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jjjreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Bullying, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Blood, Self harm, Classism, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Child abuse, Deportation, Medical content, and Death of parent
zaftikat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is a book out of which every reader will get something different. Not to constantly project on the twinks, but Kadou means so much to me. Evemer is the character of all time. I'm at a loss for how to describe how much I love this book other than just incoherent screaming. G-d. Read this book. Please.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
One of the main characters has panic attacks and is unkind to himself about them. It is never played for a joke and is written to not be triggering, but it is present.enchantressreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A Taste of Gold and Iron centers around Prince Kadou of Arast, who is the brother of the sultan Zelhia. He is in the spotlight from being part of the royal family, but he also suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. I went into this novel knowing there was good mental health representation, but I was pleasantly surprised with how it was written. Being that it is a more medieval type royalty book, sometimes you never know how they’re going to handle mental illness—sometimes they refer to it as demons or something that needs to be exorcised out of the person.
After an altercation which leaves a few guards dead, Kadou is forced to choose between taking a “vacation” or moving out of the public eye. Due to his anxiety, moving out of the public eye seems less like a punishment than a reward. He is assigned one of the newest, yet brightest, guards, Evemer Hoskadem. At first, Evemer’s thoughts of Kadou are clouded by the loss of his comrades, but soon he learns about the reality of Kadou’s mental state. It all seems so natural, with very realistic emotions and feelings.
As with most books involving royalty, I get myself lost in all of the character and governmental world building. One of the coolest parts in this book (and even where the book got the name) is the ability of some of Arastian people to taste metal by touching it. I really wish this was expanded upon. I expected a lot more to come from this part of the book, and was kind of sad it was glossed over.
This book reminded me a lot of Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell. It’s not necessarily similar, but the vibes are and both books checked a lot of my boxes when it comes to queer fantasy. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
CW for panic attacks, anxiety, mental illness, blood, kidnapping/confinement, bullying, violence, and animal death
After an altercation which leaves a few guards dead, Kadou is forced to choose between taking a “vacation” or moving out of the public eye. Due to his anxiety, moving out of the public eye seems less like a punishment than a reward. He is assigned one of the newest, yet brightest, guards, Evemer Hoskadem. At first, Evemer’s thoughts of Kadou are clouded by the loss of his comrades, but soon he learns about the reality of Kadou’s mental state. It all seems so natural, with very realistic emotions and feelings.
As with most books involving royalty, I get myself lost in all of the character and governmental world building. One of the coolest parts in this book (and even where the book got the name) is the ability of some of Arastian people to taste metal by touching it. I really wish this was expanded upon. I expected a lot more to come from this part of the book, and was kind of sad it was glossed over.
This book reminded me a lot of Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell. It’s not necessarily similar, but the vibes are and both books checked a lot of my boxes when it comes to queer fantasy. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for this advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.
CW for panic attacks, anxiety, mental illness, blood, kidnapping/confinement, bullying, violence, and animal death
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Kidnapping, Violence, Bullying, and Blood
Minor: Animal death
shmandy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What I loved:
- Commander Eozena - her bond and relationship with Kadou was everything and she was ✨fucking hilarious✨
- Tadek - my absolute Angel. He’s both an icon and also the comedic relief we all needed always.
- I absolutely adored the discussions about fealty and reciprocity!!! Communication in a romance book is genuinely all I need to be happy.
- the world - once I understand what was happening - was so well done and the details absolutely situated me in the setting.
- Evemer going from “what a waste of my god damn time” to “if anything happens to him I’ll kill everyone in this room and then myself” was very well done. It wasn’t Slow burn per say but it absolutely wasn’t fast and I love that.
- Sultan Z ? Owns my ass , I hope the sun shines on her every day.
My few dislikes:
- the first 60 pages were so very dry - while I settled into the world , I feel like a touch more explanation would have been helpful at times & it was very dry. It was just set up but it all happened so fast and all once very slowly and you could tell when the real story finally started.
- I feel a bit cheated by the ending as a whole - I’m not upset it’s not bad but it didn’t feel like a proper ending.
anyways - overall a grand and great time and a very good anticipated read for me.
- Commander Eozena - her bond and relationship with Kadou was everything and she was ✨fucking hilarious✨
- Tadek - my absolute Angel. He’s both an icon and also the comedic relief we all needed always.
- I absolutely adored the discussions about fealty and reciprocity!!! Communication in a romance book is genuinely all I need to be happy.
- the world - once I understand what was happening - was so well done and the details absolutely situated me in the setting.
- Evemer going from “what a waste of my god damn time” to “if anything happens to him I’ll kill everyone in this room and then myself” was very well done. It wasn’t Slow burn per say but it absolutely wasn’t fast and I love that.
- Sultan Z ? Owns my ass , I hope the sun shines on her every day.
My few dislikes:
- the first 60 pages were so very dry - while I settled into the world , I feel like a touch more explanation would have been helpful at times & it was very dry. It was just set up but it all happened so fast and all once very slowly and you could tell when the real story finally started.
- I feel a bit cheated by the ending as a whole - I’m not upset it’s not bad but it didn’t feel like a proper ending.
anyways - overall a grand and great time and a very good anticipated read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Violence
readundancies's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
In March 2017, Nintendo rolled out one of the best games of the decade in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Me, being an absolute diehard fan of the Legend of Zelda series, thought they knocked it out of the park because here was a game where the stalwartly silent Link was a right and proper bodyguard appointed to his Princess Zelda who was stubborn and troubled and drowning in her duties to the crown. It was the bodyguard trope done right in the video game world.
And so now let’s fast forward to today, or rather August 2022 as a whole, where Alexandra Rowland has released these 500 pages of romance fantasy goodness. And yes, I say romance fantasy not fantasy romance intentionally because the romance dominates. The romance is everything. And it’s because the bodyguard trope is well and alive here in A Taste of Gold and Iron and it’s done right. So fantastically right, especially when I’ve already tried a bodyguard romance this year and it failed miserably at the time.
Instead, I present this to you.
Because this was just stunning.
Simply put, stunning. Stunningly written, stunningly queer and stunningly slow burn, which is all I could’ve really asked for.
This is a romance fantasy in a world where magic exists as a means to touch-taste and verify truth, and we see it within a counterfeiting conspiracy both as a means to verify said counterfeit coins and a means to ferret out lies during the investigation. Now, the investigation though it follows as the main arc of the plot, is not terribly nuanced or complex. Likewise, the worldbuilding even though it’s interesting and has some solid foundations, is not nearly fleshed out in the way I would’ve preferred.
But at the end of the day, this is a slower paced, politically inclined and character driven tale of queer romance, and I implore you to pick it up.
Because this story is unapologetically queer and in a way that not only feels natural, but achieves it in such an effortless and seamless manner. It’s beyond normalized in this world, in fact, it’s the best damn part of the worldbuilding if I do say so myself. And it doesn’t feel forced, it doesn’t have any stigma or prejudice attached to it at any point in the novel, and we need more fiction like this in the real world because there is not nearly enough it currently in existence. This book doesn’t manage queerness at all, it’s just set free to flourish and grow in whatever manner the characters living in the story see fit. It’s really refreshing to see and I think it’s done so well.
By page 50, the political manoeuvring is already well in place, and yes, it’s rather predictable as to how things play out, but it’s the how of the matter, the journey if you will which both Kadou and Evemer take that makes it all worth it. Because the characterization is top-tier.
Kadou is a picture of self-doubt, thrust into the spotlight by nature of his birthright and absolutely dreading every moment of it. Evemer in comparison has a very tight control on his emotions. I compare it to my all-time favourite portrayal of a bodyguard, the silent and stoic Link and Evemer was giving hardcore Link vibes, just an older version and with a lot more venom in the limited speech he used, at least at the beginning. Evemer is extremely opinionated and stubborn where Kadou is constantly overthinking his actions due to social anxiety. They were a wonderful dichotomy and their relationship dynamic was already fraught with tension upon their introduction to one another. I didn’t even really like Tadek at first - he was leaving such a bad taste in my mouth. But that’s entirely intentional, Rowland manages to write in a way that frames your mind based on how Evemer describes Tadek in order to show both characters mindsets initally and then allows them to flourish and grow as characters. And Tadek definietly grows on you, albeit like a fungus, but that’s the point.
Kadou especially is character that warrants a little more analysis. He’s a character of a completely different type of destruction than I’m used to and gravitate towards and that made it hard for me to understand him at times, and I loved him for it. He hyperfocused on past conversations, picking them apart to carefully cater every instance of when he’d made a mistake, a verbal faux pas, an error, whether properly perceived or not. It was frustrating to be in his mind because he cared so much, too much and he succumbed to his demons and anxieties very frequently. And he was self aware of it all too, which added this extra layer to contend with when he interacted with others. At first, his perception of rank was so fixed, he thought he couldn’t ask for assistance without it being a burden. He was just such a bleeding heart. He spent so much time living within the confines of his own mind that he had no way of functioning to any great degree outside of it. And so became wildly reckless when it all came to be too much and it made him such a juicy character to read about. It’s an emotionally exhausting way to live life and not one I’m familiar with, which made reading from his perspective a lot more meaningful to me.
And it’s entirely because the writing is so strong. Rowland excels at dialogue, both the quippy kind and the emotional kind. You could see it in the begrudging and volatile nature of Tadek and Evemer’s friendship (the snark was a highlight for me) and in the sweet way Kadou would giggle at something humourous Evemer would say unintentionally. The writing was also completely immersive. I started this last night, put it down the one time and once I picked it up again this morning, I couldn’t stop. The story was a drug, I was on high and I never wanted it to stop. Because the slow burn of the romance was luscious. Addicting, even. There was a hair washing scene that was the epitome of intimate and I had such longing in my bones as I read it. Every time Evemer said “My lord” I was blushing because it was basically Westley from The Princess Bride saying “As you wish” and I love when a single and simple sentence can hold so much meaning through repetition.
And though a lot of the sexy scenes occur entirely off-page, even the one scene near the end was this tame and classy moment that was tender and sweet with absolutely no mention of what became unmentionable ‘bits’ in sight. It was gentle, it was patient, it was almost painfully non vulgar and I’m amazed at how it all came together so nicely.
If you want a queer romance fantasy read that does the bodyguard trope justice, look no further. This is it. It's hands down one of my favourites of the year so far.
And so now let’s fast forward to today, or rather August 2022 as a whole, where Alexandra Rowland has released these 500 pages of romance fantasy goodness. And yes, I say romance fantasy not fantasy romance intentionally because the romance dominates. The romance is everything. And it’s because the bodyguard trope is well and alive here in A Taste of Gold and Iron and it’s done right. So fantastically right, especially when I’ve already tried a bodyguard romance this year and it failed miserably at the time.
Instead, I present this to you.
Because this was just stunning.
Simply put, stunning. Stunningly written, stunningly queer and stunningly slow burn, which is all I could’ve really asked for.
This is a romance fantasy in a world where magic exists as a means to touch-taste and verify truth, and we see it within a counterfeiting conspiracy both as a means to verify said counterfeit coins and a means to ferret out lies during the investigation. Now, the investigation though it follows as the main arc of the plot, is not terribly nuanced or complex. Likewise, the worldbuilding even though it’s interesting and has some solid foundations, is not nearly fleshed out in the way I would’ve preferred.
But at the end of the day, this is a slower paced, politically inclined and character driven tale of queer romance, and I implore you to pick it up.
Because this story is unapologetically queer and in a way that not only feels natural, but achieves it in such an effortless and seamless manner. It’s beyond normalized in this world, in fact, it’s the best damn part of the worldbuilding if I do say so myself. And it doesn’t feel forced, it doesn’t have any stigma or prejudice attached to it at any point in the novel, and we need more fiction like this in the real world because there is not nearly enough it currently in existence. This book doesn’t manage queerness at all, it’s just set free to flourish and grow in whatever manner the characters living in the story see fit. It’s really refreshing to see and I think it’s done so well.
By page 50, the political manoeuvring is already well in place, and yes, it’s rather predictable as to how things play out, but it’s the how of the matter, the journey if you will which both Kadou and Evemer take that makes it all worth it. Because the characterization is top-tier.
Kadou is a picture of self-doubt, thrust into the spotlight by nature of his birthright and absolutely dreading every moment of it. Evemer in comparison has a very tight control on his emotions. I compare it to my all-time favourite portrayal of a bodyguard, the silent and stoic Link and Evemer was giving hardcore Link vibes, just an older version and with a lot more venom in the limited speech he used, at least at the beginning. Evemer is extremely opinionated and stubborn where Kadou is constantly overthinking his actions due to social anxiety. They were a wonderful dichotomy and their relationship dynamic was already fraught with tension upon their introduction to one another. I didn’t even really like Tadek at first - he was leaving such a bad taste in my mouth. But that’s entirely intentional, Rowland manages to write in a way that frames your mind based on how Evemer describes Tadek in order to show both characters mindsets initally and then allows them to flourish and grow as characters. And Tadek definietly grows on you, albeit like a fungus, but that’s the point.
Kadou especially is character that warrants a little more analysis. He’s a character of a completely different type of destruction than I’m used to and gravitate towards and that made it hard for me to understand him at times, and I loved him for it. He hyperfocused on past conversations, picking them apart to carefully cater every instance of when he’d made a mistake, a verbal faux pas, an error, whether properly perceived or not. It was frustrating to be in his mind because he cared so much, too much and he succumbed to his demons and anxieties very frequently. And he was self aware of it all too, which added this extra layer to contend with when he interacted with others. At first, his perception of rank was so fixed, he thought he couldn’t ask for assistance without it being a burden. He was just such a bleeding heart. He spent so much time living within the confines of his own mind that he had no way of functioning to any great degree outside of it. And so became wildly reckless when it all came to be too much and it made him such a juicy character to read about. It’s an emotionally exhausting way to live life and not one I’m familiar with, which made reading from his perspective a lot more meaningful to me.
And it’s entirely because the writing is so strong. Rowland excels at dialogue, both the quippy kind and the emotional kind. You could see it in the begrudging and volatile nature of Tadek and Evemer’s friendship (the snark was a highlight for me) and in the sweet way Kadou would giggle at something humourous Evemer would say unintentionally. The writing was also completely immersive. I started this last night, put it down the one time and once I picked it up again this morning, I couldn’t stop. The story was a drug, I was on high and I never wanted it to stop. Because the slow burn of the romance was luscious. Addicting, even. There was a hair washing scene that was the epitome of intimate and I had such longing in my bones as I read it. Every time Evemer said “My lord” I was blushing because it was basically Westley from The Princess Bride saying “As you wish” and I love when a single and simple sentence can hold so much meaning through repetition.
And though a lot of the sexy scenes occur entirely off-page, even the one scene near the end was this tame and classy moment that was tender and sweet with absolutely no mention of what became unmentionable ‘bits’ in sight. It was gentle, it was patient, it was almost painfully non vulgar and I’m amazed at how it all came together so nicely.
If you want a queer romance fantasy read that does the bodyguard trope justice, look no further. This is it. It's hands down one of my favourites of the year so far.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Death, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, and Violence
takarakei's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley/publisher.
I haven't read many M/M romances, but this will likely be one that's hard to beat!
This is a SLOW BURN romance. I've heard it described as enemies to lovers, but in my opinion it's not that. Evermer is assigned as the personal guard to Kadou the shy prince whom has just found himself amidst a bit of scandal. Because of this scandal, and rumors he's heard of the prince, Evermer has pre-formed opinions and does not like the prince. Thus has very little care for Kadou beyond duty (and he takes his duties seriously). This book is the story of how their relationship changes and grows by them getting to know each other, and dealing with Kadou's severe anxiety. This is first and foremost a romance - while it is set in another 'fantasy' world, and I loved that world, the main focus is really on the romance. The fantasy elements are relatively minimal. There is some political intrigue with a bit of mystery and action, but this is definitely a secondary plotline and honestly used more to move forward the romance plot.
Cons: the beginning of the book is a bit slow to get into (but once it picks up you don't want to stop reading!), long chapters (there are 16 total in 480 pages) although I found since the dual POV switches often within a chapter there are some places to naturally pause within a chapter which I did, low fantasy (really borders on no fantasy at all, to me it's more of a historical reimagining), the political plotline is interesting and then kind of gets resolved way too easily?, the ending feels a bit rushed and left a bit open (but if there is a sequel coming, I'm here for it!)
A few things I loved about this world: A woman/sultan in charge! The bodily autonomy women have over choosing whom the father of their children is and that not inherently giving the father any power *chefs kiss*. Queer relationships are fully accepted, they are completely normal. Nonbinary characters also readily a part of this world, it took me a while to understand but the author has developed specific alternative pronouns (besides he/him, she/her) for anyone who identifies otherwise. There is also a smidge of asexual rep in a secondary character.
Wonderful world building, character development, mental health representation, and the romance is beautiful.
Marriage of convenience made me squeal out loud!
3/5 🌶️
I haven't read many M/M romances, but this will likely be one that's hard to beat!
This is a SLOW BURN romance. I've heard it described as enemies to lovers, but in my opinion it's not that. Evermer is assigned as the personal guard to Kadou the shy prince whom has just found himself amidst a bit of scandal. Because of this scandal, and rumors he's heard of the prince, Evermer has pre-formed opinions and does not like the prince. Thus has very little care for Kadou beyond duty (and he takes his duties seriously). This book is the story of how their relationship changes and grows by them getting to know each other, and dealing with Kadou's severe anxiety. This is first and foremost a romance - while it is set in another 'fantasy' world, and I loved that world, the main focus is really on the romance. The fantasy elements are relatively minimal. There is some political intrigue with a bit of mystery and action, but this is definitely a secondary plotline and honestly used more to move forward the romance plot.
Cons: the beginning of the book is a bit slow to get into (but once it picks up you don't want to stop reading!), long chapters (there are 16 total in 480 pages) although I found since the dual POV switches often within a chapter there are some places to naturally pause within a chapter which I did, low fantasy (really borders on no fantasy at all, to me it's more of a historical reimagining), the political plotline is interesting and then kind of gets resolved way too easily?, the ending feels a bit rushed and left a bit open (but if there is a sequel coming, I'm here for it!)
A few things I loved about this world: A woman/sultan in charge! The bodily autonomy women have over choosing whom the father of their children is and that not inherently giving the father any power *chefs kiss*. Queer relationships are fully accepted, they are completely normal. Nonbinary characters also readily a part of this world, it took me a while to understand but the author has developed specific alternative pronouns (besides he/him, she/her) for anyone who identifies otherwise. There is also a smidge of asexual rep in a secondary character.
Wonderful world building, character development, mental health representation, and the romance is beautiful.
3/5 🌶️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Grief
Minor: Animal death and Pregnancy
If you suffer from anxiety, panic attacks etc you will want to enter this book knowing that is a major part of Kadou's character and his growth. I personally think it's handled well and is good representation, but I also do not personally struggle with this mental illness.natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron follows Kadou, a shy prince who finds himself embroiled in political intrigue after a hunting accident ends in disaster. Now he’s trying to win over his sister, the Sultan and prove his loyalty by taking on an investigation involving counterfeiting.
Evermer is a newly trained and recently promoted guard who’s first new assignment is as guard and protector of Kadou. Having heard about the hunting incident, the stern Evermer finds himself disliking the prince. But after a violent altercation brings the pair closer together, they manage to uncover a conspiracy which could destroy to their kingdom’s financial standing and bring ruin to their country.
This was a really well developed and well written LGBTQ+ romance and I loved how normalised LGBTQ+ relationships snd gender fluid pronouns were. It is set in a world surrounded by politics and royals but the way in which royal adjacent events such as arranged marriages were handled was really intriguing (and it’s not all cis-het marriages either.)
The world building is incredibly detailed and utterly vivid which I loved, though it is pretty light on the fantasy aspect—some characters can sense “taste” different metals as well as rare individuals who know when people are lying; but aside from this there’s no other fantasy elements which I was a little disappointed by. As such this reads more like a political/ mystery romance than fantasy so do bare in mind if you do pick this one up.
That being said I did really enjoy it, the extraordinarily detailed world building and the deliciously slow-burn, bodyguard romance were treated too.
Kadou was such an endearing character and despite trying to deal with severe anxiety and near violent panic attacks almost single-handedly;his unwavering loyalty to his friends and loved ones (even in the face of danger) made it virtually impossible not to love him. He definitely goes on journey throughout the novel but it’s a good one.
Kadou’s attempts at befriending the stoic Evermer were absolutely adorable and I enjoyed watching Evermer’s perspective (and negative opinion of Kadou) slowly thaw into an utterly swoon-worthy romance—trust me the chemistry between them is literally off the charts!
I was also swept away by how much I loved the supporting characters—specifically Eozena, Tadek and Evermer’s mum who I’d absolutely loved to see more of.
The mystery behind the conspiracy and the person responsible was rather easy to guess but, there were still a few twists amid the action filled scenes I definitely didn’t see coming which I very much enjoyed.
Overall, a really fun, heartwarming LGBTQ+ bodyguard romance that political intrigue and mystery lovers are bound to enjoy.
Also, a huge thank you to Blackcrow PR and Tor books for the arc.
Evermer is a newly trained and recently promoted guard who’s first new assignment is as guard and protector of Kadou. Having heard about the hunting incident, the stern Evermer finds himself disliking the prince. But after a violent altercation brings the pair closer together, they manage to uncover a conspiracy which could destroy to their kingdom’s financial standing and bring ruin to their country.
This was a really well developed and well written LGBTQ+ romance and I loved how normalised LGBTQ+ relationships snd gender fluid pronouns were. It is set in a world surrounded by politics and royals but the way in which royal adjacent events such as arranged marriages were handled was really intriguing (and it’s not all cis-het marriages either.)
The world building is incredibly detailed and utterly vivid which I loved, though it is pretty light on the fantasy aspect—some characters can sense “taste” different metals as well as rare individuals who know when people are lying; but aside from this there’s no other fantasy elements which I was a little disappointed by. As such this reads more like a political/ mystery romance than fantasy so do bare in mind if you do pick this one up.
That being said I did really enjoy it, the extraordinarily detailed world building and the deliciously slow-burn, bodyguard romance were treated too.
Kadou was such an endearing character and despite trying to deal with severe anxiety and near violent panic attacks almost single-handedly;his unwavering loyalty to his friends and loved ones (even in the face of danger) made it virtually impossible not to love him. He definitely goes on journey throughout the novel but it’s a good one.
Kadou’s attempts at befriending the stoic Evermer were absolutely adorable and I enjoyed watching Evermer’s perspective (and negative opinion of Kadou) slowly thaw into an utterly swoon-worthy romance—trust me the chemistry between them is literally off the charts!
I was also swept away by how much I loved the supporting characters—specifically Eozena, Tadek and Evermer’s mum who I’d absolutely loved to see more of.
The mystery behind the conspiracy and the person responsible was rather easy to guess but, there were still a few twists amid the action filled scenes I definitely didn’t see coming which I very much enjoyed.
Overall, a really fun, heartwarming LGBTQ+ bodyguard romance that political intrigue and mystery lovers are bound to enjoy.
Also, a huge thank you to Blackcrow PR and Tor books for the arc.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Alcoholism and Emotional abuse
beforeviolets's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you so much to TOR for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Firstly, let me apologize. I know y'all usually get really detailed and critical and articulate reviews from me. This is not going to be one of them.
Let me begin by giving you the AO3-style tags that this book was announced with:
- exquisitely beautiful prince/hot stoic bodyguard
- chronic anxiety
- oaths of fealty
-washing each other’s hair and talking about ethics
- found family
- what we owe each other
- enemies-to-lovers
- kissing to avert suspicion
- hurt/comfort
- slow burn
- there’s only one bed
yeah. YEAH. And I can not emphasize ENOUGH how well this book delivered on these tags.
Okay so essentially I'm obsessed, I'm in love, I'm unhinged, feral, off-the-walls with passion for this book and I can't create intelligible thoughts about it. So... here's my attempt at reviewing it:
The romance? 10/10. Tension??? 100/10. The angst!!!! 1000/10. THE UNDYING LOYALTY TO A POINT OF NEAR SELF-DESTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY CHERISH EACH OTHER SO MUCH? Breaks. The. Scales.
The characters are SO lovable. We have our anxiety-ridden prince who’s secretly a badass and our late-bloomer stoic bodyguard who’s internally a little high-strung. (Also the prince is the only one that can read the bodyguard’s emotions???) Yes PLEASE. Their romance is beyond-words-amazing. Genuinely one of the best romances I have EVER read. The way that other people love Delilah Green is the way I love this book.
The banter is just exquisite!! I found myself having to put the book down so often just because I couldn’t stop laughing. And I don't just mean a giggle here and there. I was full-belly laughing repeatedly throughout the book. The side characters are such a staple part of the story’s tone and often add so much lovely and well-earned humor. (Especially Tadek, who though he started the book off on a bad foot, became my favorite character by the end of it. He reminded me of Taako from TAZ or Tal from The Unspoken Name in his character type, and y'all know I always love those characters.)
When I first saw the tags listed above, I was most excited about the "kissing to avert suspicion” - and don’t get me wrong, it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more - but I was surprisingly taken in by the "oaths of fealty" and the “what we owe each other” conversations. These were fairly new tropes to me, but they really cut straight to my heart. Some of these moments had me in literal tears.
Quick little break from the rambling to air my grievances (aka the 3 reasons that this isn’t QUITE a five star read): :
1. Despite the fantasy world and the constant made-up words, the ruler of the land was called the “sultan” which gave me an ick, considering its a word specifically used for Arab countries. It made it feel bordering on appropriative and it just easily could’ve been a different word.
2. The political plot was mostly shit. I would say it was predictable, but that genuinely feels like an understatement. But the romance plot line was so good it kind of didn’t matter.
3. The ending felt cut just a little short. There was soooo much buildup and it left me hanging just a bit. Like things are resolved? But i would’ve killed for one more chapter or an epilogue. After the impeccably long slow-burn, it just felt a little too rushed.
Despite its flaws, this is certainly a book to love. The characters and their romance really just take center-stage and the rest of the plot just becomes a blur in comparison. And does a plot REALLY matter when you have a god-tier romance? I literally fell asleep last night just replaying my favorite scenes over and over again in my head.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, let me leave you with some quotes:
"If you have power over me here and now, it’s because I want you to have it. I’ll give that to you, and anything you ask for. I’ll give it gladly. Command it of me and it’s yours.”
"It was an exceptionally clear night, and the starlight was silvery on his dark hair, and the candlelight made his skin glow warm, and his eyes were bright and unafraid for the first time in days, and then he smiled like the sudden rise of the king-tide, and he was the most beautiful thing Evemer had seen in all his life, and probably the most beautiful thing he’d ever see.”
"How could he deserve this? How could he ever possibly hope to repay this kind of loyalty? He hadn’t earned this. He would never be good or strong or devoted enough to have earned this. This was beyond anything that Evemer would have expected from his liege—from any liege, even a perfect one from legend. It was too much.
“I’m not worth this,” he whispered.
“You’re worth it,” Kadou whispered back, simply.”
CW: violence, murder, mental health, panic attacks, death, injury detail, drugging, blood, sexual content, childbirth (mention)
Firstly, let me apologize. I know y'all usually get really detailed and critical and articulate reviews from me. This is not going to be one of them.
Let me begin by giving you the AO3-style tags that this book was announced with:
- exquisitely beautiful prince/hot stoic bodyguard
- chronic anxiety
- oaths of fealty
-washing each other’s hair and talking about ethics
- found family
- what we owe each other
- enemies-to-lovers
- kissing to avert suspicion
- hurt/comfort
- slow burn
- there’s only one bed
yeah. YEAH. And I can not emphasize ENOUGH how well this book delivered on these tags.
Okay so essentially I'm obsessed, I'm in love, I'm unhinged, feral, off-the-walls with passion for this book and I can't create intelligible thoughts about it. So... here's my attempt at reviewing it:
The romance? 10/10. Tension??? 100/10. The angst!!!! 1000/10. THE UNDYING LOYALTY TO A POINT OF NEAR SELF-DESTRUCTION BECAUSE THEY CHERISH EACH OTHER SO MUCH? Breaks. The. Scales.
The characters are SO lovable. We have our anxiety-ridden prince who’s secretly a badass and our late-bloomer stoic bodyguard who’s internally a little high-strung. (Also the prince is the only one that can read the bodyguard’s emotions???) Yes PLEASE. Their romance is beyond-words-amazing. Genuinely one of the best romances I have EVER read. The way that other people love Delilah Green is the way I love this book.
The banter is just exquisite!! I found myself having to put the book down so often just because I couldn’t stop laughing. And I don't just mean a giggle here and there. I was full-belly laughing repeatedly throughout the book. The side characters are such a staple part of the story’s tone and often add so much lovely and well-earned humor. (Especially Tadek, who though he started the book off on a bad foot, became my favorite character by the end of it. He reminded me of Taako from TAZ or Tal from The Unspoken Name in his character type, and y'all know I always love those characters.)
When I first saw the tags listed above, I was most excited about the "kissing to avert suspicion” - and don’t get me wrong, it was everything I could’ve hoped for and more - but I was surprisingly taken in by the "oaths of fealty" and the “what we owe each other” conversations. These were fairly new tropes to me, but they really cut straight to my heart. Some of these moments had me in literal tears.
Quick little break from the rambling to air my grievances (aka the 3 reasons that this isn’t QUITE a five star read): :
1. Despite the fantasy world and the constant made-up words, the ruler of the land was called the “sultan” which gave me an ick, considering its a word specifically used for Arab countries. It made it feel bordering on appropriative and it just easily could’ve been a different word.
2. The political plot was mostly shit. I would say it was predictable, but that genuinely feels like an understatement. But the romance plot line was so good it kind of didn’t matter.
3. The ending felt cut just a little short. There was soooo much buildup and it left me hanging just a bit. Like things are resolved? But i would’ve killed for one more chapter or an epilogue. After the impeccably long slow-burn, it just felt a little too rushed.
Despite its flaws, this is certainly a book to love. The characters and their romance really just take center-stage and the rest of the plot just becomes a blur in comparison. And does a plot REALLY matter when you have a god-tier romance? I literally fell asleep last night just replaying my favorite scenes over and over again in my head.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, let me leave you with some quotes:
"If you have power over me here and now, it’s because I want you to have it. I’ll give that to you, and anything you ask for. I’ll give it gladly. Command it of me and it’s yours.”
"It was an exceptionally clear night, and the starlight was silvery on his dark hair, and the candlelight made his skin glow warm, and his eyes were bright and unafraid for the first time in days, and then he smiled like the sudden rise of the king-tide, and he was the most beautiful thing Evemer had seen in all his life, and probably the most beautiful thing he’d ever see.”
"How could he deserve this? How could he ever possibly hope to repay this kind of loyalty? He hadn’t earned this. He would never be good or strong or devoted enough to have earned this. This was beyond anything that Evemer would have expected from his liege—from any liege, even a perfect one from legend. It was too much.
“I’m not worth this,” he whispered.
“You’re worth it,” Kadou whispered back, simply.”
CW: violence, murder, mental health, panic attacks, death, injury detail, drugging, blood, sexual content, childbirth (mention)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Murder, Death, Drug use, Blood, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishjd's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
readwithanne's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Kidnapping and Blood