it's also clear there was absolutely no research done for the book, since the story is supposed to take place in 1300s and it... absolutely does not. I appreciated how much Penn stepped up to the plate when he was so terrified of his father. He's been told he's a terrible heir and would make a terrible Earl but he seems to have done alright in my opinion. His father is just a terrible abuser and I hated that he never seemed to suffer true consequences for his actions.

As far as characters go, this book is filled with some great ones. With his unwavering loyalty and determination, Raff is a protagonist that readers will root for from the beginning. Penn, haunted by the choices he has to make, adds another layer of complexity to the story. Their relationship is beautifully depicted, evolving from strangers in desperate circumstances to two souls connected by an unbreakable bond. The story felt very contained within Raff and Penn’s romance. I would have loved to see more exploration of the period.I haven’t read a good historical romance in a while, so I was excited to throw myself into One Night in Hartswood. The plot is really addictive - even though you *think* you know what might happen, there are so many twists and turns that'll leave your heart in mouth. It's an emotional rollercoaster - I found myself laughing at some points, melting at some, and bawling at others. It's been a long while since I've been this invested in a book - I'd go as far as saying it was one of my favourite books of the year. Penn, the groom to be, is suffocating and does not want to be married, let alone to a woman and bails. He meets up with Raff and their connection is near instant. Both of them leave some pretty big details out, like who the other one actually is, and away we go. I thought Penn's character was developed quite a bit more than Raff's but he didn't feel unfinished. I just wanted more of him.

I found this book to be a really charming dose of historical queer romance. Both Penn and Raff had distinct voices, and I enjoyed them as a couple. I had no trouble falling into the world and following the romance, which started off strong. Penn, who I feel had more depth than Raff, was an intriguing character. There was a lot of trauma that he was struggling to deal with, and I loved the moments where he opened up to Raff. One Night in Hartswood was gentle, tender, heartwarming, and desperate. I honestly haven’t read much medieval romance before, but I love the tone this set by starting in Hartswood, the King’s forest. Raff and Penn encounter one another in the middle of the night, total strangers, and take the risk to trust one another with a secret that could get them killed, even if they won’t trust themselves with their true identities. Shortly afterward, I began to suspect that Denny's idea of medieval history went something like this: There were castles. People rode horses and wore tunics.What does it matter, you say. It matters because writers of historical romance owe it to their readers to depict the history credibly. And because one kind of sloppiness foretells others. (Who needs Merlin to make prophecies?) the relationship is a bit insta-lovey and the author didn't manage to make me care about them at all (in fact i didn't care for any character in this book). it was mostly: they met - liked each other - fell in love, and that was it. there was some conflict and drama but meh. i guess i need more angst in my ships. i also just didn't care for the writing style, like i stated before. Emma Denny won the ‘Romance Includes You’ competition run by Mills & Boon to encourage LGBTQI+ writers, and it’s very easy to see why. This is a really wonderful story that proves exactly what the competition set out to do – romance really does include everyone. I loved it. I wasn't sure what to expect from this, since the blurb is pretty bare-bones, but oh my gosh I am in love with everything it delivered. I love a good road-trip trope, and this puts an excellent spin on it with both the 1300s historical setting and the mistaken identity trope that leaves both Penn and Raff thinking that the other is much plainer in identity than he is. Of course, this comes with all sorts of additional delicious tropes - huddling for warmth, pining, sparring as foreplay, to name a few - as they make their way north and both of them stray further from their original intent and further into each other's orbit.

It makes sense at first, as they're thinking to just know each other for a night and then never again, but after that, when Penn truly runs away and Raff is sent after him to find him, and they run into each other, they don't clear up the lie. I also loved Raff’s siblings and how supportive of Raff they were. They knew about Raff’s inclination towards men and despite it being taboo and wrong for the time, they didn’t care and only wanted what was best for him. One Night in Hartswood was the perfect heartwarming medieval queer romance I didn’t know I needed! If you enjoyed the Scottish Boy but wished it was more lighthearted and emotionally driven, this is the book for you. I absolutely ADORED this book. I was hooked from the start and found it ridiculously hard to put down. If I hadn't been told it was a debut from this author, I'd never have guessed.

Browse reviews by Century

Set in 1360, Penn and Raff are two sons of Earls, one from the south and one from the north of Englan. i read this book because someone described it as having "too much gay sex" and i will read anything that has "too much gay sex" in it. Anyway! I would definitely recommend this book to people who like a good love story, and doubly so for those who want it queer. I even loved the plot and the drama as it just added to the beauty that is Penn and Raff’s love story. I also really loved Raff’s family. Ugh, that one scene where Raff is watching Penn make Ash and Cecily laugh? And the one where Ash and Cecily ask Raff if he told Penn [redacted] and Raff just smiles and they all laugh? GOD. I can picture it so vividly in my head. So gorgeous.

That’s exactly what ONE NIGHT IN HARTSWOOD gives and I fell in LOOOOVE. I mean, Raff and Penn were just soooo good together. The angst. The pining. The stolen touches and glances. The absolute romance of it all. I am smitten. I haven’t had a book feel like this in a minute. Though Penn in the beginning appears a bit helpless and wholly dependent on Raff but he really holds his own with his charisma and ability to spin a story, getting the pair out of trouble quite a few times! A romance where both leads are hiding aspects of their identities from each other (but are able to be more themselves by not being their "public" selves);Raff and Penn have such great chemistry from the moment that they meet. It was easy to see why they wanted to be together, and you wanted them become lovers. There are a lot of romances out there where I don't understand why the two characters ended up together but that is not the case here. They are both adorable and cute in their interactions. They are perfect for each other. TL:DR - One Night In Hartswood is a perfect, addictive, steamy romp set in the 1300s. It's cosy, the characters are brilliantly crafted and the plot makes it impossible to put down. It's full of adventure and has just the right amount of angst and twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. There's nothing to fault with this story - it's an absolute must read for any M/M lover. Their romance is built on a lot of lies, which naturally explodes in their faces. It was hard to feel bad for either of them when they were both keeping secrets. I found their dynamic on the road interesting. The romance developed slowly because Raff was hesitant to do anything with Penn because of the power imbalance. I wish the slow burn lasted longer and that there were more obstacles. Another buddy read in the books with @meggatzabookclub and I had so much fun and am SUPER impressed that this is a debut! When I saw that this novel was set in 1360, I immediately wanted to read it. Ultimately, I'm glad I did...despite the constant feeling I had that the setting was fairly arbitrary and it really could have been any pre-industrial time period.