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One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny is a character-driven romance with some big moments at the end that really amp up the action & the dramatic gesture quotient for each lead. One Night in Hartswood is an incredibly sweet and emotional story of Raff and Penn trying to find their freedom in a world that really does not lend itself well to them reaching it. These two are the best of "cinnamon roll" heroes, and their slow dance toward each other was a delight to read. This was the ultimate in slow-burn, pining romance, and I am here for it. Because when everything is finally laid out in the open, the reward is worth the journey to get there. that was the first and foremost thing that drew me toward this novel. it is a time period i am quite interested in and to read about a queer relationship during this time was so intriguing.
I really enjoyed reading about Penn and Raff fall in love. I thought it was very sweet and that they had good chemistry as characters and that their love was believable. I had a great time following Penn and Raff on their journey. It was compelling reading and I flew through this story. Raff's family is also very adorable. Raff and Penn have such great chemistry from the moment that they meet. It was easy to see why they wanted to be together, and you wanted them become lovers. There are a lot of romances out there where I don't understand why the two characters ended up together but that is not the case here. They are both adorable and cute in their interactions. They are perfect for each other.I enjoyed this, but I did have a little trouble believing this fast connection between them. However, it's so sweet, so I did like it. They were definitely on the Raff and Penn ship before Raff and Penn were even fully on it themselves. It definitely gave “okay, now kiss” vibes which I thought was incredibility endearing and sweet. I adored everything about this book, the travel companion trope, the slow burn, the humour- it was perfect! The book opens with Raff, the son of an Earl, traveling to the home of his sister’s intended, William, who is a nobleman she will soon marry to shore up an alliance between their families. Unaware their fates are already entwined, the men journey north. But amidst the snow-capped forests an unexpected bond deepens into a far more precious relationship, one that will test all that they hold dear. And when secrets are finally revealed, both men must decide what they will risk for the one they love…
Penn must be protected at all costs. This was such a cute romance set between two characters who'd both gone through some rough times. The chemistry written between Raff and Penn was unmatched from moment one. And the fact that we as readers, not only got to follow along on their journey to freedom, but to watch them fall in love along the way. Raff & Penn’s paths converge, with neither of them knowing exactly who the other is. But the longer they travel together, the harder it is to deny the feelings growing between them. 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. 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. When identities are finally revealed, they will have many large obstacles in the way of their happiness — including angry parents & the threat of war.
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From the first moment Raff and Penn meet, I fell head over heels for One Night in Hartswood. With two loveable but flawed protagonists, sizzling romance, heart-stopping tension, beautiful writing, and a brilliant cast of supporting characters who I'm desperate to get to know even more, Emma's found the perfect recipe for an LGBTQI+ romance. Raff and Penn stole my heart, and I can't wait for readers to start falling in love with them too. Joe Thomas, Senior Publicity Manager Well, then. What a sweet story. Historical romance isn't my go-to by any means, but this book was so charming. It was a great take on a forced-proximity roadtrip trope. Playlists containing One Night in Hartswood, By Emma Denny, Read by Tom Alexander and Sebastian Humphreys I should also talk about the steamier scenes - I imagine this is the hardest part for an author to get right. In this one is was done SO RIGHT. The sex scenes were so hot and a delight to read - I can't even do justice through this review to how much I loved them - I think this was largely due to the chemistry between the pair, but the author is clearly very skilled and talented. You won't be disappointed by these parts of the book. Sweet and romantic, tempered by achingly painful moments and excruciating longing. I laughed, I cried, I held my breath through moments of disaster…a fun and wild ride that pays off beautifully.
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 wonderfully written historical male male romance, with great attention to detail with the historical setting, while also giving an almost other-worldly quality.’One Night in Hartswood is a historical romance that is beautiful and cozy. This is not an overly complicated world which is a change from some of the historical novels that I have read. It is a nice change of pace. It is a simple world that is easy to imagine. It takes place in the 1300s which is the first that I have read for a historical m/m romance. This story is set in the 14th century as a historical romance, and while I do agree that it is certainly those things it almost feels as if it could fall into fantasy as well. Not because it’s unbelievable but because it’s beautiful and feels fantastical(good love stories always do) even without any elements of magic that you usually find in fantasy. Another buddy read in the books with @meggatzabookclub and I had so much fun and am SUPER impressed that this is a debut! That was one niggle with this. Another is this really drew things out between these two, and the slow burn became almost too much. The steam was also very low in this. What we got was good, we did get two steamy scenes, one fully penetrative, but neither was as fully detailed as I would have liked and was kept to a lot of vagueness. Almost to the point of...what was the point of them at all, if you weren't really going to go into them? I normally don’t enjoy when characters keep secrets for too long, but this worked ok for me as they were both keeping their identities secret for part of the story. Both characters were so deep and relatable - Raff’s initial caution and respect and then his joyful love, and Penn’s fear and eventual bravery in standing up to his father.
It makes sense at first, as they're thinking to just know each other for a night and then never again, but after that, when Penn truly runs away and Raff is sent after him to find him, and they run into each other, they don't clear up the lie. I really liked Penn and Raff's growth throughout the book, both individually and together. Likewise, I thought that Penn especially had an excellent arc. I would have liked a tad more about Raff, however, in general. The side characters were also very likeable. I found the writing exposition-heavy and wasn't personally gripped. Stopped after chapter 1 (7%). I kind of think there was no hope for me with this one, partially because I hate when characters run away from their problems, and that's .. well, the premise of the book ;-) There are some side characters, but they only play a small role in the book. The villain is truly evil and really helped to drive the story forward.Once they've arrived, Raff goes out to explore the woods in the area, and it's here that he meets a young man named Penn. The two spend the evening walking through the woods and talking. The next morning, they share a very passionate kiss before going their separate ways. The next day, Raff learns that his future brother-in-law is missing and is tasked with finding him. He once again runs into Penn, and this time, Penn tells him that he is desperate to leave the area, and Raff agrees to help him. What Raff doesn't know is that Penn is actually William - the guy his sister was betrothed to. Along these same lines, Penn has no idea that Raff is the brother of the woman he was betrothed to. Both of the MCs, Penn and Raff, are hiding their social identities from each other while at the same time getting to know the real people beneath any titles. Having grown up with obligations to their stations in life, neither is eager to let the other know who they are because for this brief trip they are free to be themselves. So, in short, Raff & Penn are on a journey away from the keep together, both of them keeping secrets that will soon blow up in their faces. That’s exactly what ONE NIGHT IN HARTSWOOD gives and I fell in LOOOOVE. I mean, Raff and Penn were just soooo good together. The angst. The pining. The stolen touches and glances. The absolute romance of it all. I am smitten. I haven’t had a book feel like this in a minute. This is a story about love, healing and self-discovery with a guaranteed HEA. Please be kind to yourself by taking the above warnings into account when deciding to read.
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