Royal ScandalReview posted August 6, 2024
Listening Library, 2024. 11 hours, 21 minutes.
Review written July 16, 2024, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review
Royal Scandal is a sequel to Royal Blood, but left me frustrated because I'm going to have to wait to get a finish to the story.
In the first book, we learned about the alternate reality world of this book where King Edward VIII did not abdicate his throne to marry Wallis Simpson, and the history of the British monarchy has been completely different since then. Our protagonist is Evangeline Bright, known to her friends as Evan, the illegitimate daughter of the reigning King of England. She grew up in America, living with her grandmother and then in boarding schools. But at 18, she was brought to England and King Alexander acknowledged her as his daughter. And the furor that ensued was the topic of Royal Blood.
In this book, the scandal and chaos only deepens. Someone's leaking information to the tabloids about the long failed marriage of the king and queen, and they don't know where the leak lies.
But then things get deadly. The day after the assassination attempt against former President Trump, I listened to an episode in this book where someone shoots at Evangeline. Somehow that made it seem very real. And things escalate horribly even from there, with signs that a terrorist group is responsible. And someone seems to be trying to pin it on Evan.
But how can Evan fight the weight of public opinion? How can she possibly clear her name? And how can anyone get proof that it's not her?
By the end of this tension-packed book, they've figured out who is responsible, but they don't have details as to how, and they don't have any proof. But Evan has a plan....
All I have to say is this author better hurry up and write the next book!