Pet (Captive Prince Short Stories, #4) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

Pet follows the rise of Ancel at the poisonous court of Vere. Set during the events of Captive Prince.

MY REVIEW

‘I think,’ said Berenger, ‘that the only person in this place who shows me their real face is you.’

Who cares about Ancel's story? Ancel always has been a manipulative little shit. Not a favourite character.
Apparently and surprisingly I found his story fascinating. Berenger was such an honourable man who made me wish that things between him and Ancel were different from the beginning. Maybe then Ancel would have a chance to be a better man.
And Ancel's story made me wonder: what if Laurent was poor and the only way he could survive was if he was a pet? Would he behave the same?

I strongly believe that you need to read the main series Captive Prince before you read the Captive Prince Short Stories. They are full of spoilers.

                             

The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant (Captive Prince Short Stories, #3) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

The Adventures of Charls follows the dealings of a humble cloth merchant in the days before the royal Ascension.

Set after the events of Kings Rising and The Summer Palace.

MY REVIEW

‘Lamen,’ said Charls, in a shocked voice. ‘Why are you dressed up like the King?’

That was fun! Charls the veretian cloth merchant is the sweetest and most innocent character of the whole series.

I strongly believe that you need to read the main series Captive Prince before you read the Captive Prince Short Stories. They are full of spoilers.

                 

The Summer Palace (Captive Prince Short Stories, #2) by C.S. Pacat

The Summer Palace (Captive Prince Short Stories, #2) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

"When all this is over, we could take horses and stay a week in the palace..."

Set after the events of the Captive Prince trilogy, The Summer Palace is a story about Damen and Laurent. It's an epilogue of sorts to the Captive Prince series.

MY REVIEW

‘Your Highness, you asked to be notified when the King’s retinue reached the palace. I’m here to inform you that the King of Akielos has arrived.’
‘Thank you, I can be said to be faintly aware of that.’

Damen and Laurent are finally relaxed and happy.
The way Laurent had treated Damen has been forgiven but not forgotten. The ghosts of their brothers are still present. And now without family, they only have each other.

I strongly believe that you need to read the main series Captive Prince before you read the Captive Prince Short Stories. They are full of spoilers.

             

Green but for a Season (Captive Prince Short Stories, #1) by C.S. Pacat

Green but for a Season (Captive Prince Short Stories, #1) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

Green but for a Season is the first of a series of four Captive Prince short stories. It follows the relationship between Jord and Aimeric and is set during the events of Prince’s Gambit.

MY REVIEW

Jord: ‘I’ve fought under him since he was fifteen...He’s my King.’

Jord had been fooled but he has always been faithful to his king.

I strongly believe that you need to read the main series Captive Prince before you read the Captive Prince Short Stories. They are full of spoilers.

Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3) by C.S. Pacat

Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

Damianos of Akielos has returned.

His identity now revealed, Damen must face his master Prince Laurent as Damianos of Akielos, the man Laurent has sworn to kill.

On the brink of a momentous battle, the future of both their countries hangs in the balance. In the south, Kastor’s forces are massing. In the north, the Regent’s armies are mobilising for war. Damen’s only hope of reclaiming his throne is to fight together with Laurent against their usurpers.

Forced into an uneasy alliance the two princes journey deep into Akielos, where they face their most dangerous opposition yet. But even if the fragile trust they have built survives the revelation of Damen’s identity—can it stand against the Regent's final, deadly play for the throne?

MY REVIEW

‘Did you think,’ said Laurent, ‘I wouldn’t recognise the man who killed my brother?’

Obviously the book title is a spoiler itself. But if the book was a film, I would probably spend the majority of it with closed eyes behind a pillow unable to watch.

What can I say? It is the best haters to lovers story I have ever read. And one of the best fantasy stories I have ever read.

It is
-well developed
-believable and definitely
-re-readable (Especially when you know how incredibly it ends)

Laurent I LOVE YOU!
Damen I LOVE YOU!

I wish you could make a baby...

Captive Prince: Volume Two (Captive Prince #2) by C.S. Pacat

 Captive Prince: Volume Two (Captive Prince #2) by C.S. Pacat 

SUMMARY

With their countries on the brink of war, Damen and his new master, Prince Laurent, must exchange the intrigues of the palace for the sweeping might of the battlefield as they travel to the border to avert a lethal plot.

Forced to hide his identity, Damen finds himself increasingly drawn to the dangerous, charismatic Laurent. But as the fledgling trust between the two men deepens, the truth of secrets from both their pasts is poised to deal them the crowning death blow . . . 

                   

MY REVIEW

"Men find themselves in the places they put themselves"

but moreover surely

"they had no idea what they did when they gifted me with you."

So, yes everything has been a combination of fate and personal decisions.

Laurent and Damen's love story will find a balance. Then the power will be shifted again. And by the end of the book there will be two kings and one of them will be a willing slave.

MAGNIFICENT! Another incredible read.
As complicated and as overwhelming as the first book.

           

Captive Prince (Captive Prince #1) by C.S. Pacat

 Captive Prince (Captive Prince #1) by C.S. Pacat

SUMMARY

Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.

Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.

For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else…

                          

MY REVIEW

Incredible and overwhelming! All the stars There are so many brilliant reviews about this book and this series that I don't actually know what my review will add. Even the negative reviews are so well explained and justified that you cannot really argue with these reviewers. I just want to say that if you ever attempt to read this book, you will have a unique experience. The book is definitely dark, twisted and intense. And clever. It is a romance story. But it is such a slow burn romance that nothing happens in the first book. You only have the realization that something will happen soon. It is a haters-to-lovers love story. But you will only experience the hatred part in the first book. And maybe some understanding in the end. And maybe the beginning of some trust. This is a fairy-tale of a dark prince who was betrayed and gifted as a slave to another light prince. The dark prince was brave and patient. The light prince was cruel and manipulative. But they both have honour. In the beginning, I am sure you will not understand how these two so different stubborn men will fall in love. Prince Laurent will behave as he has ice in his veins. His slave Damen will do anything to force him to show something other than cool indifference. Of course, we only basically have Damen's POV in the book. So we don't know how Lauren thinks or why he behaves as he behaves. We only learn why he hates Damen so much. There is an extra story in the book about how Erasmus, a pleasure slave, managed to escape his death. This story deserves 10 stars. It is about true unconditional sacrificial love and I cried when I read it. Triggers: Just check the negative reviews.

             

August 2020 - Captive Prince by C.S. Pacat

 Hi Friends!!!

I hope you are somewhere having the best holidays of your life and you are not in COVID-19 lock down mode. 

Wherever you are try to protect yourself and the people you love!

I think this month is perfect for some escapism. And what is perfect if you need to escape from reality? 

How about some romance reading?

How about a strong enemies-to-lovers story?

Enemies-to-lovers is a well-used and very much loved trope.  The relationship between the two main characters is problematic, manipulative, totally toxic and full of angst and desperation.

The main characters hate each other, but they will become lovers.

Maybe they will be lovers even before they fall in love. 

Maybe they will be lovers and still hate each other.

Maybe there will be no romance for several chapters or even several books in a series.

So, it is time to introduce you to Damen and Laurent, the two princes from two rival kingdoms who hate each other and who eventually will become

Slave and master

Lovers

Friends

If you don't have a strong heart and stomach better don't bother with their story.