The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book Description:
Lucy Craddock-Hayes thought the man lying in the ditch was dead, but he survived the assault. With the help of her servant, Lucy brings the gentleman home, and learns that he is Viscount Simon Iddesleigh. As Simon slowly recuperates, he finds himself falling in love with sharp-witted and surprisingly sharp-tongued Lucy, but he also knows that the longer he stays, the more likely it is that his quest for vengeance will endanger Lucy and her family.

I really enjoyed this romance, the last of the Prince's Trilogy that have all involved three very different men who are friends with one another in Georgian England. They know each other through their common interest in botanical matters and are members of the Agrarian Society, a loose-knit club in which everyone, members of the peerage or not, are interested in agriculture. The previous books involved Edward de Raaf, the fifth Earl of Swartingham and Harry Pye, a commoner who married a noblewoman. Their romances were tops, and this one is no different, though I think it's the weakest of the three. The Serpent Prince follows Viscount Simon Iddesleigh who has the misfortune to find himself stabbed in the back and left for dead somewhere in Kent. Simon has pissed someone off!

Lucy Craddock-Hayes, a spinsterish country maiden, comes upon Simon's nude body while out on her morning errands. Upon mistaking him for dead, she soon realizes he isn't dead afterall and she takes it upon herself to help him by bringing him home. I wonder if she would have been as eager if he had been short, bald and ugly, instead of looking more like a felled blonde Adonis! Against her retired sea captain father's oaths and threats that nothing good will come of this, she oversees Simon's recovery back to health. Little does she know that nothing will ever be the same for her again. The local vicar that has been wooing her for the past three years now seems hopelessly dull and ordinary compared to the blasphemous charm and wit of the Viscount Iddesleigh. As soon as Simon can sit up in bed, he wastes no time in noticing the beautiful daughter of the house. They have a non-courtship of sorts. Lucy resists and Simon, who claims to have no gentlemanly manners, cannot. He is shameless in his flirtations with Lucy, who is not used to someone like Simon - much less living under the same roof with her! Their courtship is enhanced by Simon's made up as he goes fairy tale of the Serpent Prince, which parallels Simon and Lucy's story as well. Lucy is falling for this man, yet he will leave her as soon as he is well again. How can she return to her humdrum life with her cranky father and boring vicar?

Simon has his own set of problems in addition to the strong feelings he's harbouring for Lucy. He is hell bent on avenging the death of his brother who was killed in a duel two years earlier. Unused to dueling, his brother was at an obvious disadvantage and sacrificed himself to save his wife's honor from a vicious rumor started on purpose. Simon feels partly responsible for the death since he was part of the rumor! It was all a set up and untrue, but the result ended in tragedy. An expert swordsman himself, Simon is determined to duel and kill each one of the men he holds responsible for the death of his older brother.

Although Simon is preoccupied with his many duels and avoiding getting killed himself, he still cannot get Lucy out of his head once he returns to London. In one of the most romantic proposal scenes I've read in a long time, he returns to Kent and asks for her hand. She gladly accepts and wedding plans ensue. Lucy travels to London and stays with Simon's widowed sister-in law. While there, Lucy learns of her fiancee's unusual propensity for dueling! Unaware of why Simon can't seem to stop himself from calling men out and killing them over and over again, she is torn - what kind of man can go around killing other men all the time? She has no idea about his vendetta. She finds the idea of killing abhorrent, yet she is even more alarmed at herself because her repugnance doesn't seem to be stopping her from still wanting Simon! How can she rationalize it? She can't. She's basically in lust with her soon to be husband and marries him anyway.

Once married, they have a sizzling love life, yet all is not perfect as is often the case in romance novels. There are complications about who is the mastermind behind Simon's brother's death, and now Lucy's life is threatened to boot! Before long, Lucy has had enough! She cannot live with Simon any longer and his obsession. She leaves him and returns to her father in Kent, even though she has promised Simon she would never leave him! Grr - and yet she does it anyway! I hate it when people do that! Naturally, Simon can't bear losing her and destroys his greenhouse and his roses that are his prized possessions. More angst, but Lucy soon realizes she can't live without her wayward husband and returns to London on Christmas Eve only to witness another duel that Simon is in! Will it never end?

Thankfully, it does, and it all ends well, although my heart nearly stopped beating more than once during those nerve-wracking duels! Although Simon's obsession over avenging his brother became tiresome, I still really loved this book and found Simon and Lucy's courtship engaging and romantic. I cared about them and wanted things to be settled. Ms. Hoyt wraps it all up nicely and our hero and heroine are able to live happily ever after.

Despite his predilection for dueling, Simon is a worthy hero. Sexy, funny and totally shameless in his red heels (he's somewhat of a clothes horse) he was an amusing foil to Lucy's gray gowns and practicality. Love brings out the best in them and it was gratifying to see how they each come to terms with their issues so that they can get on with their lives and forgive and forget.

I recommend this series as a whole. The side characters are good too, her father in particular was amusing, he had some of the best lines (most of them derogatory about Simon). The book is sexy, compelling and entertaining, Ms. Hoyt has a real talent and I look forward to reading all of her books eventually!

4/5

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The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book Description:
England, 1760

THE ONE THING A LADY MUST NEVER DO

Wealthy Lady Georgina Maitland doesn't want a husband, though she could use a good steward to run her estates. One look at Harry Pye, and Georgina knows she's not just dealing with a servant, but a man.

IS FALL IN LOVE...

Harry has known many aristocrats--including one particular nobleman who is his sworn enemy. But Harry has never met a beautiful lady so independent, uninhibited, and eager to be in his arms.

WITH HER SERVANT.

Still, it's impossible to conduct a discreet liaison when poisoned sheep, murdered villagers, and an enraged magistrate have the county in an uproar. The locals blame Harry for everything. Soon it's all Georgina can do to keep her head above water and Harry's out of the noose...without missing another night of love.

I really loved this story, second in the Princes Trilogy by Elizabeth Hoyt, I loved her first book The Raven Prince, but I liked this one even more. Good plot, hot sex and it was amusing and fast paced, it kept my interest, even though I've been so bogged down with work these days and have barely had time for reading except just before falling asleep at night. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend this romance for those of you that enjoy historicals set during Georgian times in England.

George, also known as Lady Georgina Maitland, is an independent, single woman of twenty eight years. Not surprising she takes on a man's name, but she is unmistakably highly feminine. She has inherited her wealth and is in need of a steward. She has hired Harry Pye, a non descript quiet man who does his job well. George hasn't really thought about him all that much until they have to spend the night together due to the fact her carriage has broken down, stuck in the mud en route to her estates in Yorkshire. They find shelter together in an old cottage and are alone for a whole night. Their night is innocent enough and Pye is the perfect gentleman, even though he is not quite the gentleman outwardly or inwardly. Pye is not all that he seems to be, though we don't know what his background is until the story develops more. He's strong and resourceful, he knows how to take care of himself. He's no pushover, though he must remain polite and subservient to his employer, Lady Georgina. In any case, no hanky panky takes place, but George does seem to notice him more as a man and takes an interest in him in more than just an employer/employee way.

As soon as she arrives the next day at her estate, bedraggled and travel weary, she learns that there is a mystery going on in the area. Sheep on a neighbors estate are being mysteriously poisoned and the accused is her steward, Harry Pye! Why would he be accused of such a thing? As it turns out, he has a dark history with the owner of the aforementioned estate, Lord Granville, a crude and unfeeling jerk of a landlord who has quite a few illegitimate sons in the area, though most unacknowledged. Granville is someone you would not be sorry to see die. He has two grown sons and is out to get Harry and see that he is prosecuted and hanged for killing the sheep. George is not about to let this happen to her steward, especially now that she's starting to see him through different eyes - she's taking a shine to him - especially after he impulsively gives her a searing kiss she can't forget. Oh my!

She basically foists herself upon him and the two of them together try to unravel the mystery of the poisoned sheep and get to the bottom of who is trying to frame Harry. More passionate kisses and an eventual affair makes for hot reading *fans self* Again, Hoyt takes on an unconventional love affair between a commoner and an aristocrat, only turning the tables and giving George the usual man's role as the pursuer in this relationship. I loved reading about how their love blossoms, yet they must both make hard and realistic decisions about their affair. Stop it, get married - or what? I loved George as a character. She has a will of her own, she's kind of spunky, but still a lady, yet she wants Harry, despite knowing it's really not the thing to sleep with your steward! She's got to make a decision about him. Does she love him enough? Will he even marry her if she wants to marry him? He has his pride. Harry is a mystery for a good part of the book. What is his real story, and who is he really? He's quiet and thoughtful, knows how to carve small little animals out of wood and is an adept lover. He cares a lot for George, more than he wants to admit, he knows only too well that it's dynamite to be "tupping" her, yet he can't stop himself. They are both from such different social backgrounds, how can it possibly work?

Still, aside from this conundrum, the story has it's amusing moments. George's younger brothers who come to Yorkshire to rescue her away from that bounder, Pye, add some comic relief and there are many different odd characters we meet along the way. I felt like I was right there in Yorkshire, the colloquialisms, the accents, the descriptions - they all sounded authentic and gave the book a lot of local color. Hoyt has a flair for dialogue and flavor for the period. Aside, from the fact that in real life a couple of this sort could never be received in high society, I was rooting for them and I can assure you it all ends happily with an exciting and very satisfying ending. *sigh* From start to finish this was a well done romance, tasteful, sexy, funny and well written with an interesting plotline with a mystery in it.

In addition, there is the side story of the Leopard Prince, the fairy tale that George recites to Harry through the course of the story that parallels this story slightly. Not as good as the fairy tale in The Raven Prince, but not bad.

I'm very pleased I read this, and am looking foward to reading The Serpent Prince, the last of the three. A worthwhile series to pick up and read!

4.5/5

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The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Book Description:
THERE COMES A TIME IN A LADY'S LIFE...

Widowed Anna Wren is having a wretched day. After an arrogant male on horseback nearly squashes her, she arrives home to learn that she is in dire financial straits. What is a gently bred lady to do?

WHEN SHE MUST DO THE UNTHINKABLE...

The Earl of Swartingham is in a quandary. Having frightened off two secretaries, Edward de Raaf needs someone who can withstand his bad temper and boorish behavior. Dammit! How hard can it be to find a decent secretary?

AND FIND EMPLOYMENT.

When Anna becomes the earl's secretary, both their problems are solved. Then she discovers he plans to visit the most notorious brothel in London for his "manly" needs. Well! Anna sees red--and decides to assuage her "womanly" desires... with the earl as her unknowing lover.

This is one of those romances that I've been hearing about for the past year that everyone is saying "It's great - you have to read it!" So, I finally did. The first in a trilogy, I must admit it was pretty good, but not the greatest romance I've ever read.

I had some problems with the plotline at first, and was taken aback at the idea that our hero is "ugly." Eep! Though, what appears to be ugly at first, or prickly or pockarked or mousy can turn into a blooming, beautiful rose or a handsome hero at the ready, bent on fighting a duel for his lady's honor. The Raven Prince is a parable on this theme aka Beauty and the Beast.

Set in 1760, Anna Wren is our widowed heroine who is a lady who must seek a form of genteel employment. She finds a job as secretary to the forbidding Earl of Swartingham. They initially meet when he falls off his horse (shades of Jane Eyre). He is gruff and unattractive at first (again, like Edward Rochester - even their names are the same!) He is dark haired and pockmarked, the only survivor of smallpox that killed off his entire family. He is the last in the line and must have an heir for it to continue. Anna, who had been married for four years, never conceived. It is presumed she is barren.

Despite his brash exterior the two of them get along and are attracted to one another. Theirs is an unusual courtship. Anna takes advantage of the unusual and provident opportunity to be able to pose as a whore in a high class brothel in London to bed him. And so she does! He never suspects who she really is for two erotic, sexually stimulating nights. Okay, it's implausible, but different, I'll give it that! Still, I did have a small problem with the deception and use of a brothel in the plotline, but that's just the romance prude in me. I instinctively have issues with heroines who lie about who they are, but often I overcome that as I get into the book, which I did in this one too.

Anna experiences the ultimate bliss in his arms, but faces the dilemma that she cannot simply sleep with him, as a man (presumably) uses a whore. She cannot enjoy the physical act unemotionally as a man would, and finds she wants more - yet she can't have more, since Edward doesn't know it's her and he's engaged to someone else! Plus, no lady can admit to what she did, much less have an affair with her employer! She's stuck. (I really wondered how the author was going to fix this.) Then, to make matters worse, Anna is seen by an unsavory cad at "Aphrodite's Grotto" (the name of the brothel) and is later blackmailed for it (that's where the angst in the story comes in). Edward, on the other hand, finds those two nights with his mysterious masked lady the most sexually fulfilling moments of his life. Yet, he has trouble dealing with the idea that he was with an anonymous whore when he's falling for Anna, his secretary. He feels guilty. What is he to do? And what will happen if and when he finds out that Anna tricked him? It was a joy to read how the two of them resolve this dilemma and become closer in their relationship. The development of the characters is rich and their romantic interludes are hot and sensual with lots of sexual tension in between. We see the two of them bloom and look at each other through different eyes than they did at first. I love romances that show how the two lovers - actually fall in love with one another!

In addition, there's a lot to this book that's fun. The side characters are witty and interesting. Edward's elderly valet, Davis, is a hoot, his steward's waistcoats are diverting and Edward's two friends, Iddesleigh and Harry, are intriguing at the end of the book (the next two books in the trilogy are based on their stories). Anna's mother-in-law is a sweet old lady, there are some whores and courtesans thrown in for good measure, and there is a suitably bitchy antagonist who tries to blackmail Anna in the end, but gets her just desserts instead.

Not only that, I loved the fairy tale of the Raven Prince that begins each chapter. It's a tale that mirrors the romance itself. A story within a story. I found myself as interested in finding out the ending to the fairy tale as much as the ending of the romance between Edward and Anna. I appreciate how the author made Anna's name, Anna Wren, to go so nicely with the theme in the book and to offset "the raven" depicted by Edward.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It sped by in one day and I'm eager to read the rest of the trilogy. I'm definitely going to be reading Elizabeth Hoyt's books in the future!

4/5

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