The Unlikely Heir has positioned itself up there as one of my favorite reads of the year. I adored the snarky British humor interspersed with the lovely romantic elements that both totally make up for the angsty bits.
From the blurb:
What happens when the Prince of Wales falls in love with the prime minister?
My boring life working in an insurance call center in sunny California just took an unexpected turn. Thanks to my misbehaving relatives, I’ve leaped from obscurity to royalty as the new heir to the British
throne.
But my welcome in England is about as warm as the weather. I arrive to discover a country horrified at the thought of an American version of Prince Charming and ready to revolt against the monarchy. I vow to my grandmother, the queen, that I will do everything possible to help her save the crown.
Unfortunately, royal life isn’t easy. From bewildering traditions, traitorous friends, and malevolent swans, the only thing I’m succeeding in is providing entertainment for the tabloids and social media trolls.
And then the broodingly handsome prime minister, Oliver Hartwell, bursts into my life.
With his meteoric rise from poverty to the most powerful man in the country, Oliver understands my current plight. Innocent messages of support turn into late-night chats—and unexpected feelings.
But there’s one major problem. The royal family must remain politically neutral at all times.
So how can I keep my promise to save the monarchy when I’m falling in love with the prime minister?
A forbidden romance filled with humor and drama featuring a bumbling Prince of Wales and a stern yet dashing prime minister, with a love that could transform a nation.
Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:
"To catch a glimpse of the beauty and magic of this world, you simply need to look at everything through the lens of wonder."
I absolutely adored this book. It was just so hilariously romantic. The offer of friendship leading to late night texts between Callum and Oliver. The two bonding over their circumstances and the terrible way the media would exploit any information on them they could based on their positions of power. The slow realization that what they feel may be more than friendship. The beauty of falling for each other contrasted with the absolute devastation that they could never truly be together because of their jobs. This book made me smile while also making my heart break for them.
I loved seeing Oliver come out of his shell a bit with Callum. He made him see the beauty in life, while also proving to him that loving someone unconditionally is something that does exist. Oliver was a light in Callum's upturned world. He kept him grounded throughout everything and convinced him that being himself would be his best bet as future leader of the British people. And he was right.
There was a ton of drama that happens in between the sweet and funny bits. I was not expecting the twist at the end. Calder did a great job of that one. The next unlikely match in the series is an enemies to lovers between political opponents and I am so here for it. I liked Toby in this one and Harry was a pain in the ass, so it will be interesting to see how they go from hating each other to falling in love in The Unlikely Pair.
Rating: 5 Stars
Sheena's Review:
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect when I picked The Unlikely Heir up to read, but will admit to being pleasantly surprised by it. I have read some Jax Calder previously and liked the stories, so perhaps I shouldn't have been all that surprised that I liked it so much. There's a LOT of suspension of disbelief though, in regards to the Royal Family - what happens is extremely unlikely, but if you put all that aside and just enjoy the story, then you're in for a treat.
Callum is a walking disaster. I really felt for him quite a few times as he's quite alone in the world even before his life gets turned upside down and he becomes the heir to the throne. I loved his connection with Oliver, though. It was a joy to witness their friendship blossoming. It was so good that they become friends before they become anything else. That friendship was great. I loved how supportive they were of each other. The comparing of the worst headlines of the day was a hoot and there was a real connection there before they finally got together. It's not really a slow burn, more a friendship that turns to a relationship built on that solid base.
I also liked how Callum never freaked out about being attracted to a man. He just took it in stride and once they were together, I loved it. I loved how Callum didn't hide it from anyone once he'd decided to be open.
All in all, this was a pleasant read, in turns funny, sweet, heartwarming and utterly charming. Once I got past the suspension of disbelief :)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Heather's Review:
The Unlikely Heir was an interesting alternate world look into what it might be like if the newly minted Prince of Wales was queer and falling for the Prime Minister of Britain... this is a slow building story that maintains some aspects of what we might think of as royal protocol, it's a royal fantasy in a modern world and the characters are sweet, genuine and fun.
It includes a bisexual awakening, forbidden relationship, some angst and pining, some drama and a true HEA. If you're looking for a charming read with some fun twists and turns, you'll enjoy The Unlikely Heir... the first in the series, with a second book already in plans (and if my plot bunny suggestion is accepted, maybe a third...)
Rating: 5 Stars
The Unlikely Heir is available to buy as an ebook or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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