Release Date - August 28, 2017
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages - 300 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**
**SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THIS SERIES**
These Royals will ruin you.Lies. Murder, Secrets. Seduction. These are just some of the debaucherous things found within Erin Watt's Royals series. Pair this with a cast of characters that instantly intrigue you and you have the makings of an addictive read. Fallen Heir starts Easton's chapter of the Royal's story, and just in case you thought Erin Watt couldn't ruin you any further, this book does exactly that.
Easton Royal has it all: looks, money, intelligence. His goal in life is to have as much fun as possible. He never thinks about the consequences because he doesn’t have to.
Until Hartley Wright appears, shaking up his easy life. She’s the one girl who’s said no, despite being attracted to him. Easton can’t figure her out and that makes her all the more irresistible.
Hartley doesn’t want him. She says he needs to grow up.
She might be right.
Rivals. Rules. Regrets. For the first time in Easton’s life, wearing a Royal crown isn’t enough. He’s about to learn that the higher you start, the harder you fall.
Easton's character is exactly who I anticipated he would be. There is something comforting to discovering that the voice you imagined a character's point of view having is exactly right. It makes you feel a connection with the character immediately because you feel, as a reader, that you already know them. Easton definitely gives Reed competition for the title of Most Badly Behaved Royal but it just makes his journey all the more rewarding. I feel like we've gotten to know this character a lot more thanks to this continuation of the story. I can only hope that the other Royal brothers get a series of their own as I am not nearly done with this world or these characters.
Character growth is important. This is especially true if the character is a hot mess the way that Easton Royal is. Character growth really only works for me when it feels natural to the character, and makes sense within the story arc being told. My favourite part of Easton's progression is that even when the growth he experiences he never stops feeling like Easton. His character doesn't magically morph into something he is not. He may be making better choices, but he's still Easton. There are also multiple backslides that felt organic to who Easton is. There is always a chance of his reverting to his old ways, or making a decision that has lethal consequences. He has the potential for goodness, but can also spiral into darkness. This duality is why I think he's so fascinating. I cannot wait to see the rest of the journey his character takes, and the direction he continues in.
The girl who is to tame Easton Royal could have easily been a retread of Ella. I was worried about her being another Ella and was thrilled to see that this is not he case. Hartley is broken in her own way. She has a different kind of strength to her than Ella's fierce streak, but she is no less interesting. Her connection with Easton is fun to see develop as he realizes his feelings, and she slowly lowers the walls she has built around herself.
The stakes in this installment of the Royals story feel even higher than they have previously. The ending, to nobody's surprise, packs multiple punches that left me reeling. I am entirely invested in the outcome of Easton's chapter of this story. My need for the next book is only matched by my concern over the outcome of the events that unfolded in the closing chapters of this book. It's a rare occurrence that an author can manage to amp up the tension with each installment and leave you breathless at the end of each book for different reasons, but Erin Watt nails it.
This series continues to be a scandalous, decadent, twist filled treat that keeps on delivering. It's a must read for those wanting something compulsively readable, and entirely addictive. You'll be left screaming by this torturous, jaw dropping ending and immediately bemoan the agonizing wait for all your answers.
