The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

And with this post, I achieve the hat trick of royal book reviews!  The tic-tac-toe, if you will. The trifecta!  I never intended to write these three in a row.  But, I have read an awful lot of royal books and after reviewing RWRB by Casey McQuiston, Majesty by Katharine McGee, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.

This book lingered on my TBR list for quite awhile.  Published in 2015, I added it in 2017.  And there it sat for a while.  I feel silly considering I could have been geeking out over this book a whole lot sooner if I had just dived right in.  It is such a cute read!  After I read it in print, I got in on audio so I could listen to it too!  

And this year, the sequel – The Heir Affair – will be published.  I guarantee you that I won’t wait as long this time before diving in.  Because I’ve already read it.  Yeah.  Sorry, not sorry. (Thanks NetGalley!)

The Royal We follows Rebecca (Bex) Porter as she embarks on her study abroad year at Oxford University where she meets and befriends Prince Nicholas, the heir to the British throne.  Their friendship and relationship are laid out in the book over eight years of ups and downs, the good times and the bad, including handling their relationships with their siblings and friends, and culminates with a huge scandal on the eve of their much-anticipated internationally-televised wedding.

The book highlights the saga of two kids – Nick and his brother, Freddie – being thrust into the spotlight (not unlike the real royal family) and the intense media scrutiny surrounding those around them – who (to varying degrees) embrace or reject the limelight.  Their inner circle includes Lacey, Bex’s twin sister, Cilla, Joss, Gaz, Bea and Clive – all friends of Nick and Bex from Oxford.  Their crazy shenanigans will have you laughing out loud.  You get to read about the revolving relationship door as they date each other (and once they run out of each other to date, they date. all. the. same. people. Seriously. I wondered if there was anyone other than like six different people in the entirety of London – the answer was no), break each others hearts, become jealous of each other, and ultimately have each others backs. (or do they…?) Although, I could have done with a little less whining from Lacey.

What really engaged me though was the idea that art could imitate life.  I read this book on the heels of Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle, when, in real life, a member of the British royal family fell in love with and married an American (“He WILL marry. An American.” LOL).  The authors have come right out and said that this book is loosely based on the relationship between Prince William and Kate Middleton.  

While an entertaining read, it also elucidates the drawbacks of being royal.  Many people, myself included, would be elated to live in a palace, have enough money to afford a certain type of lifestyle, wear designer clothes, and never worry about a career.  This book highlights the underbelly – privacy concerns, never having a choice, always feeling like you are being watched – in an accessible way.  You start to really understand how different their lives are from the one you can imagine looking in.

The book is heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the same time.

The Heir Affair picks up right where The Royal We leaves off.  After being betrayed by their closest friends, Nick and Bex are hiding away trying to regroup and fix their damaged relationship.  While their wedding did take place, the fall-out affected everyone around them and they aren’t sure how to move forward in a way that placates their angry family and public while remaining true to themselves and their relationship.  A family emergency brings them back into the royal family drama and they navigate their first years of marriage with the same humor and feeling as the first book.  I don’t want to give away too much since it won’t be released for a few more months, but it is definitely nice to see these characters mature.  For those who have issues, be aware there is a story line about infertility issues.  

I’ve already pre-ordered my copy.  Do yourself a favor and grab both!

I hope that they are seriously considering a Book 3. Please?!?!

The Royal We, published 2015

The Heir Affair, expected release date: July 7, 2020

For more fun: check out Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan’s website, Go Fug Yourself, to see all things royal.  It is delightful!!