Ben - Welcome to TalkGraphics

I have been using Xara since 1995. I have also produced over a dozen paperback books, all fiction, using Xara. And I have cursed a blue streak with every book because of simple features that should be part of the app but are not there. But I use Xara because I know it so well and even though there are many key features for DTP missing, I am able to work around the missing features.

Last year, I tried Affinity Publisher to recreate a book I had already produced just to see what the process and experience was. And I have to say, I wish I had used Affinity Publisher a long time ago.

It is created specifically for desk top publishing with sophisticated formatting options, and such simple but essential functions such as Master Pages. It took me a while to get up to speed and I relied heavily on Affinity's support page/community, who were knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to respond. I am pretty sure that most of the advanced features you are asking about are included and arranged in logical groups of related features in Affinity Publisher.

Xara is great for many things, and I use it daily to create and assemble my 3D stereograms. I cannot think how I could ever live without it.

But if you are going to the trouble of learning a new program, investigating Affinity Publisher would be well worth the time invested.