Homecoming

Sex Wizards #5

by Alethea Faust

Magic is a rare gift, and Dominai is losing control of his. He was always told that magic wants to obey, but between the waking dreams and alarming visions, Dom’s magic is going rogue. When Dom’s wayward power lashes out against Olbric, he’s forced to confront what these visions are trying to tell He needs to return to Airedale and find his mother.

But in the fallout of the events at the Eastern Tower, Dom and Olbric learn that leaving the Crux won't be so easy. The Royal Guard is watching wizards closely, and while the two plan a grand escape from under the Guard’s nose, Grandmaster Arlon and his newly appointed apprentice, Galiva, are chafing under the strain of the Crown’s expectations.

When the mantle of Grandmaster suddenly falls on Galiva’s shoulders, her loyalties to her friends are pitted against the Crown’s interests. Galiva struggles to navigate the demands of the position, keep her friends safe, and repair the trust between the Crux and the people of Straetham.

To avoid a war with Immenbach, Dom, Olbric, and Galiva will all have to decide what lengths they will go to, and what they are willing to sacrifice to keep the Crux—and each other—safe.

The fifth book of Alethea Faust’s Sex Wizards series, Homecoming delivers risk-aware consensual kink, political intrigue, an epic plot, and a whole lot of butt stuff.

Genres: Fantasy, BDSM, M M Romance, Erotica, Magic, LGBT, Transgender

372 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 30, 2026

About the author

Alethea Faust is an international bestselling author of kinky, queer, erotic epic fantasy. Things you can expect to find in their works are risk-aware consensual kink, hard BDSM, non-toxic masculinity, kind and emotionally mature adults, and a lot of butt stuff.

They also have a Patreon, where you can find exclusive stories in the Sex Wizards world as well as early access to future books in the series. Read more at https://www.patreon.com/aletheafaust

They can be found all across social media here: https://linktr.ee/aletheafaust

Reviews

[Lila]

I love this series, I do.

I want to start my review saying this, knowing it will be a 3 star book, and not 5. This is a great preview for the next book, but seeing as the next book isn't out yet, I simply find it frustrating and lacking substance.

Galiva's POV is simply not needed from this book, and while I'm all for women in power, it does feel a bit like spitting at Arlon because of his "low birth". Dom and Olbric are separated, once again (yawn). It's a bit of a tired theme, at this point. Spoiler alert; we still don't find out who Dom's mother is (I have some theories, myself, but I tend to have an overactive imagination and will abstain from voicing them until the next book drops, and hopefully, the truth, at last).

One thing I wouldn't have minded seeing is more of Thaddius. I know, I know, he's a jerk, but I'm over here, waiting for his redemption arc and maybe his POV or two.

I vaguely remember seeing author saying that this one and book 6 are more or less meant to be read together because the plot was getting too long so it was separated into two books, so it should be coming out relatively soon. Right?

[Erica]

4.5⭐️ Love this series with my whole heart. Frothing at the mouth for the conclusion at the end of the year! (Also ugh I love the paperbacks sm, they’re so pretty!)

[Oh dear]

I never thought I’d say it - but sex wizards has really gone downhill.

It feels like the sex scenes have no plot reason anymore and there are so many of them. Also the plot was half a books worth of plot - this was all just set up for the next book.

[Sarah Meerkat]

After devouring the first four books last year and then reading this on Patreon and then waiting for the final product this feels like such a disappointment.

Galavias pov feels is just not needed and after book 4 Im so not interested in Dom and Olbric being separated again. The "prude society" arc with Galavia is just so not interesting. I mean unless she starts fucking the queen then sure maybe. But I'd almost rather have Niks pov or just something more meaty than what I'm getting and that makes me sad because it feels like the entire purpose of Galavia is to give us insight into Team Arlon which would have been better as a mystery. Their is better tension to be had if we dont know fully know what's happening with Crux while the gang are away

[Ajumi]

TLDR: Nothing got finished, nothing got resolved and we could have covered all the story that this book contains in max one chapter of writing. A pure filler book. We also see almost nothing of Dom. I really feel like I just wasted 4 hours. I am so disappointed.

[Ivan]

An amazing fifth book taking the series one step further.

The last book in this series ended with a high, but also with a lot of questions. So in this book the questions slowly get unraveled and we learn more about what is happening to Dom. This doesn't go smoothly though, Dom is very stressed about it and shuts himself off. I wished to give him a hug in those moments so bad. He is very lost in this book, especially in the beginning, and it shows a very different side of him than we're used to. Because of that the book changed in vibe compared to the previous ones, I felt constantly worried about Dom. But that doesn't mean there weren't pockets of joy either, the balance was quite well done.

Dom and Olbric finally are able to spend some time together which feels amazing to read, but Doms distress shows here too and things don't go smoothly from the start either. Their dynamic is one of my favorites in the series so them being together compared to book 4 was a joy to see more of.

There was also plenty of political intrigue. With the Crux being in a bad position with the crown and a war looming on the horizon there is a lot to be managed and dealt with for Arlon. With Galiva becoming Arlon's apprentice we get to see even more of the inner goings of the Crux than we had in the past. I really enjoyed this shift to the books being more politically focussed, without ever losing sight of the amazing smut. The world that has been built over the course of the books is an interesting one and learning more lore about it is something I've greatly enjoyed since book 1.

Concluding this review I'd say this is a really strong book and I can't wait to see the story continue.


I received an eARC and this was my honest review.

[Raquel]

I IMMEDIATELY NEED THE NEXT BOOK

No notes, I loved everything and this series holds strong as one of my favorites.

Overall, this book was slower-paced compared to the previous book. We wrap up several of the lingering threads of the last book and world/plot build for the next book. I don't hate that, but it did leave on a cliffhanger that's going to be on my mind until book 6 comes out. Those final 100 pages really ramped up the energy only to deny us.

I take it back, one note: More Cancassi. I love them so much.

[Letizia]

I love this series and i love these characters so much
I really liked seeing what was going on with all of them with the multiple POVs
The plot is thickening and i’m so invested!

I just hoped to see more plot, and i mean literally, i needed at least 150-200 more pages because i need to know what happens

I saw another review saying it felt like being in a chastity belt waiting for what happens next and it’s honestly the perfect description
I know it sets up everything for the next one but damn I WANNA KNOWWWW

[Bekah]

I knew going into this that I’d love it. And I was right. This was my top most anticipated read for this year. And it did not disappoint. I absolutely adore this world and the bond these characters have. This book was more character driven but it was so so good and I loved getting more insight on the family dynamics and having more characters introduced. I’m very excited to see where book 6 will go and even more excited to see a couple unexpected (yet anticipated) characters getting together 😮‍💨🤤
Alethea does an outstanding job writing and truly makes me feel like I know these characters and feel a connection to each of them.
The spice spiced in the absolute best way (per usual) and if you love amazing spice mixed well with amazing plot. This is the series for you!
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Sex Wizards Book 5, Homecoming comes out June 30th! All books (and novellas) are available on Kindle Unlimited!
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Tropes/ what to expect
Political talks
World building
Character growth (😏)
Strained family dynamics
Smut (duh)
A Kink based magical system
Religion and religious trauma
Trauma due to SA and rape
Chastity

[Jes]

Read Homecoming and expect to see…

🏹Strained Family Dynamics
🪶Hurt-Comfort
☀️More Character Depth
🏔️More Worldbuilding
❄️New Magic & New Mysteries

~ I was given an ARC of Homecoming in exchange for my honest review and opinions! ~

“For luck,” they say as they clamp the last one shut with a silver bead, “for safe travels, and an easy trip home.”

💘Romance: 4/5
🌶Spice: 3/5
🏃‍♀️Pacing: 4/5
🎭Plot: 4/5
🗺Worldbuilding: 5/5
👀Perspective: (1st) / Triple/Multiple POV


Imo Homecoming is a great addition to the series! I loved learning more about the characters’ families, homes, and backstories. I won’t give too much away so as not to spoil anything, but this book set us up nicely for SO MUCH MORE! I’m on the edge of my seat Alethea!! We need more!! Please please please! 😭🫶🏾

That said, this is not my favorite book in the series as it felt like being in a chastity belt with no release at the end 😩ughh what happens next?? I can't even begin to guess!! I wouldn’t fare well with Conjuration magic… I’m too impatient fr 😩
Anyway, the pacing was good and the worldbuilding continues to pique my interest. We definitely learned more about the characters/kingdoms goals, connections, and histories in a vague but enticing way.

The romance was lovely as always, with its hurt-comfort, cozy care, and realistic yearning that I love to see! The spice was good as well, but this is definitely more of a character-driven book with magic-making taking more of a backseat… however, that scene with Gal will live rent-free in my head for a while… you’ll know the one I’m talking about when you read the book… it’s tea haha 😏💕☕️

With that said, this book is a bit different from the others, but it is entirely necessary to set the scene for whatever is coming next! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for our beloved wizards in the next book! As always, happy reading! 🏔️🏜️❄️👀

[Lucy Sweeney]

Homecoming by Alethea Faust
☀️☀️⛅ (2.5 rounded down)

The fifth book in the Sex Wizards series was due to be the last, but Faust had too much content and split it in two. This reads exactly like the first half of a book, which is its downfall - there isn't enough meaty content to sustain it as its own book. It feels like filler, which it ultimately is.

The necessity of splitting up the main characters is a big contributor to the lack of substance in this instalment. Every storyline moved at a snails pace and felt bloated. Without the previous 4 books having established significant characters and bonds between them this would have been an all out disaster, but instead it's just boring and disappointing in comparison.

There are lots of interesting plot points in play throughout this book, and none of them are even close to being resolved. The miscommunication trope keeping Dom from revealing his wayward magic to anyone qualified to help was frustrating enough in the last book, but now just comes across as a plot device rather than an authentic character choice.

With a decent cliffhanger this leaves the door wide open for the final book. I have no doubt it will be a significant improvement on this one, which it will need to be to finish the series on a high.


"I don’t know how he’s going to try to get you into Ada’s seat. Shame hasn’t been effective, so I’m not sure what tactic he’s going to try next, but...” Samira grins at me over the rim of her cup, “if there’s one strategy he won’t be prepared to counter, it’s the one you’re best at.”
I preen, flipping my hair over my shoulder. “That’s the nicest way anyone’s ever called me a slut.”

[Dale]

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!

The wizards of the Crux are my close personal friends and I am very worried about them!!!

An easy 5 stars for enjoyment, but I've gotta be honest about the fact that I wish a little more happened in this book. I think splitting our time between 3 POV characters, while extremely fun, left little room for any real development in any of their storylines. (Except maybe for Galiva, but she's my precious angel who can do no wrong, so.)
Obviously I trust that this will be more than resolved in the next book, and it didn't necessarily take away from my reading experience. It just left me feeling, for lack of a better term, edged beyond belief (lol)

All that being said, anyone who has spoken to me about books for longer than 10 minutes (and who I have decided is chill about..... a lot of stuff) has inevitably gotten the Sex Wizards Pitch. I can't help it it's not my fault this series is just so compelling and I need everyone to play in this freak sandbox with me.

[Cylvan "Mischief"]

If you have been following along (and if you haven't, what are you doing here? This is book 5???) you know this epic has been transforming from a silly little disaster queer learning sex magic to a rich and complex plot of political machinations, betrayal and self growth. Homecoming continues in this path in the most spectacular way. You’ll find yourself screaming outloud to beloved characters “NO! STOP IT! THIS IDEA IS TERRIBLE” and muttering “Good for her” and maybe even a chuckle of “Ooooh you’re in trouble now”. We are treated to three POVs Dom, Galiva & Olbric as they each tackle their own challenges, and I have to commend Alethea for such smooth transitions between them because sometimes more than two POVs can turn into a Who’s On First situation. Despite this book being stuffed to the seams with plot it does not skimp on the spice and if you’ve made it this far you know that spice is top tier. If I could physically give it more than 5 stars I would despite how much I hate cliffhangers all it did was make me all the more eager for book 6.

[Shannon Joy]

I absolutely love this series and have read the first 4 books each a few times, so I was super excited about this book.
I really liked it! I loved getting back into the world and seeing what the characters were up to and where the story was going.

Though I will say, I feel like on the one had it was very plot heavy (or setting up future plot) compared to the previous books with a lot less kink and magic, which gave it a very different feel.

On the other hand, to me it felt like not a lot happened. Especially when compared to the last book which took us on a giant adventure. This one felt more like it was setting us up for the last book rather than having great stories for this book in itself.

And although there were a handful of fantastic spicy scenes (so good!), there was a lot less overall than the other books... which felt a bit odd considering the whole premise.

Don't get me wrong, I still really liked it, and am really looking forward to the 6th and final book!

[Will]

I will echo a lot of the sentiments here that this suffers very much from Middle Book syndrome. Like, it's not bad but it just seems to be here to set things up for the finale in book 6.

Nothing much of note actually happens, we've split up the main cast (again), and there's not as many long explicit scenes that I think tend to be the better parts of this series.

However, it's not badly written at all. The characters are still great, the explicit scenes that we do get are nice, but I just wanted more from everything especially after how long the previous book was.

But I'm hopeful for the next book because I think this does set the story up quite nicely. I do hope that after the climax of the final book that we do still get a little bit slice of life from our cast in the crux and that it's not just an abrupt ending after everything

[Shaina]

As always, I fell right into the world of the Sex Wizards as soon as i started. The recap was useful but as soon as I started it, everything flooded right back.

I wanted to smack Dom for like... Half of the book. At least. Then i wanted to smack Olbric. Galiva is perfect though 😘. The world and character building in this series is unmatched; you really get to understand the politics without being bored, and feel the characters' conflicts and love and lust as if you're a part of them.

Overall my only complaint is how it ended. I knew it might be a cliffy, but I was hoping SOMETHING would be resolved. Alethea sure likes edging, it seems! Already can't wait for the next book.

[Rachel]

I enjoyed this book in the end, but it took a while to get into it and halfway through I was actually getting bored. But I think that's just because Odyssey was such a complete tale, that this paled in comparison.

I know this book sets up the finale, but I had a serious frustration with Dom not telling anyone of his obvious visions. I know the three locations the characters are in have very limited communication, but they all have pieces of the puzzle and this was really frustrating for me as a reader when it wasn't progressing really at all.

At the end of the book we have gotten only slightly further than at the start and it just felt quite slow.

[Logan MacDonald]

Okay so 5 stars as always- and let me just say this one got me EMOTIONAL so many times😭 I’m not a crier but there was a lot in this one that hit hard. Aletheas writing is so magical in so many ways and I loved every second of this- with and without the tears. Each POV was so fun and distinctive when it came to character voices and I loved how engaging each and every moment of this book was. I’m so excited to dive into the next one- and re read and tab this one as soon as I get my physical copy😋 thank you for another amazing adventure and I am SO EXCITED to see what’s next!!!

[Dani]

Ugh I’m just so obsessed with this series. Every time the next book in this series comes out, I fall even more in love with the story and characters. Each book dives deeper in the many different dynamics and manages to do it without sacrificing the plot. I was either at the edge of my seat or trying not to cry for basically this whole book. It had me in my feels in a big way. I definitely wasn’t ready for it to end. I need the next book like I need air. I just love it so much. If you haven't started this series, there is no better time than now.

[Maxisagayweeb]

Aaaaaa this book had me screaming for all the reasons!!

I am stress. I am excited. I am in love. I am anxious as fuck.

It is obvious that this was originally the first half of a book because it doesn’t have a complete narrative arc, or even much actually happen, but it does still work as a book in its own right and I am so excited and anxious for the next book because that cliffhanger is brutal 😭😭

Love this series and love this book!!

Rounded up from 4.75/5

Thank you Alethea Faust for my ARC!! All opinions here are my own

[Saoirse O’Carroll]

Homecoming continues Dom’s story, and we end up learning a little more about his past. I loved getting to read from Galiva’s perspective for the first time in this book, as I’ve adored her character from the beginning. The book ends on a massive cliffhanger, and considering the next book is the last it makes sense. These books are absolutely amazing and the story is very interesting, I look forward to reading what’s next for these characters but won’t deny being sad that the story for them is near its end.

[Tally Patton]

I truly love this series, but Homecoming fell a little flat for me. It very much felt like a setup for the next book. All of the characters were separated, and it left me missing those relationships. We didn't explore any more of the schools at the Crux, there was no true climax (lol) to the story.
While the writing style is still impeccable, this book just felt like nothing happened. Still enjoyable, but nothing what contributed to the plot.

[Annalise]

Homecoming was a long-awaited release for me. I've been waiting to know what happens next in the series since the moment I finished Odyssey. Homecoming delivers more of the story and characters we have come to love, while adding more details to the setting. There are new characters to love, more creative and spicy spellcasting, and a mystery that could change the course of the world and set everything we thought we knew about magic on its head!

[Julia Shah]

Just WOW .., I've been waiting on tenterhooks for this book and the continuation of the series and it was most definitely worth the wait.

Dominai, Olbric, Cancassi and co continue their stories and adventures both alone and together. I was well and truly engrossed in this story after the first few chapters and the end definitely snuck up on me. I was left literally shouting for more.

A brilliant book which I highly recommend.

[Mavi]

I was extremely hyped for this book, I love this series so much, but it disappointed me anyway. I guess the point of the cliffhanger was to leave us eager for the next one, but it just felt wrong. I feel like nothing happened, especially in Dom's and Galiva's stories. I also found the majority of casting scenes cool, but not useful nor deep, which made them less hot.
I guess this is a set up for the next one, but as it's a book on its own, I think it should have been *more*.

[Celeste Anderson]

Exhilarating Fantasy Adventure

Fans of Alethea Faust rejoice! Dom and the wizards are back. I have sorely missed this series and devoured the latest book. It was worth the wait. The writing is fast paced.There are lots of twists and turns. The characters continue to grow. Ms Faust creates a brilliant world of magic and passion. I love the insightful reflections on spirituality, religion and sexuality. Can't wait for the next installment.

[Melly Book Reviews]

This series just keeps proving it knows exactly what it’s doing. Homecoming widens the political scope without ever losing the intimacy that’s literally baked into its magic system, and Olbric’s storyline in particular wrecked me. Faust writes high-stakes fantasy and genuine tenderness in the same breath — and an established polycule that feels real rather than decorative — which is harder than it looks. My only complaint is that the cliffhanger left me feral and now I have to wait. Worth every emotion.

[Isa]

This is book 5 in the series. I really enjoyed the ever expanding world, though I would have personally preferred more time with Dom and Olbric in the same place. We again get their POVs, this time also throwing Galiva's into the mix. Ending on a cliffhanger really makes this book seem like the setup for the finale that is book 6.

[Mother Winter]

I love this world, this story was worth waiting for.

I enjoyed reading this story. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series. I love this world that Alethea created. It is one of my top two choices for the question of, if you could live in any book you wanted which would it be?

[Deanna]

This world is so interesting - the political intrigue on many sides alongside the magic and whatever is going on with Dom. Definitely not happy with Dom and Olbric being separated again, but as the title of the book suggests, they both have difficult pasts to face. The cliff hanger was a bit rude, but also excellent.