What do you think?
Fae & Human Relations #1
Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms
Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle.
Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores.
Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies.
Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric — and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher.
Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making — but they'll need more than magic to succeed.
Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores.
Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies.
Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric — and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher.
Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making — but they'll need more than magic to succeed.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
June 15, 2026
3,5 stars.
While it took me a long time to get into the story (because I disliked one of the characters, Wyn, for so long), I overall enjoyed the world the authors built, the magical system with fae and human living more alongside than together, and the proposals Roger and Wyn had to work through.
When Wyn finally came to his senses and started to behave with empathy and grace, the story really got appealing and compelling, therefore the second half of the book was much stronger in my opinion than the first half.
Mind, the pace was always slow and cozy, there were no plot twists or unsurmountable challenges, but the storyline was never boring.
It was lovely to watch Roger and Wyn work alongside and slowly fall in love with each other.
Thankfully we even got Wyn grovelling for his past behaviour, AND one of the MCs is demi, so I'm happily rounding up to 4 stars... a romance with a demi main character (even if that label isn't applied) is always a pleasure to read (when it's done in a believable way, like in this book).
While it took me a long time to get into the story (because I disliked one of the characters, Wyn, for so long), I overall enjoyed the world the authors built, the magical system with fae and human living more alongside than together, and the proposals Roger and Wyn had to work through.
When Wyn finally came to his senses and started to behave with empathy and grace, the story really got appealing and compelling, therefore the second half of the book was much stronger in my opinion than the first half.
Mind, the pace was always slow and cozy, there were no plot twists or unsurmountable challenges, but the storyline was never boring.
It was lovely to watch Roger and Wyn work alongside and slowly fall in love with each other.
Thankfully we even got Wyn grovelling for his past behaviour, AND one of the MCs is demi, so I'm happily rounding up to 4 stars... a romance with a demi main character (even if that label isn't applied) is always a pleasure to read (when it's done in a believable way, like in this book).
March 1, 2024
I never thought I would say this, but... This book is too long.
Far too long for the story its trying to tell. I think with half the number of pages the plot would have run more smoothly but, then again, I guess we´ll never know. I DNF this at 65% and here I going to enlist all the problems I found that made me reconsider and go waste my time somewhere else:
- The first thing that made no sense for me was the age of the characters.
Because, you see, they are 29 and 30 respectively and the book is tagged as "Adult". Okay, but when you actually read the story, you realize that in this universe the authors created, the majority of age is reached not at 18, nor at 21, but at 30!
That is very odd for me. And it gets weirder when you notice the main characters behave like teens, and their parents also treat them as kids. I´m a bit like... Excuse me? What is this? The narration also reads VERY young adult so I cannot really understand why tagging this book as "Adult" when they could have, idk, made the main characters be in their early 20s and tag it as "YA".
- I´m not going to deny the premise looked interesting, with a human protagonist (Roger) trying to come up with the rules for an exam that would benefit faes and other humans if done correctly. But soon I found there were A LOT of plot holes surrounding this task and the authors seemed more eager to write a romance than to deliver the promised issue in regards this exam.
Let me put a classic example. So, in the beginning we get to know Roger is the only one who has proposed to change the exam and gets tasked with creating that new test. Right, we knew that from the summary. But my question here is, what occupation or titulation does Roger have to be given this supposed honour? I mean, apart from his dad being a member of the council who approved his idea.
Because all it´s said about Roger is that he scored badly in his own exam, he was bullied back at school, has no means to have a profession (due to that bad score) and he cannot be engaged either.
And later, when we get to the few scenes where Roger actually gets to work in this project, we notice the guy has NO IDEA of how fae magic works, even though part of this work he´s meant to do is creating a test for fae.
I ask again, what is this? Wouldn´t it make more sense to give the task to someone who actually is well versed in both human and fae magic? Why waste time giving the task to two people who are clearly not acquaintanced with human and fae magic respectively and therefore they must use a bunch of precious time to inform themselves before doing anything for the project?
Well, obviously, it´s because convenience of the plot. Because this serves as means to get the two protagonist to work together
- And yes, this is another thing that bothered me inmensely: During the entire plot, it´s said the creation of this new exam is very important, to the point it could end the discrimination between fae, humans and also help not outcasting people for low scores. Yet, NO ONE CARES about the project. Maybe some do by word (Roger), but most of them don´t.
Why do I say this? Well, a bunch of reasons, starting with the fact that the only reason the Council put Roger and Wyn to work together (in spite knowing they didn´t get along) was because they shipped them.
Yes, you read right. That is the whole motive.
The romance plot is VERY FORCED. This is the kind of story where two people don´t get along well (to the point that one of them even bullied the other in the past, but we´ll brush that off quickly, don´t worry) and yet all their family and acquaintances have an attitude of: "Oh, but you´d be so good together! Why don´t you marry already?".
It was overwhelming. Too ridiculous.
I hate when other characters try to force a relationship like that. I could have put up with it if it were for one or two scenes, since it wouldn´t be something uncommon for a YA story. It´ll still be annoying, but I´d deal with it. But no, it happens during the WHOLE book. Even when Roger and Wyn are engaged, people are still acting as if their kids are going to marry and nothing else matters.
The Council was like, "oh, you got this social engagement now? Don´t fret, we´ll pospone the deadline for your work". And the family was like, "oh, don´t work so hard! Come to this social event and you´ll finish that later".
And you see... For each scene where we see Roger and Wyn working on the project, we see other 10 of them going to a pointless party or social gathering of some sort. This happened ALMOST EVERY DAY. To the poing it became repetitive and it looked like all these people did was having time of leisure instead of working (no, but seriously, if you´re new to this book and try reading it, can you reply to this review with the exact number of party / opera visits and social engagements these people attended, then compare it with the times Roger was at his study actually working on the project? I lost count on the way and I´d be interested to know).
- But let´s talk about the marriage engagement, because I saw a funny thing here.
You see, the engagement happened for an absurd reason:
I want to clarify here that I got nothing against that way of forcing an engagement (yes, I might think it´s petty and cliché, but it´s okay because at this point I didn´t expect anything better). But my problem came when I saw how they dealt with this unexpected trouble.
Because you see, the engagement was never cancelled by the excuse of: "It would be a scandal saying the paper was wrong."
Like, excuse me? Then newspapers in this world can invent whatever they want and NO ONE is going to complain but go with it.
Because that was not only the protagonists way of thinking, it was also their respective families´ point of view: They were told it was all a mistake from the newspaper and, instead of providing support and find a way for them not to marry, they are happy as if the engagement was something that came from Roger and Wyn, quite willing to make the wedding happen.
It was... strange.
Almost as strange of Wyn´s change of personality during this part of the book (before he had been a brat towards Roger, always complaining and acting like he was better than him, but suddenly since they got engaged he started acting like a normal person who actually doesn´t mind to be engaged to someone he used to despise). I didn´t understand a shit, tbh. There was no reason to change his character from one chapter to other.
- Also, this book amazes me in the sense that is inclusive in some things (like LGBTQ+ marriages being normalized) but quite retrograde in others, treating some male characters as if they were XIX ladies in need of escort or, weirdly enough, to get out of a carriage (???)
But let me put a couple of examples here that left me wondering: So, after the engagement is announced, Roger´s parents demand that he abandons the house where he is living alone and come back to live with them until the wedding. My question here is, and more so since Roger is technically an adult in this world, what is the need for that? Don´t you find it absurd?
It might make sense if he were a woman in our XIX world, but here is a bit...
And then there were things like the estatement that, once married, "Wyn will receive this house and you two can live there together" which made me question, where was living Roger until then, to be able to change houses so easily? He wasn´t the owner of the place? And if he were, why is it unilateral this decision of him having to give up his house to come live with Wyn when the time comes?
It also bothered me when Roger´s mom, after knowing about the wedding, told him something by the means of: "I didn´t teach your siblings how to run a household, since they are heads of their own families, but I can teach you". And yeah, she said it happily, but I was so weirded out because it very much sounded as if a XIX lady were telling her daugther she would teach her all about the household chores (you know, the usual for a woman at that time) while assuming Roger WAS NOT going to be head of his family.
My question there was: Why did she assume he wouldn´t be that? Is it because he is a human marrying a fae? But then how do you explain that, in this society, it is worse seen being a fae than a human? And also all the points I talked about before where they pretty much treat Roger as the woman of a relationship (btw, speaking of this, I don´t want to think bad but... Wyn has sexual experience, while Roger -specially after the engagement- acts like an innocent maiden and obviously has had no relationship experience. Does this sound familiar to you?).
Anyway, I dragged this for too long. Just like this book.
It was repetitive, the romance was forced and barely went forward, and all the fae / human discrimination part made no sense because they barely stopped on it. Kudos to the person who made the cover, because it´s gorgeous. But that is nearly the only good thing I can say about this book.
Thank you very much for your attention.
Far too long for the story its trying to tell. I think with half the number of pages the plot would have run more smoothly but, then again, I guess we´ll never know. I DNF this at 65% and here I going to enlist all the problems I found that made me reconsider and go waste my time somewhere else:
- The first thing that made no sense for me was the age of the characters.
Because, you see, they are 29 and 30 respectively and the book is tagged as "Adult". Okay, but when you actually read the story, you realize that in this universe the authors created, the majority of age is reached not at 18, nor at 21, but at 30!
That is very odd for me. And it gets weirder when you notice the main characters behave like teens, and their parents also treat them as kids. I´m a bit like... Excuse me? What is this? The narration also reads VERY young adult so I cannot really understand why tagging this book as "Adult" when they could have, idk, made the main characters be in their early 20s and tag it as "YA".
- I´m not going to deny the premise looked interesting, with a human protagonist (Roger) trying to come up with the rules for an exam that would benefit faes and other humans if done correctly. But soon I found there were A LOT of plot holes surrounding this task and the authors seemed more eager to write a romance than to deliver the promised issue in regards this exam.
Let me put a classic example. So, in the beginning we get to know Roger is the only one who has proposed to change the exam and gets tasked with creating that new test. Right, we knew that from the summary. But my question here is, what occupation or titulation does Roger have to be given this supposed honour? I mean, apart from his dad being a member of the council who approved his idea.
Because all it´s said about Roger is that he scored badly in his own exam, he was bullied back at school, has no means to have a profession (due to that bad score) and he cannot be engaged either.
And later, when we get to the few scenes where Roger actually gets to work in this project, we notice the guy has NO IDEA of how fae magic works, even though part of this work he´s meant to do is creating a test for fae.
I ask again, what is this? Wouldn´t it make more sense to give the task to someone who actually is well versed in both human and fae magic? Why waste time giving the task to two people who are clearly not acquaintanced with human and fae magic respectively and therefore they must use a bunch of precious time to inform themselves before doing anything for the project?
Well, obviously, it´s because convenience of the plot. Because this serves as means to get the two protagonist to work together
- And yes, this is another thing that bothered me inmensely: During the entire plot, it´s said the creation of this new exam is very important, to the point it could end the discrimination between fae, humans and also help not outcasting people for low scores. Yet, NO ONE CARES about the project. Maybe some do by word (Roger), but most of them don´t.
Why do I say this? Well, a bunch of reasons, starting with the fact that the only reason the Council put Roger and Wyn to work together (in spite knowing they didn´t get along) was because they shipped them.
Yes, you read right. That is the whole motive.
The romance plot is VERY FORCED. This is the kind of story where two people don´t get along well (to the point that one of them even bullied the other in the past, but we´ll brush that off quickly, don´t worry) and yet all their family and acquaintances have an attitude of: "Oh, but you´d be so good together! Why don´t you marry already?".
It was overwhelming. Too ridiculous.
I hate when other characters try to force a relationship like that. I could have put up with it if it were for one or two scenes, since it wouldn´t be something uncommon for a YA story. It´ll still be annoying, but I´d deal with it. But no, it happens during the WHOLE book. Even when Roger and Wyn are engaged, people are still acting as if their kids are going to marry and nothing else matters.
The Council was like, "oh, you got this social engagement now? Don´t fret, we´ll pospone the deadline for your work". And the family was like, "oh, don´t work so hard! Come to this social event and you´ll finish that later".
And you see... For each scene where we see Roger and Wyn working on the project, we see other 10 of them going to a pointless party or social gathering of some sort. This happened ALMOST EVERY DAY. To the poing it became repetitive and it looked like all these people did was having time of leisure instead of working (no, but seriously, if you´re new to this book and try reading it, can you reply to this review with the exact number of party / opera visits and social engagements these people attended, then compare it with the times Roger was at his study actually working on the project? I lost count on the way and I´d be interested to know).
- But let´s talk about the marriage engagement, because I saw a funny thing here.
You see, the engagement happened for an absurd reason:
I want to clarify here that I got nothing against that way of forcing an engagement (yes, I might think it´s petty and cliché, but it´s okay because at this point I didn´t expect anything better). But my problem came when I saw how they dealt with this unexpected trouble.
Because you see, the engagement was never cancelled by the excuse of: "It would be a scandal saying the paper was wrong."
Like, excuse me? Then newspapers in this world can invent whatever they want and NO ONE is going to complain but go with it.
Because that was not only the protagonists way of thinking, it was also their respective families´ point of view: They were told it was all a mistake from the newspaper and, instead of providing support and find a way for them not to marry, they are happy as if the engagement was something that came from Roger and Wyn, quite willing to make the wedding happen.
It was... strange.
Almost as strange of Wyn´s change of personality during this part of the book (before he had been a brat towards Roger, always complaining and acting like he was better than him, but suddenly since they got engaged he started acting like a normal person who actually doesn´t mind to be engaged to someone he used to despise). I didn´t understand a shit, tbh. There was no reason to change his character from one chapter to other.
- Also, this book amazes me in the sense that is inclusive in some things (like LGBTQ+ marriages being normalized) but quite retrograde in others, treating some male characters as if they were XIX ladies in need of escort or, weirdly enough, to get out of a carriage (???)
But let me put a couple of examples here that left me wondering: So, after the engagement is announced, Roger´s parents demand that he abandons the house where he is living alone and come back to live with them until the wedding. My question here is, and more so since Roger is technically an adult in this world, what is the need for that? Don´t you find it absurd?
It might make sense if he were a woman in our XIX world, but here is a bit...
And then there were things like the estatement that, once married, "Wyn will receive this house and you two can live there together" which made me question, where was living Roger until then, to be able to change houses so easily? He wasn´t the owner of the place? And if he were, why is it unilateral this decision of him having to give up his house to come live with Wyn when the time comes?
It also bothered me when Roger´s mom, after knowing about the wedding, told him something by the means of: "I didn´t teach your siblings how to run a household, since they are heads of their own families, but I can teach you". And yeah, she said it happily, but I was so weirded out because it very much sounded as if a XIX lady were telling her daugther she would teach her all about the household chores (you know, the usual for a woman at that time) while assuming Roger WAS NOT going to be head of his family.
My question there was: Why did she assume he wouldn´t be that? Is it because he is a human marrying a fae? But then how do you explain that, in this society, it is worse seen being a fae than a human? And also all the points I talked about before where they pretty much treat Roger as the woman of a relationship (btw, speaking of this, I don´t want to think bad but... Wyn has sexual experience, while Roger -specially after the engagement- acts like an innocent maiden and obviously has had no relationship experience. Does this sound familiar to you?).
Anyway, I dragged this for too long. Just like this book.
It was repetitive, the romance was forced and barely went forward, and all the fae / human discrimination part made no sense because they barely stopped on it. Kudos to the person who made the cover, because it´s gorgeous. But that is nearly the only good thing I can say about this book.
Thank you very much for your attention.
January 2, 2024
*dreamy sigh*
If there ever were two authors meant to co-write a book (a series!!!), it's Sarah and Shannon.
I was familiar with these authors since their books were some of my favourite reads last year, but I was still blown away by how beautifully their writing fused together, forming this whimsical, heartwarming and tender story.
Set in a queer normative world, with a clever magical system and the most magnificent slow burn romance, Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms tells the story of Wyn, a snarky misunderstood Fae, and Roger, a shy, sensitive and all around good human.
Pushed together by meddling characters and forced to co-exist in order to strengthen the relationship between humans and Fae folk, these two clueless idiots go from childhood enemies to friends to lovers, but not without a bit of pining and a pinch of silly miscommunication. Do not fear, they were both quite adorable in their obliviousness. 🥰
I felt like this entire book was woozing compassion, love and understanding. Even the slightly antagonistic characters were portrayed in such a way that all you could think of was: they're just flawed, they deserve to be understood and loved too! (Can I hope for a book centered on Sage Ravenwing?! Please! That would be such a good redemption story.)
One of my favourite parts of the book was the demisexual rep. I personally think it was perfect and I wish more authors could take notes. The connection between the main characters was so carefully and patiently constructed that every time they interacted my heart squeezed with delight. I wanted to smile and cry at the same time, and then squeal with absolute joy. They're that precious. The way they tune into each other, and not just magically, but rather emotionally, is simply wonderful.
And so, if you enjoy queer fantasy, magical systems, steaming cups of tea, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity and diverse representation, this book is for you!
If there ever were two authors meant to co-write a book (a series!!!), it's Sarah and Shannon.
I was familiar with these authors since their books were some of my favourite reads last year, but I was still blown away by how beautifully their writing fused together, forming this whimsical, heartwarming and tender story.
Set in a queer normative world, with a clever magical system and the most magnificent slow burn romance, Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms tells the story of Wyn, a snarky misunderstood Fae, and Roger, a shy, sensitive and all around good human.
Pushed together by meddling characters and forced to co-exist in order to strengthen the relationship between humans and Fae folk, these two clueless idiots go from childhood enemies to friends to lovers, but not without a bit of pining and a pinch of silly miscommunication. Do not fear, they were both quite adorable in their obliviousness. 🥰
I felt like this entire book was woozing compassion, love and understanding. Even the slightly antagonistic characters were portrayed in such a way that all you could think of was: they're just flawed, they deserve to be understood and loved too! (Can I hope for a book centered on Sage Ravenwing?! Please! That would be such a good redemption story.)
One of my favourite parts of the book was the demisexual rep. I personally think it was perfect and I wish more authors could take notes. The connection between the main characters was so carefully and patiently constructed that every time they interacted my heart squeezed with delight. I wanted to smile and cry at the same time, and then squeal with absolute joy. They're that precious. The way they tune into each other, and not just magically, but rather emotionally, is simply wonderful.
And so, if you enjoy queer fantasy, magical systems, steaming cups of tea, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity and diverse representation, this book is for you!
January 5, 2025
Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms is an enjoyable historical fantasy romance between a human and a fae.
Roger (human) and Wyn (fae) are far from friends, but they're tasked to work together to come up with a new rubric for testing magic as the old one is not fit for use and is causing a rise in low scores.
Despite their animosity, somehow their engagement is announced in the Society paper. They're in a difficult position as to deny it would reflect badly on their families, and both want to avoid scandal so agree to go along with it.
The enemies to friends to lovers was done so well and wasn't rushed so it was believable. I loved seeing them grow to like one another (and more) as they worked together.
I will say it was a bit long but I didn't mind as I enjoyed being in this world, and the audiobook narration was good.
Roger (human) and Wyn (fae) are far from friends, but they're tasked to work together to come up with a new rubric for testing magic as the old one is not fit for use and is causing a rise in low scores.
Despite their animosity, somehow their engagement is announced in the Society paper. They're in a difficult position as to deny it would reflect badly on their families, and both want to avoid scandal so agree to go along with it.
The enemies to friends to lovers was done so well and wasn't rushed so it was believable. I loved seeing them grow to like one another (and more) as they worked together.
I will say it was a bit long but I didn't mind as I enjoyed being in this world, and the audiobook narration was good.
March 15, 2024
What a sweet and delightful read! There was very little angst, so minuscule that I can happily say this was 500 pages of pure joy. If you want a break from heart-breaking, tear-jerking stories, please read this book. Wyn and Roger will have you smiling from ear to ear!
January 30, 2024
WHY IS THIS SOOOOO LOOONGGGGGGGGGG
July 9, 2026
Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan
Fae & Human Relations series #1. Historical Fantasy M-M romance. Opposites attract.
Roger Barnes finally has approval from the Council to develop a new method of testing the magic abilities of young humans and fae. He’s assigned to work with a fae, a childhood nemesis, Wyndham Wrenwhistle. Roger will follow whatever rules Wyn needs to keep working together from open windows, a specific prepared tea and more.
The magic spells Roger is designing is going better than he expected when rumors and lies start spreading.
They find themselves engaged to be married as the project continues. Animosity turned to respect and maybe attraction. And then the magic happens.
Has it been there all along?
The story is rich in details. They go from enemies to coworkers to a tentative friendship. It’s not an easy road. Wyn is so jealous and lashes out though he doesn’t know that’s why he’s being so rude. The arguments hurt me. But Roger forgives and the growing feelings on both sides and successes in magic spells move everything forward.
A curious blend of levels of historical class by origin and money with magic dictating heirs and work.
A human and fae working together in a singular goal with a little manipulation behind the scenes.
An ingénue and a man about town. A cute, slow romance with both invested and hopeful.
Fae & Human Relations series #1. Historical Fantasy M-M romance. Opposites attract.
Roger Barnes finally has approval from the Council to develop a new method of testing the magic abilities of young humans and fae. He’s assigned to work with a fae, a childhood nemesis, Wyndham Wrenwhistle. Roger will follow whatever rules Wyn needs to keep working together from open windows, a specific prepared tea and more.
The magic spells Roger is designing is going better than he expected when rumors and lies start spreading.
They find themselves engaged to be married as the project continues. Animosity turned to respect and maybe attraction. And then the magic happens.
Has it been there all along?
The story is rich in details. They go from enemies to coworkers to a tentative friendship. It’s not an easy road. Wyn is so jealous and lashes out though he doesn’t know that’s why he’s being so rude. The arguments hurt me. But Roger forgives and the growing feelings on both sides and successes in magic spells move everything forward.
A curious blend of levels of historical class by origin and money with magic dictating heirs and work.
A human and fae working together in a singular goal with a little manipulation behind the scenes.
An ingénue and a man about town. A cute, slow romance with both invested and hopeful.
February 13, 2024
So Adorable. So Cozy. A Hug In A Mug.
This book was such a delightful surprise! I picked it up blindly and was instantly charmed. The story is heartwarming, the characters are lovable, and the world-building is simply delightful. It's the perfect blend of cozy and magical, with just the right amount of whimsy and romance. The writing is engaging and the pacing is perfect. I found myself completely immersed in this world.
I feel so overwhelmed right now, but I'll come back soon for a more proper review.
PS: Please let there be a sequel! Something with Torquil Pimpernel-Smith and let's say.. Emrys, would be most interesting. Please!
Update: 2nd read before book 2
I love this book. I love the characters, the writing, the romance.. everything. Healthy relationships are my jam and this was it!
But I'm also fascinated by the authors ability to keep a steady pace. Pace is one thing that even the best authors struggle with. I bet you can all think of at least one or two super popular books that dragged for over half the time before picking up pace in the last 100 pages. This one in comparison was remarkably balanced.
I remember checking my progress so often during my first read. So many things happen from the get go that I was worried the pace might slow down later. At 30% I was vocally wondering "what are you gonna do with the remaining 70%?". Well, as it turned out, A LOT. The story never dragged, there were no filler moments, no unnecessary rumblings or repetitions,.. it was just paced perfectly. I congratulate the authors and their editor for a very well done job!!
PS: I found the moment that strongly inspired me to think of Torquil and Emrys as an interesting potential match (that is besides their characters) :
I smell potential tension with the author 🥰
Yup, I even left a note for it 😂 Also, the fact that Torquil thought Wyn the least endearing member of the family.. with Emrys right there ? He actually tolerates Emrys more ? Well, if that is not telling... Can't wait to read their story!
This book was such a delightful surprise! I picked it up blindly and was instantly charmed. The story is heartwarming, the characters are lovable, and the world-building is simply delightful. It's the perfect blend of cozy and magical, with just the right amount of whimsy and romance. The writing is engaging and the pacing is perfect. I found myself completely immersed in this world.
I feel so overwhelmed right now, but I'll come back soon for a more proper review.
PS: Please let there be a sequel! Something with Torquil Pimpernel-Smith and let's say.. Emrys, would be most interesting. Please!
Update: 2nd read before book 2
I love this book. I love the characters, the writing, the romance.. everything. Healthy relationships are my jam and this was it!
But I'm also fascinated by the authors ability to keep a steady pace. Pace is one thing that even the best authors struggle with. I bet you can all think of at least one or two super popular books that dragged for over half the time before picking up pace in the last 100 pages. This one in comparison was remarkably balanced.
I remember checking my progress so often during my first read. So many things happen from the get go that I was worried the pace might slow down later. At 30% I was vocally wondering "what are you gonna do with the remaining 70%?". Well, as it turned out, A LOT. The story never dragged, there were no filler moments, no unnecessary rumblings or repetitions,.. it was just paced perfectly. I congratulate the authors and their editor for a very well done job!!
PS: I found the moment that strongly inspired me to think of Torquil and Emrys as an interesting potential match (that is besides their characters) :
“At least I had someone to sneak out for,” he said smoothly. “Isn’t it odd that, even as the Wrenwhistle heir, nobody can seem to stand you? Come to think of it, your name hardly even comes up in the Tribune. I daresay that’s quite an accomplishment, all things considered.”Note: Ooooooooooooooooo
The smug look on Emrys’ face slid into something darker. Wyn braced for the sort of wicked response that his brother was always so ready to give, but Emrys just leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.
I smell potential tension with the author 🥰
Yup, I even left a note for it 😂 Also, the fact that Torquil thought Wyn the least endearing member of the family.. with Emrys right there ? He actually tolerates Emrys more ? Well, if that is not telling... Can't wait to read their story!
February 29, 2024
4.5 stars
This one was quirky and cute with a very smart world building and an endearing Enemies to Lovers, Opposites attract relationship between a human and a fae. All that while touching upon social discrimination, demisexuality AND body positivity. The audiobook is stunningly narrated by Matt Simpson.🤌🏻
This one was quirky and cute with a very smart world building and an endearing Enemies to Lovers, Opposites attract relationship between a human and a fae. All that while touching upon social discrimination, demisexuality AND body positivity. The audiobook is stunningly narrated by Matt Simpson.🤌🏻
December 3, 2023
I can't stop smiling. This. Was everything I needed
**I've got an arcs from the authors all thoughts are mine**
I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I spend the whole afternoon reading it and smiling at my copy. They're so good.
I'll try to write a more thorough review later. But. Damn. ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR
Edit: First, thanks to the authors for the arc, I’ve had so much fun reading about Wyn and Roger.
I wanted to add some stuff to my initial review!
First, this is a fluffy blanket of fluff and you’ll squeal in delight while reading. But it’s not only that, Roger and Wyn bickering was so fun to follow. Their feud was so entertaining and the way they completed each other later on: 100% recommend.
Wyn was a bitch to Roger and at first I thought I would not like his character but he was so endearing. Like Roger, I was defenseless against him.
And Roger, sweet summer angel who want to change things for everyone. He’s too cute for this world, no one deserves him.
Anyway I loved it, and I can’t wait to have my copy !!
**I've got an arcs from the authors all thoughts are mine**
I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I spend the whole afternoon reading it and smiling at my copy. They're so good.
I'll try to write a more thorough review later. But. Damn. ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR
Edit: First, thanks to the authors for the arc, I’ve had so much fun reading about Wyn and Roger.
I wanted to add some stuff to my initial review!
First, this is a fluffy blanket of fluff and you’ll squeal in delight while reading. But it’s not only that, Roger and Wyn bickering was so fun to follow. Their feud was so entertaining and the way they completed each other later on: 100% recommend.
Wyn was a bitch to Roger and at first I thought I would not like his character but he was so endearing. Like Roger, I was defenseless against him.
And Roger, sweet summer angel who want to change things for everyone. He’s too cute for this world, no one deserves him.
Anyway I loved it, and I can’t wait to have my copy !!
January 9, 2024
I loved this so much!!
The audiobook was just perfect!
RTC
The audiobook was just perfect!
RTC
February 8, 2024
I am so happy with myself that I decided to do a reread of this before starting the next book. The first time I listened to this I had a migraine and I don't think I really absorbed the beauty of the story. I knew that it was good because I adore Sarah Wallace and have unending faith in her ability to create stories and characters full of empathy and diversity and found family. But the first read I didn't grasp it all. This read really brought me so much joy. I really love watching Roger and Wyn figure their stuff out and I really enjoyed the magical systems and the explanations of fae and human magic.
Fat demisexual pan MC, gay MC with anxiety disorder
Fat demisexual pan MC, gay MC with anxiety disorder
January 26, 2024
When Roger Barnes comes up with a proposal to give to the council that oversees Fae and Human magic that will help streamline the magical testing process and save future generations from being riddled with a low score that leaves them unable to find good work and often shunned from society, the council sees fit to pair him with a fae to work through how the new magical testing should be done. Of course he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a fae he knew from childhood. The pair never got along, finding the other to be rude or exhausting.
Luckily both men are curious and want to learn more about the other's magic. Throw in an accidental proposal, the pair find themselves growing closer as their proposal research progresses and their imminent wedding draws closer. Can true love blossom between these two oposites?
Okay. So. I loved this. But at first I HATED Wyn. He wasn't just rude to Roger but it often came across as maliciously rude. As the pair warm up towards one another the reason behind this becomes much more evident and its very easy to forgive Wyn. I was honestly a bit uncomfortable for the first few chapters with the expectation that I would have to root for someone as terrible as Wyn. Spoiler: he's not terrible, he's lovely and a bit misunderstood.
Having the setting of this novel be one that is set during Regency times as well as queer normative (plus fae) was a true joy. I LOVE Regency romance and this is a true cozy joy. There is just one instance of intolerance that is SWIFTLY put down by other characters and I LOVED that. Seeing Wyn and Roger grow closer while researching their magics is lovely and cozy and squishy.
I think it is deeply impressive that the authors came up with not one but two separate magic systems with rules to follow and figured out how they could compare and compliment each other. Very cool.
The book is LONG and seems unnecessarily so at first. I saw the number of chapters and was like "oof, she's too long" but as you get down into it the chapters are short and often switch between perspectives in the same scene and it was really enjoyable to read, in real time, how both Wyn and Roger felt about various situations. All in all the book flies by and I found myself wanting even more of the adorable Wynn and Roger by the end.
I really enjoyed the Gossip Girl, Lady Whistledown character Torquil Pimpernel-Smith and very much hope we get tons and tons more of them in the other books that the authors have planned for this series.
Definitely a recommendation if you enjoy cozy romance, historical romance, and non dark-sided fae. 4.5/5 rounded up.
Thank you to Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Keep up the great work, ladies!
Luckily both men are curious and want to learn more about the other's magic. Throw in an accidental proposal, the pair find themselves growing closer as their proposal research progresses and their imminent wedding draws closer. Can true love blossom between these two oposites?
Okay. So. I loved this. But at first I HATED Wyn. He wasn't just rude to Roger but it often came across as maliciously rude. As the pair warm up towards one another the reason behind this becomes much more evident and its very easy to forgive Wyn. I was honestly a bit uncomfortable for the first few chapters with the expectation that I would have to root for someone as terrible as Wyn. Spoiler: he's not terrible, he's lovely and a bit misunderstood.
Having the setting of this novel be one that is set during Regency times as well as queer normative (plus fae) was a true joy. I LOVE Regency romance and this is a true cozy joy. There is just one instance of intolerance that is SWIFTLY put down by other characters and I LOVED that. Seeing Wyn and Roger grow closer while researching their magics is lovely and cozy and squishy.
I think it is deeply impressive that the authors came up with not one but two separate magic systems with rules to follow and figured out how they could compare and compliment each other. Very cool.
The book is LONG and seems unnecessarily so at first. I saw the number of chapters and was like "oof, she's too long" but as you get down into it the chapters are short and often switch between perspectives in the same scene and it was really enjoyable to read, in real time, how both Wyn and Roger felt about various situations. All in all the book flies by and I found myself wanting even more of the adorable Wynn and Roger by the end.
I really enjoyed the Gossip Girl, Lady Whistledown character Torquil Pimpernel-Smith and very much hope we get tons and tons more of them in the other books that the authors have planned for this series.
Definitely a recommendation if you enjoy cozy romance, historical romance, and non dark-sided fae. 4.5/5 rounded up.
Thank you to Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Keep up the great work, ladies!
Did Not Finish
July 11, 2025DNF at 3%.
I want to like this but just noticed me getting the urge to flip forward to make this go faster. Sooooo. Not for me.
I want to like this but just noticed me getting the urge to flip forward to make this go faster. Sooooo. Not for me.
September 17, 2025
I'm so glad I finally read this! This is essentially queer Bridgerton with magic, and it's such a sweet story. I did think it was a little slow at times, but especially the second half was very cute.
January 30, 2024
If you love Bridgerton (the show) but want to make it gay and throw in some fae folk then you will definitely want to read this! This was so adorable.
July 17, 2024
I liked thos book, I really did but it was too big for what it was. If it was a little bit smaller, it would have been so much better.
But moving on, I liked the whole vibe of it, it was adorable.
Wyn was the most resistant one and yet he fell so hard, it was very entertaning to watch.
Roger was a cutie pie, and he deserved a person who loved him for him. And he got it with Wyn
But moving on, I liked the whole vibe of it, it was adorable.
Wyn was the most resistant one and yet he fell so hard, it was very entertaning to watch.
Roger was a cutie pie, and he deserved a person who loved him for him. And he got it with Wyn
October 11, 2024
When reading a romance novel I need either chemistry that is so good I could read thousands of more pages of the characters drinking tea or a plot that has me so captivated I'm engaged until the very last page. Often I find myself reading books that have equal parts of both but even when it pulls one way or another I'm pleased! This expectation of my reads is where this book fell flat for me on all angles.
For starters - this book is almost 500 pages. In my humble opinion, no romance book should be that long and if it is (I have read some of this nature and it CAN be done well!) then it HAS to have a reason to be so long. This did not. At the 48% mark I found myself checking every few chapters how much longer was left and finding myself severely disappointed.
Wyn and Roger didn't have much depth and even though I had almost 500 pages with them, I didn't care for either of them in particular and their romance (or lack there of) was cringey to me at best. The plot was nearly nonexistent and their entire fake engagement was spurred by something that just...didn't feel necessary of a fake engagement? It would have been pretty easy to simply ...not go along with it....
I also got a pretty icky misogynistic taste in my mouth throughout this and I could very well dig deeper into that but quite frankly - I do not want to.
For starters - this book is almost 500 pages. In my humble opinion, no romance book should be that long and if it is (I have read some of this nature and it CAN be done well!) then it HAS to have a reason to be so long. This did not. At the 48% mark I found myself checking every few chapters how much longer was left and finding myself severely disappointed.
Wyn and Roger didn't have much depth and even though I had almost 500 pages with them, I didn't care for either of them in particular and their romance (or lack there of) was cringey to me at best. The plot was nearly nonexistent and their entire fake engagement was spurred by something that just...didn't feel necessary of a fake engagement? It would have been pretty easy to simply ...not go along with it....
I also got a pretty icky misogynistic taste in my mouth throughout this and I could very well dig deeper into that but quite frankly - I do not want to.
July 14, 2024
I’m glad I did the audio for this because it was a lot of fun to listen to. At first I was unsure of Wyn as he was an ass in the beginning but then I fell in love with their sweet love story.
Minor niggles… if you’re going to write ANY steam, then write steam. Not half assed hand jobs a couple times at the very end. Either have it or don’t, but please don’t put it in almost as an afterthought. Annoys the crap out of me.
Also the narrator has a hot mic and I could hear every smack of the saliva in his mouth and there were times when I wanted to reach through my headphones and scream. 😬🤪
BUT, this was a super fun book. Huzzah.
Minor niggles… if you’re going to write ANY steam, then write steam. Not half assed hand jobs a couple times at the very end. Either have it or don’t, but please don’t put it in almost as an afterthought. Annoys the crap out of me.
Also the narrator has a hot mic and I could hear every smack of the saliva in his mouth and there were times when I wanted to reach through my headphones and scream. 😬🤪
BUT, this was a super fun book. Huzzah.
January 9, 2024
Reviewed on behalf of The Book Boyfriend Addict. A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.
Roger Barnes hopes to find a solution to the testing that’s been used to test magic in his fellow humans. He knows better than anyone the implications of receiving a poor score on an inherently unfair test. The Council accepts his proposal to explore a new testing rubric but then pairs him with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, an arrogant and handsome fae who’s seemingly disliked Roger since they were children. He’s pretty sure the project is doomed but much to Roger’s surprise he and Wyn manage to put their differences aside long enough to make some headway in their task.
Their tenuous partnership is challenged when a popular gossip column announces that the pair is engaged. Not wanting to disgrace their families, they must go along with the lie. As they work to solve society’s testing problem while also trying to pull off the perfect wedding, they may find true love along the way.
This book was the absolute sweetest! I enjoyed the world these authors built, it was interesting and robust and I appreciated that the magical elements weren’t overly complicated. One of my very favorite things, though, was that it was a queer normative world. I loved seeing a historical romance where no one bats an eye if two men are betrothed or if two women are courting one another. It was very refreshing. It was not a world without faults, though. A human and fae pairing was still not widely accepted but I enjoyed seeing how Roger and Wyn’s pairing worked toward changing that outlook.
Speaking of our two heroes, these two were so cute together. Well, not at first because Wyn was brooding, arrogant, and often unkind to Roger. But as he got to know him more, he slowly began to thaw and realized he had misjudged Roger. It was sweet seeing the subtle ways he started to support and boost Roger up. He became Roger’s biggest cheerleader and worked to get Roger to see his worth. Roger was the most precious bean, the kind you want to protect from anything bad. Wyn did a good job of that! But the best thing was seeing how Roger recognized the struggles that Wyn often kept hidden and stepped up to support and protect him. They built such a beautiful partnership.
There was very little (if any) angst in this story and it was the slowest burn to ever burn but the writing was so good. Some of the descriptions of the scenes and the magic spells were breathtaking. It’s a long book, clocking in at nearly 500pgs, but it was so sweet and cozy that I was happy to take my time and bask in the good vibes!
Wyn brought the flower up, brushing the petals gently over his lips. With his other hand resting on his stomach, a desperate attempt to settle all the fluttering going on, he decided it wasn’t something terrible happening to him, but something terrifying.
He was falling helplessly in love with Roger Barnes.
Roger Barnes hopes to find a solution to the testing that’s been used to test magic in his fellow humans. He knows better than anyone the implications of receiving a poor score on an inherently unfair test. The Council accepts his proposal to explore a new testing rubric but then pairs him with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, an arrogant and handsome fae who’s seemingly disliked Roger since they were children. He’s pretty sure the project is doomed but much to Roger’s surprise he and Wyn manage to put their differences aside long enough to make some headway in their task.
Their tenuous partnership is challenged when a popular gossip column announces that the pair is engaged. Not wanting to disgrace their families, they must go along with the lie. As they work to solve society’s testing problem while also trying to pull off the perfect wedding, they may find true love along the way.
“Roger,” Wyn said.
“Hm?” Roger asked.
Wyn felt his honest words come out faster than he could stop them.
“I’m glad it’s you.”
This book was the absolute sweetest! I enjoyed the world these authors built, it was interesting and robust and I appreciated that the magical elements weren’t overly complicated. One of my very favorite things, though, was that it was a queer normative world. I loved seeing a historical romance where no one bats an eye if two men are betrothed or if two women are courting one another. It was very refreshing. It was not a world without faults, though. A human and fae pairing was still not widely accepted but I enjoyed seeing how Roger and Wyn’s pairing worked toward changing that outlook.
Speaking of our two heroes, these two were so cute together. Well, not at first because Wyn was brooding, arrogant, and often unkind to Roger. But as he got to know him more, he slowly began to thaw and realized he had misjudged Roger. It was sweet seeing the subtle ways he started to support and boost Roger up. He became Roger’s biggest cheerleader and worked to get Roger to see his worth. Roger was the most precious bean, the kind you want to protect from anything bad. Wyn did a good job of that! But the best thing was seeing how Roger recognized the struggles that Wyn often kept hidden and stepped up to support and protect him. They built such a beautiful partnership.
There was very little (if any) angst in this story and it was the slowest burn to ever burn but the writing was so good. Some of the descriptions of the scenes and the magic spells were breathtaking. It’s a long book, clocking in at nearly 500pgs, but it was so sweet and cozy that I was happy to take my time and bask in the good vibes!
“You are a marvel, Roger Barnes. The world is lucky to have you and your glorious mind in it.”
January 7, 2024
I really enjoyed Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms!
It's a cozy fantasy book set in a queernormative regency era world and has a fae x human romance.
This was actually my first book by either author, and it definitely will not be my last as their writing was absolutely amazing!
The world and the magic they created was also really good.
My favourite part of the book, though, was definitely the romance between Roger and Wyn.
It was a slow burn romance, which has always been my favourite.
I really just loved both of them, and they had me smile so much throughout the book.
One thing I have to say is that this book is over 450 pages, and I did feel like it dragged at times, and it probably could have been shorter.
This didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book, but I felt like I should at least mention it.
I've actually already preodered myself a physical copy and can't wait to have it in my hands, and i'm also really excited for more books in this world.
I definitely highly recommend checking out this book!
It's a cozy fantasy book set in a queernormative regency era world and has a fae x human romance.
This was actually my first book by either author, and it definitely will not be my last as their writing was absolutely amazing!
The world and the magic they created was also really good.
My favourite part of the book, though, was definitely the romance between Roger and Wyn.
It was a slow burn romance, which has always been my favourite.
I really just loved both of them, and they had me smile so much throughout the book.
One thing I have to say is that this book is over 450 pages, and I did feel like it dragged at times, and it probably could have been shorter.
This didn't really affect my enjoyment of the book, but I felt like I should at least mention it.
I've actually already preodered myself a physical copy and can't wait to have it in my hands, and i'm also really excited for more books in this world.
I definitely highly recommend checking out this book!
January 10, 2024
This is such a warm, cosy, comforting regency romantasy novel and I absolutely loved it. The queernormative world is beautiful and there is demisexual, demiromantic, gay, lesbian and enby rep - I'm sure there's actually more that I'm forgetting to list. Also there was no silly/manufactured third act conflict, which I appreciated so much!
I don't know what else to say really. This is a great book, do yourself a favour and read it
N.b. I was very kindly sent an early copy, by the authors, for review purposes
I don't know what else to say really. This is a great book, do yourself a favour and read it
N.b. I was very kindly sent an early copy, by the authors, for review purposes
March 26, 2026
3.5/5 ⭐️
Historical romance is so hard for me to read, even when it’s fantasy and queer. The characters were good and the magic was interesting, but I just felt bored for a large amount of the time I spent reading it. And I know it’s because of the writing style. The relationship between the characters was written really well though and was what kept me engaged. I’ll be continuing the series, so hopefully reading more will help me enjoy it better.
Historical romance is so hard for me to read, even when it’s fantasy and queer. The characters were good and the magic was interesting, but I just felt bored for a large amount of the time I spent reading it. And I know it’s because of the writing style. The relationship between the characters was written really well though and was what kept me engaged. I’ll be continuing the series, so hopefully reading more will help me enjoy it better.
July 11, 2025
3.5 stars
April 21, 2025
I’m giving it four stars because I really really loved the first half of the book. I loved their banter and bickering but you could tell how they actually had feelings for one another.
The second half dragged and to be honest the whole rubric planning took away from the romance. They spent all this time together and hardly anything happened. Roger’s reactions to Wyn’s flirting were a little too repetitive.
I do look forward to the next in the series.
The second half dragged and to be honest the whole rubric planning took away from the romance. They spent all this time together and hardly anything happened. Roger’s reactions to Wyn’s flirting were a little too repetitive.
I do look forward to the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2024
Before I get into any kind of review, I have to rant about the absolutely baffling plot holes in this book.
1) The story starts with a classic forced proximity plot, which was fine and reasonable and made sense. Then, for absolutely no reason, the authors decided to introduce a fake engagement plotline around the 20 chapters mark. And why do the characters have to get fake married, you might ask? Well, it's because...the gossip mag said so.
I get that this is the Regency period, and a blatant play on the whole Bridgerton Lady Whistledown thing. I get that reputation is meant to be important. But why do these characters act like this announcement is life altering, and that they have absolutely no choice but to get married for real? The magazine that claims they're engaged is a gossip mag. Gossip mags lie. Why don't they just go "oh yeah, Heat magazine lied about us. We aren't engaged", and save themselves £20,000 and a lifelong legal obligation?
Maybe I would have suspended my disbelief if this society actually followed Regency rules, but this was a queernormative, sex positive world. When the papers report Wyn's latest threesome, everyone goes "haha, classic Wyn" and moves on with their day. Wynn's ex boyfriend briefly gets engaged to someone, then breaks off the engagement, and nobody cares. So why are Wyn and Rodger acting like if they don't see this engagement through until the end, the world will explode?
2) Following on from my previous rant, it made no sense why the authors introduced the concept of chaperoning to this book. Chaperoning existed to try and preserve a bride's virginity before marriage, but as stated before, this is a queernormative, sex positive world. Why do Wyn and Rodger need chaperoning? Why is it okay for Wyn to bed every man in the city, but as soon as he's engaged, he can't even hold a hand without someone supervising? It was clearly just a device to cause some "oh no! We almost kissed but then someone walked in!" moments, and the authors abandoned it halfway through the book anyway.
Okay, ranting over. Now onto the actual review.
I did enjoy parts of this book. The worldbuilding, aside from the flaws already stated, was fun and whimsical, and the magic system was entertaining, even if it was talked about way too much. The audiobook was well narrated, and there was a brief period around the 70% mark where I enjoyed the romance.
Other than that, this book didn't do it for me. It was about 300 pages too long, filled with endless parties and social gatherings where nothing exciting actually happens. Wyn and Rodger have several prolonged conversations about salad, which were not needed, and a scene where they make a salad, which was even more not needed. If the whole plot was streamlined, this book could have easily gained another star.
As for the romance, it fell flat for me. I am a huge fan of enemies to lovers, but the key to making it work is to make the hatred come from both sides. Here, we had Wyn being a bully and Rodger just...taking it and blaming himself for it. It created an uncomfortable power dynamic, and made Wyn unlikeable and Rodger a pushover. Then, when the fake engagement thing happened, there was a complete 180, and Wyn lost every personality trait he ever had. Suddenly, he was nice and accommodating and felt sorry for everything he'd done, and Rodger just...accepted that and moved on. From then on, there was no chemistry or banter between them, and the two of them were barely distinguishable from each other. As for the side characters, none of them were developed either. The only character who was a) consistent b) had a personality and c) entertained me was Wyn's ex, and he was meant to be a villain.
Ultimately, this book was a big disappointment, and could have done with several more rounds of editing. My quest to find a good gay romance book in 2024 continues.
1) The story starts with a classic forced proximity plot, which was fine and reasonable and made sense. Then, for absolutely no reason, the authors decided to introduce a fake engagement plotline around the 20 chapters mark. And why do the characters have to get fake married, you might ask? Well, it's because...the gossip mag said so.
I get that this is the Regency period, and a blatant play on the whole Bridgerton Lady Whistledown thing. I get that reputation is meant to be important. But why do these characters act like this announcement is life altering, and that they have absolutely no choice but to get married for real? The magazine that claims they're engaged is a gossip mag. Gossip mags lie. Why don't they just go "oh yeah, Heat magazine lied about us. We aren't engaged", and save themselves £20,000 and a lifelong legal obligation?
Maybe I would have suspended my disbelief if this society actually followed Regency rules, but this was a queernormative, sex positive world. When the papers report Wyn's latest threesome, everyone goes "haha, classic Wyn" and moves on with their day. Wynn's ex boyfriend briefly gets engaged to someone, then breaks off the engagement, and nobody cares. So why are Wyn and Rodger acting like if they don't see this engagement through until the end, the world will explode?
2) Following on from my previous rant, it made no sense why the authors introduced the concept of chaperoning to this book. Chaperoning existed to try and preserve a bride's virginity before marriage, but as stated before, this is a queernormative, sex positive world. Why do Wyn and Rodger need chaperoning? Why is it okay for Wyn to bed every man in the city, but as soon as he's engaged, he can't even hold a hand without someone supervising? It was clearly just a device to cause some "oh no! We almost kissed but then someone walked in!" moments, and the authors abandoned it halfway through the book anyway.
Okay, ranting over. Now onto the actual review.
I did enjoy parts of this book. The worldbuilding, aside from the flaws already stated, was fun and whimsical, and the magic system was entertaining, even if it was talked about way too much. The audiobook was well narrated, and there was a brief period around the 70% mark where I enjoyed the romance.
Other than that, this book didn't do it for me. It was about 300 pages too long, filled with endless parties and social gatherings where nothing exciting actually happens. Wyn and Rodger have several prolonged conversations about salad, which were not needed, and a scene where they make a salad, which was even more not needed. If the whole plot was streamlined, this book could have easily gained another star.
As for the romance, it fell flat for me. I am a huge fan of enemies to lovers, but the key to making it work is to make the hatred come from both sides. Here, we had Wyn being a bully and Rodger just...taking it and blaming himself for it. It created an uncomfortable power dynamic, and made Wyn unlikeable and Rodger a pushover. Then, when the fake engagement thing happened, there was a complete 180, and Wyn lost every personality trait he ever had. Suddenly, he was nice and accommodating and felt sorry for everything he'd done, and Rodger just...accepted that and moved on. From then on, there was no chemistry or banter between them, and the two of them were barely distinguishable from each other. As for the side characters, none of them were developed either. The only character who was a) consistent b) had a personality and c) entertained me was Wyn's ex, and he was meant to be a villain.
Ultimately, this book was a big disappointment, and could have done with several more rounds of editing. My quest to find a good gay romance book in 2024 continues.
own-haven-t-read
August 9, 2026 🚨 kindle freebie (still active) 08/08/26 🚨
March 3, 2024
“Ink and paper, nothing more, but it held so much power.”
What an absolutely delightful surprise this book was! Bridgerton but make it Fae AND gay?! My dream. I always felt like Bridgerton would benefit from being gayer and having magic, and this book hits both. I absolutely devoured it, could barely put it down, and spent much of my downtime in between reading just sitting and thinking about it. This is exactly my kind of book: enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, stupidly romantic without being cringe, delicious slow burn tensiony bits, really freaking cool magic system, plot that almost entirely surrounds the romantic development, low stakes conflict. Gah. I loved every second of it.
I felt that a lot of this was clear allegory for the increased importance placed on standardized testing in our society, which appealed to me as a teacher. The way magic testing is conducted in this world is so similar to how we box students into categories based on one very limited version of intelligence. The messaging surrounding the value of one’s strengths, whatever they may be, resonated with me.
Character-wise, the writing was so well done. At first, I absolutely hated Wyn. I found him to be unnecessarily judgmental, self-absorbed, and downright mean-spirited; it made it really hard to like him. I do love a character arc though and this was a good one. With time, I came to realize that Wyn lashes out at others because he majorly dislikes himself and is quite lonely. His disdain for others is a mask he hides behind. I loved the dichotomy of Wyn and Roger - how they are true opposites in every way of the word: their appearance, upbringing, magic, and demeanor - yet they still fit so well together. They honestly have Drarry vibes. Watching Wyn in particular blossom (pun intended) through his growing love for Roger was so beautiful. And watching Roger’s confidence grow throughout the book, both professionally and personally, was equally beautiful. I loved these two so much by the end of the book, despite hating Wyn and being irritated by Roger in the beginning.
I’m so glad I purchased this book because I’ll be returning to it time and time again.
What an absolutely delightful surprise this book was! Bridgerton but make it Fae AND gay?! My dream. I always felt like Bridgerton would benefit from being gayer and having magic, and this book hits both. I absolutely devoured it, could barely put it down, and spent much of my downtime in between reading just sitting and thinking about it. This is exactly my kind of book: enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, stupidly romantic without being cringe, delicious slow burn tensiony bits, really freaking cool magic system, plot that almost entirely surrounds the romantic development, low stakes conflict. Gah. I loved every second of it.
I felt that a lot of this was clear allegory for the increased importance placed on standardized testing in our society, which appealed to me as a teacher. The way magic testing is conducted in this world is so similar to how we box students into categories based on one very limited version of intelligence. The messaging surrounding the value of one’s strengths, whatever they may be, resonated with me.
Character-wise, the writing was so well done. At first, I absolutely hated Wyn. I found him to be unnecessarily judgmental, self-absorbed, and downright mean-spirited; it made it really hard to like him. I do love a character arc though and this was a good one. With time, I came to realize that Wyn lashes out at others because he majorly dislikes himself and is quite lonely. His disdain for others is a mask he hides behind. I loved the dichotomy of Wyn and Roger - how they are true opposites in every way of the word: their appearance, upbringing, magic, and demeanor - yet they still fit so well together. They honestly have Drarry vibes. Watching Wyn in particular blossom (pun intended) through his growing love for Roger was so beautiful. And watching Roger’s confidence grow throughout the book, both professionally and personally, was equally beautiful. I loved these two so much by the end of the book, despite hating Wyn and being irritated by Roger in the beginning.
I’m so glad I purchased this book because I’ll be returning to it time and time again.
April 17, 2024
I don't think the enemies-to-lovers aspect was executed very well. The petty rivalry for the first 30% was acutely painful for me to read and seemed very juvenile for two people that are almost/already thirty. The remaining 70% proceeded at a glacial pace, especially since there was no meaningful conflict to speak of.
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