The Wicked Prince

About the Book:

Title: The Wicked Prince
Series: Once Upon a Prince #4
Author: Celeste Baxendell
Release Date: October 20th, 2023
Genre: Fairytale Retelling

A righteous outlaw. A wicked tyrant. A marriage to save their crumbling kingdom.

As regent, Prince John has a never-ending list of problems, including his brother’s expensive war and his subjects’ utter hatred of him. But the biggest thorn in his side? The outlaw Robin Hood.

With an ultimatum from his brother—deal with the outlaw once and for all or be sent to the frontlines to die—Prince John needs a solution and fast. Upon discovering everything they thought they knew about the criminal was wrong—most surprising, Robin Hood is a woman—Prince John’s brilliant scheme is born.

Marry the outlaw. Secure his safety… even if he condemns himself to a wife that despises him and fascinates him in equal measures.

Robin has never come across a trap she couldn’t escape, but when Prince John proves himself as her equal, it’s time to put that to the test. She’d made a vow to fight his tyranny, and the ring on her finger won’t change that.

As long as she believes he is every wicked thing the world says he is, her heart is safe, and even though she might be the greatest thief in the world, it isn’t like he has a heart for her to steal…

Book Review:

This was a really interesting twist! I have never read a retelling of Robin Hood like this! This is part of The Once Upon a Prince series, which has standalone retelling of fairy tales and folk tales. As regent, Prince John has a never-ending list of problems, from his brother’s expensive war to the hatred of his people. The outlaw Robin Hood is his biggest though, and with an ultimatum from his brother, he needs a solution. Discovering that Robin Hood is a woman leads to a brilliant scheme, marry the outlaw and secure his safety. Robin has never come across a trap she couldn’t escape, but when Prince John proves himself as her equal, it is put to the test. She has vowed to fight his tyranny and as long as she believes he is all the wicked things the world says, her heart is safe. And it’s not like he has a heart for her to steal..

Robin was so feisty! You really could feel her determination and will. She had made a place for herself and I feel like her identity was tied up in. she had to rediscover her place as the surprise bride of her worst enemy. I loved watching her explore the kingdom as a princess. I grew to like her and understand her the more l read, which is something I really look for in any book. John was such an interesting character! He had to grow on me honestly! It’s always interesting to see when authors twist a character. There were definitely elements that brought to mind the classic tale and character, but with so much more nuance. He felt very real.

This was an intriguing story! I loved watching them slowly learn about each other and their slow burn romance. The Merry Men were also a fun addition, although the focus of the story was John and Robin. This was definitely a recommended read for those who enjoy folk-tale inspired romances,their princes with more nuance and feisty female characters! There are some innuendos and only kissing.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.

The Thief and the Noble

About the Book:

The Thief and the Noble by [Dana LeCheminant]

Title: The Thief and the Noble
Author: Dana LeCheminant
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: February 1st, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction

As the daughter of a marquess, Lady Marian Russell is poised to impress in her first London Season. She is young, beautiful, and wealthy—but catching an eligible husband is the last thing on her mind. Marian is disillusioned with how the upper class lives while the poor of London suffer, and she is determined to right this imbalance. When she comes face-to-face with a mysterious man who steals from arrogant aristocrats and redistributes the spoils to the poor, Marian recognizes a motivation that mirrors her own. She is determined to discover the true identity of the unscrupulous hero and offer her assistance.

When she unmasks the bandit, however, Marian is stunned: he is none other than the elusive Lord Robin Loxley. In exchange for her silence, Robin begrudgingly agrees to train the lovely Marian in the art of thievery, quickly realizing that his heart may be stolen next. But when Robin and Marian discover a copycat thief operating in London, they are faced with a foe whose purpose is far from noble. Amid distracting suitors, becoming champions of the poor, and a growing attraction they can’t ignore, can they expose the renegade pilferer without risking themselves—and each other?

Book Review:

Happy sigh, this was just as good as I had hoped. I have been in a bit of a reading slump so this book took me longer to read, but it was still super sweet and fun. The Thief and the Noble is Dana LeCheminat’s first historical fiction and it was just a lovely book! The Noble and the Thief is a historical fiction retelling of Robin Hood, I mean how cool is that?

Marian was so fun! I loved her spunk and her kindness, she wanted to help those around her. I loved reading about Marian as she tried to figure out how to help those around her, she was a lady and she knew that she had much. However Marian was struggling to figure out how to help the less fortunate when she bumps into a thief, Robin. It was so cool to read about Marian learning more about herself and learning to stand up for those around her. Marian was an awesome character and I just loved her growth throughout the book.

Robin was a sweetheart, he was the perfect hero. He was kind, but he was also kind of standoffish. I loved his relationship with his family and with Marian. He put up this facade to those around him but he let Marian inside of his walls. Robin was a thief, and yet there was more to him than met the eye. I loved learning more about Robin and his values, he had to learn to let people into his heart and to not close himself off.

Marian and Robin were lovely together, I really enjoyed their interactions. It was a lot of fun to read about them together. I also adored Robin’s sister and Marian’s cousin Will. The side characters were lovely additions to the story. The plot was very interesting and I didn’t know what was going to happen. There were a few twists and turns and I couldn’t put the book down.

The Thief and the Noble is definitely a must read! It was just as good as LeCheminant contemporary books! I would totally recommend The Thief and the Noble! The Thief and the Noble is a clean historical fiction retelling of Robin Hood.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Dreamer of Briarfell

“I’ve had such a grey view of the world for so long, I kept hoping someone could come and paint over it for me. Any color would have done, really. But with your opinions, and the hope they gave me, you’re painting it every bright color I’ve forgotten exists.”

I was so excited for Dreamer of Briarfell! I have been eagerly waiting for it ever since I read Beasts and Beauty of Rosemead. Fairuza totally needed her own book and I loved her redemptive arc! Dreamer of Brairfell is the 7th book in Lucy Tempest’s Folkshore series.

Fairuza was running out of time and her search for the noblest man was not going well. She never expected the turn her curse would take or the adventure she would go on because of it. Finding out that falling into a deep sleep meant waking up in a castle, unseen and unheard by all except for a thief. She finds herself working against the clock to try and stop her curse, she never thought that she would have the help of a thief, Robin Hood.

I really wanted to read about Fairuza and see her grow in her own book. She was such a fun character. She really grew from the spoiled girl she was in Ada’s book, to a person who cared and considered others. Fairuza was funny and this adventure really changed her. It was so cool to see her beyond the title and tiraas, she was smart, learned, and she loved music.

I loved Robin! Although he was a thief I still found myself cheering for him. He was truly a noble man, he cared for those around them and he risked his life to help others. But he was also a complicated character, he had seen the world as gray for quite a while. It was so interesting to see Fairuza change his view on life.

This adventure had me on the edge of my seat. When they made it to the King of Spring, I got so worried. However, things had a way of working out. But oh my goodness, there were so many points where I wondered how Fairuza was ever going to work through her curse. It was so fun to see them travel through the fairy realm again.

I have to say, I loved the side characters! It was so funny and I loved the interactions between all of the characters. Robin and Fairuza made me laugh. It was so cool to have characters from other books make appearances! It was so cool to see how Ms. Tempest managed to reveal a new tale while still staying true to the original fairy tales of Sleeping Beauty and Robin Hood.

Dreamer of Brairfell was a great addition to the series. I am so excited for the other books, I love how Ms. Tempest sets up the scene for the books to come. I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you love fairytale books!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.