A review by lindsayreads3747
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
3.0
Ms. Hoyt's book The Raven Prince has its strengths and weaknesses. Not entirely weakness per se but points of story which I found undesirable.
On a positive note, Ms. Hoyt is a beautiful writer with a vast vocabulary. She has a strong hold not only on grammar, but a finesse for story telling and character development. I also felt she captured the time period and setting well. Had it not been for the complexity of the characters, I dare say I may not have finished the book.
Our Hero, is Edward de Raaf, he is most certainly a commanding alpha male/dominant figure. I love this personally and he is well complimented by widow Anna Wren, who is very much a lady, but maintains her own opinions and relative independence. They are both portrayed as honorable people, who on the surface, Earl and secretary, in a quant country village, have the makings of a beautiful romance, which is why the following story to their entanglement is even more hard to believe.
In terms of the undesirable, which likely may outweigh the good for many. Our Heroine, Anna, meets de Raaf, in what I would say is possibly the most unhopeful 'meet cute' in the history of romance novels. I'm not sure, with how much they dislike each other in those first moments, how it ever blossoms into something more. Its more than just a case of 'not judging a book by it's cover'. There 1st person tellings of each other are rather, well, unimpressed and mean-spirited. This is the first, of many, out of character moments for them, which seem to sucker punch you. At this stage in the book, it was hard to root for either of them. Ms. Hoyt's story-telling saves the readers interest somehow, in a beginning which ultimately is quite predictable.
Though the story is predictable, it goes from unfathomable to impossible for the time period. Had I known this book involved our heroine, pretending to be a prostitute in a brothel, I would have never picked up this book. I understand a level of fantasy is necessary in enjoying books like this but it has to fit within the realm of possibility for the characters you set up. Anna comes off as a prudish and strictly mannered widow, who suddenly devises, I will say, a preposterous plot to have an intimate evening with Edwards affections via pretending to be a masked prostitute (who could possibly be a lady looking for fun, but non the less, possibly a PROSTITUTE) on a trip she accidentally finds out he might take to said brothel. Mind you this man is enthralled in duty and enjoys it. I doubt he would, in reality, frequent such a place.
I may be a prude myself, but I'm just not interested in falling in love with two leads whom are falling in love in such a dishonest and round-about seedy way. Call me old-fashioned I suppose. I am all for the standard conflict, misunderstandings, barriers to love but this was too much. And, I'm someone who enjoys quite a variety of the romance genre, up into, paranormal romances, which certainly require a level of indulging fantasy. It is a matter if it is probable in the confines of the storyline and setting. This was by far not.
Given the above, Ms. Hoyt, barely eked out a third star from me save for quality of her writing and story telling, despite the predictability and implausibility. I did enjoy their connection and intimacy after the brothel, however it was brief. For this, I think deserves merit, as well as the understanding that some of the things I disliked in the story are quite subjective. We all have different tastes in our romances, for me, the romance, while enjoyable, was impersonal, rushed and implausible, for others, it might read as lovers torn apart by the ton and custom. However, it is for these reasons, I find the story implausible and hard to believe in.
I most certainly will give Ms. Hoyt a second chance, while more carefully choosing a title from her. One, I know, does not have a story element which will put me off, such as prostitution, implied or otherwise.
On a positive note, Ms. Hoyt is a beautiful writer with a vast vocabulary. She has a strong hold not only on grammar, but a finesse for story telling and character development. I also felt she captured the time period and setting well. Had it not been for the complexity of the characters, I dare say I may not have finished the book.
Our Hero, is Edward de Raaf, he is most certainly a commanding alpha male/dominant figure. I love this personally and he is well complimented by widow Anna Wren, who is very much a lady, but maintains her own opinions and relative independence. They are both portrayed as honorable people, who on the surface, Earl and secretary, in a quant country village, have the makings of a beautiful romance, which is why the following story to their entanglement is even more hard to believe.
In terms of the undesirable, which likely may outweigh the good for many. Our Heroine, Anna, meets de Raaf, in what I would say is possibly the most unhopeful 'meet cute' in the history of romance novels. I'm not sure, with how much they dislike each other in those first moments, how it ever blossoms into something more. Its more than just a case of 'not judging a book by it's cover'. There 1st person tellings of each other are rather, well, unimpressed and mean-spirited. This is the first, of many, out of character moments for them, which seem to sucker punch you. At this stage in the book, it was hard to root for either of them. Ms. Hoyt's story-telling saves the readers interest somehow, in a beginning which ultimately is quite predictable.
Though the story is predictable, it goes from unfathomable to impossible for the time period. Had I known this book involved our heroine, pretending to be a prostitute in a brothel, I would have never picked up this book. I understand a level of fantasy is necessary in enjoying books like this but it has to fit within the realm of possibility for the characters you set up. Anna comes off as a prudish and strictly mannered widow, who suddenly devises, I will say, a preposterous plot to have an intimate evening with Edwards affections via pretending to be a masked prostitute (who could possibly be a lady looking for fun, but non the less, possibly a PROSTITUTE) on a trip she accidentally finds out he might take to said brothel. Mind you this man is enthralled in duty and enjoys it. I doubt he would, in reality, frequent such a place.
I may be a prude myself, but I'm just not interested in falling in love with two leads whom are falling in love in such a dishonest and round-about seedy way. Call me old-fashioned I suppose. I am all for the standard conflict, misunderstandings, barriers to love but this was too much. And, I'm someone who enjoys quite a variety of the romance genre, up into, paranormal romances, which certainly require a level of indulging fantasy. It is a matter if it is probable in the confines of the storyline and setting. This was by far not.
Given the above, Ms. Hoyt, barely eked out a third star from me save for quality of her writing and story telling, despite the predictability and implausibility. I did enjoy their connection and intimacy after the brothel, however it was brief. For this, I think deserves merit, as well as the understanding that some of the things I disliked in the story are quite subjective. We all have different tastes in our romances, for me, the romance, while enjoyable, was impersonal, rushed and implausible, for others, it might read as lovers torn apart by the ton and custom. However, it is for these reasons, I find the story implausible and hard to believe in.
I most certainly will give Ms. Hoyt a second chance, while more carefully choosing a title from her. One, I know, does not have a story element which will put me off, such as prostitution, implied or otherwise.