The Raven and the Dove
Author: Kaitlyn Davis
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Series: The Raven and the Dove #1
Release Date: March 9th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings
Four fates collide in this avian-inspired, epic fantasy retelling of Tristan and Isolde perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A princess longing to be free…
On the dawn of her courtship trials, Princess Lyana Aethionus knows she should be focused on winning her perfect mate, yet her thoughts wander to the open sky waiting at the edge of her floating kingdom. One final adventure calls. Upon fleeing the palace, the last thing she expects to find is a raven prince locked in a death match with a dragon.
A bastard aching to belong…
Reviled son of a dead king, Rafe would do anything for his beloved half-brother, Prince Lysander Taetanus, including posing as him in the upcoming courtship trials. When a dragon interrupts their secret exchange, he orders his studious sibling to run. After suffering a fatal blow, Rafe is saved by a beautiful dove who possesses forbidden magic, just like him.
Fate brought them together, now destiny will tear them apart…
Unknown to the world above, on the foggy sea ten thousand feet below, a young king fights a forgotten war. He believes Lyana is the queen prophesied to save the world, and with the help of his favored spy, hidden deep in the highest ranks of the dove royal house, he will stop at nothing to have her.
Three shocking betrayals. Two star-crossed lovers. One unforgettable journey. If you like fierce heroines, brooding heroes, forbidden romance, and action-packed magical adventures with twists you’ll never see coming, don’t miss The Raven and the Dove!
What do you think would happen to this book’s plot if you switch the two main characters in this book (Lyana and Rafe) with two other characters (of your choice) from your previous works?
Wow—I’ve never even thought of anything like this before! Good question J Before I dive into the switch-ups, I’ll lay the groundwork for the characters of Lyana and Rafe. The first thing you need to know about both of them is they have wings! The world they inhabit floats high above the clouds and consists of seven kingdoms, each of which represents a different species of bird.
Lyana is the Princess of the House of Peace, the home of the doves, and she has ivory dove wings. Her personality is that of an explorer—she longs to soar into the horizon and discover the world that exists outside of her isolated homeland. She’s quick witted, used to getting what she wants, and utterly charming. Warring with all of that is her love for her people and her duty to her title, which prohibits her from seizing the freedom for which she so desperately yearns.
On the other hand, we have Rafe, the bastard from the House of Whispers, the home of the ravens, who has onyx raven wings. His late father was the king of the ravens, but he and Rafe’s mother died long before my book begins. Because of this, he’s felt out of place for most of his life and is despised by his people for being the living symbol of the infidelity that got his father killed. However, his brother, Prince Xander, has never held that against him, and the two love each other unconditionally. Rafe would do anything for his brother, and is fiercely loyal despite the rough exterior he uses to guard his heart.
These two characters come together at the start of the novel, when Rafe fights a dragon in order to give his brother time to get to safety. Lyana happens upon the battle just as Rafe get struck by a fatal blow and flies to his aid. From this point forward, if they were any two other characters, things would have gone a lot differently…
I have four other young adult fantasy series, so I’m going to go through the scenario with a character from each ��.
Midnight Fire – If Rafe was Luke from my YA vampire romance series, Midnight Fire, he probably would’ve battled the dragon with corny jokes instead of a sword. See, Luke is a vampire slayer with the power to channel the sun, but against any other baddie, he’s useless. His ill-timed sense of humor knows no bounds, so he might’ve asked a knock knock joke…then ran for his life, meaning he and Lyana never would’ve met and there’d be no story.
Midnight Ice – If Lyana was Pandora from my YA urban fantasy series, Midnight Ice, she would’ve been long gone before the dragon even got there (or at least that’s what everyone would think). Pandora is a runaway. She hasn’t been home in four years, and she must constantly live on the move because the supernatural police force she was born into, a species known as titans, are scouring the world for her. Luckily, she has the power to turn invisible, so she probably would’ve stuck around long enough to make sure Rafe lived, then slipped away before he had a chance to spot her.
A Dance of Dragons – If Rafe was Rhen from my YA epic fantasy series, A Dance of Dragons, he would’ve had no problem standing there and letting the dragon do its worst—or at least try to. Ever since he can remember, Rhen has been immune to fire. He can’t create it, but he can absorb it into his skin and walk through it unscathed. So, he probably would’ve laughed cockily as the dragon got all angry and tried to douse him in fire, then charged with his sword held high. I doubt he would’ve been injured, so Lyana would’ve never crept out of hiding to come to his rescue, and they never would’ve met.
Once Upon a Curse – If Lyana was Jade from my YA fairy tale retelling series, Once Upon a Curse, she probably would’ve picked at her nails while she watched Rafe come to an untimely demise, then rolled her eyes at his idiocy in facing a dragon alone. You see, Jade is under an evil queen’s spell and because of this she feels no emotions—no love, no pain, no remorse, no guilt, no fear. It’s takes a very special prince to break her from this curse, but unfortunately for Rafe, he wouldn’t have been that guy and he’d be dead. Womp womp.
Clearly, Lyana and Rafe need to stay just the way they are, lol! Since their story is retelling of the famous tragedy Tristan and Isolde, I’m not saying it’s all sunshine and roses, but the two of them were made for each other, so hopefully they’ll find a better ending together. Guess you’ll have to read the book to find out 😉
Have you read any of my other books? What do you think would happen if those characters were somehow transported into The Raven and the Dove? What about a character from one of your favorite books?
about the author
Kaitlyn Davis, a bestselling author with over a quarter of a million books sold, writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie. Publisher’s Weekly has said, “Davis writes with confidence and poise,” while USA Today has recommended her work as “must-read romance.”
To learn more about her contemporary romance novels, visit her Goodreads author page for Kay Marie here: https://www.goodreads.com/Kay_Marie
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found playing fetch with her puppy, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you
may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
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