If you spent any time on BookTok or lurking in romance forums back in 2016, you know the name Erin Watt. It’s the pen name for the powerhouse duo Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick. They basically set the world on fire with Paper Princess, but Broken Prince is where things got truly unhinged.
I’m talking about the kind of drama that makes daytime soaps look like a library reading hour.
Most people think of this series as just another "rich boy meets poor girl" trope. That’s a massive understatement. Broken Prince is a chaotic, adrenaline-fueled sequel that picks up exactly where the first book’s soul-crushing cliffhanger left off. You remember it. Ella Harper walks in on Reed Royal and Brooke, and suddenly her life in the Royal mansion feels like a beautiful lie.
What Actually Happens in Broken Prince?
So, Ella runs.
Honestly, who can blame her? She’s been through enough. But the Royals don't just let people walk away. Callum Royal, the billionaire patriarch, uses his massive reach to drag her back to Bayview. This isn’t a sweet reunion. It’s a mess of resentment, grief, and that thick, suffocating tension that Erin Watt does better than almost anyone else in the YA/New Adult space.
What makes this book stand out is the dual POV. For the first time, we’re inside Reed Royal’s head.
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Reed is a disaster. He’s rich, he’s gorgeous, and he has the emotional maturity of a teaspoon for most of the book. Seeing his perspective reveals just how much of a "broken prince" he really is. He’s not just a bully; he’s a kid drowning in family secrets and a mountain of guilt. He spends most of the novel trying to win Ella back, which leads to some of the most intense (and occasionally problematic) scenes in the series.
The Royal Family: Not Your Average Neighbors
The Royals are a "clusterfuck of epic proportions." That’s a quote from one of the early reviewers, and honestly, it’s the most accurate description I’ve ever seen. You’ve got:
- Reed: The protector who destroys everything he touches.
- Easton: The middle brother struggling with addiction and a gambling habit.
- Gideon: The eldest who’s mostly gone but hiding massive secrets.
- The Twins (Sawyer and Sebastian): A chaotic duo that adds a layer of unpredictability.
Then there’s Callum. He’s the dad who’s trying, but he’s also dating Brooke—a woman who is essentially the villain of this specific installment. Brooke is manipulative. She uses a blackmail scheme regarding a "pregnancy" to keep her claws in the family, claiming the baby is Reed’s.
It's messy. It’s dark. It's totally addictive.
Why Broken Prince Works (Even When It Shouldn't)
Let’s be real for a second. The school drama at Astor Park is over the top. The bullying is intense. Sometimes you want to reach into the book and shake Ella for staying. But that’s the draw. Erin Watt creates a world of high-stakes privilege where the rules don't apply, and every conversation feels like a power play.
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The chemistry between Reed and Ella is the engine that keeps the story moving. They spar. They circle each other. They have these high-octane make-out sessions that balance out the darker plot points. It’s classic "enemies-to-lovers" but dialed up to eleven.
The Cliffhanger That Ruined Everyone
If you thought the ending of the first book was bad, Broken Prince ends on a note that left readers screaming at their Kindles.
- Brooke is found murdered.
- The unborn child is gone too.
- Reed is the prime suspect.
- And the biggest shocker? Steve Harper—Ella’s supposedly dead father—walks through the door.
It’s a triple-threat twist that essentially resets the entire board for the third book, Twisted Palace. It turned the series from a romance into a murder mystery overnight.
Actionable Insights for Royal Fans
If you're looking to dive back into the world of Bayview or you're a first-time reader, keep these things in mind.
First, check the trigger warnings. This series deals with bullying, addiction, and sexual content that isn't for everyone. It’s marketed as Young Adult, but it leans very heavily into New Adult territory.
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Second, pay attention to the secondary characters like Val and Wade. They provide the only "normal" friendship Ella has, and their side-story actually gets a bit of a nod in the later books.
Finally, don't stop at book three. While the original trilogy covers Ella and Reed, the sequels—Fallen Heir and Cracked Kingdom—focus on Easton. In many ways, Easton’s journey is even more emotional and "broken" than Reed's.
Next Steps for Your Reading List:
- Read the books in order: Do not skip Paper Princess. You will be completely lost if you start with Broken Prince.
- Look for the 2023 re-releases: Penguin recently put out new editions with updated covers if you're a collector.
- Check out "The Royals of Malibu": This is the audio adaptation if you prefer listening to your drama while you commute.
This series didn't just debut at #1 on the New York Times list by accident. It tapped into a specific kind of escapism—the kind where the boys are beautiful, the money is endless, and the drama never stops.
To get the most out of the experience, try tracking the timeline of the "pregnancy" blackmail. Most readers miss the subtle clues early on that suggest Brooke's story doesn't add up. Comparing the dates Ella returns to the mansion with the reveals in the final chapters makes the mystery much more satisfying. Once you finish the trilogy, looking back at the "Steve" hints in the first two books shows just how much the authors were planning from day one.