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A review by emmalb1984
A Midsummer Knight's Kiss by Elisabeth Hobbes
5.0
An excellent and atmospheric romance set in medieval York.
Featuring the Danby Brothers from Ms. Hobbes previous books, the story focusses on Robbie and Rowenna as they move from childhood best friends towards adulthood and discover that, sometimes, a happy ending is right in front of you if you look close enough. From the strong, memorable opening to it's conclusion, the story is entertaining, and compelling to read as we follow Robbie through his ambition to become a Knight via moments of civil unrest and his somewhat misguided belief that he could have a future with Lady-in-Waiting Mary, all the while discovering that Rowenna means more to him than he originally thought. The dilemma between love and duty is a prevalent theme through the story, and, in order to get their happy ending, the two are faced with numerous obstacles that, as a reader, you hope they can overcome.
The scenes in York are well-written and exceptionally well researched to create a sense of the tensions in the City at the time. Indeed, if you are familiar with modern-day York, you are able to visualise a firm sense of place during the action, and the civil unrest faced by the people comes vividly to life throughout.
Amidst the unrest, and the more serious elements of the plot regarding Robbie's future, there is a healthy dose of humour as Rowenna's rebellious streak comes to the fore when she meets Mary and she sets about disrupting the potential match between Robbie and Mary. Similarly, the supporting characters, particularly Robbie's friend Cecil provide some scene-stealing moments, and he, if the author were so inclined, he could probably have his own story told in due course.
The excellent York backdrop and wonderful secondary characters aside, this is Robbie and Rowenna's story, and you really do care about what happens to them as the story progresses. The two make an excellent couple who work well together, and it is almost heartbreaking to hear Robbie practice how he would tell Mary about his feelings in front of Rowenna, oblivious to the fact that Rowenna is in love with him. The longed for happy ending is well earned, although there are several moments when you worry it won't happen, but, thankfully, the author's skilled plotting keeps the reader engaged all the way to the end, and the rewards are well worth every obstacle that the pair have to contend with.
All in all an excellent book with strong characters amidst a beautifully created backdrop of intrigue, unrest and romance.
Featuring the Danby Brothers from Ms. Hobbes previous books, the story focusses on Robbie and Rowenna as they move from childhood best friends towards adulthood and discover that, sometimes, a happy ending is right in front of you if you look close enough. From the strong, memorable opening to it's conclusion, the story is entertaining, and compelling to read as we follow Robbie through his ambition to become a Knight via moments of civil unrest and his somewhat misguided belief that he could have a future with Lady-in-Waiting Mary, all the while discovering that Rowenna means more to him than he originally thought. The dilemma between love and duty is a prevalent theme through the story, and, in order to get their happy ending, the two are faced with numerous obstacles that, as a reader, you hope they can overcome.
The scenes in York are well-written and exceptionally well researched to create a sense of the tensions in the City at the time. Indeed, if you are familiar with modern-day York, you are able to visualise a firm sense of place during the action, and the civil unrest faced by the people comes vividly to life throughout.
Amidst the unrest, and the more serious elements of the plot regarding Robbie's future, there is a healthy dose of humour as Rowenna's rebellious streak comes to the fore when she meets Mary and she sets about disrupting the potential match between Robbie and Mary. Similarly, the supporting characters, particularly Robbie's friend Cecil provide some scene-stealing moments, and he, if the author were so inclined, he could probably have his own story told in due course.
The excellent York backdrop and wonderful secondary characters aside, this is Robbie and Rowenna's story, and you really do care about what happens to them as the story progresses. The two make an excellent couple who work well together, and it is almost heartbreaking to hear Robbie practice how he would tell Mary about his feelings in front of Rowenna, oblivious to the fact that Rowenna is in love with him. The longed for happy ending is well earned, although there are several moments when you worry it won't happen, but, thankfully, the author's skilled plotting keeps the reader engaged all the way to the end, and the rewards are well worth every obstacle that the pair have to contend with.
All in all an excellent book with strong characters amidst a beautifully created backdrop of intrigue, unrest and romance.