A review by cafeyre
The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis

4.0

I think I should start this review with a fan fact. I just found out that this book is a retelling of one of my favorite childhood stories, Tristan and Isolde! It all makes sense now! How could I not see it before?
The world created in the story is focused on royal houses that were blessed and saved by Gods. Each house is called by the different type of a bird and blessed by different God. The book tells the story of Lyana, the princess of the doves and Rafe, the bastard of the king of ravens. Lyana dreams about being free, travel and explore the unknown, however, as a princess she has her obligation like choosing a mate and become a queen and wife. She understands the need to sacrifice all her dreams for a good cause. On the last night before the trials and ceremony, she sneaks out of the castle so she can be free for the last night. That’s where she crossed her ways with Rafe. He got attacked and injured by a dragon. If she and her friend wouldn’t help him, he would die. Lyana has a gift, she can cure people with magic. To save him she takes him to the cave to heal him there. That’s the moment I really like it because they are getting to know each other but they both lie about who they are. Lyana thinks he’s the prince of ravens and Rafe thinks she’s just a normal girl. Rafe doesn’t correct her because he came here to win a mate for his brother pretending, he is the prince. They look almost the same, however, Xander isn’t as physically gifted so he asked his brother to take part in the trials instead of him.

Xander and Rafe are very close to each other and they would do everything for each other. I couldn’t decide which one of them I felt worse because they both have problematic lives. I love their relationship because even if their past could mess up things between them, they remained to be brothers and best friends. It makes me so sad knowing that trials and their switch of personalities make everything complicated and destroy their brotherhood step by step.

This book includes so much hope for finding someone the characters will be finally understood and free with. Lysandra was looking for someone she wouldn’t need to hide her secrets from, however, Xander was looking for someone he would spend days in the library, someone who would understand him. They almost got what they were looking for but as it always happens in life, everything got much more complicated for everyone.
I felt so bad for these three main characters. Lyana after trials and travel to her new homeland she felt like in a cage. Xander wished just this one time to be loved and learn what true love is like but his mate’s heart couldn’t be one by him. However, Rafe just wished to change his past, he was a black sheep in the kingdom, not welcome but anyone but his brother.

I honestly wish this book would change differently. I felt so much pain for every single thing that happened at the end. I think Rafe’s case was the most painful of all. I cannot believe that after everything that happened the only thing that he loved so much was taken away from him. His life was already crushed by all that happened the day before and now this. I don’t know if I will be able to read a sequel and find in what condition he is.
This book had some parts I didn’t like that much but despite it, I can say it was a good read. I enjoyed the story and the characters. As tragic as this story was for its characters, I still enjoyed it. I hope the second book will be even better than this one.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Kaitlyn Davis for providing me this copy. I enjoyed this book a lot and I can’t wait to read another book in this series.