What they say: A popular, young royal couple can’t produce an heir? INCONCEIVABLE!

When Ozarks native Hatty goes “whole hog” during karaoke, she catches the eye of Prince John. He isn’t what she expects the heir to a small European nation to be: he’s affable, witty, and isn’t put off by her tell-it-like-it-is demeanor. Their flirtation should be short lived, but a force stronger than fate—Hatty’s newspaper editor—assigns her to cover the royals. After spending time together, she and John soon begin dating, and Hatty finds herself making headlines instead of writing them.

But challenges loom that are even more complicated than figuring out how to mesh Hatty’s journalism career with life at Belvoir Palace. Hatty and John soon find themselves embroiled in an unusual sex scandal: they can’t produce an heir. Tabloids dub Hatty a “Barren-ess,” and the royals become irate. Hatty politely tells them to shove it. But beneath her confident exterior, she struggles to cope with a heartbreak that invades her most intimate moments with John.

Pressured to choose between invasive medical procedures and abandoning John’s claim to the throne, the couple feels trapped until a trip to Ethiopia shows them happy endings sometimes arrive long after saying “I do.”

“As someone who has experienced infertility, I empathize with Hatty’s struggles. Wren beautifully illuminates the joy, grief, and adventure of creating a family against all odds in this heart warming and impactful story.” America Olivo Campbell, actress: DeGrassi: The Next Generation, Chicago PD, Mission Impossible 5.

“Not only was this a very well written and entertaining story (I flew through it), but I feel it’s also a very important story.” -Meredith Tate, author of Missing Pieces

“Tegan Wren’s debut novel is by turn funny, heartbreaking and ultimately inspiring.” JDC, author and journalist

“Inconceivable is not only an intelligent read, but a candid chronicle of a condition that can disrupt anyone’s longing to create a family.” -Pamela Hirsch, Founder, Baby Quest Foundation

 

The review: To start I have to gush about that beautiful cover. Doesn’t it just lure you in? Add to this the fact that the start of each chapter contains that very silhouette and you’re in heaven (Just as I’d reach the first page of each chapter, I’d smile, thinking of that beautiful picture. I know, I know!)

From the start of this book I was very much taken. Meeting Hatty, a journalism intern, I warmed to her immediately, her strength, her intelligence, her sense of fun. She was loud and bright and yet not irritating and I warmed to her, enjoyed her fun parts, and felt for her when the chips were down. I loved how she and Prince John Meinrad, Toulene’s most popular royal, were put together, and the chaos that followed. By the way I suppose I should throw in here that the banter between the two was lovely, and the chemistry great. I wasn’t always sure about John, but given his status that just made him all the more three dimensional to me.  The detail into the royal family’s customs, traditions and nuances were captivating, especially when taken with the descriptions of relevant royal locations and tales  of various family members.

If you look at the blurb and recommendations above, the hype is nearly fully devoted to the fertility issues that Hatty and John have, understandable, of course, given the title of the book, however I feel this is selling the rest of the book short. All of this happens later on, and the prequel to this, the story of John and Hatty, of a prince dating a journalist who wants to be recognised for the mark she wants to make on the world as opposed to who she’s with, the Royal family’s reaction to her; THESE are what makes the book for me. I know the fertility issue is so important, but I just don’t think that that needs to be the hook for ‘Inconceivable,’ which I found to be an intelligent, giggle out loud, satisfying read with good characters, lovely romance and some great sticky situations. Very enjoyable.
Rating4.5/5