You know that feeling when you finish a book and immediately want to hurl your e-reader across the room? Not because the book was bad. No, quite the opposite. It’s because the cliffhanger felt like a physical slap to the face. If you’ve touched the "Royals" series, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Broken Prince Erin Watt is the second book in that addictive, soap-opera-on-steroids saga, and honestly, it’s even more of a car crash you can’t look away from than the first one.
What is Broken Prince Erin Watt actually about?
Let's recap. We left off in Paper Princess with Ella Harper running away. She caught Reed Royal in a compromising position with Brooke, his dad’s fiancé. Classic Royal family drama. Broken Prince Erin Watt picks up the pieces of that explosion. It’s dark. It’s gritty. It feels like Cruel Intentions met Gossip Girl in a back alley and they decided to have a very dramatic baby.
The story shifts. This time, we get Reed’s perspective too. Honestly, seeing inside Reed’s head is a game changer. In the first book, he was basically just a jerk with a nice car and a lot of anger issues. Here, he’s desperate. He’s hollowed out by the fact that he drove away the only person who made him feel human.
The plot basically follows two tracks. First, the frantic search for Ella. Reed and his brothers are losing their minds. When they finally drag her back—and let’s be real, she’s basically forced back by Callum Royal’s influence—the real work begins. It’s not a "happily ever after" reunion. Far from it.
The authors behind the name
If you didn’t know, Erin Watt isn't a real person. Well, she is, but she’s actually two people. It’s a pseudonym for powerhouse romance authors Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick.
Kennedy is famous for her Off-Campus series (hockey romance fans, stand up), and Frederick has a massive following for her Woodlands books. When they teamed up, they decided to lean into the "bully romance" and "high-school royalty" tropes that were exploding on Wattpad at the time. They took those tropes and polished them until they shone like a diamond—or a very expensive Royal family signet ring.
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Why the Reed POV matters
Most sequels in this genre just give you more of the same. But switching to a dual perspective changed the stakes for Broken Prince Erin Watt.
Reed Royal has everything. Money? Tons. Looks? Obviously. A family that actually functions? Not even close. Seeing his vulnerability is what makes the book work. You start to realize he isn't just a "broken prince" because it sounds cool in a title. He’s genuinely messed up by his mother’s death and the toxic environment of his elite prep school, Astor Park.
The "Brooke" Factor
Brooke is the character everyone loves to hate. She’s manipulative, she’s calculating, and in this book, she’s holding all the cards. There's a pregnancy scandal that threatens to tear the whole family apart. Is it Callum’s? Is it Reed’s? The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. This sub-plot is what elevates the book from a standard high school romance to a full-blown psychological drama.
Dealing with the Bully Romance trope
Let's get real for a second. The "bully romance" genre is polarizing. Some people find the behavior of the Royal brothers, especially Reed, to be totally irredeemable.
In Broken Prince Erin Watt, we see a shift. Reed has to actually grovel. He doesn't just get Ella back because he’s rich. He has to stand up for her against the same school culture he helped create. There’s a specific scene where Ella finally stands up to Jordan—the girl who has been making her life a living hell—and Reed actually steps back. He realizes she needs to fight her own battles, but he makes sure no one else interferes. It’s a weirdly subtle bit of character growth for a guy who usually solves problems with his fists.
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The Supporting Cast
We can't talk about this book without mentioning Easton. Honestly? Easton Royal stole the show for a lot of readers. He’s the "fun" brother, but he’s also clearly spiraling into addiction and self-destruction. While Reed and Ella are the main course, Easton’s arc is the side dish that keeps you coming back for the next book in the series.
Reading Order: Where does this fit?
If you’re just stumbling onto this series, don’t start here. You’ll be hopelessly lost. The "Royals" series has a specific flow that you need to follow to understand why everyone is so angry all the time:
- Paper Princess: This is where Ella meets the Royals.
- Broken Prince: The direct sequel focusing on the fallout of Reed’s mistake.
- Twisted Palace: The conclusion of Ella and Reed’s primary story.
- Tarnished Crown: A novella (Book 3.5) that bridges the gap.
- Fallen Heir: This moves the focus to Easton.
- Cracked Kingdom: The conclusion of Easton’s arc.
The Cliffhanger (No Spoilers, But Be Warned)
The ending of Broken Prince Erin Watt is notorious. It’s a "wait, what?" moment that involves a character returning from the past. It changes everything you thought you knew about the Royal family’s history. If you don't have Twisted Palace ready to go immediately after you finish the last page of this one, you’re going to be miserable.
Impact on the genre
Before this series hit the New York Times bestseller list, the "rich kids behaving badly" trope was mostly relegated to indie publishing and fanfiction. Erin Watt brought it to the mainstream. They proved that readers have a massive appetite for high-stakes, high-wealth drama that feels like a soap opera.
The writing is fast. The chapters are short. It’s designed to be binged in a single sitting. You might roll your eyes at some of the dialogue—teenagers don't always talk like this—but the emotional core is surprisingly solid.
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Common Misconceptions
People often think this is a "young adult" series. While the characters are in high school, the content is very much "mature." It deals with heavy themes like assault, drug use, and extreme bullying. If you’re looking for a sweet, innocent high school romance, this isn't it. It’s raw, it’s messy, and it’s often very uncomfortable.
Actionable Insights for Readers
If you're planning to dive into Broken Prince Erin Watt, here is how to handle the experience:
- Read Paper Princess First: Seriously. The plot is continuous.
- Check the Trigger Warnings: This series is intense. It deals with toxic family dynamics and high-pressure social environments.
- Get the Audiobooks: If you’re a fan of dual narration, the audiobooks for this series are actually quite good at capturing Reed's "broody" energy.
- Prepare for a Binge: Don't start this on a Sunday night if you have to work early on Monday. You won't stop until the sun comes up.
The appeal of the Royal brothers isn't that they are perfect. It’s that they are spectacularly, wealthily broken. And watching Ella Harper try to navigate that minefield without getting blown up is what makes Broken Prince Erin Watt such a compelling read.
To get the most out of the experience, focus on the character growth of the secondary brothers like Easton and the twins, as their development often mirrors the chaos happening in the main plot. Pay attention to the subtle hints about the boys' mother, Maria; her history is more connected to the current drama than it initially seems. Finally, once you finish the Reed and Ella trilogy, give yourself a breather before diving into Easton's books, as the tone shifts significantly toward a more internal, psychological struggle.