The Wild Swans
The first thing that drew me to this book is the beautiful cover; the second
thing was the very unusual story line. Taking an old folk tale or
legend Kate Holmes has created a wonderful and humour filled romance novel
that is as enchanting as the heroine herself.
Princess Arianne was the only daughter in the thirteen siblings and her twelve younger brothers were forever getting into mischief and this time they have dragged her along with them into the worst predicament she has ever been in.
After wreaking havoc in the castle Arianne tracks her brothers into the Dark Woods, but she is too late to save them from an angry ogre’s spell. Given only a few minutes with them they tell her that they are to be turned into swans and only she can save them. To do this she cannot go home until she has made each of them a shirt knitted out of nettles that were gathered under the full moon – a task that must be done in total silence!
Settling into the small cottage in the woods Arianne begins the long task ahead of her.
Meanwhile King Richard of the neighbouring kingdom is also having a hard time. His problems however involve the numerous talkative women who are vying for his hand in marriage. At the end of his tether he declares that he will marry the next woman who doesn’t talk his ear off.
Lost in the woods in the pouring rain King Richard finds himself at the cottage where Arianne is working. Making himself right at home he treads mud and water into the cottage, demands wine, food and a bed and proceeds to irritate Arianne with his every move.
Arianne cannot believe that after all the trouble her brothers have got her into she now has to deal with another troublesome male. One who claims to be no one less than the King of Avalon. Not believing him, for what King can possibly manage to lose ALL his men in the woods, Arianne is duty bound to allow the stranger into the cottage for the night.
As the evening wears on she begins to believe that Richard is a king, for who else would give orders the way he does. Unable to communicate with him other than in gestures and facial expressions Richard eventually notices that his reluctant hostess never speaks a word. And taking full advantage of the situation he entertains Arianne with stories of his adventures and the burdens of royal life.
Isolated from the rest of the world for a single night Richard and Arianne are undoubtedly attracted to each other but with no way of communicating it appears that nothing will ever come of this.
The next morning Richard’s men track him down and invade the little cottage too. After clearing out the last of her food Arianne is only to happy to go with them to Avalon where she can continue to knit her brothers’ shirts in peace.
Not even knowing his hostess’s name Richard names her Goldie and takes her back to his castle…the swans following behind them.
In the castle Arianne soon finds herself parted from Richard and allocated a small dismal little room in the poorest area of the castle. Believing this is at Richard’s order she passes her days plotting the revenge she will have when the curse is lifted – plans ranging from the sharp edge of her tongue to getting her father to declare war on him.
Richard meanwhile spends his time searching the guestrooms of the castle, refusing to ask where she had been placed – after all he is a man and he doesn’t want the entire castle to know he is sneakily trying to track her down. Richard does not realise that there is a pool going on how long it will be before he gives in and asks someone. And that particular time comes around when he finds that Goldie has apparently persuaded his staff to purposely burn his meals.
And so the tale twists and turns through pages and pages of humour as the silent heroine and the talkative hero find their lives irrevocably intertwined.
This book is one of the most original I have read in recent years and the humour filling every page makes this one of the best books of the year so far.
Many books have humour in the exchanges between the hero and heroine. Of course this heroine’s curse means that is not possible. But Kate Holmes has found a way around this and the silent heroine easily holds her own against the imposing hero.
Humour filled, this book will have you laughing out loud. A funny fractured fairy tale with some modern gags and even the author’s note will bring a smile to your face.
If you are looking for a light humorous read then go buy a copy of The
Wild Swans. You may not get historical accuracy but something far
more wonderful.
OVERALL RATING : 
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Kate Holmes also writes as Anne Avery.
