Senator Leia's 'Force Awakens' Backstory: Resistance Origins in 'Star Wars: Bloodline'

The story, set just six years before the events of The Force Awakens, focuses on Princess Leia Organa in her role as senator in the New Republic.

Leia, who eschewed becoming a Jedi like Luke, is fed up with the squabbling politicians, split into the intractable factions of Populists and Centrists following Mon Mothma’s departure as chancellor.
Leia would rather leave behind the government pettiness on Hosnian Prime and go travel the universe with hubby Han Solo. Since the event of Jedi, Han helped out Chewbacca with a sticky situation on the latter’s home world of Kashyyyk.
Chewie has remained on his planet with his family, while Mr. Kessel Run has formed his own championship racing team.

Although theirs is a long-distance relationship, Han and Leia are still very much in love, and he plays a big part in Bloodline.

Joining Leia on Hosnian Prime is her chief of staff, Greer Sonnel, one of Han’s former racing protégées; teen intern Korr Sella (who appears briefly in The Force Awakens as Hosnian Prime later gets vaporized); ace X-wing pilot escort Joph Seastriker; savvy political rival Ransolm Casterfo; and the scheming Lady Carise Sindian. Bloodline also name checks several classic characters (including Lando).

The book’s title is a direct reference to Leia’s parentage. Luke and Leia have learned that
their mother was Padmé Amidala. But much of the novel focuses on Leia’s two very different
dads.

Leia receives a lovely holocron message recorded to her by Bail Organa, her adopted father but the man she really considers her paterfamilias. However, the message also reveals the secret of Leia’s true father — something she has kept hidden from everyone but Han and Luke.
Even her son, Ben, doesn’t know. Then, her adversaries in the Senate find the holocron and play it to devastating results.

As the political intrigue plays out on Hosnian Prime, Leia also tries to piece together the provenance of a shadowy outfit operating on the fringes of the galaxy and to make sure it isn’t a threat to the hard-fought peace.