All in all, this one was sweet. Raff and his siblings roll up to the territory of an Earl their father has decided to marry their sister off to the son of. They're all bantering around about what could possibly be wrong with these people because they don't know anything about them. Raff just wants to make sure his sister is safe and then duck out into the forest to clear his head.

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 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.

One of my biggest questions in this book is what exactly did Leo do to get disowned and is this a series? I kept expecting him to pop back up but I never really understood what happened with him. I would love to see him pop back up and knock surly Ash on his butt.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper 360, and Mills & Boon for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start this out by saying, I don't like historical fiction. But apparently that's not true, because I LOVED this book.

One Night in Hartswood, set in 1360, is the story of two men who find themselves on a road trip together. Both are harboring secrets that threaten to tear apart their budding relationship. What will happen when those secrets are revealed?

What I liked: Everything. This book was incredible. I could not put it down, I told everyone I knew that I'm reading this great ARC....I could not stop thinking about it. Their relationship was so filled with sexual tension, with tenderness, and you root for them the whole way.

What I didn't like: I loved the slow burn, but I would have loved to see just a touch more romance/spice. If I'm going to be teased, I want a reward :)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for the ARC. I cannot wait to see what Emma Denny writes next!

Rating: 4.5

One Night in Hartswood is a sweeping adventure full of danger, betrayal and so much love.

William is the son of a Lord, destined for marriage to the daughter of another Lord. Raff is a man seeking some sort of adventure of his own, free from the responsibilities of his Lord father’s title… which should belong to his older brother.

When Raff happens upon Penn in the woods, he aims to help the man, not knowing Penn is actually William, the man who is to marry his sister.

What happens is a sprawling love story between two men who are both longing for more from their lives, but there are endless obstacles. How can you start a life based on lies?

This was just such a beautiful story. I fell so hard for Penn and Raff. I wish that the two had communicated better throughout the story, but their hearts were totally in the right place.

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.

Penn is definitely the more-developed character between the two, or at least, the one who undergoes the most growth that we get to see. We hear from Raff's family that he has changed for the better, but we don't get to see much of a change other than his falling in love with Penn, which don't get me wrong, is beautifully sweet, but he is much more of a stable, loving force for Penn. Penn, by contrast, is so adrift at the beginning that to see how far he had come in the epilogue all but brought a tear to my eye.

Overall, it's a wonderful queer historical romance that I know I'll be returning to again and again, and holding out hope that there's more from Denny in the future, especially for some of the side characters!

Well, then. What a sweet story. Historical romance isn't my go-to by any means, but this book was so charming. It was a great take on a forced-proximity roadtrip trope.

Both of the MCs, Penn and Raff, are hiding their social identities from each other while at the same time getting to know the real people beneath any titles. Having grown up with obligations to their stations in life, neither is eager to let the other know who they are because for this brief trip they are free to be themselves.

I love the instances of little glances here and small touches there - SWOON! The mutual pining is oh-so delicious. I would have loved to see what ultimately happened to the side characters, but overall, very satisfied with the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper360, and Mills & Boon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*Trigger warning for abuse and trauma*

I don't tend to like books with historical settings, but Denny's debut novel had an intriguing premise (and an adorable cover), so I decided to give it a try - and I'm so glad I did! The historical setting isn't as fleshed out as some might like, but it was perfect for me. Overall, this book was absolutely adorable and gave me such warm fuzzies. Denny also does an excellent job with her spice, and avoids some of the common pitfalls of cringe-worthy language that still fell many well-known and loved authors. It was a lovely read, and I am eager to read more from this author!

This, overall, was a strong debut novel by this author.

Set in 1360, <b>Penn</b> and <b>Raff</b> are two sons of Earls, one from the south and one from the north of Englan.

Raff's younger sister is betrothed to Penn - his birth name being William, he prefers to go by Penn - yet they have never met and they don't know what the other looks like.

The day before they're to be wed, Penn sneaks out into the Hartswood forest to kind of get one last night to be on his own. There he meets Raff, as Raff and his brother and the rest of their retinue, aside from his sister and father, are further back for the night near the forest. Raff needed to get away after an argument with his older brother.

Since Penn goes by Penn, and he isn't dressed in his usual clothes as he sneaked out, and Raff as well isn't dressed expensively, they assume the other is a servant, and neither clears that up.

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.

And again, it makes sense at first as they don't know each other well at all. But of course the lies become these big unspoken things between them and even after Raff's lie is found out, Penn doesn't tell the truth and at that point I was just done with the lies. When lies go on for that long in books, I really dislike it. Especially when it gets to the point where it's like...why are you even lying anymore? At this point it's lying just to lie. I wish characters would just own up to the truth at some point.

With both Raff and Penn, their lies are found out by other people recognizing them, not because they owned up to their lies and just told each other.

That was one niggle with this. Another is this really drew things out between these two, and the slow burn became almost too much. The steam was also very low in this. What we got was good, we did get two steamy scenes, one fully penetrative, but neither was as fully detailed as I would have liked and was kept to a lot of vagueness. Almost to the point of...what was the point of them at all, if you weren't really going to go into them?

I wanted more steam, less about them just walking day after day, going to inns, blah blah blah. When something was happening, it was great and interesting, but there was a lot of just these two...not talking enough, almost doing something or wanting to do something, and not doing it, and them delaying the journey North to spend more time together and just have as much freedom as they wanted.

Which, understandable, but it didn't always make for exciting, entertaining material to read. Things got interesting when Ash showed up, but then he left fairly quickly.

Things really picked up at the end, though, and I think the ending was the strongest part of this book, actually.

While the rest of the book did build these two up to being in love, the most exciting things happened at the end when they were already there and had to find some way to be together in what seemed like an impossible situation.

I also wish the epilogue had been a little longer, it was fairly short. I wanted more of them getting their HEA together, but it was more of just a snapshot of it. Very rushed.

But overall, this was enjoyable and a strong debut novel. Definite room for improvement, and I do hope this author is steamier in her future works, but this was really enjoyable, and I really loved Penn and Raff as characters and together.

Definitely worth picking up this newbie author. Don't let the overall rating fool you, this is quite enjoyable.

I will be keeping my eyes open for more from this author in the future. This one was a delight to read and our main couple was good together.

Definitely has potential to get even better with time 🥰

Penn must be protected at all costs. This was such a cute romance set between two characters who'd both gone through some rough times. The chemistry written between Raff and Penn was unmatched from moment one. And the fact that we as readers, not only got to follow along on their journey to freedom, but to watch them fall in love along the way.

The side characters - apart from Penn's father - helped make the story all the more enjoyable. Ash had to have been my favorite, and I would love a side story that gave us more insight into Oliver.

I can't wait to see what Emma comes up with next. Thank you to Netgalley and Mills & Boon for the e-arc!

This is truly charming love story set in 1300s England. Penn is running from a cruel father and an arranged marriage, and Raf seeks time and space to figure himself out beyond the demands of his role as Earl's son. The two happen upon one another in the forest and band together, though each conceals their identity. Along their journey they become close, learning about one another as they learn also about themselves, but it's only a matter of time before one or both of them will be found out. Clear and quick to read, the MCs are incredibly lovable and the story engrossing. It is a bit of a slow burn, and beautiful. Will definitely be watching this author!

2.5 rounded down. As much as I love queer historical fiction, I couldn't get into this one. The insta-connection aspect of the romance was underwhelming. Raff and Penn went from meeting to kissing with no build-up so early in the book that I didn't feel invested. Even when things between them slowed, their interactions felt forced and cliché ("they must cuddle for warmth again"), and there was too much telling, not showing for my taste. It would have been more interesting to see chemistry develop through good dialogue and banter rather than introspection and repetitive descriptions. But while it wasn't for me, I'm sure other historical romance fans will enjoy it.

Well, then.
Penn and Raff are just so soft and adorable with each other, I genuinely was kicking and screaming for 75% of this book.

This book was absolutely chock full of my favorite things including but not limited to: Mistaken identity, camping/traveling, fighting lessons laced with sexual tension, nursing the love of your life back to health, and a dramatic sibling who causes chaos and is captain of the “pls just kiss already” ship.

This story takes place in the 14th century but I really didn’t get the feeling that I was anchored in any time period - It felt almost fantasy leaning, which is probably due to the majority of the book taking place in the woods while Raff and Penn were traveling so there was minimal interaction with the world outside of their little bubble.

Mistaken identity is trope I don’t see as often and when I do it is usually resolved fairly quickly and not made into a major plot point - I really enjoyed that Denny pushed that trope out and made it such a large part of this story - It served the conflict for these characters later on well. Speaking of conflict I do wish there had been a little more focus on the external conflict here - that being Penn and his abusive father the Earl. The ending felt a trifle too easy to me but considering this is a romance first and everything else second, I didn’t mind.

Listen, this book is the crème de la crème of the hurt/comfort trope. Every single page was soft and tender. All around the true definition of a comfort read and highly recommended if you want to be wrapped in a warm blanket.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harper 360, Mills & Boon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper360, and Mills & Boon for the opportunity to review this amazing story.

A lovely story about two lords trying to find freedom away from their families. An amazing mix of sweet and spicy with secrets both our main characters hold until the truth comes out. Raff is from the traveling party ready to give away his sister in marriage (eagerly) but then the groom suddenly runs away. Raff and Penn both don't know who the other is or how closely their destiny is already intertwined. Raff was mistaken for a tracker and Penn is mistaken as a runaway servant trying to start anew both travel in the harsh cold to different towns trying to find Penn a new life. It is a slow burn and the spice level is low. We all need a man like Raff, he is so so so patient with Penn! We find out Penn did suffer abuse and is very embarrassed or ashamed of his scars. I literally gasped as this was revealed and wanted to know what did Penn do that was so wrong. As my first queer historical romance with a dual pov, the only thing I would ask for is a little more background of Penn’s brothers. I need to know what his brother Henry did! I also need clarification was Oliver important to Ash or Raff?! Who was he? Did he betray them? Was he with both of them? So many questions so few answers. Also Author… I wouldn't mind if Jo and Lily have their own spin-off… together… please?




“You look good. You look like - like mine.”
- Raff

This was a delightful story! I really enjoyed getting to know both of the main characters as the POV changed back and forth, Seeing how they were both feeling and adjusting to things really helped move the story forward. They had a lot in common but were still vastly different. I really loved them both and was rooting for them to make things work. I even enjoyed the side characters.

I did feel that their first encounter happened a bit to abruptly, which seemed even more abrupt when things practically screeched to a halt. I understand why everything were set aside for awhile, but the angsty slow burn nature of the romance got old after a while. Once Penn and Raff got past those initial issues, I felt like the story moved better. The pacing through the middle of the book was a bit slow while the beginning and end almost seemed rushed, but the story flowed well enough to keep my interest.

This is a great story for anyone who is looking and emotional romance in a historical setting without a lot of action.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

What a delightful read! Fans of K. J. Charles and Freya Marske should definitely put this book on their TBR list! The story was fast-paced without being slammed with "action" and the romance was tender and endearing. I'm already hoping this is part of a trilogy for the Barden siblings!

YALL THIS WAS SET IN THE MEDIEVAL AGES

that was the first and foremost thing that drew me toward this novel. it is a time period i am quite interested in and to read about a queer relationship during this time was so intriguing.

they were PRECIOUS. positively adored them and their chemistry was palpable. everything about this was done so well and i can’t to see what else emma denny has in store!

I was going between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one because there was a good chunk of the story that seemed to really drag and the mistaken identity trope got really stressful after a while. But I loved both Penn and Raff so much and I really loved their relationship and how naturally they fell in love. I also adored Ash, Lily, and Jo so much and would love more stories in this universe from their perspective! I also really loved the ending and how everything was wrapped up! One thing I wish was explored more was Penn’s trauma and how low his self esteem was. It didn’t need to be in a graphic or super detailed way but I feel like how his trauma effected him was just kind of pushed to the back burner once they got their happy ending. But besides that and the pacing, I got a lot of joy from this story and I would definitely recommend it!! 🥰

Well, then, This was a lovely historical romance set in the 14th century. Penn meets Raff once he decides to skip out on his arranged marriage and get out from under the thumb of his abusive father. Little does he know that the helpful Scottish tracker he’s befriended is the brother of his jilted bride to be. With both main characters concealing their true identifies, the two grow closer as they travel through the forest and country together.

This book drew me in immediately and I loved the unique historical take on a traditional road trip story. There is, however, always a bit of tension in queer historical romance where you’re never quite sure what the HEA will look like and how they will find their way there. This is especially the case here as you’re waiting for the truth of their identities to be revealed. Towards the end, the plot got a bit muddled for me, as the politics of the day come into play but I still enjoyed the ultimate resolution.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was honestly surprised that this was a debut and I look forward to what Emma Denny writes next.

Set in 1300s England, this is the story of Raff and Penn, both of whom are lying about who they are. Raff is tracking the nobleman who jilted his sister, and Penn is the very nobleman, escaping his cruel father. They journey together until the truth is revealed when Penn's father comes after him.

I always enjoy a medieval setting, and Penn and Raff are tremendously enjoyable characters. Well realized, though Penn a bit more than Raff, but the disparity doesn't show too much. A very fun cast of side characters in the families, and I would love to see more of their siblings in future books. I'll definitely be interested in more from Emma Denny!

Oh so good. Raff and Penn are such great characters and their budding romance so satisfying. Ash and the other siblings add to the great story. I didn't want it to end!

One Night in Hartswood is a delightful romantic novel starring two men, Raff and Penn, who both pretend that they are not who they say they are. As they discover each other, the reader is taken on a hike of sorts through a forest, wondering how this will turn out, until circumstances collide and the truth is revealed.
Thanks Net galley for this ARC.