The Serpent Prince

by Elizabeth Hoyt

Other authorsMoira Quirk (Reader), Hachette Audio (Publisher)

Digital audiobook, 2013

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Publication

Hachette Audio (2013), Edition: Unabridged Audiobook, Downloadable WMA/MP3 Audiofile, 11 hrs 45 mins

Description

Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML: WHEN THE DEVIL MEETS AN ANGEL Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man - a naked unconscious man - and loses her innocence forever. HE CAN TAKE HER TO HEAVEN Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he's hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her honesty startles his jaded sensibilities - even as it ignites a desire that threatens to consume them both. OR TO HELL Charmed by Simon's sly wit, urbane manners, and even his red-heeled shoes, Lucy falls hard and fast for him. Yet as his honor keeps him from ravishing her, his revenge sends his attackers to her door. As Simon wages war on his foes, Lucy wages her own war for his soul using the only weapon she has - her love..… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member theshadowknows

I didn't like this book all that much, and it was very slow to begin with. I didn't really buy into the hero's character - the dark doomed wastrel who doesn't think he's good enough for the heroine but loves her anyway. I don't know, maybe I thought it was all a tad cliched. Saying a character is

something doesn't make it so, and I felt there wasn't enough substance behind Simon. Lucy herself doesn't bear much comment. There wasn't much to her, and she was a definite weak point in this book. But somehow Simon's love for her managed to feel real anyway, and I found myself pretty helplessly moved by it in the end. The fairy tale that gives this installment its name was much better done here, in my opinion, than in the leopard prince, where it seemed awkward, forced, and tacked on, as it were. Also the fencing scenes (Simon ruthlessly seeks revenge for his brother's murder by duelling/killing the murderers one after the other) were thrilling in a death-defying way.

Show Less

16 more

LibraryThing member jeffersonsambrosia

This was the final book in the "Prince" series. By Hoyt. And it certainly was the steamiest! Wow. This book is very hot. Simon, and Lucy a very mismatched couple who take deep desire in each others company and touches. But Simon has a dark side as well. Its a very good story, about a mans flaws,

and his love of a woman. And the woman's love of him. A story that asks, can True love really conquer all?

Show Less

LibraryThing member lina_em

smoking. though the main guy is such a dandy.

LibraryThing member Aroucha

People I'm crazy to read this book, but unfortunately it only exists in the English language and I did not speak the language, please those who know of the existence of a Portuguese translation please let me know.

Pessoas estou louca pra ler este livro, mas infelizmente ele so existe na lingua

inglesa e eu ainda nao domino o idioma, por favor quem souber da existencia de uma traduçao em portugues por favor me informem.

Show Less

LibraryThing member francescadefreitas

When she finds a man stabbed and near dead in a lane, the heroine proves herself to be more than a simple country miss. Fun banter in this one.

LibraryThing member mom2lnb

The Serpent Prince was a fabulous wrap-up to an already wonderful series. It carried a lot of weight and depth that kept my mind engaged throughout. The story is a study in contrasts with a very potent mixture of light and dark, innocence and eroticism. Lucy is the lightness and sweetness to

Simon's darkness and pain. Simon hasn't known anyone as virtuous and kind as Lucy since the death of his brother, and he subconsciously senses that his “angel” can bring the light of her goodness and decency into the black abyss of his soul to save him. It is also about the redemption of a man who was so consumed by the pain of the past and a thirst for vengeance that he felt he was beyond saving, and a gentle reminder of what it truly means to be patient and forgiving in the face of wrongdoing. The Serpent Prince is also a lovely story of two people discovering their true selves and in doing so, finding the one person who is perfect for them, that they can trust completely and to whom they can reveal that true self, warts and all. Overall, this was a beautifully written book that, in my opinion, went beyond mere romance into the realm of what it truly means to love someone unconditionally with all your heart and soul.

In The Raven Prince, I fell in love with Edward's intelligence, earthiness and even his temperamental nature. In The Leopard Prince, I fell for Harry's calm, quiet, everyman persona. In both of their books, Simon is portrayed as a dandified peacock, and I have to admit some skepticism on whether I would like him as a hero. Now after reading his book, I can honestly say that in spite of his perfectly powdered wig, exquisitely embroidered waistcoats and gaudy red-heeled pumps, this dandy is one of the sexiest heroes I've had the pleasure of reading. I don't think I'll ever judge a book by its cover again.;-) Simon is an utterly charming rogue who seems to hide who he really is behind all the pomp and circumstance of his outer facade. He also has a tendency to babble a whole lot of nonsense for the same reason. Yet, Simon is thoroughly quick-witted and poetic but can be oh-so-naughty with words, skillfully weaving double entendres into his conversations and bantering like a pro. Underneath that devil-may-care facade though, lurks a deep, dark pain and a man who is utterly consumed by his plans for retribution against his brother's murderers. I thought that the author did an amazing job with conveying the toll that the revenge was taking on Simon, and how it was completely ravaging him, both physically and emotionally. In spite of the intensity of his anger toward those who wronged his family, Simon can still, at times, be a thoroughly vulnerable and broken man who has a heartbreaking need for Lucy's presence. It is like he is a drained and starving man who just soaks up her love and light and purity and wants to take it into himself to cleanse his bitter soul. Even though Simon deeply yearns for Lucy, there are times that he seems to be afraid of corrupting his perfect “angel” and is almost embarrassed by the intensity of his desire for her. For all his worldliness, occasionally he could even be brought to a blush by merely being around his lovely wife. I thought this was absolutely adorable and an ingenious way for the author to convey the goodness in him. All in all, Simon is a larger-than-life character who really stole the show in this book.

Opposite an ostentatious and deeply wounded character like Simon, Lucy could have been a shrinking violet, but I thought she held her own pretty well. She is the plain country girl who stands out in stark contrast to the sophisticated ladies of the ton with whom Simon usually keeps company, but that is what makes her so perfect for him. Unlike Simon she has had a good life with fond memories of a gentle, loving mother, and although her father is a blustery former sea captain, it is obvious that he loves her dearly too. She draws on that background filled with affection to become a rock in Simon's life and keep him grounded through his trials. She is also an artist who can see beneath the surface disarmingly well which really frightens Simon but doesn't stop him from wanting to get closer to her. While Lucy's life has been nice, it has also been a bit dull, but she didn't realize how much so until Simon came into her life with his flamboyant charms and awakened her to what she had been missing. Lucy was always extremely generous toward the people in the village where she grew up, and she was equally unselfish with Simon right from the start, always willingly giving everything he needed without question. That's not to say that she is doormat though, because she does fight for what she believes is right and when Simon tried her patience one too many times with his unwillingness to change, she took drastic measures which become the wake-up call that he so desperately needed.

There were many things to like about The Serpent Prince, including what I consider some very swoon-worthy romantic moments. Early on, Simon and Lucy exchanged some sweet, innocent looks and touches that conveyed so much meaning. Then the timing of Simon's marriage proposal was actually a surprise to me. Even though it ended up being one of his flurry of words that never quite got to the point, I thought it was very romantic nonetheless. It is also rather rare these days for a couple in any romance genre to wait until their wedding night to consummate their relationship, but Simon and Lucy did just that. Except for one moment of weakness, Simon behaved like a perfect gentleman refusing to even touch or kiss Lucy for fear of giving into temptation and despoiling his bride before the wedding. I thought this was really sweet because it showed that the anticipation of the act can build much better sexual tension that giving into lust in the heat of the moment. As I mentioned earlier, Simon seemed afraid of corrupting Lucy and this was quite evident in the sexual realm. Even after they were married, he sometimes played coy with her, but she was always completely responsive to his sexual overtures. This is where that combination of innocence and eroticism came in, creating a very beguiling and heady brew. The love scenes are an area in which Elizabeth Hoyt really excels in her writing. All of them, including a scene where Simon verbally relates his fantasies to Lucy, were thoroughly sensual and erotic without ever truly crossing that boundary.

I also liked the inclusion of another fairy tale with the twist being that the hero got to tell it this time. Unlike the tales in the last two books, it was quite dark and dreary, but ended up suiting Simon and his personality perfectly. In fact, I thought that the overall darkness in tone gave the book a slightly Gothic flair. As to things I didn't like, there was virtually nothing. I might have liked to see the author explore Simon's childhood a bit more, but what was there explained his behavior quite a bit. The ending was perhaps a tad rushed. It might have been nice to draw it out a little longer or have an epilogue, but it was fine the way it was too. I thought that having it end on Christmas day was actually a nice touch. What better time of year for forgiveness and new beginnings? Overall, The Serpent Prince was a fabulous ending to the Princes Trilogy, that has earned its spot on my keeper shelf right next to its predecessors The Raven Prince and The Leopard Prince. I've noticed that Ms. Hoyt has been working on a short story sequel, The Ice Princess, which she has been adding a chapter at a time to her website and is free to her readers. Not being one who likes to torture myself, I will probably wait until it is complete before reading it, but I look forward to checking it out along with Ms. Hoyt's other works.

Show Less

LibraryThing member faniP

This is the final book in the Princes trilogy by Hoyt. I loved both The Raven Prince and The Leopard Prince and was expecting the same with this one. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it half as much.This is as much a love story as a story of revenge. The hero, Simon, has inherrited the title of

Viscount after the death of his brother in a duel. A duel he was forced to make by four men who stood to gain money after his death. So Simon found out who those men were and challenged them in duels in order to avenge his brother's murder. The story starts after Simon has already killed the first two men and has two more left. One of the men arranges for Simon to be hit and left in an empty countryside road to freeze to death. Fortunately for Simon, a yound woman returning home finds him and has him carried to her house to recuperate. They find themselves attracted to each other but Simon believes he has to fullfil his mission befores he gets involved with her. He leaves for London but soon returns for her since she won't leave his mind. But while he brings her back to London with him, he stills goes out, seeking his remaining victims every night. Lucy learns at some point about the men he killed and those he still seeks out and has to make a decision; should she stay with him or is he beyond salvation?I'm usually very supportive of a hero's revenge cause, but in this one it was just too much. Simon is obsessed with his cause and it frankly takes up most of the story, leaving little space for the romance to develop. Lucy, who was extremely attracted to Simon from start, has an unrealistically huge trouble realising that she loves him: it doesn't happen until 70-80 pages before the end! And as for the last duel, well I think Simon just took it too far. To me, he was so deeply hurt and damaged by all this revenge thing, that I cannot believe he would ever be able to forget and live his life happily after all. Even the fairy tale about The Serpent Prince did not have a 100% satisfactory ending.If there was an epilogue, to explain what happens to Pocket as she grows up, and how Simon turned out to be a happy man after all, I would perhaps rate it with 3 stars. Unfortunately, I was left with the feeling that their future lies rather bleak ahead, and that's not the way I want my romances to end.

Show Less

LibraryThing member MlleEhreen

THE SERPENT PRINCE may by my favorite of the Prince books. What can I say? I'm a sucker for an elegant savage. And the hero of the novel, Viscount Simon Iddesleigh, may be the best example that I have ever encountered of the type. Pale, lithe, urbane, with a too-clever tongue, he pretends to be a

fop but is too obviously driven and intelligent for anyone to believe the charade.

The novel begins when Iddesleigh is abducted, beaten, and left for dead in the tiny town of Maiden Hill. The heroine of the novel, Lucinda Craddock-Hayes, finds him lying by the side of the road and has him taken back to the family manse, where she can nurse him back to health. The moment that Simon wakes, something clicks between them.

One thing I liked very much about THE SERPENT PRINCE is that while secondary characters frequently jump to the conclusion that if there is trouble in paradise, it's probably because Simon is running around like a tomcat sleeping with other women, Simon never questions his love for Lucy - or his ability to remain faithful - and Lucy, for her turn, doesn't doubt him either. In so many romance novels about rakes, the heroine is constantly racked with fear, convinced she can't keep (or deserve) her man's interest. In THE SERPENT PRINCE, the connection between Simon and Lucy is solid and true from the beginning, and the faith that the couple have in one another really brings that home to the reader. They love one another, it's real, and that's that.

No, it would take something truly dark and terrible to separate Simon and Lucy. That something is Simon's determination to revenge his brother's death by killing all the men who conspired to cause it. As the novel opens, he's already killed two of the four men responsible - in duels - and although the killings don't sit lightly on his conscience, he's not even tempted to change course and find another way.

There is something truly brutal, feverish and animal, about Simon. It comes through in his single-minded pursuit of revenge but it's present in his love for Lucy, as well - the edge of desperation and ferocity always lying just under the surface when he's with her. It's simply part of his character, and not really subject to change. This is another thing I liked about THE SERPENT PRINCE - Simon isn't declawed once he embarks on the road to marital bliss. Lucy anchors him enough to keep him from self-destructing; she gives him something to live for, and that changes some of his decisions; but Simon is never domesticated or tamed. At the end of the novel, he's still the elegant savage that I melted for at the beginning.

I recommend THE SERPENT PRINCE wholeheartedly. The characters are wonderful, the romance heartwrenching, the sex sizzling. It's a tour de force.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Samchan

Book 3 of the Princes trilogy was a bit weak, committing some of the worst sins for a romance novel: boring characterization and story. The story moves too slowly, especially during the time that Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is convalescing at the home of country maiden Lucy Craddock-Hayes after he

was attacked by unknown bad guys. I think we are supposed to be entertained by the attraction at first sight between the two, but I found there wasn’t much chemistry. Why? Because Lucy is so vanilla, and the banter isn't witty, funny, or meaningful. The same can said of the tiresome scenes with Lucy’s curmudgeonly, yet supposedly lovable, father.

Luckily, we move away from the tedious country house pretty soon. After the breath of fresh air (Simon) that swept into her life, Lucy decides that she can’t be satisfied living a country mouse life as the wife of a vicar. So she takes up Simon’s offer of marriage and moves to London. The rest of the story is marginally more interesting as we see Simon, in his bloodthirsty quest to avenge his dead brother, seek out the responsible men and engages them in dangerous duels. He loses a bit of his soul every time he kills a man, but he can’t stop until he gets revenge. Here, I like how Hoyt doesn’t sugarcoat things, the hero actually kills and kills. Quite more violent than most romance novels I’ve encountered—and it certainly made things more interesting. Of course, Lucy’s encouraging him to end such dangerous pursuits.

While Simon was a pretty engaging character, Lucy never came into her own as a fleshed-out character. She didn’t have an inner life that wasn’t attached to Simon’s exploits, so it seemed that she had no personality. We’re made to believe that she’s this spunky, perceptive woman, in the mold of other romance heroines, but I didn’t really see any evidence of this in the story itself. If Hoyt had further developed that glimpse of Lucy’s independence that we saw near the start of the book, when she realized she couldn’t settle for a quite country life, Lucy as anything but a bland cardboard cutout might have been more convincing. Maybe it’s personal taste, but I find stories with the heroine having to face her own problems in addition to what the hero’s confronting makes both characters more alive. We are shown Simon’s trips to the coffee house meeting his two friends, but barely anything that Lucy does by herself except for maybe two scenes with the in-laws.

Show Less

LibraryThing member RubyA

I was thoroughly impressed with Ms. Hoyt's work in The Serpent Prince. In the third book of the series Hoyt explores a plot that swiftly turns markedly darker than the two previous books that came before it.

In The Serpent Prince, we meet Lord Simon Iddesleigh and Ms. Lucy Craddock-Hayes. Lord

Simon is found soundly beaten at the side of road by Lucy's home in Maiden Hill, a village a 1/2 a day's ride away from London. Lucy takes him in to her home and as he recovers it becomes rather clear that they have the quite the hots for each other. The plot thickens when we learn Simon is on a single-minded quest for revenge against his brother's murderers which threatens to destroy the budding relationship between Simon and Lucy.

For the first 2/3rds of the novel, Hoyt for the most part is able to create interesting and three dimensional characters. Serious, direct and innocent Lucy is described as an angel- an Old Testament angel- who sees through Simon's facades and witticisms to the man beneath. This scares the hell out of Simon but he can't help but be attracted to her. Simon's arrival only brings home to her how boring and empty her life has been.

Simon, let's face it, is honestly a creep in my opinion. Hoyt is unafraid to show his ugly side (oh and there are many) and most of the time Simon is obnoxious, stubborn and at times reprehensible. It is difficult for me to love Simon, particularly as he continuously shows a lack of honor, selfishness,and a narrow minded stubborness. At the same time, though, Simon is a complex character, one who deeply loves his wife. I really wish that Lucy took a more active role in the plot and in many ways this seems more Simon's story than Lucy's story.

Show Less

LibraryThing member LadyWesley

Not quite as good as its two predecessors, but nevertheless a fun read. Engaging hero/heroine and good secondary characters. The ending was rather abrupt; would have liked a bit more wrapping up.

LibraryThing member Bugetta

4.5* This was a romancangsty book, but sometimes you need the angst instead of the love and laughter. It was also very well written and I just loved the H/h and wanted them to figure things out and get their HEA.

LibraryThing member MickyFine

Lucy Craddock-Hayes is perfectly content with her quiet country life until the day she finds Viscount Simon Iddesleigh naked and near death in a ditch near her home. After just a few weeks in his company, she finds her former life dull and cannot imagine returning to it. But Simon is on a quest to

avenge his brother's death, a quest that imperils not only himself but his relationship with Lucy.

There's a bit more melodrama in this one but I have a high tolerance for it. And it's counterbalanced by Lucy and Simon's rather steamy relationship. A good read for those who enjoy this kind of thing.

Show Less

LibraryThing member Lauren2013

The Serpent Prince
4 Stars

Determined to avenge his brother’s murder, Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is beaten and left for dead on the side of the road by his enemies. Upon discovering the unconscious Simon, Lucy Craddock-Hayes nurses him back to health and ignites in him both an intense passion as

well as deep-seated desire to be a better person. But Simon’s all-consuming personal vendetta overrides his honor and threatens not only his love for Lucy but her life as well…

Definitely one of Hoyt’s darkest books. While Lucy and Simon’s chemistry is intense and Hoyt is a master at writing scorching sex scenes, Simon’s obsession with vengeance overshadows their romance. It creates a conflict between the lovers that is virtually insurmountable as Simon is unwilling to give up his need for revenge and Lucy is incapable of reconciling his behavior with her love for him.

The fact that villains are truly evil and deserve the ignominious deaths that Simon inflicts on them goes a long way to mitigating his actions. Nevertheless, this does not negate the fact that he is murdering these men in cold blood, which does not present his character in a positive light. Moreover, the idea of Lucy’s supposedly redemptive love never fully materializes and she plays little to no part in the final climax and resolution.

The secondary characters in Maiden Hill provide some much needed comic relief. Lucy’s irate father, busybody best friend and curmudgeonly servant are all wonderful caricatures of life in a small English village and it is worth reading the book if only for their banter.

Overall, The Serpent Prince is the weakest installment in the Princes Trilogy (the books are only loosely connected through the friendship between the heroes), but it is well-written and gripping in parts. Recommended for readers in the mood for a little angst.

Show Less

LibraryThing member ladypembroke

Beautiful. Beautiful and awful and wonderful and painful -- I could not put this book down today. I have had no sleep, dawn has broken, and I am still aching for the OTP. So much pain and love wrapped up in one novel. I think she saved the best for last in this trilogy (although I understand there

is a final short story to wrap up a side character). Maybe I'm feeling overemotional to begin with, but this book moved me. I also really love the way she continues to play with class/upbringing distinctions and throws them aside. I will definitely be reading more by Hoyt.

Show Less

LibraryThing member samnreader

An intense, desperate hero does it for me every time. I guess I really had missed Hoyt's writing because this very much hit the spot, and once I got to 20% I did not put it down.

LibraryThing member JorgeousJotts

This was by far the best of the trilogy.

Fewer