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suze_1624's review
2.0
2.5/2.75
This was a medieval-type fantasy-type story, with a Prince without purpose (PWP if you like, lol!). Severin isn't a warrior, he isn't a lover and is sent into the world to learn something. What he does is buy then free slaves. This is where he meets Havyn, who he is strongly attracted to.
His father guilts him into agreeing to marry a neighbouring kingdoms princess but when they arrive, after the murder of his father in route, Severin finds the princess missing. So he and his band of cohorts, which includes Havyn, set iff on a quest to find her.
I didn't really get into the story as it is not a genre I would normally choose but it was OK. I didn't really get to 'feel' the characters so it was very one dimensional in my head rather than fully meated out characters.
This was a medieval-type fantasy-type story, with a Prince without purpose (PWP if you like, lol!). Severin isn't a warrior, he isn't a lover and is sent into the world to learn something. What he does is buy then free slaves. This is where he meets Havyn, who he is strongly attracted to.
His father guilts him into agreeing to marry a neighbouring kingdoms princess but when they arrive, after the murder of his father in route, Severin finds the princess missing. So he and his band of cohorts, which includes Havyn, set iff on a quest to find her.
I didn't really get into the story as it is not a genre I would normally choose but it was OK. I didn't really get to 'feel' the characters so it was very one dimensional in my head rather than fully meated out characters.
alicamj's review against another edition
4.0
wonderful building of their relationship, sexy, fun, and a great way to fix the ending without cheating the reader.
alicamj's review
4.0
wonderful building of their relationship, sexy, fun, and a great way to fix the ending without cheating the reader.
calila's review
3.0
*A copy of this book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a story of a prince, and a slave finding love through all obstacles. And there are many, from ancient beliefs, an unwanted engagement, parental death, rivals for affection, a stubborn chaperone, illness , this book had it all. The premise has such potential, that I was immediately interested in reading the book, but sadly while there is nothing horribly objectionable, there are a lot of little things that added up and made this a not very enjoyable read.
Characters:
Severin - Starts earning points right away with buying a slave with intentions to free him once they cross to his country. But there's nothing really outstandingly likable about Severin. He's kind of a spoiled brat who has moments of likability that are few and far between, though I never hated him. And with one act of violence, he really destroys any potential he had. While it's not a major insurmountable act, he never really suffers or shows appropriate remorse for it IMO. It's just kind of happens and is forgotten. And that doesn't sit well with me.
Havyn - The one character you like and feel for the most, but I had trouble believing that a person who thinks and acts the way he does throughout the story is an adult. He really came off teenage to me, and a young one at that, even though I don't believe he's supposed to be that young. I can't recall if ages are ever outright stated but me believing that he was that young at least mentally if not physically really made it impossible for me to accept him loving and lusting after and being loved/lusted after by Severin.
Supporting Characters: Mostly were all very likable, however they were not consistent. Some had minor actions that went completely against everything we were told about them before. Some really served no purpose and didn't add anything to the story.This story also had the hated convenient woman friend to provide baby for couple with little effort or angst or interest or drama trope. Some just turned everything they believed for their entire lives on a dime, with no prompting.
Plot:
As I said there was a lot of potential in the premise, but things just never followed through. A lot of the plot really ended up just being plot points that happen, and then never have any lasting impact. There's no drama because nothing ever plays out. Everything fades away in the face of the "grand" love between Severin and Havyn, which ends up reading as obsession(Severin) and naive inexperience(Havyn), and is forgotten. There's no struggle really, it gets very frustrating. I have so many unanswered questions, and things I'm left interested about. I wish it had been longer, or covered more time, it may have allowed for more in depth effects and reactions to the plot points.
There was a minor formatting issue, with quotation marks being used in place of an apostrophe for the entirety of the book that was very distracting to me. But again...that's minor.
Aside from all of that, it was actually a enjoyable read in that it kept my interest and I never wanted to throw the book or stop reading. I just wish I had enjoyed it more.
This is a story of a prince, and a slave finding love through all obstacles. And there are many,
Characters:
Severin - Starts earning points right away with buying a slave with intentions to free him once they cross to his country. But there's nothing really outstandingly likable about Severin. He's kind of a spoiled brat who has moments of likability that are few and far between, though I never hated him. And with one act of violence, he really destroys any potential he had. While it's not a major insurmountable act, he never really suffers or shows appropriate remorse for it IMO. It's just kind of happens and is forgotten. And that doesn't sit well with me.
Havyn - The one character you like and feel for the most, but I had trouble believing that a person who thinks and acts the way he does throughout the story is an adult. He really came off teenage to me, and a young one at that, even though I don't believe he's supposed to be that young. I can't recall if ages are ever outright stated but me believing that he was that young at least mentally if not physically really made it impossible for me to accept him loving and lusting after and being loved/lusted after by Severin.
Supporting Characters: Mostly were all very likable, however they were not consistent. Some had minor actions that went completely against everything we were told about them before. Some really served no purpose and didn't add anything to the story.
Plot:
As I said there was a lot of potential in the premise, but things just never followed through. A lot of the plot really ended up just being plot points that happen, and then never have any lasting impact. There's no drama because nothing ever plays out. Everything fades away in the face of the "grand" love between Severin and Havyn, which ends up reading as obsession(Severin) and naive inexperience(Havyn), and is forgotten. There's no struggle really, it gets very frustrating. I have so many unanswered questions, and things I'm left interested about. I wish it had been longer, or covered more time, it may have allowed for more in depth effects and reactions to the plot points.
There was a minor formatting issue, with quotation marks being used in place of an apostrophe for the entirety of the book that was very distracting to me. But again...that's minor.
Aside from all of that, it was actually a enjoyable read in that it kept my interest and I never wanted to throw the book or stop reading. I just wish I had enjoyed it more.
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