Book Review Wednesday: The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

 It was a very long time ago that I listened to The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan but it remains one of my favorite books. That's why, when I heard that they were finally releasing the sequel, I was completely overjoyed. 

The first book left on such a cliffhanger, and so much had changed within the royal family since 2015, I was curious to see how they were going to tackle this new book. I mean, Harry aka Freddie in the book, actually did marry an American, just like Nick and Bex. Then, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided to leave royal life behind because of the press... much like the situation that Nick and Bex are put through in this installment.

Life imitates art more than we even realize.

I devoured "The Heir Affair" in just a few days and I was left speechless by the entire thing. I think I liked it better than "The Royal We"... it was so different and so spectacular. I cannot get over how perfect this book was. 

Publisher's Summary

After a scandalous secret turns their fairy-tale wedding into a nightmare, Rebecca "Bex" Porter and her husband Prince Nicholas are in self-imposed exile. The public is angry. The Queen is even angrier. And the press is salivating. Cutting themselves off from friends and family, and escaping the world's judgmental eyes, feels like the best way to protect their fragile, all-consuming romance.

But when a crisis forces the new Duke and Duchess back to London, the Band-Aid they'd placed over their problems starts to peel at the edges. Now, as old family secrets and new ones threaten to derail her new royal life, Bex has to face the emotional wreckage she and Nick left behind: with the Queen, with the world, and with Nick's brother Freddie, whose sins may not be so easily forgotten—nor forgiven.

My Thoughts

As I said before, I loved this book! The writing was outstanding - it was complex and so real. It's not that other books don't feel real but they feel like books... this felt like I was spying on real people, or watching a movie. The conversations, especially between Bex, Nick, Freddi and their friends, felt so chaotic and all over the place -- it was so real, like it actually happened. I loved that so much! 

"The Heir Affair" was not what I expected; it starts off feeling very Meghan and Harry because Bex and Nick run away but then it quickly turns into something very dramatic, almost soap opera like, because the plot was unbelievable. 

Unlike the first book, I had a hard time picturing William, Kate and Harry in these roles. I think because the relationship between Freddi and Bex had changed so much, it was just really unrealistic but I liked it better that way! It's not a true story and it shouldn't read like one. It should also be said that I felt horrible for Freddie the entire time; without giving anything away, I almost felt like him and Bex were meant to be. It just hurt my heart a lot and I was lowkey rooting for them... but what happened was even better, in a very poetic way. 

The plot that got really dramatic was outrageous; I never expected it and it really threw me for a loop, in a wonderful way. I think Cocks and Morgan really went 'there' and took a risk. It almost felt like jumping the shark but in a really wonderful way.

There were multiple secrets revealed within the novel and all of them were shocking and perfect to move the story along. I felt as if I were reading multiple books within one.

The Royal We/Heir Affair is the original royal book series... before American Royals, before Red, White & Royal Blue, to me, this was the first. It paved the way for Will/Kate/Harry inspired books in the best way possible. 

If you love the Royal Family or just love romance, British culture, or love triangles, I cannot recommend this series enough. Also, if you read The Royal We all those years ago, you need to finish the series with The Heir Affair! 

xoxo

B