The moment I read the synopsis for this book on Netgalley I knew I had to have it. Even though I also knew this book was totally gonna break my heart. Into a million little pieces. Or at least, I hoped the book would do so. I like it when books do that. And yet, when I started reading and felt the disaster in the air, for a long time I couldn’t get myself to read on. I already felt the pain before the heartbreaking scenes had started happening!
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 waiting 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!
And I’d say that’s a huge compliment for the book. Within a few chapters I had already grown attached to these characters. They felt like old friends, as if I already knew them for years, as if they felt familiar and close to me. Watching their adventures, watching them grow and learn, watching them take charge and being strong, watching them breaking and shattering, it was as if it was all happening to me. My heart was breaking. I was shattering. I felt the triumphs and the losses. The love and the pain. The dreams and the failures.
On top of the awesome characters, who clearly carried the book, there was also this gripping plot. It stayed in the background for a long while, giving the characters the time to bond and to find their place in the story, but once the plot came into plain view the story exploded. The finale of this book was epic. So much was happening, so many elements came together, all the build up was paying off. Not that the build up was boring, far from it. The story was never boring, even though it was quite long. But the finale? The finale was breathtaking heartbreaking phenomenal.
And last but not least: The world in this story was beautiful and very well described. I could almost smell the ocean and feel the cold. Although we’ve only seen a relatively small part of the world, the part we did see came to life quite well. And considering the ending, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna see more of the world in the next book(s)!
I personally can’t wait to read them! I also can’t wait to put this book on my shelves and for everyone in the US: There is a pre-order campaign you don’t wanna miss if you love a heartbreaking romance, a vivid world and a slow plot with an epic finale! https://www.kaitlyndavisbooks.com/2019/11/the-raven-and-dove-cover-reveal-and-pre.html
Books of Hope and Dreams 