Ep. 49: History Has It's Eyes on You

We're heading out of the darkest timeline this week into the world of Casey McQuiston's, Red, White, and Royal Blue! Who knew a political romance could leave us with so many warm fuzzy feelings?!

Transcript

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Rachel: 0:00

cheerio gov. Yep, that happened. We're rolling with it. Hi. Welcome to textual tension. I am your co host, Rachel and every other week I jump in here and give you the What's What about what's going on in the textual tension universe. Hey, guys, it's a pride Smith's miracle. I don't have any announcements today. Isn't that exciting? You don't have to hear me talk for that long. But there are a couple things I do need to hit first. Today's episode is a recommendation from a listener. And if you have an awesome book that you think would be a great or a terrible one, if you want to watch us suffer, that you want to see us read and discuss hit us up on like all of our social media, we are textual tension pond across all of the twits to Graham's and the Facebook's and the the email@gmail.com. And, hey, we have a website to textual tension pod@gmail.com. And we haven't mentioned it in a while we got some merch around TeePublic there's a link on our website, check that out, too. We don't have any new patrons this week. But uh, hey, if you guys want to go check us out over on Patreon, where you can hear all sorts of cool under the covers, which honestly have been so much fun lately, especially for this book, this books under the covers is awesome. So all kinds of bonus content, and some free stuff that you can just download. If you're so inclined. Head on over to patreon.com/textual tension. You cannot search for us reminder, I say it all the time. But in case you're new here, we do adult content. So you can't search on Patreon. They don't like that. Just put in the URL, you'll find it. And hey, if you're not in a position to be able to go do that, that's super 100%. Totally fine. And but if you still want to support us, what you actually could do is just head on over to your favorite podcasting app and leave us a review and rating. That would be really, really awesome. It actually really helps us get out to new people. And if you think that one of your friends would enjoy listening to us, maybe throw a couple episodes, maybe show them your favorite episode, because I know you have a favorite episode. I want to know what your favorite episode is. And I think that's it. Thank you guys. I hope you're doing well. Hit us up if you want to talk about anything. Even if you just want to talk. We're here for that too. And I hope it's not too forward, but I love you. So yeah, here's episode 49. History has its eyes on you tearing me

Margie: 2:32

apart from

Rachel: 2:34

rock. And welcome to textual tension, a love hate relationship with romance novels. I'm your co host Rachel and I am your co host Margie. Every other week one of us reads and summarizes a romance novel for our own suspecting co host Margie is listening in this week. Hell yeah. And together we unpack

Margie: 2:54

what the fuck just happened.

Rachel: 2:58

Oh, hang on. I'll try that one more time. We're gonna do it one more time. Why? Just hang on. Hello, and welcome to textual tension. The podcast where Rachel reads the most adorable goddamn cinnamon roll book she's ever read in her life and tells Margie about it. I'm so excited. Oh

Margie: 3:12

my god.

Rachel: 3:14

I'm so pumped. I'm so excited. Hello, everyone. Welcome to price was in July.

Margie: 3:23

We're gonna be day today to Oh, yeah, we're

Rachel: 3:24

gonna be gay.

Margie: 3:28

It's a little gay. Yes.

Rachel: 3:30

I like a little.

Margie: 3:32

Yeah, just wait, just wait. Perfect.

Rachel: 3:35

Fabulous. Okay, so this book is a suggestion. Yay. It is a listener suggestion from Savannah. Who? Yes, I've heard on this podcast several times. It was her first ever romance novel that she read. And I gotta say, she picked a winner. i I'll go into why I wasn't sure about it when we like once you see the cover and stuff, but it is like, um, so but I actually bought it so

Margie: 4:02

I bought it. I paid money for

Rachel: 4:04

it. And I'm glad I did. Because so it's relatively new. Okay, and they have like 10 copies on the like libraries ebook thing and all of them are booked for like a month and a half. Wow. Bucket and bought it right. super worth it. All right. Here you go. My

Margie: 4:20

oh my god. Yes. Okay. And I have a story about this one. Yes. So it's called listener. It's red, white and royal blue by Casey McQuiston. And it's adorable. It's a pink cover and red isn't red. White is a white and royal blue is in royal blue. And it's just like two guys leaning against the letters.

Rachel: 4:38

Have you read this one?

Margie: 4:39

I have not read this one. So what I wanted to tell you was my brother and his boyfriend bought me romance novels for Christmas. And this was one of them.

Rachel: 4:47

Oh, I'm glad you didn't read it. I know. I'm glad you own it because it's so good. So good.

Margie: 4:53

All right. All right. And so now I'm going to read the description. Oh my god. It's such a long description. Okay. strapping listeners. first son, Alex Claremont, Claremont Diaz is the closest thing to a prince the side of the Atlantic with his intrepid sister and the veeps Genius granddaughter. There the White House trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother President l LM Claremont oh yeah woman president. International socialite duties Do you have downsides namely, when photos of confrontation with his longtime nemesis, Prince Henry gotta badger Prince Harry. At A Royal Wedding Lee at A Royal Wedding leaked to the tablet to threaten American and British relations. The plan for damage control staging a fake friendship between the first son and the prince. Alex is busy enough handling his mother's bloodthirsty opponents and his own political ambitions without an uptight royal slowing him down. But beneath Henry's Prince Charming veneer. There's a soft hearted eccentric with a dry sense of humor and more than one ghost haunting him. As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bed, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and up into nations and Henry throws everything into question for Alex an impulsive, charming guy who thought he knew everything. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And most importantly, how will history remember you? History has his eyes on you.

Rachel: 6:25

So I at first Rachel

Margie: 6:28

advocate plate. It's like a no.

Rachel: 6:33

All right. It is first of all, so gay in representation is awesome. Red, white, gay, red, white, and, like, so gay. So okay, so, um, I was not sure about this book at first. Because as I have made no, like, I haven't hidden in any way from our beautiful listeners. Anxiety is a bitch. Yeah. And I am very aware of my anxiety triggers, one of which is political shit. And another one is I can't do cringe humor in any way. Like the office is painful. I can't do the office. Yeah, I can't do anything even remotely close to that, right? Just can't. Right. Um, and this book starts with politics and cringy. Oh, good. And like the chapter. Yeah. And I struggled with that first chapter. Like, okay, but I'm gonna do it. Because I love Savannah. And I love our listeners. And I'm going to do it. Good for you. So I did it for his first chapter. And then they start actually interacting. And as soon as Alex and Henry start actually interacting, I was like, done. Absolutely. Here for this 100% And it just got better from there. Yeah. lessons. Lessons for listeners. Keep reading sometimes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So triggers. Obviously, if you're like me, and political shit, gets you. It started that way gets better. Like I said, I'm trying to think of other stuff. There is some there's some like referenced sexual assault and LGBTQ like homophobia. Yeah. Oh, probably. Yeah. Yeah. Discrimination. Okay. Yeah. Cool. Yeah. Yay. Um, but I think I think that's about it. Yeah, so cool. All right. So let's, let's get into it. I'm so excited. Hey, hey, hey, oh, I have been looking forward to telling you about this book for like, two weeks now. Since I finished

Margie: 8:35

reading. I yeah, I know that feeling. I know. listeners. We were gonna record last weekend we were that we both hung over. We both texted each other. We're like, I'm all go for me.

Rachel: 8:50

You know why I was hanging over? Savannah.

Margie: 8:54

I don't even have that as an excuse. I was just like, I'm wine.

Rachel: 9:00

Alright, so our two main characters we have Alex. His full name is Alexander named after Alexander Hamilton. Yeah, Clermont Yes. So he is the son of the President of the United States. He is a I'm gonna say Mexican American, because that's how they say it in the book. So cool. That's right. I don't know. Um, so he has like short curly hair. He is very handsome. Like he's kind of like the poster child kind of deal of like, he's super smart. He is in the middle of his senior year like in college

Margie: 9:34

and in college. Okay, that was my next question college.

Rachel: 9:37

And he was studying. He is studying it as a government related thing.

Margie: 9:44

I was just curious. Yeah,

Rachel: 9:45

I had gotten Yeah. But so he's like, super suave looking. They don't do a lot like they don't focus a lot on besides like hair color. Like they don't do the whole like emphasis or whatever. I do

Margie: 9:57

think that I don't even want to say that. That's how dated, but I think it is something that's kind of like falling into the right background of doing the gemstone colored eyes. Very 80s 90s thing.

Rachel: 10:10

It's way more like natural like I don't need to know the color of everyone's eyes because like he I can assume like he probably have brown eyes and I have a vision in my head of like, this is what he looks like unless there's

Margie: 10:21

a super intense seat where like what love interest is like a knife against the other love interest glare. Oh, they're looking at each other like very

Rachel: 10:28

like, are you speaking from experience?

Margie: 10:30

So anyway, Rachel?

Rachel: 10:34

Then we have Prince Henry. HRH His Royal Highness is right. Henry. Henry actually doesn't really look like Harry that much. He has like Sandy blond hair. Okay. And again, like kind of, He's the prince right? Right course he has to be attractive, right is obligatory, and if he's not, then people think oh, his money he's attractive. It's fine. Well, yeah, if you

Margie: 11:01

didn't What was it that Lexi said no, it's muddy. It doesn't matter what he wants.

Rachel: 11:06

Exactly. Yeah. But so the the Alex has kind of had the his image cultivated as like the like, you know, young American go getter like golden child kind of things. Like, you know, boy next door but hard working kind of deal. Henry is very much Prince Charming. Like that is his media image. So those are like the two sides that they kind of portray. Okay, um, and I get the vibe that Alex's portrayal is like, like in the media is way closer to how he actually is.

Margie: 11:40

Okay, okay.

Rachel: 11:42

Okay. So, scene one. Meet Alex. Okay, this is where you get so it starts out with Alex hanging out in his room in the White House with his sister. I absolutely love this sibling dynamic that they have. It's so sweet and cute. Like June who is a journalist She's older than Alex she comes in carrying all the tabloids that she can find for the day and it's sort of like ritual of going through and finding like Packwood you do making fun of each other. So they're like hanging out and and you get a really good sense of like their banter and like how close they really are. They're really close siblings. They so there's it mentioned in the description. There's the White House trio. The daughter the VP is the third person of the White House Joe Okay. Gotcha brilliant data analyst kind of deal. There's this like, really funny scene where in one of the tabloids there's like a tabloid about oh, Alex, and this chick whose name is totally escaping me right now. They went they were seeing going into a hotel together. Oh

Margie: 12:50

my gosh. Oh, and they know that Alex is gay, right? No, no,

Rachel: 12:54

he didn't. Alex doesn't know he's gay at this. Oh. And also he's not gay. He's by. But so June's like, Alright, fine. It has been 20 bucks, because they were like, had a bet of how long it was gonna take. And he's, he's like, she's like, you didn't do that on purpose. Did you know? Well, the daughter the VP is definitely gay. And so they like to go together into hotel rooms drink wine together and make loud moaning noises by the door.

Margie: 13:25

Oh, my God. God, love these three people. Seems like I get the drinking wine in a hotel room kind of thing. The voting part seems like it would just get boring. I

Rachel: 13:35

just met like, like laughing about it messing with people. That's true. We have hooked up in the past. Oh, really? And she's like, Oh, but I'm gay. And he's like, Okay, well, let's just hang out as friends. Yeah. Yeah. So the whole point of that is just to get this really good sense of like, their relationship. And we they're kind of sitting there planning the fact that they're about to go to the royal wedding. Okay, right. So there's a royal wedding between Prince Philip and his lady. Whatever.

Margie: 14:05

Her name. Shoot.

Rachel: 14:07

It's not the actual name.

Margie: 14:09

I know. But that's what I'm gonna be imagining. That's fine. Good. Capleton as it's not

Rachel: 14:14

Kate. I know. It's I think it's like Margaret or something like that. Philip, you don't want to be married to Philip. Oh, is

Margie: 14:21

he a douche canoe? Yes, he

Rachel: 14:22

is. Oh, but there's growth. So Alex does not want to go to the wedding. He really doesn't. Because he hates Henry. And he knows Henry is going to be there. Oh, has like he sees Henry as his rival. Hmm. Even though Henry like doesn't really acknowledge him. So it's like this one sided rivalry that Alex has kind of built up in his head of like, he's a dick. I've met him before he's an asshole. And now I want to be like, you know, I'm I don't know it's his own little personal revelry. Want

Margie: 14:54

the attention that Henry gets? No,

Rachel: 14:57

um, he goes into it a little bit later. Okay. And you kind of like he's very honest and open with his feelings about things. So okay, I'm impressed by okay. We'll get into that. But so at the Royal Wedding, Alex is drinking because he does not want to be there.

Margie: 15:13

And it's probably like bougie ass champagne.

Rachel: 15:16

Absolutely, yes. And he looks over and he sees Henry at the cake table. And he's like, Alright. Oh,

Margie: 15:25

don't do it, Alex.

Rachel: 15:28

So he gets up and he goes over, and it starts as a conversation. And it kind of escalates into like, well, what's your problem? What's your problem? And then someone shoves somebody. Long story short, they both fall into the cake. Caught on Camera.

Margie: 15:45

Okay, yep. All right.

Rachel: 15:46

Also, it's a $75,000 cake. That's so

Margie: 15:49

stupid. who pay $75,000 for a cake royalty. I know. But it's still stupid. And I don't have to like it. Absolutely stupid. Was it like gluten free and vegan too?

Rachel: 15:59

I better than better fucking then. Right? No, if I'm spending $75,000 for a cake, then it's iced and fucking like edible diamond shit. All right.

Margie: 16:10

No, it's it's it's a shit diamonds. No, it's laced with LSD. sounds way better. Way more fun. You just get a really small cake. And at the very end of the night you share it with like eight people. And you're like things are about to get weird. That's not powdered

Rachel: 16:25

sugar.

Margie: 16:29

That's how you add

Rachel: 16:30

the night. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Good night. So there is a huge publicity shitstorm after that. Oh, yeah. Yeah, at this point, we also meet Alex's and his mother's like publicity agent. Then the

Margie: 16:44

same one. That poor woman well, so busy.

Rachel: 16:48

They she started with Alex's mom back when our mom was like a senator or whatever, okay? And like grew up like the kids grew up with her. So she's like, the only one that they trust. Really, really trust implicitly. Okay, basically, it's her and then there's two Secret Service guys. Or one guy, one girl who also are like, okay, they trust them. Right? If they are doing anything illicit, those are the people they're going to trust. Okay, gotcha. We meet her and she is like, power woman, constantly sucking down coffee. And just like okay, let's get shit done. Let's go, go, go, go go like guys like on it. Okay, um, so she, she pulls them out of like, you know, after all this fiasco goes down. She's like, alright, you. Here's what the fuck is gonna happen? Because I was up all night having meetings with people trying to figure this shit out. And you turns out have been Henry's best friend forever. And you're going to go pretend to be Henry's best. And you're going to England this weekend to pretend to be a bromance, and don't fuck this up. I swear to God, I will end you.

Margie: 17:47

I love it. That is hilarious. It's so good. Oh my god.

Rachel: 17:53

He's like, pissed about it. He's like, we'll have class on Monday. And sure I have class like it's only for the weekend. Suck it up. Yeah. Right. You

Margie: 18:00

have like, what? You must have a private jet.

Rachel: 18:02

You'll be fine. They do what's right, let's not only Air Force One of the presidents on it, but it's that? Yeah. Oh, well. That's true. Yeah. Okay. Um, yeah. So, which can I just say like, you and I both have been to London. Yeah. I would not want to do a weekend trip to London.

Margie: 18:19

No, I mean, he would he's but he can go wherever and whenever he pleases to anywhere. So it's true would be a little different for him, but like jetlag is a bitch. Well, right.

Rachel: 18:31

And he shows up and then immediately has to start doing things. Like yeah, like appearances. Yeah, that would suck. Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. I granted this dude's like, I think 22 Alex is 22.

Margie: 18:42

Also, he's like, Could we do the things that you want to do in London when you're 22? Like no go to like, but ours

Rachel: 18:49

like pubs and mystical 22 energy where you can just suck down coffee and go

Margie: 18:55

forever. Forever. Whoever is out there still 22 Like, just just use it.

Rachel: 19:00

I missed it. Some days. I still get it back some days, but you hit 25 and your extended warranty ends and

Margie: 19:08

yet all goes? Well, it's mostly just because of your liver.

Rachel: 19:11

Alright, so seem to Alex's to England. Okay. And they start it starts with like, so he's picked up by Henry's like PR guy. Okay. And like handlers obviously the best way to put it right. Um, and he's like, Okay, you are going to go meet him at the stables because he just got out of polo practice. Yeah. And you're gonna perfect pretend to be the bestest of friends.

Margie: 19:35

sagging and all. Yeah, very

Rachel: 19:37

like, like, Bro kind of arm of the right bra. Um, yeah, bra bra. So it starts out with that and like, they're, so they're sitting there. Like they're smiling for the cameras like they have people here and they're smiling and it's all like this is fucking awful, isn't it? I know I cannot wait till this weekend's over click through their teeth like it'll die in a fire.

Margie: 20:03

I love it. That is hilarious. Okay,

Rachel: 20:07

good. And so they're like they do that and like, Alex is staying in the palace, which is kind of crazy, right? Um, and they do have like a moment where like, both of them have really bad sleep schedules one because obviously Alex like a bad sleep schedule anyway and jet lag, okay, and Henry just has insomnia. So like Alex is like, I want ice cream and he goes to like the little kitchen to get ice cream and Henry just walks out. And it's like, I was out of ice cream. So they like have ice cream. And it starts out like maybe they're gonna in like no and then I believe maybe they're gonna kiss No, maybe they're gonna like be friends or like, have an actual right genuine interaction. And then they're like, no,

Margie: 20:49

oh my God. That's such a dude bro thing

Rachel: 20:52

right? So the next day,

Margie: 20:55

crack open a Cold War with the boy.

Rachel: 20:58

It was funny like in preparation for this. Alex's PR lady literally handed him a list of you're gonna memorize this because it's everything you know about Henry it's like shit like what's his favorite book? What's his favorite food like all these like facts that he might be asked about in interviews about his best friend Henry and Henry got one about Alex too so they have like the like approved you know, Henry loves you know, like meat pies and like shit like that which is literally like that's what his favorite food is. Oh, okay according like shit like his favorite book is like this one and like like a very approved classics. Okay moved. Okay Prince kind of thing right? And so it's this first time you see like, okay, but also Prince Henry goes and gets ice cream at three in the morning and can't sleep I'm canceling like he started actually see him. They have a interview in the morning where they pretend on live TV to be bestest friends. Henry's very uncomfortable in the spotlight. And Alex is just like this guy.

Margie: 21:57

Great. I love

Rachel: 22:00

and they like they end up the end of the weekend trip with going and reading to children in hospital. So in like the cancer ward of the hospital. Okay. So they're going to leave and Alex like, gets a glimpse of Henry where Henry doesn't know Alex is watching. And he's talking to this little girl about Star Wars. And like, and Alex is like, he's a prince. He's not allowed to like Star Wars. He likes Star Wars. Like, I thought I thought he had no emotions. They're going to leave and there's a bang somewhere. Oh, no. So Alex is like Secret Service, shove them in a closet together and like stay here.

Margie: 22:41

Oh, yeah. Getting back in the closet.

Rachel: 22:44

Right? So they're like sitting there like Alex is sitting on top of Henry with basically yo shoved in the closet. And it starts with them like bickering and then they basically get into a fight like fistfight in this closet. Finally, they're like, Okay, this isn't helpful. And Henry's like, Why do you hate me? And Alex is like, okay, what are you? You were a dick. And he's okay. Henry does not remember this. Oh, yeah, he absolutely doesn't remember it. Um, and then the second thing is, and this is where Alex kind of breaks down. Like, really why he doesn't like Henry and why he kind of has created this, this rivalry. And it's because Alex is not white. He has had to fight for everything. He has, like, okay, crafted his image. He's had to, like, do all of these things. And Henry just has it. Like I and so there's this like, he's like, You have been given everything. How could you not like how can you not be just stuck up and full of yourself? Like, privileged? Right? And it's like, I fought for everything. I worked my ass off. Like I do so much like, and so he like, that's kind of his his thing. Okay, why he kind of built up this thing. This rivalry and

Margie: 24:02

he had this. He had, he didn't give up his shot.

Rachel: 24:07

Yes, you can make as many Hamilton jokes but so like, and Henry's just kind of this moment of, oh, oh, like, Oh, shit. Yeah, you're right. Hmm. Like, it's like a really good like Heart to Heart kind of moment. And it's, you know, kind of like, they don't hate each other after that. Kind of like indifferent a little Okay.

Margie: 24:34

Okay. It was a really good level playing ground again. Right?

Rachel: 24:37

Okay, much. Um, so when they go to leave, Alex gives Henry his number. A hail because he's like, look, this doesn't end this weekend. We have to pretend to be friends forever now. Right? So this is gonna make it a lot easier than you trying to go through all of the handlers and everything. Just text me, gives them the number and he's like, okay, okay, like, like he's never really had like a friend. Just give him money. Number.

Margie: 25:00

Oh, that's a really sad to, like really sad he has

Rachel: 25:05

a friend who is fabulous. I love this man. But it's like one friend and a magnate who like, does all this charity work, which is super cool, but it's like one friend, right? That's who he has. Yeah. So it's just like it's so sweet. And there's some cinnamon rolls hmm. And they start texting each other randomly. Okay, it starts it starts at Henry starts it really? Yeah. So it starts with Henry taking a picture from like a tabloid and texting it to Alex and saying like, this looks like you and or like doesn't look like you and me like something like that. And it's like, some horrible person like, just to fuck with. And so like, a couple days later, Alex sees a tabloid that says like Henry's illicit baby like, like that kind of tablet. And he takes a picture he goes, he sends back he's like, how we were so careful.

Margie: 25:57

Oh my god, that's so flirty. Their

Rachel: 25:59

banter is amazing.

Margie: 26:01

Oh my god.

Rachel: 26:03

Second, but so they're like talking and everything and and they start ending up like talking and like texting a lot. And there's one incident where it's like, right before Thanksgiving. We're like, you know, the president pardons a pair of turkeys. Right? Right. Well, Alex being a young government boy is like, Wait, it cost how many taxpayer dollars to house these turkeys at this farm? Fuck that. Just put them in my room for the night.

Margie: 26:28

That's why

Rachel: 26:33

turkeys like it's just like texting Henry the entire time going. They're gonna eat me when I go to sleep. I can't sleep tonight. Smart enough. But

Margie: 26:39

also they smell so bad. Turkeys are so gross.

Rachel: 26:45

He's texting Henry. And like Henry is making fun of him. And all of a sudden Alex just on a whim. Calls Henry. And as soon as Henry picks up the pen, he's like, Why the hell is he calling me was never called before. And as soon as Henry picks up the phone, Alex is like, you know what, you little shit. You can hear for yourself. And then you can tell me how you would handle this. I'm like, holds the phone up to the turkey. It's like, the first ever phone conversation is him being like, you know what? Like, you motherfucker. Great. Don't

Margie: 27:20

you judge me.

Rachel: 27:21

So they're just like, the relationship is basically just kind of like developing over these next couple of months. So October, I think was on the wedding was so Thanksgiving. And they started like actually calling each other more after this whole Thanksgiving thing. It's like Alex kind of like, broke that barrier. And like actually talking about shit. And Alex meets Henry's sister, Beatrice or B, who is like, so sweet. Oh, loves Henry, her and Henry are really close. And all this stuff. And then Christmas rolls around. And so I appreciate this. I think this is one of the first times we've had to show up in a book. Alex's parents are divorced. So he, but he has really good relationships with his dad and his mom individually. But his mom and his dad don't do well together. Which is fair. Yeah, like, but they still like at Christmas. His dad always comes to the White House and they have like a family dinner tip. Oh, that's nice. Yeah. And so it starts out fine. But his dad and his mom start bickering and he kind of like, has this moment where he just explodes at dinner and is like, can you guys not just shut the fuck up for three hours, like, come on and rainstorms off. And he is sitting there and he's like, I need to talk to someone and no one else is going to be there because it's Christmas Eve and Henry. Right. So he calls Henry. And they like, they have like, so they had called before. This is like the first like, big deep conversation right? Oh, yeah. So a lot of this is like just them talking and the relationship developing over email and text messages and it's like the cutest thing

Margie: 28:59

ever and each other again listens.

Rachel: 29:03

So a couple days after Christmas, there's like the the White House trio always hold this like young correspondents dinner kind of thing. Okay. And part of this whole agreement of okay, Alex is going to go to England was Henry is going to come for this. Yeah. So it's like, yeah, so Henry and his friend who does the whole the whole magnet thing? Okay. Both show up. And they like they're having a blast. Everyone is getting just so drunk. Yeah, drunk. Oh, my God, honestly. Sounds like a hell of a party problem. Yeah. Um, and at midnight, he's Nora. That's the chicks name. The VPS daughter. Okay, no, I remembered it. So again, I've kind of like explained to their relationship. It's like they hooked up once but she's gay. Yeah, they're just really close friends. Right? So at midnight, it's tradition he jokingly kisses her. And Henry kind of disappears but Alex is really drunk so it doesn't pay that much attention until he's like, Wait where's Henry? And so we like wanders around any find Henry outside in the garden? Okay, just kind of like looking at the stars or whatever be Yeah. Being broody. Wow, yeah. That was scary. Any city and they have this like moment of Alex is like, hey what's going on and he kind of explains it to him and everything and he's like you really don't understand Do you and he's like you really don't get it and he's like, oh and then Henry kisses and Alex is like, Oh, okay. I'm okay with this. I'm wait and then Henry runs away. And then he's gone the next morning. I just gone run

Margie: 30:47

don't run away from your ran

Rachel: 30:49

away from his feelings. Oh, shit. Okay, hang on, Margie. I gotta go get this hold on. Oh, yeah.

Unknown: 30:55

Hey, everybody. Its Kelly, host of boobies in newbies part of the frolic Podcast Network. Every episode, I invite a romance reading newbie, to read and review their very first romance novel alongside me, a self proclaimed romance novel addict. We're talking everything from bisexual pegging. We need more pegging on TV, we need it in books. We need it in real life. We need to talk about it to the deepest intricacies of relationships. It really is like we're fighting for us. Like we're let's fight. We cover it all. Find in follow us on social media at boobies podcast and catch up on previous episodes on your favorite podcast streaming platform.

Rachel: 31:39

Was that sorry, was one of my suitors. All right. All right. So scene three. Okay. Alex is having an identity crisis. Yeah, Alex has this moment of well, but I'm straight. Well, but sure. I messed around in high school. But who who didn't? Wait, was what I was doing in high school? Gay.

Margie: 32:05

If you have to ask it probably day. Yeah, if you have to ask.

Rachel: 32:09

Yeah. And he just has this moment of. I'm bisexual. Hmm.

Margie: 32:16

Yeah, coming to that realization is always a weird time. Yeah.

Rachel: 32:21

So he realizes he's by and it's like, the way that I'm not going to go super into it. But the way that he kind of like comes up realization is very, as someone who has come to that realization in the past, he like specifically makes a note of like, well, it wasn't like the earth shattering open. Like, it just is like, it's not some huge revelation. It's just Oh, yeah, like the world doesn't change, right? It's just what you are right? Like, so it's very organic. I appreciate that a lot. Okay. Um, so he realizes he's by but Henry at this point has ghosted him is not talking whatsoever. And he even sees like the tabloids that Henry like, when I date with the girl.

Margie: 33:03

Okay, so is Henry by to or Is he gay?

Rachel: 33:07

Henry is straight gay. Okay. Just straight

Margie: 33:09

gay. Gay. That's cool. That's clear as mud. He's very

Rachel: 33:14

gay. Okay, super gay. But a good Royal. He can't be gay, right?

Margie: 33:20

Sure. As if royals have never been gay in the past that comes up.

Rachel: 33:27

So Henry, basically ghosted him. Oh, but Oh, I'm sorry. I was a little bit wrong. Um, June, his sister Alex's sister invited Henry for the young correspondents dinner. Oh, the thing that he had to come to for the PR event? Yeah. Is later that Oh, yeah. So he has to come to the White House. Ah, and so Alex is like, alright, quarter Hill, this is my time. So. So he's sitting there and just like out Henry's across the room, and he's just like, and it goes to one of the Secret Service agents that is like, like family knows we keep it secret. He's like, Hey, I have to talk to Henry alone. Will you help me? And she's like, Okay, I don't want to know, plausible deniability. But we can get you into this room, but only for a little bit, because people are going to go in there after the dinner. Okay. And he's like, Okay, that'll work. I have like five minutes. Yeah. And so he grabs Henry and drags him off into this room.

Margie: 34:32

And he will commandments. I was.

Rachel: 34:36

I would say quite possibly one of the best scenes in this book.

Margie: 34:40

The room where it happens.

Rachel: 34:43

So he grabs him and drags him into this room and shuts the door and just turns around and corners him and just kisses his face. Oh, yeah, the room where he just tackles him and Henry's like what is happening? I'm not gonna say no, but what is happening and basically What it comes down to is they like aggressively make out, almost knock a lamp over. And then Alex like grabs him by his collar. And tonight, you are coming to my room. It's this room in the White House, you're going to come and you're going to have, I'm going to do unspeakable things to you. And if you ever go see again, I will fucking chaos.

Margie: 35:20

This is so high.

Rachel: 35:23

It's just like, okay, okay.

Margie: 35:26

It's so yeah, someone did that to me. I'd be like, okay. We're doing now.

Rachel: 35:34

It's just like what I would like to clarify. Both parties are very willing. Right? And so that is good. Right? Right. So, yeah. Henry goes up to Alex's room at night. Hell, yeah. So he shows up. And he's like, Alex is like, Did you have trouble finding it? And he's like, No, there was a secret service agent that was very helpful.

Margie: 35:59

Yeah, she's Secret Service agent. It's like, yes. Be Gay of the White House.

Rachel: 36:04

This chick is up, bro.

Margie: 36:08

Yeah, Trump.

Rachel: 36:10

Well, and they get it on heli, and it's rather good. Oh, full disclosure. This was my first gay romance novel that I've ever read. I was super into it. Right?

Margie: 36:22

I know. You're like, Oh, these are my genitalium still into it.

Rachel: 36:26

for it. It's like it was real good and was just very well written. Like, and it was it was like, part of it is Alex realizing like, Henry is nervous about this. I'm probably gonna have to kind of take the lead on my Yeah, no, I'm the one that just found out. I was very cute. Just

Margie: 36:46

just just like a toddler. Everything in your mouth. That was that I want to put that put out there. I stole that joke for a stand up comedian. Taylor Tomlinson. And she's amazing.

Rachel: 36:58

That's fair. But what I'm thinking of blowjobs my initial thought is not toddler everything in your mouth

Margie: 37:06

was actually busy. I suppose sex. I'm just like she says she's like, you know, sex is like, Okay, you just have to approach it with the Uzi as a toddler, everything in your mouth. Yeah.

Rachel: 37:16

I mean, it's basically like, like, Alex has to admit to Henry like, Hey, I've never actually done this before. So, right. And he's like, all right. All right. Well, let's do it. And Henry, just straight up. Tell him like I am gay. I'm not like bisexual anything. I'm gay. And he's like, all right. All right. Cool. Keep keep rolling. All right. Q International. Now, y'all. It's totally just a bromance between the two of like, literally like, Hey, I'm gonna be in Germany for this event. You're going to be there? No, but I can be like, all of that.

Margie: 37:48

Oh, my God, the injury.

Rachel: 37:51

Intrigue. We also want a little bit more about Henry situation. Okay. So be super cool. B is the only one that knows he's gay. Okay. No one else knows he's gay. And he will be hard. Yeah. And he just like, feels like he can't tell anyone. Right? Well, um, specifically because his father died when he was younger. Okay. And actually, we learned that part of the reason he was such a dick to Alex was because his dad had just died. And he knew that right? Okay. Um, and so his dad died of cancer and his mom kind of like, shut off. So like, England is his grandmother. She's still running everything. But his mom is kind of like has it just hasn't been active in his life for a long time. Wow. And he kind of resents that. Yeah, obviously. Yeah. And he does not want to be a prince. Okay. He doesn't want to be a prince. He does not want to be in the spotlight. He just wants to like have his own life that he can do on his own stuff. So he like he actually empties Alex a lot of like, you're so comfortable and confident in the spotlight. Like I can't I wish I was as confident as you were right I really struggle with that right? God damn, these two are so cute together. Oh, just like I want to see if I can find a little snippet of their banter besides the like, listen here, you little shit thing because it's, it's just like, they're, they're referencing it to each other because both of them are like history nerds. And Alex is a huge American history nerd like American political history nerd. So he's like, they end all of their, their emails with quotes from letters between like the founding fathers or kings and queens that are really gay. Like, like, just quotes from these letters. That's like, yeah, no one can tell us that these like leaders were never gay. Because look at this shit. Like, right? Yeah, so freakin cute. So some of their like, emails together to each other. Like, Alex is emailing to Henry and says His Royal Highness Prince Henry of whatever. Don't make me learn your actual title. Are you going to be at the Paris fundraiser for rainforest conservation this weekend? Alex for son of your former former colony. And then he responds with Alex first son of off brand England signs it with His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales. And then he says, huge raging headache Prince Henry of who cares?

Margie: 40:13

I love it.

Rachel: 40:14

It's so cool.

Margie: 40:16

So what do you foresee the future though for a second? Yes, but can I so like, let's, I'm gonna hypothetically say like the good news about their situation in a way is that Alex isn't going to be the whatever. She's not gonna be president forever. His mom is not gonna be president forever. Right. So

Rachel: 40:36

she's in her first term. Yeah, right now and election cycle is happening right now. Right? So they're in like, it is. This is 2020 in this book. Wow. Yeah. But don't worry because Trump never came became president she did after Obama.

Margie: 40:52

is I would literally what? Yes. Oh my god. Ah, by the sun. We are in the bad place we could have had we could have had Ah, we're

Rachel: 41:03

in the darkest timeline. Here. The duck is

Margie: 41:05

timeline.

Rachel: 41:05

We'd like her running me. Like running opponent is 100%. It's like evil Trump. Trump is evil. It's smart, evil Trump. Oh, like politically intelligent Trump,

Margie: 41:16

you better hope that nobody is looking at your emails. Yeah. So okay, go on.

Rachel: 41:23

So Alex has a really I forget what exactly happens, but he's having like, a really tough time was something and Henry happens to be like, in the air and Henry just like shows up. And he's like, Dude, it's cool. Like you support him and everything. And Ross bra. Um, so they go up to the hotel room together, and they get it on. And Henry accidentally kind of forgets to leave in the late night.

Margie: 41:49

Oh, no.

Rachel: 41:51

PR lady shows up and Henry, like, goes into the closet. And yes, they have this moment of well, this is ironic. And it's like hiding. And he Alex is talking to his PR lady and everything. And also Henry just falls out of the closet. And it was Momo and the woman like she just sits there. She stares at Alex looks at Henry. What the fuck have you done? She's like, I don't care. Did it have to be him? But okay, it is gonna, here's what's gonna happen. He's like, don't tell my mom yet. I want to tell her and she's like, okay, but the Democratic National Convention is like this weekend. And so I'm not going to tell her before that. Because shit stressful enough. But as soon as that's done, you are telling her right? Yes, like, Okay. And so cut to him have sitting down with his mom. I'm like, Mom, I'm gay. And he's like, she's like, Oh, that's goodbye. And she's like, Oh, that's so great. I'm they're so supportive. And like, I love his mom. She's great. And then he's like, and I kind of have met someone. Oh, wonderful. It's Prince Henry. It's it too. Oh, god. Okay, um, um, give me five minutes. And she runs out of the room. Because what his mom is faced with challenging and like, Oh, God, I have to deal with being a mother like things. She makes PowerPoint.

Margie: 43:19

Oh, my God.

Rachel: 43:22

I just comes back and she's like, okay, it's a PowerPoint presentation. Just like I'm sorry. I made it on short notice. Exploring your sexuality, like titles or like

Margie: 43:32

the fact that she had time to do that

Rachel: 43:34

is a basic right and her. Her like, titles. There's one it's like, I was like, it's like, secret trysts the federal budget and you

Margie: 43:46

Oh, my God, okay. Okay, great. Go on.

Rachel: 43:50

So she like basically tells him just like, like, because up until this point, Alex has been given the opportunity to work on her reelection campaign, which is like his dream job right to go. He Alex's dream is to become the youngest senator in history.

Margie: 44:02

Wow. Okay, so yeah, let's go into what his mom did. He does.

Rachel: 44:05

He wants to do politics. His thing that he likes he wants to do it for the reason it should be done was just helping people. Right. And his mom's like, Okay, first things first, I can't have you working on my election campaign. Not because this is a bad thing. But because, like, if anything happens, it will destroy you. She's Yeah, I have to remove conflicts of interest, especially because it's England, like can't have that conflict of interest. Second, like, you can do whatever you want, as far as Intel is telling people, be careful. And don't do it until after the election campaign. And he's like, okay, fair. Get it. But like, she's like, I support you. Like, I totally get it right for you. Be careful, please. Right. Yeah, that kind of thing. But she's like, really so

Margie: 44:52

bad. So awesome. I know. That is awesome. is right. Like

Rachel: 44:57

that is the first interaction with the mother then Every year, Alex's dad has a lake house where they grew up down in Texas and they go on like a family trip to the lake house and Alex invites Henry. Oh, Henry goes with him to the lake house. And this is like, Alex is starting to realize like I have the touchy feely is the fuzzies for Henry handbag go everywhere panics so they're like alone in the like at night like hanging out. Okay, Alex starts trying to tell him how he feels and Henry like, nope, and just leaves like he gets out of there. And he's like this and goes to him again. No. No, or cinnamon cinnamon roll boy Henry. Come on. Do

Margie: 45:39

both of them are cinnamon rolls, but like right now I'm lean. I'm like definitely more about Alex. by Henry.

Rachel: 45:44

Well, so Alex, so he's ghosted again, and he's like, oh, hell, no, I worn this motherfucker. We're not doing this. So he flies to England overnight, and confronts Henry, like, basically like, he makes a scene in front of the palace until he can get in is like, bad. Yeah. And he's like,

Margie: 46:05

Yeah, you remember what your mom said about being careful? Well, he hasn't

Rachel: 46:09

he, like, the only person that knows about this is his PR lady had to put it together basically. Okay, so and the handler knows about this, but it's the middle of the night. So it's like it's Oh, okay. So nobody would have spotted okay, but so he confronts Henry and Henry like has this moment of like, but I can't you know the stuff like I'm Royal I can't do this. I'm supposed to marry someone I have to go into like if the army or whatever like right what's expected of Yeah, he's like, Who fucking cares? Right what you want and and after like this conversation, Henry, like kind of like, okay, okay. I say we tell people after the election cycle. Yeah, like they're right. Sure decision. Right. And so to be fair, at this point, Henry means his family. Okay? Not necessarily like the world. And he gets a text from his mom that just says you romantic little shit. I love you be careful. Oh, that's so Oh, their family dynamic is so great. To get back there hanging out. Alex is hanging out there still texting and everything and oh, he sees the tablet headlines. Oh, no.

Margie: 47:20

Oh, no.

Rachel: 47:22

private email servers.

Margie: 47:23

Yeah. guess right. You

Rachel: 47:26

did also pictures. Oh, no. Pictures of them like kissing? Oh, no.

Margie: 47:32

So someone betrayed them? Yeah, so I think it's the PR lady.

Rachel: 47:41

I feel like a bad storyteller because it's not someone that I've mentioned in the story. Oh, no.

Margie: 47:45

Okay, well, go out. Go. Um,

Rachel: 47:47

so she gets leaked. Yo. Henry, and the crown goes radio silent. There is no media coming in and out of England. Alex cannot texting. Well, Alex has had his phone taken away. He's like for now till we get it figured out and figured out who did it. Um, Nora has gone radio silent. Which one store nor is the data analyst one, okay. Like a brilliant data analyst. Okay. Like like tech wizard. Hmm. Um, and his mom basically sits him down and is like, like, he's always in the middle of a meeting. And the PR lady brings Alex into the room and she's like, everyone out. I want to talk to my son. until like, Alex sits down. She's like, Look at me. Is this forever? He's like, Yeah, I think it might be forever okay, I support you. Let's come out. Like she's like alright, well, I'm going to throw my hand behind you right here's that it's an election cycle.

Margie: 48:41

What happened? What happened? We can't do anything we have a board

Rachel: 48:45

if you want to come out great right support you right like awesome. Well England still isn't answering anything from the US like officially or unofficially right so he's mocking is like you know what? Fucking everyone on the plane we're going to England and we're going to like go and drive to the palace until they let

Margie: 49:05

oh my god that's very that is something I have to say would never ever everything else in the story I'm kind of like all right, I can get behind it that would never happen ever ever ever ever happen.

Rachel: 49:16

Oh no. But she goes total Mama Bear okay, like this. Mama Bear press Okay,

Margie: 49:20

President Mama Bear

Rachel: 49:21

of like hell you're forever child is going to ghost my child. Like luck. You talk to me. So surely before this, actually like that morning for everything got leaked. Henry tried to tell Philip his brother, okay, who was going to be king? And it did not go well, okay. So Henry already was kind of like really on edge. Okay, and then this happened and so it's just really worried about him right? He's like, he is like does not deal with this level of publicity. Well, right. This is not good. And their, their emails got leaked, and they were like, writing. Henry wants to be a writer. So he was like writing Poetry and writing all this stuff. And it's like it's it's such a sensitive cinnamon roll and I feel so bad for him. But Alex is legitimately just really, really worried about him. So they go in and they're like, No, we're we're talking to the Queen about this like let us in and like Alex is able to go and actually see Henry and like, they they kind of like together like, Okay, well this is not how we want it, but we're gonna stand behind it like we are going to rather than like, oh, you know, someone doctored all this stuff and like all they like, tried to like, No, it wasn't us kind of deal though. Right? No, we're we're gonna come out together like, right you're, you're gay. I'm by the world will know? Yeah, it is what it is. Yeah. Right. Right. Um, so everyone. And so the next day, they have a meeting with the queen about all this. Oh, good. I'm sure that's wonderful. So they go to be was suspiciously absent throughout all this. Like beforehand. Okay, so the go to this meeting B is there with their mother? Oh, dear. And B has sort of like had a heart to heart with their mom. Oh, and this is like referenced a little bit beforehand. But she's like, you essentially abandoned your children and I understand you were really upset but like, we've needed you and look as what just happened and your Your son needs you. Yeah. And so like, her mom, or the his mom was up all night and like comes in the next day. And you're like, alright, we'll get this sorted out. You want to come out? Okay, we're gonna fuckin do it. Like his mom wants his mom is there for Yeah, his mom is like, we were gonna we're gonna fight this, we're gonna figure it out. Your grandmother is terrifying and kind of a bitch. So. Yeah. So they have this meeting and the queen. Like, they do a good job of like, the level of gravitas of this is the queen. Okay, but also, it's still a human right, who is very old. Okay, like starting to forget people's names. And like, I have been told and I'm too old to understand this, but that videos and photos can be changed like she's trying to be like, someone doctored these these none of these are real.

Margie: 52:06

So she's trying to push it under the rug. Yeah, because it's not proper, right? And it's like people have been gay for so long. Grandma will gay forever.

Rachel: 52:16

And she's like, trying to deny she's like, the people of England will not accept this and like, will not accept the gay Prince and like all of these things.

Margie: 52:24

And well, I hate to break it to you, Granny. So

Rachel: 52:28

his mom finally she's like, all right. Well, it would really suck if Parliament knew that. The queen was I don't know, forgetful for getting names of important leaders and suck it. And the queen is like trying to like ignore all these things. And someone like comes in and hands like a tabloid. And it's all of these supporters outside of the palace being like, are they Prince Harry's. Or Henry is the best and they like open the window and there's just a great crowd of people and it is the most wholesome yea humanity moment in a

Margie: 53:06

book ever see, that? Really is the good place. We're in the bad fucking place. You want to live in this place? So worst timeline.

Rachel: 53:13

So turns out everyone like, well, not everyone, obviously. Like, but like people are progressive nowadays. They love Prince Henry and Alex like, I love them,

Margie: 53:24

right? It's such a romantic story.

Rachel: 53:28

So Alex becomes and like, there's so much poetry. So like, there's one one quote from one of their emails was like talking about like all these gay people in history that everyone just seems to forget about, quote, unquote. And Alex's comment on that is history. Hmm. And so guy, like start selling T shirts. It's just a history. Hmm.

Margie: 53:46

I love it. Oh, my God. Good. That's so good.

Rachel: 53:53

And so Alex becomes an official royal Souter. Yes. Like they have pictures taken together. I was like, I stayed up until midnight one night before work just reading this. It's so freakin good. But, um, you know, they but it's still the election cycle. So they've had this kind of brief sidetrack in England, everything's okay. Doing okay there. But it's still an election cycle. And they have to go back because the Republican candidate who's like, smart Donald Trump, so really evil. Yeah, um, has been going on doing the whole like, you know, threat to our values and like all that bullshit.

Margie: 54:33

And what make America gay again? Hell yeah.

Rachel: 54:37

And Nora, like I said, has been totally radio silent. And I kind of heard about this because he's like, you're like my best friend. And you are not here to help me and support me and everything. And so they're back in the White House. And Nora just comes bursting in and she's like, Guys, I haven't slept in 36 hours and I just drink three Red Bulls, but look what I have. Oh, and wolf down all of us information of evidence that someone in the opposing like candidates, the Republican can be like Russia, not Russia, but it's actually them talking about like, like conversation saying, That picture is not good enough. I need you to get a better more clear picture of these two together and like hacking in like evidence. Anyways,

Margie: 55:23

god,

Rachel: 55:24

okay as other candidate was having the president's son like stalked, right like all this shit. And she's like, Oh, hell yes. And they're like, Oh, are you going to put it on WikiLeaks? No, we're going to the press baby. Yeah, so they publish it to the press. And this is where we find out. So I didn't do a very good job of mentioning this previously, one of Alex's like, said the Senator that he really looks up to is a dude who is the first openly gay like, Senator, okay. And, and this guy ended up turning tail and joining the other person's party party while running like can't like yeah, damn. And Alex was really hurt about right like horrible. Yeah, Bronson and ever all this shit. And as soon as this happens, he drops out of their race, because what he did was he turned tail, got all this evidence and leaked it. And left no like for us. Oh, essentially, like frickin like, what is it Benedict Arnold. Right on a deal where he went in to like to get information and then leaked it to like Nora, so that she could figure it out.

Margie: 56:39

So he's actually a good guy.

Rachel: 56:42

Okay, in doing so he essentially has destroyed his own career, his career, but he did that. Yeah. But it's a huge like Shakedown. And everyone is like, what the fuck, right? And they ended up like, but he's still running for president. Like, he's not dropping out of the race. And so they get to the point where it's like, election night, and they are all like, they're in Texas, which Texas, right? And they're like, it, it starts to become really close. Like, and it gets down to the point where like, Texas is the deciding state. And like Henry is able to, like show up Henry's there too. Because Henry is like, so I'm flying to like so some this place, but um, they said visibility was really bad or something. I don't know. But we have to lay it in Houston. I have. Or Dallas, I have no concept of your country. Is that close to you? Because they're in like, I think Austin. Okay, so cuz that close. I was just informed. It's not that close. But as soon as he like, here's what's happening. He's like, get me there. So they drive Austin, Henry's there for it. And it ends up like, for the second time in history, Texas goes blue. Why? It ends with Alex being like, Alright, everyone's celebrating Henry come here. And they like, go off. And Alex takes him to his childhood home that's in the city and they like, are like, Yo, this is happening forever now. It's the cutest goddamn shit. And Alex has decided that instead of going straight into politics, he is going to go to law school and start fighting for LGBTQ and marginalized people's rights. And Henry has decided that he is going to so he's been opening up LGBTQ like shelters for like kids everything all over the world and stuff with his one friend. And he's like, I am going to manage the one in Boston, from Boston. So you're going to school in Boston. And they're going to be together forever. was the cutest thing

Margie: 58:49

that was really fucking cute. It was so good.

Rachel: 58:53

It was so good. I want to see if there's any other like I highlighted so much shit in this book. I want to see if there's any other quotes that I want to read for you. Oh, here's the slides for his mom's PowerPoint. The next slide is titled exploring your sexuality healthy but it doesn't have to be with the Prince of England. Oh, that's it federal funding travel expenses booty calls, and you Oh my

Margie: 59:17

god. She's

Rachel: 59:21

amazing. Love his mom. She's so great. They're like, I just like want to tell everyone about their banter all the time. It's so cute, but you just need to read it because it is like

Margie: 59:34

Okay, so let's let's we gotta get to let's get to writing.

Rachel: 59:37

So yeah, so I like this book. I was super not sure about it at first, but it is the most like adorable. I would honestly put it with one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Like, because it really hits the romance right side of it, right? It is. It happens over the course of a year of them coming to a point and like, their relationship really develops in a natural like banter kind of way rather than come with me to my castle and then maybe if you're like trapped there for three days you'll love me forever. It's like, not in my mind that is not romance. This is romance, right? Because it's actually about the romance like it's, and they're so freakin cute together. And so I came out of it. In this the dark times, I came out of it with the darkest, darkest timeline, the warmest fuzzies. And those feelings if anyone needs like, a slight usually when I'm reading a book, I go fantasy because I want to escape as far as I can from reality. This book was a really good one to like, just a subtle shift from reality. And it weirdly gave me really good fuzzies about current reality, okay, because it gave me those moments of like, yeah, there's a lot of shitty people and should you things happening, but there's also all these good things that happen. Yeah, like really supportive things happening. And it was like, it was just a really good way to like, Hey, I remember all the good right now.

Margie: 1:01:05

There's still good in this world, Mr. Frodo and it's worth fighting for.

Rachel: 1:01:09

I was I was thinking of Mr. Rogers. Look for the helpers. They're so good. And we support each other and it just the fun. Oh, the fun is so highly recommend. Oh, okay. All right. Yes, Alex five. He's like, just such an amazing character. He's so well defined. Like he has a really good backstory. He has divorced parents, which Hey, yeah, divorce over here. Right. It's pretty great. To have that representation. Him realizing he's BI is awesome, right? Because like, there's a whole thing where like, he doesn't feel comfortable telling his sister because he's like, once I tell her a title, and he just isn't sure and like all this

Margie: 1:01:48

stuff. I know that feel so good, right?

Rachel: 1:01:51

Henry is superduper five out of five because he like starts is like the super cold. You can't see his personality at all. And then it's like no, he just is really uncomfortable in the spotlight. Right? Like, actually has all this depth and is a poet and like all this stuff, baby. Oh, sweet jackals. Plot five out of five. smut five out of five. Overall book 10 out of 10. I am not kidding. The case do it again.

Margie: 1:02:18

They just do everything better.

Rachel: 1:02:20

I don't know if this could be more gay.

Margie: 1:02:22

I don't know he could always always be more

Rachel: 1:02:26

has to bisexual characters to gay characters. Like multiracial couples. Rachel's still not gay and it has a B. So B has a scandal and her history like past history where she got really into cocaine for a little while. Right. So it has like her coming out of that. And like that kind of thing. Oh, that was the other thing I really wanted to mention. This book tackles really deep emotional trauma and explains it really well. Okay, so like Henry has a lot of emotional trauma from his dad dying because he was like nine when his dad died. Yeah, I guess it was a car wreck. No, he cancer. Oh, okay. Well, but so he is talking, Henry's asleep. Alex is talking to b. And b explains this like deep amount of grief and areas. And she explains it. I actually I come I bookmarked it in the book. So good, she says. So imagine we're all born with a set of feelings. Some are broader or deeper than others. But for everyone, there's that ground floor, that bottom crust of the pie. That's the maximum depth of feeling you've ever experienced. And then the worst thing happens to you very worst thing that could have happened. The thing you had nightmares about as a child and you thought it's all right, because that thing will happen to me when I'm older and wiser. And I'll have felt so many feelings that by then this one worst feeling worse, possible feeling won't be so terrible. But it happens when you're young. It happens when your brain isn't even fully done cooking. When you barely experienced anything. Really the worst thing is one of the first big things that ever happens to you in your life. It happens to you and it goes all the way down to the bottom of what you know how to feel and it rips it open and carves out this chasm down below to make room Wow. Because you were so young and because it was one of the first big things to happen in your life. You'll always carry it inside you every time something terrible happens to you from then on. It doesn't just stop at the bottom it goes all the way down. I read that it was like I'm shook. Holy shit. Like it's such a good way of explaining emotional trauma. And that's what grief Yeah. And has that right. Y'all read this book? Yeah, just read it. Read it. It's wonderful. I loved it so much. And I

Margie: 1:04:49

love it. I and what else have you been reading? Okay, I know. I know. I already know. But listeners

Rachel: 1:04:56

Yeah. Um, so we have done The Night Circus. Right we've talked about that I talked about it extensively. Well, Erin Morgenstern that author has a second book called The star. Let's see. Yes. Having started reading it again. I would say that I was wrong. The Night Circus is not my favorite book. The starless Sea is quite possibly one of the most brilliant books ever. Wow. Like, wow. So The Night Circus jumps in time, between chapters, so like, you jump around, like between years, the starless sea jumps in stories. Okay, so, one chapter is the story. The next chapter is a story from a book within the story. Everything is connected. Everything is either an analogy for something else that's happening in the book or like true at some point, you just stop knowing what's real and what's not. And it all meshes and it's blows your mind like so. Well, you know how like, The Night Circus starts with the circus arrives without Yeah, which is such a beautiful like opening line. This one starts with a line. There's a pirate in the bait in a basement. The pirate is a metaphor, but also still so good. Read it, and it's scary as hell yeah.

Margie: 1:06:13

Okay as hell yeah. Also gay but not gay enough.

Rachel: 1:06:15

It's it could be very could be gay, but it's just beautiful. Could be gay are always Yeah, read that to read all the books, read everything.

Margie: 1:06:25

Everything. Read everything.

Rachel: 1:06:26

I want you to read it now. Talk to me about it. I want it I need someone else to feel these feelings. I did you enjoy that?

Margie: 1:06:36

I did. Oh,

Rachel: 1:06:37

will you read it? No. Oh, yeah. Good. Tell me and you have to like, text me as you're reading. Okay. 100%. Okay. Hey, thank you for going on that ride with us. Yeah, it was so much happier than last time and tell us how we could

Margie: 1:06:50

how it could be made more gay. We wouldn't know. You would make it more gay.

Rachel: 1:06:56

I want to share it. This is history. Hmm. History.

Margie: 1:06:59

History has it's

Rachel: 1:07:04

the end all his secret service friends are all wearing those shirts. Okay. Yeah, she's wearing the like history. Hmm, like rainbow flags, and one of them is gay and like no one knew and she's like, No, I'm coming out to you guys. I have a wife that like oh my god. One of them's trans it's so good. Yes. Okay, read it.

Margie: 1:07:23

Um, thanks, guys. Thank you to Ayla. Nereo for the use of her for you got it? I believe in you. Oh love the album be held 50 episodes or no? Wait more than that.

Rachel: 1:07:39

4949 49 I'm good cuz I'm glad you did that. I'm still recovering emotionally.

Margie: 1:07:47

Well, and if you guys are sticking around for the under the covers muddy bedside under the covers, we will see you over there. But I'll yeah, we will see you guys next time. And I brought my book Nice. So it's another good one. Well, it's crazy. It's bananas. A listener? What's the listener recommendation? Well, yeah, yeah. So yeah. So

Rachel: 1:08:09

we love you guys.

Margie: 1:08:10

We love you guys. I will see you over under the covers.

Rachel: 1:08:13

Yes, we will.