mental illness in a realistic and fleshed-out way. You’ll find yourself swooning in one scene while appreciating the book’s nuanced discussions about mental health, racism, and homophobia in the next.
1. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
If your favorite aspect of Red, White, & Royal Blue was the whole faking things for the media aspect, you’ll love The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Written by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the author behind Daisy Jones & the Six, the novel follows Evelyn Hugo, a reclusive star from Hollywood’s golden age, who agrees to give the tell-all interview of the century. When she chooses rookie journalist Monique Grant to tell her story, she surprises everyone, including Monique herself; what follows is a story told from both women’s perspectives as Evelyn delves into her glamorous, scandalous, and oftentimes tragic life.
Without giving too much away, Evelyn reveals her longest love was not with any of her husbands but with another actress. The star then chronicles their complex relationship as well as the ways she would occasionally fake relationships (and even marriages) in order to keep the press off her tail during a famously homophobic period in Hollywood. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll likely love this book as much as I did if you give it a chance.
