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The Serpent Prince
(Princes #3)
by
When the devil meets an angel...
Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man—a naked unconscious man—and loses her innocence forever.
He can take her to heaven...
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he’s hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her h ...more
Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man—a naked unconscious man—and loses her innocence forever.
He can take her to heaven...
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he’s hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her h ...more
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Mass Market Paperback, 362 pages
Published
September 1st 2007
by Grand Central Publishing
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Showing 1-30
What a thrilling, romantic, sexy, and emotionally compelling conclusion – albeit a bloody one – to the Prince’s Trilogy!
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is a man hell bent on avenging his brother’s murder and nothing and no one can keep him from his mission. Using whatever means he can, he hunts them down, calls them out, and then dispenses with them. The truth? Can’t say as I blame him, but the men responsible know what he’s about and they disagree with me. They’ve decided to stop waiting around to b ...more
The best of the series.
You know how you read these Historical Romances and the guy is Mr. Upstanding and would never ruin an unmarried virgin by having premarital sex with her? And then...
Well, the awesome thing in this book is that our RAKE, who supposedly has no morals and is doomed to hell for all eternity, actually proposes to our girl and doesn't have sex with her until their wedding night! It's crazy, right?
So, we have Simon and Lucy. She finds him naked in a ditch and dying of wounds afte ...more
You know how you read these Historical Romances and the guy is Mr. Upstanding and would never ruin an unmarried virgin by having premarital sex with her? And then...
Well, the awesome thing in this book is that our RAKE, who supposedly has no morals and is doomed to hell for all eternity, actually proposes to our girl and doesn't have sex with her until their wedding night! It's crazy, right?
So, we have Simon and Lucy. She finds him naked in a ditch and dying of wounds afte ...more
Am I really so shallow? Am I really lusting after this hero? Tortured, revenge-obsessed and over-sexed as he is? Yup. I am.
Firstly: don't judge me! I read this one some years ago and never reviewed it, so not only did I just read it again, I listened to it after that, with the fabulous Moira Quirk narrating. (Whew- pretty hot for a trad HR.)
There is something about the hero, Simon, that just appeals to me. He is a ridiculous mix of affectation, with his dandy's love of flamboyant architecture, ...more
Firstly: don't judge me! I read this one some years ago and never reviewed it, so not only did I just read it again, I listened to it after that, with the fabulous Moira Quirk narrating. (Whew- pretty hot for a trad HR.)
There is something about the hero, Simon, that just appeals to me. He is a ridiculous mix of affectation, with his dandy's love of flamboyant architecture, ...more
Review of The Princes Trilogy series.
I'm happy I had this series as my first read by Elizabeth Hoyt. Her writing is captivating, her stories are intriguing, and The Princes Trilogy is an outstanding romance series.
Source: Disney Fairytale Photographs by Annie Leibovitz
Inspired by Greek myth of Psyche and Eros and The Princess Golden-Hair and the Great Black Raven by Howard Pyle, The Raven Prince brings us a brave widow with controversial actions and a very lonely aristocrat with scarred face. ...more
I'm happy I had this series as my first read by Elizabeth Hoyt. Her writing is captivating, her stories are intriguing, and The Princes Trilogy is an outstanding romance series.
Source: Disney Fairytale Photographs by Annie Leibovitz
Inspired by Greek myth of Psyche and Eros and The Princess Golden-Hair and the Great Black Raven by Howard Pyle, The Raven Prince brings us a brave widow with controversial actions and a very lonely aristocrat with scarred face. ...more
Nov 12, 2009
Julianna
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Fans of Historical Romances w/Complex Characters
Reviewed for THC Reviews
The Serpent Prince was a fabulous wrap-up to an already wonderful series. It carried a lot of weight and depth that kept my mind engaged throughout. The story is a study in contrasts with a very potent mixture of light and dark, innocence and eroticism. Lucy is the lightness and sweetness to Simon's darkness and pain. Simon hasn't known anyone as virtuous and kind as Lucy since the death of his brother, and he subconsciously senses that his “angel” can bring the light of ...more
The Serpent Prince was a fabulous wrap-up to an already wonderful series. It carried a lot of weight and depth that kept my mind engaged throughout. The story is a study in contrasts with a very potent mixture of light and dark, innocence and eroticism. Lucy is the lightness and sweetness to Simon's darkness and pain. Simon hasn't known anyone as virtuous and kind as Lucy since the death of his brother, and he subconsciously senses that his “angel” can bring the light of ...more
On the 3rd or 4th read of this book, I downgraded it to 4 stars, maybe 4.25. It used to be my fav (because I always enjoy a witty cad with a bleeding heart), but I think I like the Leopard Prince the best this time around.
Still, this book is a great read, and here's what I liked about it:
For once the hero waits (I think on purpose the author makes this happen) for a proper marriage before deflowering the heroine. So many of these stories regardless of historical context have the H and h anticip ...more
Still, this book is a great read, and here's what I liked about it:
For once the hero waits (I think on purpose the author makes this happen) for a proper marriage before deflowering the heroine. So many of these stories regardless of historical context have the H and h anticip ...more
"Why do you think that you're irredeemable? All men can find grace if they repent of their sins."
"So speaketh the angel of the Lord." (...) "But what if I am a devil from hell itself and not of your world at all, angel?"
3.5 stars.
MAIDEN HILL, ENGLAND, NOVEMBER 1760
The dead man at Lucinda Craddock-Hayes's feet looked like a fallen god, and our heroine was pretty surprised to discover that the mysterious man was not dead at all. Lucy is nursing Simon Matthew Raphael Iddesleigh, sixth Viscount Idde ...more
"So speaketh the angel of the Lord." (...) "But what if I am a devil from hell itself and not of your world at all, angel?"
3.5 stars.
MAIDEN HILL, ENGLAND, NOVEMBER 1760
The dead man at Lucinda Craddock-Hayes's feet looked like a fallen god, and our heroine was pretty surprised to discover that the mysterious man was not dead at all. Lucy is nursing Simon Matthew Raphael Iddesleigh, sixth Viscount Idde ...more
Ugh. This book. The first half of The Serpent Prince is my favorite of Elizabeth Hoyt's Princes Trilogy and possibly one of the most enjoyable romance I've read this year; the second half is a mess and, most importantly, its heroine is AWOL.
Not that Lucy is actually abstent from the scene, mind you. Hoyt needs her for the steamy scenes, after all (although she could have easily replaced her with an inflatable sex doll and nobody would have noticed, least of all Simon): it's just that the smart, ...more
Not that Lucy is actually abstent from the scene, mind you. Hoyt needs her for the steamy scenes, after all (although she could have easily replaced her with an inflatable sex doll and nobody would have noticed, least of all Simon): it's just that the smart, ...more
I loved every minute of this novel. Miss Craddock-Hayes is just the sort of heroine I like; smart, compassionate, and attractive. Simon clearly adores Lucy, and always treated her as such. Maybe it was the fact that Lucy so obviously needed someone to shake up her life that made Simon so appealing. I wanted him to give Lucy what she needed.
And boy did he. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. The sensuality in this book was the most wonderful that I've ever read. This isn't the sort of romance that's heavy ...more
And boy did he. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. The sensuality in this book was the most wonderful that I've ever read. This isn't the sort of romance that's heavy ...more
"I am the duke of nonsense," he whispered in her ear. "The king of farce, emperor of emptiness."
Did he really see himself so? "But - "
"Blathering is what I do best," he said, still unseen. "I'd like to blather about your golden eyes and ruby lips."
"Simon -"
"The perfect curve of your cheek."
Blather indeed! What a fabulous character you are Simon.
WOW! What a great book and series this was. Each book just as good or better than the last. I would have loved an epilogue with this one, but I guess ...more
What a fabulous trilogy this was. I enjoyed all the books but this one is my favorite. I adored Simon.
He was a funny blathering sweet talking horticultural master that tended to his roses with such delicacy. Similarly to the way he loved his angel Lucy. ❤
Simply a wonderful story. If you haven’t read these books you are missing out. I highly recommend them so get to it!!!!!! :)
4.5 stars
Simon, what a "blatherer" indeed!
You could waffle for hours, spouting shite about all things under the sun!!
Simon, what a "blatherer" indeed!
You could waffle for hours, spouting shite about all things under the sun!!
She heard him close the door....more
“I was going to impress you with my romantic eloquence, of course. I’d thought to wax philosophical about the beauty of your brow.”
Lucy blinked. “My brow?”
“Mmm. Have I told you that your brow intimidates me?” She felt his warmth at her back as he moved behind her, but he didn’t touch her. “It’s so smooth and white and broad, and ends with your straigh
Red-heeled wearing hero with a penchant for fancy brocades and a mean swordhand, which he puts to frequent and deadly use to the detriment of the rest of his battered body. A pity that the romance between our hero viscount and his country miss takes second place to his single-minded quest to avenge his brother’s death.
At the start of the book, Lucy finds Simon sans clothing and almost sans life on a country lane, the victim of a vicious and willful attack. As he recovers over the ensuing days, ...more
At the start of the book, Lucy finds Simon sans clothing and almost sans life on a country lane, the victim of a vicious and willful attack. As he recovers over the ensuing days, ...more
This is the last book Of Miss Hoyt’s princes series. And I must say that she cleverly manipulated me to read the whole series eagerly.
So this is about Simon, a viscount who is hellbent on avenging the death of his brother and Lucy, an innocent country lass. While Lucy seems innocent, the smut in this book was really delicious. I loved the scene when Simon accidentally opened the door when Lucy was taking a bath and touching herself. The romance and connection is quick and the wedding was even q ...more
So this is about Simon, a viscount who is hellbent on avenging the death of his brother and Lucy, an innocent country lass. While Lucy seems innocent, the smut in this book was really delicious. I loved the scene when Simon accidentally opened the door when Lucy was taking a bath and touching herself. The romance and connection is quick and the wedding was even q ...more
Great hero - an acerbic wit, and bon ton fashion sense, hiding a much deeper, more tragic soul, with a confused, and confusing, sense of morals, driven by revenge.
The heroine is also more complex - not straightforward, but intelligent, used to dealing with relatively difficult men, such as her father, and yet with a very strong sense of herself, her place in the world and of what is right, although she's no model of perfection. The hero calls her an angel, but to me she's more of a goddess of d ...more
The heroine is also more complex - not straightforward, but intelligent, used to dealing with relatively difficult men, such as her father, and yet with a very strong sense of herself, her place in the world and of what is right, although she's no model of perfection. The hero calls her an angel, but to me she's more of a goddess of d ...more
Had a hard time putting this one down. While it had a stronger beginning than finish, it was just barely. I loved the two characters throughout and, even though it was extremely angst-ridden, it was romantic and hopeful as well.
Lucy meets Simon when she finds him unconscious by the side of the road. Naked. Bloody. Dead (or so she thinks). She's such a kind heart, she intends to haul him away even as a 'deader' but when she finds he's actually alive she demands her servant help her get him into t ...more
Lucy meets Simon when she finds him unconscious by the side of the road. Naked. Bloody. Dead (or so she thinks). She's such a kind heart, she intends to haul him away even as a 'deader' but when she finds he's actually alive she demands her servant help her get him into t ...more
Least favorite in the trilogy - Simon was wonderful, but their "love" came far too quickly (3.5 stars)
Definitely my least favorite of the three Prince books, which is also the most disappointing, because after the first one, The Raven Prince , I was soooo looking forward to Simon's story.
I loved Simon and I also liked Lucy, but I found their relationship hard to believe: why this instant connection that causes them within minutes to see deep within one another's souls?? For me, the foundation w ...more
Definitely my least favorite of the three Prince books, which is also the most disappointing, because after the first one, The Raven Prince , I was soooo looking forward to Simon's story.
I loved Simon and I also liked Lucy, but I found their relationship hard to believe: why this instant connection that causes them within minutes to see deep within one another's souls?? For me, the foundation w ...more
It's not very often that you get a trilogy, where each and every book is just as good as the next. The Serpent Prince to me however had a darker overtone then the other two. It was still just as good, but Simon was a dark star. The man hid behind his words, clothes, wigs and his red heeled shoes. (for some reason in this book I found that sexy.) In the other books, he was kind of overlooked as a dandy. We didn't have as much background.
But for his own book, he became a solid sexy individual. Lu ...more
But for his own book, he became a solid sexy individual. Lu ...more
This was my favorite book of the Princes Trilogy. I loved the hero, Viscount Simon Iddesleigh, who was a dandy sort of fellow, complete with lace-bedecked shirts and red high-heeled shoes! Someone wanted him dead and after being beaten to a bloody pulp he ended up being found by the heroine, Lucy Craddock-Hayes, and nursed back to health.
During the time that Simon was staying at Lucy's country home, they began to care for one another and crave things that they didn't even know they needed. Simon ...more
During the time that Simon was staying at Lucy's country home, they began to care for one another and crave things that they didn't even know they needed. Simon ...more
Lucinda Craddock-Hayes finds the naked, stabbed Viscount Simon Iddesleigh in the road and decides to take him home. Upon awakening, music fills the air, boners fly, and nipples become aroused. Will Simon ever be able to put aside his terrible Vengeance Quest in order to fulfill his Romance Quest?
1. The insta-love is THICK in this one, folks. It's kind of disconcerting because Lucy literally has like 1.5 conversations with Simon and suddenly she can't think of anything or anyone else because he h ...more
1. The insta-love is THICK in this one, folks. It's kind of disconcerting because Lucy literally has like 1.5 conversations with Simon and suddenly she can't think of anything or anyone else because he h ...more
Oct 11, 2007
Eviltwinjen
rated it
liked it
Recommends it for:
Fans of smutty Regency, especially Loretta Chase/Sabrina Jeffries
Shelves:
romance
So, so close. In her previous two books, The Raven Prince and The Leopard Prince, Elizabeth Hoyt showed enough potential to keep me looking her up, despite the fact that her plots all petered out with a whimper. She'd have great characters, great humor, good sex scenes, all the ingedients for a successful piece of Regency candy, and then she just couldn't bring it home. Suspense plots would be defanged when the "villain" turned out to mean well after all; lovers would do ridiculous things or h
...more
The dead man at Lucinda Craddock-Hayes’s feet looked like a fallen god.
This book took it's sweet time to build up. A quarter into the book not an awful lot had happened. Lucy found Simon by the side of the road, rescued him and nursed him back to health... Nice enough, but a bit too pleasant. The two main characters circled each other politely, with a little inuendo and stiffening male body parts, lunches, dinners, polite and not so polite conversations and rides into town.
Then all of a sudden t ...more
This book took it's sweet time to build up. A quarter into the book not an awful lot had happened. Lucy found Simon by the side of the road, rescued him and nursed him back to health... Nice enough, but a bit too pleasant. The two main characters circled each other politely, with a little inuendo and stiffening male body parts, lunches, dinners, polite and not so polite conversations and rides into town.
Then all of a sudden t ...more
After the awful ending of the second one, I was nervous about reading this one. But I liked it far more than I thought I would. Mostly because the two main characters aren't complete idiots who spend 80% of the book waxing poetic about how they just can't be together. Nothing ruins a story for me quite like that brand of self-indulgent bullshit. So this was refreshing and romantic, and I ended up liking Iddesleigh far more than I did in the previous two books.
I was seriously enjoying this book up until it fell apart a little for me at the 75% mark when Lucy did something that I thought was very much out of character (view spoiler). Before that part, I devoured this story and thought the portrayal of Simon's obsession with, and falling for, Lucy was wonderful, intense, and
...more
This is the final book in the Princes trilogy by Hoyt. I loved both The Raven Prince and The Leopard Prince and was expecting the same with this one. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it half as much.
This is as much a love story as a story of revenge. The hero, Simon, has inherrited the title of Viscount after the death of his brother in a duel. A duel he was forced to make by four men who stood to gain money after his death. So Simon found out who those men were and challenged them in duels in orde ...more
This is as much a love story as a story of revenge. The hero, Simon, has inherrited the title of Viscount after the death of his brother in a duel. A duel he was forced to make by four men who stood to gain money after his death. So Simon found out who those men were and challenged them in duels in orde ...more
I know I know. I am late to the wagon.
Elizabeth Hoyt's early work. I think it is more of a 3.5 star book but I like Simon and Lucy. So I went up.
I like her way of telling a story. When her characters are tolerable, I enjoy the book, which is the case of this book. I find Simon, the red-heel wearing, outrageously extravagant, madly never-taking-anything-seriously Simon, charming. He has to be one of the most comical heroes I have read about. He is not an alpha hero. But I find him interesting. ...more
Elizabeth Hoyt's early work. I think it is more of a 3.5 star book but I like Simon and Lucy. So I went up.
I like her way of telling a story. When her characters are tolerable, I enjoy the book, which is the case of this book. I find Simon, the red-heel wearing, outrageously extravagant, madly never-taking-anything-seriously Simon, charming. He has to be one of the most comical heroes I have read about. He is not an alpha hero. But I find him interesting. ...more
I surprise myself sometimes. This was one of those times. I knew Elizabeth Hoyt is an amazing author, but this blew me away. I loved Simon and Lucy and I smiled and wept as I read their story. Outstanding :)
Jan 25, 2019
*The Angry Reader*
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historicals,
2019
I set a lot of stock in this book before I even opened it. Enthralled by Iddesleigh in the earlier 2 books. His insouciance and sartorial splendor had me pretty much panting at his feet. You know I love a non-traditional hero - and that’s exactly what this series provided in spades.
So when I got Simon one on one he ended up being far better than I anticipated. I loved his humor and snark and struggle. I loved how he loved Lucy. There was plenty of action. Some sadness. A personal journey. It wa ...more
So when I got Simon one on one he ended up being far better than I anticipated. I loved his humor and snark and struggle. I loved how he loved Lucy. There was plenty of action. Some sadness. A personal journey. It wa ...more
I guess I can’t love every Elizabeth Hoyt story with the same kind of devotion I felt for the first two books in this series. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this story. It’s still a well written book, with interesting characters and an engaging romance. I just had a few issues that kept me from adding it to my favorites list.
I think the biggest issue came with the hero. Simon is a man hellbent on revenge. He is systematically killing off the group of men who conspired to kill his older brother. I ...more
I think the biggest issue came with the hero. Simon is a man hellbent on revenge. He is systematically killing off the group of men who conspired to kill his older brother. I ...more
Oct 30, 2011
Cynthia
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Historical Romance Lovers
Shelves:
historical-romance,
favorites
Ms. Hoyt saved the best for last and joined my very, very slim ranks of auto-buy authors.
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is one of the most tortured hero's I have read in quite a while. His devastated soul hides behind his frippery and foppery. He is driven on getting revenge on his enemies; no matter the cost. What a beautiful, complicated hero Ms. Hoyt has crafted with Simon. As we watch him love and take care, oh so wonderfully, Lucy and his roses. While at the same time, hunt and destroy, one by o ...more
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is one of the most tortured hero's I have read in quite a while. His devastated soul hides behind his frippery and foppery. He is driven on getting revenge on his enemies; no matter the cost. What a beautiful, complicated hero Ms. Hoyt has crafted with Simon. As we watch him love and take care, oh so wonderfully, Lucy and his roses. While at the same time, hunt and destroy, one by o ...more
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Princes
(3 books)
4 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“... You are the closest I will ever come to heaven, either here on Earth or in the afterlife, and I will not regret it, not even at the cost of your tears.
So I go to my grave an unrepentant sinner, I’m afraid. There is no use in mourning one such as I, dearest...
-Simon to Lucy in a letter before the last duel.”
—
19 likes
So I go to my grave an unrepentant sinner, I’m afraid. There is no use in mourning one such as I, dearest...
-Simon to Lucy in a letter before the last duel.”
“I’m leaving.” Her cold lips barely moved as she mouthed the words.
Horror fisted around his vitals. “No.”
For the first time she met his eyes. Hers were red-rimmed but dry. “I have to leave,Simon.”
“No.” He was a little boy denied a sweet. He felt like falling down and screaming.
“Let me go.”
“I can’t let you go.” He half laughed here in the too-bright, cold London sun before his own
house. “I’ll die if I do.”
She closed her eyes. “No, you won’t. I can’t stay and watch you tear yourself apart.”
“Lucy.”
“Let me go, Simon. Please.” She opened her eyes, and he saw infinite pain in her gaze.
Had he done this to his angel? Oh, God. He unclasped his hands.”
—
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More quotes…
Horror fisted around his vitals. “No.”
For the first time she met his eyes. Hers were red-rimmed but dry. “I have to leave,Simon.”
“No.” He was a little boy denied a sweet. He felt like falling down and screaming.
“Let me go.”
“I can’t let you go.” He half laughed here in the too-bright, cold London sun before his own
house. “I’ll die if I do.”
She closed her eyes. “No, you won’t. I can’t stay and watch you tear yourself apart.”
“Lucy.”
“Let me go, Simon. Please.” She opened her eyes, and he saw infinite pain in her gaze.
Had he done this to his angel? Oh, God. He unclasped his hands.”
