In the acknowledgments at the end of THE HEIR AFFAIR, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan recognize the surprising real-world parallels that played out in the British royal family after their new novel was already fully drafted: “So what we’re saying is, thanks to the universe for giving us a royal psychic hotline, and also, can someone please teach us to channel our predictive energies toward other things?” As in their first book about Nick and Bex, life seems to have a way of imitating their fiction --- at least where the royal family is concerned.

The fictional royals in these novels do bear more than a passing resemblance to the Windsors. If you haven’t read THE ROYAL WE, the authors’ first royal saga, the basic premise was this: American Rebecca “Bex” Porter met and fell in love with Nick, the heir to the British crown, while both were students at Oxford University. Bex’s love for Nick overcomes all --- even his martinet grandmother, the reigning queen --- though both Bex’s twin sister, Lacey, and Nick’s charming playboy younger brother, Freddie, complicate matters more than a bit.

"THE HEIR AFFAIR is an enjoyable romp through royal succession in its own right, but it certainly will be most appreciated by those who loved THE ROYAL WE and are looking forward to reconnecting with its characters."

THE ROYAL WE closed, fittingly enough, with a royal wedding --- but one tinged with scandal. The couple’s one-time friend and muckraking journalist spread the (not entirely unfounded) rumor that Bex was toying with leaving Nick at the altar --- and fleeing into Freddie’s arms. THE HEIR AFFAIR, then, opens with Nick and Bex on their honeymoon (of sorts), not in some kind of tropical paradise but rather in hiding --- and in disguise --- in Scotland, while they wait for the scandal to blow over.

However, the British tabloids have a long memory, so it’s only when a potential royal crisis strikes that Nick and Bex feel compelled to return to London. There the newlyweds encounter relationships urgently in need of repair, as they try to settle into married life in a Kensington Palace apartment that once belonged to Nick’s great-aunt (and the queen’s sister), the late Princess Georgina.

Bex, in particular, grows increasingly fascinated by the story of Georgina, who transformed, seemingly overnight, from a vivacious, fun-loving young woman into a bitter recluse. As Bex uncovers letters, diaries and other clues, she begins to piece together a portion of family history that has never been acknowledged --- and one that might carry lasting repercussions for the current generation of young royals.

THE HEIR AFFAIR is an enjoyable romp through royal succession in its own right, but it certainly will be most appreciated by those who loved THE ROYAL WE and are looking forward to reconnecting with its characters. As in this first novel, it’s not all high tea and tiaras for them as they continue to mature and grow into their roles. More than one character must contend with a reality that bears little resemblance to the happily ever after they might have imagined, but that --- along with the many discerning details of their lives --- is part of what makes Nick, Bex and the rest not only fully royal but also fully human.