This sequel was not what I'd been expecting, but it was somehow everything I wanted from a return to this series! Seeing the next chapter in Nick and Bex's lives was a total delight. Like in its predecessor, Cocks and Morgan masterfully handle time with small skips and jumps that give some scenes a sense of hindsight while others feel very raw and urgent and the book covers a fairly long period of time without ever feeling long, just rich and immersive. Cocks and Morgan's years of covering the royals is on full display, and readers of their blog, Go Fug Yourself, will certainly recognize some of their signature royals coverage peeking through, there is definitely "eye-banging" on tour and some fabulous sartorial descriptions. I'm also pretty sure Cocks and Morgan must be royal psychics, like an American marrying into the royal family years after the Royal We was published, events in this book somehow once again foreshadowed events for the real life royals! I would recommend this one for fans of the royal family and anyone who loves The Crown.

This was a great follow-up to the first book in the series—similar sense of heart and pure escapism. I loved how it picked up so well and seamlessly after The Royal We. And it was fascinating reading about what happens AFTER the romance is already established since so many romance novels are focused on the beginning.

A great sequel to The Royal We. The story picks up right where we left off, at the disaster scene of Bex and Nick's wedding. However, The Heir Affair covers several year and life events, without feeling rushed (maybe because it is over 400 pages). I felt more connected to Nick and Bex's relationship in this book - we spend more time with just two two of them and see them weather ups and downs together.

While The Royal We is centered on their courtship, The Heir Affair dives much deeper into the obligations of royal life and the relationships with other royal family members. Of course, there are still plenty of dramatic reveals and plot twists, as you'd expect from this series.

I received this eARC free in exchange for a review from Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley.

I have anticipated this novel for so long; let me tell you: it delivered. Wow... it has taken me a while to come to terms with the rollercoaster I just stepped off of when I closed the book. I thought its predecessor, The Royal We, was a ride.. this one was a ride that I didn't want to end.

Here are some things I absolutely loved:
I loved Eleanor and her character development throughout this book. Wow, what a sassy queen she was. I appreciated the development of the other character/story arcs that are introduced in this book as well; this one felt like it stepped more away from a fictionalization of Will and Kate into a realm of new characters and new personalities. It felt tied to our perspective of a semblance of british royalty, but also its own unique story.

I loved the difficult storylines that entered; whereas I felt like The Royal We was a perfect light and fun read, this one had more depth and definitely more emotional turmoil.. but there is also redemption and joy. I appreciated the range of life experiences that are represented in these nearly 500 pages (which flew by).

There are some parts that I wish had turned out differently, which I don't want to spoil for readers of this review. Basically, I wanted to see more of an independent leading lady; however, her role in the book was more of a mediator due to the circumstances of the novel.

This book was definitely a treat and a wonderful sequel to The Royal We. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey... Thank you so much to Grand Central and Netgalley for the advanced copy; it was an honor to read and review this title!

What does "happily ever after" mean? Authors Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan show us in this sequel to 2015's The Royal We. Picking up where the first one left off, a grand royal wedding, we find out that the story does not end with marriage. In the first book American Rebecca "Bex" Porter fell in love with the heir to the British throne, Nick, and grappled with what it means to become part of the Monarchy. In The Heir Affair she learns what it means to live as a Duchess with all of its privileges and hardships. Anyone who has wondered what it's like to be an aristocrat and what goes on behind the Buckingham Palace walls will enjoy this book. Characters are realistically flawed and some of their decisions are hard to support, like good friends you wish you could talk some sense into. Readers who enjoyed the first book may be disappointed that the supporting cast of characters are largely sidelined to B Plots, and some sections of the book feel episodic rather than a smooth narrative. However, the writing is witty and energetic with a pace and rhythm that makes it hard to put down the book. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved The Royal We, so I jumped at a chance to read The Heir Affair early - it did not disappoint!! Loved how it picked up the story right where it left off in Book 1. Thought it put Nick and Bex through a realistic fallout of their whole mess from before. I have to admit - I am a fan of Freddie, so I was hoping things would be a bit different. Still loved it and would recommend!

I have waited for this book for FIVE YEARS people. I went in with little expectations but a few ideas of where I thought this story could go. I have to say...the authors took me totally by surprise, once again. I enjoyed revisiting these characters but felt a little frustrated by the repetitive themes from some characters. But I did really enjoy this book! I think writing a sequel is so hard, especially when you didn't intend to write one but did so for your fans. This is a look into the lives of Nick and Bex after their happily ever after. It's real, it's drama filled, and it has some heart warming moments. I didn't love it as much as the first, but that's a tall order! I hope we get a book three because I just love them so much. I'll take any piece I can get!

We rejoin our hapless Duke and Duchess as they hide from the fallout of their disastrous royal wedding - living on the lam, using wigs and pseudonyms to go undercover in Scotland. When they finally return to the rest of the royals, they have to deal with the even more difficult interpersonal fallout. This book is no light and fluffy read, full of thorny relationship problems without quick and easy answers - sibling rivalry, unrequited love, infertility, long-past affairs - but it is still somehow extremely funny! That is due entirely to the authors' amazing humor, honed over the years at their blog. I adored every moment reading about this hot mess of a royal family, and would gladly return again if every they wrote another!

This was a very convincing glimpse into the lives of the royals, from the POV of an American who married a British prince...apparently the authors are prescient! Plenty of drama and romance. As a sequel, it did not disappoint.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me this eARC in exchange for an honest review. The issues I had with this book were much the same as the ones I had with the first book. It was entirely too long. This was an almost 500-page book that just didn’t need to be. I wanted a fun royalty romance, but that’s not at all what this was. This book made me cry several times. It was heartbreaking and sad, but also full of friends and family and so much love. I loved the relationships. They’re complex and messy, like most real relationships are. I thinks that’s what I liked most about this book. The relationships, though most aren’t anything like what royalty must deal with, had real and serious problems.
This book covered real issues like miscarriages and infertility, which I really liked. I’ve never dealt with either of these, but from an outside perspective, I thought they were handled well. I thought they were thoughtful and full of emotion. I cried several times while reading this story.
Overall, while the story was long, there were so many different and interesting plotlines that I was engaged and entertained for the whole story. I enjoyed this one more than I did the first book, but I still think it was too long.

Finally, a sequel to The Royal We! This was lots of fun, especially with the inside look on what it might be like to be part of the (fictional) royal family. This is a great book for anyone who can't get enough of Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, and the rest of the British royals. And, of course, for anyone who enjoyed The Royal We and can't wait to see what happens next.

#Partner PUB DATE 7.7.20Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for a chance to read this free ARC. 

THE HEIR AFFAIR is the long awaited sequel to THE ROYAL WE and it is so.much.fun. While it's been 5 years between books, the latest book begins right where the first one left off.  Before you ask-  Yes. In my opinion you'll get more out of the sequel if you read The Royal We first.
This sequel is still full of regal drama, expectations, and tension, but it takes a different angle. We get to see the fallout from past decisions while navigating the path ahead.  It was pure entertainment and just as royally dishy as the first. I absolutely loved getting to learn more about snarky, spitfire Queen Eleanor. She is a treat! 

If I had one criticism it would be the length. At nearly 500 pages, some of the passages with detailed information about the ins-and-outs of royal life began to feel like filler. I was ready to get back to the nitty-gritty, but all you Royal superfans will love it!

This arc from Netgalley is in need of a heavy edit. For a book that I’ve been wishing for since before I even finished the first, this was a disappointment. Transitions between scenes were abrupt; characters just popped into the story from continents away without explanation for paragraphs. I repeatedly had to go back and check to see who the speaker was and once it never was specified. Suddenly, Bex was just speaking with the Queen, although it was never mentioned that the Queen was in the room. At one point it seemed as if they simply transcribed Middleton’s engagement calendar with little exposition.

The second half was more solidly written. The storyline in the beginning was a bit tedious without enough differentiation from the inspiration to be intriguing. It seemed like they were just flushing out some tabloid stories. Once it began to branch out the book picked up.

It did seem like some plot lines were dropped. Why were Gaz and Cilia so standoffish at the competition?

The Queen’s sudden personality change seemed like a very convenient plot crutch.

There was really very little romance in a book about two people in love. It seemed I was reading a book about friendship rather than romance.

We were told quite often that Bex was bored with nothing to do but never shown it. Maybe now that we’ve all spent weeks in isolation, you can go back and show, don’t tell.

If the story is going to be this tedious, try a change in perspective.

The characters other than the main ones felt very flat and one dimensional.

Just as delightful and effervescent as The Royal We! I'm a long time reader of the authors' blog; their humor, wit, and kindness absolutely shine through with this novel. I've already made many friends incredibly jealous with this eARC and was more than happy to let them know that the sequel is just as delicious as the first. What a wonderful escape from the current state of affairs!

This is the sequel I have been waiting for! A wonderful follow-up to The Royal We, The Heir Affair does justice to Nick and Bex’s story, and gives insight (fictional or not...) into what drama inside the palace might look like. I loved it, and hope a third book is on the horizon!

Thank you for the early copy! I'm dying to read both The Heir Affair/The Royal We but don't have access to book one. I hope to read both of them soon!

I really loved this sequel. I was a big fan of the first book, and I typically like sequels, no matter how bad, just because it’s so nice to be back in the world of characters I love. This book, however, was an utter delight all on its own. Sequels can often be hard to navigate especially when the first one ends with a (mostly) happy ending. The authors really do a fantastic job of illustrating that happily ever after can come with some bumps. I was slightly disappointed that some of the secondary characters I loved so much didn’t feature as prominently in this one, but, in exchange, many members of Lyons Royal Family are fleshed out in a way that gives them real depth. If for no other reason, give this one a read for the portrayal of the Queen turned into an enthusiastic Cubs fan!

“The Heir Affair” by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan is the perfect sequel to “ The Royal We” I didn’t even realize I needed. The title is so unbelievably perfect for so many reasons. This book was a fun, cute, heartbreaking page turner with lots of soapy scandal. When I finished it left me wishing for more and wanting Nick and Bex
to be ruling my country. Be sure to check it out this summer.

#julesbookshelf📚 #theheiraffair #netgalley #arc #july7

Every so often after I read The Royal We I would check for news of upcoming sequels since I adored the first book so much. So imagine my excitement and happiness when I saw that this one would be available summer 2020 and I was even happier when I was okayed for an advance copy. I started reading this one immediately after I was approved, not wanting to waste any time; I finished it last night and wanted to wait until today to write out my thoughts regarding this title.

I really did love this one - it had bite and heartbreak along with love and fun. It did an excellent job of keeping the characters consistent with the first book, while having the characters grow and mature in ways that felt very believable. It's a very solid follow up. I think that any fan of the first book will love this one just as much.

Thank you Netgalley for a free egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! A strong and solid follow up to the first installment, The Royal We. I would say that I enjoyed this story even more; I simply adore Bex! Would highly recommend.