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How Not to Kidnap a Prince
A nobleman in the hand is worth a prince in the bush.
Thief Raphius and his band of outlaws have the ultimate retirement plan:
• kidnap the secluded crown prince;
• demand a fat ransom;
• disappear to a faraway island.
The plan goes south, but at least Raphius finds the prince’s lover, Arlo, who willingly goes with them and even offers payment for the ride. It seems too good to be true, and it is. They soon find out that Arlo is a sorcerer with kingdom-crushing powers and a host of enemies at his heels.
But Raphius won’t let himself be dragged into Arlo’s plans. Nor into his bed, even though there’s more to Arlo than meets the eye.
As attempts to flee mix with imperialist struggles, Raphius must save his band, his neck, and his heart. But can an outlaw overcome the allure of danger—and does he even want to?
Thief Raphius and his band of outlaws have the ultimate retirement plan:
• kidnap the secluded crown prince;
• demand a fat ransom;
• disappear to a faraway island.
The plan goes south, but at least Raphius finds the prince’s lover, Arlo, who willingly goes with them and even offers payment for the ride. It seems too good to be true, and it is. They soon find out that Arlo is a sorcerer with kingdom-crushing powers and a host of enemies at his heels.
But Raphius won’t let himself be dragged into Arlo’s plans. Nor into his bed, even though there’s more to Arlo than meets the eye.
As attempts to flee mix with imperialist struggles, Raphius must save his band, his neck, and his heart. But can an outlaw overcome the allure of danger—and does he even want to?
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2021
19 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 13, 2021
3.5 Stars
I'm unsure how to rate this one, as I enjoyed the story but now I've finished it, I still don't feel like I know any of the characters that well, and my general feeling when I think if the book is just OK. Nothing great but just Ok.
I started this one twice, as the first time I got 4 chapters in and realized that I didn't really know what was happening, so started it again. The restart helped, but nearly every single character had a hidden motive so it made it hard trying to keep a track of what was what.
I liked the two main characters but didn't really feel their connection.
I liked Raphius and his goal of starting a new honest life.
Arlo I felt sorry for at times, he had spent his life caged and then the options available were also restricting in some ways, but he was told those are your options - chose. He didn't have any good choices.
The secondary characters were all entertaining but trying to work out their angles was tiring.
I'd like to know more about how they came to have Kit with them and why they were all so protective. It felt like there was a whole other story there, hinted at but never explained.
I think I'll go back at a later time and reread this and see if it works better for me.
*** ARC Provided by GRR for honest and voluntary review ***
I'm unsure how to rate this one, as I enjoyed the story but now I've finished it, I still don't feel like I know any of the characters that well, and my general feeling when I think if the book is just OK. Nothing great but just Ok.
I started this one twice, as the first time I got 4 chapters in and realized that I didn't really know what was happening, so started it again. The restart helped, but nearly every single character had a hidden motive so it made it hard trying to keep a track of what was what.
I liked the two main characters but didn't really feel their connection.
I liked Raphius and his goal of starting a new honest life.
Arlo I felt sorry for at times, he had spent his life caged and then the options available were also restricting in some ways, but he was told those are your options - chose. He didn't have any good choices.
The secondary characters were all entertaining but trying to work out their angles was tiring.
I'd like to know more about how they came to have Kit with them and why they were all so protective. It felt like there was a whole other story there, hinted at but never explained.
I think I'll go back at a later time and reread this and see if it works better for me.
*** ARC Provided by GRR for honest and voluntary review ***
August 10, 2021
As far as I know, this is kiiinda a debut for this author - at least in the MM genre. I was curious how someone who wrote before straight romances will find their way in the LGBTQ+ books. It's my first encounter with Quill, so I didn't have any specific expectations. I was interested only because of the pretty cover and the promising blurb.
I should learn by now, shouldn't I?
But... let's start from the positives.
x The author for sure had proofreading. Because I'm not a native English speaker if I find errors it's clear that the book was never looked up by a professional. And as far as I can tell, this was OK.
x The story is action-packed. There isn't even one moment when everything slows down, and I started to feel bored. There were moments when characters had to take a breath and think about their decisions, but they were short.
x Oh, and there are SO MANY plot twists. There is no way to predict what will happen in the next five chapters. If you want the book to surprise you - this should be your pick.
x There is a found-family trope, which is always nice - especially when all the characters have different ages.
x The book contains mostly dialogues, which makes it fast to read. The author has easy delivery practiced to perfection; I don't remember how was the last time that I read so many pages in so little time.
And this is it. Now I have to focus on the negatives...
First of all, I hate all the characters. Jesus C.! They are SO awful. Even if you start liking anyone, in the end, he will be a lying liar. A disgraceful person who was like that because of... SOMETHING. Maybe they were scared, or maybe they wanted power, or maybe they had different obligations. It doesn't matter, not really. We have their motives explained, usually in a dialogue between one of the MCs and someone else (who isn't THE liar at the moment), but they still don't make any sense. They can't convince me to forgive anybody because most of the characters seem the same. Is this a dialogue between Arlo and Raphius? Or maybe Raphius and Morzo? It doesn't matter. They will sputter the explanations when needed.
There is no consistency in the character's decisions. They make one choice, explain their reasons behind it, and after a couple of days, they make the EXACT OPPOSITE and EXPLAIN THE REASONS behind that one choice. Why? Because THE PLOT needs it. It doesn't matter if they are secondary characters, villains, or MCs. They all behave in the same unexplanatory way. If you start asking questions, or God forbid, try to make up reasons behind characters' judgments, you will end up angry and confused. I don't recommend doing it.
Oh yeah, our MCs...
I can't say too much about the romance between Arlo and Raphius because I'd need to dive into spoilers. Let's just say that it doesn't make any sense. They don't have anything in common their fascination is purely physical, and yet they don't do much for most of the book. They behave like two stupid kids (not even teenagers, mind you) who are weirdly good at lovemaking without knowledge or experience.
I have no idea why Raphius was so focused on having a romance with feelings before bedding. I can't tell why Arlo for about 50% of the book is behaving like Don Juan, just to reveal that he is a virgin and has no experience in love or courtship. I don't know why Morzio was so obsessed with Guild.
I don't know anything. There is a lot of talking, don't get me wrong, A LOT, but the motives change too many times to make me understand anyone.
I ended really disappointed by this book. The premise and the ideas seemed good, but the delivery wasn't good enough to make this book more than bearable for me. It was like reading a YA novel written by a teenager - and not a good one, but stereotypically bad.
Raphius, as far as I am concerned, could be a girl and it would change exactly nothing. Oh well.
I received an ARC of this book from the Gay Romance Reviews, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
I should learn by now, shouldn't I?
But... let's start from the positives.
x The author for sure had proofreading. Because I'm not a native English speaker if I find errors it's clear that the book was never looked up by a professional. And as far as I can tell, this was OK.
x The story is action-packed. There isn't even one moment when everything slows down, and I started to feel bored. There were moments when characters had to take a breath and think about their decisions, but they were short.
x Oh, and there are SO MANY plot twists. There is no way to predict what will happen in the next five chapters. If you want the book to surprise you - this should be your pick.
x There is a found-family trope, which is always nice - especially when all the characters have different ages.
x The book contains mostly dialogues, which makes it fast to read. The author has easy delivery practiced to perfection; I don't remember how was the last time that I read so many pages in so little time.
And this is it. Now I have to focus on the negatives...
First of all, I hate all the characters. Jesus C.! They are SO awful. Even if you start liking anyone, in the end, he will be a lying liar. A disgraceful person who was like that because of... SOMETHING. Maybe they were scared, or maybe they wanted power, or maybe they had different obligations. It doesn't matter, not really. We have their motives explained, usually in a dialogue between one of the MCs and someone else (who isn't THE liar at the moment), but they still don't make any sense. They can't convince me to forgive anybody because most of the characters seem the same. Is this a dialogue between Arlo and Raphius? Or maybe Raphius and Morzo? It doesn't matter. They will sputter the explanations when needed.
There is no consistency in the character's decisions. They make one choice, explain their reasons behind it, and after a couple of days, they make the EXACT OPPOSITE and EXPLAIN THE REASONS behind that one choice. Why? Because THE PLOT needs it. It doesn't matter if they are secondary characters, villains, or MCs. They all behave in the same unexplanatory way. If you start asking questions, or God forbid, try to make up reasons behind characters' judgments, you will end up angry and confused. I don't recommend doing it.
Oh yeah, our MCs...
I can't say too much about the romance between Arlo and Raphius because I'd need to dive into spoilers. Let's just say that it doesn't make any sense. They don't have anything in common their fascination is purely physical, and yet they don't do much for most of the book. They behave like two stupid kids (not even teenagers, mind you) who are weirdly good at lovemaking without knowledge or experience.
I have no idea why Raphius was so focused on having a romance with feelings before bedding. I can't tell why Arlo for about 50% of the book is behaving like Don Juan, just to reveal that he is a virgin and has no experience in love or courtship. I don't know why Morzio was so obsessed with Guild.
I don't know anything. There is a lot of talking, don't get me wrong, A LOT, but the motives change too many times to make me understand anyone.
I ended really disappointed by this book. The premise and the ideas seemed good, but the delivery wasn't good enough to make this book more than bearable for me. It was like reading a YA novel written by a teenager - and not a good one, but stereotypically bad.
Raphius, as far as I am concerned, could be a girl and it would change exactly nothing. Oh well.
I received an ARC of this book from the Gay Romance Reviews, and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
February 24, 2023
I am DNFing at 58%.
This book is all talk - mostly about whose horse is higher, endless conversations about lying and excuses for it - and no substance.
The characters are flat, with no chemistry between the two MCs. The only person I kinda feel for, and understand his reluctance to tell the truth outright, is the prince. There is no real history to the characters, just little something-something thrown together in a couple of paragraphs. No actual world building.
The adventures lack imagination. Body piles left behind after each conflict are revolting. Still, the characters are more concerned about lying than the mass murders they have committed (justified or not). The whole escape process was a weird affair, even considering later revelations about certain characters.
My brain is tired 😴 and I lost all the interest
This book is all talk - mostly about whose horse is higher, endless conversations about lying and excuses for it - and no substance.
The characters are flat, with no chemistry between the two MCs. The only person I kinda feel for, and understand his reluctance to tell the truth outright, is the prince. There is no real history to the characters, just little something-something thrown together in a couple of paragraphs. No actual world building.
The adventures lack imagination. Body piles left behind after each conflict are revolting. Still, the characters are more concerned about lying than the mass murders they have committed (justified or not). The whole escape process was a weird affair, even considering later revelations about certain characters.
My brain is tired 😴 and I lost all the interest
August 18, 2021
This book had a really interesting premise but the execution just fell a little flat for me. The story is about Raphius, a thief who along with his band, decides to kindap the elusive Prince and ransom him so they can use the money to finally get out of the game. But things go wrong from stage one and their plan doesn't work they want it too. Furthermore, Raphius starts to develop feelings for the person they've kidnapped and that just throws another wrench in their already messy plan.
First up, this book tried too hard. Their were a lot of surprising twists and turns, and some of those were executed pretty well. But they weren't given enough time to really settle before another element was introduced. It just felt like the story was constantly bouncing from one place to the other with no proper footing.
The characters were all pretty interesting, but because there was so much happening with so many new elements, we weren't able to truly connect with the characters. Their stories just felt unfinished and I would have preferred it if the author cut down on some of the plot points and spent more time fleshing out the characters.
The main romance was pretty cute, but felt a little weird at times. Raph was supposed to be the experienced one with Arlo being inexperienced. But their roles and actions were constantly contradicting what we were being told and so it made their relationship development feel messy and a little all over the place.
I liked the setting and the magic system. The world was an interesting one with and with a little refinement of the plot, this could have been a great story. But because of it's constant jumping around, it just left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated.
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.*
First up, this book tried too hard. Their were a lot of surprising twists and turns, and some of those were executed pretty well. But they weren't given enough time to really settle before another element was introduced. It just felt like the story was constantly bouncing from one place to the other with no proper footing.
The characters were all pretty interesting, but because there was so much happening with so many new elements, we weren't able to truly connect with the characters. Their stories just felt unfinished and I would have preferred it if the author cut down on some of the plot points and spent more time fleshing out the characters.
The main romance was pretty cute, but felt a little weird at times. Raph was supposed to be the experienced one with Arlo being inexperienced. But their roles and actions were constantly contradicting what we were being told and so it made their relationship development feel messy and a little all over the place.
I liked the setting and the magic system. The world was an interesting one with and with a little refinement of the plot, this could have been a great story. But because of it's constant jumping around, it just left me feeling unsatisfied and frustrated.
*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.*
August 18, 2021
A bit of a "Ransom of Red Chief" vibe here if you're an O. Henry fan. Raphius' and his gang's plan to kidnap the prince goes sorely awry when they instead grab the prince's lover, Arlo, who has his own plans and powers. One of those powers is his effect on Raphius' heart. This one has an interesting world and characters that are never quite what they seem. Enjoyed it a lot.
August 18, 2021
This was a fast paced, fun, imaginative read! There was plenty of humor and hijinks to keep you entertained but there was a lot going on at times. I felt like the romance between the main characters flowed nicely.
September 28, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3 stars
This is, I believe, the author’s debut book and it shows. Reading any book requires a suspension of disbelief. This one, though, even more than others as Raphius finds a strange and noble man in the prince’s room — a prince whose face no one has seen — and buys his story about being some random paramour rather than the prince himself. And then, when the truth is out, Raphius, the kidnapper, is upset that his victim, the man he was sent to and did inadvertently kidnap, lied to him about who he was in order to not be kidnapped. And then, of course, he falls in love with the man he and his gang are keeping tied up and gagged because he’s hot. It’s so mechanical, dry, and lifeless and just felt out of place to me.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
3 stars
This is, I believe, the author’s debut book and it shows. Reading any book requires a suspension of disbelief. This one, though, even more than others as Raphius finds a strange and noble man in the prince’s room — a prince whose face no one has seen — and buys his story about being some random paramour rather than the prince himself. And then, when the truth is out, Raphius, the kidnapper, is upset that his victim, the man he was sent to and did inadvertently kidnap, lied to him about who he was in order to not be kidnapped. And then, of course, he falls in love with the man he and his gang are keeping tied up and gagged because he’s hot. It’s so mechanical, dry, and lifeless and just felt out of place to me.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
August 16, 2021
I actually was a huge fan of all the twists and turns with this one. I always enjoy when all characters are hiding something and you never know their true motives. It kept me completely engrossed and always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I only really guessed the first big reveal and after that it was a roller coaster and a fun ride.
However, I never really felt connected to the characters. I don’t think this was because of the secrets and lies because I’ve read other books that have done this without me feeling like I know nobody. I think it was just surface level characterization, which ultimately also left the romance lacking as well. If this became a series I would definitely continue on as it has a strong foundation and I think there’s a lot the author could do with it
However, I never really felt connected to the characters. I don’t think this was because of the secrets and lies because I’ve read other books that have done this without me feeling like I know nobody. I think it was just surface level characterization, which ultimately also left the romance lacking as well. If this became a series I would definitely continue on as it has a strong foundation and I think there’s a lot the author could do with it
August 17, 2021
Mistaken identity
This was a really cute story full of danger, plenty of plot twists and humorous times.
Of course, there's also the secrets everyone seems to hiding as well.
I really enjoyed the sense of found family aspect
and Raphius and Arlo had an amazing connection and chemistry.
This was a really cute story full of danger, plenty of plot twists and humorous times.
Of course, there's also the secrets everyone seems to hiding as well.
I really enjoyed the sense of found family aspect
and Raphius and Arlo had an amazing connection and chemistry.
August 15, 2021
I received this ARC from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the first 30-40% of this book. The set-up sucked me right in, I really liked the world-building, and I knew this book would have some of my favorite tropes. I was ready for this book to take me on a wild ride, and it delivered! I was surprised when I got to around the 18% mark and the plot had already reached the point that I thought would be closer to the end of the book. I actually didn't mind it so much because it meant the book was going to unpredictable... and in some ways it was, in other ways, not-so-much. I think being able to guess some twists and not others is generally a sign of good writing, so I appreciated that. I think it was the sheer *amount* of twist and turns that ended up just making me tired after the 50% mark. This felt like a story that should have maybe been broken up into several novels because so much was happening and I didn't feel like I had a chance to breathe before the next big secret was revealed, or suddenly there would be a time skip that only seemed to be there so we could get to the next plot point.
I liked the main characters and some of the side-characters, but didn't really love them as much as I wanted to. I was pretty attached to Raphius at the beginning and was excited for some good found family, but I didn't feel a lot of connection between the found family, with the exception of everyone's protection of Kit - I felt that we were just told that they were a family and didn't see a lot of evidence of their emotions towards each other.
I didn't love or hate this book. There were a lot of elements I liked, and I think this author is creative and talented. I just think there was too much going on, too quickly, for me to truly connect with the characters.
I really enjoyed the first 30-40% of this book. The set-up sucked me right in, I really liked the world-building, and I knew this book would have some of my favorite tropes. I was ready for this book to take me on a wild ride, and it delivered! I was surprised when I got to around the 18% mark and the plot had already reached the point that I thought would be closer to the end of the book. I actually didn't mind it so much because it meant the book was going to unpredictable... and in some ways it was, in other ways, not-so-much. I think being able to guess some twists and not others is generally a sign of good writing, so I appreciated that. I think it was the sheer *amount* of twist and turns that ended up just making me tired after the 50% mark. This felt like a story that should have maybe been broken up into several novels because so much was happening and I didn't feel like I had a chance to breathe before the next big secret was revealed, or suddenly there would be a time skip that only seemed to be there so we could get to the next plot point.
I liked the main characters and some of the side-characters, but didn't really love them as much as I wanted to. I was pretty attached to Raphius at the beginning and was excited for some good found family, but I didn't feel a lot of connection between the found family, with the exception of everyone's protection of Kit - I felt that we were just told that they were a family and didn't see a lot of evidence of their emotions towards each other.
I didn't love or hate this book. There were a lot of elements I liked, and I think this author is creative and talented. I just think there was too much going on, too quickly, for me to truly connect with the characters.
August 10, 2021
I thought How Not to Kidnap a Prince would be a win for me from start to finish but it went downhill somewhere around the first quarter in the story. It felt like there was nothing truthful for the readers to grasp on, no solid base to rebound on after all the lies spewed on by all the characters. It’s a string of empty words: no one is trustful, everyone turns their cloak within two seconds, reneges on their previous positions and breaks their word. Every decision is made within a grey area of morals (they are thieves so no surprise here, but each of them had a different code of honour even though they functioned as a “family” or at least an organised group for years) and every (unforeseen) consequence that hurt people was soon forgiven even if they sometimes resulted in deaths. Yeah, a life in this world isn’t worth a lot.
The characters behaved so childishly at times, they were fickle and made rash decisions and reckless plans that impacted a lot of people, and some of them were royalties. No one in a position of leadership acted like a sensible leader. There’s no guilt shown except for a few tears, lives are lost (and I’m not talking about 1 or 2) because of the characters’ actions but chop chop, life goes on and no one has time for regrets.
And I don’t get how the MCs got attached to one another because they spent their time not talking to each other or miscommunicating. IMO the curiosity and attraction they felt for each other during their first encounter is not enough to build a love on (yes, “I love you”s were professed).
It’s a disappointing miss for me because it had much more potential.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
The characters behaved so childishly at times, they were fickle and made rash decisions and reckless plans that impacted a lot of people, and some of them were royalties. No one in a position of leadership acted like a sensible leader. There’s no guilt shown except for a few tears, lives are lost (and I’m not talking about 1 or 2) because of the characters’ actions but chop chop, life goes on and no one has time for regrets.
And I don’t get how the MCs got attached to one another because they spent their time not talking to each other or miscommunicating. IMO the curiosity and attraction they felt for each other during their first encounter is not enough to build a love on (yes, “I love you”s were professed).
It’s a disappointing miss for me because it had much more potential.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
August 31, 2021
It was alright.
I must admit I didn't see the twist coming. Actually, I didn't see a couple of them coming, which is generally a good thing. However, it was very over-packed with plots, side plots, revelations and whatnot. It had a lot of action going on with a lot of twists which felt a bit odd. The many, many political machination and secret plots were a bit too much. There was also insta-love, which was also odd. I am a fan of insta-love, but I didn't feel the connection between main characters. I couldn't tell when they are joking and when being serious, when they are manipulating each other and when being sincere. It was..odd. It was also a lot less funny than I expected, because of the aforementioned reasons. I just couldn't tell what was supposed to be a joke and what is the "real feelings" part. Overall, it is a nice debut. It wasn't a bad book, it was quite enjoyable, but it could have used less action and more feelings, or at least more character depth which would allow to see those feelings in actions or inner monologues or..something. It is fast and entertaining enough, but it lacked depth. Or on the contrary, if it was supposed to be a light, funny read, it lacked more lightness and humor. It was a bit odd and awkward, but it was alright.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
I must admit I didn't see the twist coming. Actually, I didn't see a couple of them coming, which is generally a good thing. However, it was very over-packed with plots, side plots, revelations and whatnot. It had a lot of action going on with a lot of twists which felt a bit odd. The many, many political machination and secret plots were a bit too much. There was also insta-love, which was also odd. I am a fan of insta-love, but I didn't feel the connection between main characters. I couldn't tell when they are joking and when being serious, when they are manipulating each other and when being sincere. It was..odd. It was also a lot less funny than I expected, because of the aforementioned reasons. I just couldn't tell what was supposed to be a joke and what is the "real feelings" part. Overall, it is a nice debut. It wasn't a bad book, it was quite enjoyable, but it could have used less action and more feelings, or at least more character depth which would allow to see those feelings in actions or inner monologues or..something. It is fast and entertaining enough, but it lacked depth. Or on the contrary, if it was supposed to be a light, funny read, it lacked more lightness and humor. It was a bit odd and awkward, but it was alright.
**I was provided an ARC of this book from the GRR for an honest review**
August 18, 2021
This book had such a fun premise, and I thought it would be kind of swash-buckling based on that. While it wasn't a bad read by any stretch, it fell short of amazing. Still, there's a decent amount to like here.
First, it's a quick read both in terms of how much dialogue there is and the writing style. It comes across as YA-ish and I kept on feeling that, if not for the bedroom scenes (although there's wiggle room there in what people think is appropriate within the YA genre regarding that). The two main characters are in their early adulthood, but some of the way they interact with the world comes across as younger.
Raphius is a thief, and his band has decided to kidnap the reclusive prince. He ends up helping Arlo escape from the castle instead. Arlo isn't all he seems, and in fact, pretty much no one is. There are a lot of twists/revelations of lies. Some of them are expected, some of them are not, but there may have been too much of this, because they are dealt with pretty quickly in the plot.
Raphius and Arlo have a quick physical and romantic connection, and while it's sweet, playful and caring, it isn't earned all the way. But the surface level connection isn't terrible, it's just not some big deep love story between them. The fantasy setting is good too, not entirely too complex, but it gets the job done for the story's needs. (I did find myself imagining how it could be tweaked to up the stakes to create more tension, though). Raphius' found family is nice, especially how much they all love young Kit.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
First, it's a quick read both in terms of how much dialogue there is and the writing style. It comes across as YA-ish and I kept on feeling that, if not for the bedroom scenes (although there's wiggle room there in what people think is appropriate within the YA genre regarding that). The two main characters are in their early adulthood, but some of the way they interact with the world comes across as younger.
Raphius is a thief, and his band has decided to kidnap the reclusive prince. He ends up helping Arlo escape from the castle instead. Arlo isn't all he seems, and in fact, pretty much no one is. There are a lot of twists/revelations of lies. Some of them are expected, some of them are not, but there may have been too much of this, because they are dealt with pretty quickly in the plot.
Raphius and Arlo have a quick physical and romantic connection, and while it's sweet, playful and caring, it isn't earned all the way. But the surface level connection isn't terrible, it's just not some big deep love story between them. The fantasy setting is good too, not entirely too complex, but it gets the job done for the story's needs. (I did find myself imagining how it could be tweaked to up the stakes to create more tension, though). Raphius' found family is nice, especially how much they all love young Kit.
| I received an ARC, and this is my honest, freely given review. |
August 10, 2021
3.74-4 stars for this.
Another new author for me, and I was in the mood for some fantasy, with a new author fantasy can be hit or miss. This was mostly a hit. I liked the world building with the two kingdoms and the guild of sorcerors. I mostly liked the characters too, although I had a little trouble visualising them other than Arlo, maybe that was just me though. I also thought some could do with a little more back story, we knew some about Morzo and Aurien but I wanted to know more about Raphius and Elonse, and Kit too (how old is he exactly?), but particularly Raphius as he was our protagonist.
I liked the story too, lots of twists and turns and while none were really super surprising, they were nice twists in the tale that kept the story driving forward. The story itself moves along at a decent pace, there was always something round the corner driving the story forward.
I did feel the romance between Arlo and Raphius was kind of rushed a little, they hardly had any time together before they were in love. It's not quite my pet hate insta-love, but a little more time to develop would have been nice. The chemistry was there between them though, I just got a little whiplash from how fast they'd change their minds about each other.
All in all I really enjoyed it, and if there were to be more stories set in this world then I wouldn't be averse to going back into the world and spending more time there with this set of characters, or even new ones.
I received an ARC of this from GRR and this is my honest review.
Another new author for me, and I was in the mood for some fantasy, with a new author fantasy can be hit or miss. This was mostly a hit. I liked the world building with the two kingdoms and the guild of sorcerors. I mostly liked the characters too, although I had a little trouble visualising them other than Arlo, maybe that was just me though. I also thought some could do with a little more back story, we knew some about Morzo and Aurien but I wanted to know more about Raphius and Elonse, and Kit too (how old is he exactly?), but particularly Raphius as he was our protagonist.
I liked the story too, lots of twists and turns and while none were really super surprising, they were nice twists in the tale that kept the story driving forward. The story itself moves along at a decent pace, there was always something round the corner driving the story forward.
I did feel the romance between Arlo and Raphius was kind of rushed a little, they hardly had any time together before they were in love. It's not quite my pet hate insta-love, but a little more time to develop would have been nice. The chemistry was there between them though, I just got a little whiplash from how fast they'd change their minds about each other.
All in all I really enjoyed it, and if there were to be more stories set in this world then I wouldn't be averse to going back into the world and spending more time there with this set of characters, or even new ones.
I received an ARC of this from GRR and this is my honest review.
August 13, 2021
The title drew me into this story and the premise was absolutely everything I wanted: a band of (semi competent?) thieves sorta accidentally on purpose kidnap someone who may or may not be the prince. There’s intrigue (as you’d expect) and plenty of surprises, plus the romance between Arlo and Raphius, which does an admirable job of flourishing under less than desirable circumstances. While I liked the theory of this book a lot, the reality of it was sometimes a bit dizzying: the complete and utter lack of any basically decent, let alone good, faction for our heroes to end up with was a bit of a downer. Realistic, I guess, but don’t expect the politics here to be anything but murky, and *everyone’s* body count is high-- pretty much anyone who isn’t a protagonist or the head of a country or faction is more than likely to be killed. The end is, in my opinion, implicated in that moral ambiguity-- it’s relative safety and the promise of a steady future, and continued romance, but it involves some of the very people who exploited and hurt them in the first place, which I found...not great. It felt a bit like our heroes got written into a corner: with no good options, they got the “squint and it doesn’t look too bad, at least we’re alive and together” version of a happily ever after, and I wanted more for them. Still, overall, I found this to be an enjoyable and imaginative read.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 6, 2021
ARC received from GRR for an honest review.
Raphius, Elonse, Morzo and Kit are a gang of thieves. They have come up with the plan to kidnap the Prince of Aurusia. The problem is no one can say for sure what he looks like as he's been a recluse for years. When Raphius gets into what he believes is the Prince's room he comes across Arlo the Prince's lover. Arlo gives him an alternative to his sounding the alarm. Help him escape and he'll give them gold in return. When they are on their way to the town of Elandaria they are surrounded by men in pursuit of getting Arlo back. Morzo uses his sorcery powers to get them away and in the process they realize that they have a greater prize than they realized. Through a tough journey they realize that not only Arlo is lying to the group.
I really liked the story. It had good chemistry between the characters. You find out that everyone is hiding something. There is a short story at the end of this story that explains how the gang got together (except how they got Kit isn't mentioned). I'd be interested in reading a sequel if it is written.
Raphius, Elonse, Morzo and Kit are a gang of thieves. They have come up with the plan to kidnap the Prince of Aurusia. The problem is no one can say for sure what he looks like as he's been a recluse for years. When Raphius gets into what he believes is the Prince's room he comes across Arlo the Prince's lover. Arlo gives him an alternative to his sounding the alarm. Help him escape and he'll give them gold in return. When they are on their way to the town of Elandaria they are surrounded by men in pursuit of getting Arlo back. Morzo uses his sorcery powers to get them away and in the process they realize that they have a greater prize than they realized. Through a tough journey they realize that not only Arlo is lying to the group.
I really liked the story. It had good chemistry between the characters. You find out that everyone is hiding something. There is a short story at the end of this story that explains how the gang got together (except how they got Kit isn't mentioned). I'd be interested in reading a sequel if it is written.
August 14, 2021
Raphius and his band of thieves have devised a plan to ensure a healthy retirement - kidnap the prince and live off the ransom. The plan is executed well until it is time to actually kidnap the prince. They wind up with the prince’s lover instead who goes willingly with them and even offers to pay. Arlo turns out to be so much more than just a kidnapped partner. He is a sorcerer with very strong powers and many people are after him for a variety of reasons. Raphius finds himself trying to save his band and perhaps his heart when Arlo becomes more than just a retirement plan.
This turned out to be quite the intriguing story. There were so many twists and turns. Nothing was as it appeared to be. Everyone seemed to have secrets. All those secrets unfolded gradually and you kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. The action was non stop and the relationship between Raphius and Arlo developed organically. There is a touch of humor which made the reading enjoyable. With all the amusing twists and turns, this book is sure to please.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This turned out to be quite the intriguing story. There were so many twists and turns. Nothing was as it appeared to be. Everyone seemed to have secrets. All those secrets unfolded gradually and you kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. The action was non stop and the relationship between Raphius and Arlo developed organically. There is a touch of humor which made the reading enjoyable. With all the amusing twists and turns, this book is sure to please.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2021
So I was super excited to read this book. The cover and blurb made it sound like something that would be right up my alley. This author is also new to me which also was really exciting I love finding new MM authors. I did enjoy the overall plot. Raphius who is one of the MCs is a thief who concocts a plan to kidnap the prince for ransom, but instead, they kidnap the prince's lover. He and his group of thieves or “family” are supposedly competent and know what they are doing. The entire group was interesting. This starts a chain of events because Arlo is a mysterious figure that is keeping a lot of secrets including that he is a mage (a very powerful one). This means that there are lots of people that are after him. The characters were not very well-rounded. I wish we got more about the mains and the secondary characters. I felt that we did not get to know them very well. There were a lot of people introduced and we did not really seem to get more than a 2D image of them. I will say I would still recommend this book for anyone that wants a MM action/adventure fantasy romance. I received an ARC of this from GRR and this is my honest review.
August 17, 2021
Arlo and Raphius intrigued me from their very first hilariously awkward meeting-turned-kidnapping. I wasn't a huge fan of this author's writing style, but my curiosity about these men kept me engaged all the way to the end. With several shocking reveals that left me second-guessing everyone's intentions and the nonstop momentum of an escape for their lives, Raphius and his band took me on quite the wild ride. Every time I thought I had a handle on Arlo's intentions, he surprised me with an unexpected truth that threw everything into disarray. It was thrilling to follow along on the journey, and I found myself more charmed by Raphius and Arlo's affections than I thought I would be. Between the scheming of the Queen and the undetermined motives of the Guild, Raphius and Arlo faced some challenging barriers to being together. I honestly wasn't sure there was a future for them for a long time, but somehow in the end they found a compromise to keep their loved ones safe.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
August 15, 2021
Raphius had only one job to do. Even if it was kidnapping the prince, and would not be easy, it was his job… and he did it wrong. Or did he?
This is a funny tale about a gang of petty thieves who decide to go big and kidnap the prince of the kingdom they live in, only to ramson him back. But their perfectly laid plan does not work as supposed, and they find themselves flying for their lives with a willing captive who soon turns the table on them… As the story progresses, it turns and twists with plenty of secrets uncovered and nobody seems to be who he was supposed to… Sometimes the plot gets too messy, and things don’t seem clear. Sometimes it drags a bit, but all in all is a very enjoyable story. The characters are likeable, it has action and humour, and a sweet romance. It has lots of potential, although I have the impression it needs a bit of working on it.
Very entertaining.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
This is a funny tale about a gang of petty thieves who decide to go big and kidnap the prince of the kingdom they live in, only to ramson him back. But their perfectly laid plan does not work as supposed, and they find themselves flying for their lives with a willing captive who soon turns the table on them… As the story progresses, it turns and twists with plenty of secrets uncovered and nobody seems to be who he was supposed to… Sometimes the plot gets too messy, and things don’t seem clear. Sometimes it drags a bit, but all in all is a very enjoyable story. The characters are likeable, it has action and humour, and a sweet romance. It has lots of potential, although I have the impression it needs a bit of working on it.
Very entertaining.
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
August 16, 2021
The title is on the money. Raphius and his fellow thieves set out to kidnap the crown prince in hopes that they will be able to nab a substantial ransom that will allow them to retire and live well. They devise a plan that seems like it will work until it doesn't. Instead they wind up with the prince's lover, Arlo. Arlo goes with them and as they move along they realize that Arlo is more than just the prince's lover, he is a powerful sorcerer who goes along to get away from people who are trying to get him. And so their adventure begins. Raphius and his band find that they have gotten themselves into more than they thought they were bargaining for, trying to get away from the folks in pursuit of Arlo, to figure out the extent of Arlo's secret and to figure out who may or may not be sources of danger as their journey continues. This was an exciting magical journey with just the right amount of intrigue, comradery and romance.
I received an ARC from GRR for an honest review.
I received an ARC from GRR for an honest review.
August 17, 2021
This was a pretty fast paced fantasy adventure that was great for some light reading. Raphius and this band of thieves planned on kidnapping the prince and despite that already being a monumental task that they've planned for, nothing goes according to plan, least of all the kidnapped "prince". But it's never very exciting when plans work out correctly anyway right?
The romance is between Raphius and the "prince" but was definitely lighter in nature, both in the bedroom and out. Unfortunately, I found I never particularly liked anyone other than poor Raphius that gets lied to and abandoned too many times in his life. I was glad that he got a version of HEA even if it was perhaps not the most classical one.
I would recommend this to readers of MM fantasy that want some sorcery but don't mind carnage. Because there is a lot of death and most of it is senseless.
The romance is between Raphius and the "prince" but was definitely lighter in nature, both in the bedroom and out. Unfortunately, I found I never particularly liked anyone other than poor Raphius that gets lied to and abandoned too many times in his life. I was glad that he got a version of HEA even if it was perhaps not the most classical one.
I would recommend this to readers of MM fantasy that want some sorcery but don't mind carnage. Because there is a lot of death and most of it is senseless.
August 17, 2021
How NOT to Kidnap a Prince was entertaining. I enjoyed the read, but did guess well enough where it was going. I did have a hard time connecting with the characters and I didn’t feel they really connected well with each other because their relationship felt forced. They were often were mentally thinking or speaking pretty poorly about the other one only to make a relationship commitment shortly after without anything supporting why. I am giving this three stars because it was a good read, but everything just needed to be a bit more. I needed more worldbuilding and I needed to know more about the kingdoms and how they worked. I wanted to really love Raph and Arlo, but I just didn’t. I was entertained and don’t regret the read, but it won’t be one I reread often.
August 17, 2021
OK, this one is hard to rate.
On one hand it has a powerful story with a lot of twist and turns.
On the other hand I has real troubles connecting to the characters.
There was so much going on that we don't get any time to get to know them
Obviously there is a found family troupe but we never get to know their background.
Due to the many twists it may have been better to divide it in more books, so that there is page time for a bit of a slow down in-between.
Maybe even more POVs .... but I am not sure about that.
Nevertheless, I think this has the potential for a series. Which would be fun and I would definitely Read the next book.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
On one hand it has a powerful story with a lot of twist and turns.
On the other hand I has real troubles connecting to the characters.
There was so much going on that we don't get any time to get to know them
Obviously there is a found family troupe but we never get to know their background.
Due to the many twists it may have been better to divide it in more books, so that there is page time for a bit of a slow down in-between.
Maybe even more POVs .... but I am not sure about that.
Nevertheless, I think this has the potential for a series. Which would be fun and I would definitely Read the next book.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
August 11, 2021
Enjoyed this fast reading well written YA romance by SM Quill a new author for me, my first but definitely not my last. Ralphius and his gang of thieves decide to kidnap the prince although he has been a recluse they figure it should be easy to snatch him during the celebration, but things don't always go as planned and they end up with the prince's lover instead who offers them a reward for their service. Now they are on a mission to deliver him to another town, not realizing how difficult it was going to be, the queen wants him back, they want to be done and life is suddenly way more complicated then this small bunch of thieves ever expected it to be.
August 14, 2021
I enjoyed this entertaining, action-packed story. A simple plan to kidnap a prince, collect the ransom, and head home becomes so much more complex when...they kidnap the wrong person...who turns out to be highly wanted...then kidnapper and kidnapped start to fall in live...and everybody is lying. This story had more twists than a rollercoaster (and moved as fast) and more dead ends and wrong turns than a box-wood maze. It was thoroughly entertaining, although the ending might be a little more HFN than HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 15, 2021
Fun mm magic read
The only problem that I have with this book is that it’s not as funny as I thought it would be. Other than that this book exceeded my expectations. Terrific world building, great story, interesting characters and all wrapped up with marvelous writing. The basic story of a band of miscreants who set out to kidnap a reclusive prince and end up in way more trouble than they thought they would be is just the beginning of the adventures that they all end up on. There are mysteries and miss directions galore and the way everything ends up is definitely not something that you could imagine at the beginning. This is a terrific adventure with magic tale.
The only problem that I have with this book is that it’s not as funny as I thought it would be. Other than that this book exceeded my expectations. Terrific world building, great story, interesting characters and all wrapped up with marvelous writing. The basic story of a band of miscreants who set out to kidnap a reclusive prince and end up in way more trouble than they thought they would be is just the beginning of the adventures that they all end up on. There are mysteries and miss directions galore and the way everything ends up is definitely not something that you could imagine at the beginning. This is a terrific adventure with magic tale.
August 18, 2021
Hmm not sure what to write when it comes to reviewing this book, it reads as more of a YA novel, I was given a copy from GGR for an honest review.
It was slightly confusing, no character was who they said they were, all had ulterior motives, which made trying to keep all the threads straight in my head, just tiring, even if the characters are very entertaining. I found Raphius to be likeable and Arlo I felt sorry for, he had no good choices, but the chemistry between them for me was not there.
Although I liked the found family aspect of this book, there were a few plot holes/things not explained, which stopped me from fully enjoying the book.
It was slightly confusing, no character was who they said they were, all had ulterior motives, which made trying to keep all the threads straight in my head, just tiring, even if the characters are very entertaining. I found Raphius to be likeable and Arlo I felt sorry for, he had no good choices, but the chemistry between them for me was not there.
Although I liked the found family aspect of this book, there were a few plot holes/things not explained, which stopped me from fully enjoying the book.
August 23, 2021
I absolutely LOVED IT!!!! It was so sweet and adorable with just the right amount of angst, drama, action and romance to tie it all together. Throughout the entire book it was touch and go, you did not know if Arlo and Raph would end up together. It will keep you on the edge of your seat. I could not stop reading. I loved everything, the characters, the plot and relationship development, the twists, everything. Although it did not have vary heavy sexy scenes, it was still very romantic and sweet. I could also feel every single emotion along with all the characters. I am so happy they got their HEA and I can not wait to see what happens next. S. M. Quill well done on an amazing book.
August 14, 2021
Clever Comedy of Errors . . .
Raphius, Elonse, Morzo and Kit are a gang of thieves who come up with a grand plan to make a ton of money and run away to obscurity. They decide to kidnap the Prince of Aurusia, except no one knows what he looks like now. So Raphius takes a guess and finds Arlo, the Prince's lover, who is desperate to escape. He offered to pay them to get him away from here. It seems that everyone in the story is hiding something. Will Raphius and Arlo end up in a relationship? Or will Arlo be captured and returned to Aurusia?
Raphius, Elonse, Morzo and Kit are a gang of thieves who come up with a grand plan to make a ton of money and run away to obscurity. They decide to kidnap the Prince of Aurusia, except no one knows what he looks like now. So Raphius takes a guess and finds Arlo, the Prince's lover, who is desperate to escape. He offered to pay them to get him away from here. It seems that everyone in the story is hiding something. Will Raphius and Arlo end up in a relationship? Or will Arlo be captured and returned to Aurusia?
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