thegreatmanda's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Very sweet, and for a book with multiple sexual encounters, oddly wholesome all the same. As lovable as Penn and Raff are, I would have liked to see their pasts and personalities developed out a little more, and some of their family members fleshed out as characters a bit more as well. Raff and Penn's relationship struggled due to their poor communication skills, and I wanted to know more about where all that reticence and their self-worth issues came from (at least in Raff's case on the self-worth, as Penn's was clear on that note). Again, though, I adored these boys and their sweetness together, and as this is Denny's debut novel, I'm very much looking forward to her future work as she perfects her craft.
kabrahams's review against another edition
This book has a lot of potential but isn't currently holding my attention. I set it aside around a fourth of the way through.
kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
One Night in Hartswood is a sweeping adventure full of danger, betrayal and so much love.
William is the son of a Lord, destined for marriage to the daughter of another Lord. Raff is a man seeking some sort of adventure of his own, free from the responsibilities of his Lord father’s title… which should belong to his older brother.
When Raff happens upon Penn in the woods, he aims to help the man, not knowing Penn is actually William, the man who is to marry his sister.
What happens is a sprawling love story between two men who are both longing for more from their lives, but there are endless obstacles. How can you start a life based on lies?
This was just such a beautiful story. I fell so hard for Penn and Raff. I wish that the two had communicated better throughout the story, but their hearts were totally in the right place.
William is the son of a Lord, destined for marriage to the daughter of another Lord. Raff is a man seeking some sort of adventure of his own, free from the responsibilities of his Lord father’s title… which should belong to his older brother.
When Raff happens upon Penn in the woods, he aims to help the man, not knowing Penn is actually William, the man who is to marry his sister.
What happens is a sprawling love story between two men who are both longing for more from their lives, but there are endless obstacles. How can you start a life based on lies?
This was just such a beautiful story. I fell so hard for Penn and Raff. I wish that the two had communicated better throughout the story, but their hearts were totally in the right place.
johnsnowwasright's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I loved this book! The romance was realistically developed and so very sweet. Raff and Penn were great main characters and lovable from the beginning. I wasn't even mad about the two of them lying to one another in order for there to be more conflict in the story as there were legitimate reasons for both of them to lie. Both men grew as people due to their relationship with one another which was beautiful.
It does take some suspension of disbelief to buy that so many people would be accepting of homosexuality in 14th century England. However, I did like that the main conflict keeping the two men from each other wasn't related to blatant homophobia but rather to medieval politics.
For any romance fans, please read, its so good!
It does take some suspension of disbelief to buy that so many people would be accepting of homosexuality in 14th century England. However, I did like that the main conflict keeping the two men from each other wasn't related to blatant homophobia but rather to medieval politics.
For any romance fans, please read, its so good!
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
emendelowitz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
sunflowerbookwyrm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
This book was a very slow burn, but that was OK. I really felt the author took the time to make the relationship more believable and wholesome. The romance was the best part of this book.
I admit I did struggle with the first half because it was really slow, but I still found myself enjoying the writing
and the story that was being told. The traveling bits were a little boring, but the interactions were really what made the story, or rather, backstory we would get on Penn.
There wasn't a whole lot of world building but that didn't bother me too much since the focus was the characters.
This was also my first spicy m/m book where I didn't feel like the spice held back, and it was done in a way that was beautiful.
I do wish we had spent a little more time on Raff there were parts about his story I wanted to know more. I would like to see more on his brother and sister.
Raff is bisexual with a close relationship with his sister. He once was close with his brother, but after Ash lost his lover Oliver he was never the same losing. But towards the end we saw a bit of Ash begin to soften, especially when he met Penn.
The whole story is about Penn, born William, being an earl and having to marry Raff's sister, Raff was also of noble birth but since they had never met they both had no idea who the other was.
Raff saves Penn from dying in the woods, and thinks he is the servant/lover to William. Penn, on the other hand, just believes that Raff is a tracker trying to find him. Raff and Penn share a kiss in the woods of Hartswood and both feel a connection.
Raff is scared that something will happen to Penn, and also wants to not be tied down to a role that will happen once his sister marries William. However, his sister does not want to marry and asks Raff not to find William.
William was trying to escape his cruel father and the life he has been born into.
They both go on this trip and Raff promises to protect this stranger he has just met and get him to safety. Meanwhile, they are both keeping secrets from one another.
Towards the end i really empathized with Penn and his story.
He was abused by his father and treated as a thing instead of a person all his life. All he truly wanted was to be his true self. When he meets Raff he sees an opportunity but is also attracted to him and slowly starts to see a bit of himself in this man.
When Penn leaves and Raff finds out who Penn actually is that was devastating to read.
I really liked how Raff, his family Penn, and his sister plotted to free Penn from his father.
I felt this was clever.
I really enjoyed the interactions between not just with the main characters but with the side characters as well.
I found a lot of this story to be entertaining and had a fun time throughout it.
There was a lot of snuggling for warmth and romantic tension before the spice actually happened, which was nice. Sometimes instant loves stories can hard to believe, but there wasn't a second I doubted these two men were falling in love.
I didn't mind the whole bit about them keeping secrets, but I think after the secret was out was when the story really began to pick up and hard to put down.
I really enjoyed this story and if you are looking for a lighthearted read with some LGBT+ romance, a slow burn, and happy end then you should check this book out.
As always thank you to NetGalley for this Arc, these are my honest thoughts.
I admit I did struggle with the first half because it was really slow, but I still found myself enjoying the writing
and the story that was being told. The traveling bits were a little boring, but the interactions were really what made the story, or rather, backstory we would get on Penn.
There wasn't a whole lot of world building but that didn't bother me too much since the focus was the characters.
This was also my first spicy m/m book where I didn't feel like the spice held back, and it was done in a way that was beautiful.
I do wish we had spent a little more time on Raff there were parts about his story I wanted to know more. I would like to see more on his brother and sister.
Raff is bisexual with a close relationship with his sister. He once was close with his brother, but after Ash lost his lover Oliver he was never the same losing. But towards the end we saw a bit of Ash begin to soften, especially when he met Penn.
The whole story is about Penn, born William, being an earl and having to marry Raff's sister, Raff was also of noble birth but since they had never met they both had no idea who the other was.
Raff saves Penn from dying in the woods, and thinks he is the servant/lover to William. Penn, on the other hand, just believes that Raff is a tracker trying to find him. Raff and Penn share a kiss in the woods of Hartswood and both feel a connection.
Raff is scared that something will happen to Penn, and also wants to not be tied down to a role that will happen once his sister marries William. However, his sister does not want to marry and asks Raff not to find William.
William was trying to escape his cruel father and the life he has been born into.
They both go on this trip and Raff promises to protect this stranger he has just met and get him to safety. Meanwhile, they are both keeping secrets from one another.
Towards the end i really empathized with Penn and his story.
He was abused by his father and treated as a thing instead of a person all his life. All he truly wanted was to be his true self. When he meets Raff he sees an opportunity but is also attracted to him and slowly starts to see a bit of himself in this man.
When Penn leaves and Raff finds out who Penn actually is that was devastating to read.
I really liked how Raff, his family Penn, and his sister plotted to free Penn from his father.
I felt this was clever.
I really enjoyed the interactions between not just with the main characters but with the side characters as well.
I found a lot of this story to be entertaining and had a fun time throughout it.
There was a lot of snuggling for warmth and romantic tension before the spice actually happened, which was nice. Sometimes instant loves stories can hard to believe, but there wasn't a second I doubted these two men were falling in love.
I didn't mind the whole bit about them keeping secrets, but I think after the secret was out was when the story really began to pick up and hard to put down.
I really enjoyed this story and if you are looking for a lighthearted read with some LGBT+ romance, a slow burn, and happy end then you should check this book out.
As always thank you to NetGalley for this Arc, these are my honest thoughts.
readitwithred's review against another edition
4.0
Was this book everything I wanted from a sweet romance? Yes
Was everything historically accurate or realistic? No
Did I still love it? 100%
Raff and Penn have my heart. Truly. Their love was sweet and it grew and bloomed into something true and deep. Two men with their own pasts and dealing with their own issues, meet unexpectedly and on a journey made with a promise, find comfort in each other.
There is a touch of spice in there too but it is sweet spice and very fitting for the aesthetic of the Book.
I still don't know how I feel about Ash... I kind of want his own story as I think he would be a great grumpy to a sunshine that would be a wonderful story.
The villainous father was perfectly written. He was present enough that we would hate him but not too much to overshadow the romance.
If you need a book that will make you smile and just warm your heart and soul, then please pick this one up! You won't regret it!
I will definitely keeping an eye out for more from this author as this is her debut!
Was everything historically accurate or realistic? No
Did I still love it? 100%
Raff and Penn have my heart. Truly. Their love was sweet and it grew and bloomed into something true and deep. Two men with their own pasts and dealing with their own issues, meet unexpectedly and on a journey made with a promise, find comfort in each other.
There is a touch of spice in there too but it is sweet spice and very fitting for the aesthetic of the Book.
I still don't know how I feel about Ash... I kind of want his own story as I think he would be a great grumpy to a sunshine that would be a wonderful story.
The villainous father was perfectly written. He was present enough that we would hate him but not too much to overshadow the romance.
If you need a book that will make you smile and just warm your heart and soul, then please pick this one up! You won't regret it!
I will definitely keeping an eye out for more from this author as this is her debut!
roselillian's review against another edition
3.0
This is about Penn and Raff who have a run in one night in Hartswood forest and their instant chemistry. Though the next day Penn is on the run from his abusive father and a marriage to a woman he’s never met and Raff is sent to find the man who was supposed to marry his sister and is now on the run. They end up running into each other in Hartswood yet again, Raff not knowing that Penn is the one who was supposed to marry his sister and Penn not knowing Raff’s relation to his betrothed.
This book was fine. I did find myself putting the book down and rarely picking it back up which made reading a slog but the main issue was the lying/false identities. Neither Raff nor Penn tell the other one who they really are. They are both outed (in that aspect) by other people which leads to a fight both times and they both happen over halfway through. That is a lot of a relationship and a book based on lies. I get Penn’s desire to be free from his father's abuse and fear of what Raff will do if he knows the truth but why did it have to take up three-quarters of the book?
The writing was fine, and I liked the main characters enough (though I’m still on the fence about some of the side ones and I’m pretty sure I was supposed to like them). I just wish the false identity plotline took up less of the book and then maybe I’d have more of an incentive to pick up the book when I was supposed to instead rewatching old shows (again).
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.