It's a poignant love story that made me root for the characters, hope they would have their HEA, and turn pages as fast as I could.
I loved the plot and the character development.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Oh what an absolutely charming book!
This was my first LGBTQ+ romance and my very first historical fiction, but certainly wont be the last. From the first page, Denny charms the reader with clever, evocative, yet easy to read words, woven together by a sweet plotline that just keeps reading itself. I originally thought Raff would be the one to steal my heart but as soon as we meet Penn, my heart was sold amd never returned.
This is a cosy, heart warming tale of two men and I highly recommend to fans of cosy romance stories.

Not usually one for a romance novel, the historical fiction aspect of this caught my interest as well as he LGBT angle, which avoids some of the usual clichés. However this story does also contain aspects of abuse so will be unsettling and difficult for those affected and its not an out and out fluffy romance between our main characters Penn and Raff and they face turmoil along the way, as their whole relationship is built on lies. The only thing missing for me personally was I would have liked more historical details, as I love to feel transported back in time to another place.

“One Night in Hartswood” is your classic historical romance - it begins with a chance encounter, there are white lies and misunderstandings, an evil father, several journeys and love. But for once, this is a love story between two men.

Penn is reluctantly set to wed a woman he has never met but is desperate to escape his cruel and abusive father. Raff is escorting his sister who is due to marry Penn but ends up leading the search when Penn tries to escape his fate. A couple of chance encounters in Hartswood forest bring them together but neither of them know the other’s true identity. Both in their initial meeting and on their subsequent journey together, love develops but will the lies they have both weaved and the potential for their relationship to bring war between their two families threaten their love?

While I felt some of the writing got unnecessarily bogged down in descriptions and the main journey section got very repetitive, I did find myself caring for the characters and was keeping everything crossed for a happy ending for them both. You’ll just have to read it to find out if that was the case. It was also wonderful to read a historical novel not just featuring but focusing on love between two men.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely love this book. A very quick read, the prose was simple and pleasing. The romance was impeccable, the slow burn, the pining aaargh, So good. I absolutely loved the characters too, the way they were formed and the way they developed. My favourite though, has to be Ash, and Im kinda hoping we get a sequel with him.
Overall, a very easy 5/5, I would be absolutely buying this as a physical copy to show it off to friends and make them read it.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC ❤️🥹

Oxford 1360 - One Night in Hartswood tells the story of Raff the son of an Earls who, though his life is happy and warm, wishes to have some freedom after stepping into his elder brother’s shoes when he went to war and William - who likes to be known as Penn - is also a noble who’s life is not only cold, abusive and desperately unhappy but now he must marry someone he does not even know. Raff and Penn meet one night in Hartswood and talk all night as though they’d known each other their whole lives. When it is time to go back inside the castle they kiss.

Penn decides to run away from the wedding and his father and so heads into Hartswood but there are trackers sent in to find him - Raff being one of them. Raff indeed finds Penn except he thinks on his feet and says he is a servant and is running away. Raff taking his chance lies as well not admitting to his identity as a noble and the both decide to leave Hartswood and journey together. But the further they travel the more their bond deepens, what will happen when their secrets come out once their live has blossomed 🥺❤️

This book is EVERYTHING!! I cannot explain how much I loved it. The characters, the description, it’s going to hold a special place in my heart forever (I sound so extra and cheesy but I don’t care!! 🥰❤️). I want my own Raff please, he’s just perfect.

I truly, truly hope you gets pick One Night in Hartswood up. It’s so beautifully written and so romantic ❤️❤️ It’s perfect 5✨

I really enjoyed this book. The LGBT+ representation was so brilliantly done. It was beautifully written and had so many exquisite details. I loved the historical setting it really transported you to the time.

Although the love story between Raff and Penn is very sweet, and they are endearing characters, unfortunately the slow burn was just a little too slow for me. I would have liked to explore the time period a little more, and maybe more of an adventure on their journey north.

Interesting take on the traditional medieval romance. The characters were very sweet and I liked the way that they got to know each other on the journey north. An easy read.

<blockquote>Raff wanted to be free, just as Penn had, and this thing between them <u>was</u> that freedom. [loc. 2132]</blockquote><p>Oxfordshire, 1360: Raff is travelling south with his brother Ash and his sister Lily, for Lily's marriage to William de Foucart, heir to a newly-minted Earl with a dark reputation. Raff would far rather be out in the forest, hunting: when they make camp he wanders into the woods, and encounters a young man named Penn. They walk together, share a kiss ... and are reunited when Raff returns to the forest the next day, commanded by the Earl to search for his missing son, Lily's husband-to-be. The Earl, unaccountably, does not provide a description of William, so Raff is to be forgiven for not realising that Penn and the wayward son are one and the same.</p><p>The pair travel north, each concealing his identity, each drawn to the other, each convinced that the other won't want him. Braving the perils of winter in medieval England (floods, snow, belligerent nobles, fearful villagers, bandits, wolves) they make their way north to Raff's home. But truth will out, and Penn's father won't hesitate to rally his supporters ... </p><p>This was a sweet romance between two likeable, and very different, protagonists. Penn has suffered abuse at his father's hands, but comes into his own when Raff needs protection. Raff has always preferred his own company, until he meets someone with whom he can truly be himself. I'm not over-keen on romances built on a foundation of lies, but at least here the lies go both ways -- and the truth-telling is credibly anguished for both Raff and Penn. The middle third of the novel, where they're travelling and getting to know one another, is quite slow: more than made up for by the hectic pace of the last third.</p><p> Given the setting, I'd have liked a little more historical detail. We don't really get much sense of medieval England. Religion is barely mentioned; 'the King' (Edward III, at this point) is a vague shadowy figure; there's surprisingly little superstition. In some ways <i>One Night in Hartswood</i> feels more like a fantasy novel -- albeit one without magic -- than a historical: but given that this is first and foremost a romance, the setting is scenery. A pleasant read, with good characterisation and a love affair that works on several levels.</p><p>Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this full honest review. UK publication date is 19 January 2023.</p>

This book was absolutely beautiful to read.

The romance? Unlike anything I’ve read before, it was so beautifully written and was often so tender it made me genuinely emotional.

The love making scenes were exactly that, nothing crude or unrealistic, just raw and clear love on the page.

I cannot wait to see what Denny does next if this novel is anything to go by. And as far as hashtags go, I can’t choose so I’m making a new one #RaffandPennHaveMyHeart

This book was fun and ridiculous and everything I hoped it would be, with a surprising amount of darker twists too.

The most important thing in a romance book is, of course the Big Romance, and these two delivered. Penn and Raff are clearly made for each other, and rooting for them over the course of the book was so much fun. I felt the ups and downs of their relationship in real time, and even though the Happily-Ever-After felt pretty contrived at the end, you couldn’t help but be grateful for it. (Side note: creating genuine HEAs in LGBTQ+ historical fiction is always going to be tricky, so although I had my head in my hands I commend the author for her valiant effort!)

Perhaps quite fittingly for a queer story, the theme of ‘identity’ is a strong one – not just the mistaken identity plotline (which was executed brilliantly at the start but just went on a tad too long in my opinion) but the characters also finding their own identities and places in the world. It added a nice dimension to the story and gave us some very satisfying character arcs.

All in all this was a fun read, and delivered exactly what it said on the tin.

I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.

One night in Hartswood is a sweet, emotional and beautiful debut historical LGBTQ+ love story from Emma Denny.
Raff and Penn meet one night in Hartswood as Raff has travelled south for the impending marriage of his sister, Lily, to William de Foucart, the son of a prominent Earl, in a hastily arranged match.
The pair form a bond during their time in the woods, unbeknownst to the other that Penn is actually William de Foucart, Raff's sister's intended, and Raff is his future brother-in-law.
When William makes a bid for freedom, Raff is sent to find him, instead meeting Penn again, whom he believes is a servant, and as they travel north together their bond deepens, despite Raff trying to deny Penn, given that he is in a position of power over him with their supposed stations in life. Emma Denny has written both characters well and has created a beautiful relationship between them, as we see their emotions deepen and their bond develops during their journey.
They have a wonderful connection, which is more than physical, more than attraction, but a soul connection; as we hear in the book: "It was more than just seeking pleasure, but comfort as well: soft companionship that he'd never sought before."
Throughout the story they both save each other in different ways; both literally and figuratively.
Penn's story, especially, is a very emotional one, and he did bring a tear to my eye quite a few times. Penn appears to lead a privileged life on the surface, but in reality, he's half-starved and has suffered years of physical abuse at the hands of his truly evil father.
Whilst his dalliance with the stable boy, which led to his hastily arranged marriage is referred to briefly, I would have liked a little more of Penn's background explored.
I also enjoyed getting to know Raff's siblings and would be interested in both their stories in the future, particularly Ash's story.
Despite being set in 1360, and the forbidden nature of Raff and Penn's relationship at that time, the LGBTQ+ representation is easily accepted by the main protagonists, and their siblings, who are also openly LGBTQ+. I love how there was no judgment, only acceptance from Ash, Lily and Jo.
Although a little slow-moving at first, One Night in Hartswood is a lovely tale that's thoroughly enjoyable and I definitely recommend it.
The book releases on January 19th. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC copy of the story.

Such an eye catching cover….. A unique and unforgettable read. Can't wait to read more from Emma Denny in the future!

I really really enjoyed this, it's got to be one of my fave reads of the year. I've not read many queer romances in this kind of setting and it was refreshing. Whereas most 'on the road' romances can feel a bit repetitive I didn't find that with this one at all, and although the final act conflict wasn't massively dramatic, I found it realistic and fitting with the rest of the book. Loved Raff and Penn, the side characters were brilliant too, I'd love to read more stories surrounding them. It made me want to go out traipsing in the woods in the winter sun. Honestly a bit shocked to see it's a debut, I hope to see more from Denny!

An interesting historical romance.

This novel for once for a historical novel about romance, features same-sex relationships during this time which was interesting as it hasn’t been done much before from what I have came across.

Be aware this novel features topics such as abuse.

Of course with these types of romances during this time there is a lot of lies and some difficult lies to overcome.

Overall I would have loved if we seen some more detail on the historical sides of this particular world.

LOVED the characters, loved the story, and loved the writing. Can't really convey how much I enjoyed this lovely book.

5 stars +++++

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

(3.5, rounded up)
One Night in Hartswood was a gentle companion during a really stressful time. I had been craving some nice, medieval LGBT+ rep, and this hit the spot very well. I enjoyed both of the main characters, whose personalities complimented each other well, and by the end of the book I was invested in their relationship. I will say, the first half of the book moves a bit slowly, and it feels like it's almost exclusively dedicated to the development of the relationship between Penn and Raff - which is not a bad thing, but not quite to my taste, so I only started getting truly invested by about halfway through, when the rest of the plot starts kicking in a little.
This book also both suffers and benefits from a strong supporting cast - in the sense that I really liked Raff's siblings, and found myself always wanting more of them. Just putting this out there for Emma Denny - there's space for only vaguely related sequels about them!
Still, though, the main characters are both delightful (Penn was my favourite), the atmosphere was rich and exciting, and this book made for a very pleasant read.

An unputdownable romance full of longing, desire and secrecy. I absolutely loved it. Dual narratives are my favourite way to enjoy a romance and this delivered. Both characters are hiding their identities - we all know that can’t last forever - for different reasons, so there’s an air of tension intermingled with this narrative which I enjoyed, but I am a fan of a few dramatics in any on-page love story, so of course I’m always eager for a big shock reveal!

All in all, not much really happened in this book but not in a bad way. The focus of the book was the tender, delicious romance blossoming between Raff and Penn as they journeyed across England together (forced proximity and an alternative to the only one bed trope, anyone??) so we got to see a lot of this pair and their sly touches, conflicted emotions and of course, the spice. We get to the main drama and action about three quarters of the way through and there are heroics and near-disasters but like any true romance, the ending is charming and I left this book feeling wooed and content.

One Night in Hartswood was a sweet, achingly beautiful tale. It follows Penn and Raff as they meet and then journey together through the country over a series of weeks. Penn is running from a future he cannot bring himself to live, and Raff is searching for freedom from his current burdens.

Both men find each other in the heart of Hartswood one night and spend hours travelling the trees, admiring the forest, and enjoying each other company; the night ends with a scorching kiss without either expecting to see the other again, then only a few days later, Raff finds been almost frozen to death within the Hartswood, mere days after the man who is betrothed to his sister flees.

Penn is none other than Willian de Foucart, the man betrothed to Raff’s sister, running away from his abusive father to gain freedom from a life that would leave him hollow and alone. Through secrets, demanding and gruelling travel and their own denial, Penn and Raff grow closer and closer as they journey, sparking a beautiful and heartfelt love filled with soft touches, companionship, and sacrifice.

I enjoyed this book greatly; It was poetically written and drew me in from the first page. The relationship that unfolded between Penn and Raff was sweet, steamy and swoony, and I enjoyed every second, even the heart-breaking parts.