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vakariaan's review
5.0
Giovanna has such a way of writing. It's so lyrical and descriptive, I didn't want to put the book down.
When Princess Isabel de Orleans is sent on a diplomatic trip to Spain, her brother ensures she has an escort/bodyguard. Enter Henrique.
Isabel is a heroine who lives her life with strict morals and a sense of duty. She prides herself on her virtue though she is quite sheltered.
Henrique is our typical dashing, rakish Viscount. Though he does have hidden depths (of course) as he has a great interest in science. He teases Isabel and delights in their verbal sparring.
The book is dual POV which was hugely appreciated so we could really enjoy those major mutual pining feels.
- Princess Heroine
- Bodyguard Vibes (he is escorting her and is her brother's friend)
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
This was my first book by Giovanna and after this one, I'm looking forward to reading the rest in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When Princess Isabel de Orleans is sent on a diplomatic trip to Spain, her brother ensures she has an escort/bodyguard. Enter Henrique.
Isabel is a heroine who lives her life with strict morals and a sense of duty. She prides herself on her virtue though she is quite sheltered.
Henrique is our typical dashing, rakish Viscount. Though he does have hidden depths (of course) as he has a great interest in science. He teases Isabel and delights in their verbal sparring.
The book is dual POV which was hugely appreciated so we could really enjoy those major mutual pining feels.
- Princess Heroine
- Bodyguard Vibes (he is escorting her and is her brother's friend)
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
This was my first book by Giovanna and after this one, I'm looking forward to reading the rest in this series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
tamaraellen's review
4.0
Wow what a book! I absolutely love Henrique!! Isabel unfortunately irritated me a lot to start with - although she did grow on me near the end. I did enjoy watching her character grow though. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the world building.
aylaphipps's review
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
5.0
My what a beautiful end to a historically beautiful series. Giovanna Siniscalchi brings so much culture, love, mystery and understanding to my life every time I pick up one of her amazing books. While this is book three in the series each can be read as a standalone as they each have their own pair of main characters. Dual perspectives of Isabel and Henrique.
Princess Isabel de Orleans is the Kings little sister. While being prudish she would do anything for her country. For her there is nothing greater than patriotism. So, when her older brother, the King of Portugal asks her to travel to Spain to settle a diplomatic issue she accepts. Henrique, Viscount Penafiel, has no roots but when asked for a favor by his best friend, the king, he has no choice but to agree. Forced together on their travels the two begin to see past the surface, beyond the titles and fancifulness of her gowns. Isabel sees Henrique deeper than what he portrays to the masses. Henrique helps bring her into the present day, to see that her morals aren’t common anymore and can be relaxed some to better enjoy life. Suddenly Alfonso appears and can destroy everything they know. Patriotism can only go so far before the burden of its weight can crush your very soul.
Will Isabel learn where the line of balance is? Can Henrique save her in time? What will happen to her beloved Portugal? Throughout this series we learn so much more about the history of Portugal and Spain. While the author is open and honest that it is works of imagination there are aspects of the books that draw from the rich tapestry of history shared between the two countries. I feel I enjoyed this book the most in the series as it had several of my favorite tropes in it, such as brothers’ friend, forbidden romance and forced proximity. This series has diffidently topped my list of historical romance books to recommend to others. I cannot wait to see what comes next by the incredibly talented Giovanna Siniscalchi.
booksheart_hnicole's review
4.0
The Truth About Myths written by: Giovanna Siniscalchi
~ARC REVIEW~
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This is a historical romance that does give off cat and mouse vibes. I don’t normally read this style of books but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.
Henrique is a playful scientist who is also considered a rake. The king who is Isabel’s brother requests Henrique to be her bodyguard while she is expected to go to Spain. Isabel is a prudish princess that does not believe men can be faithful to one woman.
Throughout their stay in Spain they butt heads a lot but there is also an attraction there that neither can deny. I think they honestly made an amazing couple and that they balanced each other wonderfully.
This was a great read. I will be reading the other stories in this series.
~ARC REVIEW~
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This is a historical romance that does give off cat and mouse vibes. I don’t normally read this style of books but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.
Henrique is a playful scientist who is also considered a rake. The king who is Isabel’s brother requests Henrique to be her bodyguard while she is expected to go to Spain. Isabel is a prudish princess that does not believe men can be faithful to one woman.
Throughout their stay in Spain they butt heads a lot but there is also an attraction there that neither can deny. I think they honestly made an amazing couple and that they balanced each other wonderfully.
This was a great read. I will be reading the other stories in this series.
ashleyreadsanything's review
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
shannlynn's review
emotional
fast-paced
5.0
I have enjoyed this series so much and this installment has made it even better! If you are at all into historical romance, then you can stop reading this review and just pick up the book/series. It’s absolutely worth it! I neglected a lot of responsibilities to read this book because I just couldn’t pull myself away. We get to follow Isabel and Henrique in this book and trust me when I say they will make you swoon! This has been my favorite book in the series so far, and I hope the author continues this world because it is phenomenal. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is into historical romance, but even if you aren’t, I believe you will enjoy this book just as well!
mia_reads_romance's review
5.0
I was interested in The Truth About Myths because a rake as a chaperone? I'm in. I really enjoyed Henrique and Isabelle's story! In a way they had very opposite journeys. Isabelle needed to learn to experience pleasure and Henrique needed to learn to care about one person. I have read quite a few virgin heroine and rake books and this one stood out to me in that it explored how the messages the heroine had been given her whole life about intimacy and men shaped her views. Isabelle has a very sexist view of the world to start that has actually been taught to her by other women. I also really enjoyed the Rapunzel vibes. I mean if the person you love is in danger but they don't realize it locking them in a tower is fine right? Henrique thinks so. I recommend this one if you are a fan of historical romance! The unique setting and exploration of intimacy make it a really interesting and fun read!
Thanks to Giovanna Siniscalchi for gifting me this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to Giovanna Siniscalchi for gifting me this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
magneticice's review
4.0
Oh boy, this was such a fun arc book. I was super excited being asked to read this. I have not read many historical romantic books before, I mean I love me some grump/sunshine stories that is also enemies to lovers. The feels that built up as I read it. Ah, I loved it so much to the point now I need more historical romances in my life. Isabel and Henrique were such fun characters and so very different from one another, it was so hard not to swoon over the book. Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me read The Truth About Myths.
roxyiana_'s review
5.0
Fun Fact: Henrique Penafiel (mmc) has dimples!!
Now that the fun fact is out of the way, let’s get to the actual review!
Firstly, thank you so much Giovanna Siniscalchi for giving me the chance to read this amazing ARC! I absolutely could not put this book down after the first couple chapters, to the point where I ended up staying up really late just to finish it. The book was so beautifully written (I have shared one of my favorite quotes from the book on the next slide), had an amazing plot, flow and kept me hooked throughout.
One of my favorite parts about this book was that at the start of every chapter there was a quote which always gave you a small idea of what the chapter would be about. It made starting a new chapter so much better and exciting. You could also see how much time and effort the author spent on researching the time period, locations and people as there were many characters and events inspired by real historical figures and occurrences. In fact, one of the locations mentioned in the novel is a landmark of Braganza in the north of Portugal. I loved that the plot had just the right amount of romance, angst, and politics. The
Now that the fun fact is out of the way, let’s get to the actual review!
Firstly, thank you so much Giovanna Siniscalchi for giving me the chance to read this amazing ARC! I absolutely could not put this book down after the first couple chapters, to the point where I ended up staying up really late just to finish it. The book was so beautifully written (I have shared one of my favorite quotes from the book on the next slide), had an amazing plot, flow and kept me hooked throughout.
One of my favorite parts about this book was that at the start of every chapter there was a quote which always gave you a small idea of what the chapter would be about. It made starting a new chapter so much better and exciting. You could also see how much time and effort the author spent on researching the time period, locations and people as there were many characters and events inspired by real historical figures and occurrences. In fact, one of the locations mentioned in the novel is a landmark of Braganza in the north of Portugal. I loved that the plot had just the right amount of romance, angst, and politics. The
hookedbythatbook's review
4.0
Portugal’s beloved princess falls hard and fast for her brother’s friend while attempting to prevent war in Spain and keep Portugal out of it all.
Isabel was very sheltered as the King of Portugal’s sister. She expected the most decorous behavior from herself and her ladies, which led to a bit of rebellion in at least one of those ladies. Henrique believed that life should be lived and if pleasure presented itself, to grab it with both hands. His outlook didn’t quite fit in with Isabel’s highly regimented life. This all led to some highly entertaining interactions between the two of them and had them readjusting their views.
I enjoyed the setting of Portugal and Spain and the court intrigues and politics. Isabel handled herself really well in some situations, and in others she was too naïve. But in the end, she stayed true to her principles and did the best she could to diffuse a potentially explosive situation.
There were a lot of separate plots weaving through each other, sometimes intersecting. It all worked well together and everything was resolved satisfactorily.
I can definitely recommend this if you like steamy historical romance that explores other parts of Europe. This book is part of a series but stands well on its own.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.