A Dash of Words with Loleta Abi Romance Author

The Book Corner 4/30/2020: Kaitlyn Davis’s The Raven and the Dove

Loleta Abi

The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis. Amazon.com Services. Mar. 9, 2020. Series. YA. My copy from Netgalley.

Amazon’s blurb: Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!

A princess longing to be free…

On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.

A bastard aching to belong…

Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.

Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…

Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.

Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you’ll never see coming, don’t miss The Raven and the Dove!

My Review: (Warning: Spoilers) For the most part, I liked the book but the twisting of two different worlds into one didn’t quite gel for me. The mating games are being held on the Aiethos turf, home of the doves. The Princess Lyana doesn’t want to go through with the games as she has magic that even her parents don’t know about. Her confidante, an orphaned owl and her brother are the only ones to know. During a spying session on the other houses as the arrive, a warrior from the Raven House is injured. As Lyana nurses him back to health she realizes he is the crown prince. She feels certain since he has magic, the two of them could be freer around each other as magic is outlawed. Unfortunately, the “crown prince” is hiding a secret from her and after she chooses him as mate, it becomes clear: he posed for his brother during the trials because his brother is handicapped. Shocked and betrayed, Lyana has no choice but to accept the brother as her mate but other worlds will come into play that will tear her from all that she loves.

I give the book a B-