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Royal Heirs Academy #2
Royal Liars (Volume 2)
American Royals meets Gossip Girl in this scandal-driven sequel where four teenage royals team up to defend their beloved school from an unknown threat, risking their futures and their hearts in the process.
It’s been eight months since King Leander named Ashland’s heir apparent and a new year is about to begin at Almus Terra Academy…
Sadie is trapped in a fake dating scheme with one prince, while the other is dead set on winning her heart. Titus is desperate to make things right with the girl he wronged, but his own ambitions and secrets stand in his way. Emmeline has lost her friends, her dreams, and her family. For the first time in her life, she’s not sure she has what it takes to win them all back. Alaric goes down dark paths to strike against his traitorous father, but his quest for revenge will only keep him apart from the girl he loves.
When the Ashland heirs learn that the school and the country they’ve come to love are in danger, can they put their egos aside long enough to make a difference? Or will their rivalries cost them everything?
Complete with enemies-to-lovers romance, political intrigue, and legendary betrayals, Royal Liars is a thrilling conclusion to this commercial duology and a thoughtful, escapist read for our times.
It’s been eight months since King Leander named Ashland’s heir apparent and a new year is about to begin at Almus Terra Academy…
Sadie is trapped in a fake dating scheme with one prince, while the other is dead set on winning her heart. Titus is desperate to make things right with the girl he wronged, but his own ambitions and secrets stand in his way. Emmeline has lost her friends, her dreams, and her family. For the first time in her life, she’s not sure she has what it takes to win them all back. Alaric goes down dark paths to strike against his traitorous father, but his quest for revenge will only keep him apart from the girl he loves.
When the Ashland heirs learn that the school and the country they’ve come to love are in danger, can they put their egos aside long enough to make a difference? Or will their rivalries cost them everything?
Complete with enemies-to-lovers romance, political intrigue, and legendary betrayals, Royal Liars is a thrilling conclusion to this commercial duology and a thoughtful, escapist read for our times.
368 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
42 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Duga
11 books406 followersLindsey Duga is a middle grade and young adult writer with a passion for fantasy, science fiction, and basically any genre that takes you away from the real world. She wrote her first novel in college while she was getting her bachelor’s in Mass Communication from Louisiana State University.
Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show and practicing yoga.
Other than writing and cuddling with her morkie puppy, Delphi, Lindsey loves catching up on the latest superhero TV show and practicing yoga.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 12, 2026
4.25 stars
I think this book was a great followup to the first book and I liked it a lot better. The characters all had good development and it was a satisfying conclusion.
sadie-
she was less annoying this book but still not my favorite POV to read. I did like how she wanted to make change and the crazy reveal that she was the princess of the lost seclean family. I'm also happy she ended up w Alaric bc even if I don't really like her, I wanted Alaric to get his happy ending.
emmeline- she was again my favorite character and had the best development. I liked how it showed how she just wanted to be loved. And the reveal that shes actually Alaric's half sibling from her mom and his dad, and is not royal! I feel for this girl so much, she was going through it. I also liked how she acknowledged and apologized for the way she acted, realizing how it was bad and how corrupt her family was, with all the lies she had been told. I'm also super happy she ended up with Oliver, they were a really cute couple! She had a really good arc.
titus- he gives Grayson but in glorious rivals. I think he would have made a really good king, just because he sees the issues but also has that mature poise vibe. I thought him and trang were a really unexpected but cute couple. I also liked how he wasn't afraid to let people know about his ra diagnosis and he it challenged him. I think he also had a good arc as well.
Alaric- He was my second favorite character, after Emmeline and he was so sweet. He was such a gentlemen and good boyfriend to sadie. I also liked how he stood up when he realized Emmeline was his sister, I really liked their dynamic. He also didn't let not growing up with a silver spoon affect him that much and still was a great character. I'm happy his mom came back tho( yes spoiler princess Rhea is alive!!). He also stood up for what he believed in and I liked that a lot about his character.
Oliver, Oakley, Danica, Jacob, and Trang were good side characters too! ( missed Sebastian a little bit just because he was interesting to read about).
also the croft reference hinting at someone??
the only things I didn't like:
sadie annoyed me sometimes
the timeline confused me a little bit
I wished Alaric and sadie had more time together
the start was a boring
anyways I thought this was good read and a great ending to this duology!
I think this book was a great followup to the first book and I liked it a lot better. The characters all had good development and it was a satisfying conclusion.
sadie-
she was less annoying this book but still not my favorite POV to read. I did like how she wanted to make change and the crazy reveal that she was the princess of the lost seclean family. I'm also happy she ended up w Alaric bc even if I don't really like her, I wanted Alaric to get his happy ending.
emmeline- she was again my favorite character and had the best development. I liked how it showed how she just wanted to be loved. And the reveal that shes actually Alaric's half sibling from her mom and his dad, and is not royal! I feel for this girl so much, she was going through it. I also liked how she acknowledged and apologized for the way she acted, realizing how it was bad and how corrupt her family was, with all the lies she had been told. I'm also super happy she ended up with Oliver, they were a really cute couple! She had a really good arc.
titus- he gives Grayson but in glorious rivals. I think he would have made a really good king, just because he sees the issues but also has that mature poise vibe. I thought him and trang were a really unexpected but cute couple. I also liked how he wasn't afraid to let people know about his ra diagnosis and he it challenged him. I think he also had a good arc as well.
Alaric- He was my second favorite character, after Emmeline and he was so sweet. He was such a gentlemen and good boyfriend to sadie. I also liked how he stood up when he realized Emmeline was his sister, I really liked their dynamic. He also didn't let not growing up with a silver spoon affect him that much and still was a great character. I'm happy his mom came back tho( yes spoiler princess Rhea is alive!!). He also stood up for what he believed in and I liked that a lot about his character.
Oliver, Oakley, Danica, Jacob, and Trang were good side characters too! ( missed Sebastian a little bit just because he was interesting to read about).
also the croft reference hinting at someone??
the only things I didn't like:
sadie annoyed me sometimes
the timeline confused me a little bit
I wished Alaric and sadie had more time together
the start was a boring
anyways I thought this was good read and a great ending to this duology!
November 26, 2025
I LOVED the first book in this series when I read it last year and I was really looking forward to seeing how the story would conclude.
While I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, it was still an enjoyable read. This story was more focused on the politics of the country and I cared more about the personal relationships between the characters, which took a backseat at times to the political drama.
Each of the POV characters were interesting and fun to read about and even though there are 4 POV characters, I never had trouble differentiating between them. They were all well developed, and I really liked seeing that dimension to them, especially in Emmeline.
I loved the romances! One in particular was my favorite (being vague because of spoilers) but I really enjoyed seeing how each romance would play out.
Overall I really enjoyed this duology. It was a lot of fun.
While I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, it was still an enjoyable read. This story was more focused on the politics of the country and I cared more about the personal relationships between the characters, which took a backseat at times to the political drama.
Each of the POV characters were interesting and fun to read about and even though there are 4 POV characters, I never had trouble differentiating between them. They were all well developed, and I really liked seeing that dimension to them, especially in Emmeline.
I loved the romances! One in particular was my favorite (being vague because of spoilers) but I really enjoyed seeing how each romance would play out.
Overall I really enjoyed this duology. It was a lot of fun.
January 20, 2026
Thank you to the author and Christy Ottaviano Books for the free book and to Hachette Audio for the audiobook. These opinions are my own.
I adore this duology. Somehow Royal Liars was even better than Royal Heirs Academy. These stories follow four teens who all could be the next heir to the throne. It's a little bit Gossip Girl meets Succession meets American Royals. And it's also uniquely its own.
The four characters are all incredibly well rounded. Sadie, Titus, Emmaline, and Alaric have both strengths and flaws. There are reasons each would be an amazing asset to their country and reasons why each would be inappropriate. And the secondary characters are just as wel written.
There are so many strategies and secrets. But without revealing any spoilers, I'll simply say this second book takes everything to a whole new level. The danger and political intrigue all ramp up. And so do the teens' efforts to fight for the future they want to see.
I thought I was guessing the twists as I read. But I absolutely missed some. Just wow! Add in the romantic aspects, and this book truly had everything. It also feels incredibly timely right now. I strongly recommend reading both books in order.
Sarah Beth Goer and Nick Afka Thomas narrated the audiobook. I could easily have been convinced there were as many narrators as points of view. They did fantastically well.
I adore this duology. Somehow Royal Liars was even better than Royal Heirs Academy. These stories follow four teens who all could be the next heir to the throne. It's a little bit Gossip Girl meets Succession meets American Royals. And it's also uniquely its own.
The four characters are all incredibly well rounded. Sadie, Titus, Emmaline, and Alaric have both strengths and flaws. There are reasons each would be an amazing asset to their country and reasons why each would be inappropriate. And the secondary characters are just as wel written.
There are so many strategies and secrets. But without revealing any spoilers, I'll simply say this second book takes everything to a whole new level. The danger and political intrigue all ramp up. And so do the teens' efforts to fight for the future they want to see.
I thought I was guessing the twists as I read. But I absolutely missed some. Just wow! Add in the romantic aspects, and this book truly had everything. It also feels incredibly timely right now. I strongly recommend reading both books in order.
Sarah Beth Goer and Nick Afka Thomas narrated the audiobook. I could easily have been convinced there were as many narrators as points of view. They did fantastically well.
January 15, 2026
Umm, you guys… I’m actually obsessed. 😭 This was somehow even BETTER than the first book! I am genuinely so sad it’s only a duology because I am not ready to say goodbye. I need more!! 📚✨
I’ll admit, at first it was giving "typical YA," and I was literally thinking, "I wish this had a bit more edge..." and then FIVE PAGES LATER someone tried to assassinate one of the heirs!! 🗡️💥 From that point on, the plot twists were non-stop and I couldn't put it down. It all wrapped up so perfectly. 🤌
The character growth in this one? Chef’s kiss. 🤌 I loved the journey our main characters went on, but can we talk about Emmaline for a second?! Her arc was such a highlight for me. I low-key hated her in book one after the decisions she made, but by the end of this book, she had really grown on me. We love a redemption arc! ❤️🔥 It was so refreshing to get a deeper dive into the side characters and see the whole world come to life! ❤️🔥
Also... THE LOVE TRIANGLE. 🏳️⚖️ It finally went the way I wanted it to! I am so incredibly satisfied with who ended up with who. 🫶
The only tiny "but": The 8-month time jump. ⏱️ Book 1 ended on such a "WTF" moment that I really wanted to see the immediate chaos and fallout instead of skipping ahead. I felt like I missed a few chapters of the tea! ☕️
I read an ARC of this (a little late, don't judge lol) but it is officially OUT NOW! 📢 Go get your copy immediately! I’m honestly going to go buy a physical version just so it can sit pretty on my trophy shelf. 🏆📖
I’ll admit, at first it was giving "typical YA," and I was literally thinking, "I wish this had a bit more edge..." and then FIVE PAGES LATER someone tried to assassinate one of the heirs!! 🗡️💥 From that point on, the plot twists were non-stop and I couldn't put it down. It all wrapped up so perfectly. 🤌
The character growth in this one? Chef’s kiss. 🤌 I loved the journey our main characters went on, but can we talk about Emmaline for a second?! Her arc was such a highlight for me. I low-key hated her in book one after the decisions she made, but by the end of this book, she had really grown on me. We love a redemption arc! ❤️🔥 It was so refreshing to get a deeper dive into the side characters and see the whole world come to life! ❤️🔥
Also... THE LOVE TRIANGLE. 🏳️⚖️ It finally went the way I wanted it to! I am so incredibly satisfied with who ended up with who. 🫶
The only tiny "but": The 8-month time jump. ⏱️ Book 1 ended on such a "WTF" moment that I really wanted to see the immediate chaos and fallout instead of skipping ahead. I felt like I missed a few chapters of the tea! ☕️
I read an ARC of this (a little late, don't judge lol) but it is officially OUT NOW! 📢 Go get your copy immediately! I’m honestly going to go buy a physical version just so it can sit pretty on my trophy shelf. 🏆📖
January 14, 2026
i love them so dearly it hurts
September 11, 2025
Lindsey Duga’s Royal Heirs Academy is an exhilarating ride into a world where power, ambition, and love collide. Set in the prestigious Almus Terra Academy, this book delivers a gripping blend of high-stakes competition, secret alliances, and unexpected romances that will keep readers hooked from start to finish.
The story introduces us to four distinct heirs: Titus, confident in his right to the throne; Alaric, hardened by his tough upbringing; Emmeline, desperate for her parents’ approval; and Sadie, an outsider with nothing to lose. Each character brings their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities, making for a dynamic and layered narrative. As they navigate the cutthroat environment of the academy, alliances shift, and rivalries deepen, leading to a thrilling game of strategy and survival.
Lindsey masterfully balances the intense competition with moments of genuine emotion, exploring themes of family, identity, and the lengths one will go to for power and acceptance. The enemies-to-lovers romance adds a delightful twist, heightening the tension while deepening the complexity of the characters' relationships.
The story introduces us to four distinct heirs: Titus, confident in his right to the throne; Alaric, hardened by his tough upbringing; Emmeline, desperate for her parents’ approval; and Sadie, an outsider with nothing to lose. Each character brings their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities, making for a dynamic and layered narrative. As they navigate the cutthroat environment of the academy, alliances shift, and rivalries deepen, leading to a thrilling game of strategy and survival.
Lindsey masterfully balances the intense competition with moments of genuine emotion, exploring themes of family, identity, and the lengths one will go to for power and acceptance. The enemies-to-lovers romance adds a delightful twist, heightening the tension while deepening the complexity of the characters' relationships.
December 7, 2025
📚Royal Liars
✍🏻Lindsey Duga
Blurb:
American Royals meets Gossip Girl in this scandal-driven sequel where four teenage royals team up to defend their beloved school from an unknown threat, risking their futures and their hearts in the process.
It’s been eight months since King Leander named Ashland’s heir apparent and a new year is about to begin at Almus Terra Academy…
Sadie is trapped in a fake dating scheme with one prince, while the other is dead set on winning her heart. Titus is desperate to make things right with the girl he wronged, but his own ambitions and secrets stand in his way. Emmeline has lost her friends, her dreams, and her family. For the first time in her life, she’s not sure she has what it takes to win them all back. Alaric goes down dark paths to strike against his traitorous father, but his quest for revenge will only keep him apart from the girl he loves.
When the Ashland heirs learn that the school and the country they’ve come to love are in danger, can they put their egos aside long enough to make a difference? Or will their rivalries cost them everything?
Complete with enemies-to-lovers romance, political intrigue, and legendary betrayals, Royal Liars is a thrilling conclusion to this commercial duology and a thoughtful, escapist read for our times.
My Thoughts:
Royal Liars is an exhilarating ride into a world where power, ambition, and love collide. This story was more focused on the politics of the country and I cared more about the personal relationships between the characters, which took a backseat at times to the political drama.
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy. This enemies-to-lovers story is told in alternating voices, so readers have a full picture of what is going on, even if the individual characters do not. The intrigue goes beyond the usual teen issues and moves onto the global platform. This is a duology, so readers can finish this book with the assurance that they know where almost everything ends. A great escape read for fans of romance or royal tropes.
Thanks NetGalley, Christy Ottaviano Books and Author Lindsey for the advanced copy of "Royal Liars" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#ChristyOttavianoBooks
#Lindsey
#RoyalLiars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻Lindsey Duga
Blurb:
American Royals meets Gossip Girl in this scandal-driven sequel where four teenage royals team up to defend their beloved school from an unknown threat, risking their futures and their hearts in the process.
It’s been eight months since King Leander named Ashland’s heir apparent and a new year is about to begin at Almus Terra Academy…
Sadie is trapped in a fake dating scheme with one prince, while the other is dead set on winning her heart. Titus is desperate to make things right with the girl he wronged, but his own ambitions and secrets stand in his way. Emmeline has lost her friends, her dreams, and her family. For the first time in her life, she’s not sure she has what it takes to win them all back. Alaric goes down dark paths to strike against his traitorous father, but his quest for revenge will only keep him apart from the girl he loves.
When the Ashland heirs learn that the school and the country they’ve come to love are in danger, can they put their egos aside long enough to make a difference? Or will their rivalries cost them everything?
Complete with enemies-to-lovers romance, political intrigue, and legendary betrayals, Royal Liars is a thrilling conclusion to this commercial duology and a thoughtful, escapist read for our times.
My Thoughts:
Royal Liars is an exhilarating ride into a world where power, ambition, and love collide. This story was more focused on the politics of the country and I cared more about the personal relationships between the characters, which took a backseat at times to the political drama.
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy. This enemies-to-lovers story is told in alternating voices, so readers have a full picture of what is going on, even if the individual characters do not. The intrigue goes beyond the usual teen issues and moves onto the global platform. This is a duology, so readers can finish this book with the assurance that they know where almost everything ends. A great escape read for fans of romance or royal tropes.
Thanks NetGalley, Christy Ottaviano Books and Author Lindsey for the advanced copy of "Royal Liars" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#ChristyOttavianoBooks
#Lindsey
#RoyalLiars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A great end to this duology!! It was one of my most anticipated sequels after the amazing first novel!!
There were so many plots twists in this book and they were all absolutely amazing! I did not expect them at all. I also feel like the twists were well timed-out throughout the book; they didn't all get thrown on us at the same time, which I appreciated!!
The romance subplots were also sooooo good. All the couples I wanted to be together got together by the end, which I was very happy about!! I'm also glad to see the character growth in each of the core four. There were some reality checks, but I think they were much needed!!
Overall, I'm so happy with this duology's ending and it was a great choice for my first book of the year!
Thank you Lindsey Duga, Christy Ottaviano Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!!
There were so many plots twists in this book and they were all absolutely amazing! I did not expect them at all. I also feel like the twists were well timed-out throughout the book; they didn't all get thrown on us at the same time, which I appreciated!!
The romance subplots were also sooooo good. All the couples I wanted to be together got together by the end, which I was very happy about!! I'm also glad to see the character growth in each of the core four. There were some reality checks, but I think they were much needed!!
Overall, I'm so happy with this duology's ending and it was a great choice for my first book of the year!
Thank you Lindsey Duga, Christy Ottaviano Books, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Royal Liars picks up roughly eight months after Royal Heirs Academy ends. As the new school year at Almus Terra Academy begins all four heirs are experiencing difficulties of their own. Sadie and Titus are trapped in a fake dating situation, thanks to King Leander's royal command. Alaric is full of rage for his despicable father, while also pining for Sadie. Emmaline is a social outcast thanks to her malicious behavior last school year. There's a boat load of hurt, confusion, and mistrust between all of them. When they discover their beloved academy and their country is under threat, will they be able to put aside their differences to save what they dearly love?
I absolutely loved the intricacies of the storyline for Royal Liars. The interwoven plotlines of government corruption, corporate overreach, treasonous acts, and hidden agendas kept me turning the pages until the climactic end.
The character development of each heir was well defined as they, in their own individualized way, learned to face their own demons while working to create solutions to the challenges they faced. I loved the trust building, forgiveness, and reconciliations that took place!
Plot twists and Holy Cow moments were in abundance throughout the entire book. Some of it you could see coming, but most of it was a complete surprise. The pacing was great, with moments of high drama balancing out the slower pacing.
I truly hope the author decides to make this a trilogy, because there is so much potential for more with these characters!
Thank you to Little, Brown for Young Readers for the complimentary book. All opinions are my own and freely given.
I absolutely loved the intricacies of the storyline for Royal Liars. The interwoven plotlines of government corruption, corporate overreach, treasonous acts, and hidden agendas kept me turning the pages until the climactic end.
The character development of each heir was well defined as they, in their own individualized way, learned to face their own demons while working to create solutions to the challenges they faced. I loved the trust building, forgiveness, and reconciliations that took place!
Plot twists and Holy Cow moments were in abundance throughout the entire book. Some of it you could see coming, but most of it was a complete surprise. The pacing was great, with moments of high drama balancing out the slower pacing.
I truly hope the author decides to make this a trilogy, because there is so much potential for more with these characters!
Thank you to Little, Brown for Young Readers for the complimentary book. All opinions are my own and freely given.
January 9, 2026
The Royal Heirs Academy series kicks off with Royal Heirs, a fight for the crown that pulls together long lost royal cousins and a commoner thrown into a world of power, politics, and constant scrutiny. At Almus Terra Academy, alliances are tested, reputations are destroyed, and nothing stays secret for long.
This is your royal Gossip Girl. Politics, secrets, lies, and betrayals drive the story as the pressure keeps building and the stakes feel personal.
In Royal Liars, following the chaos left behind in Royal Heirs, everything gets more intense. Sadie is navigating a fake relationship under constant scrutiny, trying to protect herself while everyone around her has their own agenda. Emmeline is forced to confront life without the future she thought was guaranteed, making her journey one of the most grounded and emotional parts of the book. Alaric’s storyline takes a darker turn as revenge and loyalty blur, and the cost of his choices becomes impossible to ignore.
Reading Royal Heirs and Royal Liars back to back was seamless. The story flows naturally from one book to the next, with tension that never fully lets up.
I loved Royal Heirs, and Royal Liars brought the series full circle in a way that felt earned. Dramatic, messy, and satisfying from start to finish.
This is your royal Gossip Girl. Politics, secrets, lies, and betrayals drive the story as the pressure keeps building and the stakes feel personal.
In Royal Liars, following the chaos left behind in Royal Heirs, everything gets more intense. Sadie is navigating a fake relationship under constant scrutiny, trying to protect herself while everyone around her has their own agenda. Emmeline is forced to confront life without the future she thought was guaranteed, making her journey one of the most grounded and emotional parts of the book. Alaric’s storyline takes a darker turn as revenge and loyalty blur, and the cost of his choices becomes impossible to ignore.
Reading Royal Heirs and Royal Liars back to back was seamless. The story flows naturally from one book to the next, with tension that never fully lets up.
I loved Royal Heirs, and Royal Liars brought the series full circle in a way that felt earned. Dramatic, messy, and satisfying from start to finish.
October 2, 2025
Royal Liars is the fun, drama-filled, action-packed sequel (and conclusion) to Royal Heirs Academy. I absolutely love this series! Eight months after King Leander named Sadie as his Heir Apparent, the four royals are all dealing with the decision's aftermath. With Sadie still upset with Titus and Titus trying to earn Sadie's forgiveness, they find themselves trapped in a fake dating scam. Furthermore, Sadie is trying to prove herself worthy of the title Heir Apparent and Titus is still trying to adapt to his RA diagnosis. Meanwhile, Alaric is continuing to fight his feelings for Sadie, and Emmeline is coping with the loss of all her friends, family, and dreams.
Lindsey Duga does an amazing job of further developing her characters in this second book. All of their arcs are extremely well-written and satisfactory. The dialogue throughout both books is fantastic! The romance is handled perfectly - drama, tension, lust, and happily-ever-after vibes. The side characters are all great and truly add to the overall plot. I'm really hoping for a surprise third book. I just want to continue following all of these characters! Easy five stars!!!!
Lindsey Duga does an amazing job of further developing her characters in this second book. All of their arcs are extremely well-written and satisfactory. The dialogue throughout both books is fantastic! The romance is handled perfectly - drama, tension, lust, and happily-ever-after vibes. The side characters are all great and truly add to the overall plot. I'm really hoping for a surprise third book. I just want to continue following all of these characters! Easy five stars!!!!
December 6, 2025
Sadie is now the heir apparent for Ashland, and life has not settled down as it is time to start a new school year. She has been told to fake date one of the princes, yet the other prince wants her for himself. The other “royal heirs” have their own drama they are dealing with, and it soon becomes apparent that they need to trust each other. Can these teens put aside their differences and come together for the country they love?
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy. This enemies-to-lovers story is told in alternating voices, so readers have a full picture of what is going on, even if the individual characters do not. The intrigue goes beyond the usual teen issues and moves onto the global platform. This is a duology, so readers can finish this book with the assurance that they know where almost everything ends. A great escape read for fans of romance or royal tropes.
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy. This enemies-to-lovers story is told in alternating voices, so readers have a full picture of what is going on, even if the individual characters do not. The intrigue goes beyond the usual teen issues and moves onto the global platform. This is a duology, so readers can finish this book with the assurance that they know where almost everything ends. A great escape read for fans of romance or royal tropes.
November 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5 rounded up)
ARC provided by Little, Brown Books—thank you!
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy duo, and it truly works best if you’ve read book one first, since this one picks up right where the story left off.
This series is such a fun escape. It nails that early-2000s CW teen-drama energy (think the original Gossip Girl) mixed with the glitzy, high-society drama of American Royals. If you love privileged-but-messy characters, exclusive settings, and deliciously soap-y plots, this series delivers.
Book two offers more character development and gives us the conclusion we’ve been waiting for. The ending did feel a bit rushed as it tied everything together, but overall it’s still a very enjoyable, quick read.
I’d recommend reading both books back-to-back for the smoothest experience following the character arcs and overall story.
ARC provided by Little, Brown Books—thank you!
Royal Liars is the second book in the Royal Heirs Academy duo, and it truly works best if you’ve read book one first, since this one picks up right where the story left off.
This series is such a fun escape. It nails that early-2000s CW teen-drama energy (think the original Gossip Girl) mixed with the glitzy, high-society drama of American Royals. If you love privileged-but-messy characters, exclusive settings, and deliciously soap-y plots, this series delivers.
Book two offers more character development and gives us the conclusion we’ve been waiting for. The ending did feel a bit rushed as it tied everything together, but overall it’s still a very enjoyable, quick read.
I’d recommend reading both books back-to-back for the smoothest experience following the character arcs and overall story.
January 10, 2026
5⭐️
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of Royal Liars by Lindsey Duga! All opinions are my own.
Y’all, I genuinely love this duology SO much! It’s giving all the Gossip Girl vibes at an exclusive boarding school with 4 teens competing for a throne. I love that each of the 4 all have compelling reasons why they deserve/should each have the throne. I know this is a duology, but I’d love more! This world that Duga has created is so vivid, and the characters feel so real and layered. This story picks up about 6 months from where Royal Heirs Academy left off and boy has a lot changed! I will leave it at that, but it was interesting to see the dynamic shift and how the characters dealt with the fallout from the previous book. I truly cannot recommend this enough if you’re looking for a good YA/chicklit type story.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of Royal Liars by Lindsey Duga! All opinions are my own.
Y’all, I genuinely love this duology SO much! It’s giving all the Gossip Girl vibes at an exclusive boarding school with 4 teens competing for a throne. I love that each of the 4 all have compelling reasons why they deserve/should each have the throne. I know this is a duology, but I’d love more! This world that Duga has created is so vivid, and the characters feel so real and layered. This story picks up about 6 months from where Royal Heirs Academy left off and boy has a lot changed! I will leave it at that, but it was interesting to see the dynamic shift and how the characters dealt with the fallout from the previous book. I truly cannot recommend this enough if you’re looking for a good YA/chicklit type story.
December 29, 2025
It definitely took me a minute to get into this one, but the first one in the series did too. Give it a minute and you’ll start to enjoy it. I was glad to see each of the characters grow, I just wish there had been a little more plot development with the woman in black. Emmeline overcoming her past and acknowledging her mistakes was fantastic. Titus openly acknowledging his RA and how chronic illness affected his daily life was perfect.
And Croft is obviously Elon Musk, right? 1 billionaire taking over everything, meddling where he shouldn’t be? LOVED the reference.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. 3.5 ⭐️ out of 5, rounded up to 4.
And Croft is obviously Elon Musk, right? 1 billionaire taking over everything, meddling where he shouldn’t be? LOVED the reference.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. 3.5 ⭐️ out of 5, rounded up to 4.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2026
I think most of the book was actually really interesting, all upto the end. The book does an amazing job at redeeming characters I thought I'd never bring myself to like in the first book, especially Titus, who is now my favourite character by a large margin. However, the ending is so easy, as in, it comes so easy to them. Everything they plan just coincedentally happens to work out, and I could predict the plot twists really easily. I still have to say that the whole 'fell in love with Ashland' thing never really resonated with me because it didn't make much sense. I do think that the characters, the relationships, and some political aspects were really well fleshed out, but yeah.
December 7, 2025
This was a really great follow up to Royal Heirs Academy, and added a lot of great shading to characters and relationships that I already loved, while also bringing in some new faces and dynamics which were all winners. I hope that this series continues because I'd happily read whatever future problems these characters will inevitably end up in (they're all magnets for trouble, it's going to continue happening). While things took a bit longer in this book to
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Overall, I enjoyed this follow to Royal Academy - it continued with all four points of view and we could see how each character struggled after the events in the first book. I liked the political drama and the relationships but the time jumps took away from the emotional continuity for me if that makes sense. In addition, the ending was a little too clean and quick and I wasn’t ready for the end of the series.
I received an advanced copy for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an advanced copy for free, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 21, 2026
I enjoyed reading Royal Liars by Lindsey Duga; it was a captivating, fast-paced read filled with intrigue, secrets, and sharp twists. The characters felt vivid and morally complex, keeping me invested as alliances shifted and truths unraveled. The courtly setting added glamour and danger, while the mystery steadily tightened. I appreciated how the stakes escalated without losing emotional depth. Most of all, the ending did not disappoint
October 16, 2025
Eight months on from Royal Heirs Academy, things have changed. Every character is still reeling from the events at the end of the last book, and there is even more betrayal and heart break.
I love the way this book was written and I'm obsessed with all of the characters. Definitely one I'll be recommending!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review
I love the way this book was written and I'm obsessed with all of the characters. Definitely one I'll be recommending!
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review
November 25, 2025
2.5 stars. This was an ARC from NetGalley. The second book and possible final book in the series. This book suffered from the same lack of character and story development as the first. It took until 60% in for the story to truly start. I really did enjoy how the story wrapped up. I just wish the rest of the series was at the same level.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am absolutely obsessed with this book! I was honored to receive a copy of both Royal heirs academy and royal liars. I went in blind and got completely sucked into their world. I could not put the book down. I fell more in love with these characters and I am so sad to say goodbye to them. If you love modern heirs in a boarding school setting, then pick up book 1!
January 12, 2026
Ahhh the drama. This was a very satisfying ending and I really like how the author didn’t drag it out too long but still made it an eventful duology. I’m happy with where everyone ended up and it was a super great read.
January 20, 2026
good but abrupt
The ending just felt rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the series. It really could’ve been a whole 3rd book to truly explain and expand. Leander’s change of heart seemed so shallow as well.
The ending just felt rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the series. It really could’ve been a whole 3rd book to truly explain and expand. Leander’s change of heart seemed so shallow as well.
January 14, 2026
ok compared to the first one this was insane lol. so many plot twists and stakes that weren’t as present in the first one. the first one was more realistic & this was off the walls but still fun
January 22, 2026
Still don’t know why I loved it so much. My one and only complain is the rushed ending that honestly didn’t bother me as much as it should have.
January 5, 2026
Exceptionally good follow up to "Royal Heirs." I was fortunate to be able to t put down book one and immediately begin the second thanks to NetGalley. Scandal, intrigue, romance, and power struggles twist and turn in this royal showdown. I appreciated the four POVs. Each character had a distinct voice and I enjoyed seeing how each grew and matured throughout the duology. Wonderful pacing with great dialogue and plot twists.
November 8, 2025
loved Royal Heir it was so enthralling and I never expected the ending. Then I read Royal Liars and it was so good, I loved the character development, the emotions and the plot twists and turning points. Also, I’m a sucker for multiple POVs especially if the book has romance and mystery which this book does. I must say the first book was definitely better than the second though. This one was a bit harder to follow along with it having a few time jumps and the story line didn’t feel fluid enough in the second book but I think that overall this series is a must read. Thank you Netgalley and Lindsay Duga for this ARC!
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