Customer Reviews

The Wild Swans (Faerie Tale Romance)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE WILD SWANS is an adaptation of the classic fairy tale by the same name, where a princess must knit twelve (or seven, depending on which version one is reading) shirts out of nettles for her twelve brothers, turned into swans. The catch is that she can't speak a word until she's finished, or her little bros will be swans forever.

THE WILD SWANS is not laugh-out-loud funny, but it is light-hearted and a nice read if one needs a diversion. However, the story drags in a lot of places, the author so caught up in the details of a scene or situation that the plot grinds to screeching halt, and it takes a while for it to start back up again. The book could have stood to loose a hundred pages or so. Also, there are very few surprises in the book, mainly because one already knows the course of events from the fairy tale, and Holmes never veers off that path. The climax was much too short, especially in comparison with some other scenes in the story, and not particularly intense or suspenseful.

That being said, Holmes is a good writer, and her strong point in THE WILD SWANS is her characterizations. King Richard is the most well-drawn character, and even the minor characters, such as Richard's best friend, Harry, and his valet, Thurgood, are strong on the page.

All in all, THE WILD SWANS was a nice read and one that I would recommend to fans of Cinderella, Snow White, etc.; but it wasn't a "keeper," and I wouldn't read it more than once.

Kate Holmes has certainly captured the heart of this fairy tale. With a few twists, turns and a lot of giggles, she builds a story of how falling in love is magic.

The story is a twisted fairy tale of a princess who is being punished for her twelve younger brothers mischievious trouble-making. In order to set her brothers free, she needs to make shirts of nettles for them in complete silence. She was minding her own business and along comes a handsome king to sweep her off her feet and takes her back to his castle, where he promtply marries her.

The tone is wickedly cute, the pace, just right, and the supporting characters lend enough humor to make me laugh out loud. King Richard has a definite sense of humor, and Goldie has the patience of a saint to put up with all the men in her life that insist on causing her trouble. Namely her twelve brothers that got her in this mess in the first place.

Goldie shows that a woman's spirit isn't always trampled by a strong man, in fact hers continues to grow as she allows herself to love him. King Richard, although reverting every now and then back to the "typical" male, realizes that it makes him happier to really 'listen' to what Goldie has to say. The king learns the art of how to understand a woman, well as much as he can anyway with her not being able to speak!

This is the funniest romance novel I have read this year. It's an exceptionally well-written twisted fairy tale, but so much more. I highly recommend it. A keeper!

I found this book to be a wonderful retelling of the classic fairytale. Not only did it provide romance, but one could feel the frustration of the self-imposed muteness "Goldie" had to endure. How often have you wanted to say what you think, but had to bite your tongue? Imagine that for months!

I also loved the hidden gems of sarcasm like the "pre-season jousting tournaments". Dig on the NFL? I HOPE SO! I loved it from cover to cover and will doubtless re-read it when I need a light moment!

Buy it!

I thought THE WILD SWANS by Kate Holmes was a sweet fairy-tale romance. It's the story of Princess Arianne who, in order to free her 12 brothers from a curse, must remain absolutely silent while she knits 12 shirts out of nettles. It's a daunting task made all the more difficult when Richard, King of Avalon, stumbles into her life one day and sets out to make her his mistress.

What did I like about this book? Lots of things! First, the author writes with a witty attitude, making it fun to read. Second, both Arianne and Richard are lovable characters, especially when they're irritated. Arianne can't say anything, so Richard has to do all the talking - and it's cute, since he's something of an ego-maniac, yet charming, young king. It's also fun to watch Richard go from lusty to loving (and jealous) through the course of the book.

The only thing I didn't like about the book were its constant references to John Paul (Richard's pet name for his privates), which was a little immature. However, it didn't deter from the story, which was rather sweet, as romances go.

I finished this book within 3 or 4 hours, so it's a quick, entertaining read. Too bad it's out-of-print. Still, I think it's worth it to locate the book. I'd definitely reread it again!

**For those interested in fairy tale romances, try CHARMING THE PRINCE or THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST by Theresa Medeiros.***

It's the first book that I've read by Kate Holmes and I truly enjoyed it. The only regret that I have is when I finally finished reading it.

I thought that this book was like a marshmallow: light and fluffy, but also sweet and enjoyable, leaving one with a nice aftertaste.

I must admit, I'm a sucker for fairytale remakes, especially those written for adults, so this was right up my alley. It could have used a bit more editing, I'll also admit, since it was overly long in places, but overall, I enjoyed it more than enough to forgive it its shortfalls.

Whilst placing her story in a fairytale setting, the author still manages to have a wry, humorous, tongue-in-cheek dig at modern men, especially their love of sports, their dislike of women's gossip, and their propensity to be guided by their, er, appendages in their decision making. That said, the hero of this story is still portrayed as an endearing, intelligent and attractive man that readers will warm to, as well as relate to.

The heroine, too, is likeable, and her inability to talk does not detract from the storyline, but rather reminds us that often, actions really can speak louder than words!

This is a light-hearted romp that will easily please most romance readers.