Review by Booklist Review
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.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
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. (July)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Picking up immediately after the scandalous accusation that rocked Nicholas and Bex's wedding in The Royal We, Cocks and Morgan's latest finds the newlyweds hiding out in a charming Scottish bookstore and inn. Their alter egos have no worries or cares, but events soon force Bex back into her pantyhose and sensible heels as she finally assumes her role as dutiful wife to the heir, even if she and Nick haven't quite figured out how to move forward themselves. New scandals and secrets continue to rock their world, threatening not only their marriage but also the monarchy itself. VERDICT Narrator Christine Lakin returns to the characters she brought to sparkling life in the first book, but all her talents as a narrator cannot save the convoluted and uneven plot. Clocking in at more than 17 hours, the work is overly stuffed with consumerist descriptions and themes of the rich and powerful being allowed to lie to the public for "their own good." Readers sensitive to on-page pregnancy complications should consult content warnings.--Elizabeth Gabriel, Milwaukee P.L.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
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. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
