What do you think?
Rate this book
A Gaze So Longing
Favian still thinks of the kiss he almost shared with Prince Leonardo five years ago. A servant in a palace ruled by an abusive king, Favian’s life is governed by monotony and desolation.
When the prince returns to the palace after five years at war, Favian’s life is transformed, and he soon has to admit that the feelings his younger self developed for the prince never really went away. While Leonardo is eager to pretend that no hierarchies are keeping them apart, Favian tries to keep his distance, unable to get past the prince’s status and the dangerous position it puts him in.
As the two inevitably grow closer, Favian has to grapple with his feelings for a prince he yearns for only in the secret confines of his bedroom, recognize his responsibilities for the people around him, and confront the realities of the oppressive system they inhabit.
A Gaze So Longing is the first book in the Fall of Livenza duology.
A Gaze So Longing deals heavily with various forms of abuse (abuse of power, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse, as well as sexual violence), PTSD (related to war and sexual violence) including flashbacks and panic attacks, and issues of power imbalance within a romantic and sexual relationship. It features multiple explicit sexual scenes (consensual) and complicated in-universe negotiations of queerness, as well as the (unintentional) deadnaming and misgendering of trans characters, and the protagonist working through a bioessentialist understanding of gender and attraction.
A detailed list of content notes can be found inside the book and on the author's website.
A Gaze So Longing is intended for adult audiences.
When the prince returns to the palace after five years at war, Favian’s life is transformed, and he soon has to admit that the feelings his younger self developed for the prince never really went away. While Leonardo is eager to pretend that no hierarchies are keeping them apart, Favian tries to keep his distance, unable to get past the prince’s status and the dangerous position it puts him in.
As the two inevitably grow closer, Favian has to grapple with his feelings for a prince he yearns for only in the secret confines of his bedroom, recognize his responsibilities for the people around him, and confront the realities of the oppressive system they inhabit.
A Gaze So Longing is the first book in the Fall of Livenza duology.
A Gaze So Longing deals heavily with various forms of abuse (abuse of power, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse, as well as sexual violence), PTSD (related to war and sexual violence) including flashbacks and panic attacks, and issues of power imbalance within a romantic and sexual relationship. It features multiple explicit sexual scenes (consensual) and complicated in-universe negotiations of queerness, as well as the (unintentional) deadnaming and misgendering of trans characters, and the protagonist working through a bioessentialist understanding of gender and attraction.
A detailed list of content notes can be found inside the book and on the author's website.
A Gaze So Longing is intended for adult audiences.
355 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 5, 2025
1 person is currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
River Flynn
1 book9 followersRiver Flynn (they/them) is a late 20s non-binary transmasc writer of queer fiction & avid reader of queer niches.
They are neurodivergent, able-bodied, white, first-generation academic, intersectional feminist.
When they aren't writing, they are working on their phd in gender studies or can be found at their local queer*feminist spaces.
pfp by @insectren
They are neurodivergent, able-bodied, white, first-generation academic, intersectional feminist.
When they aren't writing, they are working on their phd in gender studies or can be found at their local queer*feminist spaces.
pfp by @insectren
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 30, 2025
This was a very emotional and character focused romance. I loved the complex story, the exploration of gender, and the progression of the character development. The world was fleshed out and rich, making a powerful atmosphere throughout. So excited for book 2.
August 25, 2025
Big thank you to the author for providing me with an arc!
Leonardo is the prince of Livenza, Favian is a servant at the palace. They are teenagers when Leonardo kisses Favian for the first time. Shortly after, though, Leonardo gets sent to fight in a war his parents have started, while Favian has to stay at the palace and endure the cruelties inflicted on him by the King. Five years pass, and when Leonardo comes back to the palace, both of them have changed, but not their feelings for each other. What also hasn't changed is the power Leonardo has in his role as the prince and the way the servants are being treated by his parents and their advisors. While Favian and Leonardo are trying to work out their feelings for each other, they start to dare dreaming bigger. To dare dreaming of a Livenza where people have power. Where people can live the life they dream of. Where people can love whoever they want to love and be whoever they want to be.
A Gaze So Longing explores topics like queerness, trauma, ptsd, anxiety, class and power imbalances, and neurodivergence in a historical setting. There is forbidden romance and interesting sibling dynamics. It's new adult and not ya, so it deals with heavier subject matter as well. I'd recommend reading the content notes beforehand!
It is more character focused, which is great because I loved the characters soo much 😭 It also includes lots of yearning (I mean, duh, read the title) and angst. The slow burn is definitely slow. The relationships and the way the characters communicate are incredibly well written. The chapters written from Leonardo's POV scratched my brain in a good way, I'm begging for more Leonardo POVs in the next book. I'm also kindly asking for a Nia POV because she won my heart the fastest.
I think people who liked Icarus by K. Ancrum might like this one!
That ending was criminal, though. I will be staring out the window waiting for book 2 now 🫡
Leonardo is the prince of Livenza, Favian is a servant at the palace. They are teenagers when Leonardo kisses Favian for the first time. Shortly after, though, Leonardo gets sent to fight in a war his parents have started, while Favian has to stay at the palace and endure the cruelties inflicted on him by the King. Five years pass, and when Leonardo comes back to the palace, both of them have changed, but not their feelings for each other. What also hasn't changed is the power Leonardo has in his role as the prince and the way the servants are being treated by his parents and their advisors. While Favian and Leonardo are trying to work out their feelings for each other, they start to dare dreaming bigger. To dare dreaming of a Livenza where people have power. Where people can live the life they dream of. Where people can love whoever they want to love and be whoever they want to be.
A Gaze So Longing explores topics like queerness, trauma, ptsd, anxiety, class and power imbalances, and neurodivergence in a historical setting. There is forbidden romance and interesting sibling dynamics. It's new adult and not ya, so it deals with heavier subject matter as well. I'd recommend reading the content notes beforehand!
It is more character focused, which is great because I loved the characters soo much 😭 It also includes lots of yearning (I mean, duh, read the title) and angst. The slow burn is definitely slow. The relationships and the way the characters communicate are incredibly well written. The chapters written from Leonardo's POV scratched my brain in a good way, I'm begging for more Leonardo POVs in the next book. I'm also kindly asking for a Nia POV because she won my heart the fastest.
I think people who liked Icarus by K. Ancrum might like this one!
That ending was criminal, though. I will be staring out the window waiting for book 2 now 🫡
August 25, 2025
I received this book as a free e-arc and all my opinions are my own.
The first time I heard about the premise of this book, I knew I was going to love it. (And I did!) I love palace intrigues, and I especially love them when they have points to make!
All of the characters are very compelling. Favian's inability to open up to others as a way to protect himself gripped at my heart, as well as his relationships with his sister and Leonardo. There was so much pain in all of their interactions, but the love still shone through. It would be impossible not to see how much he loves them.
And that adds such a richness to the story and plot. While it's not something that's never been done before, the way the plot carries out the romance and the main storyline was written very well. It held my attention all the way through, leaving me staring in abject terror that the end was coming up. The plot was easy to follow along, and it felt realistic.
All in all, this was a fantastic book, and I can't wait for the next!
The first time I heard about the premise of this book, I knew I was going to love it. (And I did!) I love palace intrigues, and I especially love them when they have points to make!
All of the characters are very compelling. Favian's inability to open up to others as a way to protect himself gripped at my heart, as well as his relationships with his sister and Leonardo. There was so much pain in all of their interactions, but the love still shone through. It would be impossible not to see how much he loves them.
And that adds such a richness to the story and plot. While it's not something that's never been done before, the way the plot carries out the romance and the main storyline was written very well. It held my attention all the way through, leaving me staring in abject terror that the end was coming up. The plot was easy to follow along, and it felt realistic.
All in all, this was a fantastic book, and I can't wait for the next!
September 20, 2025
There was a lot I enjoyed about River Flynn's achy romance between a prince and a servant. The writing was beautiful and the yearning truly yearned. Both characters had a lot to overcome in order to meet each other at an equal place and I liked seeing two people do whatever needs to be done-even confront the parts of yourself you'd rather not think about-so you're able to give your loved one what they deserve. The queer rep was lovely and so sweetly and gently explored.
Where I stumbled a little was perhaps in the way some of the side characters who had a large impact on the main characters arcs were not fleshed out enough. That the ruling classes are terrible to their employees is unsurprising but I wanted to understand more about why they were like that. The extent of cruelty they unleashed needed to be explored; it wasn't jus enough to have them be that way. Fleshing this out would have also made the resistance from the servant classes pop a bit more-the way it unfolds in the book felt a tad lukewarm particularly given what they have been going through.
I also thought that while Leonardo's naiveté about the power dynamics between him and Favian worked to communicate some important character developments, he felt a little *too* naive for someone who has been at war for five years.
Despite this, there is much to enjoy in this and even had me SCREAMING at how it ended! Definitely will read the sequel when it's out!
CWs: detailed descriptions of SA (off-page/in the past); abusive treatment of servants; PTSD; on-page panic attacks; abusive parents; classism; some brief discussions of body dysphoria
Please see book for detailed list of CWs.
CNs: This is a slow burn queer romance featuring a prince and a servant who pine a lot. It is a low spice book but does feature a few on-page sex scenes. Thank you to the author for the ARC and this is my voluntary review.
Where I stumbled a little was perhaps in the way some of the side characters who had a large impact on the main characters arcs were not fleshed out enough. That the ruling classes are terrible to their employees is unsurprising but I wanted to understand more about why they were like that. The extent of cruelty they unleashed needed to be explored; it wasn't jus enough to have them be that way. Fleshing this out would have also made the resistance from the servant classes pop a bit more-the way it unfolds in the book felt a tad lukewarm particularly given what they have been going through.
I also thought that while Leonardo's naiveté about the power dynamics between him and Favian worked to communicate some important character developments, he felt a little *too* naive for someone who has been at war for five years.
Despite this, there is much to enjoy in this and even had me SCREAMING at how it ended! Definitely will read the sequel when it's out!
CWs: detailed descriptions of SA (off-page/in the past); abusive treatment of servants; PTSD; on-page panic attacks; abusive parents; classism; some brief discussions of body dysphoria
Please see book for detailed list of CWs.
CNs: This is a slow burn queer romance featuring a prince and a servant who pine a lot. It is a low spice book but does feature a few on-page sex scenes. Thank you to the author for the ARC and this is my voluntary review.
September 17, 2025
‘A Gaze So Longing’ and it’s just me staring at the book BECAUSE THAT ENDING??!!! I cannot contain my excitement for the second book after what has transpired. My emotions while reading were tugged in every direction…Anger. Sadness. Glee. Desire. Yearning—all of these portrayed with an expert hand.
My favorite character is Favian. I just need to scoop him up and feed him hot chocolate since that poor boy has a heart too heavy for his body. Watching him blossom and finally decide to let himself feel and want, was such a precious and intimately personal experience that at times it almost felt as if we were peeking in on something we shouldn’t have.
So well done to River and their debut!
My favorite character is Favian. I just need to scoop him up and feed him hot chocolate since that poor boy has a heart too heavy for his body. Watching him blossom and finally decide to let himself feel and want, was such a precious and intimately personal experience that at times it almost felt as if we were peeking in on something we shouldn’t have.
So well done to River and their debut!
September 20, 2025
Thank you to River, for sending me a copy of this amazing story, in turn for a review!
****READ CONTENT WARNINGS****
Amazing. So many feelings.
What an opening.
The first scene🫠 It had me in a puddle.
This had longing, for sure.
I love the characters, they are so amazing. (Not talking about the rats in charge. At least they were written well, because I despise them. Overthrow the monarchy, dang it. I’m ready.)
I can’t wait for the follow up!
-lots of content warnings (read them)
-royals
-genderqueer prince
-trans sc
-first love
-abuse of power
****READ CONTENT WARNINGS****
Amazing. So many feelings.
What an opening.
The first scene🫠 It had me in a puddle.
This had longing, for sure.
I love the characters, they are so amazing. (Not talking about the rats in charge. At least they were written well, because I despise them. Overthrow the monarchy, dang it. I’m ready.)
I can’t wait for the follow up!
-lots of content warnings (read them)
-royals
-genderqueer prince
-trans sc
-first love
-abuse of power
September 15, 2025
A story of political intrigue where most of the characters are servants to a deplorable King and Queen, whose kingdom has just come out of a five year war. Throw in a little forbidden love between the prince and our servant main character and we have the makings for a great story!
We mostly follow Favian's pov through the story with a couple of insights from the prince, Leonardo.
We spend most of the story in and around the castle, given that the characters work and live there. The settings are very well described and the wider world we explore has plenty of ambience and was easy for me to envision.
We get glimpses into the wider world through Leonardo and Rodrigo's experiences and some of the minor characters we're introduced to. This feels like it's properly fleshed out and the reason the world seems limited to the reader, is because we're experiencing the story through Favian's pov. His world IS limited. He doesn't get to travel and experience different foods and cultures.
Favian was a wonderful protagonist. I really appreciate and applaud how the author portrayed his anxiety and need to limit the outcomes through his reluctance to engage with the people or opportunities around him. He is a deeply traumatised young man and it shows. He has massive support and whilst we ultimately get to see him work on letting his walls down and accepting this support, it takes time and a real, conscious effort to change his behaviours and habits. But he does it because he loves his people and wants a better life and relationship with them.
I really loved that it was an intentional effort for Favian to change his behaviours and be more open and understanding. Very often it's portrayed as "I met them and I was miraculously cured". Favian is not cured. He is healing and that is valid.
Leonardo is also a wonderful character. They have very different experiences and coping mechanisms than Favian and are ultimately more open to human interaction and is (sometimes painfully) optimistic. Leonardo is able to tell that Favian needs patience and they're more than willing to give him their time and understanding. More than that, we see Leonardo confidently and firmly uphold and explain their boundaries in a way that Favian can fully understand and use to improve his own communication and influence their interactions moving forward.
Leonardo really did do everything in their power to battle against their parents regime and create a better situation for the other servants like Favian. It didn't always work but their willingness to try was so special.
There are other supporting (and important) characters who are unapologetically themselves and I love that we got to witness them flourish! Favian's constantly developing understanding of other people's mental health on top of his own journey was so well done and only added depth and humanity to the overall FIGHT THE MONARCHY storyline.
I loved this book. For a book I picked up after seeing it one time - I am so beyond happy with how much I loved it.
That said, a lot of the topics are heavy so please check the CW's that the author has listed. They're very well explained and handled so well throughout the story.
We mostly follow Favian's pov through the story with a couple of insights from the prince, Leonardo.
We spend most of the story in and around the castle, given that the characters work and live there. The settings are very well described and the wider world we explore has plenty of ambience and was easy for me to envision.
We get glimpses into the wider world through Leonardo and Rodrigo's experiences and some of the minor characters we're introduced to. This feels like it's properly fleshed out and the reason the world seems limited to the reader, is because we're experiencing the story through Favian's pov. His world IS limited. He doesn't get to travel and experience different foods and cultures.
Favian was a wonderful protagonist. I really appreciate and applaud how the author portrayed his anxiety and need to limit the outcomes through his reluctance to engage with the people or opportunities around him. He is a deeply traumatised young man and it shows. He has massive support and whilst we ultimately get to see him work on letting his walls down and accepting this support, it takes time and a real, conscious effort to change his behaviours and habits. But he does it because he loves his people and wants a better life and relationship with them.
I really loved that it was an intentional effort for Favian to change his behaviours and be more open and understanding. Very often it's portrayed as "I met them and I was miraculously cured". Favian is not cured. He is healing and that is valid.
Leonardo is also a wonderful character. They have very different experiences and coping mechanisms than Favian and are ultimately more open to human interaction and is (sometimes painfully) optimistic. Leonardo is able to tell that Favian needs patience and they're more than willing to give him their time and understanding. More than that, we see Leonardo confidently and firmly uphold and explain their boundaries in a way that Favian can fully understand and use to improve his own communication and influence their interactions moving forward.
Leonardo really did do everything in their power to battle against their parents regime and create a better situation for the other servants like Favian. It didn't always work but their willingness to try was so special.
There are other supporting (and important) characters who are unapologetically themselves and I love that we got to witness them flourish! Favian's constantly developing understanding of other people's mental health on top of his own journey was so well done and only added depth and humanity to the overall FIGHT THE MONARCHY storyline.
I loved this book. For a book I picked up after seeing it one time - I am so beyond happy with how much I loved it.
That said, a lot of the topics are heavy so please check the CW's that the author has listed. They're very well explained and handled so well throughout the story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 5, 2025I received an ARC copy and this review is freely given on my own accord.
How hard would you fight for what you wanted?
What a beautiful story. I had my eye on this book since it was first teased and announced and I’m so happy it’s finally here! And it did not disappoint. This book follows Favian, a castle servant deeply in love with the prince, Leonardo. However, when Leonardo is sent to the front to fight in a war, Favian is left alone in the hands of the cruel king and queen. When Leonardo returns, the pair struggle to pick up the pieces of where they left off, made even harder with every revelation of the horrors Favian experienced while he was gone.
There’s so much to say about this book and Favian is chief amongst them. I adore him and he deserves the world and more – he could use some time to rest and breathe! The book is written in his POV and you can feel his exhaustion on every page, his resignation, but also his desire to help all the people he cares about and his love for Leonardo. He tries his best to be good, even when the world keeps punishing him for it.
The relationships in this book also feel tangible, real. I love seeing them develop. Favian is so loved by Nia and what they have is so sweet and supportive. And seeing Favian slowly learn to trust Leonardo again is so deeply satisfying! Favian learning to allow himself to want things and ask for them and Leonardo learning to be careful and be more aware of what is going on around them was the highlight of my read.
This is one to look out for if you’re a fan of forbidden relationships and learning to love again. However, this is also a book with heavy themes including SA, abuse, and unequal power dynamics – please check the CW/TWs before you read just in case!
How hard would you fight for what you wanted?
What a beautiful story. I had my eye on this book since it was first teased and announced and I’m so happy it’s finally here! And it did not disappoint. This book follows Favian, a castle servant deeply in love with the prince, Leonardo. However, when Leonardo is sent to the front to fight in a war, Favian is left alone in the hands of the cruel king and queen. When Leonardo returns, the pair struggle to pick up the pieces of where they left off, made even harder with every revelation of the horrors Favian experienced while he was gone.
There’s so much to say about this book and Favian is chief amongst them. I adore him and he deserves the world and more – he could use some time to rest and breathe! The book is written in his POV and you can feel his exhaustion on every page, his resignation, but also his desire to help all the people he cares about and his love for Leonardo. He tries his best to be good, even when the world keeps punishing him for it.
The relationships in this book also feel tangible, real. I love seeing them develop. Favian is so loved by Nia and what they have is so sweet and supportive. And seeing Favian slowly learn to trust Leonardo again is so deeply satisfying! Favian learning to allow himself to want things and ask for them and Leonardo learning to be careful and be more aware of what is going on around them was the highlight of my read.
This is one to look out for if you’re a fan of forbidden relationships and learning to love again. However, this is also a book with heavy themes including SA, abuse, and unequal power dynamics – please check the CW/TWs before you read just in case!
September 16, 2025
i am not okay 😭
November 7, 2025
beautifully written queer historical romance! explores power dynamics, class imbalance, abuse, sa, trauma. features bi and ace and trans rep, self discovery. the characters are vivid and the relationships are rich and thoughtful and heart wrenching... i couldnt sleep... i read it all in one sitting... I NEED MORE // putting the dom in serfdom fr
August 28, 2025
Thanks to the author for the ARC
This was very cute but also very painful!
(just finished the book will hopefully expand this review soon)
This was very cute but also very painful!
(just finished the book will hopefully expand this review soon)
October 26, 2025
A heartfelt read about the power imbalances between the working class and monarchy.
Beautiful inclusion of diversity.
Beautiful inclusion of diversity.
Read
December 7, 2025Not rated and DNF due to too much detailed triggering content.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews