I had to return the popular The Heir Apparent (#1,364) by Rebecca Armitage last time I had it checked out because I didn't have time to read it, but I managed it this time. It was an interesting read.
Princess Alexandrina (Lexi) is catapulted into a prominent role in the British succession after the tragic deaths of her father, the Crown Prince, and her twin brother Louis in a skiing accident. Lexi herself is plucked from a remote Tasmanian beach to attend the funerals and appear alongside the long-reigning Queen, her grandmother. She's given a year to make up her mind about whether to step into the role of future monarch or renounce her rights and return to her hospital residency in Hobart and the man she loves. Much drama and angst ensue as she (temporarily) lives the life of the Heir Apparent.
Since this is fiction, some facts are tweaked to explain how this scenario could possibly have come to be, but the fun is identifying just who each fictional character is meant to skewer, and which real royal scandals fill the pages of the fictional tabloids here. Frankly, it isn't that difficult. Neither is the novel's ending hard to guess. The pleasure is in how Ms. Armitage gets us there! (Plus, I loved reading about Tasmania. It's one of the most amazing places on earth. Lexi's right about that!)
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