The Heir Apparent

The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage was a river of a read. The action was strong and steady; there were myriad twists and turns, the characters’ reflections changed as you viewed them from various angles, and though constant, it was unpredictable. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Lexi is living a life in self-imposed exile, pursuing her dreams with people she has come to love, when all of that is upended by tragedy, catapulting her back into a forever-altered version of the world she left behind. She must decide how to navigate the various pressures she confronts to decide where she truly belongs. Armitage artfully weaves flashbacks into the story to peel back the layers of Lexi, her family, and friends, guiding the reader through an understanding of the situation's complexity. There were no red herrings, but the lack of information and my own assumptions steered me down the wrong path a few times.
Though there were no in-your-face moments, this book was quietly powerful. I relished the experience of reading it. 5 stars.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing the ARC.