Another World's Stars: An angsty gaslamp royal romantasy

by Kel E. Fox

Dancer and circus performer Tryxan was born with a shard of ice for a heart, never feeling anything but numbing cold and bitter disdain for a cruel world, which presents a crueler live without joy, or risk death for a chance at being able to feel.

Tryxan takes the risk with a lethal stage performance, but instead of dying, they fall into a portal that leads them to a castle in a far-off land… and a prince who longs to dance at the Yuletide Ball, but who is cursed to die by setting foot in a ballroom.

Somehow, the ice is not so cold in the prince's world, and as Tryxan teaches him to dance in the confines of his study, they find themselves feeling things they never have before. But a curse is not so readily thwarted, a shard not easily cast aside, and the pair’s desire cannot survive across worlds unless both are willing to sacrifice body and soul.

A queer romantic fantasy Sleeping Beauty novelette with winter solstices, dancing and stolen kisses.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Romance, Queer

81 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

Kel E Fox is a fantasy author based in Perth, Australia, who loves reading, writing, ballroom dancing and gaming. Kel and their partner live with a cheeky Alaskan Malamute and a pair of diabolical orange cats.

Reviews

[V.ya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, PG-13, genre mashing, sleeping beauty MM retelling

[Sophie Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun, short and to the point. Becaus eit was so short, some things ended up being rather obvious to the reader and made the love interest look a bit stupid, but I was entertained nonetheless.
The tension in the end was kind of destroyed by convenient saxophone.
The romance was very sweet and the characters were likeable. I am a bit curious about some consequences as a result of this, so I might check into the series to see if there is more detail.
I had fun with this!

[Alice Lorentino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so fun and sweet! The premise and the worldbuilding were really intriguing, and I kind of wish it was longer, I feel like there was still more to unpack, especially in terms of the dimension-travel stuff. I would also have liked to have seen even more of Tryx and Casimir together, and learning more about Casimir in general, I feel like there's a lot we still don't know about him and I want to know more about his perspective/mental state, particularly in regards to the Ruptures. (although it sounds like he appears in Book 2, so I might have to check that out.)
I thought Tryx's soulshard was really interesting, and I kind of see it as a metaphor for depression.
Overall, a short, sweet, fun read, perfect for anyone looking for a quick feel-good read with unique worldbuilding!

[Stasia Roze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful short story

Gosh, this book was a delight! I got it on a 'stuff your Kindle day' a short while ago, and I'm so glad I did.

This is an absolutely gorgeous romance. I was completely hooked and compelled by the FMC. The beauty & science of time travel as well. There is such a richness in Fox's writing. Everything she's managed to convey in such a short piece is wonderful.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 this was a surprisingly cute book. for such a short book the plot was enjoyable and the relationship didn't feel entirely insta lovey, the whole dancing was a vibe and fun to binge:)

[Eden Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. So short and yet I was so attached to my characters so quickly. It was such a sweet and yet heart breaking story and the ending made me so happy. Incredible book, loved it.

[Always Forget · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first "gaslamp fantasy" and to be honest I still don't know what that means, and at this point I'm afraid to ask. Oh well! And, this is a Sleeping Beauty retelling.

So, Trystan gets portaled to another world where he meets the cursed Prince Casimir: if the prince ever steps foot on a ballroom floor, he will die. The queens had ordered all the ballrooms in the kingdom destroyed except one, which was used for an annual yuletide ball that Casimir isn't allowed to attend. So Trystan spends a few hours with Casimir, teaches him to dance, and then Casimir portals him back home. At this time, Casimir is, I believe, 17.

A few weeks later, Trystan gets portaled back. It's another yuletide ball - it's been a full year for Casimir. They spend some time together dancing before Casimir sends Trystan back. And so their romance slowly develops.

I enjoyed the story, though it might have been a little too short for everything that had to happen in Casimir's world and in Trystan's.

The romance is closed door.