The Heir Affair was one of my two most anticipated new releases for 2020. (The other is A Rogue of One’s Own, the follow up to Evie Dunmore’s Bringing Down the Duke.) I was so thankful when I received an ARC from NetGalley! The sequel to The Royal We totally lived up to my expectations. (And yes, I truly think you need to read The Royal We to fully appreciate this one.)

The book starts off with Bex and Nick on a sort of incognito honeymoon after the fallout of the scandal that followed their wedding – readers of Book 1 will have an idea what this is. But duty eventually calls, and they must return to London. Throughout the course of the book, the couple and their friends struggle through the first few years of their marriage, all while maintaining a deep love for one another and ultimately a wonderful sense of teamwork. The couple hits a rough patch towards the first half of the novel, but is able to unite together and move forward. Bex and Nick are truly #relationshipgoals. They struggle with communication, as seen in Book 1 and the first half of Book 2, but by the end really have grown as a couple, even more so than they did in the first book.

While I hated most of Nick’s family when I met them in The Royal We, they grew on me in this one. Of course, I already loved Freddie, Nick’s brother/the Prince Harry figure. How can you hate Freddie? But during The Heir Affair, I grew to love Queen Eleanor. She was once a sort of nemesis to Bex, but the two form a bond in this one that is really touching. Plus, we get some great scenes of the Queen of England becoming a Chicago Cubs fan. It’s hilarious and adorable. The Twitter-obsessed, ancient Queen Mum is just as fun as she was in the first book. Even Nick and Freddie’s father, Prince Richard (or Prince Dick) seemed relatable to me, and I loved Elizabeth and Edwin’s strange sexual antics. Bex’s sister Lacey also finds a solid love interest, and I was happy that my fancast was on point, according to the authors! (Heather and Jessica are hilarious on Twitter and interact with their fans and readers, which is awesome. Follow them at @fuggirls.)

I do want to note a content warning of fertility issues. I found this topic to be dealt with very respectfully and truthfully, honoring all of the characters involved in a way that made them seem both vulnerable and incredibly strong.

Finally, I have to offer a huge commendation to the authors. I was so eager to read this one that I didn’t pick up Book 1 again before reading Book 2. I was a little worried. I hadn’t read The Heir Affair in over five years. I was certain I had forgotten a major character or plot point. But I dived back into the universe of Bex and Nick and their friends and family so easily. There wasn’t a single character that I forgot, and I remembered everything that mattered for the plot, too. The second prior characters or events were mentioned, they came back to me. Even the most minor of characters are lovely (or dastardly) and full of life.

IMO, this one ended perfectly with no need for a Book 3, but a Book 3 would be welcomed and I think there is a lot of room to explore within it! (The Royal We ended similarly, with a satisfying ending that would’ve done well on its own).

Overall, this was an excellent read. Maybe it’s just the time of life I’m in – ready to meet the one and settle down and over my college antics, as featured in the first book – but this one really resonated with me and I think I liked it more than The Royal We. I laughed out loud and teared up plenty. The Royal We was a 5 star read for me, so this one clearly is too! My thanks to NetGalley, the authors, and Grand Central for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

A lot of times I am let down by a books sequel, not this time. I enjoyed this one as much as the first, It does help to read and remember hat all happend in The Royal We before reading this one. A bit more of a reap would help for some of us. Since  I am a fan of the Crown series an all things royal, this book is right up my ally. The American- British union is a fun to follow, especially as we have a real life example in Prince Harry and Meghan. Fun book, I would definitely read more of this series.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2021 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2021/02/2021-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

I was very excited to receive this digital arc as this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020. However, I can't believe how many events and things were crammed in this book. It took me about five days to read the first 150 pages before I could really get into it. Personally, I just don't love Nick and Bex very in this book nor do I love the supporting characters (except Freddie)  and sometimes it seemed like drama was created for drama's sake. Unfortunately, I didn't love it as much as I was expecting to.

Loved this book! The characters were so good and the plot was perfection. I loved the wittiness and the great laugh out loud moments.

I loved this book fiercely- it was somehow even better than the original. The characters were more fleshed out, the situation believable, and I unexpectedly loved “getting to know” Eleanor. Beyond the excitement of new love, this is the love that lasts.

Some of the instances happening in this sequel seemed to exist purely to make life hell for the main characters. Adding the infertility element as well as the true lineage of the throne all together just seemed so out there and frustrating. The first book gave great insight into a private and chaotic world, this book seemed to satirize it.

I didn't really enjoy this one much at all. I did love the scandal that took place and was held secret for so long, though. That was really the only part I enjoyed. I don't usually read Royal books, but read this one because I had read the first one. Lacey was much better in this one and I was hoping we would get more of her.

I like this story for the humor, wit, and side characters. I think the heavy weight of royal life is presented well, I just couldn't empathize with any of the main quartet of siblings - I found they all acted in ways that hurt each other and that made me dislike spending time reading this book. Perhaps I am just not the intended audience. I do prefer this series over the American Royals series.

This one kinda hurts me -- all the more for the fact that I did not expect this. On the whole, this sequel was a mixed bag. I still very much love the style and voice of the two authors but plot in the first half is a remix of the 1st book and the 2nd half is mired in darker,rather depressing plotlines.

I am not sure why two such funny ladies wanted to veer so far off their established path but I have to think it's a lesser option than one done in the vein of The Royal We. Freddie deserves better than that ending and I missed the humor.

it was so fun to revisit these characters again!  I was a little afraid to be honest because I loved book 1 so much but Cocks and Morgan did a wonderful job of bringing me back into these royals lives! 

Thank you for the early copy!

Thank you for the opportunity to read The Heir Affair. Unfortunately, I could not get into the storyline and did not finish the book so I won't be leaving a full review.

Having absolutely loved The Royal We when I read it several years ago, I very eagerly hoped for a sequel and was thrilled to receive an e-arc. 

The Heir Affair picks up right after The Royal We, with Nick and Bex fleeing from the scandal that broke during their wedding. Hiding incognito in Scotland, they attempt to ignore the real life issues that are plaguing their marriage and the entire state of the Royal family. But of course they can’t hide forever and eventually have to come to terms with the fallout, both with the press and within their family. 

While I enjoyed this book, for me it lacked the charm of the first novel. Nick and Bex are - understandably - going through issues within their marriage and with their subsequent relationships with Nick’s brother, Freddy, and spend most of the book in turmoil. There are fun, witty moments and dialogue, but they are offset by a much more serious tone overall. 
(There is also a theme of infertility which is a particularly difficult subject for me personally to read about.)

I did enjoy this book and getting more Nick and Bex, with a peek into their not-so-fairytale life as royalty in this alternate version of England. The pop culture references were a treat (although as an Ohioan, having the devastating loss of the 2016 World Series being dredged up again was not so pleasant!), the dialogue was fun, and there was interesting character development.

I loved this sequel! Just like the first, I got sucked in to the story right away and I found it hard to put down. thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

I absolutely loved this book and adore this series. I honestly hope the authors write a bunch more because I desperately need more Bex and Nick in my life. One of my favorite things about this sequel is the fact that this book starts right where the first book ends. Nick and Bex are on their honeymoon hiding away from the world and all responsiblity when a family emergency requires them to finally face reality. That's where the book gets really good, and by good I mean full of all the royal drama.

What I loved about this book:

1. I always found Freddie's character to be intriguing so I loved that we got to learn more about him. 

2. This book will kick any doubts you had about Bex and Nick to the curb. They really grew in this book and I fell even more for them. I will literally ship them forever and ever.

3. I loved all the interactions between Bex, the Queen, and the Queen's Mother. Honestly their back and forth banter had me laughing more than once.

Is this book long? Yeah, but that just means it keeps you entertained for longer than your typical book. It's 2020 so who couldn't go for a bit more entertainment? If you love drama, angst, and scandal this is the series for you. My only regret is waiting so long to read it.

Such a lovely sequel to The Royal We! It felt a bit slow at times, but I was very invested in finding out what would happen with Bex, Nick, and Freddie. I love the closure that this book provided from its predecessor!

In case you need a break from REAL politics, I recommend this fun royal romcom as the perfect light, escape read!

The Heir Affair is the sequel to The Royal We (which was basically Will and Kate fan fiction - and I loved it!) This picks up where that one left off with Nick and Bex right after their fiasco of a wedding. It’s a little long, but it packs a lot in (including some major Harry and Megan vibes), and I thought it was so cute!

I enjoyed The Heir Affair more than The Royal We overall. It picks up where everything left off, but then allows readers to experience life inside the castle. Fair warning, it is really long. It took me over two weeks to read. However, it was interesting throughout and had some surprises and game changers. While the authors explained what happened in the previous novel, it's still a good idea to read that one first, just to get to know the characters and how they fit into the story. And although it started off a bit slow, it soon took off with lots of drama, balanced out by some funny moments and lines that made me laugh out loud. I liked that Bex was a Cubs fan, as I am one too, even though I don't live in Chicago anymore either. I also liked her relationship with Eleanor, as more of Eleanor's layers got pulled away. 

Given my only issue with this novel was the length, I wish that the material had been spread across two books, making it a three-part series. However, the length didn't deter from my overall enjoyment. I am not into the British royal family in real life, but that is not a requirement for liking this novel, or its predecessor.

Movie casting ideas:
Bex/Lacey: Annie Clark (I was watching Degrassi at the same time as reading this novel and I just pictured "Fiona" in this role.)
Nick: William Moseley
Freddie: George MacKay
(I changed my mind on the two princes from my review of the first book)
Eleanor: Julie Andrews (she already has experience playing a queen, so why not?)
Cilla: Bel Powley
Bea: Jessica Barden
Gaz: Douglas Booth
Richard: Colin Firth

This is a really fun book. It picks up where *The Royal We* left off with Bex and Nick fleeing the royal family and the public because of the rumor that Bex had an affair with Nick's brother Harry. Bex's strong narrative voice is (mostly) pretty self aware, and she narrates what happens next with empathy and wry humor. The drama around the royal family is fraught, and everything takes on heightened importance because they have to weigh how the public will respond. While the middle drags just a little bit, this is overall an enjoyable read that is perfect for escaping the reality of the COVID present.

First off, I actually squealed with excitement when I received an eARC of this book. I fell in love with the first book and couldn’t put it down. I had a lot of feelings at the end of the first book and I was curious to see where things went. When Bex and Prince Nicholas go into self-exile following their wedding, they contemplate what it would mean to give up their royal status permanently. However, a royal crisis forces them back to London. It doesn’t take long before the various family issues seep back into their relationship. 

This book deals with the fallout from the royal love triangle that overshadowed Bex and Nick’s wedding. All three of them are put under pressure to show that they are getting along to keep the rumors of family discord at bay. However, Nick isn’t convinced that Bex and Freddy are just friends. This leads to Nick becoming a jealous monster that takes all of his frustrations out on Bex and Freddy. Honestly, I wanted to drop kick Nick so that Bex could make a break for it. On the other hand, I can understand how hard it must have been for Nick to work through his feelings about Bex’s relationship with Freddy. It was a little difficult to read how their marriage reached such a low point, not to mention what happened with Freddy’s story line. I was a huge Freddy fan after book 1, but especially once I saw his personal growth in this book. In a weird way, I hope his fictional character is happy with his choices at the end of this book. I wish that their group of friends were a larger part of this book like in the first. When their friends are included, I found myself chuckling at their dialogue. I ultimately enjoyed this book and loved seeing where everyone ended up after the first book! Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!