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Perhaps time and distance are the best antidotes for a vengeful heart. Nope, that’s a lie. The pig must die.

The Princess: Happily ever after? Zaina doesn’t believe in it. Now revenge on the other hand…All she has to do is: cut her hair, dress up as a boy, call herself Little John, join the traveling circus, guard her soul against the evil sorceress, battle dragons and avoid the lethal tip of the mysterious Lord Hood’s blade. It’s perfectly easy. Oh, but don’t forget the potion, the one that’s intended for the villain who ruined her. It ends up in the wrong hands, causing everyone to fall in love with her except the one she desires most.

The Outlaw: If there is one thing Lord Hood is good at, it’s sniffing out a lie. And the newest member of his troupe, the lad Little John, is lying about something. Hood just has to figure out what. In the meantime, he will continue to steal from the rich and give to the poor and evade the bounty hunters who pursue him. For one day soon he will return home to avenge the murder of his betrothed and perhaps that will ease the dark stain upon his heart.

103 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2012

45 people are currently reading
339 people want to read

About the author

D.L. Snow

15 books28 followers
DL SNOW has a passion for bringing myths to life. Whether it's stories about time travel, reincarnation, Robin Hood or any number of legends, she believes there's magic to be found in the world around us even if we only experience it through our imagination. DL lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her two dogs, two cats, two children...and one husband. To learn more about her, visit www.dlsnow.ca.

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5 stars
74 (20%)
4 stars
109 (29%)
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109 (29%)
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52 (14%)
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24 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
731 reviews16 followers
August 6, 2012
There is one drawback to reading the free kindle books and that is that sometimes they are offered for free to hook readers so that they will buy the other books in the series. This is one of those books. It does a great job of making you want to see what is going to happen next. I will inevitably read the rest of the books because of this.
Profile Image for Mimi.
610 reviews8 followers
July 31, 2021
Princess Zaina's life is destroyed after one night with a prince.
Her right to succession and her life became forfeit after that so she decides to seek vengeance.
She'll return to the castle where her life was ruined and kill the prince.
But she first needs to get there without any support, so she becomes a boy named John.

When Robin Hood meets John he knows he's lying but he can't figure out what he's lying about.
So he decides to keep him close as he tries to ferret out what's he's lying about.
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Trigger warning: Sexual Assault and Rape
I'm honestly mad at this book. When I started it, I quickly realized that this was a very basic 90s story, things weren't complicated and I could see where things would end up.
Honestly I didn't mind that it was simple, I needed to listen to something easy and I enjoyed the rhymes.

I figured there would be some smut so I didn't really think too much about the plots.

Zaina

So I listened, some things were annoying but I knew this was one of those plots.

The first time I got uncomfortable was when it was revealed that Zaina was
That reveal honestly left a bad taste in my mouth but I figured it would be properly
addressed later.
But then near the end Zaina sexually assaults Hood, so I promptly dropped this book.

Honestly the romance in this book was shitty, I didn't get why Zaina was in love with him(Hood was never kind towards her) and the feelings weren't mutual because Hood thought she was 12 year old boy.
She sexually assaults him while he's under the impression that she's a literal child.
Fuck man, I can tolerate a bad romance and a simple story but not sexual assault.

That honestly should never be presented as romantic, consent is everything in romance and I can't stand nonconsensual sexual actions.
I won't be finishing this trilogy and I'll be avoiding Snow's work in the future.
Profile Image for Anniken Haga.
Author 10 books90 followers
August 31, 2021
This was just the kind of light entertainment I needed right now. Easy writing style and not too much drama, but still an interesting story.

While I'm a little miffed at the extremes used in this book - especially of the multiple side characters - I understand why the author made it so. At least, I think so. I prefer to think it is to make a point rather than fluff the book.

I like that the MC is flawed in her "purity", but again I find myseld miffed at the extremes of society's view on women. Especially prinssesses. And that in turn makes me miffed at the MC, for if this is the world she lives in, I cannot imagine she would have been so careless.
At least she learned from her mistakes.

And I like how it's mixing fairytales! It could be messy, but it works here.

Edit: That whole ending scene that's supposed to be hot is actually rape...
That scene bumped this book down a star for me.

Trigger warning: Child abuse. Death of parent. Rape. Abusive men.
Again, I chose to think the author is making a point rather than just trying to shock.
14 reviews
August 13, 2017
Review is for the entire series.

Overall, the concept for this is very good, and the plot was intriguing. It's well-written and I was interested throughout the whole series. Many plot points needed to be more fleshed-out, however, including everything to do with Sheriff Dutton. The third book is especially vague about the details of how the other Merry Men tracked him down and brought him to Lorentia. In truth, I'm not sure who even killed him in the end -- he is not mentioned at all after his death, and there is no wrap-up. Robyn's feelings about the subject, or even his reaction to the good Sheriff's death are not mentioned.

Multiple plot lines are left unaddressed -- I can only assume that they will be addressed in other books. Niviea, the Snow White equivalent, for example. Last we left her, she had awakened and sent Much off after Zaina to protect her from Hood. Eleanor and Elwood are left untouched. Zaina's evil stepfather/uncle is conveniently sick and dying, which neatly takes him out of the picture. I can accept that the Bre/Cahill backstory is vague because there is separate book for that.

The whole Hood/Zaina romance is believable in theory, but it needed more time to grow, at least on Hood's part. That he should do a total 180 when he sees Zaina naked and proclaim his love basically a half-hour later seems implausible (yes, I know this is a fantasy story with love enchantments, but the romance elements could ring more true). I would have liked more time in between the realization that Little John is a girl, and Hood's realization that he loves her. And to decide to marry her that day? I don't buy it. Also, at the end, that he should accept the kingship so easily -- it's inconsistent with his character and dislike of nobility etc.

Overall, I would read it again, and definitely enjoyed elements of the books, but there are some major plot issues that are bothersome.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dapper.
586 reviews7 followers
August 30, 2021
This book is fucking weird. Basically there’s a woman who was raped by a wicked witches minion. She thinks it was a prince she had sex with consensually, so logically she is on a mission to kill said prince.

She goes about it by dressing up as a 12 year old boy and travels with a group lead by Hood. Hood thinks he’s sexually attracted to this 12 year old boy (probably cus he was raped by his stepdad at that age) and isn’t a huge fan of the uncomfortable feelings; mad apparent in the scene where he was going to spank “the boy” and felt aroused at the sight of “his” bare bottom.

As if this wasn’t already an awkward attempt at a forbidden romance, at the end Hood is unconscious and Little John rubs the man to arousal without his consent. Turned on, Hood wakes up blearily and and little John gives him a blowjob. When Hood gains more of his faculties, he realizes it’s the little boy who’s pleasuring and has a conniption.

There’s even more but fr. This was all around an uncomfortable read. What I did like was how many fairy tales were mashed in, from Robin Hood to Snow White and even Alice in Wonderland but this was ruined by some seriously creepy undertones
Profile Image for Gardavson.
1,137 reviews12 followers
October 19, 2022
This is a review of the trilogy as a whole

Audio book with nice narration. Good beginning and strong end but a bit dragging in the middle. It was hard to buy a princess falling so fully into the master/ servant relationship as she did. I alternately like, and was frustrated by, the heroine. I had difficulty connecting with the characters. This was a Robin Hood remake and I enjoyed that aspect of it.
Profile Image for Lisa Swanepoel.
413 reviews1 follower
September 17, 2018
Well written, fun to read, sometimes a little dramatic but overall I really enjoyed this book
Profile Image for Hazel.
711 reviews58 followers
November 15, 2018
I loved this alternate take on Robin Hood. The characters were interesting and the story had me gripped. I’m looking forward to the next instalment.

344 reviews10 followers
October 16, 2013
I got this as part of the 7-book bundle, Love in Disguise. This is the first book in a trilogy.

I should start by saying this isn't my usual forte. Yes, it's erotica, but it's not contemporary and I was hesitant about it since it didn't sound like my cup o' tea. But, I'm hooked!

Zaina is a princess (in a TOTALLY mythical land). Her father, the kind died, and her mother remarried making her stepfather the current king. We don't know a whole lot about him at this point, other than he's an ass who thinks HIS son should be the rightful heir instead of Zaina. Anyway, she was seduced by a Prince Cahill from a neighboring land. Once she was no longer a maiden, she was no longer eligible to ascend the throne. Worse, however, is that in this world, her having premarital sex is grounds for beheading. She escapes her fate by chopping off her hair and pretending to be a boy and she only has one goal in mind now - kill Prince Cahill since he ruined her.

Lord Hood (Robyn Hood) used to be a noble. He killed his stepfather, who was molesting him, and now he's being hunted by the King's men. He leads a troupe of performers who travel around and perform plays for villagers. At the same time, he steals from the rich to give the people living in poverty some food and money. (Much like the legendary Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest).

So anyway, Hood stumbles across Zaina in her boy disguise. He has some ability (that isn't really explained) to sniff out magic and lies. He gets a sense that magic is surrounding this boy, who calls himself John, and that even though he's hiding something, he needs to be protected. He takes John/Zaina into his protection but keeps him/her close so he can keep an eye on him/her to try to figure out his/her secrets.

Anyway, this story is actually quite fascinating. I'm very pleasantly surprised to find myself rapt and unwilling to put my Kindle down! I HAVE to know how this is going to play out. Will he discover Little John is really a female? Will he discern her secret mission? Will he kill her? Will he help her carry out her mission? I can't wait to continue the trilogy to find out!

There aren't a bunch (if any) typos to complain about. I really like the characters, both Zaina and Hood. The supporting characters are even alright. The story has royalty, deceit, witchcraft, dragons, sex, a band of outlaws, parallels to some classic fairy tales, and so much more! I would recommend this trilogy to anyone looking for a quick escape into a mythical/fantasy land with a strong and fearless heroine and a devastatingly handsome, troubled, roguish hero! I don't see how you could be disappointed!

I REALLY enjoyed this series, even though I'm not usually a fan of the fantasy type stuff. I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of a good story. It's erotic, yes, but there's more to the story than just sex. While the sex is great, it's almost a bi-product of the story instead of the focus, which I like. I want substance in the plot of the books I read, coupled with great leading characters and this trilogy has that!
Profile Image for TheCosyDragon.
963 reviews16 followers
October 15, 2012
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

Despoiled before her wedding night, Zaina is on a quest for revenge. It all seems pretty simple really - trace her steps homeward and kill the horrible cad. Nothing is as it seems though, and nothing will make it easy for her to achieve her goals.

This novel was very short, and ended on a cliffhanger as far as I'm concerned. Apparently this is quite common of free Amazon books, as the authors are trying to sucker you in to buy the other books.

Even the first chapter is a cliffhanger! Definetly drew me into the story - I thought it was going to be a bit like some of the other genres I love, but turned out to be something entirely different. This book naturally appealed to me because I like novels that include a strong female protagonist. The crossdressing was awesome, and in tune with the rest of the world building. Reminds me a bit of Tallow in a way actually, particularly with the later sex scene.

The perspective changed between Hood and Little John were seamless. It was an easy read, but an enjoyable one nonetheless. After all the heavy reading and reviewing I have been doing for the tour companies I am part of, it was a relief to read something simple and unassuming, yet with enoughtplot points to keep me interested.

The dragons in this are evil. Well, we think they're evil. But we don't really know. Surely Cahill is a cad? But then, it looks like it might not be. A novel filled with healthy uncertainty and things not being as they appear. I think this concept is executed really well, and the language is lovely.

I should mention that this novel does have a bit of a queer theme, and it is portrayed in a positive light. For me, that's a bonus, for others it might be detrimental (though it really shouldn't be - homosexuality is not a crime).

It's a bit of a mix of fairytale traditions really, especially when I consider the other books in the series (which I don't own, but would consider buying if on special). Hood and his sheriff, and what they do, is definetly based on the tale of Robin Hood. It's also mixed with Snow White, except it's a whole town of dwarves, not just a couple. I liked it because it's an adult rendition of all those other fairytale stories that have been going on at the moment in the YA area.

Although I was considering this book as suitable for adults and teenagers, it does contain some explicit sex scenes later in the novel that would make it only suitable for adults and mature teens.

I 'bought' this book when it was free on Amazon, but this hasn't influenced my views.
Profile Image for Eva Millien.
3,115 reviews45 followers
October 12, 2013
This review is for all 3 books in the trilogy.

This is the complete Thief of Hearts story and it is a suspense filled fantasy adventure with dragons, witches and romance.

Zania and Robyn both have been banished from their homes and while Zania seeks revenge, Robyn plots the downfall of the sheriff. Zania hides her identity and the fact that she is a woman and Robyn fights an attraction that he believes is immoral and wrong.

The author has created an intriguing world that is a combination of myths and fairytales. There is some humorous situations, miscommunication, romance, dragons, witches and deceptions that blend together seamlessly to make for a very entertaining read. The plot and dialogue flow smoothly from one scene to the next and the bewitching characters draw the reader deeper into the adventure.

I found this to be an entertaining and fun read.
Profile Image for Alyssa.
36 reviews15 followers
November 3, 2012
I stumbled upon this in Amazon as one of the recommendations list and saw it was for free. Curious, I clicked the link and began reading. Boy was I a sinker, this book was amazing it made me want to read the rest of it, to figure out what was going to happen to the smart, impulsive princess. Needless to say I ended up buying the last two just to figure out what happens in the story. However, I do not advise that young children or even some teens, there are some places in the book that are a little raunchy for young people. For mature teens and most definitely adults I would recommend this for! Such a good story!
Profile Image for Kara.
Author 27 books95 followers
December 10, 2012

WARNING: Story contains sex on just about all points of the spectrum from the very nice to the very, very wrong.

Points to the author for a creative shake up of the robin Hood mythos. I did not see Little-John-as-girl coming and throwing Snow White in there caught me completely by surprise.

D.L. Snow takes Robin Hood and the gang and throws them into a fantasy land of magic, dragons, witches, handsome princes, and evil queens, adds in some Revenge and Tragic Pasts ™ and mixes it all up into an interesting fairy tale version of the well-known story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for C. Erani Kole.
1,709 reviews51 followers
November 28, 2013
I liked this a lot! I love reading about fairytales with awesome twists in them :3 Hood and Zaina's story was fun to read and I loved the small adventure she had with the merrymen. And although she only traveled with them to get to the kingdom to kill the man who betrayed her, eventually she starts to really like these guys. And Hood! There's so much I could say about that, but I won't. Cause I'd be spoiling (saving it for my blog!)

Overall, I liked this a lot. I can't wait to read the second one. ^_^
331 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2015
An adventure with magic

Sabina is about to be given a quick death cause . . . Or will she with a new life ahead of her

Hood is leading a hard,but happy life with his troop, but things are going to change with . . .

When she joins the troop as a . . . She's treated as a . . . Then is told to do a series of tasks that irk her which leads to a . . . And promise of demise of she fails, but by who???

Will she make it a full year of this new life or last just a fortnight after . . .???

Enjoy!!
Profile Image for Pam.
98 reviews2 followers
March 19, 2015
I enjoyed this story characters, however, the book ends abruptly! Just like that!
You get into the book, right at a crucial part of the story, and BAM the book ends! WHAT??? I HATE, HATE, HATE cliffhanger endings. I feel that they are cheap ploys to get your to buy more books, and because of this, I refuse to do so. Sorry.
Profile Image for Yaz.
98 reviews6 followers
March 10, 2013
Engaging and enjoyable with parallels to Robin Hood and not at all what I expected . The book ended on a cliffhanger which made me desperate to find out what happens next, I downloaded the sample but that did nothing to satisfy me and ended up buying the next book. Touché D.L. Snow.
Profile Image for Sonia.
628 reviews
January 1, 2015
It started out great and went downhill from there. I loved the twist as "little John" being a girl, but the homosexuality and the descriptive sex scenes ruined it. I also felt it turned too "dark" for me to continue reading the series.
Profile Image for Shiela.
560 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2013
I couldn't get into this book until the middle, then the ending had me wanting more.
Profile Image for Rachel.
1,235 reviews5 followers
owned-to-read
January 1, 2014
*downloaded free on ARE
Profile Image for Shammy.
55 reviews2 followers
May 5, 2014
Not at all what I expected but a very good twist on an old tale. I would actually read it again.
Profile Image for Netta.
964 reviews14 followers
January 17, 2016
Not bad. Entertaining and exciting for another Robin Hood tale. The beginning was rushed a bit and the cliff-hanger is exceptional! Fun and intriguing.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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