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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book combines every genre that I love to read into one lengthy tale. It covers everything from historical romance, fantasy fiction, gothic horror & murder mysteries, and feels as though it was written just for me. While it didn’t entirely stick the landing on all fronts, it was an overall enjoyable read!
To start, I absolutely loved the magic system, because vowsmithing appeals to the part of me that enjoys a legal drama just as much as magic. It’s a truly unique magic system that I was able to grasp without being babysat through all the specific mechanics, which is impressive to me as a reader.
I’m also beyond grateful that Leaf’s role in the story wasn’t that of misogynistic prop to be left behind. Too often, a woman whose presence “interrupts” the connection of romantic leads gets relegated to a non-person, but that did not happen in this novel. Leaf was written with her own goals and a fully formed personality, so it was a joy to get to read about her as well!
Unfortunately, I do echo the feeling other readers expressed about some elements of the book dragging or feeling wrapped up in a lacklustre way... There’s no doubt that the author had their hands full trying to balance so many important plot threads, but when compared books by KJ Charles (who has tackled similarly ambitious concepts, blending magic, romance and murder), this novel comes up short.
I also found the development of Dashiell a bit lacking, because there were many times that I felt like his character only existed as the object of Nic’s affection… I don’t feel like I got to know him as an individual while reading, because he was only meant to be half of a relationship. I wish we’d learned more about the person he is outside of Nic, so the intense attraction between them two of them felt fully formed!
Lastly, some of the word choices in this novel baffled me a little… I’ll admit that I’ve never needed to refer to a thesaurus quite so many times while reading a book, and it feels like the author probably did the same in order to write it.
Some of the vagueness around the sex scenes also surprised me, because the author seemed open to writing plainly about certain elements (no vague names for things, so “cock” wasn’t an absent word), but then wrote squeamishly or hastily about actual acts. That’s not exactly a complaint, but it’s something I noticed and don’t personally prefer. If there’s sex on page, I say just put it on the page… Haha!
All in all, I still enjoyed this novel and will be keeping an eye out for future releases from Rebecca Ide
To start, I absolutely loved the magic system, because vowsmithing appeals to the part of me that enjoys a legal drama just as much as magic. It’s a truly unique magic system that I was able to grasp without being babysat through all the specific mechanics, which is impressive to me as a reader.
I’m also beyond grateful that Leaf’s role in the story wasn’t that of misogynistic prop to be left behind. Too often, a woman whose presence “interrupts” the connection of romantic leads gets relegated to a non-person, but that did not happen in this novel. Leaf was written with her own goals and a fully formed personality, so it was a joy to get to read about her as well!
Unfortunately, I do echo the feeling other readers expressed about some elements of the book dragging or feeling wrapped up in a lacklustre way... There’s no doubt that the author had their hands full trying to balance so many important plot threads, but when compared books by KJ Charles (who has tackled similarly ambitious concepts, blending magic, romance and murder), this novel comes up short.
I also found the development of Dashiell a bit lacking, because there were many times that I felt like his character only existed as the object of Nic’s affection… I don’t feel like I got to know him as an individual while reading, because he was only meant to be half of a relationship. I wish we’d learned more about the person he is outside of Nic, so the intense attraction between them two of them felt fully formed!
Lastly, some of the word choices in this novel baffled me a little… I’ll admit that I’ve never needed to refer to a thesaurus quite so many times while reading a book, and it feels like the author probably did the same in order to write it.
Some of the vagueness around the sex scenes also surprised me, because the author seemed open to writing plainly about certain elements (no vague names for things, so “cock” wasn’t an absent word), but then wrote squeamishly or hastily about actual acts. That’s not exactly a complaint, but it’s something I noticed and don’t personally prefer. If there’s sex on page, I say just put it on the page… Haha!
All in all, I still enjoyed this novel and will be keeping an eye out for future releases from Rebecca Ide
Все нормально, я просто ледве не відкинулася від нудьги.
This is a mashup of a lot of things I love - queernorm Regency with magic, second chance romance, murder mysteries - but none of them work, individually or together: everyone seems to be forgetting that there are murders to be solved, the worldbuilding spends zero effort to actually think through the implications of gay-friendly Regency, nor does it really explain the magical elements, and a romance needs to stand on something more substantial than fifteen flashbacks and a bit of sexual tension.
slow-paced
Lord Nicholas Monterris has been told all his life that his family means everything: honor, strength, and loyalty, going back to Charles II. This loyalty means that he needs to sign a contract for an arranged marriage with Lady Leaf Serral, daughter of a rival family. This will secure the Monterris family name and resolve their debts. Leaf's father has brought Dashiell sa Vare, Vowsmith in charge of the marriage contract negotiation, and Nic's former lover. As the terms are hammered out at the house party in the Monterris family crumbling estate, guests start dying. It's clear that someone wants to prevent the marriage from going through, but it'll be up to Nic and Leaf and Dash to determine who.
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith started off with a lot of potential for me. It's regency era low fantasy with a light touch of magic that stays high stakes with a murder mystery. The worldbuilding is strong, which held promise. Unfortunately, it was also too long, and by the third murder the plot started to wander for me, and I became less invested in the outcome. I loved the friendship that Nic and Leaf form while affianced and trying to solve the murders. Leaf is ace, and is willing to move forward with a marriage as long as no heirs are required, and Nic and Leaf agree that being married to a good friend is not the worst outcome. Nic and Dash were a more complicated relationship for me to root for. I had a harder time buying into their chemistry because the murders (and Nic trying to solve them) took up more weight in the plot than the romance. It's a hard balancing act, certainly, but one that I didn't think was successful here.
The Gentleman and His Vowsmith started off with a lot of potential for me. It's regency era low fantasy with a light touch of magic that stays high stakes with a murder mystery. The worldbuilding is strong, which held promise. Unfortunately, it was also too long, and by the third murder the plot started to wander for me, and I became less invested in the outcome. I loved the friendship that Nic and Leaf form while affianced and trying to solve the murders. Leaf is ace, and is willing to move forward with a marriage as long as no heirs are required, and Nic and Leaf agree that being married to a good friend is not the worst outcome. Nic and Dash were a more complicated relationship for me to root for. I had a harder time buying into their chemistry because the murders (and Nic trying to solve them) took up more weight in the plot than the romance. It's a hard balancing act, certainly, but one that I didn't think was successful here.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
I absolutely loved this magical murder mystery, with a side of a lovely sapphic love story.
The characters are wonderfully full and real. Sorrow and longing are so well written. One of the female main characters, Lady Leaf Sereal is awesome! She becomes Nic's best friend and confidant. The mystery side is excellent with many twists and turns and a truly poetic ending.
The characters are wonderfully full and real. Sorrow and longing are so well written. One of the female main characters, Lady Leaf Sereal is awesome! She becomes Nic's best friend and confidant. The mystery side is excellent with many twists and turns and a truly poetic ending.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I liked the characters. I found the world confusing since its was this world but historical and with magic and it wasn’t very well explained. I usually love a murder mystery but this felt very meh the whole time.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Right off the bat I love Nic and Leaf and Dash and hated Val and Ricard. This was a good story with well-rounded characters who have flaws and they all have some kind of growth throughout the story.
I was hoping that there would be a lavender marriage between Nic and Leaf where she would be able to open her school and Nic and Dash could spend time together but Nic got to not be dead socially.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan and Tor for a complimentary eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Lord Nicholas Monterris, the heir to a decaying dynasty of magicians, finds himself betrothed in a marriage of convenience to Lady Leaf Serral, the plucky daughter of his father's nemesis. Worse, Dashiell sa Vare, Nic's first love and old flame, has been appointed head negotiator and contract magician to seal the union. When dead bodies start piling up at Monterris Court, everyone starts to wonder if these are merely accidents or whether someone doesn't want the marriage to go ahead.
This is an ambitious book. It tries to do a lot: it's part regency period piece, part friends-to-lovers-to-strangers-to-lovers again (oh the pining and yearning!), part murder mystery, part gothic horror, and so on. You get the picture. In these ambitions, Rebecca Ide is largely successful, though there are parts of the story which felt like they dragged on for too long. Yet, I understand it is such a delicate balance to build the world and its magical system while conveying the innermost thoughts and feelings of Nic and also advancing the action and mystery!
Nic is a likable protagonist. We really get a sense of how trapped he is by his name, heritage, and legacy -- all things that simultaneously grant him privileges of rank and circumstance while keeping him from pursuing the man he has always loved, Dashiell sa Vare. Dashiell, meanwhile, is a worthy love interest -- dutiful, thoughtful, and immensely talented (at magic and at looking after Nic's sensual needs) -- we are cheering for him to be with Nic, despite their difference in rank and position in society. Lady Leaf is a surprisingly central figure in this novel about queer romance; as Nic's betrothed, she defies expectations of a Regency period lady and takes the lead on solving the mystery of the murders at Monterris Court. While her character never gets to be fully fleshed out (what, with all the other goings-on in the story), what is shown is a woman of grit, determination, and sparkling wit.
I admit it took me a while to get fully invested in the story. I imagine it was partly owing to the ambitious genre blending -- trying to keep track of the rules of the world and the social hierarchy while following the characters and the plot can sometimes feel like a lot! But it was a very rewarding read and once I was deep into the book, I couldn't get enough. This is a story that rewards patience and a willingness to follow along; readers will be treated to a tender and moving reunion of erstwhile lovers, the triumph of love over duty and intergenerational trauma, and the escape from a system which entraps people in a complex web of deceit and obligation. Admittedly, the ending tries to accomplish a lot by tying up loose ends in a very rapid fashion and I felt that there were loose ends, but this was an enjoyable read and I'm so happy I picked this title up.
Lord Nicholas Monterris, the heir to a decaying dynasty of magicians, finds himself betrothed in a marriage of convenience to Lady Leaf Serral, the plucky daughter of his father's nemesis. Worse, Dashiell sa Vare, Nic's first love and old flame, has been appointed head negotiator and contract magician to seal the union. When dead bodies start piling up at Monterris Court, everyone starts to wonder if these are merely accidents or whether someone doesn't want the marriage to go ahead.
This is an ambitious book. It tries to do a lot: it's part regency period piece, part friends-to-lovers-to-strangers-to-lovers again (oh the pining and yearning!), part murder mystery, part gothic horror, and so on. You get the picture. In these ambitions, Rebecca Ide is largely successful, though there are parts of the story which felt like they dragged on for too long. Yet, I understand it is such a delicate balance to build the world and its magical system while conveying the innermost thoughts and feelings of Nic and also advancing the action and mystery!
Nic is a likable protagonist. We really get a sense of how trapped he is by his name, heritage, and legacy -- all things that simultaneously grant him privileges of rank and circumstance while keeping him from pursuing the man he has always loved, Dashiell sa Vare. Dashiell, meanwhile, is a worthy love interest -- dutiful, thoughtful, and immensely talented (at magic and at looking after Nic's sensual needs) -- we are cheering for him to be with Nic, despite their difference in rank and position in society. Lady Leaf is a surprisingly central figure in this novel about queer romance; as Nic's betrothed, she defies expectations of a Regency period lady and takes the lead on solving the mystery of the murders at Monterris Court. While her character never gets to be fully fleshed out (what, with all the other goings-on in the story), what is shown is a woman of grit, determination, and sparkling wit.
I admit it took me a while to get fully invested in the story. I imagine it was partly owing to the ambitious genre blending -- trying to keep track of the rules of the world and the social hierarchy while following the characters and the plot can sometimes feel like a lot! But it was a very rewarding read and once I was deep into the book, I couldn't get enough. This is a story that rewards patience and a willingness to follow along; readers will be treated to a tender and moving reunion of erstwhile lovers, the triumph of love over duty and intergenerational trauma, and the escape from a system which entraps people in a complex web of deceit and obligation. Admittedly, the ending tries to accomplish a lot by tying up loose ends in a very rapid fashion and I felt that there were loose ends, but this was an enjoyable read and I'm so happy I picked this title up.