I have read 75 books so far this year and I just KNOW that this is going to the one I tell everyone about and the one that is the most memorable. It is a phenomenal story and so brilliantly written. Full of twists, intrigue, enough semi recognisable characters to make it feel totally believable and yet a complete work of fiction. I am genuinely mind blown by the skill it must have taken to work out this story, the plot, to tie it all in together. INCREDIBLE. I couldn’t put it down, I’m devastated it’s finished and I’ll just have to talk about it with everyone until Rebecca writes something new. Would give 10 stars if I could- novel perfection.

I absolutely loved this book.
Centred around a fictious .
British royal family and their in fighting which the public are totally unaware of.
I must say I saw a few parelles with the actual Royal Family.

A great read about intrigue.

While I knew I would like this book - I didn't think that I would absolutely LOVE it!

Now, I'm partial to a torrid tale of the monarchy but I'm no avid monarchist so this book hit *all* the right spots! My only problem was that as I was reading I kept trying to figure out which real life royal was based on which character!

4.5

Arc read, thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was SUCH an interesting read.

You could tell that the author knew what she was writing about, making it feel so much more interesting. As a Brit, I appreciated the nods to things that (allegedly) took place in reality.

Every one of the characters felt fleshed out and had me intrigued. Maybe not one for a staunch republican or a complete royalist either! But if you have moderate views of the royals, love family dynamics, and want to read a book set in a dynamic and engaging world, this book is great!

I thought I might enjoy this, but it was so much more! I loved all the little details about a royal life - that felt like inside information. I loved the natural, organic style which meant the plot rolled effortlessly and each new development felt so natural. I loved the characters, which could have become stereotypical and instead were so believable. And I loved the precarious romance and all that it represented and threatened. I also enjoyed the many references to real life royals. It could have been a one-dimensional love story, but instead it had depth and complexity and highlighted the real challenges and sacrifice of royalty. In case you hadnt guessed, I devoured the story, which invited me in and made me a guest, and am demanding a sequel (because clearly there is more to tell),

Dr Lexi Villiers enjoys her work during her second year as a Junion Doctor in a Tasmanian hospital, having left the UK and her previous life behind . Her parents had divorced when she and her twin brother were in their teens. The offer of a home on her Uncle James’s vineyard was too much to turn down and she soon settled into the Aussie way of life, sharing a barn with one of her fellow doctors. Life was good until, during a weekend break at the coast with her dearest friend, Jack, a helicopter lands and a suited Stewart emerges, addressing her as “Your Royal Highness.”

A strange turn of fate in the 1660’s , when King Charles II married his mistress, Barbara Villiers, led to the Villiers family taking the line of succession. She then learns that her father, the heir apparent to the British throne, her twin brother, Louis, and his friend Kris, had been buried in a massive avalanche whilst on a skiing holiday. Her father and Kris were already dead and Louis was barely alive. The reigning Queen summoned Princess Alexandrian to return to England. A devastated Lexi learns of the death of Louis whilst in the air and on arrival in London he leaves the aircraft, clad i black to be met by the Prime Minister, Jenny Walsh. /at that stage little did she realise that Jenny would becom,e her saviour.

The Queen is sympathetic and welcomes the Princess back into the family, but her cousin, Richard becomes her enemy having decided that the crown should be his. Following the funerals and period of mourning the Queen grants Alexandrina year to decide whether or not she can accept the role of Heir Apparent. She throws herself into formal visits and endeavours to support health both at home and abroad. She works hard under pressure and becomes very popular. What will she do?

A superbly written novel and a gripping read - enjoy!

Lexi Villers is on a break with friends in Tasmania from her job in a busy hospital. As a helicopter swooped down she knows her life is about to chance forever. With it comes news that her father and brother have been in an accident. One is dead the other clinging to life. She now needs to return to the Uk as heir apparent. The life she has carved out for help gone.
Back in her homeland, she needs to deal with conflict, grief and family issues. Will she be able to take back her place in the line of succession.
Based on our own royal family there are many similarities with the main characters. This is what made the book all the more enjoyable. At the end of the book I was left disappointed. Disappointed because I don’t know if there will be a second book or if there is when it will be released. I for one can’t wait for the next instalment in Lexi Villers life.

I really enjoyed this. I expected frothy nonsense but this was an absolutely brilliantly written read where you really fell for the characters and their various dynamics. Fans of The Crown will devour this and it strikes the perfect balance between escapism and thought provoking.

This is such a good book, following Lexi as she faces the death of her father and brother in a ski accident. The twist is that this leaves Lexi next in line to the throne. Will she have to give up her training to become a doctor in Tasmania, or will she return to the constrained life of a royal?
This is an excellent debut with a unique plot and some real twists and turns. I was drawn in by the characterisation and really wanted Lexi to get her happy ending when all the odds seemed against her

Lexi unexpectedly becomes heir to the throne. Having made a life for herself in Australia does she really want it?? Fast paced lively book. Would have preferred less veiled parallels to our British royal family as the author is talented enough to not need to! Great holiday read or just to cheer you up

I predict this book is going to be huge. This is a such a well-written book club style book about a royal who eschews that lifestyle, and can do so as the ‘spare’. Until a tragic accident means she isn’t. She’s the heir.

This draws on elements of the UK royal scandals over the years, and it’s going to have wide ranging appeal. I enjoyed it far more than I expected.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book and I was sad when it ended! If you loved The Crown then this book is for you. Fabulous cast of characters and a great story with lots of depth to it. I am looking forward to more from this author as this book is definitely in my top 10 books of the year. Highly recommend.

This novel was perfect holiday reading - I loved it. It's set in a parallel universe where the House of Villiers is on the throne, Prince Frederick is the heir and his daughter Lexi has escaped to Tasmania to study as a doctor, leaving her brother Louis, next in line to the throne after his father, behind to continue royal duties with his bride of three years, Lexi's boarding school friend Amira. Yet when she's just about to kiss her handsome friend when camping at new year a helicopter arrives bearing devastating news: Frederick, Louis and his brother in law have been killed in a skiing landslide and Lexi has to head back to the UK for the funeral.

The parallel universe borrows from the real one, with Lexi's mother parents resembling Princess Diana and Prince Charles, the elderly monarch similar to Queen Elizabeth II, and Lexi's cousins Demelza and Birdie a wickedly comic parody of Beatrice and Eugenie. There are twists and turns in the story as Lexi has to decide, now that she is the heir apparent, should she stay or should she go back to Tasmania and her hot friend, leaving her dastardly uncle Prince Richard to take the throne when the time comes?

Hugely entertaining - I devoured it.

A thoroughly enjoyable read if you can overlook the obvious parallels to some members of the current Royal family and their foibles. I had to keep reminding myself it was fiction and not fact at times. That aside I loved the idea of a princess who escaped to a pretty 'normal' life who then on the sudden death of her father and brother, has to decide between continuing in that life or returning to fulfil a duty she never expected to be hers. There are lots of nice twists and surprises along the way making this an eminently readable book. Loved the ending especially! Happy to recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Addictive. I feel like that is the perfect word to sum up The Heir Apparent.

Firstly I want to express my thanks to Harper Collins for approving me for this arc copy.
Lexi Villiers is living her life in Tasmania on the precipice of finally sorting out her feelings for her best friend when a helicopter appears and Lexi is whisked away to deal with a heart-breaking family t5ragedy, the loss of her father and twin brother in a skiing accident. After the loss of her mother years earlier Lexi has to face the fact that she no longer has her family but then the added complexity is her father and brother were heirs to the British Throne and following their death that now means Lexi is first in line.
She is quickly whisked back to Britain and given the crash course in acting and being royal all while her heart yearns for her simple easy life in Tasmania and the one man she loves who has been left behind.

I really enjoyed this book. Rebecca Armitage is a journalist heavily involved with writing about the British Royal family and it shows. her attention to detail and process is insightful and interesting and this gives a view to what it's like being born into a life you didn't chose for yourself, even if it is fiction. I loved Lexi as a character so much that I felt personally assaulted when she struggled to navigate the world of royal politics. There's a few twists and unexpected moments that are handled really well and come as a surprise, each side character also has their moment and fits well into the story. I read it in a couple of days and honestly thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I think it's a bit close to the bone with the current British Royal Family but also gives a good opportunity to see thigs from a different perspective. I would definitely recommend!

Wow this is a fantastic look behind the scenes of the fictional monarchy. Many secrets and lies and tons of blackmail. It's also a love story between Jack & Lexi, Kris & Louis. It's a definite 5/5. Give it a read now! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has to be one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a long time! Being a keen royalist, I couldn’t help but compare the fictional characters to those in our British royal family and I had to laugh to myself about certain ones. All I can say is thank goodness it was fiction. The story kept me engaged and it was a real ‘will she, won’t she’ which kept me turning the pages. If you like the royal family, or even if you don’t, I think you will love this book as it is well written with fleshed out characters. I highly recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for letting me read and review this book. 4.5 ⭐️

I knew I was going to like this book, I was not prepared to LOVE it as much as I did. I could not and would not put it down and somehow inhaled it in just two days, even though I have a full time job and two young children! This is a phenomenal debut and there is a lot of top tier world building, plotting and overall structuring that feels very well thought out and intentional.

First thing to note is that the premise is super catchy, absolutely brilliant. You can tell Armitage is a royal expert and the way she weaves the teeny tiny titbits and morsels of inside information will satisfy and convince even the most sceptical readers. This is unlike any other royal inspired fiction novel I've read, nobody has really transported me inside these gilded rooms and given me the 'fly on the wall' felling as much as this one. The 'what if' concept of the Villiers house taking over the British monarchy and the blend of facts and fiction is absolutely masterful and even though is draws from all the major recent events in the history of the real royal family it still managed to give it to us with such a fresh and original take, I honestly shamelessly devoured it and I don't even consider myself a royalist! I don't know if this was the intention, but I genuinely felt lucky not to be born into this family, the themes of duty, purpose and personal sacrifice definitely made me reflect on what's actually important in life and what we need to feel truly happy.

Secondly, Lexi as a main character, was everything I wanted and more. I loved her instantly and I was massively invested in her personal journey. The trauma of losing her mother and the strained relationship with her father and twin brother were beautifully portrayed and the idea of the missed opportunity to make amends with a loved one and to be left hanging by a tragic loss really evoked so much emotion in me. Her arc was wonderful, I really enjoyed it. I felt her struggle between love and duty and the idea of how alone and lonely one can be even in a room full of people with all eyes on you was very powerful. Her love story with Jack is just beautiful and so so romantic! We come across many stereotypical secondary characters, but they are all so incredibly fleshed out, they all end up being memorable in their own right!

The writing is absolutely seamless and so very enjoyable. We are thrown into the action from page 1 and the pace and plot twists never disappoint. I particularly enjoyed all the Tasmania/ Hobart descriptions, I could picture the vineyard and everyday life so vividly, it really does read like a love letter! Special shoutout to Chino, Rebecca's dog who inspired Louis London pup, what a cutie!

I could go on for pages but all I really have to say is that I highly recommend this one, it's a very immersive reading experience and even though I though I was just in for a fun time, it actually left a lingering feeling of a story that I'll actually be thinking for a long time. A huge thank you to Rebecca Armitage, HQ and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

i loved this book so much. it was riveting and the characters kept me wanting to know more about them and more about their story.
i truly felt the pressure of what our heir was having to go through. Rebecca did such a great job of getting us into the mindset of what choices that must be like. how that might feel when the life you didn't think you'd have to step into was suddenly thrust into your door.
lexi is that main character and i was rooting for her all the way. she had left that life years ago to try and escape that monarchy grasp. and she was doing so well, she was finding herself with new prospects on the line for her.
but out of the blue tragedy means that life comes toppling. her father ans brother have died and so she is the next in line to the throne. so what now? it choices that she never wanted to have to make. its choices that done really feel like a choice at all.
this book was fab. i felt like i was right in the middle of it all. and i was one Lexi's side through it all. i saw that push and pull. i saw how much duty or the life and love she might have seemed like a terrible thing to have to look upon as options in front of her.
you've also got a wonderful other cast of characters to follow too. they all have their place and all feel like they are important and i really appreciate that. they weren't just characters to move the story along.
i love how we get to know this family, this story and those involved not just through the present and how they all felt and wrapped around each other but also with past flashbacks. its really gets you into the the nitty gritty of it all. and in doing so makes you all the more invested into the story and how this all impacts the characters involved.
i had such a good time with this book. i found myself totally involved and i didn't know which way it would go and i found myself really wanting Lexi to be ok and then didn't know how that might work if the option she chose hurt her because she either wasn't doing her duty or wasn't living the life she wanted. could somehow the life she wanted become something of the two?

What a fabulous and enjoyable read! In an alternative Royal Family, Lexi has escaped the Royal Family for 10 years living in Tasmania and training to be a Doctor while living with friends .Then a tragedy occurs and her Father the Heir to the British Throne and her twin brother die in a skiing accident making her now Heir to the throne, a helicopter comes and swoops her away on the Queens instruction's back to the Palace where a very different life awaits her .Knowing her indecision the Queen gives her a Year to decide does she want to be Queen or go back to Tasmania and carry on training to be a Doctor and be with her true love .The story was well paced with some very interesting characters I was sad when the book came to an end .Thankyou to NetGalley for my ARC.

The Heir Apparent is a beautifully written and thought-provoking book that explores identity, love and duty within the modern royal world. Rebecca Armitage creates a believable and heartfelt story filled with warmth and quiet power.

Lexi Villiers is living a content life in Australia when a sudden tragedy forces her to return to London and face her unexpected future as heir to the throne. Torn between her life as a doctor and her duty to her family, Lexi must decide what kind of future she wants. The book examines the struggle between personal freedom and public expectation with sensitivity and intelligence.

Armitage writes with care, shining a light on family loyalty, media intrusion and the challenges faced by women in positions of influence. The setting feels vivid and real, from the open skies of Tasmania to the traditions of the British court. Lexi’s story is one of courage, self-discovery and finding her own voice in a world that wants to shape her destiny.

A moving and elegant story about choice, identity and love in the face of duty.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

The Heir Apparent is an excellent debut novel by Rebecca Armitage, engaging, insightful, and surprisingly moving. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into the story and found it hard to put down. The writing is confident and compelling, with well-fleshed-out characters that feel both real and relatable.
Armitage does a wonderful job weaving drama, duty, and emotion together, creating a world that feels authentic while also carrying clear and clever parallels to the current royal family. These touches add a layer of intrigue and familiarity that makes the story even more enjoyable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s an impressive debut that balances warmth and realism beautifully.

One of my top reads this year. I loved reading about the inner workings of the royal family. Although this is of course fiction, I think it's probably a pretty accurate description. I liked the flashbacks that revealed more of the story bit by bit.
I would like to read this again in a couple of years now that I know what happened at the end and which characters we can/cannot trust.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This is an excellent read.
An alternative reality work of fiction - It is beautifully written, the characters clearly defined and believable. There are two timelines, the earlier one - chronologically, gives depth and meaning to the story.
I Would definitely recommend. This should be a bestseller and would make a fantastic Blockbuster film.

This was a super slow burn romance set in a world with a slightly different UK royal family. Our protagonist is one of them - third in line for the throne until a tragic accident propels her to the top of the list and changes the course of her life - and her burgeoning romance. The love story isn't centre stage - instead we spend a lot of time in Lexi's family drama, uncovering secrets, lies and double-crossing while she agonises about her new future. This is immersive, engaging and super fascinating. Highly recommended!

In the style of red white and blue this was a lovely easy to read royal romance. Some things seemed lifted straight from real life but otherwise very well written

No, not my usual kind of book at all but something about the Royal family fascinates me and I knew that I just had to read it. I didn’t realise that this was written by an Aussie so extra points for that!

This is a story of an alternate royal family. A tragedy strikes the family and 29 year old Lexi is summoned home to London by her granny…the Queen. When she was 18, Lexi ran away from all her family and the duties that she was born into. She has been living in Tasmania, training to become a doctor but her life is turned upside down in a second. Suddenly she is the heir to the throne, something that she has never wanted, but feels duty bound to fulfill.

I loved this story, with its obvious characters and stories based on the lives of the real royal family. It is hard to miss who is who and I was there for it all. It is full of emotion, drama and tension. Watching Lexi struggle with her decision was a roller coaster ride as she made some not so great decisions and some that made me cheer. She is a wonderful character.

Another part that I loved was the parts set in Tasmania. Now I have ever been that far south, but it made me want to visit. Such a love letter to the authors home, it was a wonderful setting for Lexi’s other life.

Thanks so much to HQ on NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on December 2nd.

First I must say I love this book with it's Hobart, Tasmania connection as it is close to home for me. It makes the book so real and readable.

Lexi Villiers is a 29-year-old Englishwoman doing her medical residency in Hobart, enjoying her life and falling in love. But how will her being a Princess affect the life she is living in the moment? A tragic accident has now pushed her to into being the heir apparent, first in line to the throne and now she has to make the biggest decisions of her life.

This is such a wonderful book and story, so well written you can feel the emotion and tension on each and every page. Of course there are secrets and scandals but there are also those tender moments, as well as challenges, heartache and love. This is a book that has it all and more and you can really get the gist of life as a royal, the hardships endured and the pain of not living your own life but living the life you are expected to live.

A wonderful read, loved it and would highly recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for giving me the opportunity to read adn review this book.

This was a fascinating story about an imaginary Royal family who could have been real. Mirroring the activities and set up really made the story come to life. The conclusion was what I had hoped it would be, Great read!

I am a staunch Republican but for some reason I lap up insights into life in the Royal family, both bad and good aspects. The Heir Apparent is the story of a fictional family but the parallels are obvious in some of the characters and this makes for a jolly good read.

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

This is a refreshingly new and unique take on a story of the British royals. Basically, the author has made a gigantic tweak in the Royal history timeline, which has resulted in the modern-day royal family not being the House of Windsor but instead being the House of Villers (after real-life character Barbara Villers, mistress of Charles 2nd)!

👑Lexi Villars purposely left behind Royal life and is enjoying life as a trainee doctor in Tasmania, but when a tragic accident involving her Dad and brother leaves her Heir to the British Throne she is forced back into the royal spotlight and burdened with all the pressures that accompany that lifestyle. There are many similar characters and little nods to the Windsor Royal family which was very entertaining.
This is a very clever, and well-written novel with an authentic and believable storyline which was a pleasant surprise. I nearly passed up on this book because the cover screamed "royal rom-com" which is not a genre that appeals to me, but when I glanced at the synopsis it piqued my interest and I feel very privileged to have been able to read an ARC of the book.

This is such an enjoyable debut by Rebecca Armitage. I was expecting something fun and fluffy, and whilst this is really readable, it also asks big questions about the monarchy and the media, as well as about misogyny, racism, and homophobia in traditional institutions.
Lexi Villiers is training to be a doctor in Australia when a helicopter lands and a man tells her that her father and twin brother have been killed in a skiing accident. Suddenly she’s no longer Lexi, trainee doctor, but she’s Alexandrina, heir apparent to the British throne. She wasn’t on good terms with her dad or brother and she has an uncle, who is quite reminiscent of one of our own royal family, who is briefing against her in the press and really wants to be king.
As the plot unfolds we find out that the royal family has a lot of secrets and Lexi has a choice to make about whether she really wants to be the heir apparent.
There is a romance, but it’s secondary to Lexi’s dilemma about about pursuing her own dreams or whether it’s possible to change centuries of tradition as the next Queen.
This author is Australian, and clearly knows about how the Royal Family operates. It’s a fantastic read.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

Wow....what a book. A fantastic debut novel!

Lexi was leading her life serving as a junior doctor in Tasmania while falling for a local lad but it all changed overnight for her as her brother and father die in a skiing accident. As she comes back to London , her life as she knows it changes forever....not only because of the deaths of her family....but because she becomes heir apparent as Princess Alexandrina.
The life she had built for herself starts to slip away as she is expected to take up her royal duties.
Can she fully embrace the Crown or does she have a choice of the life ahead

I absolutely adored this book and the research the author has done for the book doesn't go unnoticed.

I love everything about our royal family, so when I came across this book, I couldn’t resist picking it up. It included snippets of our royal family life that the writer cleverly wove into the narrative.
With many twists and turns throughout the story, I found myself curious about how it would end.
The writing was very clever.
With all the glitz and glamour, this book is a great page-turner and highly addictive.

Good. Enjoyed the premise of this book but I would have enjoyed it more if it was more of an original story. As it is heavily influenced by the stories of Charles and Diana, William and Kate and Prince Andrew and his daughters. This is because I felt like at times it was just a rip off of their lives and nothing original.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I LOVED it! With plenty of scandal and intrigue very similar to that of our current Royal Family, this makes for an absolutely gripping read. I loved the character of Lexi, but also the strong women who surrounded and supported her.

First few pages thought it wasn't for me. Persevered & so glad I did, a great read. Loved the characters & the plot line, would she stay or go back? Had me hooked. Can't wait to see what this talented author comes up with next. Highly recommended

Everything I want in a book is/was right here

Great characters, Royalty, gossip, ‘carryings on’, romance, treachery, scandal and a are’ they/aren’t they’ theme throughout

Lexi is training to be a Dr in Tasmania, Lexi is also in line to be the next Queen of England, ( but knowing she will never be next in line ) she ‘ran away’ 10 years ago and is happy with her life, then tragedy strikes and she finds herself not only grief struck but also the ‘heir apparent’ to the throne

What follows is 400 pages of blissful reading, from delicious descriptions of Tasmania to the grandeur and strictness of her new life, every word scrutinised, every action monitored, every second of her day planned

She has suitors, of course but one true love Jack, and with a life full of secrets and jealous family members Lexi has to decide if service or love and her freedom will win

I could say I loved this book but maybe adore is a stronger word, just perfect in every way

Lexi is in the middle of her medical training in Tasmania when she gets a visit summoning her back to the UK where she is the rightful heir to the throne following an accident which has killed her father and brother. She has to choose between her royal duty and the career she wants to follow in a place that she loves with people who love her. A good insight into royal duties and the lack of choice for anyone born into that line. Very well written and very interesting.

Loved this book of fiction, with its many parallels to the British Royal Family, and the twists and turns Princess Alexandrina (Lexi) has to overcome as she goes from being the Spare to the Heir, albeit reluctantly.
It really does make you question whether the grass is really greener on the other side, as in having blue blood, rather than being the average human...
I really felt for Lexi, as she battled internally with her hereditary duty as opposed to her passion, both work-related and romantically.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HQ for an ARC.

This book intrigued me from the get go! Royal family is a must read for me! It starts with Lexi, a doctor doing her residency in Tasmania, Australia. Suddenly, a tragic accident calls her back to England, where her title of Princess Alexandrina is revealed. Told I. Dual timelines of past and present, readers discover the scandals and lives of the Royal family. This book has me hooked, I could not put my kindle down!! There is romance and an element of what will happen throughout! Loved it!