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Land of the Wildest Skies #1
Princeweaver
Their marriage is to save a warring kingdom. But in the process, it might destroy them both…
Born with forbidden, nature-infused magic in an occupied land, anxious apothecary Meilyr survives by keeping his head down. Until he ends up engaged to invading prince Osian in order to save his brother’s life. Now, he is in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to hide his true self.
When nobles in Osian's court are gruesomely murdered by the same magic that flows through his veins, Meilyr realises someone is seeking revenge for his homeland. As suspicion towards him grows, he and the prince work together to uncover the killer, or risk losing the crown - or their lives.
Between court politics, unwieldy magic and a murderer on the loose, Meilyr must keep his wits about him. Especially as his feelings for Osian grow deeper with every passing day...
Combines the court intrigue and slow-burn yearning of A Taste of Gold and Iron with the folkloric grounding and lore that readers of Naomi Novik and Stephanie Garber will enjoy.
Born with forbidden, nature-infused magic in an occupied land, anxious apothecary Meilyr survives by keeping his head down. Until he ends up engaged to invading prince Osian in order to save his brother’s life. Now, he is in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to hide his true self.
When nobles in Osian's court are gruesomely murdered by the same magic that flows through his veins, Meilyr realises someone is seeking revenge for his homeland. As suspicion towards him grows, he and the prince work together to uncover the killer, or risk losing the crown - or their lives.
Between court politics, unwieldy magic and a murderer on the loose, Meilyr must keep his wits about him. Especially as his feelings for Osian grow deeper with every passing day...
Combines the court intrigue and slow-burn yearning of A Taste of Gold and Iron with the folkloric grounding and lore that readers of Naomi Novik and Stephanie Garber will enjoy.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2026
59 people are currently reading
16133 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5
Oh my god this was beautiful. I'm a mess right now so forgive me if this isn't very eloquent.
This reminds me so much of C. S. Pacat's writing and if you know me you know there's no higher compliment. This story feels timeless, it was so beautiful and emotional, I'm crying a little just thinking of the ending.
I'm not one for cozy fantasy but this is my exception.
We follow a boy who ends up in a situation where he needs to marry a prince. The problem is he has powers he needs to keep hidden, especially from the prince and his family.
I fell in love with the writing and the characters, I wish I could live in this world a little longer and I can't wait for the sequel. Tell me why I keep reading books that I think will be standalones just to be destroyed when it ends with "continues in ..."😭
Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC!
Oh my god this was beautiful. I'm a mess right now so forgive me if this isn't very eloquent.
This reminds me so much of C. S. Pacat's writing and if you know me you know there's no higher compliment. This story feels timeless, it was so beautiful and emotional, I'm crying a little just thinking of the ending.
I'm not one for cozy fantasy but this is my exception.
We follow a boy who ends up in a situation where he needs to marry a prince. The problem is he has powers he needs to keep hidden, especially from the prince and his family.
I fell in love with the writing and the characters, I wish I could live in this world a little longer and I can't wait for the sequel. Tell me why I keep reading books that I think will be standalones just to be destroyed when it ends with "continues in ..."😭
Thank you Netgalley and Canelo for the ARC!
February 22, 2026
Princeweaver is a sweet romantic fantasy story absolutely steeped in Welsh folklore. As a huge fan of the fantasy arranged marriage trope, I was immediately captivated by this story.
The romance was so sweet, both Osian and Meilyr are such loveable characters. The slow-burn romance filled the story with so much tenderness and yearning. I loved the short bursts of chapters from Osian’s perspective, teasing the reader with hints at his secrets and his feelings. Though I adored the characters and the romance, I feel like they both could have used a little more depth. I wanted to see more of them having deep conversations and building their relationship. I suppose there is still potential for that.
The story absolutely consumed me every time I picked it up. The inspiration from Welsh history and folklore made for a rich and interesting world. As expected of a royal arranged marriage trope, there is also a touch of court politics that I loved.
I do feel like the story in general needed a bit more tension and activity. There is very little time on page spent moving the mystery plot forward. I wanted to see Osian and Meilyr take more steps to try and solve the mystery. It got a little repetitive to see them only reacting to things happening around them. The reveal is not particularly surprising, but the ending shocks in different ways.
The ending was unexpected in so many ways and I am on the edge of my seat for the next book in the series.
Thank you Canelo for the eARC
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
The romance was so sweet, both Osian and Meilyr are such loveable characters. The slow-burn romance filled the story with so much tenderness and yearning. I loved the short bursts of chapters from Osian’s perspective, teasing the reader with hints at his secrets and his feelings. Though I adored the characters and the romance, I feel like they both could have used a little more depth. I wanted to see more of them having deep conversations and building their relationship. I suppose there is still potential for that.
The story absolutely consumed me every time I picked it up. The inspiration from Welsh history and folklore made for a rich and interesting world. As expected of a royal arranged marriage trope, there is also a touch of court politics that I loved.
I do feel like the story in general needed a bit more tension and activity. There is very little time on page spent moving the mystery plot forward. I wanted to see Osian and Meilyr take more steps to try and solve the mystery. It got a little repetitive to see them only reacting to things happening around them. The reveal is not particularly surprising, but the ending shocks in different ways.
The ending was unexpected in so many ways and I am on the edge of my seat for the next book in the series.
Thank you Canelo for the eARC
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
May 30, 2025
HOPE YOURE ALL READY TO YEARN
February 25, 2026
I THOUGHT THIS WAS A STANDALONE. fuck my life.
first of all, warning to all my people out there: this is NOT a standalone. i spent the last 10% of this book with utter fear in my heart because i could not believe all the things we were supposed to wrap up in so little time, and it turns out we weren’t wrapping them up at all! whoopsie! learn from my mistakes and emotionally prepare yourselves accordingly, because this was certainly a ride.
the worldbuilding in this was so rich and fascinating — i loved reading about the author’s inspiration from welsh culture, and felt like the setting was very well-developed. i could feel the meilyr’s heartache for his land leaping off the page, just as much as the constant danger and fear he experienced hiding his true self from the khaimlic occupiers. from the very beginning, when he first met the prince, i was thinking to myself that something about it very much reminded me of howl’s moving castle, a bit — i won’t spoil what it was, but just know that i was right! the reveal i was looking for was everything. i loved watching their relationship grow over the course of the story, and i really enjoyed how slow the burn was as the tension built.
speaking of tension, i love a good fantasy murder mystery, and this was no different! i did end up guessing who was responsible, but it took me a while to figure it out, and i was still surprised by that reveal, too. i would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a story with fantasy political intrigue, a slow burn romance, and great worldbuilding!
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
first of all, warning to all my people out there: this is NOT a standalone. i spent the last 10% of this book with utter fear in my heart because i could not believe all the things we were supposed to wrap up in so little time, and it turns out we weren’t wrapping them up at all! whoopsie! learn from my mistakes and emotionally prepare yourselves accordingly, because this was certainly a ride.
the worldbuilding in this was so rich and fascinating — i loved reading about the author’s inspiration from welsh culture, and felt like the setting was very well-developed. i could feel the meilyr’s heartache for his land leaping off the page, just as much as the constant danger and fear he experienced hiding his true self from the khaimlic occupiers. from the very beginning, when he first met the prince, i was thinking to myself that something about it very much reminded me of howl’s moving castle, a bit — i won’t spoil what it was, but just know that i was right! the reveal i was looking for was everything. i loved watching their relationship grow over the course of the story, and i really enjoyed how slow the burn was as the tension built.
speaking of tension, i love a good fantasy murder mystery, and this was no different! i did end up guessing who was responsible, but it took me a while to figure it out, and i was still surprised by that reveal, too. i would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a story with fantasy political intrigue, a slow burn romance, and great worldbuilding!
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Currently Reading
May 3, 2026so behind on my arcs that i actually have the physical copy of this now so thats awkward lol!!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
(14/02/2026)
maybe i went into this with my expectations set too high because this was just disappointing.
the characters were meh–meilyr was the most fleshed out character, but i unfortunately did not find him compelling at all. he was too passive for a story that's supposedly filled with political intrigue, and i just wish he did more snooping around bc that would've at least intrigued me enough to keep reading longer. him being a more passive protagonist could've worked if there were other interesting characters. alas, the others i barely cared for, including osian. what was supposed to be a complex character (prince of a colonizer nation who sympathizes with colonized) ended up as a nothingburger of a love interest. his chemistry with meilyr was nonexistent, and i wasn't a fan of how their relationship developed. in fact, was there even development? exactly. their attraction to each other didn't feel earned. it simply seemed like they fell in love with each other because the story demanded it.
the plot could've been interesting were it not for the lackluster execution. the concept was there, the themes were there—so pray tell, why did it end with meilyr saving colonizer royalty? i don't care if he was in love with osian. that confrontation with demelza was just disappointing. it should've been a conflicting scene. here we have a member of the oppressed nation going up against the colonizer, yet meilyr doesn't hesitate in saving them (for osian!) which is just so . girl whatever. i know that there's going to be a second book, but i doubt i'll be reading it.
the worldbuilding was fine (nothing special, imo), the prose was not to my taste, and it irked me to no end how PRINCE osian kept being referred to as majesty rather than highness. same goes for the other characters that were addressed incorrectly.
maybe i went into this with my expectations set too high because this was just disappointing.
the characters were meh–meilyr was the most fleshed out character, but i unfortunately did not find him compelling at all. he was too passive for a story that's supposedly filled with political intrigue, and i just wish he did more snooping around bc that would've at least intrigued me enough to keep reading longer. him being a more passive protagonist could've worked if there were other interesting characters. alas, the others i barely cared for, including osian. what was supposed to be a complex character (prince of a colonizer nation who sympathizes with colonized) ended up as a nothingburger of a love interest. his chemistry with meilyr was nonexistent, and i wasn't a fan of how their relationship developed. in fact, was there even development? exactly. their attraction to each other didn't feel earned. it simply seemed like they fell in love with each other because the story demanded it.
the plot could've been interesting were it not for the lackluster execution. the concept was there, the themes were there—so pray tell, why did it end with meilyr saving colonizer royalty? i don't care if he was in love with osian. that confrontation with demelza was just disappointing. it should've been a conflicting scene. here we have a member of the oppressed nation going up against the colonizer, yet meilyr doesn't hesitate in saving them (for osian!) which is just so . girl whatever. i know that there's going to be a second book, but i doubt i'll be reading it.
the worldbuilding was fine (nothing special, imo), the prose was not to my taste, and it irked me to no end how PRINCE osian kept being referred to as majesty rather than highness. same goes for the other characters that were addressed incorrectly.
May 4, 2026
Ah, this is such a pity. I thought it would be 5 star read at the beginning. The potential was all there: beautiful prose, slow burn romance, the MC thrown into the court life and politics, intriguing mystery. But the prose became overdone (think all the angsty love songs you know put together), the set up dissolved as the MC was too passive to do anything and the mystery was fine but the pace of it clashed with the slow romance so the MC spent too much time pining and not enough time solving. But where the book lost me completely - we don’t fall in love with our oppressors in 2026 for any reason and we certainly don’t save them. Gah!
Also, would have never thought it’s possible to have too much consent but Princeweaver managed this.
I received an ARC through Netgalley and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
Also, would have never thought it’s possible to have too much consent but Princeweaver managed this.
I received an ARC through Netgalley and I’m leaving a voluntary review.
April 6, 2026
A huge thanks to NetGalley, Canelo publishing and Elian J Morgan for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. So here we go:
There is something extra nerve-wracking about reviewing a book you’ve been excited about for so long, especially when you’ve met the author and know how much love went into the story. So I’m just going to say it as gently and honestly as I can: Princeweaver and I… sadly weren’t a match. And I think the hardest part is that I can see the vision so clearly!!
This is a story built on political intrigue, a slow-burn arranged marriage, and a world steeped in Welsh-inspired mythology. On paper? Completely my thing. In execution, I think it was a case of the right book meeting me at the wrong time, because I really struggled to fully sink into it…
The pacing was the biggest hurdle for me. This is very much a slow story. By the time I hit the 50% mark, I still felt a bit adrift, like I was still waiting for the story to show me where we’re going. At the same time, the arranged marriage setup happened so quickly that it gave me a bit of whiplash. Meilyr is thrown into a life-or-death situation after his brother unalives a royal guard in self-defense, he offers himself to save his brother, and then almost immediately Prince Osian decides to marry him instead of hanging him. I would have loved to see that shift simmer a little longer. Like a shift from fear to a distrustful alliance to the slow burn romance.
What follows is a lot of court politics and a very gentle, very sloth burn romance 🦥. And while I can absolutely appreciate a good yearning moment, I found myself missing a stronger emotional anchor to really connect with the characters. By the time bigger twists started appearing around the 75% mark, which I did genuinely enjoy, I realised I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be, so their impact didn’t land as strongly for me.
The world itself is rich and clearly inspired by Welsh mythology, which is something I really wanted to love. But as someone who isn’t familiar with those myths, I sometimes felt like I was playing catch-up, as if there was context just out of reach. I think a bit more guidance or grounding would have helped me feel more immersed. Also, I am fully convinced I mispronounced every single name in my head, and I apologise in advance to everyone involved. On the flip side, I did catch some Dutch influences in the names, which was such a fun little detail and made me smile.
All that said, I do want to highlight that the writing itself has a soft, almost lyrical quality to it, and the final twists definitely added an interesting layer going into the sequel. While I personally don’t see myself continuing the series anytime soon, I am curious about where the story goes next.
For me, this ultimately came down to timing, pacing, and connection. It’s one of those books where I completely understand why others are loving it, even if it didn’t fully click for me. I think readers who enjoy very slow-burn romance, prefer character-driven stories over fast-paced plots, and love getting lost in political court intrigue with a strong folklore influence will have a much better experience with this. If you don’t mind taking your time and letting a story unfold gradually, this could absolutely be your kind of book 😉
There is something extra nerve-wracking about reviewing a book you’ve been excited about for so long, especially when you’ve met the author and know how much love went into the story. So I’m just going to say it as gently and honestly as I can: Princeweaver and I… sadly weren’t a match. And I think the hardest part is that I can see the vision so clearly!!
This is a story built on political intrigue, a slow-burn arranged marriage, and a world steeped in Welsh-inspired mythology. On paper? Completely my thing. In execution, I think it was a case of the right book meeting me at the wrong time, because I really struggled to fully sink into it…
The pacing was the biggest hurdle for me. This is very much a slow story. By the time I hit the 50% mark, I still felt a bit adrift, like I was still waiting for the story to show me where we’re going. At the same time, the arranged marriage setup happened so quickly that it gave me a bit of whiplash. Meilyr is thrown into a life-or-death situation after his brother unalives a royal guard in self-defense, he offers himself to save his brother, and then almost immediately Prince Osian decides to marry him instead of hanging him. I would have loved to see that shift simmer a little longer. Like a shift from fear to a distrustful alliance to the slow burn romance.
What follows is a lot of court politics and a very gentle, very sloth burn romance 🦥. And while I can absolutely appreciate a good yearning moment, I found myself missing a stronger emotional anchor to really connect with the characters. By the time bigger twists started appearing around the 75% mark, which I did genuinely enjoy, I realised I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be, so their impact didn’t land as strongly for me.
The world itself is rich and clearly inspired by Welsh mythology, which is something I really wanted to love. But as someone who isn’t familiar with those myths, I sometimes felt like I was playing catch-up, as if there was context just out of reach. I think a bit more guidance or grounding would have helped me feel more immersed. Also, I am fully convinced I mispronounced every single name in my head, and I apologise in advance to everyone involved. On the flip side, I did catch some Dutch influences in the names, which was such a fun little detail and made me smile.
All that said, I do want to highlight that the writing itself has a soft, almost lyrical quality to it, and the final twists definitely added an interesting layer going into the sequel. While I personally don’t see myself continuing the series anytime soon, I am curious about where the story goes next.
For me, this ultimately came down to timing, pacing, and connection. It’s one of those books where I completely understand why others are loving it, even if it didn’t fully click for me. I think readers who enjoy very slow-burn romance, prefer character-driven stories over fast-paced plots, and love getting lost in political court intrigue with a strong folklore influence will have a much better experience with this. If you don’t mind taking your time and letting a story unfold gradually, this could absolutely be your kind of book 😉
April 22, 2026
I was privileged to read an early version. Then finally the finished product which was even better! Wow! This is a real page-turner. Forbidden magic, mysterious murders, all set in a fantasy version of Wales with some brilliant Welsh history and folklore included. A true 'slow-burn' romance but not a slow plot, although thankfully the author does give us time for some of those little quieter moments when the characters can relax for a few minutes and develop in other ways. This is not only about magic and romance, but also about conflict, a people subdued, resistance and defiance. I can always tell a good book when I am thinking about the characters and the world when I am not reading it, and this really had me hooked. I hear some really exciting things about the next two books, really looking forward to the whole thing!
Glad it is a trilogy as that gives me a great excuse to read it again when the next one comes out, and already looking forward to being 'in the world' again.
Glad it is a trilogy as that gives me a great excuse to read it again when the next one comes out, and already looking forward to being 'in the world' again.
April 26, 2026
I picked this book up because I'd seen the cover around and I've always enjoyed arranged marriage romances. In Princeweaver, Meilyr lives in hiding in occupied fantasy Wales due his ability to wield forbidden magic. When a chance encounter leaves his brother accused of a dangerous crime, he's swept up in a plot to marry the prince—but his position may offer less protection than he hoped, since someone is using illegal magic to kill high-ranking nobles.
The queer political romance is ground that's already been well-tread by excellent books like Winter's Orbit and A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, and this is a solid entry in the genre, if not quite to my taste. Meilyr is shy, highly strung, and prone to panic attacks. The slow-burn romance consists mostly of kind and steady Prince Osian calming him while they both pine sadly (because they're supposed to get divorced after Osian's political position is stabilized). The pretext for the political marriage is more conveniently plot-induced than anything else, too: Osian effectively stumbles on Meilyr on the street and impulsively asks Meilyr to be the spouse of his scheme. Meanwhile, the series of magical murders sets up a clear mystery/intrigue plot, but the two do little in the way of actual investigating. Mostly Meilyr just publicly protests that he didn't do it, despite his ethnic background. The focus is firmly on the romance, with most of the plot consisting of Osian and Meilyr lying on opposite sides of the bed and wrestling with their complex emotions.
Princeweaver came close to being the exact sort of plot I like best, but veered just shy of my preferences. But I know lots of people will enjoy the focus on the sweet and shy romance in a fantasy setting—I just personally like it when the romance protagonists are both insane and spend copious amounts of time investigating the central murder. Cute and solidly written but not quite right for me.
The queer political romance is ground that's already been well-tread by excellent books like Winter's Orbit and A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, and this is a solid entry in the genre, if not quite to my taste. Meilyr is shy, highly strung, and prone to panic attacks. The slow-burn romance consists mostly of kind and steady Prince Osian calming him while they both pine sadly (because they're supposed to get divorced after Osian's political position is stabilized). The pretext for the political marriage is more conveniently plot-induced than anything else, too: Osian effectively stumbles on Meilyr on the street and impulsively asks Meilyr to be the spouse of his scheme. Meanwhile, the series of magical murders sets up a clear mystery/intrigue plot, but the two do little in the way of actual investigating. Mostly Meilyr just publicly protests that he didn't do it, despite his ethnic background. The focus is firmly on the romance, with most of the plot consisting of Osian and Meilyr lying on opposite sides of the bed and wrestling with their complex emotions.
Princeweaver came close to being the exact sort of plot I like best, but veered just shy of my preferences. But I know lots of people will enjoy the focus on the sweet and shy romance in a fantasy setting—I just personally like it when the romance protagonists are both insane and spend copious amounts of time investigating the central murder. Cute and solidly written but not quite right for me.
March 5, 2026
i rated this 3.5 stars but rounded up because of my enjoyment and it being an arc.
wow this was a delight.
likes:
osian was such a cutie! i really enjoyed him as a character and how he interacted with meilyr, it was so wholesome. pedr was also another favourite character and found them to be super interesting. the slow burn was muchly appreciated too! this truly did a slow burn right and i very rarely get angsty waiting for something to happen but it was filled with so much yearning! the magic was also really interesting and loved the botanical horror side to it. the murder mystery was a nice plot too and didn’t think i’d be as invested as i was alongside a romance but it worked!
dislikes:
pacing and writing sometimes had me confused, jumping between the two main characters sometimes had me lost with who’s thoughts we were in. i wish we could’ve seen a bit more of meilyr interact with his brother a more since he was very crucial to the plot but quickly became a character i would forget about.
i was surprised to find out this was the first book in a series so i’ll definitely be checking out the next one!
thank you netgalley for sending me an arc.
wow this was a delight.
likes:
osian was such a cutie! i really enjoyed him as a character and how he interacted with meilyr, it was so wholesome. pedr was also another favourite character and found them to be super interesting. the slow burn was muchly appreciated too! this truly did a slow burn right and i very rarely get angsty waiting for something to happen but it was filled with so much yearning! the magic was also really interesting and loved the botanical horror side to it. the murder mystery was a nice plot too and didn’t think i’d be as invested as i was alongside a romance but it worked!
dislikes:
pacing and writing sometimes had me confused, jumping between the two main characters sometimes had me lost with who’s thoughts we were in. i wish we could’ve seen a bit more of meilyr interact with his brother a more since he was very crucial to the plot but quickly became a character i would forget about.
i was surprised to find out this was the first book in a series so i’ll definitely be checking out the next one!
thank you netgalley for sending me an arc.
Want to Read
November 22, 2025I'M SO DARN EXCITED TO READ THIS BOOK
April 30, 2026
So, nothing much happened in this book at all? From the very beginning - after the protagonist, Meilyr, and the prince literally marrying each other on like page 15 - side characters would come up to Meilyr and involve him in pointless conversations. And the actual beginning? How in the world? Who told the author that that was a good idea to base an entire book on?
The prince visits a city that has been rampaged by his ancestors, the magic inherent in the people of that city has been wiped out genocide-style. The prince now rules over this city and any opinion uttered against him or his occupation of the city, or his ancestors is more than frowned upon. The prince stumbles upon a quarrel turned fatal accident between Meilyr's brother and a royal knight of the prince's. After that Meilyr's brother is, naturally, already being taken away to be executed for this crime. No matter that the murder was actually an accident. Justice system? Never heard of her. The protagonist, knowing the fate of his brother, throws himself on his knees in front of the prince and offers his life instead. So what could happen next? Does the prince ask what really went down here? Does he try to mitigate the situation? Does he maybe decide to pardon the brother because he actually listened to him explain that it was in fact an accident? Does the prince do literally anything that would make sense in this situation?
No. He basically kidnapps the protagonist, rides away with him and then MARRIES HIM! He doesn't explain anything to the protagonist, and the protagonist doesn't seem to question it much? I kept reading, expecting an explanation to present itself any moment now. And an explanation for the prince's behaviour never came (or so it seemed!!! Spoiler at the end of the review).
By page 328 there was a conversation between Osian and Meilyr and I thought that we'd finally get some answers - for example that the prince dreamt of Meilyr, or that he had a vision of his future and knew that he'd need Meilyr's help, or childhood friends, anything - but no! Nothing. The prince didn't even say that he married Meilyr simply because he liked the way Meilyr looked.
No. Explanation. What a fucking stupid thing. How do you expect me to believe in this master plan of the prince? There is nothing constituting as a plan!
This book was, at points, poorly written, which made the protagonist seem extremely naive.
For example, two nobles were murdered before the half way point of the book. The prince made a suggestion to find out anything that connects victim number one and victim number two. You know, as you do.
And the protagonist thought to himself "it was a very good point Meilyr had not considered." Not it was not? It's only the only possible thing to do right now. That's not a good point, thats common sense.
Moreover, it felt like 80% of the book consisted of "I'm sorry" from both Meilyr and Osian, the prince. Or "Are you alright?" to which Meilyr would say, without fail, "I'm fine". It got tedious very quickly.
Spoiler ahead :)
So, remember me ranting about the lack of a reason as to why the prince married a stranger? Well. On the literal last page of the book, the author revealed that Osian and Meilyr actually met before, only Meilyr doesn't remember. They met as children. And kid Osian saved kid Meilyr. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW BEFORE THE LITERAL END OF THE BOOK! Now I'm just pissed off that i spent the entirety of the book ranting about the stupidity of it all, the lack of common sense in the prince.
Would it really have been so bad if the author had given the reader a few POV chapters of the prince, in which the encounter of the two of them had been mentioned. So that at least the reader would have known what was going on? I don't think so. I think that would have been perfect actually.
And also that ending?? Meilyr? Excuse the actual fuck out of me?
The prince visits a city that has been rampaged by his ancestors, the magic inherent in the people of that city has been wiped out genocide-style. The prince now rules over this city and any opinion uttered against him or his occupation of the city, or his ancestors is more than frowned upon. The prince stumbles upon a quarrel turned fatal accident between Meilyr's brother and a royal knight of the prince's. After that Meilyr's brother is, naturally, already being taken away to be executed for this crime. No matter that the murder was actually an accident. Justice system? Never heard of her. The protagonist, knowing the fate of his brother, throws himself on his knees in front of the prince and offers his life instead. So what could happen next? Does the prince ask what really went down here? Does he try to mitigate the situation? Does he maybe decide to pardon the brother because he actually listened to him explain that it was in fact an accident? Does the prince do literally anything that would make sense in this situation?
No. He basically kidnapps the protagonist, rides away with him and then MARRIES HIM! He doesn't explain anything to the protagonist, and the protagonist doesn't seem to question it much? I kept reading, expecting an explanation to present itself any moment now. And an explanation for the prince's behaviour never came (or so it seemed!!! Spoiler at the end of the review).
By page 328 there was a conversation between Osian and Meilyr and I thought that we'd finally get some answers - for example that the prince dreamt of Meilyr, or that he had a vision of his future and knew that he'd need Meilyr's help, or childhood friends, anything - but no! Nothing. The prince didn't even say that he married Meilyr simply because he liked the way Meilyr looked.
No. Explanation. What a fucking stupid thing. How do you expect me to believe in this master plan of the prince? There is nothing constituting as a plan!
This book was, at points, poorly written, which made the protagonist seem extremely naive.
For example, two nobles were murdered before the half way point of the book. The prince made a suggestion to find out anything that connects victim number one and victim number two. You know, as you do.
And the protagonist thought to himself "it was a very good point Meilyr had not considered." Not it was not? It's only the only possible thing to do right now. That's not a good point, thats common sense.
Moreover, it felt like 80% of the book consisted of "I'm sorry" from both Meilyr and Osian, the prince. Or "Are you alright?" to which Meilyr would say, without fail, "I'm fine". It got tedious very quickly.
Spoiler ahead :)
So, remember me ranting about the lack of a reason as to why the prince married a stranger? Well. On the literal last page of the book, the author revealed that Osian and Meilyr actually met before, only Meilyr doesn't remember. They met as children. And kid Osian saved kid Meilyr. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW BEFORE THE LITERAL END OF THE BOOK! Now I'm just pissed off that i spent the entirety of the book ranting about the stupidity of it all, the lack of common sense in the prince.
Would it really have been so bad if the author had given the reader a few POV chapters of the prince, in which the encounter of the two of them had been mentioned. So that at least the reader would have known what was going on? I don't think so. I think that would have been perfect actually.
And also that ending?? Meilyr? Excuse the actual fuck out of me?
April 23, 2026
I don't usually choose to start a book for its beautiful cover, except in this case I really did !
Princeweaver is a fantasy story with a fake marriage trope, so very much my cup of tea, and maybe because expectations were a bit high I wish I had enjoyed it more.
The worldbuilding and Welsh mythology parts are interesting, and what is left unsaid during the first part was intriguing enough to keep me reading. There's a lot of court politics in this, but quite straightforward and predictable. And I think that was my main issue with this book, there were no big plot twists that I didn't see coming (not even the supposed ones at the end surprised me).
The slow burn romance part was ok, there is quite a bit of yearning on both sides, and I liked how their relationship developed. But character wise I found Meylir a bit too passive and accommodating. And we only get a few glimpses from Osian's POV so it's hard to truly connect with his character.
I hadn't completely read the blurb for this book before starting it so I hadn't realised this was the start of a trilogy. And this ends in (sort of) a major cliffhanger so I'm curious to see how the author will resolve it in the next volume
Princeweaver is a fantasy story with a fake marriage trope, so very much my cup of tea, and maybe because expectations were a bit high I wish I had enjoyed it more.
The worldbuilding and Welsh mythology parts are interesting, and what is left unsaid during the first part was intriguing enough to keep me reading. There's a lot of court politics in this, but quite straightforward and predictable. And I think that was my main issue with this book, there were no big plot twists that I didn't see coming (not even the supposed ones at the end surprised me).
The slow burn romance part was ok, there is quite a bit of yearning on both sides, and I liked how their relationship developed. But character wise I found Meylir a bit too passive and accommodating. And we only get a few glimpses from Osian's POV so it's hard to truly connect with his character.
I hadn't completely read the blurb for this book before starting it so I hadn't realised this was the start of a trilogy. And this ends in (sort of) a major cliffhanger so I'm curious to see how the author will resolve it in the next volume
May 2, 2026
I really wanted to love this, I had high hopes, but it didn't really work for me, sadly - 2.5 stars.
I wasn't keen on how contrived the situation was that lead to the marriage between the two main characters, Meilyr and Osian. It felt ridiculously unrealistic to me, but I was prepared to overlook it (and the whiplash of how quickly it happens).
There were definitely good parts to Princeweaver. The main characters were likeable, and the moral conflicts they had really made sense - Osian is the prince of a kingdom that occupied Meilyr's kingdom. What really let me down was that the characters barely talk to each other. Is it too much to ask to let the characters talk and interact enough for it to be believable that they are falling in love? There was definitely a lot of great yearning, but...why?
There's a lot of emphasis on consent, and I wouldn't have thought beforehand that you can seek too much consent, but OMG!!!! A character was consenting in three different ways, and still more consent was required! It was so frustrating and repetitive.
The mystery aspect of the story also had good parts, but I found it a little implausible that no one managed to find any clues at any point (or did I miss them?!), and the investigations were so useless.
I switched to audiobook every once in a while, to help with the pronunciation, and the narrator is great, really liked him.
Overall, I did really like the ideas and characters, but it didn't land for me.
I wasn't keen on how contrived the situation was that lead to the marriage between the two main characters, Meilyr and Osian. It felt ridiculously unrealistic to me, but I was prepared to overlook it (and the whiplash of how quickly it happens).
There were definitely good parts to Princeweaver. The main characters were likeable, and the moral conflicts they had really made sense - Osian is the prince of a kingdom that occupied Meilyr's kingdom. What really let me down was that the characters barely talk to each other. Is it too much to ask to let the characters talk and interact enough for it to be believable that they are falling in love? There was definitely a lot of great yearning, but...why?
There's a lot of emphasis on consent, and I wouldn't have thought beforehand that you can seek too much consent, but OMG!!!! A character was consenting in three different ways, and still more consent was required! It was so frustrating and repetitive.
The mystery aspect of the story also had good parts, but I found it a little implausible that no one managed to find any clues at any point (or did I miss them?!), and the investigations were so useless.
I switched to audiobook every once in a while, to help with the pronunciation, and the narrator is great, really liked him.
Overall, I did really like the ideas and characters, but it didn't land for me.
February 1, 2026
4.5 stars
Yays:
- Unique magic system
- Queer normative world
- Good slow burn - the tension!! The yearning!!
- For real tho these two boys are professional yearners
- Commentary on the direct consequences of colonialism done well
- Osian? Good cinnamon roll
- Just the way the author wrote emotions was just beautiful
Nays:
- Still can’t get over Osian’s first gut reaction to saving Osian and his brother is to marry him??? I mean, it was hinted towards the end that there was a reasoning but it was not really revealed so I’m still meh about that
Overall, I need the second book now. Like now.
Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC!
December 3, 2025
Have just finished this book, and wow am I ready for the next part.
The slow burn is real, stick with it! The characters are strong, the yearning is stronger!
I loved the two main boys, but the side characters are entertaining and I loved them so much I want them to have their own books.
All in all a great, romantic fantasy with magic murder mystery style plots that kept me reading!
The slow burn is real, stick with it! The characters are strong, the yearning is stronger!
I loved the two main boys, but the side characters are entertaining and I loved them so much I want them to have their own books.
All in all a great, romantic fantasy with magic murder mystery style plots that kept me reading!
April 30, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. If you are in need of a slowburn fantasy filled with yearning, this one is for you!
Fake marriage is one of my favorite tropes, because it also includes some forced proximity, which leads to such exquisite, tension-filled moments. Osian and Meilyr come up with a system so they can do boundary check ins even when they are in public that is just so swoony. As much as I love a moment where fake lovers “have” to stage intimacy in front of people, it makes it EVEN better when they have a way to ask! And since we switched between their POVs, we got to see how down bad each of them was, while both not wanting to ruin their tentative truce by admitting to feelings. So angsty, and so delicious.
I’ve been really loving fantasy books that don’t include wars or deadly challenges, and this one had that while still having high stakes! The author had a lot to say about colonialism with the way she portrayed Meilyr’s magic being illegal, which added some great depth to a common fantasy trope. The murder mystery aspect was so interesting - I had a whole list of suspects that kept changing from chapter to chapter!
Highly recommend this one for when you’re ready to take your time with a slower paced plot & romance, with lots of tension, that will keep you guessing!
Fake marriage is one of my favorite tropes, because it also includes some forced proximity, which leads to such exquisite, tension-filled moments. Osian and Meilyr come up with a system so they can do boundary check ins even when they are in public that is just so swoony. As much as I love a moment where fake lovers “have” to stage intimacy in front of people, it makes it EVEN better when they have a way to ask! And since we switched between their POVs, we got to see how down bad each of them was, while both not wanting to ruin their tentative truce by admitting to feelings. So angsty, and so delicious.
I’ve been really loving fantasy books that don’t include wars or deadly challenges, and this one had that while still having high stakes! The author had a lot to say about colonialism with the way she portrayed Meilyr’s magic being illegal, which added some great depth to a common fantasy trope. The murder mystery aspect was so interesting - I had a whole list of suspects that kept changing from chapter to chapter!
Highly recommend this one for when you’re ready to take your time with a slower paced plot & romance, with lots of tension, that will keep you guessing!
May 9, 2026
It is four in the morning, I just finished Princeweaver- or more accurately it finished me.
My ears are ringing and my head is spinning, Elian J Morgan, I am so unwell right now. Please let me read the draft manuscript for book two I am genuinely sick to my stomach please please please this is so evil
My ears are ringing and my head is spinning, Elian J Morgan, I am so unwell right now. Please let me read the draft manuscript for book two I am genuinely sick to my stomach please please please this is so evil
February 15, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
This one is for the lovers of political/court intrigue - just like myself!
The worldbuilding is very complex; and it’s very much the case of we learn as we go. There’s magic; history and court politics and they all slowly start to click together; creating the very puzzle that makes this book so original. I absolutely love how queer this world is; a complete acceptance of gender and sexual diversity.
The characters are fleshed out; and the romance was full of yearning! Besides our main characters, I truly didn’t know who to trust but was intrigued by them all.
The plot was at times hard to follow, I think mostly because of the writing style (which can definitely be more of a me-problem!). That being said, the plot was unique, aided by a very unique world and magic system. There were plot twists I didn’t see coming and scenes that left me at the edge of my seat.
The ending wasn’t at all what I was expecting and left me really intrigued to continue this series !
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the chance to read this ARC.
This one is for the lovers of political/court intrigue - just like myself!
The worldbuilding is very complex; and it’s very much the case of we learn as we go. There’s magic; history and court politics and they all slowly start to click together; creating the very puzzle that makes this book so original. I absolutely love how queer this world is; a complete acceptance of gender and sexual diversity.
The characters are fleshed out; and the romance was full of yearning! Besides our main characters, I truly didn’t know who to trust but was intrigued by them all.
The plot was at times hard to follow, I think mostly because of the writing style (which can definitely be more of a me-problem!). That being said, the plot was unique, aided by a very unique world and magic system. There were plot twists I didn’t see coming and scenes that left me at the edge of my seat.
The ending wasn’t at all what I was expecting and left me really intrigued to continue this series !
Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the chance to read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a tale! I had a great time with this book.
Firstly, I enjoyed the world built in this novel. It was a really interesting spin on Welsh history and the dynamic between the two nations was well realised. It felt really lived through with powerful and deep mythology and history. I also love how queer normative the world is. People of all genders and sexual orientations are threaten as status quo, and it was really beautiful and refreshing to witness. If only real life was like this.
The initial set up of the marriage of convenience did seem a little bit far fetched but the book made it work. The relationship was rather slow burn, with a great degree of ramp up in their dynamic. Meilyr is an interesting protagonist, much more of a quiet observer, which felt like a nice change. I wish we had Osian’s perspective more often but what we did get was delicious. The relationship was full of yearning and I was really invested into their love story.
The murder mystery part of the book was probably the bit I was least interested in, but it still build tension pretty well.
The fact this was a series was a bit of a jumpscare but I’m pretty excited to pick up the sequel whenever that comes out.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Firstly, I enjoyed the world built in this novel. It was a really interesting spin on Welsh history and the dynamic between the two nations was well realised. It felt really lived through with powerful and deep mythology and history. I also love how queer normative the world is. People of all genders and sexual orientations are threaten as status quo, and it was really beautiful and refreshing to witness. If only real life was like this.
The initial set up of the marriage of convenience did seem a little bit far fetched but the book made it work. The relationship was rather slow burn, with a great degree of ramp up in their dynamic. Meilyr is an interesting protagonist, much more of a quiet observer, which felt like a nice change. I wish we had Osian’s perspective more often but what we did get was delicious. The relationship was full of yearning and I was really invested into their love story.
The murder mystery part of the book was probably the bit I was least interested in, but it still build tension pretty well.
The fact this was a series was a bit of a jumpscare but I’m pretty excited to pick up the sequel whenever that comes out.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
We love Welsh mythology in this house (I say for once reading in a hotel? Yeah, okay). When the sale came up on Instagram as BBC Merlin vibes, you know I was THERE
I had a fab time with this one. I'm now pitching it to my friends as Hazelthorn meets The Wicked Lies Of Habren Faire because yes please. To be honest I didn't get Merlin vibes other than the fanficy commoner/prince set up - I appreciated us jumping straight into fake marriage but also something was off the entire time and I can't put my finger on it.
I was not expecting a botanical horror element to this but love, love, love that for Priveweaver. I loved an early doors bwbach mention and then the weaving (yes I think I'm funny) in of myths. The language elements were interesting, I would have loved to lean more into that to be honest as a lot of page time ended up being the main characters apologising for fancying each other.
I have one gripe with this and it's the pov switches. We are in Meilyr's head (3rd person) and suddenly we are everywhere at 60%? Also I would have liked more clarity on the magic because convinent stuff kept happening which didn't quite gel for me. I did like his plant powers X empath skills.
If you are looking for a queer, fantasy reimagining of the English conquest of Wales this might be for you - especially if you have an interest in the myths already because this has many easter eggs for you
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
I had a fab time with this one. I'm now pitching it to my friends as Hazelthorn meets The Wicked Lies Of Habren Faire because yes please. To be honest I didn't get Merlin vibes other than the fanficy commoner/prince set up - I appreciated us jumping straight into fake marriage but also something was off the entire time and I can't put my finger on it.
I was not expecting a botanical horror element to this but love, love, love that for Priveweaver. I loved an early doors bwbach mention and then the weaving (yes I think I'm funny) in of myths. The language elements were interesting, I would have loved to lean more into that to be honest as a lot of page time ended up being the main characters apologising for fancying each other.
I have one gripe with this and it's the pov switches. We are in Meilyr's head (3rd person) and suddenly we are everywhere at 60%? Also I would have liked more clarity on the magic because convinent stuff kept happening which didn't quite gel for me. I did like his plant powers X empath skills.
If you are looking for a queer, fantasy reimagining of the English conquest of Wales this might be for you - especially if you have an interest in the myths already because this has many easter eggs for you
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC
April 25, 2026
This is hands down, one of the best fantasy romances I’ve read in a long time.
Beautifully written, unrequited, romantic perfection. This book felt like it was written for my brain.
Two gentle brave MCs, with secrets and heavy political burdens, find themselves committed to a false marriage. The forced proximity and tension makes for an epic slow burn.
The longing. The mutual pining. The fierce protectiveness. This is the what I’m always looking for in this genre.
Blissfully, it’s equally balanced with a beautiful welsh inspired mythology and Arthurian level magic and intrigue.
These two are valiantly trying to save each other while they fight on opposite sides of an ancient blood feud. Someone is stirring up old deadly magic and pointing the blame at our Hero. Every time you think you’ve figured out who the bad guy is, the next page brings something new.
I loved the botanical magic and brutal folklore. It raised the stakes and I felt palpable anxiety in multiple chapters. That ending might kill me. I immediately ran to the authors insta to find hints about book 2.
Beautifully written, unrequited, romantic perfection. This book felt like it was written for my brain.
Two gentle brave MCs, with secrets and heavy political burdens, find themselves committed to a false marriage. The forced proximity and tension makes for an epic slow burn.
The longing. The mutual pining. The fierce protectiveness. This is the what I’m always looking for in this genre.
Blissfully, it’s equally balanced with a beautiful welsh inspired mythology and Arthurian level magic and intrigue.
These two are valiantly trying to save each other while they fight on opposite sides of an ancient blood feud. Someone is stirring up old deadly magic and pointing the blame at our Hero. Every time you think you’ve figured out who the bad guy is, the next page brings something new.
I loved the botanical magic and brutal folklore. It raised the stakes and I felt palpable anxiety in multiple chapters. That ending might kill me. I immediately ran to the authors insta to find hints about book 2.
April 28, 2026
Honestly, this was such a bummer for me, but I see enough five star reviews to know this is more of a me problem than a book problem. This book is just so. freaking. slow. I was well over a hundred pages into it and I just felt like nothing was happening. Which was shocking because the marriage of convenience happened so quickly. But the characters felt extremely underdeveloped, and I was just not connected to them and their motives at all. The concept of the world was incredible, and I'm very sad I couldn't get invested.
Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 11, 2026
um OWWWWWW WHAT
Read
April 22, 2026A soft DNF for me, I just couldn't get on with the main characters.
dnf-2026
May 1, 2026Unfortunately I coudknt connect to this.
I stopped at about 50%
Not sure if the point of this was to read like a slice of life and if it was then it's definitely not for me
I stopped at about 50%
Not sure if the point of this was to read like a slice of life and if it was then it's definitely not for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2026
I will be in mourning until book 2 comes out
May 4, 2026
I am UNWELL
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT ENDS LIKE THAT?
this book took my by the throat and dragged me through its pages. I couldn’t put it down. I was dreaming about the book, thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it. It’s taken over my life and I cannot be more happier.
Osian is the well put together prince who doesn’t show a lot of emotion and Meilyr is the opposite. He shows what he feels, is a little anxious mess (understandable there are murders going on after all) but combining both Osian and Meilyr as love
Interests is the best trope out there.
And the yearning. The YEARNING! (Imagine me melting into the floor right now)
The yearning is on point! It’s perfect! It’s slow burn (😍) the tension that builds between the two characters
“I have been looking for you”
I about died. I read this book died and came back to life to tell you about it bc OH MY GOWD ITS BRILLIANT. The YEARNING. The TENSION! A marriage of convenience ! And on top of that the murders happening using the very hidden magic Meliyr has.
I did predict who the murder was but it was one line early on they made me suspicious and I remember thinking if I’m right this is so damn clever of Morgan and I was! Never have I been so happy.
Only for Morgan to crush my heart at the last moment. (Rude)
This is the perfect and possibly the best romantasy I’ve ever read and it has now become my personality. Everyone should go and read it and fall down this hole with me
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT ENDS LIKE THAT?
this book took my by the throat and dragged me through its pages. I couldn’t put it down. I was dreaming about the book, thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it. It’s taken over my life and I cannot be more happier.
Osian is the well put together prince who doesn’t show a lot of emotion and Meilyr is the opposite. He shows what he feels, is a little anxious mess (understandable there are murders going on after all) but combining both Osian and Meilyr as love
Interests is the best trope out there.
And the yearning. The YEARNING! (Imagine me melting into the floor right now)
The yearning is on point! It’s perfect! It’s slow burn (😍) the tension that builds between the two characters
“I have been looking for you”
I about died. I read this book died and came back to life to tell you about it bc OH MY GOWD ITS BRILLIANT. The YEARNING. The TENSION! A marriage of convenience ! And on top of that the murders happening using the very hidden magic Meliyr has.
I did predict who the murder was but it was one line early on they made me suspicious and I remember thinking if I’m right this is so damn clever of Morgan and I was! Never have I been so happy.
Only for Morgan to crush my heart at the last moment. (Rude)
This is the perfect and possibly the best romantasy I’ve ever read and it has now become my personality. Everyone should go and read it and fall down this hole with me
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