The Raven and the Dove drew me in with its beautiful cover! Lyana is a princess of the doves, looking for her mate and hoping that they accept her illicit magic. She is immediately fixated on Rafe, the  handsome heir of the ravens. Unbeknownst to her, Prince Xander is the true heir to the ravens and Rafe is his half-brother. To protect his brother’s secret (he was born without one hand), Rafe agrees to compete as Xander in a tournament to find a mate. Lyana and Rafe meet and are intimately connected even after the ruse is revealed. Despite the trick, Lyana is bound to live in the court of the ravens. Yet Lyana and Rafe can’t seem to stay away from each other despite the many obstacles keeping them apart. And on the sea below, a mysterious presence lingers and plots to use Lyana as a vital piece of his plan… 

I really enjoyed this book! It’s been on my TBR for a while and I was thrilled to listen to the audiobook. The narrator does an excellent job distinguishing between characters. One of my favorite parts was the competition; I especially enjoyed learning about the other types of birds/creatures that fly. I look forward to more world-building and hopefully learning about the other courts. Cassi is such an interesting character with many deeply-held secrets. I’m so curious what her next choice will be! Lyana and Rafe have an immediate and intense connection. Due to the nature of Rafe’s deal with Xander, there is little chance for romance in the open and instead their romance is a simmering slow-burn. I hope that we see more of their romance developed in the sequel. I’m excited to see what happens next after that cliffhanger!

Thank you so much to Kaitlyn Davis and Netgalley for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.