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Everything the Sun Touches
As the only daughter born into one of the most prominent merchant families in the south of the kingdom, Qonna has always known that one day she would have to marry – but she has never fallen in love and she isn’t really sure that she can.
Cisir falls in love with everyone he meets and has left his noble family in the north to start a new chapter in his life, after everything has gone terribly, embarrassingly wrong.
When Qonna and Cisir meet in the flourishing trading port of Seagard, neither of them knows that they have been given a very specific magical gift that will force them to work together and that their destinies will become irrevocably intertwined with the fate of the bustling and politically volatile city they both try to survive in.
As a queer twist on the marriage of convenience trope, Everything the Sun Touches is a tale of chosen family and deep, complex friendships, perfect for fans of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love and Little Thieves.
Cisir falls in love with everyone he meets and has left his noble family in the north to start a new chapter in his life, after everything has gone terribly, embarrassingly wrong.
When Qonna and Cisir meet in the flourishing trading port of Seagard, neither of them knows that they have been given a very specific magical gift that will force them to work together and that their destinies will become irrevocably intertwined with the fate of the bustling and politically volatile city they both try to survive in.
As a queer twist on the marriage of convenience trope, Everything the Sun Touches is a tale of chosen family and deep, complex friendships, perfect for fans of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love and Little Thieves.
374 pages, Paperback
Published March 15, 2026
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 11, 2025
Amazing. The first book in a duology, Everything the Sun Touches has everything you could want from a new fantasy series. There's magic. There's politics. There's lovable characters. There's love and heartbreak. It's got it all, and the story never gets boring. With every twist and turn I was drawn further into this story. I can't wait to see what happens next.
additionally, I loved the queer aspects of this book. while there's a minor queer romantic subplot, so much of the actual queerness itself is from the characters, not just their interactions with one another. it's refreshing to see.
(I received a free copy for review)
additionally, I loved the queer aspects of this book. while there's a minor queer romantic subplot, so much of the actual queerness itself is from the characters, not just their interactions with one another. it's refreshing to see.
(I received a free copy for review)
April 26, 2026
2.5 rounded up
“Wizards are people to be feared—witches are people to be despised.”
I received an eARC of Everything the Sun Touches by CM Kuhtz in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts!
✨ Qonna has always know that she’ll have to marry, because that’s what daughters of wealthy merchant families do in Seagard - even if she isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to fall in love.
Falling in love is something Cisir does easily and often, and his openness about that with his fiancée did not end well. Feeling a broken engagement and a disappointed family, Cisir heads to Segard to try and start a new life.
When Cisir begins working for Qonna’s family, the two feel instantly drawn to one another in a way neither can properly describe. As they navigate the politics of the city, Cisir and Qonna learn their connection may be more magical than they once thought. ✨
Everything the Sun Touches is a queer take on the marriage of convenience trope, something I was pretty excited to read. Unfortunately, this story didn’t end up coming together in a super enjoyable way for me.
So, what didn’t work for me in this one? Mostly, it was that the first half of the book felt like a world building info dump. It’s genuinely really cool that the author knows so much about the world they have created, but as a reader I just did not care and left me bored. It wasn’t until the second half of the book that it felt like anything was happening, and by then I’d already checked out.
I also felt like the queer identities in this book were handled very oddly. I believe the intention is for Cisir to be bisexual or pansexual and for Qonna be aromantic, but it all felt very unclear. Part of this, especially with Qonna, was some uncertainly about how they identified but a lot of it was weird phrasing choices. As a reader I just felt confused.
The POV choices were also a bit odd. Qonna and Cisir were the only two POV characters, but it felt like the author wanted other characters to be POV too and just…didn’t let themself? It made a few scenes where the narration was a bit confusing and I think allowing other POVs would’ve really benefited and rounded out the story.
Once we got to the last quarter of the book I did start becoming a bit more invested. The plot had picked up, and with that came the magic we were promised. Since the characters didn’t understand their magic there was a great element of suspense around it that I appreciated.
I did also really love how complicated and messy Cisir and Qonna’s relationship was. It felt very queer platonic, which I’m a huge fan of. I don’t think I’m going to pick up the next book in this series, and seeing their relationship develop more is something I’m sad to miss out on.
I do think there’s a great story in there and with some more intense editing it could’ve been a great story - but in its current state, it was a bit of a letdown.
“Wizards are people to be feared—witches are people to be despised.”
I received an eARC of Everything the Sun Touches by CM Kuhtz in exchange for an honest review. Here are my thoughts!
✨ Qonna has always know that she’ll have to marry, because that’s what daughters of wealthy merchant families do in Seagard - even if she isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to fall in love.
Falling in love is something Cisir does easily and often, and his openness about that with his fiancée did not end well. Feeling a broken engagement and a disappointed family, Cisir heads to Segard to try and start a new life.
When Cisir begins working for Qonna’s family, the two feel instantly drawn to one another in a way neither can properly describe. As they navigate the politics of the city, Cisir and Qonna learn their connection may be more magical than they once thought. ✨
Everything the Sun Touches is a queer take on the marriage of convenience trope, something I was pretty excited to read. Unfortunately, this story didn’t end up coming together in a super enjoyable way for me.
So, what didn’t work for me in this one? Mostly, it was that the first half of the book felt like a world building info dump. It’s genuinely really cool that the author knows so much about the world they have created, but as a reader I just did not care and left me bored. It wasn’t until the second half of the book that it felt like anything was happening, and by then I’d already checked out.
I also felt like the queer identities in this book were handled very oddly. I believe the intention is for Cisir to be bisexual or pansexual and for Qonna be aromantic, but it all felt very unclear. Part of this, especially with Qonna, was some uncertainly about how they identified but a lot of it was weird phrasing choices. As a reader I just felt confused.
The POV choices were also a bit odd. Qonna and Cisir were the only two POV characters, but it felt like the author wanted other characters to be POV too and just…didn’t let themself? It made a few scenes where the narration was a bit confusing and I think allowing other POVs would’ve really benefited and rounded out the story.
Once we got to the last quarter of the book I did start becoming a bit more invested. The plot had picked up, and with that came the magic we were promised. Since the characters didn’t understand their magic there was a great element of suspense around it that I appreciated.
I did also really love how complicated and messy Cisir and Qonna’s relationship was. It felt very queer platonic, which I’m a huge fan of. I don’t think I’m going to pick up the next book in this series, and seeing their relationship develop more is something I’m sad to miss out on.
I do think there’s a great story in there and with some more intense editing it could’ve been a great story - but in its current state, it was a bit of a letdown.
October 3, 2025
A Beautifully Woven Tale of Light, Loss, and Love
Everything the Sun Touches by C. M. Kuhtz is the kind of book that quietly works its way into your heart and stays there. Emotional, lyrical, and deeply human beneath its fantasy skin, this first volume in the Sun & Flame series delivers a powerful story about connection, identity, and the aching beauty of finding your place in a world full of shadows and light.
From the very first page, Kuhtz’s writing struck me as poetic and emotionally raw. The prose flows with a kind of quiet intensity—never overwhelming, but always pulling you deeper into the lives of characters who are flawed, hopeful, and deeply real. There's a gentle melancholy that threads through the story, but it’s balanced with moments of warmth, wonder, and unexpected joy.
The world-building is rich without being overbearing, creating a vivid backdrop for the emotional journeys at the story’s heart. I appreciated how the fantastical elements never overshadow the characters’ personal struggles—they enhance them. Grief, longing, self-discovery, and chosen family are all handled with care, giving the story a quiet emotional weight that lingers long after the final page.
I will say, there are moments where the pacing slows, and some readers might crave a bit more plot movement—but for me, that slower rhythm allowed for a deeper emotional connection. It felt more like sitting with the story, letting it unfold gently, rather than rushing through it.
Final thoughts: Everything the Sun Touches is a beautifully introspective fantasy that glows with heartache, hope, and healing. A lovely beginning to a series I’ll be following closely—perfect for readers who want their fantasy rich in feeling and full of soul.
Everything the Sun Touches by C. M. Kuhtz is the kind of book that quietly works its way into your heart and stays there. Emotional, lyrical, and deeply human beneath its fantasy skin, this first volume in the Sun & Flame series delivers a powerful story about connection, identity, and the aching beauty of finding your place in a world full of shadows and light.
From the very first page, Kuhtz’s writing struck me as poetic and emotionally raw. The prose flows with a kind of quiet intensity—never overwhelming, but always pulling you deeper into the lives of characters who are flawed, hopeful, and deeply real. There's a gentle melancholy that threads through the story, but it’s balanced with moments of warmth, wonder, and unexpected joy.
The world-building is rich without being overbearing, creating a vivid backdrop for the emotional journeys at the story’s heart. I appreciated how the fantastical elements never overshadow the characters’ personal struggles—they enhance them. Grief, longing, self-discovery, and chosen family are all handled with care, giving the story a quiet emotional weight that lingers long after the final page.
I will say, there are moments where the pacing slows, and some readers might crave a bit more plot movement—but for me, that slower rhythm allowed for a deeper emotional connection. It felt more like sitting with the story, letting it unfold gently, rather than rushing through it.
Final thoughts: Everything the Sun Touches is a beautifully introspective fantasy that glows with heartache, hope, and healing. A lovely beginning to a series I’ll be following closely—perfect for readers who want their fantasy rich in feeling and full of soul.
April 29, 2026
I did have high hopes for this after reading the synopsis but truthfully; despite finishing the book - I didn’t feel like I connected with any of the characters nor felt like I got much from the story as a whole.
The first part of the book had me feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of world-building that felt more like an ‘info dump’ rather than bringing the fiction world to life for the reader. Sadly, despite the sheer amount of information; it felt very difficult to become immersed in the story which did make me wary over how I would enjoy it. We met the main characters in the first part of the story, but I again struggled to connect with them in any way which was disappointing.
I was really looking forward to seeing really strong queer identities, because this is supposed to be a queer take on the ‘marriage of convenience’ trope which can be great fun.. But I didn’t like how the queer representation was done in this - I think Cisir was supposed to be bisexual or perhaps pansexual and Qonna was supposed to be aromantic, however it wasn’t very clear and I was confused. Part of this, especially with Qonna, was some uncertainty about how they identified but a lot of it was weird phrasing choices. I think it really needed more clarity for both so that there would be a level of relatability for queer readers because seeing yourself within the media is especially important for minority groups.
All in all, the story was confusing and very jumbled and I really wish it would have been very different as I wanted to have a good book to curl up with to read.
The first part of the book had me feeling a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount of world-building that felt more like an ‘info dump’ rather than bringing the fiction world to life for the reader. Sadly, despite the sheer amount of information; it felt very difficult to become immersed in the story which did make me wary over how I would enjoy it. We met the main characters in the first part of the story, but I again struggled to connect with them in any way which was disappointing.
I was really looking forward to seeing really strong queer identities, because this is supposed to be a queer take on the ‘marriage of convenience’ trope which can be great fun.. But I didn’t like how the queer representation was done in this - I think Cisir was supposed to be bisexual or perhaps pansexual and Qonna was supposed to be aromantic, however it wasn’t very clear and I was confused. Part of this, especially with Qonna, was some uncertainty about how they identified but a lot of it was weird phrasing choices. I think it really needed more clarity for both so that there would be a level of relatability for queer readers because seeing yourself within the media is especially important for minority groups.
All in all, the story was confusing and very jumbled and I really wish it would have been very different as I wanted to have a good book to curl up with to read.
March 15, 2026
This was very sweet, and the characters were lovely. Maybe that's why I found them hard to connect with. Their challenges are all external - they basically need to make their city more accepting of queer/foreign people, and they're golden. While this is a worthy goal, they don't have any real internal challenges to overcome, so I found them rather flat.
The plot ticks along steadily in a low-stakes kind of way. The magic is also very low-key. The blurb promised that they would need it to save the city... maybe that's coming in the sequel. It hasn't done anything much so far.
Overall, if you like cosy, low-stakes fantasy, you'd probably enjoy this. It's good for what it is. But personally, I prefer my books with a bit more bite.
The plot ticks along steadily in a low-stakes kind of way. The magic is also very low-key. The blurb promised that they would need it to save the city... maybe that's coming in the sequel. It hasn't done anything much so far.
Overall, if you like cosy, low-stakes fantasy, you'd probably enjoy this. It's good for what it is. But personally, I prefer my books with a bit more bite.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**Thank you to Netgalley and C. M. Kuhtz for the ARC in exchange for an honest review**
I found the world-building confusing. One of the other reviews mentioned that this is a spin-off from another series, so that could be why, as i havent read the other series, and it was not noted when I requested this book. The removal of the map also didn't help, but I understand that it's for reducing the filesize.
I decently enjoyed the story and the queer rep was great, but I might be more enjoyed by a younger audience and by someone who has read the original series as well.
I found the world-building confusing. One of the other reviews mentioned that this is a spin-off from another series, so that could be why, as i havent read the other series, and it was not noted when I requested this book. The removal of the map also didn't help, but I understand that it's for reducing the filesize.
I decently enjoyed the story and the queer rep was great, but I might be more enjoyed by a younger audience and by someone who has read the original series as well.
April 4, 2026
grateful to NetGalley, the Author, and publishers for granting me this e-ARC!
well, this was quite the riveting read. unfortunately though, that statement’s not complimentary. this book had a lot of promise and potential, but it never fully come together well enough for me.
the writing is very basic and easy to read, though it lacks structure at times and can feel a bit scattered. the storyline starts off intriguing, but it becomes overly outlandish and all over the place. with so many ideas and themes layered in, it felt like the book was trying to be too many things at once—and didn't quite succeed at any of them.
my favorite part was the found and regular family dynamics, which felt warm and grounded. those moments between close characters were the most seamless and genuine in the story. on the other hand, the dialogue often sounded very modern for the setting, which pulled me out of the experience.
generally, i appreciated the inclusivity/representation and the themes of feminism and self agency, but overall, the book ended up feeling a little flat and underwhelming compared to what it seemed to ensure.
well, this was quite the riveting read. unfortunately though, that statement’s not complimentary. this book had a lot of promise and potential, but it never fully come together well enough for me.
the writing is very basic and easy to read, though it lacks structure at times and can feel a bit scattered. the storyline starts off intriguing, but it becomes overly outlandish and all over the place. with so many ideas and themes layered in, it felt like the book was trying to be too many things at once—and didn't quite succeed at any of them.
my favorite part was the found and regular family dynamics, which felt warm and grounded. those moments between close characters were the most seamless and genuine in the story. on the other hand, the dialogue often sounded very modern for the setting, which pulled me out of the experience.
generally, i appreciated the inclusivity/representation and the themes of feminism and self agency, but overall, the book ended up feeling a little flat and underwhelming compared to what it seemed to ensure.
March 8, 2026
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
Everything the Sun Touches serves as a nice introduction to the fantasy genre. While it’s not quite as gripping as other stories I’ve read and it stumbles in a few places, I do still want to see where Qonna and Cisir’s journey takes them next and how their magic continues to blossom. Their feelings on relationships are what create the most interesting contrast for me - Cisir falls in love with practically everyone he sees and wears his heart on his sleeve, while Qonna isn’t sure she’ll ever find someone to love in a romantic way and has learned to keep her emotions close. I want to learn more about the Siblings and the culture of Qonna’s mysterious homeland, and book two promises a deeper insight into both.
If you’re looking for a quick, magical period piece with a wide variety of characters and a touch of queer self-discovery, Everything the Sun Touches is a great fit.
Everything the Sun Touches serves as a nice introduction to the fantasy genre. While it’s not quite as gripping as other stories I’ve read and it stumbles in a few places, I do still want to see where Qonna and Cisir’s journey takes them next and how their magic continues to blossom. Their feelings on relationships are what create the most interesting contrast for me - Cisir falls in love with practically everyone he sees and wears his heart on his sleeve, while Qonna isn’t sure she’ll ever find someone to love in a romantic way and has learned to keep her emotions close. I want to learn more about the Siblings and the culture of Qonna’s mysterious homeland, and book two promises a deeper insight into both.
If you’re looking for a quick, magical period piece with a wide variety of characters and a touch of queer self-discovery, Everything the Sun Touches is a great fit.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews