Debuting as the first book in what will be Rachel Hawkins’ newest series, Royals was a quick, entertaining read. The book follows Daisy Winters, an offbeat Florida high schooler whose older sister is engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. When the paparazzi and tabloids turn their attention on Daisy, she’s forced to abandon her summer plans and spend a few months in Scotland with her sister. This is where the story really kicks off.
Royals has everything you might want in a book of its type; average girl transplanted to a beautiful foreign country filled with gorgeous guys, unfamiliar traditions, scandal, and a classic hate-to-love relationship. While many books I’ve read that follow a similar storyline focus on how exciting it is to be a part of royal life, Royals does a good job of showing the other side of that shiny coin. Daisy isn’t interested in living in the spotlight, she’s perfectly happy with her “boring” life in Florida and resents that her sister’s engagement means she has to change.
I love Daisy as a narrator. She’s smart, witty, and not interested in comparing herself to her “perfect” sister. Daisy is comfortable with who she is, and doesn’t want to change that for anyone. Not even the Queen of Scotland. While romance is an important plotline, the story focuses more on Daisy’s relationship with her sister Ellie, and I think the story is better for it.
If you’re willing to overlook the fact that this book rewrites the way the British monarchy works, I’d definitely recommend Royals as a fun summer read.
Royals releases today May 1, 2018.
