★ 03/21/2022
Rowland (Finding Faeries ) delivers a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy, in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts. It ought to be a happy occasion when Prince Kadou Mahisti’s older sister, the sultan, gives birth to a daughter, but a break-in at one of the kingdom’s guilds that same night calls Kadou away. Already prone to bouts of debilitating worry, Kadou spirals when a minor confrontation with his niece’s father tragically escalates into an incident that causes the death of several of his bodyguards. His replacement bodyguard, Evemer Hoşkadem, comes off as cold and rigid—and he’s terrible at concealing his sour feelings toward a prince he thinks cowardly. Desperate to regain the perceived lost love of his sister, Kadou throws himself into investigating the break-in, dragging Evemer along with him, and the two are irrevocably bonded as they uncover a plot that puts both the royal family and the stability of the kingdom itself in danger. Rowland brings wonderful depth to the interpersonal relationships; the romance that blossoms between Kadou and Evemer puts fun, familiar tropes alongside soul-wrenching acts of devotion, and the familial bonds are just as well crafted. In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other, this achingly tender fantasy wows. (June)
"This slow-burn romantic fantasy with a heavy dose of political intrigue is rich in world-building and emotional angst.... A queernormative fantasy world."—Buzzfeed A delicious tangle of romance, fealty, and dangerous politics. ”—Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne Sexual tension overload! One of my favorite reads of the year."—Katee Robert, USA Today and New York Times bestselling authorbrilliant anxiety representation and a cool magic system , A Taste of Gold and Iron is one to remember.” —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times bestselling author of Blade of Secrets A Taste of Gold and Iron is a beautiful love story with a warm, genuine, and hugely relatable portrayal of living with anxiety at its center, and I rooted for the main character all the way .”—Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit Witty, clever, and often extremely funny , Rowland’s tale of a prince who doesn’t want power but has it anyway—and must survive all the risks that brings with it—somehow manages to be both soft and hard-edged, clever and kind. And sexy! Very much that too.”—Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings A Taste of Gold and Iron is a slow-burn romance flush with sexy, complicated relationships and founded on the ethics of duty and love . As indulgent and satisfying as your favorite fanfiction .”—Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy , in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts. . . . In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other , this achingly tender fantasy wows.”—Publishers Weekly ( starred review)"A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy . Rowland's latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters."—Library Journal ( starred review)An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world. ”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)" Rowland’s fantasy romance is full of lush prose, and heavy on political intrigue and world-building ."—Bustle , a Best of Fantasy Romance PickI was shaking the book asking when the characters would kiss already . It was well worth the wait when they finally did.”—Locus a hair washing scene that would make Charles Boyle sweat. ”—Geeky Inc “Kadou's coping with anxiety and personal growth are a joy to watch as he fully embraces his talents and comes out of his shell with the help of Evemer, his bodyguard. The slow-burn romance between them is beautifully done and adds a thrilling element to the story that readers will savor.”—Booklist A Taste of Gold and Iron offers both, wrapped in a delightful package of espionage and royal duty .... Rowland also impresses in their nuanced depiction of anxiety .”—Bookpage A beautiful, compelling navigation of power and consent, loyalty and love, trust and hope. ”—Shelf Awareness it is the aching and longing that makes Rowland’s stunning queer romance so memorab le ."—The Philadelphia InquirerA Taste of Gold and Iron is set in an atmosphere where gender-fluidity is not only accepted, but is an unremarkable part of everyday life. It is both a gripping mystery and an exploration of human nature as the characters grow and change.”—Affaire de Coeur Winters Orbit , then I highly suggest checking this book out.”—Lace and Dagger Books Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together Utopia State of Mind Myth and Magic
★ 06/01/2022
The Prince of Arast, Kadou, knows that the biological father of the queen's new child does not like him, and a tragic encounter places him at dire odds with the court ambassador and his sister. As reparation, Kadou takes on the investigation of a break-in at one of the Arastian guilds. Accompanied by his new bodyguard, Evemer, Kadou knows that there is more going on than appears, but outside forces and his own inner turmoil get in the way. Evemer finds his new charge bewildering, frustrating, and difficult to keep safe, yet despite it all, he can't stop his growing attraction to Kadou. As the truth comes to light regarding the investigation, Kadou and Evemer must fight for their lives, their queen and her heir, and the financial safety of Arast. A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy. VERDICT Rowland's (A Choir of Lies ) latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters.—Kristi Chadwick
★ 2022-05-25
Second in line to the Araşti throne, Prince Kadou can intuit the contents of metal alloys just by touching them—a skill that leads him to investigate a counterfeiting scheme in the capital city. His investigation leads to a frightening confrontation with his niece’s biological father, a foreign-born noble named Siranos. Kadou takes his concerns about Siranos to his lover, Tadek. Tadek is a kahya—a bodyguard trained in the ways of courtly life—and it is in that capacity that he begins to investigate Siranos. That secondary investigation spirals out of control, leaving three other kahyalar dead, Tadek stripped of his position, and Kadou and Siranos confined to the palace. In the aftermath, the taciturn Evemer, another kahya, arrives to take Tadek’s place. Reeling from the kahyalars’ deaths and Tadek’s dishonorable discharge, Kadou drags Evemer along on a reckless quest to drink and fight his way through the undercity. But when they stumble upon a lead, Kadou and Evemer continue the original investigation, unraveling a conspiracy that leads to the very heart of the Araşti palace. Far more engaging than the court intrigue, however, is the slow burn of Kadou and Evemer’s inevitable romance. In crafting their world, Rowland has drawn inspiration from the Renaissance-era Ottoman Empire, with characters described as having “golden” skin and “glossy black hair,” and much of the Araşti language is derived from Turkish. Other countries appear to be based on Greece and France. The matriarchal defaults and three-gender system present in Araşti society place the novel squarely among the ranks of contemporary queer fantasy. Kadou is gay, Evemer and Tadek are bisexual, and another of the kahyalar, who is third-gender, is openly asexual.
An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world.
Narrator Casey Jones tenderly delivers this slow-burn queer romance about a prince who can detect the composition of metals by touch. After an altercation with the father of the queen’s new daughter, Prince Kadou is humiliated. To restore his reputation and prove himself useful, he investigates a nearby break-in with his newly appointed bodyguard, the stoic and handsome Evermer. Jones gently and realistically depicts Kadou’s busy inner thoughts and anxiety, while Evermer is voiced with precise articulation that slowly warms to passion. Jones’s impressive vocal versatility creates distinct character voices full of personality as he adopts accents and a range of tones to embody a variety of imagined cultures and genders. His depiction of Kadou’s ex-fling, Tadek, perfectly encompasses his rakish personality. A.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
Narrator Casey Jones tenderly delivers this slow-burn queer romance about a prince who can detect the composition of metals by touch. After an altercation with the father of the queen’s new daughter, Prince Kadou is humiliated. To restore his reputation and prove himself useful, he investigates a nearby break-in with his newly appointed bodyguard, the stoic and handsome Evermer. Jones gently and realistically depicts Kadou’s busy inner thoughts and anxiety, while Evermer is voiced with precise articulation that slowly warms to passion. Jones’s impressive vocal versatility creates distinct character voices full of personality as he adopts accents and a range of tones to embody a variety of imagined cultures and genders. His depiction of Kadou’s ex-fling, Tadek, perfectly encompasses his rakish personality. A.K.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
SEPTEMBER 2022 - AudioFile
