Prince's Gambit: Captive Prince Book Two: 2 (Captive Prince Trilogy)

I don't even know where to start this review so bear with me... first of all, the summary doesn’t do the story justice at all, and it wasn’t what caught my interest at first. I've seen so many people all over the internet talking about this amazing, must read trilogy but when I first looked it up I didn't really see the appeal - boy was I wrong! The main protagonists, Damen and Laurent, will make you want to cry parental tears because they are your children and you want to protect them at all cost. Their characters are incredibly well written and you will fall in love with them, trust me on that. Damen is this tall, dark and handsome warrior prince on the outside but deep down he's an actual cinnamon roll, too pure for this world and you just want to smush his cheeks, wrap him in a blanket and make him a hot chocolate. I'm not exaggerating. And then there's Laurent. Oh dear, how do I even begin to describe Laurent. He's a character you will not start liking from the get go. You probably want him to just s t o p. But Jesus Christ on a cracker the character development he goes through in the books are so amazing. By mid book two you will fall in love with him as Damen is falling in love with him. My feelings for Laurent can be described with this one line ‘I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once.’ You will be slapped and attacked by so many emotions about this Cast Iron Prince (actual nickname from the book), and you will Suffer when he Suffers. The antagonist will make you want to gouge your eyes out everytime he comes into the story and g o d please just send him to the deepest corners of hell and incinerate his soul. Also, the world building is absolutely fascinating and the plot makes you want to claw at your own face. Book one might be difficult to go through, due to the master/slave dynamic that is not for everyone and abuse in many different forms (physical, sexual and they are written explicitly or sometimes just vaguely inferred). Please heed the warnings. But, it does such a good job setting up the world, characters, and plot base. Book two is when you realise the pain you go through in book one is freakin worth it, because character development! Plot! Rooftop chases! Tension! Sexual tension! HAVE I MENTIONED CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT? BOOK THREE IS JUST A COMPILATION OF ME SCREAMING FROM BEGINNING TO END. THE BOOKS ARE JUST THAT GOOD AND IT’S WORTH THE MONEY YOU SPEND BUYING THEM, THE TIME YOU READ THEM, AND THE PAIN YOU SUFFER. In conclusion, please read Captive Prince trilogy. I haven’t been so in love with original fiction in such a long time, and I love these books so m u c h.

It's been a while since a book series has captivated me so much. Love the character growth, the story and the twists.

Laurent and Damon... They are great characters and they've continued to develop in this second book, more and more details being revealed. In the first book it was very hard to remember that Laurent is just a young man of 19, but in this book, occasionally, he comes across as naive and young, most endearingly when he attempted the magic trick! I actually started to like Laurent and his twisty mind and the more that's revealed, it wouldn't surprise me if he had everything planned! Also, I just want to address something that some reviewers are complaining about, not so much in this book, but especially the first book... Yes, there is rape and slaves in these books. However, this is not a contemporary novel and although it's a fantasy in time when this is set slaves were used, as was corporal punishment. I'm not saying it was right by our standards, but it was real and I personally don't have an issue with it in books like this. If it was a contemporary book painting in the same light, that would be a different matter... But that's just my opinion... All in all, this book was really good. Whereas the first book seemed to set the scene and the characters, this book has more plot and action and the story is really starting to unfold, the relationship between Damen and Laurent developing into more than master and slave. Finally, that ending! Loved it! And now I'm going to dive straight into the last book.

Beautifully written and engaging from first page to last.

What a stunning book. I made the mistake of starting this at 10pm...needless to say I was still reading at 2am, completely enraptured (and maybe slightly sobbing into my pillow). The first book feels more or less like a prologue in some ways compared with this one - the real action, the real story starts here, with the slow unpicking of Laurent's deliciously complex character combined with Damen's own journey to gain his trust, which culminates in one of the most satisfying and beautiful (and, yes, tearjerking-at-2am) endings I've ever read, while not skimping on the intrigue to set up book 3. There's really not much else for me to say without yelling incoherently about the final segment...all I can confidently say is that it's worth all the dry military/tactical discussions that for a while did threaten to lose my interest in the beginning. What a glorious payoff. And I'll be counting down until the third is released with baited breath!

ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʀɪʟᴏɢʏ 👑 I loved the first book. The second has brought me to my knees. I have devoured this read and I couldn’t put it down. This series has taken over my thoughts and dreams, I can’t stop obsessing over these characters, the story and the world they live in. Laurent’s layers are shredding, but his wicked tongue is still at work. Like a calculating cat he’s always one step ahead pouncing on his enemies. Damen is still a kind hearted soul. My favourite thing about him is how he grounds Laurent. Together they are a force to be reckoned with. The final line of this read killed me off. I was screaming, kicking legs in the air, all with tears in my eyes. As I go into the final book I feel a little sad knowing this is coming to an end soon. What am I supposed to do when this is all over? 😭

BARKING. SCRATCHING AT THE DOOR LIKE A DOG WHO CAN SMELL A ROAST DINNER. RUNNING IN CIRCLES AND YIPPING LIKE A PUPPY.

I was engrossed in this book from the beginning to the end. It was so addicting to read about Laurent and Damon and so very entertaining to discover all their little quirks. I absolutely loved this book.

This is my second reading of this series and I know I will return to it time and time again. This is a huge and complex story with fantastic world building and well described scenes of strategy and battles. I feel emotionally ravaged. CS Pacat manages to get right inside her characters, she reveals them with their flaws, their strengths, their uncertainties, their vulnerabilities - it’s all there. And it is amazing. I loved both Damen and Laurent, the strength that Damen possesses and how he continually tries to be honourable even after his brother’s betrayal. And Laurent, cruel and cold until gradually, you begin to see him and perhaps have an understanding of what and who has forged himself to be and who he now is. He trusts no one. The slow burn is delicious, and I loved it that the the main story, the plot, is first and foremost more important than a sudden capitulation. That would have been so wrong for this book. When Laurent eventually softens, I appreciated that Laurent stays true to himself with Damen showing restraint, knowing that the wrong word, the wrong action will bring an end to the proceedings. Getting close to Laurent is like trying to pet a scorpion. 10 exceptional stars.

And the story comes to a closure (the best possible one, might I add). Seriously, the only thing I didn't like about this book, and I'm not exaggerating, was that it didn't have an epilogue, because I'm so desperate for more content about Damen and Laurent's lives. I could read this on and on for years and I would still love it, it was worth every single cent and every single second I spent reading this instead of studying. Please, do yourself a favor and read this entire trilogy. Just do it, I promise you won't regret it.

Honestly, I came into this book with high expectations. Not only because I had loved the first one, but because it been recommended to me by friends who don't dole out praise easily. This surpassed my expectations and more. The intricacy of the plot, the carefully thought-out pacing, the interactions between not just the two main characters but everybody else... this is truly a gift of a book, something that kept me up at night and from sleeping, something that kept me reading instead of studying. Gasping aloud is not something I am prone to do, and yet this made me do it. Being truly shocked by developments (and loving the feeling that led me there) doesn't happen often when you read as much as I do, and yet Prince's Gambit accomplished that and more. A wonderful, simply wonderful book that sweeps you up in the political intrigue and mystery and does not, will not let you go once you've finished.

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