Good Reads: The Heir and the Spare by Emily Albright

Good Reads Synopsis:

Family can be complicated. Especially when skeletons from the past pop up unexpectedly. For American Evie Gray, finding out her deceased mother had a secret identity, and not one of the caped crusader variety, was quite the surprise. Evie’s mom had a secret life before she was even born, one that involved tiaras.

In this modern day fairytale, Evie is on a path to figure out who her mom really was, while discovering for herself what the future will hold. Charged with her late mother’s letters, Evie embarks on a quest into her past. The first item on the list is to attend Oxford, her mom’s alma mater. There, Evie stumbles upon a real life prince charming, Edmund Stuart the second Prince of England, who is all too happy to be the counterpart to her damsel in distress.

Evie can’t resist her growing attraction to Edmund as they spend more time together trying to unravel the clues her mother left behind. But, when doubts arise as to whether or not Edmund could ever be with an untitled American, what really ends up unraveling is Evie’s heart. When Evie uncovers all the facts about her mom’s former life, she realizes her mom’s past can open doors she never dreamed possible, doors that can help her be with Edmund. But, with everything now unveiled, Evie starts to crack under the pressure of new family responsibilities and the realization that her perfect prince may want her for all the wrong reasons.

My Thoughts:

I adored this book, not just because I'm a Royal Watcher, but also because I felt this was a great coming of age story. Edmund and Evie's relationship expertly hits on perils of relationships in the late teens, regardless of who's royal in this story. The are 'we/aren't we' and uncertainty very much reminded me of my college dating history. I enjoyed reading Evie's letters from her mother, and following her and Edmund as they unravel the clues to find out who Evie's mom really was, and in turn who Evie really is. This aspect of the plot really sets the book apart from other 'commoner falls in love with Royal' books that have been put out since the Royal Wedding in 2011.  The ending wrapped up the story like a little pretty present (which I love). It's a fast read that you won't want to put down!