My Review

Wait…you mean to tell me this author—who has absolutely mastered the memoir space—is casually stepping into historical fiction now? Color me intrigued…and yes, a tiny bit skeptical at first.

I’ll admit, it took me a beat to reset my expectations. I’m so used to that warm, personal, “come sit by me and let me tell you a story” vibe. But once I settled in? Oh, he pulled it off. The storytelling still had that familiar touch, just wrapped in a richer, more layered historical setting.

And honestly? He did a wonderful job.

Starting in 1956 and then quickly moving through 1973 to 1981, the author gives readers the kind of behind-the-scenes access that history lovers (and nosy readers like me) can’t resist. Set in Spain, the novel weaves together politics, the military, and royalty into a complex web of power, secrets, and ambition. We’re taken into the back rooms, behind closed doors, and even into the pillow talk of those at the top.

What makes it especially compelling is how believable it all feels. The story unfolds with a realistic touch that keeps the “what if” scenario grounded in actual events.

And here’s a small piece of advice: save the author’s historical note for the end. He places it at the end and it should be saved until then. It’s a delightful surprise to see how carefully he researched the real events and then stitched them together with imagined conversations, motives, and personalities to explore what a coup might have looked like behind the scenes. It’s clear the homework was done—and done well.

For more about this author CLICK HERE!

Book Summary

A fractured family. A wounded nation. A traitor in the ranks.

Spain, 1973. General Franco has ruled for decades but his grip on the country is weakening as his health deteriorates. When terrorists assassinate his prime minister, all eyes turn to Franco’s anointed successor, the inexperienced Prince Juan Carlos.

Despite being groomed by Franco from a young age, the prince harbours a secret ambition to dismantle the dictator’s regime. In the years following Franco’s death, terrorist attacks become a daily occurrence and Spain descends into economic turmoil. Juan Carlos must decide whom he can trust to restore order.

When armed forces launch a violent coup, the nation teeters on the brink of another civil war. Will Franco’s heir protect his crown – or gamble everything to forge Spain’s new future?

A sweeping political thriller based on true events, this is the extraordinary story of how a prince Spain didn’t want turned out to be the monarch his country needed.