Raff wanted to be free, just as Penn had, and this thing between them was that freedom. [loc. 2132]
Oxfordshire, 1360: Raff is travelling south with his brother Ash and his sister Lily, for Lily's marriage to William de Foucart, heir to a newly-minted Earl with a dark reputation. Raff would far rather be out in the forest, hunting: when they make camp he wanders into the woods, and encounters a young man named Penn. They walk together, share a kiss ... and are reunited when Raff returns to the forest the next day, commanded by the Earl to search for his missing son, Lily's husband-to-be. The Earl, unaccountably, does not provide a description of William, so Raff is to be forgiven for not realising that Penn and the wayward son are one and the same.
The pair travel north, each concealing his identity, each drawn to the other, each convinced that the other won't want him. Braving the perils of winter in medieval England (floods, snow, belligerent nobles, fearful villagers, bandits, wolves) they make their way north to Raff's home. But truth will out, and Penn's father won't hesitate to rally his supporters ...
This was a sweet romance between two likeable, and very different, protagonists. Penn has suffered abuse at his father's hands, but comes into his own when Raff needs protection. Raff has always preferred his own company, until he meets someone with whom he can truly be himself. I'm not over-keen on romances built on a foundation of lies, but at least here the lies go both ways -- and the truth-telling is credibly anguished for both Raff and Penn. The middle third of the novel, where they're travelling and getting to know one another, is quite slow: more than made up for by the hectic pace of the last third.
Given the setting, I'd have liked a little more historical detail. We don't really get much sense of medieval England. Religion is barely mentioned; 'the King' (Edward III, at this point) is a vague shadowy figure; there's surprisingly little superstition. In some ways One Night in Hartswood feels more like a fantasy novel -- albeit one without magic -- than a historical: but given that this is first and foremost a romance, the setting is scenery. A pleasant read, with good characterisation and a love affair that works on several levels.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK publication date is 19 January 2023.
No comments:
Post a Comment