Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: To Target the Heart
SERIES: A Tale of Two Princes
AUTHOR: Aldrea Alien
PUBLISHER: Thardrandian Publications
LENGTH: 552 pages
RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2020
BLURB:
How can he win with the odds stacked against him?
Prince Hamish has no interest in fulfilling his duty of marrying. Not to a woman, at least. That doesn’t stop his mother, Queen Fiona, from presenting him with every eligible noblewoman that enters their castle. He’s certain it’ll be no different with the representative of the Udynea Empire.
So when they do arrive, Hamish is relieved the imperial prince, Darshan, is not the woman everyone expected. Until the man kisses him and Hamish is confronted by the very emotions he has been forced to conceal or be punished for. Emotions he is eager to explore.
But the kiss proves to be a little too public and leads his mother to take drastic measures to ensure Hamish adheres to her family vision. The contest of arms will force Hamish to make a choice: give up his happiness for convention’s sake or send the kingdom spiralling into civil war for the right to love his own way.
*This book contains violence, attempted suicide and explicit adult themes.**This book is a standalone*
REVIEW:
Hamish is the second son of the royal family of Tirglas. His brother is the heir and he has produced heirs. His sister also has children, so there’s no real danger to the line “dying out” but his mother, Queen Fiona, is not satisfied and wants Hamish to marry and produce more children. Just one tine problem. Hamish has no desire for women. And his mother has punished him for his nature. In fact he’s not been with anyone in years when the new ambassador from the far more prosperous kingdom of Udynea arrive. But instead of the expected woman ambassador showing up, it’s Prince Darshan of Udynea who arrives to negotiate the trade deal. And Darshan and Hamish have A LOT in common. The difference, however, is that Darshan has been free to be who he is in Udynea.
When Darshan kisses Hamish in a public place, this sets in motion a chain of events that have more consequences than either Prince counted on. Queen Fiona insults Darshan, banishes Hamish under guard and sets the negotiations on the rocks. Hamish sadly is used to being mistreated. It’s been going on for some time. Darshan’s heart breaks for the beautiful and lonely man. He definitely desires Hamish, but he doesn’t want to make things worse for him than they already are. When he discovered just how horrific Hamish’s life has been for half his life, he’s determined to come up with a solution.
Further complicating things is Darshan’s ability to wield magic. This is not something that is tolerated in Tirglas. Mages are locked up in Cloisters in Tirglas – including Hamish’s younger sister. They are only permitted to use their magic to heal and only then in extreme circumstances. Darshan cannot understand this any more than he can understand the treatment of Hamish for being who HE is. But history and the stories and legends of the past keep Hamish’s mother clinging to the old ways – on any number of things. There is much at stake from these negotiations and Queen Fiona is not keen on any change to her family’s status, nor is she willing to budge on any release of her control over her second son. But Darshan is clever. Hs world is full of political intrigue and he’s determined to come up with a solution – because his feeling for Hamish are unlike those he’s ever had for anyone else.
Hamish would love to be able to live freely. But he knows his mother will not allow it. He’s such an innocent in so many ways and he’s internalized a lot of the abuse and vitriol that’s been heaped on him. He does have supportive siblings who love him very much and try to do right by him. He’s protective of his niece and nephews – probably to his own detriment at times. He is not used to the world of politics and he knows he’s not suited, but he’s never for anyone what he feels for Darshan. However, the way won’t be easy and he’s trying to be satisfied with the short amount of time he might have with the unexpected Prince. But Darshan is determined to have Hamish and allow him the freedom to be himself. Needless to say, that road is not going to be easy 😉
Well Fantasy isn’t my usual bag, but I really enjoyed this! I absolutely fell in love with Hamish from the get go – although I was terribly heartbroken for him. Darshan is a fabulous character as well. He’s alternately confident and then unsure when dealing with Hamish. He’s appalled by the treatment that Hamish has suffered at the hands of the Queen. Hamish has never known tenderness or love from another person in his life before Darshan shows him what it can be like. There is a lot of political intrigue and the world-building here is first-rate. The information about this world is provided organically throughout the story which I really appreciated. I felt like I really got to know both men thoroughly. And while it’s a long book, I didn’t feel like there was much dragging of the story. The pace maybe could have been a little tighter in a few places, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. I so wanted Hamish to be free of the burdens on him and to be able to experience love. There are a number of twists and turns in the story and a lot of action that I wasn’t actually expecting but was very well written. The ending does not tie everything up in a nice bow, but the next book has just been released and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Recommended especially for fantasy fans!
RATING: 
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