and at Penn's father's mysterious passivity once Penn busts Raff out of the cell where Penn's father is keeping him, and at -- oh, this is a really good one -- the infected crossbow wound to Raff's shoulder which he somehow survives.

I don't tend to like books with historical settings, but Denny's debut novel had an intriguing premise (and an adorable cover), so I decided to give it a try - and I'm so glad I did! but to see them essentially lie so that they can have that one more night with each other, it’s softens my stone heart a little. Penn is definitely the more-developed character between the two, or at least, the one who undergoes the most growth that we get to see. Considering the book is set in medieval England, I feel as though more could have been done with character development and story tension.

What makes this such a unique read is that Penn is the intended betrothed for Raff's sister, which Raff is completely unaware of. Unaware their fates are already entwined, their unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear.

It's also an open door romance - Emma Denny doesn't shy away from showing the reader what weeks of forced proximity on the road will explode into once our characters get a chance to act on their feelings! When his sister’s fiancé disappears, Raff stumbles upon the same man again and offers to help him escape, not knowing he’s aiding his sister’s runaway intended. While attending his sister’s betrothal celebration, he meets a mysterious man in the woods and they share a kiss. It was enjoyable to read Penn coming out of shell and finding his own talents and realizing he did not deserve his father's abuse. It’s not long before our two protagonists find themselves in each other’s company once more and Raff offers to help Penn find a new beginning.Please don’t come into this book expecting an immersion into history, the events firmly take place in the same Romancelandia where there is a rakish duke to reform for every sarcastic debutante, and I say that with longstanding fondness for the genre. Ash had to have been my favorite, and I would love a side story that gave us more insight into Oliver. With a backdrop of political intrigue and forbidden love, this novel weaves a tale of passion, sacrifice, and the enduring power of connection.

Dogs who live around horses generally learn quickly to stay out of range, because, as my friend the farmer put it, one or two kicks or bites generally suffice to teach the lesson. We wouldn't say this is lighthearted, but it's not as angsty as MM Medieval Romance might make you think.Even a little * between paragraphs to let the reader know it’s switching from Raff to Penn would be great to include! This part is awful so I'm putting it under a spoiler tag: The deer has been caught in a type of snare that has left her suspended by one leg, which is broken.

Funny, Malory's Morte d'Arthur dates from the 15th century and we're in the 14th; earlier there's the Alliterative Morte d'Arthur and the Stanzaic Morte d'Arthur, but those are poems; the dates for Geoffrey of Monmouth would work, and The History of the Kings of Britain does include Arthurian tales but is, you know, a (pseudo-)history of Britain from the year zip . If you want to get fancy, you can take a little time to look at snares and what kinds of animals they catch, but at least give your characters half a gram of common sense.I should also talk about the steamier scenes - I imagine this is the hardest part for an author to get right. With the medieval English setting and a little touch of political intrigue, the story was fast paced and kept me guessing until the last moment.