The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Raven Prince
Book Review: A huge twist on the "Beauty & the Beast" plot....
Summary: 5 Stars
I was given an Amazon book card a couple of Christmases ago and I selected this book in a bundle of historical romances based on the high reviews. VERY sadly, it sat on my shelf unread for over two years.
This summer, when I had some time off (I'm a teacher), I returned again to this book based on the ratings. I had never read any Elizabeth Hoyt and came with very little expectations.
This book blew me away!! While I'm not sure it's quite as strong as Laura Kinsale's "Flowers from the Storm" -- "The Raven Prince" had several of the same unconventional plot twists and the romance angle was not one I had read before. The Georgian setting was even a little different than usual -- though certainly not unique.
Technically this is a Beauty and the Beast plot set up, but both beauty and beast have been created in clever and original new ways.
Hoyt did an EXCELLENT job with the wounded and dark hero archetype. I don't always enjoy full blown alpha males in a romance, but Hoyt somehow created a very strong, dark and wounded male whom I could love.
Anna, the heroine, was also a breath of fresh air. She was not in her teens or naive and virginal. (She is a widow, in fact.) She's also not breathtakingly beautiful, but it is wonderful to watch how she changes in Edward's eyes. Anna is also more than an even match in the brain department for the hero.
The storyline and characters were superb. The way to the HEA was completely original and wonderful to follow.
I literally both laughed and cried while reading this story, and that does not happen often for me.
This book fully deserves the nearly five star rating. I promptly bought the rest of Hoyt's catalog upon finishing this story. It was just that good. I am hopeful she has another one to steal my heart, but Raven Prince will be very hard to top, even for Hoyt.
I feel this book should go on every historical romance lover's keeper shelf.
I can't believe I let such a gem languish on my book pile for so long!!!
Book Review: A little far-fetched
Summary: 3 Stars
This book was not at all what I expected. The concept of the story was a good one, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The demeanor and actions of the heroine were not believeable. It was a fair read, but not that enjoyable to me.Book Review: A rising star!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the first book by a new, exciting author! I loved it from the first page to very satisfying end. Widow Anna Wren finds herself penniless when her husband dies and she needs to find a job to support herself and her mother in-law. The Earl of Swartingham, a demanding Lord, is in dire need of a secretary since his two previous employees left quickly instead of dealing with his nasty temperament. Anna hears of his search and offers her services. She realizes the Earl needs more than a secretary, maybe some understanding and tenderness. Anna has a soft spot for lost souls and takes them under her wing, but the Earl is a much different matter.
As the only remaining ancestor, Edward knows in order to have an heir he needs to marry. He has chosen his future wife, but a night spent at a London brothel brings a mystery lady into his life. He searches all of London for the woman he cannot forget.The colorful secondary characters in the story bring Georgian England to life and are "icing" on the cake. I read it in almost one sitting even though my laundry overflowed and the house needed cleaning. What a way to indulge in guilty pleasure without the calories. This was a wonderful passionate love story and you will remember Edward and Anna for a very long time. I look forward to reading more books by Elizabeth Hoyt.
Book Review: A startling debut !
Summary: 5 Stars
You will not be able to put this book down. I read it in one sitting and it's definitely a keeper.
This book is a delightful and emotional romance with a few very steamy scenes. It's good to see a lot of people with flaws! No dashing, heart stopping handsome hero or silly virgin in this book. Elizabeth Hoyt is one heck of a storyteller. She's got a very funny, chatty tone and the book has some great tense and exciting moments.
If you are looking for a book that is historically correct you must look elsewhere. It's not very likely that something like this would ever have happened. But this book warms every corner of your heart with a well-crafted emotional love story and unforgettable characters.
Every chapter starts with the fairy tale of The Raven Prince. Very clever done.
I can't wait for her next book The Leopard Prince and the only big disappointment was the fact that The Raven Prince is Elizabeth Hoyt's first book and there is no backlist. Lets just hope she writes with the speed of lightning.
Book Review: A stellar historical from a new voice in romance
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me start by saying that I picked up this book after reading Julia Quinn's Web site in which she said she can find no fault with the book from start to finish. That's rare praise from one of my favorite authors of historical romance so I decided to give this one a chance. I'm so very glad that I did.
Edward de Raaf, Earl of Swartingham returns to his family's country estate in Little Battleford, England after spending the last 10 years in London. The country home is full of bad memories for Edward because it is the place where he lost his entire family to smallpox when he was a child. Scarred for life by the disease and the loss, Edward wants nothing more than to find a woman who won't just see his pockmarks and who will marry him and fill the halls of his home with the laughter of children once again.
Anna Wren is a widow who lives with her mother-in-law and a young woman they took in from the streets in a small cottage in Little Battleford, England. Though Anna was raised as a lady, circumstances require that she take on a position so to increase the household income. When the mysterious Earl of Swartingham returns to their small corner of the earth and has need of a secretary, Anna takes on the position.
When these two souls come together, they spark with a passion and vigor that is so intense you won't want to put it down. Hoyt has written an incredible first novel with well-thought out characters whose romance is both believable and hard won. The banter back and forth between the two and their witty banter made for interesting reading from the first page to the last. The passion and fire between them were so intense that I wound up staying awake until 2am to finish this novel.
If you're a fan of historical romance, take my advice and pick up The Raven Prince. As Julia Quinn said, "I didn't want it to end," and I cannot wait for The Leopard Prince to hit stands in April.