Review - Majesty

Majesty

American Royals #2

by Katharine McGee

Release date 09/01/2020

374 pages

4 out of 5 stars

According to the publisher, "Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless. Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we're looking at you, Daphne Deighton.

As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with everything she lost when she gained the ultimate crown. Samantha is busy living up to her "party princess" persona...and maybe adding a party prince by her side. Nina is trying to avoid the palace--and Prince Jefferson--at all costs. And a dangerous secret threatens to undo all of Daphne's carefully laid "marry Prince Jefferson" plans.

A new reign has begun...."

Majesty starts where American Royals leaves off (you can read my review of the first book here) with the former Princess Beatrice now in the role of Queen of America.  The second book in this series continues to let us into the lives of the American Royal Family - Queen Beatrice, Princess Samantha, Prince Jefferson - along with the other characters that make up their circle of friends, exes, and fake boyfriends.  Everyone, including the people of America, needs time to adjust to the idea of having a female queen for the first time.

While the power dynamics of the Royal Family might be the driving plot throughout the book, the main focus is the various relationships.  We see Beatrice make peace with following her head over her heart, Samantha's rebellious streak give her unexpected results, and Jefferson fall back into old patterns.  While American Royals felt like a coming-of-age story with characters trying to figure out who they were, in both the context of being royal and personal relationships, Majesty shows us the consequences of the characters becoming who they are meant to be.  

This book gave us more of what I so enjoyed about the first book - the wealth, the parties, the intrigue.  I'd say this book delved even deeper into the details of the House of Washington, giving us more insight into the political aspect, going beyond the surface level wealth and celebrity.  I will say that I wasn't totally satisfied with the direction that the author took the different romantic storylines.  After finishing the first book, I was left with a distinct impression of how those relationships would progress.  Without giving any spoilers, things definitely did not turn out the way I anticipated.  While it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I did have somewhat of a sense of disappointment that I wouldn't be seeing the stories I pictured in my head play out.  

Overall, I did enjoy this book.  If you read and enjoyed American Royals, you should absolutely pick up this sequel.  I do hope that we get another installment from the author, because I am definitely invested in Queen Beatrice and her kingdom!