One Night in Hartswood
by Emma Denny
Publisher: Mills & Boon
Release Date: November 7, 2023
Reviewed by PJ
Oxford 1360
When his sister’s betrothed vanishes the night before her politically arranged marriage, Raff Barden must track and return the elusive groom to restore his family’s honour.
William de Foucart — known to his friends as Penn — had no choice but to abandon his fiancé, and with it his own earldom, when he fled the night before his enforced marriage. But ill-equipped to survive on the run he must trust the kindness of a stranger, Raff, to help him escape.
Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…
PJ's Thoughts:
Oh my gosh, the feelings in this story. So. Many. Feelings. I was invested almost from the first page, immersed into the medieval lives of these characters. And once Raff and Penn set off on their journey? Well, there was no putting the book down until I had reached the end and knew, finally, how their tale would play out. I was well and truly hooked.
Medieval romance is one of my favorite eras, especially in the hands of an author who brings it to life on the page, as does Denny. Not once did I feel as if I was reading a "modern" romance dropped into the 1300's. Everything about this story felt authentic and true to the times, further enhancing my enjoyment. The danger, adventure, hardships, parental cruelty, and lack of control over one's own life had me feeling as if I was right there with these characters.
And speaking of characters, what a wonderful cast Denny has created. There are more than the lead couple to whom I've become emotionally attached. I have my fingers crossed for more stories from this debut author. There are three secondary characters begging for a story of their own and I would love to read them.
While Raff's and Penn's siblings contributed to my overall enjoyment of the book, as well as to Raff's and Penn's relationship, there is no doubting that the lead couple are the heart and soul of the story. They captured my emotions with their endearing, achingly romantic, soul-deep love and the lengths to which each of them would go to protect the other. They have continued to live in my mind and my heart since finishing their story. I have no doubt I'll be revisiting them again in the future, whenever I need a dose of romantic, endearing, enduring love. This one's a keeper.
Thank you so much for the review. You have made the story sound lovely. For some reason, Medieval does not do it for me. I have only read a very few books set in that era which I truly liked. You know, you mention thinking of the characters well after you have finished a book. Recently I have read a couple of books which did exactly that for me. Both are Robyn Carr's Virgin River books.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny how some books draw me into the story and I want to stay for a long time. Thanks again for the review. Another new to me author who evidently writes terrific stories.
I heard about this book and was thinking about getting it. Your review seals it for me! Adding it to my towering tbr pile!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review. It is nice to see quality books coming out dealing with relationships that do not fall into the "norm" we have seen for years. A variety of types of relationships have existed as long as mankind. A loving, committed relationship is of value and should be treated as such no matter who the couple is. This book will likely be challenged in some areas, the upside of which will be attention and readership will increase.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I’ve really been looking forward to reading this one and your review just bumped it higher up my to-be-read list :)
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