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Land of the Wildest Skies #1
Princeweaver
‘A lush reimagining of the English conquest of Wales… a debut not to be missed’ C.S. Pacat, NYT bestselling author of the DARK RISE series
‘A glittering love sharp as blood and beautifully woven with magic and myth’ Holly Race, bestselling author of SIX WILD CROWNS
‘A lush, lingering heartache of a book… reminiscent of The Goblin Emperor. Morgan is a shining new talent in fantasy’ Annabel Campbell, author of THE OUTCAST MAGE
‘Princeweaver is a dark and tender folkloric love story, flowering with yearning and intrigue’ Tasha Suri, bestselling author of THE ISLE IN THE SILVER SEA
‘Rich in Welsh folklore and steeped in slow-burn yearning, PRINCEWEAVER is a tale that will leave readers breathless and desperate for more … An absolute gem of a debut novel’ Kalie Reid, author of THE SACRED SPACE BETWEEN
Their marriage is to save a warring kingdom. But in the process, it might destroy them bothBorn 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 Gerber will enjoy
‘A glittering love sharp as blood and beautifully woven with magic and myth’ Holly Race, bestselling author of SIX WILD CROWNS
‘A lush, lingering heartache of a book… reminiscent of The Goblin Emperor. Morgan is a shining new talent in fantasy’ Annabel Campbell, author of THE OUTCAST MAGE
‘Princeweaver is a dark and tender folkloric love story, flowering with yearning and intrigue’ Tasha Suri, bestselling author of THE ISLE IN THE SILVER SEA
‘Rich in Welsh folklore and steeped in slow-burn yearning, PRINCEWEAVER is a tale that will leave readers breathless and desperate for more … An absolute gem of a debut novel’ Kalie Reid, author of THE SACRED SPACE BETWEEN
Their marriage is to save a warring kingdom. But in the process, it might destroy them bothBorn 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 Gerber will enjoy
474 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 289 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!
June 22, 2026
osian ached for him in a way as constant and familiar as his own breath, his own heartbeat
a fated meeting, a fake marriage and warring kingdoms in a world of magic and strife. this book had everything, what a perfect debut from an incredible new author.
i loved the emotive, vast, beautifully woven prose. i loved the subtlety of the moments, i loved the work i had to do to be there. i loved being tested. i loved the intrigue. i loved the world, the welsh folklore, the magic system, the intensity of the relationship building between the two main characters.
i loved everything.
this book made me feel free, i could smell the freshness, the landscape, the beautiful welsh countryside. i could taste the rain, the flowers, the beauty.
meilyr's weaving - his magic - was stunning. the descriptions of his connection to earth, to life, to nature. the way it was woven into his very being, his lifeforce needed to sustain his magic. the imagery of the plants, trees, flowers, herbs. what an original and perfect way of portraying magic.
as someone who grew up in the south west of england and went to university in cardiff, this book really hit me in the heart.
i miss it, i miss it so much, but i felt it. i was there. that is how beautiful, how visceral, the writing was. i can't even begin to explain...
it was truly breathtaking.
gods damn him, he did. he wanted him so much he forgot how to breathe
osian (OH-shan) and meilyr (MAY-lir)
kind, loving, patient osian. a prince by title only, grieving the actions of his father, his grandfather. the sundering, the killing of sorcerers by the ruling Khaimlic family. a prince who is trying his hardest to not become what he was born to become.
and meilyr, loyal and stubborn meilyr. who falls for someone he is not supposed to, a prince of the family who killed his family. a prince of the family who would kill him if they found out about his weaving. but who loves, who protects so fiercely.
both of them were beautiful and the slow burn was painful, but oh my gosh was it worth it.
the very edge of the cliff waited at their feet, so close meilyr could taste the salt of osian's skin
i really do understand that this way of writing is not for everyone, but my god. it is for me. i love complexity, i love subtlety, i love emotive prose. i cannot get enough.
the story was incredible, the slow-burn delicious, the political intrigue and murder plot well-weighted and the pacing was spot-on.
his hand slipped away, but he remained close. osian was not sure whose fingers laced with whose, but when meilyr looked at him again, there was devastated focus in his eyes, his dark hair misted with a crown of suspended stars.
please read this book.
i cannot recommend it more highly.
please.
🍃💚🍃
a fated meeting, a fake marriage and warring kingdoms in a world of magic and strife. this book had everything, what a perfect debut from an incredible new author.
i loved the emotive, vast, beautifully woven prose. i loved the subtlety of the moments, i loved the work i had to do to be there. i loved being tested. i loved the intrigue. i loved the world, the welsh folklore, the magic system, the intensity of the relationship building between the two main characters.
i loved everything.
this book made me feel free, i could smell the freshness, the landscape, the beautiful welsh countryside. i could taste the rain, the flowers, the beauty.
meilyr's weaving - his magic - was stunning. the descriptions of his connection to earth, to life, to nature. the way it was woven into his very being, his lifeforce needed to sustain his magic. the imagery of the plants, trees, flowers, herbs. what an original and perfect way of portraying magic.
as someone who grew up in the south west of england and went to university in cardiff, this book really hit me in the heart.
i miss it, i miss it so much, but i felt it. i was there. that is how beautiful, how visceral, the writing was. i can't even begin to explain...
it was truly breathtaking.
gods damn him, he did. he wanted him so much he forgot how to breathe
osian (OH-shan) and meilyr (MAY-lir)
kind, loving, patient osian. a prince by title only, grieving the actions of his father, his grandfather. the sundering, the killing of sorcerers by the ruling Khaimlic family. a prince who is trying his hardest to not become what he was born to become.
and meilyr, loyal and stubborn meilyr. who falls for someone he is not supposed to, a prince of the family who killed his family. a prince of the family who would kill him if they found out about his weaving. but who loves, who protects so fiercely.
both of them were beautiful and the slow burn was painful, but oh my gosh was it worth it.
the very edge of the cliff waited at their feet, so close meilyr could taste the salt of osian's skin
i really do understand that this way of writing is not for everyone, but my god. it is for me. i love complexity, i love subtlety, i love emotive prose. i cannot get enough.
the story was incredible, the slow-burn delicious, the political intrigue and murder plot well-weighted and the pacing was spot-on.
his hand slipped away, but he remained close. osian was not sure whose fingers laced with whose, but when meilyr looked at him again, there was devastated focus in his eyes, his dark hair misted with a crown of suspended stars.
please read this book.
i cannot recommend it more highly.
please.
🍃💚🍃
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
Read
May 30, 2026Alright, so Princeweaver starts quickly, stubs its toe on the (dare I say overly-?) complicated politics, then regains its footing for an applaudable ending (but also a cliffhanger! Spooky!)
The first several chapters require you to suspend your disbelief to the literal highest degree. In chapter one, Prince Osian plucks a peasant named Meilyr off the streets and decides they need to marry for reasons, and Meilyr goes along with it, also for reasons. In my head, this was going to go one of two ways: I'd either end up throwing the book across the room, or devouring it in a day.
I kind of did both.
The politics were intricate, thoughtful, and totally not my thing. There's a lot of terminology, and at times it weighed the book down. But then we get to the 20ish percent mark, and Meilyr finds himself at the scene of a crime, looking very much like the one who did it. From there, my interest piqued. Osian comes to Meilyr's defense, and though we still don't know why he’s taken such a keen interest in this nobody, it leads to some entertaining moments.
This is billed as a slow burn romance, and it's definitely that (no complaints, you may burn as slowly as you like, honestly the longer it takes the better, I will beg for scraps). The relationship between Meilyr and Osian is tender and very sweet, and we really lean into the marriage of convenience trope. I think it would have helped to understand Osian's motives in marrying Meilyr sooner; though we as readers know there is a reason, and we trust the author to eventually tell us, the mystery distracts. Still, I liked these two characters, liked them together, and think this was an enjoyable read.
The first several chapters require you to suspend your disbelief to the literal highest degree. In chapter one, Prince Osian plucks a peasant named Meilyr off the streets and decides they need to marry for reasons, and Meilyr goes along with it, also for reasons. In my head, this was going to go one of two ways: I'd either end up throwing the book across the room, or devouring it in a day.
I kind of did both.
The politics were intricate, thoughtful, and totally not my thing. There's a lot of terminology, and at times it weighed the book down. But then we get to the 20ish percent mark, and Meilyr finds himself at the scene of a crime, looking very much like the one who did it. From there, my interest piqued. Osian comes to Meilyr's defense, and though we still don't know why he’s taken such a keen interest in this nobody, it leads to some entertaining moments.
This is billed as a slow burn romance, and it's definitely that (no complaints, you may burn as slowly as you like, honestly the longer it takes the better, I will beg for scraps). The relationship between Meilyr and Osian is tender and very sweet, and we really lean into the marriage of convenience trope. I think it would have helped to understand Osian's motives in marrying Meilyr sooner; though we as readers know there is a reason, and we trust the author to eventually tell us, the mystery distracts. Still, I liked these two characters, liked them together, and think this was an enjoyable read.
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.
May 18, 2026
do you like yearning? i said, do you like YEARNING??? do you like the sweetest slow burn ever??
because, oh yeah. this had it. i loved the characters' love so much. i do wish we would've gone deeper into them as individuals, or maybe had more depth in general to them and their relationship, but like also, i just adored them.
there were interesting politics and plot, the writing was bingeable and perfect, and i NEED the next one like yesterday. that is all thank you.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
because, oh yeah. this had it. i loved the characters' love so much. i do wish we would've gone deeper into them as individuals, or maybe had more depth in general to them and their relationship, but like also, i just adored them.
there were interesting politics and plot, the writing was bingeable and perfect, and i NEED the next one like yesterday. that is all thank you.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc!
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.
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.
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 😉
Did Not Finish
May 27, 2026DNF @ 20%
It doesn't make sense why our MC's married within 24 hours of meeting.
I also don't feel comfortable with this being a coloniser romance. My bad, for not doing my research beforehand.
It doesn't make sense why our MC's married within 24 hours of meeting.
I also don't feel comfortable with this being a coloniser romance. My bad, for not doing my research beforehand.
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?
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.
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.
Want to Read
November 22, 2025I'M SO DARN EXCITED TO READ THIS BOOK
June 10, 2026
I loved everything about this book, including the WHAT THE FUCK—this isn't a standalone it's a same-couple trilogy—cliffie ending! Gutted.
Mine too, Meilyr, mine too.
It is the end of it, until 2027 when book 2, Princebreaker is released.
This is the third 2026 release that I bought the hardcover based on the cover before reading it, and wouldn't care if I hated the book. The other two were The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman (queer retelling of Bisclavret>) and The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (also a debut).
Good luck with that.
👀
Off topic, but I liked it when Meilyr used this sentence to center himself—
Do not live it before it has happened.
This is a great thing to have in your toolkit if you catastrophize or have anxiety. It's one of the things I use to ground myself if I'm spiralling about what-ifs. If that doesn't work on its own, I list out all the possible what-if scenarios I'm freaking out over, and organize those rationally based on the likelihood of each happening. 😅📈📉📊 (Hey, whatever works, right?!)
Full RTC, I've got tags, notes and 171 highlights to go through first.
Add more tags later: trad pub, debut, queer fantasy romance, slowburn achillean romance, MM, Wales/Cymru-inspired secondary fantasy world, elements of Welsh folklore, murder mystery, queernorm world, medieval Castle core, apothecary MC/prince MC pairing, anxiety rep, forbidden nature magic, forced marriage (marriage under duress), political intrigue, childhood trauma, magically bonded, blood oath, fake relationship, forced proximity, mutual pining & yearning, caretaking (injury, poisoned, fatigue, anxiety attacks), body horror, plant horror, bloody gruesome deaths, major themes of oppression & discrimination, occupied land, consent king, consent check ins, kissing as cover, dancing, nonsexual intimacy, almost everyone is unlikeable/a bad guy (imo 😂)
Author's CWs (contains major spoilers):
Cover art info: no cover credit on the copyright page or anywhere in the book (is this common for tradpub?), I found the name of the artist in the Author Acknowledgements—
Thank you to Alexandra Allden for creating such a unique and stunningly folkloric cover.
Cornish artist, cover reveal by Alexandra Allden
This hurt. It hurt so much he thought his chest might buckle.
Mine too, Meilyr, mine too.
He would not cry. Crying would be the end of it.
It is the end of it, until 2027 when book 2, Princebreaker is released.
This is the third 2026 release that I bought the hardcover based on the cover before reading it, and wouldn't care if I hated the book. The other two were The Wolf and His King by Finn Longman (queer retelling of Bisclavret>) and The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan (also a debut).
He had to keep a better grasp of his emotions.
Good luck with that.
In the night, or in his memories, a fox screamed.
👀
Off topic, but I liked it when Meilyr used this sentence to center himself—
Do not live it before it has happened.
This is a great thing to have in your toolkit if you catastrophize or have anxiety. It's one of the things I use to ground myself if I'm spiralling about what-ifs. If that doesn't work on its own, I list out all the possible what-if scenarios I'm freaking out over, and organize those rationally based on the likelihood of each happening. 😅📈📉📊 (Hey, whatever works, right?!)
Full RTC, I've got tags, notes and 171 highlights to go through first.
Add more tags later: trad pub, debut, queer fantasy romance, slowburn achillean romance, MM, Wales/Cymru-inspired secondary fantasy world, elements of Welsh folklore, murder mystery, queernorm world, medieval Castle core, apothecary MC/prince MC pairing, anxiety rep, forbidden nature magic, forced marriage (marriage under duress), political intrigue, childhood trauma, magically bonded, blood oath, fake relationship, forced proximity, mutual pining & yearning, caretaking (injury, poisoned, fatigue, anxiety attacks), body horror, plant horror, bloody gruesome deaths, major themes of oppression & discrimination, occupied land, consent king, consent check ins, kissing as cover, dancing, nonsexual intimacy, almost everyone is unlikeable/a bad guy (imo 😂)
Author's CWs (contains major spoilers):
Cover art info: no cover credit on the copyright page or anywhere in the book (is this common for tradpub?), I found the name of the artist in the Author Acknowledgements—
Thank you to Alexandra Allden for creating such a unique and stunningly folkloric cover.
Cornish artist, cover reveal by Alexandra Allden
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.
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!
June 16, 2026
Ok, I have a LOT of feelings about this book, all of them mixed.
The good: I really loved the Welsh folklore, and I listened to the majority of the book, and the narration by Siôn Alun Davies was glorious in its mellifluous Welsh accent. I also really love a marriage of convenience trope, and this was executed with the perfect amount of hand-waving to believe it needs to happen. The plant magic stuff was extremely dope & really different. The prose is lovely, but perhaps a bit too purple in places. The queerness, both in terms of relationships and identity, is just accepted as a part of the fabric of the world, no need for explanations, which is fantastic. Also this is purely superficial but the cover illustration is gorgeous.
Now, the less good: I have been wracking my brain to try and remember where I found out about this book, & it annoys me that I can't, because I 100% thought going in that it was going to be a standalone. I found out about a third of the way in that NO IT IS ANOTHER GD TRILOGY. I really hate being surprised with a trilogy, and of course this book ends in a crazy cliffhanger, and ugh. Also, this is slow burn but perhaps it should be more glacial burn. Perhaps I have been ruined by reading a lot of fanfiction lately, but god almighty these ding dongs took forever. When the burn happened it was indeed hot, but I'm not sure I ever want it to take almost 400 pages to get there. Which is another thing- there are lots of big set piece events/murders that are meant to heighten the tension, but after like 3 I really felt like we needed to wrap this shit up. If this is going to be a trilogy, did this need to be 400 pages? Did the whole thing need to be a trilogy? Did there need to be multiple encounters with Meilyr's former fuckbuddy? It just felt like too much, and I'm not sure I enjoyed the world enough for that to be enough justification for 2 more books.
I enjoyed this, more or less, but honestly I am annoyed at the trilogy of it all, and did I like it enough to remember anything about it in a year when (assuming) the next one comes out? Or if I decide to wait until it's complete, will I remember in 2 years? Honestly, who knows. I would have much preferred to read a 600 or 700 page novel now that was the complete story, partially bc I am impatient and partially bc I think it would have benefitted from the constraints.
The good: I really loved the Welsh folklore, and I listened to the majority of the book, and the narration by Siôn Alun Davies was glorious in its mellifluous Welsh accent. I also really love a marriage of convenience trope, and this was executed with the perfect amount of hand-waving to believe it needs to happen. The plant magic stuff was extremely dope & really different. The prose is lovely, but perhaps a bit too purple in places. The queerness, both in terms of relationships and identity, is just accepted as a part of the fabric of the world, no need for explanations, which is fantastic. Also this is purely superficial but the cover illustration is gorgeous.
Now, the less good: I have been wracking my brain to try and remember where I found out about this book, & it annoys me that I can't, because I 100% thought going in that it was going to be a standalone. I found out about a third of the way in that NO IT IS ANOTHER GD TRILOGY. I really hate being surprised with a trilogy, and of course this book ends in a crazy cliffhanger, and ugh. Also, this is slow burn but perhaps it should be more glacial burn. Perhaps I have been ruined by reading a lot of fanfiction lately, but god almighty these ding dongs took forever. When the burn happened it was indeed hot, but I'm not sure I ever want it to take almost 400 pages to get there. Which is another thing- there are lots of big set piece events/murders that are meant to heighten the tension, but after like 3 I really felt like we needed to wrap this shit up. If this is going to be a trilogy, did this need to be 400 pages? Did the whole thing need to be a trilogy? Did there need to be multiple encounters with Meilyr's former fuckbuddy? It just felt like too much, and I'm not sure I enjoyed the world enough for that to be enough justification for 2 more books.
I enjoyed this, more or less, but honestly I am annoyed at the trilogy of it all, and did I like it enough to remember anything about it in a year when (assuming) the next one comes out? Or if I decide to wait until it's complete, will I remember in 2 years? Honestly, who knows. I would have much preferred to read a 600 or 700 page novel now that was the complete story, partially bc I am impatient and partially bc I think it would have benefitted from the constraints.
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
Did Not Finish
June 7, 2026dnf at 16%
May 20, 2026
okay so what the fuck was that ending
May 8, 2026
I got 30 pages into this and realized it is not for me. I'm not a fan of colonizer and colonized romance to begin with but when the main character is still having active PTSD induced flashbacks to when his family were murdered by the colonizers I'm done. I was hoping this would be something like a Strange and Stubborn Endurance or even A taste of Gold and Iron type romantasy. Instead we get some really basic world building and not even a good reason for these 2 to interact let alone get married not even 20 pages in!
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!
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!
June 8, 2026
OKAY I am ready to give this an actual review. One of my favorite if not my actual favorite book of 2026 so far. This is a Proper fantasy and a Proper romance. Neither element of the narrative feels tacked on and the characters are fabulous and stupid and human. The nature of the magic here feels so true to what I would imagine magic to be in the real world, and while this isn’t a treatise on revolutionary politics (it’s definitely not aiming to be) it actually manages to be quite a nuanced and emotional exploration of colonization (occupational and cultural), the politics of language, and the messy possibilities/impossibilities of reconciliation.
Again I just loved these characters (Meilyr !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and this is a PROPER SLOW BURN. They aren’t so much as holding hands until hundreds of pages in. They’re both absolutely stupid heartsick. I find it so annoying when other people talk about “yearning” bc most of the time what they’re talking about is light sexual tension. But this…you know it’s real yearning when both characters are ready to cry blood tear their hair out and jump. Such a sweet and heartrending romance I loved them both desperately.
The cliffhanger…I am going to have to Kill Myself.
PRINCEWEAVERRRRRR!!!!
Again I just loved these characters (Meilyr !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and this is a PROPER SLOW BURN. They aren’t so much as holding hands until hundreds of pages in. They’re both absolutely stupid heartsick. I find it so annoying when other people talk about “yearning” bc most of the time what they’re talking about is light sexual tension. But this…you know it’s real yearning when both characters are ready to cry blood tear their hair out and jump. Such a sweet and heartrending romance I loved them both desperately.
The cliffhanger…I am going to have to Kill Myself.
PRINCEWEAVERRRRRR!!!!
June 4, 2026
1. Hey, suddenly I’m crying
2. Book needs 50% less “sorry”
2. Book needs 50% less “sorry”
May 20, 2026
This book asked too much from me as it guided the audience to sympathize with members of a genocidal monarchy.
The writing was ok, a lot of telling rather than showing. The heavy-handed guidance of how I should interpret the characters and their motivations was cloying.
While Osian was an intriguing character as an heir of a violent colonial/imperialist force; with his sympathies directed to the oppressed people. But he never does anything to change that other than vaguely mentioned investigations. He also, on more than one occasion, allows the arrest/captivity of innocent people. He also puts Meilyr through so much. So I still have trouble fully empathizing with him.
The love story wasn't really engaging for me. It seemed to have no substance.
Aldreda was a real villain dressed up as a character who is "flawed" but ultimately should be liked. No. Absolutely not. I hated her from her introduction to the very end as she got worse and worse.
I was fully on Celyn's, Meilyr's, and even the murderous sorcerer's side.
I'm interested in how the series progresses; whether the colonial powers be truly vilified and be forced to face any sort of justice and reconciliation. Or if the author will continue to toe the line of "oh they're horrible but still people so they don't deserve to have violence inflicted on them." Even as they continue to inflict violence on an occupied and oppressed people.
The writing was ok, a lot of telling rather than showing. The heavy-handed guidance of how I should interpret the characters and their motivations was cloying.
While Osian was an intriguing character as an heir of a violent colonial/imperialist force; with his sympathies directed to the oppressed people. But he never does anything to change that other than vaguely mentioned investigations. He also, on more than one occasion, allows the arrest/captivity of innocent people. He also puts Meilyr through so much. So I still have trouble fully empathizing with him.
The love story wasn't really engaging for me. It seemed to have no substance.
Aldreda was a real villain dressed up as a character who is "flawed" but ultimately should be liked. No. Absolutely not. I hated her from her introduction to the very end as she got worse and worse.
I was fully on Celyn's, Meilyr's, and even the murderous sorcerer's side.
I'm interested in how the series progresses; whether the colonial powers be truly vilified and be forced to face any sort of justice and reconciliation. Or if the author will continue to toe the line of "oh they're horrible but still people so they don't deserve to have violence inflicted on them." Even as they continue to inflict violence on an occupied and oppressed people.
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