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The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

 

**SPOILERS BE HERE**

I am whelmed. I'm also ignoring that this is a fictionalized account of William and Kate.

The beginning of the book was great! I was super into it and it was cheesy cute, which was exactly what I needed after reading the very dry Presidency of William Howard Taft. I love how Bex and Nick bonded over a trashy TV show and Twinkies. They were so cute together. But it went south pretty quickly after Part 1.

This book was just so long. It does span eight years, but I couldn't have told you that because the time jumps were difficult to follow. Has a year passed? Have three? Who knows? What could have been the most interesting parts were completely skipped over—Bex goes home to finish university but it's only briefly mentioned. Visit the long-distance relationship and her decision to move to England! Her father dies but we barely get to see her grieving (not due to a time jump). What about her settling into a new country full time? Or her job, which is just an aside. Emma (and her relationship with Richard) could have been a fascinating topic if they bothered to actually explore her mental health. Richard could have been too—give me more of that delicious resentment he has over being unable to get a divorce. And the whole breakup section was just....boring. The whole middle of the book was boring; I couldn't tell you what even happened. Cull that and add in some intrigue! Or just cull it.  

Lacey was unbearable. She's painted at this perfect girl who follows rules and pursues a laudable career, and then she just doesn't? And no one stops her? I don't believe her family would just let her drop everything she's worked toward to go live in England to "support" her sister, aka ride her coattails. Her spiral was awful, and it seriously blows my mind that no one ever talked to her about it. Her constant leeching annoyed me to no end. Get your own life! And her not wanting to make way for Donna and refusing to understand royal style and standards when she's supposedly a big follower of the royals? What? 

My thoughts are really all over the place. I find it hard to believe that Clive would stab his friends in the back so thoroughly. Could we have gotten some more resentment build up? I guess it was there and just had to be hidden for the "big reveal," but yawn. Such a poorly written cliche. Most of the friends were yawn. Bea really confused me. Bex spent most of the book insulting her and acting like she hates her but they're friends? That could have been developed better. Obviously they became friends in the latter half of the book, but it was not well played out in the beginning. 

Probably my biggest gripe is the ending. Couldn't we at least have been told if Clive revealed the news and if the big wedding went off without a hitch? I feel cheated. I'm not super enthused to read the sequel but I feel like I have to. Oh, awesome, I just looked it up and the synopsis says the news was revealed! ...I still feel like I have to read it, though. 

I think I have a lot more to say, but since my thoughts aren't coalescing, I'll leave it at that. I did enjoy the book, it just became a slog about halfway through and had far too many cliche plot points (close friend stabbing main character in the back; death in the family to bring exes back together; foreign nobody getting the prince; siblings getting up to shenanigans; need I continue?). 

Completed: 28 January 2021
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommend: Eh. If you like royalty books and have a lot of spare time

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