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A review by cozycritiques
The Unlikely Heir by Jax Calder
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
“You’re so…you,” he says, and the way he says the words is the highest compliment, the best thing in the world.
- The Unlikely Heir
Tropes: Royalty, Politics, Workplace (ish), Mutual Pining, Bi-Awakening, Secret Relationship, Forbidden Romance, Age Gap, Texting, Opposites Attract, Slow Burn, Dual POV
Representation: LGBTQ+ (Gay, Bisexual)
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶.5
CW: Past Infidelity, Death of a Parent, Toxic Media, Gun Violence, Injury
I’ve seen a lot of comparisons of this book to Red, White, and Royal Blue, especially with the recent release of the movie. And while the two have similar vibes—royalty, politics, pinning, secrecy, drama, forbidden romance—The Unlikely Heir is a fresh story that completely stole my heart.
From the start, I adored Callum. He was endearingly nerdy, a little messy, and wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn’t at all who people expected him to be. He was an underdog, and I couldn’t help rooting for him as he navigated the (admittedly completely outlandish) hand he’d been dealt. I’m a sucker for opposites attract romances, so when I was introduced to Oliver, I knew I’d love their story. Oliver was driven, controlled, and a little closed off, but underneath the hard exterior was someone who loved deeply—once he allowed himself to, anyway.
The way their friendship and then romantic relationship developed was beyond sweet. I found myself constantly flipping between laughing out loud and giddy-kicking my feet every time they interacted. I loved their late-night texts filled with horrible yet hilarious puns and self-deprecating banter. And the level of care and comfort they provided each other once their friendship became more was probably my favorite part of the whole book.
The Unlikely Heir was witty, well-paced, and maintained a perfect balance between soft, romantic moments and political drama. I’m so glad I decided to pick up this book—especially since it got me out of a reading slump—and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out next year.
- The Unlikely Heir
Tropes: Royalty, Politics, Workplace (ish), Mutual Pining, Bi-Awakening, Secret Relationship, Forbidden Romance, Age Gap, Texting, Opposites Attract, Slow Burn, Dual POV
Representation: LGBTQ+ (Gay, Bisexual)
Spice Scale: 🌶🌶.5
CW: Past Infidelity, Death of a Parent, Toxic Media, Gun Violence, Injury
I’ve seen a lot of comparisons of this book to Red, White, and Royal Blue, especially with the recent release of the movie. And while the two have similar vibes—royalty, politics, pinning, secrecy, drama, forbidden romance—The Unlikely Heir is a fresh story that completely stole my heart.
From the start, I adored Callum. He was endearingly nerdy, a little messy, and wore his heart on his sleeve. He wasn’t at all who people expected him to be. He was an underdog, and I couldn’t help rooting for him as he navigated the (admittedly completely outlandish) hand he’d been dealt. I’m a sucker for opposites attract romances, so when I was introduced to Oliver, I knew I’d love their story. Oliver was driven, controlled, and a little closed off, but underneath the hard exterior was someone who loved deeply—once he allowed himself to, anyway.
The way their friendship and then romantic relationship developed was beyond sweet. I found myself constantly flipping between laughing out loud and giddy-kicking my feet every time they interacted. I loved their late-night texts filled with horrible yet hilarious puns and self-deprecating banter. And the level of care and comfort they provided each other once their friendship became more was probably my favorite part of the whole book.
The Unlikely Heir was witty, well-paced, and maintained a perfect balance between soft, romantic moments and political drama. I’m so glad I decided to pick up this book—especially since it got me out of a reading slump—and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out next year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Death of parent and Infidelity