The Raven Prince

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Published: November 2006 (Warner Forever)
Category: Historical Romance
Quote of Choice: You don't have to prove how manly you are by catching the ague.
Rating: 5/10

The category says that this is a historical romance, but some parts of The Raven Prince bordered on erotica. The back copy hints at it, saying that the widow Anna Wren will take her employer, Edward de Raaf, the Earl of Swartingham, as her lover, and he won't know it's her. Apparently, she finds out that he's going to London to visit a brothel and follows him there. She becomes a temporary whore behind a mask (apparently, bored wives of the ton like to have a bit of fun and wear masks so their reputations are wrecked) and receives pleasure she has never known, slaking her womanly desires.

There's not much to the story; it's truly historical fluff. Hoyt injects a little blackmail for some conflict beyond the "I can't believe you thought I was a real whore" plot line. After all of Edward's lust for Anna, he turns into a jerk when he finds out it was truly Anna behind the mask. He's already enjoyed her non-physical company, so he gets over his incorrect assumption and proposes marriage to Anna. But then Anna gets taken in by the blackmail and there's a little wild goose chase and a sloppy duel.

The dialogue is entertaining at times, what with their relationship as secretary and employer. Edward's last two male secretaries ran off and Anna doesn't find Edward frightening at all. She sees Edward for himself, beyond the brusque manners and smallpox scars. While the relationship is interesting (until Anna decides to pretend to be Edward's whore), it can't make up for the lack of a strong plot.