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Maiden Lane #2.5
Clever John
A delightful fairy tale from the New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt. Clever John gives readers an early glimpse inside Hoyt's next Maiden Lane novel, Scandalous Desires. Extended preview of Scandalous Desires included.
75 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2011
26 people are currently reading
1393 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Hoyt
49 books7,191 followersElizabeth Hoyt is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three untrained dogs and one long-suffering husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 18, 2016
Cute little fairy tale. It's included in Scandalous Desires, so if you plan on reading that one, you can skip this.
October 5, 2011
Free on Amazon for Kindle users:
This is a "fairy tale" prequel offered by Elizabeth Hoyt as an additional peek into Silence and Mickey's story in "Scandalous Desires" to be released on October 18th. Cute and well-written with additional excerpts from "Scandalous Desires" that just whets my appetite even more. Every little piece of info I get on Charming Mickey and Silence's new book just feeds the need. And I'm still placing my bet on the "Ghost" being Winter!
This is a "fairy tale" prequel offered by Elizabeth Hoyt as an additional peek into Silence and Mickey's story in "Scandalous Desires" to be released on October 18th. Cute and well-written with additional excerpts from "Scandalous Desires" that just whets my appetite even more. Every little piece of info I get on Charming Mickey and Silence's new book just feeds the need. And I'm still placing my bet on the "Ghost" being Winter!
April 13, 2019
Clever John is the fairy-tale-love-story that Elizabeth Hoyt uses to introduce the chapters of Book 3 of her series, Maiden Lane.
Had I known that, I would NOT have read it before book 3, Thief of Shadows. Reading it prior to book 3 is a little spoilerish...
And once you have read Scandalous Desires, you will have already read Clever John.
My recommendation is that you go straight to book 3 (skip this short story) so that you may enjoy the story as Ms. Hoyt intended: a little at a time throughout the story of Scandalous Desires.
Had I known that, I would NOT have read it before book 3, Thief of Shadows. Reading it prior to book 3 is a little spoilerish...
And once you have read Scandalous Desires, you will have already read Clever John.
My recommendation is that you go straight to book 3 (skip this short story) so that you may enjoy the story as Ms. Hoyt intended: a little at a time throughout the story of Scandalous Desires.
December 20, 2015
Sweet little read. They are actually the opening introductions to her chapters in Book 2 I think.
October 6, 2011
OK, this freebie prequel to Charming Mickey's book was fantabulous!! Although it did make me want the book that much faster. I have to admit that I was worried about reading an entire book filled with that accent of his, but this extended preview made me realize how incredibly sexy it could be to hear a man talk to me that way. I know that's weird, but there it is. The fairy tale was a nice peek into how the story is going to play out, too. I can't wait!!
freebies
June 13, 2016It looks like this short freebie isn't available in the UK kindle store but you can download it from the Hachette website here if you're interested.
June 21, 2015
Just a uber short fairytale.
October 6, 2011
Originally posted on my blog: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2011/10...
Anyone who has read Elizabeth Hoyt’s work knows that she includes a fairytale in each of her books. The fairytales are told bit by bit at the beginning of each chapter and they complement or mirror what is going on in the book. Clever John is the fairytale Ms. Hoyt has written for her spectacular third Maiden Lane book, Scandalous Desires.
Even if you’re reading Clever John as a standalone fairytale, it’s a delightful read. Ms. Hoyt makes every word count in her stories, and though short, Clever John is wonderfully satisfying. As with many of Ms. Hoyt’s full-length books, Clever John is a story I’ll be reading over and over again.
The release of Clever John also makes me desperately hope that Ms. Hoyt’s publisher will make her other fairytales available. As much as I enjoy reading them in the books, it would be wonderful to be able to read the fairytales straight through.
Anyone who has read Elizabeth Hoyt’s work knows that she includes a fairytale in each of her books. The fairytales are told bit by bit at the beginning of each chapter and they complement or mirror what is going on in the book. Clever John is the fairytale Ms. Hoyt has written for her spectacular third Maiden Lane book, Scandalous Desires.
Even if you’re reading Clever John as a standalone fairytale, it’s a delightful read. Ms. Hoyt makes every word count in her stories, and though short, Clever John is wonderfully satisfying. As with many of Ms. Hoyt’s full-length books, Clever John is a story I’ll be reading over and over again.
The release of Clever John also makes me desperately hope that Ms. Hoyt’s publisher will make her other fairytales available. As much as I enjoy reading them in the books, it would be wonderful to be able to read the fairytales straight through.
October 10, 2011
I can't WAIT for SCANDALOUS DESIRES!!!
oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind.....
oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind.....
October 15, 2024
Start: 9/22/24 @ 11:11 P.M
Fin: 10/14/24 @ 10:43 P.M
5 stars for Clever John and Tamara!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the tale of Clever John. It's the fairytale that goes along with Scandalous Desires, book 3 of the Maiden Lane series. My favorite character was Tamara who is a beautiful rainbow bird. And I love that she's a bird! It was a perfect fairytale to go along with Mickey and Silence's story!
Fin: 10/14/24 @ 10:43 P.M
5 stars for Clever John and Tamara!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the tale of Clever John. It's the fairytale that goes along with Scandalous Desires, book 3 of the Maiden Lane series. My favorite character was Tamara who is a beautiful rainbow bird. And I love that she's a bird! It was a perfect fairytale to go along with Mickey and Silence's story!
September 3, 2021
Quite short, but lovely.
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October 18, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
So what’s in this little free story by Elizabeth Hoyt?
First, I'd like to start with a few lines from her author’s note/introductory note:
“After a childhood reading fairy tales and myths, is it any wonder that when I began to write my own stories I included fairy tales? Fairy tales are storytelling at its most basic. They’ve been with mankind for as long as people have told stories to each other. Fairy tales speak to something intrinsic in humans—they touch our most primitive selves. How else to explain that the Cinderella story is told in nearly every society on earth? To think of fairy tales as merely stories for children is to ignore thousands of years when fairy tales were used to teach morality, to warn, and to entertain both children and adults.”
It was a beautiful tribute to her own fairytales and why she loves including them in every book she writes. I totally loved it. My wish would be that someday Ms. Hoyt would write a compilation of her own fairytales, which would include the ones that we’ve already read in her books. That would be SO GOOD!
This one’s about the fairytale Clever John which would be (as the teaser chapters say) included in Scandalous Desires, the upcoming book #3 in the Maiden Lane Series. WOW but I’m already too impatient for it. Must be the most anticipated book for me in this half of the year!
Once upon a time, in a kingdom, there lived a king who had three nephews; the youngest was Clever John. The king loved his garden very much but someone was eating his cherries so he asked his nephews to guard it. But everyday, John and his brothers would fall asleep before the dusk settled in. In the morning, they had to tell the king that they fell asleep but John would find very a beautiful multicolored feather each day, tucked behind his ear. On the 3rd day, John plugs his ears with wax and waits. This time his brothers fall asleep, as a bird starts singing but John, with his ears plugged, is awake. He sees this beautiful bird. As he grabs it, the bird turns into a beautiful woman, named Tamara- the daughter of the dawn. Tamara grants John three wishes. As time passed by, John uses those wishes to have all the riches in world, a big kingdom and a huge army. But, as the end of his life approaches, John realizes he has made a huge mistake- the material things he chose are as empty as his life now. So for one last time, he calls Tamara again as he decides to remedy that...
Beautiful story but ended abruptly. I was hoping for a little bit more. *pouts* It certainly did whet my appetite for Scandalous Desires. No, I didn’t read the teaser chapters, already having read the 1st one long time ago. I won’t read anymore for it’s killing me. I’d rather wait for the book to come out.
“Clever John” is a free installment, it can be downloaded from Elizabeth Hoyt’s website.
So what’s in this little free story by Elizabeth Hoyt?
First, I'd like to start with a few lines from her author’s note/introductory note:
“After a childhood reading fairy tales and myths, is it any wonder that when I began to write my own stories I included fairy tales? Fairy tales are storytelling at its most basic. They’ve been with mankind for as long as people have told stories to each other. Fairy tales speak to something intrinsic in humans—they touch our most primitive selves. How else to explain that the Cinderella story is told in nearly every society on earth? To think of fairy tales as merely stories for children is to ignore thousands of years when fairy tales were used to teach morality, to warn, and to entertain both children and adults.”
It was a beautiful tribute to her own fairytales and why she loves including them in every book she writes. I totally loved it. My wish would be that someday Ms. Hoyt would write a compilation of her own fairytales, which would include the ones that we’ve already read in her books. That would be SO GOOD!
This one’s about the fairytale Clever John which would be (as the teaser chapters say) included in Scandalous Desires, the upcoming book #3 in the Maiden Lane Series. WOW but I’m already too impatient for it. Must be the most anticipated book for me in this half of the year!
Once upon a time, in a kingdom, there lived a king who had three nephews; the youngest was Clever John. The king loved his garden very much but someone was eating his cherries so he asked his nephews to guard it. But everyday, John and his brothers would fall asleep before the dusk settled in. In the morning, they had to tell the king that they fell asleep but John would find very a beautiful multicolored feather each day, tucked behind his ear. On the 3rd day, John plugs his ears with wax and waits. This time his brothers fall asleep, as a bird starts singing but John, with his ears plugged, is awake. He sees this beautiful bird. As he grabs it, the bird turns into a beautiful woman, named Tamara- the daughter of the dawn. Tamara grants John three wishes. As time passed by, John uses those wishes to have all the riches in world, a big kingdom and a huge army. But, as the end of his life approaches, John realizes he has made a huge mistake- the material things he chose are as empty as his life now. So for one last time, he calls Tamara again as he decides to remedy that...
Beautiful story but ended abruptly. I was hoping for a little bit more. *pouts* It certainly did whet my appetite for Scandalous Desires. No, I didn’t read the teaser chapters, already having read the 1st one long time ago. I won’t read anymore for it’s killing me. I’d rather wait for the book to come out.
“Clever John” is a free installment, it can be downloaded from Elizabeth Hoyt’s website.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2012
I thought I was getting a 50 page short story. It was actually a 10 page story with 40 pages of her next book. This was a fairy tale about Clever John who, with his brothers, goes out to guard his uncle (the king)'s cherry tree. I can't recommend this one but it may be that I am just not crazy about fairy tales and I feel gypped by the length.
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July 5, 2012Don't waste your time. If you are reading the other Maiden Lane books by this author, Clever John is actually the fairy tale that is broken up at the beginning of every chapter in "Scandalous Desires". There is no need to purchase this ebook and read it separately.
The story is good, but as it is included in the other book, it is unnecessary in its current form.
The story is good, but as it is included in the other book, it is unnecessary in its current form.
November 14, 2011
As a glimpse of what to expect from Scandalous Desires this is a definite 5 stars but as a stand alone fairy tale it is 3 stars. So combined I give it 4 stars.
July 29, 2016
Clever John was not quite as clever as his names makes him out to be. Or at least not very quick on the up take of things. Hoyt has a way about making the little shorts that start each chapter of her books relate to the story. Here I find that Clever John's tale left me wanting.
January 27, 2014
I'm not a fairy tale person but this one by Elizabeth Hoyt is a delight. A spin-off from her Maiden Lane series--which, like all of her works, features an original fairy tale snippet--it can be read in one sitting. I'm slowly making my way through the Maiden Lane series; Silence's story is next!
June 25, 2017
No longer available as a separate story, this fairy tale is told in excerpts at the beginning of each chapthe in the book 'Scandalous Desires.'
Clever John solves a mystery, receives everything he thought he wanted...
Clever John solves a mystery, receives everything he thought he wanted...
July 10, 2012
Love, love, love Ms. Hoyt and her fairy tales! I cannot WAIT to read the full story of Silence and Charming Mickey!
Re-read this aloud to my grandsons (ages 3 and 5) A great good night story!
Re-read this aloud to my grandsons (ages 3 and 5) A great good night story!
September 25, 2012
Loved this cute little fairy tale.
November 14, 2011
This is a short wonderful fairy tale by Elizabeth Hoyt. I so enjoy all the fairy tales in her novels. This was a free book in the Kindle store.
September 14, 2018
Best Fairytale in the Series
A delightful fairy-tale, but there is no need to read this if you plan to read “Scandalous Desires.”
A delightful fairy-tale, but there is no need to read this if you plan to read “Scandalous Desires.”
April 1, 2021
It's just the fairy tale at the beginning of Scandalous Desires but in full, unbroken form, but I did read it out loud to my therapy group, so, counts.
November 15, 2022
Como podéis ver por aquí, y en otros lugares, «Clever John» sería la entrega n.º 2.5 de Maiden Lane.
En algún sitio lo encontré como descarga (legal) gratuita. Me lo bajé pensando que era un relato corto o novella. En realidad, se trata del cuento que Elizabeth Hoyt va incluyendo a principios de cada capítulo de la novela Scandalous desires, a la que puse solo dos estrellas. Como lo había leído en pdf, me lo pude saltar sin complejos.
Ya sabéis que Hoyt tiene esa manía de meter al principio de cada capítulo un trocito de un cuento de lo más aburrido que me suelo saltar.
Crítica de «Scandalous desires» en mi blog.
En algún sitio lo encontré como descarga (legal) gratuita. Me lo bajé pensando que era un relato corto o novella. En realidad, se trata del cuento que Elizabeth Hoyt va incluyendo a principios de cada capítulo de la novela Scandalous desires, a la que puse solo dos estrellas. Como lo había leído en pdf, me lo pude saltar sin complejos.
Ya sabéis que Hoyt tiene esa manía de meter al principio de cada capítulo un trocito de un cuento de lo más aburrido que me suelo saltar.
Crítica de «Scandalous desires» en mi blog.
June 10, 2023
This is one of the stories which form the chapter headings in each of the books of the Maiden Lane series. They are not really part of the series, however the themes of each of the short stories echo those of the novels they are part of.
December 13, 2017
Just a preview
March 18, 2022
This short story was a prequel to 'Scandalous desires'. Cute fairy tale about getting three wishes yet not being happy without the most essential thing in life.
April 8, 2025
(rating the fairy tale only)
September 30, 2016
meh, it was cute
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October 18, 2011I haven't read much Elizabeth Hoyt, so I am glad for Clever John, it is a free read that gives us a long preview of Scandalous Desires. I was interested in Scandalous Desires before Clever John but now it is going to be a must buy. I really do wish other authors would do this because sometimes a kindle sample or one from the authors website just isn't enough to help you decide if the books for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews