The Serpent Prince

By: Elizabeth Hoyt

Narrated by: Moira Quirk

Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2013 Elizabeth Hoyt (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Good story

I liked the book but lacked the good story and excitement the previous books. The Leopard prince and before. Narration was superb.

Weak narration ruins a good story

Please understand that in my eyes it’s the narrator that brings an awesome book to life. Elizabeth Hoyt is awesome however the narrator threw it in the garbage Shute. I know there are worse narrators but if say Ashford Mcnab has narrated the book I believe this book would have gotten better ratings. The story was good and meaty. Not as good as the first two stories in the series however still enjoyable. The heat factor was as always in EH books. Very hot and romantic. I’ve probably offended those who enjoyed the narrator but really her emotions were either too much or not enough. She read in many areas as if it bored her.

Great historical listen

This book is an erotic historic novel

Viscount Simon Iddesleigh is after revenge when his brother was killed, but the reason for his brothers murder is going to lead to more than what he bargained for. When a duel goes rye and he finds himself in the arms of an angel. Lucy is his salvation he soon finds that he cannot live without her, she is his conscious.

Lucy Craddock-Hayes has been waiting for her courtship of 4 years to finally become more than a ride every Tuesday. When she finds a naked man her world is going to change, she will find what true love. She will have to keep in mind that she cannot give up on him.

TRICORNS, DUELS, A DEVIL & AN ANGEL - AHHH LOVELY

Book 3 of The Prince trilogy but it's totally a stand alone listen with the only link with the previous 2 books is a meeting in a coffee house as the three heroes chat and you realise they were all friends.

As I've said before in other reviews, when you invest 22 hours of your life to a book you hope that investment will be worth it. Well, this certainly was - from Chapter 1 I was hooked and continued to be drawn into a romantic love story that was woven between Simon, hell-bent on a quest to avenge his dead brother by duelling and Lucy a country Lady with a high provincial moral code.

We see Simon (a tortured soul) and Lucy (a smothered soul) being drawn together as she finds him naked and nurses him back to health after being left for dead. As their conversations bring feelings and desires the attraction between them grows rapidly and, as they throw quips and banter with each other, the humour melts their shells and melds them together but Simon has dark secrets and never feels good enough for his Angel Lucy.

However, the very likeable main and secondary characters and events all play their part in eventually tearing them apart with revenge, guilt, murder, heartbreak and desperation making their presence known too. Can love overcome all or will it just not be enough in this well written and well narrated story.

Just one thing - I would have loved an epilogue!

Worth a credit? It's a typical EH book - clever dialogue in a well thought out descriptive plot and if you can shrug off the historical imperfections along with the sexy bits - then you will thoroughly enjoy this long (you could double speed it) but very very enjoyable listen - so that's a Yes for the credit.

Viscount Iddesleigh Revealed!

Have you ever heard the tale of the serpent and the frog? I' m sure you have and if you haven't, well...

Elizabeth Hoyt finally gives listeners the story of the mysterious Viscount Iddesleigh and I must say he remains a mystery even after the last syllable has been uttered. Which isn't the dissappointment you would expect. Viscount Iddesleigh appears in several of Hoyt's previous novels, The Raven Prince and The Leopard Prince and finds a way to endear himself to listeners as the shallow rouge whose only concerns are his roses, his flamboyant wardrobe and his own comfort. None the less, without fail this self-centered viscount seems to appear in the nick of time to render his services as an expert swordsman just when all seems lost.
Well, now it's the viscount's turn to be rescued and only the angelic Lucy Craddock-Hayes can chisel away the dark layers of his past and ongoing secrets to look upon the real man behind the title. Without a doubt Hoyt gives the viscount a list of inner demons to battle and his need for Lucy seems to be the salvation he desperately needs and truly believes he does not deserve. Yet the humility he shows to win her endears him to listeners. Lucy proves to be just the woman he needs but when his true nature and dark secrets are revealed can she accept him as he is or demand he change his nature to keep her by his side? Enjoy the listen as you journey with Simon and Lucy through torment, trails, and redemption in The Serpent Prince.

If you are looking forward to the usual fairy tale told by the narrator or as in the last installment, one of the characters, I'm afraid you may be a bit put out by the tale of the Serpent Prince. However, like the story itself the fairy tale may remain a mystery.

Serious Story Line and Serious Love Scenes

What did you love best about The Serpent Prince?

The love scenes were quite steamy while remaining romantic. So many romance novels tend to either be too sweet or too hardcore, but the Serpent Prince is a great compromise.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how there was a pretty meaty story other than the romance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The only extreme reaction I had to this book was that I had to forcibly make my self NOT think about Simon is a wig and red pumps. I realize these were the style of the time period, but after the Raven and Leopard Princes being so manly I hated when Hoyt brought up him wearing those ridiculous shoes and a wig.

Lovely story, fast pace, entertaining characters

Really liked this one. Intriguing story, entertaining characters. I will certainly listen to this book again and again.

It's a downhill slide...

Would you try another book from Elizabeth Hoyt and/or Moira Quirk?

It's a little iffy after reading this book, if I could continue reading Elizabeth Hoyt books. I really enjoyed the Four Soldier books, and enjoyed The Raven Prince, but it was like slogging thru mud reading The Serpent Prince.

The hero, Simon, irritated me when in one part of the novel he kept saying "I'm sorry". I just wanted to scream! And Lucy was just too good to be true. She didn't really have any redeeming faults.

The minor characters were more interesting than the hero and heroine!

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something different -- maybe a book by Sherrilyn Kenyon. A Night Hunter book.

Did Moira Quirk do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Moira Quirk did fine.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The minor characters, especially Hedge and Newton.

Any additional comments?

...

Not the best of the three.

Any additional comments?

This story was good, as are ALL of Elizabeth Hoyt's, but the Raven Prince and the Leopard Prince had better stories. Moira Quirk was incredible as always! If you've read the above two books, this is worth adding to your library.

Lesson in forgiveness

I enjoyed the fairy tale the most of all her Prince books. The angst was a little low for me but the conflict was good and the lesson of forgiveness and imperfection was refreshing.