The Heir Affair

May 1, 2020
Cocks and Morgan, the fashion bloggers known as the Fug Girls, return with the highly anticipated sequel to their regal rom-com, The Royal We (2015). Nick and Bex, more formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Clarence, have escaped from London and taken refuge in Wigtown, Scotland, where they are posing as local booksellers Margot and Steve. The newlyweds are not only running from their disastrous wedding ceremony--during which rumors of an affair between Bex and Prince Freddie, Nick's brother, were released to the public by a former friend of Nick's who's a tabloid journalist--but from the resultant wrath of Nick's grandmother, Queen Eleanor. Both Nick and Bex are uncertain about how to move forward in their marriage following Freddie's declaration of love for Bex, and they're contemplating never returning home. But when Queen Eleanor concocts a scheme to get them back, they return to their public lives, where they must confront the deepening cracks in their relationships with each other as well as with Freddie and the way history seems to be repeating itself in the palace. It's clear that the authors are experts on all the juicy rumors about the real British royal family, as they deftly inject recognizable scandals and characteristics from real-life people into a world of their own making. A mystery from the past involving Princess Georgina, the queen's late sister, mirrors one in the present day of the book and adds more intrigue to the plot, though some readers might find the resultant drama a bit over-the-top. The novel takes place over the course of several years and can feel drawn out as multiple illnesses, pregnancies, scandals, and secrets keep cropping up, but the characters are so compelling that most readers won't mind spending extra time with them. Royal watchers and tabloid devotees will devour this juicy look behind the gilded curtain of palace life.

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June 8, 2020
This funny sequel to The Royal We affectionately sends up royal pomp and celebrity. The novel traces the tumultuous first two years of marriage for the American-born Rebecca “Bex” Porter and Nick, heir to the British throne, as they navigate the fallout from a tabloid scandal—it’s reported that Nick’s younger brother, Freddie, had an affair with Bex—and pressure to produce an heir of their own. The first quarter of the book is weighed down by backstory and the reintroduction of characters from the previous installment, but the intrigue picks up the pace when Nick’s grandmother, Queen Eleanor, has a stroke and the couple’s royal responsibilities increase. The frothy accounts of an official state dinner, international trips, and glitzy parties are irresistibly fun. Bex’s romance with her prince is playful and appealing, and the bond between Nick and Freddie is sincere and moving. As the tabloids continue to wreak havoc on Freddie’s reputation, Bex and Nick take it upon themselves to clear the air of secrets and present a unified, calm exterior to the public. There’s real heart in this escapist romp, and royal watchers and romance fans alike will be left hungry for another sequel.

June 1, 2020
This sequel to The Royal We (2015) picks up right where the first book left off, with American-girl-turned-duchess Bex Porter hiding out in Scotland with her (literal) prince of a husband, Nick, as they try to escape the fallout from their wedding day, which turned into something of an international scandal. Soon enough, however, Bex and Nick are back in London, navigating the demands of his royal family, the complications of their relationship with Nick's brother, Freddie, and?of course?the increasing pressure for them to produce an heir. Along the way, Bex uncovers a long-buried family secret that threatens to undermine the monarchy itself. Readers will rejoice to be reunited with Bex, Nick, Freddie, and the colorful cast of supporting characters, and Cocks and Morgan's skill for snappy banter is on ample display here. The twists and turns of the plot veer too far towards melodrama on occasion, but readers are unlikely to be overly bothered by this, since they'll be too busy racing to the end of this fast-paced, funny, enjoyable read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

July 24, 2020

In their sequel to The Royal We, Cocks and Morgan pick up where they left off, or almost. Prince Nicholas and his American bride, Rebecca "Bex" Porter, have gone incognito in Scotland for their honeymoon after a scandal upended their wedding plans. A new crisis forces the new duke and duchess to return to London and deal with the fallout of the scandal and mend fences with their family, friends, and a very angry public. Once back, Nick and Bex must not only navigate being a married couple, but do so under a microscope while dealing with everyone's expectation about when they'll be expecting. Bex retreats from the scrutiny, diving into a royal mystery from the past and relying too much on Freddie for companionship; Nick escapes into work and avoids the issues. Even when the plot veers in the latter half, there's no doubt that Team Nick and Bex will persevere. VERDICT Angst-filled and bittersweet (sometimes verging a bit more toward the bitter), this engrossing, emotional read sometimes suffers under the weight of Nick and Bex's (and Freddie's) unhappiness, yet also expertly immerses readers in the reality of what it means to be married to the heir to the throne. [See Prepub Alert, 12/9/19.]--Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Narrator Christine Lakin simply rocks this charming sequel to THE ROYAL WE, also beautifully narrated by Lakin. American Bex Porter and her hunky Prince Nicholas, heir to the British throne, must deal with family scandals, their new and somewhat shaky marriage, and the politics of family, which are never easy to navigate, especially for royals. Lakin convincingly portrays each of the characters, who mimic some of their real British counterparts, even down to the ginger hair. She is adroit with infusing starch, strength, and presence in Queen Eleanor, humor in the more frivolous younger Prince Freddie, Bex with determination, and Prince Nick with heart and resolve. This beautifully narrated audiobook complements a first-rate story. A.C.P. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine