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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
This book was so fun! I loved the different approach to a Robin Hood retelling. I really enjoyed the writing style. The MMC's inner dialogue killed me. I laughed so much. The character arcs were wonderful and the found family aspects were endearing.
Check this out if you like Robin Hood retellings and Celeste Baxendell's other works.
Thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Check this out if you like Robin Hood retellings and Celeste Baxendell's other works.
Thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this is in the same world as Celeste’s Bewitching Fairytales series, but in a totally different timeframe from those stories (you don’t need to read them to enjoy this story)
– this is told from Prince John & Robin’s points of view
– there is a little bit of fantasy violence and one mention of blood (fairly minor finger injury)
Review:
Why didn’t I pick this book up sooner???? I couldn’t put it down after picking it up until it was completed! I love Celeste’s stories and from the beginning I knew that this would easily be one of my favorites. I loved the banter between our dueling rivals who were constantly trying to get one step ahead of the other. I loved that this Prince John had the Prince John characteristics I expected, but also was truly another person entirely. I loved seeing him fall first and hard for Robin. I loved that he knew that Robin likely wouldn’t take kindly to his true affections and tried hiding it, but inevitably failed. I loved seeing inside both of their heads throughout this entire story and getting to know their personalities. I loved Robin’s determination to do right by the people and give back to them in any way she could. She brought new ideas to a table thought to be overrun with no possibilities and brought hope to those surrounding her.
Summary:
Prince John needs to settle the people and avoid the front lines of the war his brother left to fight in. When the one who is ruining the carefully orchestrated plans John set in place to make things work while his brother is away is discovered to be a woman instead of a man, he finds himself creating the best fix ever: marry the outlaw and raise her to princess. Not only will marrying the infamous Robin Hood keep her off the streets and out of trouble, but it should also give the people hope that she’ll fix things from within the monarchy for them. The one thing Prince John didn’t expect when he concocted this plan was that he’d have to fight his growing desire to be around his new wife…
Robin is placed in an impossible position when presented the offer to marry the wicked Prince John who is stealing from the people. But that’s not about to stop Robin from following through with her vow to stop his tyranny. Though her battlefield has changed it will not deter her from her mission. If only Robin could hold onto her opinion of Prince John as she learns things that the people don’t gossip about in the towns she had once frequented…
– this is part of a series but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this is in the same world as Celeste’s Bewitching Fairytales series, but in a totally different timeframe from those stories (you don’t need to read them to enjoy this story)
– this is told from Prince John & Robin’s points of view
– there is a little bit of fantasy violence and one mention of blood (fairly minor finger injury)
Review:
Why didn’t I pick this book up sooner???? I couldn’t put it down after picking it up until it was completed! I love Celeste’s stories and from the beginning I knew that this would easily be one of my favorites. I loved the banter between our dueling rivals who were constantly trying to get one step ahead of the other. I loved that this Prince John had the Prince John characteristics I expected, but also was truly another person entirely. I loved seeing him fall first and hard for Robin. I loved that he knew that Robin likely wouldn’t take kindly to his true affections and tried hiding it, but inevitably failed. I loved seeing inside both of their heads throughout this entire story and getting to know their personalities. I loved Robin’s determination to do right by the people and give back to them in any way she could. She brought new ideas to a table thought to be overrun with no possibilities and brought hope to those surrounding her.
Summary:
Prince John needs to settle the people and avoid the front lines of the war his brother left to fight in. When the one who is ruining the carefully orchestrated plans John set in place to make things work while his brother is away is discovered to be a woman instead of a man, he finds himself creating the best fix ever: marry the outlaw and raise her to princess. Not only will marrying the infamous Robin Hood keep her off the streets and out of trouble, but it should also give the people hope that she’ll fix things from within the monarchy for them. The one thing Prince John didn’t expect when he concocted this plan was that he’d have to fight his growing desire to be around his new wife…
Robin is placed in an impossible position when presented the offer to marry the wicked Prince John who is stealing from the people. But that’s not about to stop Robin from following through with her vow to stop his tyranny. Though her battlefield has changed it will not deter her from her mission. If only Robin could hold onto her opinion of Prince John as she learns things that the people don’t gossip about in the towns she had once frequented…
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Tropes
Genderbent retelling
Enemies to Lovers
He falls first
Hiding true self
Non-magical fantasy
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Stabby heroine
Secret cinnamon roll
Summary
Reputations have a habit of taking on a life of their own. That is certain the case for Robin Hood (courageous, hero of the people) and Prince John (cruel, lazy, and greedy villain of the country). Those two personas come crashing together when Robin Hood--a young woman with penchant for schemes, infamous skill with the bow, and a reckless lack of regard foor safety--is captured and given an ultimatum. Marry Prince John or see her men executed.
What she doesn't know is that Prince John rarely follows through on his dramatic threats. She certainly doesn't realize that he has the best interests of the kingdom, and perhaps even her own best interests, at heart.
Thoughts
The tone of this book was a lot different than what I usually read, especially in the beginning. I'd describe it as light fantasy romcom.
I really enjoyed Robin and John's characters (especially John). Robin starts the story with a lot of confidence, self-righteousness, and defensiveness and gradually (accidentally) begins to lower her barriers and confront her own weaknesses and flaws. John, on the other hand, starts the story all-to-aware of his flaws and shortcomings and slowly arcs towards hoping for something more than public perception he hasn't bothered fighting. Though he's certainly a flawed character, his quiet strength and humility slowly shines through his own presentation and opinion of himself throughout the story, and I found that delightful.
On the flip side, I did feel that John's distaste for fighting, enjoyment of fashion, etc. was emphasized to the point of being distracting and perhaps, even, hinting at elements of character development that weren't intended.
All-in-all, this was a heartwarming story that I thoroughly enjoyed aside from a tone that took me a while to adjust to (personal preference) and a few character development elements that kept interrupting my immersion in the story.
Content
Romance: Some gentle wooing involving chaste physical contact. Enthusiastic but minimally descriptive kissing. A few off-color jokes made about the couple (not by them).
Language: None that I can remember.
Violence: Minimal (basically non-existent). Robin is most definitely a stabby heroine, but what little fighting appears during the story is played in a comedic tone.
Religion: None. Prince John at one point "prays to the stars above" but this seemed to be more an expression than an insertion of a religious system.
Genderbent retelling
Enemies to Lovers
He falls first
Hiding true self
Non-magical fantasy
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Stabby heroine
Secret cinnamon roll
Summary
Reputations have a habit of taking on a life of their own. That is certain the case for Robin Hood (courageous, hero of the people) and Prince John (cruel, lazy, and greedy villain of the country). Those two personas come crashing together when Robin Hood--a young woman with penchant for schemes, infamous skill with the bow, and a reckless lack of regard foor safety--is captured and given an ultimatum. Marry Prince John or see her men executed.
What she doesn't know is that Prince John rarely follows through on his dramatic threats. She certainly doesn't realize that he has the best interests of the kingdom, and perhaps even her own best interests, at heart.
Thoughts
The tone of this book was a lot different than what I usually read, especially in the beginning. I'd describe it as light fantasy romcom.
I really enjoyed Robin and John's characters (especially John). Robin starts the story with a lot of confidence, self-righteousness, and defensiveness and gradually (accidentally) begins to lower her barriers and confront her own weaknesses and flaws. John, on the other hand, starts the story all-to-aware of his flaws and shortcomings and slowly arcs towards hoping for something more than public perception he hasn't bothered fighting. Though he's certainly a flawed character, his quiet strength and humility slowly shines through his own presentation and opinion of himself throughout the story, and I found that delightful.
On the flip side, I did feel that John's distaste for fighting, enjoyment of fashion, etc. was emphasized to the point of being distracting and perhaps, even, hinting at elements of character development that weren't intended.
All-in-all, this was a heartwarming story that I thoroughly enjoyed aside from a tone that took me a while to adjust to (personal preference) and a few character development elements that kept interrupting my immersion in the story.
Content
Romance: Some gentle wooing involving chaste physical contact. Enthusiastic but minimally descriptive kissing. A few off-color jokes made about the couple (not by them).
Language: None that I can remember.
Violence: Minimal (basically non-existent). Robin is most definitely a stabby heroine, but what little fighting appears during the story is played in a comedic tone.
Religion: None. Prince John at one point "prays to the stars above" but this seemed to be more an expression than an insertion of a religious system.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“From the moment I first saw you under that hood, I knew I would either kill you or marry you.”
While King Richard is off fighting a war he has left Prince John to reign in his stead. When his brother sends him an ultimatum to deal with the outlaw Robin Hood or change places with him at the frontline, Prince John begins to scheme. When he discovers that the people's hero is a woman his plan is set: he's going to trap her into marrying him.
This is the fourth book in the Once Upon a Prince series, a series of 12 books by 12 different authors. Each book is a stand-alone and a retelling of a classic fairy tale. "The Wicked Prince" is a gender-swapped retelling of Robin Hood, with a Prince John that might not be the tyrant everyone thinks he is...
Perhaps it took a while to get to know the characters, to see their personalities beneath the surface, but then I had a great time following Robin's and John's dialogues and actions. How they slowly get to know each other, their bickering and banter. And how they discover that prejudice can be hard to get past, and that you can be a coward in many ways. Another greatly entertaining read from Celeste Baxendell!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
While King Richard is off fighting a war he has left Prince John to reign in his stead. When his brother sends him an ultimatum to deal with the outlaw Robin Hood or change places with him at the frontline, Prince John begins to scheme. When he discovers that the people's hero is a woman his plan is set: he's going to trap her into marrying him.
This is the fourth book in the Once Upon a Prince series, a series of 12 books by 12 different authors. Each book is a stand-alone and a retelling of a classic fairy tale. "The Wicked Prince" is a gender-swapped retelling of Robin Hood, with a Prince John that might not be the tyrant everyone thinks he is...
Perhaps it took a while to get to know the characters, to see their personalities beneath the surface, but then I had a great time following Robin's and John's dialogues and actions. How they slowly get to know each other, their bickering and banter. And how they discover that prejudice can be hard to get past, and that you can be a coward in many ways. Another greatly entertaining read from Celeste Baxendell!
* I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review. *
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Brief description of my thoughts after reading the Once Upon a Prince books so far:
The Crownless Prince: Ooooh! This was pretty good! I could read 11 more books like this!
The Unlucky Prince: Wow! This book was amazing! I’m not sure how any of the other books in the series can top it!
The Golden Prince: Okay, clearly my last thought was wrong! These keep getting better and better!
The Wicked Prince: OMG!!! THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING, AND I’M NEVER GOING TO GET OVER THIS BOOK HANGOVER!!!
The Crownless Prince: Ooooh! This was pretty good! I could read 11 more books like this!
The Unlucky Prince: Wow! This book was amazing! I’m not sure how any of the other books in the series can top it!
The Golden Prince: Okay, clearly my last thought was wrong! These keep getting better and better!
The Wicked Prince: OMG!!! THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING, AND I’M NEVER GOING TO GET OVER THIS BOOK HANGOVER!!!
I literally messaged Celeste Baxendell while reading this book to let her know that she was disrupting my sleep patterns, and I was not mad about it! Haha! Ugh, I don’t even know where to start. I cried. I laughed. I nearly threw my phone across the room. I sat with a big dopey grin on my face. This book convinced me to do a giveaway on my Instagram page for one of the books in the series, and a part of me (unfairly since I haven’t read all the books yet) thinks that anyone who chooses any other book is just wrong.
The first thing you need to know is that this book is not only a gender-swapped Robin Hood retelling but also a villain romance! One thing I often struggle with when I read romances is that they don’t always feel compelling. I usually don’t read spice because I feel like it is sometimes used in lieu of crafting a compelling romance, but clean romances often fall flat for me, too. I want my emotions to be so intertwined with the characters that I feel like my own heart is being ripped out and then stitched back together. The Wicked Prince did that in the best way possible!
This book was the epitome of swoony romance without being cliché. The details throughout the book were absolute perfection. For instance, Prince John wonders if Robin would notice if he replaced the dining table with one that was one inch shorter every night, just so he could be closer to her. AND THEN HE ACTUALLY DID!!! If that isn’t the cutest thing, then I don’t know what is!
Furthermore, the characters were wonderfully written. I appreciated that John had some traits that are rarely seen in your stereotypical prince. He likes drawing and designing clothes. One of his biggest flaws is that he is a coward, something that was developed through his character arc perfectly. I loved the way that he was a villain, but also not really. Even his more villainous traits, like his slight obsession with Robin, were endearing. I particularly admired the way Baxendell kept John from becoming creepy or misogynistic. I know some readers like those kinds of romances, which is totally fine, but for me, that is a line that I don’t want my romances to cross.
Finally, Robin was a fantastically complex character, too. I liked that she was pretty oblivious yet also very strong. She was funny and innovative, and I felt like those traits gave her more depth. At one point, she tears up her wedding dress to make breeches she can train in, which captured her character excellently.
This is the first book I’ve read by Baxendell, and part of me wants to binge all of her books to see if they are equally captivating. Sadly, I don’t have the time to continue staying up until 4-6am reading, although I will admit that I convinced my parents to pitch in for an early birthday present, buying signed copies of all twelve of Celeste’s books (which are available at https://celestebaxendell.myshopify.com/ until October 31st). Another part of me feels like bawling my eyes out and screaming at the top of my lungs, “I WILL NEVER READ A BOOK THIS MAGNIFICENT AGAIN!!!” So, please read this book so we can be miserable together! I will just spend the rest of my life trying to relive the high of experiencing this book for the first time!
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, and I’m sharing my review voluntarily.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book, and I’m sharing my review voluntarily.