A review by galleytrot
Fate & Fortune by Maz Maddox

  • 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

READ: Apr 2023 
FORMAT: Digital 

BRIEF SUMMARY: 
In this Western fantasy/romance, Sky has been suffering from a persistent recurring nightmare spelling certain disaster for the residents of Stallion Ridge. When a traveling circus makes its way into the town, Victor tries to wow the Native Skinchanger by reading his fate, but the cards illuminate something much more confusing and unexpected. The two men appear to be intertwined in a way that calls their beliefs about fate and destiny into question, but beyond their questions of faith, Victor might just be exactly the sort of help that Sky needs in his life, if he’d only accept that he needs the help in the first place. 

ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: 4.25 / 5⭐ 
So, something interesting happened in these last two books of this series: where for Sebastian’s story, I was expecting so much more from it but found myself disappointed, here in Sky’s book I was expecting very little but wound up pleasantly surprised. 

I never really had much appreciation for Sky’s character over the course of the series – I always found him a little too boring, a little too cliché lone-wolf, a little too clutch in tough situations. I expected he would commit too strongly to his detached, aloof, and mysterious persona, but his story gives him the depth, worries, and drive for connection that are necessary in order for him to be likeable. I shouldn’t be surprised by that, because of course our main protagonist needs to be likeable; and yet, here I am. 

I’m likewise quite pleased with the role that Victor plays. He never has to harass, get pushy, or insinuate himself into Sky’s bubble, the way we so often see extrovert characters do in romances with loner-type love interests. Victor is respectful of Sky’s space and boundaries, capable of seeing when he’s accidentally crossed an invisible line and gracefully stepping back to give the man some breathing room. Thanks to his respect and decent communication, Sky is willing to open up a little more with each meeting instead of falling into his solitary habits and pushing Victor aside. It’s quite refreshing. 

TECHNICAL / PRODUCTION: 4 / 5⭐ 
It feels good to return to Stallion Ridge proper after Mimics & Mayhem and Runes, Ruin & Redemption took us into new geographies and cultures of the country. While I absolutely love Maddox’s world-building, and while it was awesome to see some places outside of the developing town, it feels like coming back home. Stallion Ridge is a character in its own right, on its own growth arc with each and every book in the series. 

I do have one issue with the execution of this book, but I’m not certain how I would go about fixing it. Essentially, the book didn’t feel finished, because what I thought was going to be the big climactic moment just... never happened. The epilogue came at me out of nowhere and the book’s wrap-up felt jarring and out of place. The reason for this is because it’s doing some hefty setup for the final book of the series, so I understand why it plays out the way it does – but it sort of feels like cheating, when 95% of the book is hinting at a major event and the final 5% drifts off with “our work here is done” energy that was plain and simply unearned. 

FINAL THOUGHTS - OVERALL: 4 / 5⭐ 
Where the previous book was stronger for its plot than its romance, this book is stronger for its romance than its plot. If you’ve made it this far in the series, there’s no reason you should avoid or skip this one. It would, in fact, be very beneficial to read this one before moving on to the seventh and final, if only for all the setup that takes place here. 

This book has representation for gays, bisexuals, lesbians, and gender-nonconforming. Many backgrounds and skin colours are portrayed. A handful of characters represent “Natives” of fictional tribes, although the ‘magical natives’ trope is strongly leaned into and may be viewed as problematic. 

The following elaborates on my content warnings. These may be interpreted as spoilers, but I do not go into deep detail.
This book contains: deceased animals (prey, poaching/culling); animal attack (off-page bite injury); references to war and wartime; alcohol use, drug use; dream sequences depicting fire, smoke, and smoke inhalation; child abandonment; past violent death of parent; blood, injuries, deaths; and, weapon violence (guns, arrows, axes).
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