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Captive Prince #2
Captive Prince: Volume Two
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 . . .
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 . . .
216 pages, ebook
First published February 4, 2013
About the author
C.S. Pacat
65 books15.1k followersC.S. Pacat is the USA-Today best-selling author of Dark Rise, the Captive Prince trilogy, and the GLAAD-nominated graphic novels Fence.
Born in Australia and educated at the University of Melbourne, C.S. Pacat has lived in a number of cities, including Tokyo and Perugia, and currently resides and writes in Melbourne.
Born in Australia and educated at the University of Melbourne, C.S. Pacat has lived in a number of cities, including Tokyo and Perugia, and currently resides and writes in Melbourne.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,129 reviews
November 26, 2021
Okay, we need to talk about this. Because I am literally starting to feel like I read a completely different book from everyone else.
I quite liked (but didn't love) the first book; I had some issues but I pushed them to the back of my mind because I was so happy to have both a M/M romance in fantasy AND for it to be slow burn. But I just... can't anymore. I don't understand. It has a 4.62 average rating. All my friends seem to love it (5 stars kind of loving), even those who are the toughest romance critics. Really, did we read the same book?
Firstly, this book is erotica with some snoozeworthy politics and battles thrown in. I don't buy into the whole "it has so much more than romance! politics and royal scandals!" No, it doesn't. The plot is a thinly-veiled disguise for the sexual descriptions.
And on that matter - why is everyone so obsessed with penises? They are hanging out everywhere. Damen goes to find this guy and he’s screwing the stable boy; he goes to find yet another guy and he is described by his state of undress, with particular mention of the way he is holding his pants up. All the descriptions of everything are sexual (but not, I might add, sexy).
It felt like yet another case of fetishizing gay men.
Even when dramatic stuff is supposed to be happening, even in political meetings, there’s a constant genital awareness in every scene. Everyone is always aware of the others’ penises.
Also, let's talk slow burn. Slow burn is my passion. In fact, it's pretty much the only kind of romance I like. But, wow, in this case it's as slow burn as the romance between Dumbledore and Mcgonagall.
And just when you think he’s done…
Oh yes, this romance is slow burn. It burns so slow I fear I might have died of boredom by the time they actually get together.
Because slow burn in this sense means that nothing actually happens. Laurent and Damen just spend a lot of time staring broodily at one another. The whole point of slow burn is TENSION. Instead, I’m rolling my eyes and wishing something would just happen.
And Laurent himself is so unappealing to me. He's broodier than Edward Cullen, with even less personality. In the first book, I thought his cold, distant character was going to develop into something more interesting, but that has yet to happen. I feel nothing for him.
Honestly, I really wanted to love this book. But I just don't feel it.
I quite liked (but didn't love) the first book; I had some issues but I pushed them to the back of my mind because I was so happy to have both a M/M romance in fantasy AND for it to be slow burn. But I just... can't anymore. I don't understand. It has a 4.62 average rating. All my friends seem to love it (5 stars kind of loving), even those who are the toughest romance critics. Really, did we read the same book?
Firstly, this book is erotica with some snoozeworthy politics and battles thrown in. I don't buy into the whole "it has so much more than romance! politics and royal scandals!" No, it doesn't. The plot is a thinly-veiled disguise for the sexual descriptions.
And on that matter - why is everyone so obsessed with penises? They are hanging out everywhere. Damen goes to find this guy and he’s screwing the stable boy; he goes to find yet another guy and he is described by his state of undress, with particular mention of the way he is holding his pants up. All the descriptions of everything are sexual (but not, I might add, sexy).
It felt like yet another case of fetishizing gay men.
Even when dramatic stuff is supposed to be happening, even in political meetings, there’s a constant genital awareness in every scene. Everyone is always aware of the others’ penises.
Also, let's talk slow burn. Slow burn is my passion. In fact, it's pretty much the only kind of romance I like. But, wow, in this case it's as slow burn as the romance between Dumbledore and Mcgonagall.
“His gaze dropped to Laurent’s lips. When he forced it upwards, it fixed instead on the earring. The lobe of Laurent’s ear was pierced through with the ornament of his uncle’s lover. It suited him, in the mundane sense that it matched his colouring. In another sense, it looked as incongruous as it felt to tear another mouthful of bread from the flat loaf, and lift it to feed him.”
And just when you think he’s done…
“It was the earring. Laurent was always so austere. The earring reframed him. It gave the appearance of a sensual side, sophisticated and subtle.”
Oh yes, this romance is slow burn. It burns so slow I fear I might have died of boredom by the time they actually get together.
Because slow burn in this sense means that nothing actually happens. Laurent and Damen just spend a lot of time staring broodily at one another. The whole point of slow burn is TENSION. Instead, I’m rolling my eyes and wishing something would just happen.
And Laurent himself is so unappealing to me. He's broodier than Edward Cullen, with even less personality. In the first book, I thought his cold, distant character was going to develop into something more interesting, but that has yet to happen. I feel nothing for him.
Honestly, I really wanted to love this book. But I just don't feel it.
April 23, 2016
THAT ENDING.
October 26, 2022
”Never had he wanted something this badly, and held it in his hands knowing that tomorrow it would be gone, traded for the high cliffs of Ios, and the uncertain future across the border, the chance to stand before his brother, to ask him for all the answers that no longer seemed so important. A kingdom, or this.”
Can I just say how much I love this book?!
I love, love, love, love, love, love and adore it to bits and pieces!!! XD
Prince’s Gambit has everything I want in a good book and since the shocking and heavy topics of the first book aren’t in the focus of the second instalment it was so much easier to read and enjoy! Whereas Captive Prince played a lot with clichés and sensitive issues this book was just an amazing fun read! Don’t get me wrong, there were still some serious and interesting topics but it was all wrapped up so nicely that I just couldn’t help but had to love this book!
There are intrigues, there is hope, there is humour, there is anger and despair, there is pain and passion and there is so much love it almost killed me!!!! ARGH!!! The love in this book caused me to die again and yet again!!! It’s so subtle and such a slow burn but OH BOY did it hit me with the feels!!! It hit me so hard I couldn’t contain my joy and even though this was already my second read I’m still convinced that it will knock me out if I read “Prince’s Gambit” a third time. *lol*
Laurent and Damen are everything and all I want is that they are happy!!! <333
Gosh they deserve all the happiness in the world. XD
I can’t even!!! I really can’t!!! I feel so strongly for those two boys it’s not even normal anymore.
And can we please just take a little moment and appreciate how wonderful this story arc is?
From archenemies to reluctant allies, from allies to cautious friends and from friends to gentle lovers. C.S. Pacat you pulled this off so nicely it’s just amazing! I relished this so much and I savoured every second of it! <3
So just in case you didn’t realise it by now:
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!
There I said it and I will say it again and again until I’m wrinkled and old! *lol* ;-P
The plot:
”To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.”
This time around the plot is easily told. After the ending of the first book Damen and Laurent are forced to make their way to the border and to say there happens a lot on their journey would be putting it more than just mildly. XD I guess you’ll just have to read the book if you really want to find out more about the troubles they have to face! All I can say is that I enjoyed it immensely! ;-)
The characters:
”I didn’t understand what being king meant to you.”
“What’s that?”
“An end to fighting.”
There will be many quotes and a lot of gushing and screaming and fangirling in this section! Considering how much I love this book I might even add some uncontrolled flailing to the list. *lol* So be warned, this is my spoilery spoiler sector and you’re just about to enter the fun! ;-P
Damen:
”What makes you think Kastor is the weaker man? You don’t know him.”
“But I’m coming to know you,” said Laurent.
Damen is such a sweet, honest, loyal and honourable soul and by now it seems like even Laurent realised it! Finally! *lol* I swear, it was so amazing to watch Damen grow. In the first book he didn’t understand Laurent and his actions but in “Prince’s Gambit” he tried his best to figure him out and eventually realised that not everything is as it seems. He finally got a glimpse at the Crown Prince’s true nature and saw past the façade Laurent keeps so well. After everything he’s gone through and all the experiences he made Damen didn’t just begin to question his own attitude towards the people of Vere but also realised that he probably wouldn’t have treated them any better. I think the encounter with Naos was one of the best scenes in the entire book and some sort of key moment that put everything into a new perspective. If given half a chance the old Damen would have wanted war with Vere too and wouldn’t have even hesitated to take their land by force so it was really nice to see when he realised that he has prejudices as well. Damen’s world is no longer just black and white and I love him for trying to be aware of the grey. ;-)
”And perhaps out of this, a thin thread of respect was growing. It was apparent why his uncle had kept Laurent away from the reins of power: he was good at leading.”
”Damen felt Laurent start shaking against him, and realised that, silently, helplessly, he was laughing.”
”They were kissing. He felt it in his body, like a tremor he couldn’t still. He was shaken by the force of all he wanted, and he closed his eyes against it.”
”He felt the passing of time like a growing pressure. He was aware of each moment because it was one fewer that he had left.”
”For everything that my uncle and Kastor planned,” said Laurent, as Damen felt himself grow cold, “they had no idea what they did when they gifted me with you.”
Laurent:
”When this campaign is over, I think – if you are a man and not a worm – you will attempt to gain retribution for what has happened to you. I expect it. On that day, we roll the dice and see how they fall.”
I love this boy so much! <333 He’s just amazing and he’s so damn young!!! I loved that we finally saw parts of his true self and I adored that he began to open up to Damen. I swear to follow Laurent’s progress and to see his change was one of the most beautiful things to watch! Laurent is so much more than initially meets the eye and it was such a delight to see glimpses of his vulnerable side! XD He’s not the cast-iron bitch everyone thinks him to be and we finally saw that he has not only a good sense of humour but also compassion! There are more and more chinks in his armour and layer by layer his true self is revealed. And boy do I love what’s hidden underneath all his cool and indifferent composure!!! Deep down within him he’s just a lonely and broken boy and everyone who knows me knows how much I love those broken boys. *lol* KRYPTONITE!!! That’s all I say. Haha! Well anyway, what I probably loved the most was that he realised his faults and that he’s painfully aware of how much he wronged Damen. He knows what he did is unforgivable and even though he expects Damen to take revenge, this still didn’t stop him from putting his trust in him. Unconditional love… we’re finally getting there!!! XD
”I intend to survive, I intend to beat my uncle, and I will fight with every weapon that I have.”
”Laurent’s cool-eyed arrogance proclaimed that no one could touch him. The earring said that one man could. It transformed him from unattainable to exclusive, an elite pleasure no one here could afford.”
”Laurent fought like he talked. The danger lay in the way he used his mind: there was not one thing he did that was not planned in advance. Yet he was not predictable, because in this, as with everything he did, there were layers of intent, moments when expected patterns would suddenly dissolve into something else.”
”He resented him,” said Damen.
Paschal gave him a strange look. “No, he loved him. He hero-worshipped him, the way that intellectual boys sometimes do, with older boys who excel physically. It went both ways with those
two. They were devoted to one another. Auguste was the protector. He would do anything for his little brother.”
”Can you stand? We need to move out. It’s not safe for you here. Too many people want to kill you.”
After a moment, Laurent said, “Everyone to the south, but only half the people to the north.”
Jord:
I really like Jord! He’s such a good and loyal man and he only wants what’s best for his prince. I guess in some way he’s Laurent’s father figure and I think this actually might have been the reason why he was so harsh to him. Poor Jord! He definitely didn’t deserve any of the things that happened and I feel so damn sorry for him. He truly loved Aimeric and Laurent’s words must have hurt him even more than he cared to admit. *sigh* I hate the Regent so much!!! His damn machinations hurt every single person that lives under his thumb and I really can’t wait to see his end!!! How many people have to get killed before he’s finally dethroned? >_<
Dament – Their relationship:
”You remind me of him. He was the best man I have ever known. You deserve to know that, as you deserve at least a fair … In Arles, I treated you with malice and cruelty. I will not insult you by attempting to atone for deeds with words, but I would not treat you that way again. I was angry. Angry, that isn’t the word.” It was bitten off; a jagged silence followed.
I LOVE their relationship so much that I decided to give it its own space! *lol* They are just so damn amazing and cute together, I can’t even put it into words!!! There was so much tension between those two the air literally sizzled with heat! I just adore everything about them, the way they teased each other, how they tried to hide their attraction, how miserably they failed!! XD And all those intense moments!! Gosh they were my undoing!! That scene when Damen came back to the camp even though he could have run away, or the little moment when Damen teased Laurent about his accent!!! *lol* Their night out when they hid behind the door and THE MASSAGE!!!!!! OMG! The massage! *fans herself*
BUT nothing, absolutely nothing was as intense as CHAPTER 19!!!!
This chapter was the death of me and I want to die again and again!!! Never in my entire life have I ever read such a beautiful sex scene! The way Pacat described it was so lovely I died a thousand deaths. It was so bittersweet, it killed me! I wanted to cry because it was so sad, yet at the same time I wanted to dance with joy because it was finally happening!!! My heart broke for those two boys! It broke and was mended, stopped beating and started all over again! They both knew they only had one night together but they still took the risk, they preferred that moment of bliss over the pain that would follow and this, THIS made the entire chapter so wonderful to read!!! Oh god! Just to think about that scene makes my heart ache!!
I will never get over Chapter 19! Never! The tenderness, the trust, their unconditional love, the knowledge and sadness that didn’t just swing in every single word they said but also was visible in every gesture they made.
For the first time they saw each other with all their insecurities and flaws and they embraced the truth, they cherished it, they accepted their feelings, they trusted in their love… They just loved. Unconditionally, without restraint, with everything they were and had!
SO. DAMN. BEAUTIFUL!!!! I just can’t anymore… I can’t…. *sobs and dies*
”That’s right, I’m still captured,” said Damen.
‘Your eyes say, “For now.”’ Laurent said. ‘Your eyes have always said, “For now.”’
From the severe, straight-backed posture to the impersonal grace of his cupped yellow head; from his detached blue eyes to the arrogance of his cheekbones, Laurent was complicated and contradictory, and Damen could look nowhere else."
“This is instructive. I’ve seen you put half a dozen men in the dirt without breaking a sweat.”
“Not right now, I couldn’t.”
“I can see that. You’re relieved of your regular duties in the morning.”
“That’s nice of you. I can’t get up. I’ll just lie here. Or did you need something?”
“Oh, how did you know?” said Laurent. “Take me to bed.”
Damen groaned and found himself laughing after all, in the moment before he pulled the furs over his head.
”I’m going to leave tomorrow,” said Damen, as steadily as he could. “I’m not going to come back.” He drew in a breath that hurt his chest. “Laurent – “
“No, I don’t care. Tomorrow you leave. But you’re mine now. You’re still my slave tonight.”
”I can’t.” It was a raw admission. “I can’t think.” The words were torn out of him. Wide-eyed in the silence, Laurent said them again in a different voice, his blue eyes dark with the exposure of the truth. “I can’t think.”
“I know,” said Damen.
The conclusion:
I loved “Prince’s Gambit” and I savoured every single word!!! This time around I was so much more aware of everything that happened and it only enhanced my reading experience! =) What made everything even better was the fact that this was a buddy read with my adorable Gansey! It was so much fun to be able to gush about Laurent and Damen and I can’t thank you enough for reading this book with me! ;-) Let’s tackle “King’s Rising” soon! XD
”I lack,” said Laurent, “the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,” you could see him pushing the words out, “a lover.”
“You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,” said Damen.
Artist credit: Annabel @ miss-annabel, https://www.tumblr.com/miss-annabel
Can I just say how much I love this book?!
I love, love, love, love, love, love and adore it to bits and pieces!!! XD
Prince’s Gambit has everything I want in a good book and since the shocking and heavy topics of the first book aren’t in the focus of the second instalment it was so much easier to read and enjoy! Whereas Captive Prince played a lot with clichés and sensitive issues this book was just an amazing fun read! Don’t get me wrong, there were still some serious and interesting topics but it was all wrapped up so nicely that I just couldn’t help but had to love this book!
There are intrigues, there is hope, there is humour, there is anger and despair, there is pain and passion and there is so much love it almost killed me!!!! ARGH!!! The love in this book caused me to die again and yet again!!! It’s so subtle and such a slow burn but OH BOY did it hit me with the feels!!! It hit me so hard I couldn’t contain my joy and even though this was already my second read I’m still convinced that it will knock me out if I read “Prince’s Gambit” a third time. *lol*
Laurent and Damen are everything and all I want is that they are happy!!! <333
Gosh they deserve all the happiness in the world. XD
I can’t even!!! I really can’t!!! I feel so strongly for those two boys it’s not even normal anymore.
And can we please just take a little moment and appreciate how wonderful this story arc is?
From archenemies to reluctant allies, from allies to cautious friends and from friends to gentle lovers. C.S. Pacat you pulled this off so nicely it’s just amazing! I relished this so much and I savoured every second of it! <3
So just in case you didn’t realise it by now:
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!
There I said it and I will say it again and again until I’m wrinkled and old! *lol* ;-P
The plot:
”To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.”
This time around the plot is easily told. After the ending of the first book Damen and Laurent are forced to make their way to the border and to say there happens a lot on their journey would be putting it more than just mildly. XD I guess you’ll just have to read the book if you really want to find out more about the troubles they have to face! All I can say is that I enjoyed it immensely! ;-)
The characters:
”I didn’t understand what being king meant to you.”
“What’s that?”
“An end to fighting.”
There will be many quotes and a lot of gushing and screaming and fangirling in this section! Considering how much I love this book I might even add some uncontrolled flailing to the list. *lol* So be warned, this is my spoilery spoiler sector and you’re just about to enter the fun! ;-P
Damen:
”What makes you think Kastor is the weaker man? You don’t know him.”
“But I’m coming to know you,” said Laurent.
Damen is such a sweet, honest, loyal and honourable soul and by now it seems like even Laurent realised it! Finally! *lol* I swear, it was so amazing to watch Damen grow. In the first book he didn’t understand Laurent and his actions but in “Prince’s Gambit” he tried his best to figure him out and eventually realised that not everything is as it seems. He finally got a glimpse at the Crown Prince’s true nature and saw past the façade Laurent keeps so well. After everything he’s gone through and all the experiences he made Damen didn’t just begin to question his own attitude towards the people of Vere but also realised that he probably wouldn’t have treated them any better. I think the encounter with Naos was one of the best scenes in the entire book and some sort of key moment that put everything into a new perspective. If given half a chance the old Damen would have wanted war with Vere too and wouldn’t have even hesitated to take their land by force so it was really nice to see when he realised that he has prejudices as well. Damen’s world is no longer just black and white and I love him for trying to be aware of the grey. ;-)
”And perhaps out of this, a thin thread of respect was growing. It was apparent why his uncle had kept Laurent away from the reins of power: he was good at leading.”
”Damen felt Laurent start shaking against him, and realised that, silently, helplessly, he was laughing.”
”They were kissing. He felt it in his body, like a tremor he couldn’t still. He was shaken by the force of all he wanted, and he closed his eyes against it.”
”He felt the passing of time like a growing pressure. He was aware of each moment because it was one fewer that he had left.”
”For everything that my uncle and Kastor planned,” said Laurent, as Damen felt himself grow cold, “they had no idea what they did when they gifted me with you.”
Laurent:
”When this campaign is over, I think – if you are a man and not a worm – you will attempt to gain retribution for what has happened to you. I expect it. On that day, we roll the dice and see how they fall.”
I love this boy so much! <333 He’s just amazing and he’s so damn young!!! I loved that we finally saw parts of his true self and I adored that he began to open up to Damen. I swear to follow Laurent’s progress and to see his change was one of the most beautiful things to watch! Laurent is so much more than initially meets the eye and it was such a delight to see glimpses of his vulnerable side! XD He’s not the cast-iron bitch everyone thinks him to be and we finally saw that he has not only a good sense of humour but also compassion! There are more and more chinks in his armour and layer by layer his true self is revealed. And boy do I love what’s hidden underneath all his cool and indifferent composure!!! Deep down within him he’s just a lonely and broken boy and everyone who knows me knows how much I love those broken boys. *lol* KRYPTONITE!!! That’s all I say. Haha! Well anyway, what I probably loved the most was that he realised his faults and that he’s painfully aware of how much he wronged Damen. He knows what he did is unforgivable and even though he expects Damen to take revenge, this still didn’t stop him from putting his trust in him. Unconditional love… we’re finally getting there!!! XD
”I intend to survive, I intend to beat my uncle, and I will fight with every weapon that I have.”
”Laurent’s cool-eyed arrogance proclaimed that no one could touch him. The earring said that one man could. It transformed him from unattainable to exclusive, an elite pleasure no one here could afford.”
”Laurent fought like he talked. The danger lay in the way he used his mind: there was not one thing he did that was not planned in advance. Yet he was not predictable, because in this, as with everything he did, there were layers of intent, moments when expected patterns would suddenly dissolve into something else.”
”He resented him,” said Damen.
Paschal gave him a strange look. “No, he loved him. He hero-worshipped him, the way that intellectual boys sometimes do, with older boys who excel physically. It went both ways with those
two. They were devoted to one another. Auguste was the protector. He would do anything for his little brother.”
”Can you stand? We need to move out. It’s not safe for you here. Too many people want to kill you.”
After a moment, Laurent said, “Everyone to the south, but only half the people to the north.”
Jord:
I really like Jord! He’s such a good and loyal man and he only wants what’s best for his prince. I guess in some way he’s Laurent’s father figure and I think this actually might have been the reason why he was so harsh to him. Poor Jord! He definitely didn’t deserve any of the things that happened and I feel so damn sorry for him. He truly loved Aimeric and Laurent’s words must have hurt him even more than he cared to admit. *sigh* I hate the Regent so much!!! His damn machinations hurt every single person that lives under his thumb and I really can’t wait to see his end!!! How many people have to get killed before he’s finally dethroned? >_<
Dament – Their relationship:
”You remind me of him. He was the best man I have ever known. You deserve to know that, as you deserve at least a fair … In Arles, I treated you with malice and cruelty. I will not insult you by attempting to atone for deeds with words, but I would not treat you that way again. I was angry. Angry, that isn’t the word.” It was bitten off; a jagged silence followed.
I LOVE their relationship so much that I decided to give it its own space! *lol* They are just so damn amazing and cute together, I can’t even put it into words!!! There was so much tension between those two the air literally sizzled with heat! I just adore everything about them, the way they teased each other, how they tried to hide their attraction, how miserably they failed!! XD And all those intense moments!! Gosh they were my undoing!! That scene when Damen came back to the camp even though he could have run away, or the little moment when Damen teased Laurent about his accent!!! *lol* Their night out when they hid behind the door and THE MASSAGE!!!!!! OMG! The massage! *fans herself*
BUT nothing, absolutely nothing was as intense as CHAPTER 19!!!!
This chapter was the death of me and I want to die again and again!!! Never in my entire life have I ever read such a beautiful sex scene! The way Pacat described it was so lovely I died a thousand deaths. It was so bittersweet, it killed me! I wanted to cry because it was so sad, yet at the same time I wanted to dance with joy because it was finally happening!!! My heart broke for those two boys! It broke and was mended, stopped beating and started all over again! They both knew they only had one night together but they still took the risk, they preferred that moment of bliss over the pain that would follow and this, THIS made the entire chapter so wonderful to read!!! Oh god! Just to think about that scene makes my heart ache!!
I will never get over Chapter 19! Never! The tenderness, the trust, their unconditional love, the knowledge and sadness that didn’t just swing in every single word they said but also was visible in every gesture they made.
For the first time they saw each other with all their insecurities and flaws and they embraced the truth, they cherished it, they accepted their feelings, they trusted in their love… They just loved. Unconditionally, without restraint, with everything they were and had!
SO. DAMN. BEAUTIFUL!!!! I just can’t anymore… I can’t…. *sobs and dies*
”That’s right, I’m still captured,” said Damen.
‘Your eyes say, “For now.”’ Laurent said. ‘Your eyes have always said, “For now.”’
From the severe, straight-backed posture to the impersonal grace of his cupped yellow head; from his detached blue eyes to the arrogance of his cheekbones, Laurent was complicated and contradictory, and Damen could look nowhere else."
“This is instructive. I’ve seen you put half a dozen men in the dirt without breaking a sweat.”
“Not right now, I couldn’t.”
“I can see that. You’re relieved of your regular duties in the morning.”
“That’s nice of you. I can’t get up. I’ll just lie here. Or did you need something?”
“Oh, how did you know?” said Laurent. “Take me to bed.”
Damen groaned and found himself laughing after all, in the moment before he pulled the furs over his head.
”I’m going to leave tomorrow,” said Damen, as steadily as he could. “I’m not going to come back.” He drew in a breath that hurt his chest. “Laurent – “
“No, I don’t care. Tomorrow you leave. But you’re mine now. You’re still my slave tonight.”
”I can’t.” It was a raw admission. “I can’t think.” The words were torn out of him. Wide-eyed in the silence, Laurent said them again in a different voice, his blue eyes dark with the exposure of the truth. “I can’t think.”
“I know,” said Damen.
The conclusion:
I loved “Prince’s Gambit” and I savoured every single word!!! This time around I was so much more aware of everything that happened and it only enhanced my reading experience! =) What made everything even better was the fact that this was a buddy read with my adorable Gansey! It was so much fun to be able to gush about Laurent and Damen and I can’t thank you enough for reading this book with me! ;-) Let’s tackle “King’s Rising” soon! XD
”I lack,” said Laurent, “the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,” you could see him pushing the words out, “a lover.”
“You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,” said Damen.
Artist credit: Annabel @ miss-annabel, https://www.tumblr.com/miss-annabel
May 22, 2024
may 2024 reread:
that ending will never not be epic.
✼ ⸺⸺⸺ ✿ ⸺⸺⸺ ✼
there are books that sometimes make me believe “this. this is why i read.” this was one of those books for me. the ending literally gave me the shivers. the tension between laurent and damen is everything. this is why i love slow-burn enemies to lovers – this was actual slow-burn and actual enemies to lovers, perfectly executed, no bars held.
‘a kingdom, or this.’
i’m obsessed. there’s no other way to describe it. me binging these books back to back frantically whenever i find the time says a lot. i’m regretting not starting these earlier but also not really, because i really needed this now. this series is quickly becoming one of my all time favs and i love it for that.
this was hope. despair. darkness. pain. anger. revenge. passion. everything packed into this book. i loved the politics and the war and how it was depicted (i always eat that up in books like this, where both the characters and the romance and plot intrigue me — best types of fantasy books imo). i will say, go into this with less expectations for the romance and more for the book itself — you’ll probably like it more that way, though i wasn’t at all disappointed when i went into it for even just the romance because i quickly entrenched myself with the world and what was going on. the complexity of every character shone in this book.
‘to get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.’
i just felt so much for damen, precious boy that he is. duty-bound. needing to save his country from certain ruin. possible savior complex. epitome of an honorable knight. and yes, i even felt for laurent. fell*, my bad. my type is emotionless, cold ice princes who melt only for that one person in their lives, apparently. the amount of calculation he did, his strategic way of thinking, how smart he was? it only endeared me to him more. it made me wanna tell him “you’re so mean — do it again”. the way he blushed in front of damen — my heart. 🥺 also i loved how the power dynamics felt so balanced to me! despite damen being laurent’s captive for so long, there were moments when he came out on top as well. damen truly saw into laurent’s soul, saw past that snarky, bitchy façade laurent put up, and liked him just for who he was. while laurent found a new puzzle who he couldn’t solve at all, one that made him feel again, want things again. their banter had me on my knees and i kept anticipating more, just more.
‘that’s right, i’m still captured,’ said damen.
‘your eyes say, “for now.”’ laurent said. ‘your eyes have always said, “for now.”’
i actually adored book one as well, though in a different way. that had more ruthlessness, more of a sneak peek into this world than showing the entire dish. just enough to entice you into wanting more, more, more. a definite tease, more of a starter. whereas this?? delivered. this was a full nine-course meal served on a platter. what i love about this series is how it delves into how complex the relationships in the world are, how nuanced. in book one, there wasn’t even a bit of romance and that would generally put me off but i think i needed something gritty like this. and this book? this had the slightest tinges of romance in the end, and that too with a hell of a lot of development — laurent and damen have actually come so far from where they started. the story arc and their role in this was done so very well — the plot and the romance interwove in a way that felt so seamless and i loved how they went from truly hating each other, to reluctantly coming to an agreement, to becoming allies to maybe-friends to maybe-more.
i love my pretty broken boys who come alive around each other <3
‘it felt, in all the lies between them, as if this was the only true thing.’
anyway this review is all over the place i’m sorry — i just needed a place to gush about and vent out all my thoughts and feelings about this series so far. crossing my fingers book three will deliver so that i can finally find a series to obsess over again. 🥹
✼ ⸺⸺⸺ ✿ ⸺⸺⸺ ✼
there are books that sometimes make me believe “this. this is why i read.” this was one of those books for me. the ending literally gave me the shivers. the tension between laurent and damen is everything. this is why i love slow-burn enemies to lovers – this was actual slow-burn and actual enemies to lovers, perfectly executed, no bars held.
‘a kingdom, or this.’
i’m obsessed. there’s no other way to describe it. me binging these books back to back frantically whenever i find the time says a lot. i’m regretting not starting these earlier but also not really, because i really needed this now. this series is quickly becoming one of my all time favs and i love it for that.
this was hope. despair. darkness. pain. anger. revenge. passion. everything packed into this book. i loved the politics and the war and how it was depicted (i always eat that up in books like this, where both the characters and the romance and plot intrigue me — best types of fantasy books imo). i will say, go into this with less expectations for the romance and more for the book itself — you’ll probably like it more that way, though i wasn’t at all disappointed when i went into it for even just the romance because i quickly entrenched myself with the world and what was going on. the complexity of every character shone in this book.
‘to get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.’
i just felt so much for damen, precious boy that he is. duty-bound. needing to save his country from certain ruin. possible savior complex. epitome of an honorable knight. and yes, i even felt for laurent. fell*, my bad. my type is emotionless, cold ice princes who melt only for that one person in their lives, apparently. the amount of calculation he did, his strategic way of thinking, how smart he was? it only endeared me to him more. it made me wanna tell him “you’re so mean — do it again”. the way he blushed in front of damen — my heart. 🥺 also i loved how the power dynamics felt so balanced to me! despite damen being laurent’s captive for so long, there were moments when he came out on top as well. damen truly saw into laurent’s soul, saw past that snarky, bitchy façade laurent put up, and liked him just for who he was. while laurent found a new puzzle who he couldn’t solve at all, one that made him feel again, want things again. their banter had me on my knees and i kept anticipating more, just more.
‘that’s right, i’m still captured,’ said damen.
‘your eyes say, “for now.”’ laurent said. ‘your eyes have always said, “for now.”’
i actually adored book one as well, though in a different way. that had more ruthlessness, more of a sneak peek into this world than showing the entire dish. just enough to entice you into wanting more, more, more. a definite tease, more of a starter. whereas this?? delivered. this was a full nine-course meal served on a platter. what i love about this series is how it delves into how complex the relationships in the world are, how nuanced. in book one, there wasn’t even a bit of romance and that would generally put me off but i think i needed something gritty like this. and this book? this had the slightest tinges of romance in the end, and that too with a hell of a lot of development — laurent and damen have actually come so far from where they started. the story arc and their role in this was done so very well — the plot and the romance interwove in a way that felt so seamless and i loved how they went from truly hating each other, to reluctantly coming to an agreement, to becoming allies to maybe-friends to maybe-more.
i love my pretty broken boys who come alive around each other <3
‘it felt, in all the lies between them, as if this was the only true thing.’
anyway this review is all over the place i’m sorry — i just needed a place to gush about and vent out all my thoughts and feelings about this series so far. crossing my fingers book three will deliver so that i can finally find a series to obsess over again. 🥹
July 21, 2017
As the 'Captive Prince' series progresses, I find myself completely lost in the story of Damen and Laurent. Talk about a slow-burn, I have been dying for something to happen between these two. The anticipation was absolutely killing me.
While the first book primarily focused on the hedonistic indulgences and cruelty of Laurent's court, this second book shows more of the inner workings. Many of the pieces are beginning to fall into place. There is far more to Laurent's situation than meets the eye. In many ways, he is every bit the captive that Damen is.
The nearer Laurent gets to the day that he will claim his throne, the more underhanded his uncle becomes. It is evident that he has no intention of ever relinquishing the power of being King. He does everything within his power to discredit and undermine his nephew at every turn.
Unfortunately for Laurent's uncle, his own manipulations end up being unexpectedly counterproductive. He coerces Laurent into serving near the border, anticipating that he and the substandard group of soldiers that he sent him with will end up being killed off. The assassins that he sends will surely finish off the job if the poor state of the group does not manage to die of their own accord.
Instead, Laurent and Damen form an unlikely alliance. Their tenuous relationship grows much stronger, even becoming the best of friends. Damen often finds himself in the position of a trusted confidante for Laurent. Before long, the two are practically inseparable.
At last, it is evident that there is far more going on between Laurent and Damen than meets the eye. Of course, there is a pervasive ominous feeling to this book. Damen's identity is still a secret at this point. The looming threat of discovery lingers, tainting his interactions with Laurent. The more he grows to care for Laurent, the more Damen fears that his betrayal will come to light.
I enjoyed every minute of this book. I was taken in by the evolution of Damen and Laurent's relationship from enemies to friends to lovers. I want things to work out for them so badly, even as I know that disaster is lurking around the corner. So many secrets. So many feelings. My heart is breaking for these two.
Needless to say, I thought that this was a wonderful book. I will dive into the third book immediately. I absolutely must know how things work out for Damen and Laurent. Despite the fact that M/M is not my usual preferred genre, I have absolutely fallen in love with this story. I want Damen and Laurent to get the HEA so badly.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
While the first book primarily focused on the hedonistic indulgences and cruelty of Laurent's court, this second book shows more of the inner workings. Many of the pieces are beginning to fall into place. There is far more to Laurent's situation than meets the eye. In many ways, he is every bit the captive that Damen is.
The nearer Laurent gets to the day that he will claim his throne, the more underhanded his uncle becomes. It is evident that he has no intention of ever relinquishing the power of being King. He does everything within his power to discredit and undermine his nephew at every turn.
Unfortunately for Laurent's uncle, his own manipulations end up being unexpectedly counterproductive. He coerces Laurent into serving near the border, anticipating that he and the substandard group of soldiers that he sent him with will end up being killed off. The assassins that he sends will surely finish off the job if the poor state of the group does not manage to die of their own accord.
Instead, Laurent and Damen form an unlikely alliance. Their tenuous relationship grows much stronger, even becoming the best of friends. Damen often finds himself in the position of a trusted confidante for Laurent. Before long, the two are practically inseparable.
At last, it is evident that there is far more going on between Laurent and Damen than meets the eye. Of course, there is a pervasive ominous feeling to this book. Damen's identity is still a secret at this point. The looming threat of discovery lingers, tainting his interactions with Laurent. The more he grows to care for Laurent, the more Damen fears that his betrayal will come to light.
I enjoyed every minute of this book. I was taken in by the evolution of Damen and Laurent's relationship from enemies to friends to lovers. I want things to work out for them so badly, even as I know that disaster is lurking around the corner. So many secrets. So many feelings. My heart is breaking for these two.
Needless to say, I thought that this was a wonderful book. I will dive into the third book immediately. I absolutely must know how things work out for Damen and Laurent. Despite the fact that M/M is not my usual preferred genre, I have absolutely fallen in love with this story. I want Damen and Laurent to get the HEA so badly.
Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
April 7, 2024
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HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT
February 2, 2016
reck-uh-lus be-hay-vyuh.
dunno why laurent makes me think of zayn malik.
maybe it's the way malik is so desperate to appear a man that his first solo video after 1D is of him lavishly acting out a sexual fantasy with various women, including the one below, while wearing the scruffiest of beards.
as if that could ever truly disguise his elfin, boyish, swoopy-haired beauty.
but they always try, don't they, pretty boys.
they grow unfortunate mustaches and delete the bounce in their step in favor of a surly lope.
they bathe in cologne and get into fights and change all their friends and...
and they start keeping secrets.
hmm.
maybe i do know why i'm thinking of zayn malik, after all.
but never mind.
in this volume, the facade cracks, skin peels away in patches and strips, and the real story underneath it all becomes apparent.
part of it is problematic. part of it is disturbing. part of it is erotic as hell.
but all of it is excellent.
on goodreads, three stars means "i liked it." four, "i loved it."
five stars means "it was amazing."
i so rarely find it in me to upgrade a rating that i can remember every time i've done it:
once for love of a man.
once to honor the bravery of an honest person.
and here, now, to express the awe and admiration in me at the close of this volume.
five stars.
because i am amazed.
it was, truly, amazing.
and everything is amazing.
stay swoopy, zayn.
_____________
previously:
[historically inaccurate twerking intensifies]
it takes two to make a thing go ri-i-ight
it takes two to make it outta sight
no time for a gif; volume two re-read in effect.
_____________
previously:
Well, that was—frankly—stunning.
dunno why laurent makes me think of zayn malik.
maybe it's the way malik is so desperate to appear a man that his first solo video after 1D is of him lavishly acting out a sexual fantasy with various women, including the one below, while wearing the scruffiest of beards.
as if that could ever truly disguise his elfin, boyish, swoopy-haired beauty.
but they always try, don't they, pretty boys.
they grow unfortunate mustaches and delete the bounce in their step in favor of a surly lope.
they bathe in cologne and get into fights and change all their friends and...
and they start keeping secrets.
hmm.
maybe i do know why i'm thinking of zayn malik, after all.
but never mind.
in this volume, the facade cracks, skin peels away in patches and strips, and the real story underneath it all becomes apparent.
part of it is problematic. part of it is disturbing. part of it is erotic as hell.
but all of it is excellent.
on goodreads, three stars means "i liked it." four, "i loved it."
five stars means "it was amazing."
i so rarely find it in me to upgrade a rating that i can remember every time i've done it:
once for love of a man.
once to honor the bravery of an honest person.
and here, now, to express the awe and admiration in me at the close of this volume.
five stars.
because i am amazed.
it was, truly, amazing.
and everything is amazing.
stay swoopy, zayn.
_____________
previously:
[historically inaccurate twerking intensifies]
it takes two to make a thing go ri-i-ight
it takes two to make it outta sight
no time for a gif; volume two re-read in effect.
_____________
previously:
Well, that was—frankly—stunning.
February 5, 2020
#1 Captive Prince ★★★★★
#2 Prince's Gambit ★★★★★
#3 King's Rising ★★★★★
“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.”
I was pleasantly surprised by the first book in this trilogy, but that was nothing compared to how much I loved the second installment. Everything that I enjoyed in Captive Prince was magnified in Prince's Gambit, plus the character development was everything I wanted and more.
“That’s right, I’m still captured,’ said Damen.
‘Your eyes say, “For now,”’ Laurent said. ‘Your eyes have always said, “For now.”
While reading the first book, I literally thought to myself, "There is no way I could ever like Laurent!" Wow, was I wrong. Of course he did terrible things in the first book, and nobody is denying that, but the lighter shades of his moral greyness come to light in Prince's Gambit. There is so much more to Laurent than meets the eye: he is wickedly intelligent, always a step ahead of his foes, and puts so much more on the line than anyone realizes. There is a motive behind every move he makes, and watching these things come out in the open, as well as seeing Damen's reactions to learning that this man he travels with isn't only a cruel snake, is so incredibly captivating.
“Because a king maker would always choose the weaker man. The weaker the man, the easier he is to control.”
Damen, of course, is just as lovable as he was in the beginning; from the very start of Prince's Gambit, he is putting himself on the line for people he owes nothing to, simply because he's such a kind-hearted individual. His homesickness is still heavy, but it begins to mingle with so many other emotions as he finally garners the respect of not only the Veretians he travels with, but Laurent, too. The first moment in which we see Laurent treat Damen as a confidante is such a warm, tangible thing. ❤
“Stop enjoying yourself," Damen murmured. "We're going to be killed, any minute."
"Giant animal," said Laurent.
"Stop it.”
As far as the romance goes, if you couldn't guess from the first book, this is one hell of a slow burn, but it's so lovely to watch the two men shift from sworn enemies to something more. I've always been a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope, and this is one of the best executions of that trope I've ever seen. Their banter absolutely kills me and I could read books on end just of Laurent smarting off to Damen.
I could gush for ages, really, but I'll just say that I cannot recommend this series highly enough - if you can handle the tougher sides of the content. There's not nearly as much abuse in book 2 as there was in book 1, but it is still present in some areas, so please proceed with caution. Meanwhile, I'm off to binge read the finale!
February 11, 2021
”To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much are you willing to give up”.
En serio, estos libros van a acabar conmigo, de verdad. Sólo diré dos palabras: LA TENSIÓN.
Después de leer Captive Prince quedé absolutamente enamorada de la dinámica de Laurent y Damen. Realmente es fascinante porque grita peligro a los cuatro vientos. No sólo Damen está escondiendo su verdadera identidad como príncipe de Akielos, sino que está ayudando a sus enemigos en una campaña de guerra muy importante. Y él mismo sabe que camina por una fina línea porque, en el momento en el que Laurent se entere de Damianos, el príncipe que mató a su hermano, es el mismísimo Damen, pues… todo se va a ir un poco al infierno.
Ahora, creo que si Captive Prince fue un libro que nos introducía a un mundo libertino, lleno de esclavos de placer y juegos de la corte, Prince’s Gambit es un libro infinitamente más político y menos centrado en el aspecto salseante de toda esta historia. En este punto Laurent debe ir hacia la frontera para cortar unas insurrecciones, pero lo que en realidad está haciendo es caer de lleno en una trampa tendida por el Regente, su tío, que quiere deshacerse de él. Así que Laurent, confiando en la mente estratégica para la batalla de Damen, parte hacia ese lugar y empieza a mover todas sus fichas para poder ganar ese juego peligroso por el poder. Lo que poco se imaginaba él, frío y distante como es, es que poco a poco empezaría a confiar en su esclavo.
Debo admitir que, al principio, este segundo tomo se me estaba haciendo cuesta arriba porque yo quería sexy times, salseo y que estos dos se comieran la boca y aceptaran las ganas que se tenían. Jajaja, perdón por ser así. Pero, de verdad, la tensión sexual ya estaba en su pico máximo al final del primer libro… y luego llega este y me encuentro con que tengo que esperar como 240 páginas para que pase algo en ese sentido… Madre mía.
Voy a pasar olímpicamente de la parte táctica, las batallas y las estrategias de guerra porque, honestamente, me interesaban muy poco. Así que vamos a hablar de cómo evolucionan Damen y Laurent como personajes porque eso sí que me fascinó. Damen, por su parte, está en una posición única. Sigue siendo el esclavo del príncipe, pero poco a poco se va dando cuenta de las facetas que tiene ese hombre, de la mente tan envidiable que tiene y de que, detrás de muchísimas defensas, es una persona que quiere conectar con alguien especial. Me gustó muchísimo que vayamos viendo a lo largo del libro cómo Damen cambia su odio visceral por curiosidad hacia el príncipe y, eventualmente, por atracción. Ah, la belleza del enemies to lovers.
¿Y qué decir de Laurent? Como diría mi amiga Kyoko, él está estreñido emocionalmente, ¡pero creo que es por una razón muy coherente! Desde pequeño Laurent ha sabido que, tarde o temprano, su tío intentaría quedarse con el trono. Y, un poco a las malas, aprendió que relajarse, confiar en las personas y perder el control de sus emociones lo llevan a cometer errores. Y eso es algo que no puede permitirse. Sin embargo, cuando conoce a Damen y empieza a pasar el tiempo, Laurent nota cómo ese hombre de Akielos se mete bajo su piel y con palabras, gestos o su propia personalidad hace que quiera confiar en él.
Yo sé que todos quieren que hable del capítulo 19, así que aquí voy. Tengo que admitir que, a pesar de que todo me parecía tremendamente sensual, sentí que no era tan espectacular como me lo había imaginado. ¡Esperé casi dos libros por un momento muy soft. Y no me malentiendan, la escena es preciosa. Y amo que Damen entienda tanto a Laurent y vaya a su ritmo. Y que se preocupe por él y entienda sus límites. Pero no sé qué parte de mi cabeza pensaba que todo iba a ser mucho más hardcore y desatado. Y sí, en ese momento estuve decepcionada, pero luego algo hizo click en mi cabeza. Algo que, por el bien de mi pobre corazón que ahora quiere muchísimo a Laurent, espero que no sea verdad y se quede como una teoría absurda. Lo que empecé a pensar es que quizá la personalidad de Laurent, su aversión a que lo toquen y a que alguien se acerque demasiado emocionalmente a él se deba a que su tío, el Regente, lo violó cuando era pequeño. Ojalá esté equivocada, pero es que siento que todo apunta a ello.
En fin, a partir de ahora espero que todo sea amor, felicidad y caricias bonitas entre ellos dos porque se lo merecen y son lo más lindo del mundo. Me encantan juntos, de verdad. Y tengo miedo del drama que va a haber al principio del siguiente libro porque ya es segurísimo que Laurent va a enterarse de quién es Damen en realidad y ay…
En serio, estos libros van a acabar conmigo, de verdad. Sólo diré dos palabras: LA TENSIÓN.
Después de leer Captive Prince quedé absolutamente enamorada de la dinámica de Laurent y Damen. Realmente es fascinante porque grita peligro a los cuatro vientos. No sólo Damen está escondiendo su verdadera identidad como príncipe de Akielos, sino que está ayudando a sus enemigos en una campaña de guerra muy importante. Y él mismo sabe que camina por una fina línea porque, en el momento en el que Laurent se entere de Damianos, el príncipe que mató a su hermano, es el mismísimo Damen, pues… todo se va a ir un poco al infierno.
Ahora, creo que si Captive Prince fue un libro que nos introducía a un mundo libertino, lleno de esclavos de placer y juegos de la corte, Prince’s Gambit es un libro infinitamente más político y menos centrado en el aspecto salseante de toda esta historia. En este punto Laurent debe ir hacia la frontera para cortar unas insurrecciones, pero lo que en realidad está haciendo es caer de lleno en una trampa tendida por el Regente, su tío, que quiere deshacerse de él. Así que Laurent, confiando en la mente estratégica para la batalla de Damen, parte hacia ese lugar y empieza a mover todas sus fichas para poder ganar ese juego peligroso por el poder. Lo que poco se imaginaba él, frío y distante como es, es que poco a poco empezaría a confiar en su esclavo.
Debo admitir que, al principio, este segundo tomo se me estaba haciendo cuesta arriba porque yo quería sexy times, salseo y que estos dos se comieran la boca y aceptaran las ganas que se tenían. Jajaja, perdón por ser así. Pero, de verdad, la tensión sexual ya estaba en su pico máximo al final del primer libro… y luego llega este y me encuentro con que tengo que esperar como 240 páginas para que pase algo en ese sentido… Madre mía.
Voy a pasar olímpicamente de la parte táctica, las batallas y las estrategias de guerra porque, honestamente, me interesaban muy poco. Así que vamos a hablar de cómo evolucionan Damen y Laurent como personajes porque eso sí que me fascinó. Damen, por su parte, está en una posición única. Sigue siendo el esclavo del príncipe, pero poco a poco se va dando cuenta de las facetas que tiene ese hombre, de la mente tan envidiable que tiene y de que, detrás de muchísimas defensas, es una persona que quiere conectar con alguien especial. Me gustó muchísimo que vayamos viendo a lo largo del libro cómo Damen cambia su odio visceral por curiosidad hacia el príncipe y, eventualmente, por atracción. Ah, la belleza del enemies to lovers.
¿Y qué decir de Laurent? Como diría mi amiga Kyoko, él está estreñido emocionalmente, ¡pero creo que es por una razón muy coherente! Desde pequeño Laurent ha sabido que, tarde o temprano, su tío intentaría quedarse con el trono. Y, un poco a las malas, aprendió que relajarse, confiar en las personas y perder el control de sus emociones lo llevan a cometer errores. Y eso es algo que no puede permitirse. Sin embargo, cuando conoce a Damen y empieza a pasar el tiempo, Laurent nota cómo ese hombre de Akielos se mete bajo su piel y con palabras, gestos o su propia personalidad hace que quiera confiar en él.
Yo sé que todos quieren que hable del capítulo 19, así que aquí voy. Tengo que admitir que, a pesar de que todo me parecía tremendamente sensual, sentí que no era tan espectacular como me lo había imaginado. ¡Esperé casi dos libros por un momento muy soft. Y no me malentiendan, la escena es preciosa. Y amo que Damen entienda tanto a Laurent y vaya a su ritmo. Y que se preocupe por él y entienda sus límites. Pero no sé qué parte de mi cabeza pensaba que todo iba a ser mucho más hardcore y desatado. Y sí, en ese momento estuve decepcionada, pero luego algo hizo click en mi cabeza. Algo que, por el bien de mi pobre corazón que ahora quiere muchísimo a Laurent, espero que no sea verdad y se quede como una teoría absurda. Lo que empecé a pensar es que quizá la personalidad de Laurent, su aversión a que lo toquen y a que alguien se acerque demasiado emocionalmente a él se deba a que su tío, el Regente, lo violó cuando era pequeño. Ojalá esté equivocada, pero es que siento que todo apunta a ello.
En fin, a partir de ahora espero que todo sea amor, felicidad y caricias bonitas entre ellos dos porque se lo merecen y son lo más lindo del mundo. Me encantan juntos, de verdad. Y tengo miedo del drama que va a haber al principio del siguiente libro porque ya es segurísimo que Laurent va a enterarse de quién es Damen en realidad y ay…
September 11, 2024
✅ Hate-to-love
✅ Characters (morally grey MC)
✅ Sexual tension and smut (M/M)
✅ Romance
✅ Captive/captor
✅ Political scheming
✅ Action
❗️❗️ This series is highly addictive
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings : slavery, murders, suicide, and mentions of pedophilia.
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I love Damen and Laurent so much. 😭💙
AND OMG THAT ENDING! 🤯
I apologize in advance if some parts of this review do not make much sense, I am anxious and excited at the same time because of the ending of this book, and all I can think about is reading the third book.
The first book was addictive enough to make me want to continue with this series, and it was definitely the right decision. The story and the characters got better, and this book was even more addictive than the first book!
Damen and Laurent are riding towards the borders, even though they know that they are heading straight into a trap meant to kill Laurent. They started this adventure as uneasy allies, and that's only because Laurent is the only one willing to oppose his uncle and to fight to prevent a war between Vere and Akielos. As they travel, they have to train the prince's company, meet with secret allies, and fight for their lives more than once. As the days pass, Laurent and Damen slowly become partners and even friends.
Enemies to lovers have always been one of my favorite tropes, and I was not disappointed. There is so much (sexual) tension in this book, and the relationship between Laurent and Damen is a slow-burn that is so worth it!
The first book was focused on Damen and his adaptation to his new life in the palace as a slave. Prince's Gambit is more a story of travel, action, and adventure, and I liked it even more than the first book. It's full of fights, twists, political scheming, and betrayals, and I couldn't put it down once I started it. The last part of the book had me at the edge of my seat, and I was full of mixed emotions. I was hoping that Damen would reveal his identity to Laurent, but at the same time I was so anxious about it and I wanted it to remain a secret because I didn't want their relationship to come to an end.
Anyways, I am going to read the third book right now and I can't wait to see what will happen after the ending of this book.
1. Captive Prince ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
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✅ Characters (morally grey MC)
✅ Sexual tension and smut (M/M)
✅ Romance
✅ Captive/captor
✅ Political scheming
✅ Action
❗️❗️ This series is highly addictive
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings : slavery, murders, suicide, and mentions of pedophilia.
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. I love Damen and Laurent so much. 😭💙
AND OMG THAT ENDING! 🤯
I apologize in advance if some parts of this review do not make much sense, I am anxious and excited at the same time because of the ending of this book, and all I can think about is reading the third book.
“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.”
The first book was addictive enough to make me want to continue with this series, and it was definitely the right decision. The story and the characters got better, and this book was even more addictive than the first book!
Damen and Laurent are riding towards the borders, even though they know that they are heading straight into a trap meant to kill Laurent. They started this adventure as uneasy allies, and that's only because Laurent is the only one willing to oppose his uncle and to fight to prevent a war between Vere and Akielos. As they travel, they have to train the prince's company, meet with secret allies, and fight for their lives more than once. As the days pass, Laurent and Damen slowly become partners and even friends.
Enemies to lovers have always been one of my favorite tropes, and I was not disappointed. There is so much (sexual) tension in this book, and the relationship between Laurent and Damen is a slow-burn that is so worth it!
The first book was focused on Damen and his adaptation to his new life in the palace as a slave. Prince's Gambit is more a story of travel, action, and adventure, and I liked it even more than the first book. It's full of fights, twists, political scheming, and betrayals, and I couldn't put it down once I started it. The last part of the book had me at the edge of my seat, and I was full of mixed emotions. I was hoping that Damen would reveal his identity to Laurent, but at the same time I was so anxious about it and I wanted it to remain a secret because I didn't want their relationship to come to an end.
Anyways, I am going to read the third book right now and I can't wait to see what will happen after the ending of this book.
1. Captive Prince ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
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July 5, 2013
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do a slow burn. The continuig story of Laurent and Damon is fantastically developed, the politics are compelling, the romance swooningly good. I haven't cared so much about characters in years. Bring on vol 3, I need to know how the story ends. NEED.
September 29, 2019
“I got four hours of sleep last night because of this damn book,” said Lindsey, as she frantically searched the Kindle store for book 3/another hit of heroin.
August 10, 2018
“To get what you want, you have to know exactly how much you are willing to give up.
Never had he wanted something this badly, and held it in his hands knowing that tomorrow it would be gone.”
S T O R Y ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I first heard about this series I didn’t know what I should be thinking.
Was I interested? I wasn’t sure.
It sounded interesting, but it wasn’t like other books where I literally threw everything other to the side and started reading.
And even though the first book wasn’t perfect, it still made me want to read the whole series.
And what can I tell you? It was the right decision. The story got better, the characters got even better and the whole book was so freakin addictive, I forced myself to do something different than read.
Enemies to friend or even lovers. That was always one of my favorite tropes.
All the hate, all the tension and then I get to see my long awaited ship sinking.
It’s wonderful. So beautiful. And so exciting.
Damen rides to the border of Delphy with Laurent, but everyone knew from the start that this was a trap, and it could easily end in death.
But with every day passing by and every danger removed, Laurent and Damen move closer.
Partners, friends and maybe even more.
This story was definitely better than the first. Whereas the first book was centered in the palace, this one was constantly on the move. It was like a traveling adventure.
There were a lot of fights, blood, deaths but also intrigues and betrayals. It was a crazy emotional ride and I couldn’t stop reading it.
C H A R A C T E R ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you thought that you hated Laurent, read this book because you will probably change your opinion.
Don’t get me wrong, his character doesn’t change. He’s still the mean and arrogant prince you all know. But still... I was always fascinated by his intelligence and his talent for intrigues and planning, but now we get to see a little bit of his human, his soft side.
It was beautiful and now I want to see him on the throne partnering up with Damen.
Damen - our wild soldier with exceptional discipline and a huge and kind heart.
He was always fighting his real thoughts and feelings for Laurent, always told himself that Laurent is his enemy, his captor.
And still he protected Laurent like a mother bear. Like a really angry mother bear throwing swords at people and killing people because they touched Laurent.
Or maybe not an angry mother bear but a really jealous person? Who knows.
R E L A T I O N S H I P S ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finally, finally there is a little bit of release from this tension. Holy cow, it was filled with such high sexual tension we all wanted them so badly to finally sail the ship.
I mean this steamy smut was definitely worth reading. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
And the friendship and trust they both build was so beautiful and made me so happy.
They fought and planned things together. They fled together. They did so much together I was grinning like a maniac.
Was I satisfied? Probably. But there is still much that I want to see (like both of them on the throne killing the regent and Kastor, but that’s just a suggestion).
W R I T I N G S T Y L E ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Like I said, this one is also really character driven even though the plot itself got better.
There was a lot of fighting and some steamy parts that were written realistically.
All in all it was a good book, even though I don’t know if I would read it again.
But still, it was worth my time and it’s definitely a recommendation.
Never had he wanted something this badly, and held it in his hands knowing that tomorrow it would be gone.”
S T O R Y ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I first heard about this series I didn’t know what I should be thinking.
Was I interested? I wasn’t sure.
It sounded interesting, but it wasn’t like other books where I literally threw everything other to the side and started reading.
And even though the first book wasn’t perfect, it still made me want to read the whole series.
And what can I tell you? It was the right decision. The story got better, the characters got even better and the whole book was so freakin addictive, I forced myself to do something different than read.
Enemies to friend or even lovers. That was always one of my favorite tropes.
All the hate, all the tension and then I get to see my long awaited ship sinking.
It’s wonderful. So beautiful. And so exciting.
Damen rides to the border of Delphy with Laurent, but everyone knew from the start that this was a trap, and it could easily end in death.
But with every day passing by and every danger removed, Laurent and Damen move closer.
Partners, friends and maybe even more.
This story was definitely better than the first. Whereas the first book was centered in the palace, this one was constantly on the move. It was like a traveling adventure.
There were a lot of fights, blood, deaths but also intrigues and betrayals. It was a crazy emotional ride and I couldn’t stop reading it.
C H A R A C T E R ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you thought that you hated Laurent, read this book because you will probably change your opinion.
Don’t get me wrong, his character doesn’t change. He’s still the mean and arrogant prince you all know. But still... I was always fascinated by his intelligence and his talent for intrigues and planning, but now we get to see a little bit of his human, his soft side.
It was beautiful and now I want to see him on the throne partnering up with Damen.
Damen - our wild soldier with exceptional discipline and a huge and kind heart.
He was always fighting his real thoughts and feelings for Laurent, always told himself that Laurent is his enemy, his captor.
And still he protected Laurent like a mother bear. Like a really angry mother bear throwing swords at people and killing people because they touched Laurent.
Or maybe not an angry mother bear but a really jealous person? Who knows.
R E L A T I O N S H I P S ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finally, finally there is a little bit of release from this tension. Holy cow, it was filled with such high sexual tension we all wanted them so badly to finally sail the ship.
I mean this steamy smut was definitely worth reading. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
And the friendship and trust they both build was so beautiful and made me so happy.
They fought and planned things together. They fled together. They did so much together I was grinning like a maniac.
Was I satisfied? Probably. But there is still much that I want to see (like both of them on the throne killing the regent and Kastor, but that’s just a suggestion).
W R I T I N G S T Y L E ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Like I said, this one is also really character driven even though the plot itself got better.
There was a lot of fighting and some steamy parts that were written realistically.
All in all it was a good book, even though I don’t know if I would read it again.
But still, it was worth my time and it’s definitely a recommendation.
July 25, 2016
4.5 Stars.
Delicious.....
What can I say that hasn't already been said...
But I will echo a lot of people and say,so far,this is definitely the best book.
Damen and Laurent are two of the most sensual characters I've read about.....this isn't dirty sex at all.
Right so this book definitely had a different feel about it.There isn't the hedonistic vibe so much.
It's a lot different from book one but in a good way.
M/M is my absolute fav thing and if someone said try a book with no sex scenes until the end of book two I would have been long gone
This was perfect.....intrigue,tension and the anticipation of Damen and Laurent together was delicious.
So...does a slow burn work??
It definitely did here.Every time I thought they were even going to kiss I got excited.And when they did get dirty together,it was so sensual and so beautiful....definitely worth waiting for.
So looking forward to book 3
Delicious.....
What can I say that hasn't already been said...
But I will echo a lot of people and say,so far,this is definitely the best book.
Damen and Laurent are two of the most sensual characters I've read about.....this isn't dirty sex at all.
Right so this book definitely had a different feel about it.There isn't the hedonistic vibe so much.
It's a lot different from book one but in a good way.
M/M is my absolute fav thing and if someone said try a book with no sex scenes until the end of book two I would have been long gone
This was perfect.....intrigue,tension and the anticipation of Damen and Laurent together was delicious.
So...does a slow burn work??
It definitely did here.Every time I thought they were even going to kiss I got excited.And when they did get dirty together,it was so sensual and so beautiful....definitely worth waiting for.
So looking forward to book 3
June 16, 2017
Actual Rating: 1.5 Stars
Buddy read this with the fabulous Kainat, except she abandoned me in favor of more interesting books which I totally don't even blame her for!
See, in my review of Captive Prince I may have said I would not touch the second installment in this series with a ten foot pole? Well...I lied.
Why, you say, do we keep reading books that we expect to hate? Well. It's because... I'm a fan of well-informed hatred. PLUS, this series has an obscene amount of positive reviews... and I've heard many people say not to judge the first book on its own.
Well now I'm here to judge both the first and the second book together.
Prince's Gambit is very different from Captive Prince, in that there is much less rape. We traded in the awkward public rape scenes for casual sex talk around the fireside, but it was still so forced that I was rolling my eyes constantly. Almost every meaningful conversation between these characters concerns who is fucking whom? Someone always slips in some kind of innuendo? I'm over it.
The plot takes place outside of the palace of Vere, and it's made up almost entirely of military strategy. I felt like there was more to take seriously here, but I was just SO BORED. I got a slightly better sense of Damen and of Laurent, but nothing really interesting happened at all so...
One thing I will not get over is just how fucking poorly these books are written. I'm sorry, but it's just bad. Did anyone even edit these books before they were published? Did anyone tell the author to stop morphing simple words into unnecessarily complicated words? Or maybe to stop describing the characters by the exact same phrases 16 times a page?
Laurent with his "cool/frigid gaze" and his "yellow/pale head" I GET IT HE HAS BLONDE HAIR AND BLUE EYES! STOP TELLING ME!
I really wanted to keep a list of all the dumb words that were used but I honestly picked my pencil and immediately lost the will to carry on...
Sometimes the dialogue didn't even make sense. It may as well have played out like this:
Damen: You've done something amazing, transforming these men into soldiers.
Laurent: I've been thinking about shoe laces.
Damen: Yes, now they know how to tie their shoe laces like men should. They are yours to command. Amazing, isn't it?
Laurent: You think you know me? -broods-
Damen: ...
The above conversation is just an example I made up, but you get the idea. Commentary that's completely out of left field. It made no sense, and once again I was laughing about how ridiculous these books are.
Also I just want to complain for a second about some specific stuff I think is bullshit. Okay glad that's off my chest.
I am giving this one a slightly higher rating because I can see some minor improvements. I saw more of the "slow burn" everyone's talking about. I saw an attempt at a plot with more depth, it was just poorly executed. Either way I'm glad this book is over, it was slower going than the first because I was that damn bored.
I have a feeling C.S. Pacat was struck with an idea one day, "I want to write a hate/love story about two princes with lots of sexual tension" but then really fumbled when she had to write the meaningful bits that would make that idea a good one. Anyway, I'm very sad that I couldn't fall in love with this series like many others have.
Buddy read this with the fabulous Kainat, except she abandoned me in favor of more interesting books which I totally don't even blame her for!
See, in my review of Captive Prince I may have said I would not touch the second installment in this series with a ten foot pole? Well...I lied.
Why, you say, do we keep reading books that we expect to hate? Well. It's because... I'm a fan of well-informed hatred. PLUS, this series has an obscene amount of positive reviews... and I've heard many people say not to judge the first book on its own.
Well now I'm here to judge both the first and the second book together.
Prince's Gambit is very different from Captive Prince, in that there is much less rape. We traded in the awkward public rape scenes for casual sex talk around the fireside, but it was still so forced that I was rolling my eyes constantly. Almost every meaningful conversation between these characters concerns who is fucking whom? Someone always slips in some kind of innuendo? I'm over it.
The plot takes place outside of the palace of Vere, and it's made up almost entirely of military strategy. I felt like there was more to take seriously here, but I was just SO BORED. I got a slightly better sense of Damen and of Laurent, but nothing really interesting happened at all so...
One thing I will not get over is just how fucking poorly these books are written. I'm sorry, but it's just bad. Did anyone even edit these books before they were published? Did anyone tell the author to stop morphing simple words into unnecessarily complicated words? Or maybe to stop describing the characters by the exact same phrases 16 times a page?
Laurent with his "cool/frigid gaze" and his "yellow/pale head" I GET IT HE HAS BLONDE HAIR AND BLUE EYES! STOP TELLING ME!
I really wanted to keep a list of all the dumb words that were used but I honestly picked my pencil and immediately lost the will to carry on...
Sometimes the dialogue didn't even make sense. It may as well have played out like this:
Damen: You've done something amazing, transforming these men into soldiers.
Laurent: I've been thinking about shoe laces.
Damen: Yes, now they know how to tie their shoe laces like men should. They are yours to command. Amazing, isn't it?
Laurent: You think you know me? -broods-
Damen: ...
The above conversation is just an example I made up, but you get the idea. Commentary that's completely out of left field. It made no sense, and once again I was laughing about how ridiculous these books are.
Also I just want to complain for a second about some specific stuff I think is bullshit. Okay glad that's off my chest.
I am giving this one a slightly higher rating because I can see some minor improvements. I saw more of the "slow burn" everyone's talking about. I saw an attempt at a plot with more depth, it was just poorly executed. Either way I'm glad this book is over, it was slower going than the first because I was that damn bored.
I have a feeling C.S. Pacat was struck with an idea one day, "I want to write a hate/love story about two princes with lots of sexual tension" but then really fumbled when she had to write the meaningful bits that would make that idea a good one. Anyway, I'm very sad that I couldn't fall in love with this series like many others have.
February 16, 2013
LOVED it!!
It was AMAZING,FABULOUS,BRILLIANT,WONDERFUL.....
Shall I go on???
I am speechless!Can't say anything except that I'm awestruck by its brilliance!!I devoured this book.
It made me laugh,smile,scream,bite my nails,....just loved it!
And what else?
Did I mention that I loved it?
Please read these gems!!!That's all I'm trying to say!
That's all for now.
Ta-Ta!!
February 8, 2017
* For anyone looking for the Timelines of this series, here are the links:
Prince's Gambit Timeline
Complete Captive Prince Series Timelines
I also posted them on GR in the Timeline and Cliffnotes section of Captivated.
It says a lot about a book when it can transform a 33 year old heterosexual female who has been an avid reader of the M/F romance genre for 15 years into a M/M genre addict. On a chilly February night I was craving a historical M/F enemies to lovers romance novel to warm me up - I stumbled across S.U. Pacat’s Captive Prince series instead. Probably one of the best stumbles I’ve ever made and I fell hard.
The Story
Set in a historical AU that bears likenesses particularly to the historical cultures of Greece and France, I expected to read a chintzy slavefic possibly analogous to the bodice rippers of which I was acquainted. What I found was a story that is not chintzy. Not a slavefic. Not anything that my presupposing mind would have expected from a free WIP posted by an amateur author.
Prince Damianos of Akielos, aka Damen, stars as our narrative guide. Influenced by slavefics of Anne Rice, Pacat notes in a Livejournal interview, that Damen’s origins lay in “the alpha warrior-prince who keeps his attitude and sense of identity in all circumstances.” Damen is all that and more. He is likeable, relatable, no genius, but no dummy, honest, confident, a fighter, but reasonable. The kind of hero who is just itching to gallop into a fray in shining armor on a white horse and kiss the pain away - and even cuddle afterwards. Alas his world is jarred when he is forcibly taken from a place where he is centered and complacent to a place where he is, well, not. Enter Laurent, Prince of Vere. Inspired by Dorothy Dunnett’s Francis Crawford of the Lymond Chronicles, Laurent is ten steps ahead of everyone … possibly even Pacat herself. Together theirs is a tale of enemies to … speaking terms, to cautious trust, to budding respect, to sexual tension, to hesitant lovers, to more intrigue to come. As subtly as hidden truths unfold, so does an undercurrent of affection between these two.
The story is spectacular. However, Volume I is an obstacle that many readers will face the challenge of completing. I would venture that the many readers, like myself, are honest folk, trusting until betrayed and discerning based on prior experience - making not only relating to, but liking Damen a naturally easy conclusion. Damen’s likeability is a comfort and a distraction to the reader at the same time. Damen sees of Vere what he expects to see. And the reader sees what Damen sees. And as readers journey through Vere, reliant on Damen’s observant, but biased POV many of us will fall into the same trap that Damen does - to believe he has just journeyed down the rabbit hole into a depraved and perverted slave fic with a spoilt and dastardly Prince bent on being a thorn to his pleasure slave. About halfway through Volume I many readers will have the urge to toss it on the pile with Tribute and A Prince for a Kingdom wondering were the “smarts” that are hyped to set this series apart are hidden. Stick with it, you’ve been fooled. And so has Damen. The reader is dependent on Damen to tell the story. And from his telling, one must filter the actual story from his POV - the clues come in piecemeal and must be assembled after absorbing these two volumes from start to finish to savor the full affect. I cannot promise that this series will appeal to everyone, but I can promise that Volume II holds much more than Volume I for those of you who struggled to get there. Persevere it is worth it.
The Writing
The story is clever and intricate, but it is the writing that sells it. Don’t let the silliness of the pen name fool you, S.U. Pacat possesses an extraordinary command of prose. Though the words didn’t fall in line at the snap of her fingers, in a commentary on her Livejournal account, she notes that each chapter underwent multiple beta reads and edits, one of which was rewritten 40 times! The obsessive persistence of mastering the prose paid off and she got it right in the end.
Pacat has found the allusive balance of simple and complex. While writing, she does what I believe every author should do, she keeps the phrasing simple. No overindulgent, superfluous descriptions with ostentatiously flowery wording, her sentences are formed of easy elegance. Next she infuses these undecorated prose with layers upon layers of meanings, symbols and imagery. Her innocuous wording belies the complexity of what is actually stated. A complexity that must be deciphered bit by bit, which required of this reviewer multiple readings.
"The wooden doors were delicate as a screen and carved with a repeated design that included gaps in the wood; through them you could glimpse shadowy impressions of what lay on the other side.”
This seemingly basic description of the architecture of a Veretian door, was just that my first time reading the series. The second time around, it was not just a visual cue for Veretian architecture, but for Veretian culture as a whole. And my third indulgence into this work, I realized it very well could be describing Laurent (and possibly the series itself). I am not sure that I can fully relay how much a single, simple sentence like the one above - one that can change and shift with the reading and understanding of the reader, makes me smile. And so far there are two full volumes of these sentences!
At art school I spent an inordinate amount of time sitting in silence, staring at a painting to analyze every carefully executed detail for symbolism, for meaning. From a broom in van Hoogstraten’s The Slippers to a lion on the belt of a Cyprian soldier sculpture, an image could say a thousand words.
"The tiled floor around the table was scattered with detritus: overturned pewter, an apple rolled to a far tile, a pitcher of wine that had let fly its contents so that the floor was soaked in red. The silence stretched out."
Turns out that two sentences are able to say a thousand words as well. Pay attention to the imagery. It is woven seamlessly throughout both volumes (and I suspect the third also). Watch a sapphire earring appear at moments Laurent gets personal and blood red wine spilled repeatedly in a most decadent fashion every time a villain’s machinations ripple to fruition. There is more hidden in plain sight in this series than in a 17th century Dutch painting. I can only estimate the difficulty to achieve the same effect with a pen instead of a brush. And I admire the results.
Let’s talk business
With Captive Prince, S.U. Pacat excels the quality of writing in the romance genre. Not solely the M/M genre - the romance genre. Jane Austen would be jealous. And by putting forth such quality, is how an amateur writing nobody grabs the attention of and a contract with a big six publisher. As of October 1, 2013, the series was removed from S.U. Pacat’s Livejournal account per her agreement with Penguin Publishing. Making Captive Prince a free online fiction WIP, that is no longer free online, but it is still a WIP.
The paperbacks and e-books are now available for purchase on Amazon and upon completion Volume III will be offered there as well. I recommend the e-books, which each contain a bonus chapter at the end of them (you particularly don’t want to miss Chapter 19 ½ at the end of the Volume II e-book). The e-books are currently retailing for a meager price of $3.99 each and are worth every cent.
Pacat’s current work in progress is Volume III, which is expected to be the third and final volume in the series - to be released (tentatively) in 2014. Promising an HEA and to retain full artistic control over the content of Volume III, despite Penguin’s acquisition of it, Pacat has set the bar high for herself. Fingers crossed she can deliver, out of the love I hold for this series and concern she could face a wrath of diehard Captive Prince fans if she allows capitalist commercialism to muddy the unique niche that Damen and Laurent have filled in many of our libraries.
Does it warrant the hype?
Yes. This series can stand on it’s own merits - that is why the “hype” is generated by it’s readers. That is why a big six listened to the buzz - because they didn’t create the buzz. The series created the buzz all by it’s self. I am always a bit weary of overzealous hype surrounding a book, but in the case of Captive Prince I can only add to it.
I recommend picking this one up with an open mind and a hungry mind and it will sate plentifully. Don’t just read this to sate a mood for some M/M romance, read this for the character studies of what should be predictable high id archetypes that instead surprise with plausible reactions. Captive Prince is not a work of erotica. It is a work of adventure, of danger, of the posturing of court politics, of power plays on the battlefield, of nail biting traps and great escapes. And circulating in the midst of it all is a work of intimacy. Read it for the intimacy, for the beauty of the writing and yes, one scene halfway through Volume II that is as moving as it is sensuous. Read it to be stunned.
Captivated
Prince's Gambit Timeline
Complete Captive Prince Series Timelines
I also posted them on GR in the Timeline and Cliffnotes section of Captivated.
It says a lot about a book when it can transform a 33 year old heterosexual female who has been an avid reader of the M/F romance genre for 15 years into a M/M genre addict. On a chilly February night I was craving a historical M/F enemies to lovers romance novel to warm me up - I stumbled across S.U. Pacat’s Captive Prince series instead. Probably one of the best stumbles I’ve ever made and I fell hard.
The Story
Set in a historical AU that bears likenesses particularly to the historical cultures of Greece and France, I expected to read a chintzy slavefic possibly analogous to the bodice rippers of which I was acquainted. What I found was a story that is not chintzy. Not a slavefic. Not anything that my presupposing mind would have expected from a free WIP posted by an amateur author.
Prince Damianos of Akielos, aka Damen, stars as our narrative guide. Influenced by slavefics of Anne Rice, Pacat notes in a Livejournal interview, that Damen’s origins lay in “the alpha warrior-prince who keeps his attitude and sense of identity in all circumstances.” Damen is all that and more. He is likeable, relatable, no genius, but no dummy, honest, confident, a fighter, but reasonable. The kind of hero who is just itching to gallop into a fray in shining armor on a white horse and kiss the pain away - and even cuddle afterwards. Alas his world is jarred when he is forcibly taken from a place where he is centered and complacent to a place where he is, well, not. Enter Laurent, Prince of Vere. Inspired by Dorothy Dunnett’s Francis Crawford of the Lymond Chronicles, Laurent is ten steps ahead of everyone … possibly even Pacat herself. Together theirs is a tale of enemies to … speaking terms, to cautious trust, to budding respect, to sexual tension, to hesitant lovers, to more intrigue to come. As subtly as hidden truths unfold, so does an undercurrent of affection between these two.
The story is spectacular. However, Volume I is an obstacle that many readers will face the challenge of completing. I would venture that the many readers, like myself, are honest folk, trusting until betrayed and discerning based on prior experience - making not only relating to, but liking Damen a naturally easy conclusion. Damen’s likeability is a comfort and a distraction to the reader at the same time. Damen sees of Vere what he expects to see. And the reader sees what Damen sees. And as readers journey through Vere, reliant on Damen’s observant, but biased POV many of us will fall into the same trap that Damen does - to believe he has just journeyed down the rabbit hole into a depraved and perverted slave fic with a spoilt and dastardly Prince bent on being a thorn to his pleasure slave. About halfway through Volume I many readers will have the urge to toss it on the pile with Tribute and A Prince for a Kingdom wondering were the “smarts” that are hyped to set this series apart are hidden. Stick with it, you’ve been fooled. And so has Damen. The reader is dependent on Damen to tell the story. And from his telling, one must filter the actual story from his POV - the clues come in piecemeal and must be assembled after absorbing these two volumes from start to finish to savor the full affect. I cannot promise that this series will appeal to everyone, but I can promise that Volume II holds much more than Volume I for those of you who struggled to get there. Persevere it is worth it.
The Writing
The story is clever and intricate, but it is the writing that sells it. Don’t let the silliness of the pen name fool you, S.U. Pacat possesses an extraordinary command of prose. Though the words didn’t fall in line at the snap of her fingers, in a commentary on her Livejournal account, she notes that each chapter underwent multiple beta reads and edits, one of which was rewritten 40 times! The obsessive persistence of mastering the prose paid off and she got it right in the end.
Pacat has found the allusive balance of simple and complex. While writing, she does what I believe every author should do, she keeps the phrasing simple. No overindulgent, superfluous descriptions with ostentatiously flowery wording, her sentences are formed of easy elegance. Next she infuses these undecorated prose with layers upon layers of meanings, symbols and imagery. Her innocuous wording belies the complexity of what is actually stated. A complexity that must be deciphered bit by bit, which required of this reviewer multiple readings.
"The wooden doors were delicate as a screen and carved with a repeated design that included gaps in the wood; through them you could glimpse shadowy impressions of what lay on the other side.”
This seemingly basic description of the architecture of a Veretian door, was just that my first time reading the series. The second time around, it was not just a visual cue for Veretian architecture, but for Veretian culture as a whole. And my third indulgence into this work, I realized it very well could be describing Laurent (and possibly the series itself). I am not sure that I can fully relay how much a single, simple sentence like the one above - one that can change and shift with the reading and understanding of the reader, makes me smile. And so far there are two full volumes of these sentences!
At art school I spent an inordinate amount of time sitting in silence, staring at a painting to analyze every carefully executed detail for symbolism, for meaning. From a broom in van Hoogstraten’s The Slippers to a lion on the belt of a Cyprian soldier sculpture, an image could say a thousand words.
"The tiled floor around the table was scattered with detritus: overturned pewter, an apple rolled to a far tile, a pitcher of wine that had let fly its contents so that the floor was soaked in red. The silence stretched out."
Turns out that two sentences are able to say a thousand words as well. Pay attention to the imagery. It is woven seamlessly throughout both volumes (and I suspect the third also). Watch a sapphire earring appear at moments Laurent gets personal and blood red wine spilled repeatedly in a most decadent fashion every time a villain’s machinations ripple to fruition. There is more hidden in plain sight in this series than in a 17th century Dutch painting. I can only estimate the difficulty to achieve the same effect with a pen instead of a brush. And I admire the results.
Let’s talk business
With Captive Prince, S.U. Pacat excels the quality of writing in the romance genre. Not solely the M/M genre - the romance genre. Jane Austen would be jealous. And by putting forth such quality, is how an amateur writing nobody grabs the attention of and a contract with a big six publisher. As of October 1, 2013, the series was removed from S.U. Pacat’s Livejournal account per her agreement with Penguin Publishing. Making Captive Prince a free online fiction WIP, that is no longer free online, but it is still a WIP.
The paperbacks and e-books are now available for purchase on Amazon and upon completion Volume III will be offered there as well. I recommend the e-books, which each contain a bonus chapter at the end of them (you particularly don’t want to miss Chapter 19 ½ at the end of the Volume II e-book). The e-books are currently retailing for a meager price of $3.99 each and are worth every cent.
Pacat’s current work in progress is Volume III, which is expected to be the third and final volume in the series - to be released (tentatively) in 2014. Promising an HEA and to retain full artistic control over the content of Volume III, despite Penguin’s acquisition of it, Pacat has set the bar high for herself. Fingers crossed she can deliver, out of the love I hold for this series and concern she could face a wrath of diehard Captive Prince fans if she allows capitalist commercialism to muddy the unique niche that Damen and Laurent have filled in many of our libraries.
Does it warrant the hype?
Yes. This series can stand on it’s own merits - that is why the “hype” is generated by it’s readers. That is why a big six listened to the buzz - because they didn’t create the buzz. The series created the buzz all by it’s self. I am always a bit weary of overzealous hype surrounding a book, but in the case of Captive Prince I can only add to it.
I recommend picking this one up with an open mind and a hungry mind and it will sate plentifully. Don’t just read this to sate a mood for some M/M romance, read this for the character studies of what should be predictable high id archetypes that instead surprise with plausible reactions. Captive Prince is not a work of erotica. It is a work of adventure, of danger, of the posturing of court politics, of power plays on the battlefield, of nail biting traps and great escapes. And circulating in the midst of it all is a work of intimacy. Read it for the intimacy, for the beauty of the writing and yes, one scene halfway through Volume II that is as moving as it is sensuous. Read it to be stunned.
Captivated
December 25, 2012
Muthaf’ing Brilliant.
Captive Prince is (so far) 2 books, 30 chapters, of the most intense foreplay, the most brilliant war strategy, the most dysfunctional family…with one of the most satisfying, mind-blowing, WTF’ing endings/cliffhangers…
I loved Volume 2. Yes, it got sloggy at times with some of the war bits…or that’s just me admitting that I was confused, and sometimes lost…”Wait, who’s betraying who now?” But, the relationship between Damen & Laurent continues to build bit by painstaking tiny bit and their interactions were DELICIOUS!
When they do finally give in to each other, it makes for one of the most intense, controlled, gorgeous love scenes! Whoooo wheeeee!!!!! I was left panting at the end!
Laurent is a mastermind…a freakin’ genius…
And Damen, oh Damen…you’re my hero… *sigh*
DO NOT DELAY (Lenore)…this is a MUST read…I would not let the WIP status hold you off…don’t miss out on this goodness!!!!
January 30, 2020
Laurent: Damen ... tell me a secret
Damen: I'm Damianos of Akielos
Laurent: Dude I said a secret
Damen: I'm Damianos of Akielos
Laurent: Dude I said a secret
October 25, 2021
October 2021 reread:
Reading this book when you know how the series ends is painful. I can’t believe how blind I was to so many spoilers that happen in book 3, but that are blatantly obvious from the start. And you still don’t see it coming, do you?
If you know you know, if not, just read it.
Written by anyone else, this book wouldn’t be as magical. I’m sure just by reading it, this series had to be very hard to write.
The world building, the character development and the gorgeous prose is truly one of a kind. Really it is. I’ve read a bunch of you say this is an erotica, and I couldn’t disagree more. Not that there’s anything wrong with erotica, but normally if you take the sex out of an erotica, there’s no plot. If you take the sex out of this book, it remains almost intact.
The strength of the story I think, is the way in which everything is presented. Little by little, you are introduced to characters and their struggles. All of them want something, hide something. Even the secondary characters are fleshed out people capable of love and betrayal, and you never really know which is going to stab your beloved protagonists in the back, which by the way are also very capable of stabbing.
There is no black or white here. Everything is painfully, beautifully gray, and the best you can do is guess the shade.
I could read this book on an endless loop. It’s one of the VERY few books I enjoy to reread.
Original:
Okay HAS ANYONE READ THIS BOOK? I need to talk about this book.
The most exquisite form of show- don't tell that I have read in a while. This book has my heart.
First of all let me say, the sexual crudity is far less than what people make it to be. I read a review that said this book was mostly sex, which isn't true at all. This book was mostly character development and slow, SLOW slow burn. I feel like I know Damen and Laurent personally, and I am very picky when it comes to characters. I usually hate it when things happen too soon in books, or characters seem to act in ways that are out of character for them. These characters, for the most part, felt real. I loved, absolutely adored that about this book.
Please, if you haven't read it and don't mind a couple of explicit scenes, read it. And if you have read it, let's talk about it now!
Reading this book when you know how the series ends is painful. I can’t believe how blind I was to so many spoilers that happen in book 3, but that are blatantly obvious from the start. And you still don’t see it coming, do you?
If you know you know, if not, just read it.
Written by anyone else, this book wouldn’t be as magical. I’m sure just by reading it, this series had to be very hard to write.
The world building, the character development and the gorgeous prose is truly one of a kind. Really it is. I’ve read a bunch of you say this is an erotica, and I couldn’t disagree more. Not that there’s anything wrong with erotica, but normally if you take the sex out of an erotica, there’s no plot. If you take the sex out of this book, it remains almost intact.
The strength of the story I think, is the way in which everything is presented. Little by little, you are introduced to characters and their struggles. All of them want something, hide something. Even the secondary characters are fleshed out people capable of love and betrayal, and you never really know which is going to stab your beloved protagonists in the back, which by the way are also very capable of stabbing.
There is no black or white here. Everything is painfully, beautifully gray, and the best you can do is guess the shade.
I could read this book on an endless loop. It’s one of the VERY few books I enjoy to reread.
Original:
Okay HAS ANYONE READ THIS BOOK? I need to talk about this book.
The most exquisite form of show- don't tell that I have read in a while. This book has my heart.
First of all let me say, the sexual crudity is far less than what people make it to be. I read a review that said this book was mostly sex, which isn't true at all. This book was mostly character development and slow, SLOW slow burn. I feel like I know Damen and Laurent personally, and I am very picky when it comes to characters. I usually hate it when things happen too soon in books, or characters seem to act in ways that are out of character for them. These characters, for the most part, felt real. I loved, absolutely adored that about this book.
Please, if you haven't read it and don't mind a couple of explicit scenes, read it. And if you have read it, let's talk about it now!
January 10, 2020
“It felt, in all the lies between them, as if this was the only true thing.”
Do you remember in my review for Captive Prince where I said this book/series may not be for everyone?
Yeah. Scratch that. I take it back.
This series needs to be read by EVERY SINGLE PERSON!
I don't care if you "don't do M/M."
I don't care if you "don't like fantasy."
This series is INSANE. And I mean that in the best way possible.
It has the MOST INTENSE unbearable sexual tension, the most dysfunctional crazy families, brilliant intrigue and war strategy, and one of the most satisfying, mind-blowing, ‘WTF!! HOW?! DOES HE KNOW HE HAS TO KNOW WAIT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN???’ endings.
This book is so much better and so different from the first. And it is just so brilliantly written. I can’t even begin to praise this author for the time and thought it must have taken to weave this delicious and deceptive tale.
From the severe, straight-backed posture to the impersonal grace of his cupped yellow head; from his detached blue eyes to the arrogance of his cheekbones, Laurent was complicated and contradictory, and Damen could look nowhere else.
Chapter 19? GOOD LORD I had to go back and read it three times to fully digest the beauty that is that chapter. I didn’t think C.S. Pacat would be able to sell me on Laurent and Damen. <--what lies. She didn’t just sell me, she blew my head off and obliterated my heart:
The warm, sweet kiss had been broken in a moment of promise: the first slight parting of lips, the hint that Laurent had been on the cusp of allowing the kiss to deepen, though his body had been singing with tension. When he closed his eyes, he felt how it might have happened: slowly, Laurent’s mouth opening, Laurent’s hands lifting hesitantly to touch his body. He would have been careful, so careful.
___
‘You want to take me, as a man takes a boy.’
‘As a man takes a man,’ said Damen. ‘I want to take pleasure in you, and to please your body with mine.’
He said it with soft honesty. ‘I want to come inside you.’ The words rose, like this feeling within him. ‘I want you to come in my arms.’
‘You make it sound simple.’
‘It is simple.’
Because those two? That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do slow burn.
Stirring drowsily, Laurent shifted a fraction closer and made a soft, unthinking sound of pleasure that Damen was going to remember for the rest of his life.
And the best part? This second novel has caused me to completely appreciate the first in a way I didn’t think possible. So many things make sense now. So many theories are running through my head. The sometimes extremely brutal violence from book 1 has been replaced with a quick-paced plot filled with betrayal, deception, and battles among a unsure but beautiful romance.
The complexity of these characters and the lies and twists are JUST BEYOND FASCINATING.
READ IT! READ IT! READ IT!
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May 24, 2017
*This* story is what I wanted more of in book 1. The setup in the first story was critical; however, here we finally get to see Damen and Laurent becoming a team. Building a strong, yet still fragile, trust.
Plus, the plotting and scheming in the first book didn't hold a candle to the underhanded planning carefully and precisely played out in book 2.
I do have to admit that these books continue to frustrate the shit out of my 'romance' heart, as getting moments of affection from Laurent are equivalent to searching for an ocean in the middle of a desert.
The end of book 2 was pretty much perfection on a silver platter, except that now I'm goddamn afraid to read book 3, with the entire fort being privy to Damen's true identity.
Either Laurent has known the entire time, which I suspect, or we're going to see some Amy Lane level of angst happening, when Laurent has to work side by side, shoulder to shoulder with the man who killed his beloved older brother.
Whatever the case may be, I'm sensing some high drama to come in book 3 and can't wait to see either Laurent or Damen finally chop the head off of the Regent's slimy, loathsome body.
4.5 stars.
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** NOTE: For anyone interested, I found a truly incredible fan art site dedicated to the Captive Prince trilogy, so if you're a fan, do check it out. It's all kinds of amazing. : )
--> https://kyroi.tumblr.com
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Book 1 Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 3 Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)
-----------------------------------------------
March 27, 2019
Buddy (Re)-read March 2019.
With Elena, Hayley, Moony, Rosa, Teal and Xia.
***********************************************
5 +++++++ epic stars
This book captured my soul...
Damien and Laurent's relationship growth is evident and amazing.
Laurent is still Laurent you either love him or hate him.. I for sure love him..
Damen said, ‘It’s not naive to trust your family.’
‘I promise you, it is,’ said Laurent. ‘But I wonder, is it less naive than the moments when I find
myself trusting a stranger, my barbarian enemy, whom I do not treat gently.’
Laurent finally lets his guard down and starts to trust Damien , and Damien oh my God this guy is a natural born leader.
The sexual tension was there from page 1.. and when they finally decide to give it a try .. Oh My God its epic.
‘I lack,’ said Laurent, ‘the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,’ you could see him
pushing the words out, ‘a lover.’
‘You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,’ said Damen.
I loved it. Loved it. Loved it
The ending... Aggrrrhhhh so glad book 3 is out
With Elena, Hayley, Moony, Rosa, Teal and Xia.
***********************************************
5 +++++++ epic stars
This book captured my soul...
Damien and Laurent's relationship growth is evident and amazing.
Laurent is still Laurent you either love him or hate him.. I for sure love him..
Damen said, ‘It’s not naive to trust your family.’
‘I promise you, it is,’ said Laurent. ‘But I wonder, is it less naive than the moments when I find
myself trusting a stranger, my barbarian enemy, whom I do not treat gently.’
Laurent finally lets his guard down and starts to trust Damien , and Damien oh my God this guy is a natural born leader.
The sexual tension was there from page 1.. and when they finally decide to give it a try .. Oh My God its epic.
‘I lack,’ said Laurent, ‘the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,’ you could see him
pushing the words out, ‘a lover.’
‘You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,’ said Damen.
I loved it. Loved it. Loved it
The ending... Aggrrrhhhh so glad book 3 is out
February 11, 2016
Re-read 2/6/15...because book 3 finally came out and - not gonna lie - I can't remember SHIT about books 1 and 2...My bad!
Original Review:
This was sooooooo good.
The plot is all twisty and turny and just when you think you know what's going to happen?
The Regent be like:
Laurent be like:
Damen be like:
Val be like:
Until I found out book 3 isn't out yet???!!!
Then?
Original Review:
This was sooooooo good.
The plot is all twisty and turny and just when you think you know what's going to happen?
The Regent be like:
Laurent be like:
Damen be like:
Val be like:
Until I found out book 3 isn't out yet???!!!
Then?
July 6, 2023
I … loved this? I am shook (this is so brilliantly plotted, wow).
*
Lowkey judging myself for reading the sequel to a book that scarred my soul. :)
*
Lowkey judging myself for reading the sequel to a book that scarred my soul. :)
June 13, 2018
Reread: 10th June 2018
So much raw emotions and honesty. It was like using a magnifying glass and analyzing the two very hearts and souls of these two imperfectly perfect couple. *happy sigh* 😌 Laurent and Damianos will always have a place in my heart. 😍
Original review: Revised edition
I don't want this to end .. I really don't. 😭 And I'm quite sad that I've finished book two and now there's only one book left in this trilogy. These books are simply just too awesome! 👏
In the first book, we learnt about the clashes between two countries and our two protagonists, and Damen having to live as a slave in Veretian court . The second book is about Laurent and Damen's journey to the border to escape from the hands of the evil regent and to achieve what's rightfully theirs. It's just a fantastic read! I can't help but slowly and irrevocably falling in love in Laurent since he's such a mysterious, intricate and intelligent character. ❤️ It's very enticing to see how two people from poles apart gradually falling in love with each other. I love that Damen is such a caring, protective angel character. He was exactly the person that can cure and pick apart the broken pieces of Laurent’s traumatic childhood. And when Laurent finally lowered his guards and gave in to Damen, let's just say, I was a happy puddled good on the floor with silly swooning smiles! 😁😍
Laurent really is such an enigmatic and smart person. No one but Laurent would have thought about using a simple sapphire earrings to disguise himself. And I'm sure the UST between these two couple could light up the sleeping town of Nesson Eloy. He's not all frigid and uptight, our Laurent has a fun and mischievous side to it and Damen witnessed it for the first time. 😉
And the moment when Laurent asked Damen for the other piece of slave wrist cuff for keeping is hands down one of the most romantic moments of all times. 😍😌 And that first kiss and the first time they made love? No wonder why this book became a classic MM romance novel. 😱
And he said, "one night and one morning". And he'd leave quietly and discreetly without rousing Damen because he didn't wanna say goodbye. Goodbyes are not Laurent's style. 😭
And we have two heartbreaking moments in this book too. 💔 The death of one who's precious to Laurent and the one who pretended loyal to him. Both were heart-wrenching and agonizing. But in the end, these two innocent souls were puppeteered and manipulated by sick bastard regent.
There you have it all, the drama, the romance, the excitement, suspense, the politics, the enigmas, that bittersweet angst and the hopes and dreams. 😌
I really have to admit that I was quite skeptical when I first read this trilogy and I didn't think I'd love these book as much as I do now. I even felt they were a bit overrated since this trilogy is described as a world phenomenal series. Boy boy boy .. how wrong I was! 😏 These two really really grew on me and made me fall in love with them. 💙
I can't wait to read the third book. And at the same time, I'm dragging to read that one because that would be the end of these two. How everything will fold out and how Laurent will outsmart everyone? We only need to read "Kings Rising" to find out the truth. 😉😘
5 But you are mine now. You are still my slave tonight stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PS. This is how I always imagined Laurent in my mind.
So much raw emotions and honesty. It was like using a magnifying glass and analyzing the two very hearts and souls of these two imperfectly perfect couple. *happy sigh* 😌 Laurent and Damianos will always have a place in my heart. 😍
Original review: Revised edition
I don't want this to end .. I really don't. 😭 And I'm quite sad that I've finished book two and now there's only one book left in this trilogy. These books are simply just too awesome! 👏
In the first book, we learnt about the clashes between two countries and our two protagonists, and Damen having to live as a slave in Veretian court . The second book is about Laurent and Damen's journey to the border to escape from the hands of the evil regent and to achieve what's rightfully theirs. It's just a fantastic read! I can't help but slowly and irrevocably falling in love in Laurent since he's such a mysterious, intricate and intelligent character. ❤️ It's very enticing to see how two people from poles apart gradually falling in love with each other. I love that Damen is such a caring, protective angel character. He was exactly the person that can cure and pick apart the broken pieces of Laurent’s traumatic childhood. And when Laurent finally lowered his guards and gave in to Damen, let's just say, I was a happy puddled good on the floor with silly swooning smiles! 😁😍
Laurent really is such an enigmatic and smart person. No one but Laurent would have thought about using a simple sapphire earrings to disguise himself. And I'm sure the UST between these two couple could light up the sleeping town of Nesson Eloy. He's not all frigid and uptight, our Laurent has a fun and mischievous side to it and Damen witnessed it for the first time. 😉
And the moment when Laurent asked Damen for the other piece of slave wrist cuff for keeping is hands down one of the most romantic moments of all times. 😍😌 And that first kiss and the first time they made love? No wonder why this book became a classic MM romance novel. 😱
And he said, "one night and one morning". And he'd leave quietly and discreetly without rousing Damen because he didn't wanna say goodbye. Goodbyes are not Laurent's style. 😭
And we have two heartbreaking moments in this book too. 💔 The death of one who's precious to Laurent and the one who pretended loyal to him. Both were heart-wrenching and agonizing. But in the end, these two innocent souls were puppeteered and manipulated by sick bastard regent.
There you have it all, the drama, the romance, the excitement, suspense, the politics, the enigmas, that bittersweet angst and the hopes and dreams. 😌
I really have to admit that I was quite skeptical when I first read this trilogy and I didn't think I'd love these book as much as I do now. I even felt they were a bit overrated since this trilogy is described as a world phenomenal series. Boy boy boy .. how wrong I was! 😏 These two really really grew on me and made me fall in love with them. 💙
I can't wait to read the third book. And at the same time, I'm dragging to read that one because that would be the end of these two. How everything will fold out and how Laurent will outsmart everyone? We only need to read "Kings Rising" to find out the truth. 😉😘
5 But you are mine now. You are still my slave tonight stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PS. This is how I always imagined Laurent in my mind.
April 5, 2022
Mejoró muchísimo en retrospectiva. No está al mismo nivel del primero pero nada de nada.
Luego de saber la traición por parte del regente de Vere, tío de Laurent, este último debe ir al frente para demostrar su valía y su lealtad para con su nación tal y como prometió y como no podía ser de otro modo, Damen irá con él. Es así como al fin la trama empuja a que ambos personajes tengan más escenas juntos y por lo tanto más material para las tensiones de todo tipo entre ellos. El salseo, vamos, que eso fue por lo que yo vine. Mientras el primero ha sido alguien siempre inteligente, frío, venenoso y muy distante, empezamos a ver capas en su personalidad y porqué es como es. Así de desconfiado, desgraciado y abusivo. Y por el otro lado, Damen con su lealtad, su presencia firme a la par que discreto y manteniendo un perfil bajo para no tener que revelar nunca su verdadera identidad al príncipe o algo terrible se desencadenará como resultado. Si bien no es una relación digna de alabanzas me encanta que dentro de todo sea compleja y no se romantice el abuso y el consentimiento sea algo esencial. Además de que el rol sumiso y dominante no es claro y eso me gusta porque aquí se puede jugar en varios bandos. Y sí, que manera de mantener una tensión sin caer en lo mismo una y otra vez. Es bastante directa, no se anda con rodeos y el ritmo de la historia fue esencial para leer el libro en menos de tres días.
Pero bueno, ¿Por qué digo que mejoró mucho comparándolo con el primero? Eso se debe a que aquí hay mucha más acción, más drama y mucho más avance y desarrollo en la trama romántica/sexual de Damen y Laurent. Y no, no es un libro perfecto para nada. Pero cuando decidí leer esta trilogía vine más que nada por la relación de los personajes principales y no tanto por la parte épica de esta. Porque si bien aquí ha habido también mucha más dosis de enfrentamientos entre los seguidores de Laurent, estrategias y conflictos para poder ir cumpliendo el objetivo, que es ganar; no creo que sea el punto a destacar porque eso solo es el telón de fondo en una historia que claramente quiere dar chicha con la relación caótica, tóxica y muy compleja de los personajes. De hecho, es muy flojo y poco emocionante que a Laurent todo le salga prácticamente bien. Es perfecto en todo, casi que no tiene defectos, al menos en lo concerniente a la guerra. Me salió muy Gary Stu y lo mismo pasa con Damen. Pero no me voy a quejar de eso si al final eso no me interesa y deseo leer el tercer libro lo más pronto posible.
Luego de saber la traición por parte del regente de Vere, tío de Laurent, este último debe ir al frente para demostrar su valía y su lealtad para con su nación tal y como prometió y como no podía ser de otro modo, Damen irá con él. Es así como al fin la trama empuja a que ambos personajes tengan más escenas juntos y por lo tanto más material para las tensiones de todo tipo entre ellos. El salseo, vamos, que eso fue por lo que yo vine. Mientras el primero ha sido alguien siempre inteligente, frío, venenoso y muy distante, empezamos a ver capas en su personalidad y porqué es como es. Así de desconfiado, desgraciado y abusivo. Y por el otro lado, Damen con su lealtad, su presencia firme a la par que discreto y manteniendo un perfil bajo para no tener que revelar nunca su verdadera identidad al príncipe o algo terrible se desencadenará como resultado. Si bien no es una relación digna de alabanzas me encanta que dentro de todo sea compleja y no se romantice el abuso y el consentimiento sea algo esencial. Además de que el rol sumiso y dominante no es claro y eso me gusta porque aquí se puede jugar en varios bandos. Y sí, que manera de mantener una tensión sin caer en lo mismo una y otra vez. Es bastante directa, no se anda con rodeos y el ritmo de la historia fue esencial para leer el libro en menos de tres días.
Pero bueno, ¿Por qué digo que mejoró mucho comparándolo con el primero? Eso se debe a que aquí hay mucha más acción, más drama y mucho más avance y desarrollo en la trama romántica/sexual de Damen y Laurent. Y no, no es un libro perfecto para nada. Pero cuando decidí leer esta trilogía vine más que nada por la relación de los personajes principales y no tanto por la parte épica de esta. Porque si bien aquí ha habido también mucha más dosis de enfrentamientos entre los seguidores de Laurent, estrategias y conflictos para poder ir cumpliendo el objetivo, que es ganar; no creo que sea el punto a destacar porque eso solo es el telón de fondo en una historia que claramente quiere dar chicha con la relación caótica, tóxica y muy compleja de los personajes. De hecho, es muy flojo y poco emocionante que a Laurent todo le salga prácticamente bien. Es perfecto en todo, casi que no tiene defectos, al menos en lo concerniente a la guerra. Me salió muy Gary Stu y lo mismo pasa con Damen. Pero no me voy a quejar de eso si al final eso no me interesa y deseo leer el tercer libro lo más pronto posible.
April 8, 2018
JUST MAGNIFICENT, I’m dead!!.!!
I’ve reread this book so many time and every time I love it more and more! How is that possible?
Slow burn at its finest!
Okay, I LOVED EVERY SINGLE BLOOD FUCKING SECOND OF THIS BOOK, couldn’t be happier with this!!!!!!!
“It was like being alone in a pit with a snake: the snake could relax, you could not.”
EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS ON POINT.
“Laurent got only two words out before the man simply did what most people wanted to do when speaking with Laurent: he hit him.”
My babies are freaking rising in here, can I get a “FINALLY”.
“That man had laid hands on Laurent, and Damen was going to kill him.”
DON’T DO THIS TO ME, WHY???
“You’re mine, he wanted to say, and couldn’t. Laurent didn’t belong to him; this was something he could have only once.”
YES YES YES, that’s all I wanted to hear!!!!!!!!
“What had happened was not going to be threatened by anything or anyone”
July 3, 2018
This review and other non-spoilery reviews can be found @The Book Prescription
“I lack,” said Laurent, “the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,” you could see him pushing the words out, “a lover.”
“You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,” said Damen.”
🌟 Prince’s Gambit is one of the best books I have read this year, if not ever!
The author stepped up her game in all aspects of the story.
🌟 If you read this book or you are planning to, then we are past the controversy surrounding book 1 and we agree that we know what we are getting into when we are reading this. That being said, the improvements made me question myself if I was reading a book by the same author. And it is common that books that are 2nd in a series fall into the “Middle book syndrome” and they usually suck. But this had a mutation that made it even more superior.
🌟 I said in my review of book 1 that it had good characters, average world building and plot. Now we get to discover more about the world, there is a map and there is traveling between different countries which gave a chance to expand the whole thing.
🌟 And what about the sudden turn of events?! I was so thrilled and wanted to finish this to see what happens because there were all kinds of possibilities.
🌟 This book is character driven and that is even more obvious now. I don’t like Inst-romance in books but this is the total opposite, Pacat is so good at writing a slow burn romance and I was like, just shut up and do something you too! And the good thing is that it all happens in a short number of pages but the struggle is real because we care about the characters.
🌟 The writing style is as good as book 1 where it was the strongest point and made me continue the series, the world choices that Pacat use is so vast and unique and I totally like it!
“And if you want a personal message,” said Laurent, “You can tell my uncle boykiller that he can cut the head off every child from here to the capital. It won’t make him into a king, it will simply mean he has no one left to fuck.”
🌟 Summary: Captive prince 2 is an even better book that the first installment and the story just keeps getting better, so if you like the series or you want to give it another chance then this book is the best reason to do so!
🌟 Prescription: For fans of LGBT/ Historical fictions reads.
“I lack,” said Laurent, “the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with,” you could see him pushing the words out, “a lover.”
“You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone,” said Damen.”
🌟 Prince’s Gambit is one of the best books I have read this year, if not ever!
The author stepped up her game in all aspects of the story.
🌟 If you read this book or you are planning to, then we are past the controversy surrounding book 1 and we agree that we know what we are getting into when we are reading this. That being said, the improvements made me question myself if I was reading a book by the same author. And it is common that books that are 2nd in a series fall into the “Middle book syndrome” and they usually suck. But this had a mutation that made it even more superior.
🌟 I said in my review of book 1 that it had good characters, average world building and plot. Now we get to discover more about the world, there is a map and there is traveling between different countries which gave a chance to expand the whole thing.
🌟 And what about the sudden turn of events?! I was so thrilled and wanted to finish this to see what happens because there were all kinds of possibilities.
🌟 This book is character driven and that is even more obvious now. I don’t like Inst-romance in books but this is the total opposite, Pacat is so good at writing a slow burn romance and I was like, just shut up and do something you too! And the good thing is that it all happens in a short number of pages but the struggle is real because we care about the characters.
🌟 The writing style is as good as book 1 where it was the strongest point and made me continue the series, the world choices that Pacat use is so vast and unique and I totally like it!
“And if you want a personal message,” said Laurent, “You can tell my uncle boykiller that he can cut the head off every child from here to the capital. It won’t make him into a king, it will simply mean he has no one left to fuck.”
🌟 Summary: Captive prince 2 is an even better book that the first installment and the story just keeps getting better, so if you like the series or you want to give it another chance then this book is the best reason to do so!
🌟 Prescription: For fans of LGBT/ Historical fictions reads.
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