Author: Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Christine Lakin
Running Time: 17 hours, 54 minutes, 39 seconds
Source: OverDrive/Public Library
Goodreads Summary: "I might be Cinderella today, but I dread who they'll think I am tomorrow. I guess it depends on what I do next."
American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune. Yet it's Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain's future king. And when Bex can't resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, it propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.
Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with him and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie. But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick's sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows. The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he's fated to become.
Which is how she gets into trouble.
Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she's sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
My Thoughts: This is totally William and Kate fanfic, but that’s okay with me because I loved it! Tangent: When I was a teen (and even today) I was obsessed with Kate Middleton and her style! Anyhoo. This book took me back to all of those cute ‘000s movies like The Prince and Me and What A Girl Wants. I loved The Royal We as much for nostalgia’s sake as for honestly being a great story.
First off, the characters. I LOVED Bex! She was sweet and sincere and fun and an honest portrayal of a twenty-something. Her narrative was fresh and honest. Nick was absolutely swoon worthy! He was down to earth and kind and just so Prince Charming-y. And the supporting characters were soooo cute! I fell as in love with Cilla, Gaz, and Freddie as I was with Bex and Nick! They really added such flavor to the story!
Let’s talk plot. You know, for a book that you know how it’s gonna end, this book had me on the edge of my seat and nearly having a heart attack on multiple occasions. The plot has twists and turns galore! I couldn’t get enough of it.
As for the romance it was sweet , cute, and real (surprisingly). I was shocked to discover there was no instalove! There’s a love triangle (or two) for a hot second, but for the most part , the book remains love geometry free! Of course, there is a lot of angst, but what were you expecting? I think the sweetest part of the romance is that it capitalizes on the dreams of every girl to find her very own Prince Charming, but not in a tacky way.
The only trouble is that ending! I wanted more! I wanted to see what happens after! I WANT THE SEQUEL!!! It was a classic case of “there’s too much plot left to tie up and not enough pages to do that.” I just wish we had more.
I loved the audiobook format of The Royal We. I thought the material translated to voice very well. I really enjoyed Christine Lakin’s narration. She sounded young and was really able to capture the style, voice, and personalities of the characters. Though she was American, she did the accents well, a little exaggerated, but I think that was more due to the fact the fact that the book is light, fluffy, and fun and meant to be a little silly. One of the things I really loved about Lakin’s narration was the real emotion she put into it. If a character is described as crying, Lakin sounded like she was crying, when a character spoke through a yawn or huffed, Lakin spoke through a yawn or huffed. It was the little details she added that infused the narration with so much life! Lakin’s narration feels less like she’s reading toyou and more like she’s having a conversation with you and I loved that! I would absolutely recommend the audiobook version of The Royal We to a friend.
All in all, I was very satisfied with The Royal We. Of course, it’s best not to go into it looking for a great work of literature, but it was most certainly fun for what it was.
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