The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins Kate Quealy-Gainer, Assistant Editor Higgins, Wendy The Great Hunt. HarperTeen/HarperCollins, 2016 [416p] Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-06-238133-0 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-06-238135-4 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 7-10 When a terrifying beast ravages the kingdom of Lochlanach, marriage to Princess Aerity and a place in the royal family are offered up as the prize to any hunter who [End Page 307] can take the creature down. Aerity’s not particularly happy about being a prize, but she’s willing to do her duty for the safety of her kingdom. Paxton Seabolt joins the hordes of men eager to hunt the beast, but he’s seeking only to protect his fellow villagers; he has no interest in the princess or the royal family, especially since their rules about magic probably shortened his beloved grandmother’s life. To the great dismay of both Aerity and Paxton, they find each other absolutely irresistible, despite Paxton’s being an arrogant jerk and Aerity’s being a bit clueless. The focus shifts between Aerity and Paxton as they navigate their separate roles in the palace and in the hunt, but as their relationship heats up, the story narrows to just their push and pull attraction. There’s little world building after the initial setup, though, so it can be a challenge to parse the various political motivations and conflicts that influence the actions of secondary characters, many of whom are threats to Aerity and Paxton. As a romance, however, the book hits the sweet spots—the talented, lone wolf hero, the vulnerable but determined heroine, and the many, many obstacles their love must overcome—but even these elements are somewhat generic. The ending feels like a missed opportunity to empower Aerity, but it may offer enough intrigue to have readers hunting the shelves for the next installment. Copyright © 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois