A review by laur_reads_
The Orchid and the Lion by Gabriel Hargrave

5.0

Sex work and kink meets political intrigue? Going into this book I was nervous because neither of these are genres I typically read much of, but really wanted to give this a try after seeing so many glowing reviews for OatL and the new sequel novel! Hargrave's writing did not disappoint! I adored reading about all of the workers of La Vie Boheme and seeing the political plot unfold alongside the relationship development of the main characters. Speaking as someone entirely uneducated in the world of bdsm, the d/s elements were so well-negotiated and beautifully written and therefore felt safe yet so sexy throughout the entire novel. This served as great introduction into reading about this type of dynamic for me. The most impressive aspect of this book is, in my opinion, the magnificent representation and portrayal of queer people and sex-work.

I fell in love with Dorian, Laith, and Kenny and cannot wait to read more of them in the sequel, [b:The Lion and the Dahlia|123169150|The Lion and the Dahlia (Orchid and the Lion, #2)|Gabriel Hargrave|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1680544218l/123169150._SY75_.jpg|144464609]. This debut novel from Gabriel Hargrave was one of the best debuts I've ever read and I will absolutely be reading more of his works in the future.