Moreover, there’s an emotional consideration to the protection too, as Raff worries about the social dynamics between him & Penn, the man he believes to be a servant. Since Penn goes by Penn, and he isn't dressed in his usual clothes as he sneaked out, and Raff as well isn't dressed expensively, they assume the other is a servant, and neither clears that up. A hard look at families of origin, and how they end up affecting us in ways we might not even realize; The tl;dr here is that Denny has been historically and medically sloppy and given her MCs no common sense whatsoever. Add stilted dialogue and period-inappropriate attitudes toward women and sexuality, and this book is bad to a degree that's insulting to readers.

TL:DR - One Night In Hartswood is a perfect, addictive, steamy romp set in the 1300s. It's cosy, the characters are brilliantly crafted and the plot makes it impossible to put down. It's full of adventure and has just the right amount of angst and twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. There's nothing to fault with this story - it's an absolute must read for any M/M lover. This book drew me in immediately and I loved the unique historical take on a traditional road trip story. There is, however, always a bit of tension in queer historical romance where you’re never quite sure what the HEA will look like and how they will find their way there. This is especially the case here as you’re waiting for the truth of their identities to be revealed. Towards the end, the plot got a bit muddled for me, as the politics of the day come into play but I still enjoyed the ultimate resolution. Penn, the groom to be, is suffocating and does not want to be married, let alone to a woman and bails. He meets up with Raff and their connection is near instant. Both of them leave some pretty big details out, like who the other one actually is, and away we go. I thought Penn's character was developed quite a bit more than Raff's but he didn't feel unfinished. I just wanted more of him. As far as characters go, this book is filled with some great ones. With his unwavering loyalty and determination, Raff is a protagonist that readers will root for from the beginning. Penn, haunted by the choices he has to make, adds another layer of complexity to the story. Their relationship is beautifully depicted, evolving from strangers in desperate circumstances to two souls connected by an unbreakable bond. This is a great story for anyone who is looking and emotional romance in a historical setting without a lot of action.

Browse reviews by Period

ONIH is a great historical romance & I adore how these two are able to make a happy, safe life together because they made it happen.

We read a lot of historical romance, but not a ton of medievals, and definitely not a ton of queer medievals. In fact, we think this was our first trad-published LBGTQ+ medieval romance. It hits a lot of spots: Beyond the romance, the novel explores themes of trust, loyalty, and the choices we make for love. The characters' journeys are filled with twists and revelations, keeping readers engaged and invested in their outcomes. As secrets come to light, Raff and Penn must grapple with their feelings and make decisions that will shape their futures. I was not rid of you,’ he spoke quietly --- ‘I have not been rid of you since that first evening in Hartswood Forest. I even loved the plot and the drama as it just added to the beauty that is Penn and Raff’s love story. I also really loved Raff’s family. Ugh, that one scene where Raff is watching Penn make Ash and Cecily laugh? And the one where Ash and Cecily ask Raff if he told Penn [redacted] and Raff just smiles and they all laugh? GOD. I can picture it so vividly in my head. So gorgeous. The medieval setting is similarly undistinguished and the attempt to build a sense of time and place (beyond ‘there are castles and woods here’) is minimal. It’s not that I was looking for a rich and precise historical fiction but some specificity would be nice, especially when the story arises out of a dynastic marriage.It's a road trip romance set in a time when just traveling through the forest was a scary undertaking; Where should I start? How about with the optimism I felt when the epigraph was a quotation from Euripides as translated by Anne Carson? One Night in Hartswood was gentle, tender, heartwarming, and desperate. I honestly haven’t read much medieval romance before, but I love the tone this set by starting in Hartswood, the King’s forest. Raff and Penn encounter one another in the middle of the night, total strangers, and take the risk to trust one another with a secret that could get them killed, even if they won’t trust themselves with their true identities. The two head North toward Raff's home and, along the way, develop a deeper relationship that soon becomes physical. Eventually, they begin to fall for one another, but what will happen when both of their secrets are revealed? Nothing in this book felt forced or unnatural, and I can’t emphasize enough how neatly the author writes. It’s beautiful but accessible in a way that it isn’t hard to understand. Sometimes in historical romances they are written in a way that takes you longer to figure out what’s happening just because the prose is dense and unbending. That isn’t the case here and it’s done in a way that is perfect for the story.