Season of Steel

by Maia Kane

Bridgerton meets Pacific Rim in this sapphic fantasy romance where a feisty noblewoman must team up with a disgraced mecha fighter to win her own hand and save her family from fortune hunters.

In an alternate Regency England where marriage to eligible noblewomen is decided by deadly mecha dueling tournaments, half-Chamorro bluestocking Lady Wilhelmina Applewhite will choose her own destiny, thank you very much. But when her father’s sudden death leaves Willa as his sole heir, her hand in marriage becomes the upcoming Season’s grand prize.

Determined to seize her fate—and protect her little sisters’ freedom—Willa shocks the ton by hiring a Bloodsworn fighter to compete for her own hand in the deadly gladiatorial duels of the Season. Except the only one mad enough to even consider fighting for Willa is rakish Thomasin Drake, the first and last woman to have ever fought in a Season . . . until her final duel ended in defeat and disgrace.

But if Willa isn’t careful, she might lose her most valuable possession—her heart—to Thomasin before the Season duels are over. And in a world where marriage is a matter of life and death, falling in love is the last thing she can afford.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Lesbian, Queer, Adult, LGBT, Romantasy

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 16, 2027

Reviews

[Unpopmary · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐

Okay, when I saw "alternative Regency romance + mecha fighting tournament" in the same sentence, you KNOW I was intrigued. I don't think I've ever read anything with that combination before. I've watched plenty of anime featuring mecha, though, and I've always thought they're ridiculously cool, so naturally I had to see how this concept would work in a historical setting. And while I absolutely give the author credit for coming up with something so unusual, I'm not entirely sure all of those elements came together as seamlessly as I would've hoped.

Let's start with the part that worked best for me: the mecha system.

The Bloodsworn Arena was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about how the machinery worked, and the fights themselves had such a raw and brutal quality that they made the stakes feel incredibly high. The bond was also described in a way that made it easy to visualize, and I could tell a lot of thought went into creating this world. If I had to pick one thing that stood out above everything else, it would definitely be the lore.

BUT... I think that also became part of the problem for me.

The Mecha received so much focus that everything else started feeling secondary. Character development? Romance? Emotional arcs? They simply didn't get the same amount of room to breathe, and sadly, I think the story needed more balance between all of these elements.

Following her father’s death, noblewoman Willa is left looking after her sisters while being forced into the role of the season's prize, set to marry whoever conquers the mecha competition. Enter Thomasin, a brash rake and Saxland's only Bloodsworn female fighter. They clash immediately, but ultimately team up in a mutually beneficial deal meant to last just until Thom wins. But as they spend more time together, those strict boundaries they set up start getting pretty blurry.

I really wanted to love these characters because I adored how much they challenged the expectations of their genre.

Willa especially stood out to me. She's stubborn, fiery, ambitious, and absolutely unwilling to let the men around her dictate her future. In a society where women are treated as bargaining chips for political alliances and personal egos, her determination to take control of her own life was incredibly compelling. She didn't feel like the typical meek Regency heroine, either. She had ambitions that were far ahead of her time, and she wasn't afraid to take real risks to achieve them.

There was something about her that really resonated with me. Maybe it was seeing a woman refuse to quietly accept the limitations placed on her, but her story reminded me that fighting for women's rights is still important even when we've already come so far. There is always more work to be done.

Thomasin has her own rebellious streak. She wears men's clothing, openly embraces her desires, and has absolutely no interest in behaving the way society expects a woman to behave. Yet she was much harder for me to connect with. Her past with her sister clearly left some deep scars, and she keeps herself guarded as a result. Interestingly, the moments where I saw the most vulnerability from Thom were when she was interacting with Willa's sisters. Those scenes were genuinely adorable, and I found myself wishing we could've seen more of that softer side of her. So I'm disappointed to admit, not even knowing her backstory really helped me connect with her the way I wanted to.

And that's really the issue I had with the character arcs overall... I loved the fact that both women pushed against the conventions of their world, and I appreciated the themes the author was exploring through them. But I didn't feel like either MC had a particularly strong internal character arc. So much of the story's attention was devoted to the worldbuilding that their growth often felt like something happening around them rather than something happening within them. I wanted more time inside their heads, more exploration of how these experiences changed them, and ultimately more of a reason to feel deeply connected to who they became.

The romance unfortunately had a similar problem.

A lot of their interactions seemed connected to the arena matches rather than coming from an actual desire to spend time together. Early on, there was also an insta-lust feeling that made it difficult for me to see the emotional groundwork developing underneath the attraction. Once they started bonding, though, I could definitely see the vision. They actually shared a lot of the same passions and morals, so the foundation was totally there. I just never felt like their relationship reached the romantic intensity I was hoping for.

Since this book was pitched as having Bridgerton vibes, I was definitely expecting a lot more romantic tension and urgency between them. I wanted that feeling of "oh, these two are absolutely doomed because they are falling hopelessly in love." Instead, their relationship felt more like two people who had a lot of love and respect for one another, but the deeper romantic spark just wasn't there.

Overall, Season of Steel is unlike anything else I've read this year. Blending a classic Regency backdrop with brutal mecha tournaments is a wild choice, but the sheer action of the Bloodsworn Arena is more than enough to pull you in.

And underneath all those battles, there is a story about female rage, breaking away from societal expectations, taking ownership of your future, and, of course, a sweet romance tucked into the chaos.

It didn't completely click for me emotionally, but it’s still highly entertaining. If you're a romance fan looking to step outside your usual comfort zone for something with a lot more blood, grit, and giant machinery, this might be right up your alley.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[zara · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

this book would SLAP as a movie and i need to see it happen actually. there are some flaws here and there with the flow of the plot and the rig fighting scenes were less than i expected, but otherwise this was soooo buzzy i love the characters i love will i LOVE thomasin the twins are so cute and fitz gets a pass. everyone else can go to hell

[Brend]

I am SO seated for this.

[Amy Cooper · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!! I requested it because of the cover (gorgeous) and the sapphic-ness… regency romances aren’t usually my vibe, and I can’t necessarily say that this changed that, but I do think that just means that if regency romance IS normally your vibe, you’ll love this even more.

I liked our lead characters, and had very strong pictures of all our characters and settings. It was a fun blend of historical and fantastical elements, with enough world-building to justify the different version of the world, but not so much that it took away from the main story. I did find a lot of the plot points quite predictable, but I think it speaks to the strength of the writing that it didn’t bother me as much as it normally would.

A really impressive debut; I hope it goes well!!

[Heather Hogan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually think marketing like "super popular story meets other super popular story" does more harm than good in setting reader expectations. But not in this case! Season of Steel is *absolutely* Bridgeton meets Pacific Rim, in the most delightful possible way! This book exceeded all of my expectations starting with the characterizations of Lady Wilhelmina Applewhite (Anne Shirley meets steampunk Elizabeth Bennet) and Thomasin Drake (reformed lesbian rake, anyone?). They could have both been really one note, but they were wonderfully realized, and their backstories were woven together seamlessly with their dynamic characterizations. The supporting cast, particularly the women of the Honey Pot and the Applewhite sisters, colored in the world beautifully. And holy cats, the action! I was so surprised and thrilled by how much actual mech fighting we got! Also, for what it's worth, this book had the vibe of Ally North's wildly popular Bloom Town duology. People are always reading that book and then desperately searching for something similar. Now there really is something!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

[M. Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw "sapphic Bridgerton meets Pacific Rim" and I pounced! I am so glad I did. This absolutely delivered on the premise--as both a Bridgerton and Pacific Rim fan, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book holds up very solidly as well as delivering immaculate vibes. I adored this book and am so excited to get another one in this universe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

[Amber Kemp Schuman · Rating 4 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟/🌶️

Thank you to Dutton to the ARC of Season of Steel by Maia Kane. I was super excited to discover a new author (for me!).

One of my fave things about arc reading is discovering new authors. I tend to request a lot of books that I wouldn’t normally just pick up since I don’t know the authors. This time around I was lucky enough to read a new one that I will definitely pick up again!

The premise of Season of Steel was really cool. A woman has to fight for her dowry via deadly competitions using a bloodsworn fighter. This is the epitome of a cozy fantasy that takes you on a fun low stakes journey.

The connection between Thomasin and Willa’s connection was almost instant and fun to watch grow. I also really loved Thomasins relationship with Willa’s sisters.

If you love:

🤺 deadly competitions
🤺 sapphic romance
🤺 regency romance
🤺 caretaker FMC
🤺 slow burn


Thank you again to Dutton for the ARC!

[Micah · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I thought that this story was a really strong debut! I loved the premise and plot. There are times where I felt like the communication between the characters could have been stronger, but I feel like that was more of an intentional decision to add to the angst of the overall story. I liked both characters a lot and I felt like they complimented each other very well. The mecha nods make me think so much of gearbreakers by zoe hana mikuta ( Gearbreakers ) which was also fun. There were some points in the story where all the different terms and things got confusing but overall, the story was easy to follow. I am curious to see if this story will turn into a series or if it will remain a standalone, but if it does get a second book, I would be first in line to read it!

[Laura Vignals · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

I spent a ridiculous amount of this book thinking, this entire marriage system is horrifying, immediately followed by, please put Thomasin back in the mech right now.

That pretty much sums up my experience with Season of Steel.

Maia Kane takes the glittering rituals of a Regency marriage market and makes the violence underneath them completely literal. In this version of England, an eligible noblewoman’s marriage can be decided through deadly mechanised duels, and when Lady Wilhelmina Applewhite becomes the sole heir to her father’s estate, Willa herself becomes the prize of the upcoming Season. Her solution is both outrageous and completely logical: hire somebody to fight for her own hand so she can effectively win herself.

I adored Willa.
She is intelligent, stubborn, socially aware and absolutely furious that the law can turn her inheritance, her future and ultimately her body into something men are allowed to compete for. What made her particularly compelling, though, was that her determination is not only about herself. Her younger sisters’ futures are tied to what happens to the estate, so every decision she makes carries this uncomfortable combination of rebellion and responsibility.

There is a difference between a heroine saying she wants freedom and a heroine understanding exactly what that freedom may cost everyone she loves. Willa lives in that difference.
She can also be wonderfully fussy.
Thomasin noticing that aspect of her personality — and deliberately pushing against it — creates some of the funniest interactions in the book.

Because Thomasin Drake is basically Willa’s worst possible choice.
She is disgraced, rakish, angry, drinks too much, and has already done the supposedly impossible once before by becoming the first woman to fight in a Season. Her last duel ended in defeat and drove her away from high society, and she has very little interest in risking herself again for a noblewoman she finds irritating. What changes her mind is learning that the man who defeated her is competing with her old mech; she agrees to fight if winning means getting the machine back.

That detail did so much for Thomasin’s character.
She doesn’t return because Willa is immediately irresistible.
She comes back because she has unfinished business.

Thomasin’s disgrace has clearly changed the way she sees herself, and there is something painful about watching somebody who once made history act as though that chapter of her life has already ended. Her confidence and arrogance are still there, but they sit beside bitterness and humiliation.

I liked her almost embarrassingly quickly.
And Willa absolutely does not.

At first.
Their chemistry works because the book understands how entertaining it is when two very capable women find each other deeply inconvenient.

Willa wants discipline and strategy. Thomasin has swagger.
Willa understands the social rules of the Season. Thomasin has already been chewed up by them.
Willa needs Thomasin desperately and hates that fact.

Thomasin keeps discovering that irritating Willa is far more enjoyable than it should be.
The romance develops through that friction rather than replacing it. Even once attraction becomes undeniable, they do not suddenly lose all the personality traits that caused the conflict in the first place.

I especially appreciated that Thomasin never becomes merely Willa’s champion.

Winning Willa’s hand may be the practical objective, but Thomasin has her own history with the duels, her own reputation to recover and her own complicated relationship with the mech she lost. She feels like the protagonist of her own story who happens to collide with Willa’s rather than a love interest whose entire purpose is to solve the heroine’s problem.

That balance made the relationship so much stronger.
The mecha duels are also much more than a novelty.

When I first heard “Regency romance with giant mechs,” I expected something fun but perhaps slightly ridiculous. Instead, Kane commits completely to the concept. The Season still has all the social performance you would expect — status, courtship, gossip, spectacle — but underneath the gowns and etiquette is an actual gladiatorial system where marriage is secured through physical violence. The author describes the premise as a Regency England where marriages and titles can be won through a mecha battle royale.

That juxtaposition is fantastic.
A ballroom and an arena essentially serve the same purpose: both are places where Willa is being assessed, pursued and treated as something to acquire.

One is simply more honest about the violence.
I loved the way the book uses that worldbuilding to talk about women’s autonomy without turning every chapter into an obvious lesson. Willa’s situation already tells us everything we need to know about the society she lives in. She becomes incredibly wealthy after her father’s death, but that wealth immediately makes her less free, because now every fortune hunter has a reason to want her.

That irony gives the entire story teeth.
The CHamoru element of Willa’s identity also added texture to the alternate-history setting. She is half-Chamorro, and the novel does not simply construct a monochrome fantasy Regency and pretend colonial histories or cultural difference do not exist. The official description foregrounds that part of Willa’s identity rather than treating it as incidental.

What really surprised me, though, was Maia Kane’s writing.
This is a debut, but the prose rarely feels hesitant.

The social scenes have a polished, playful rhythm, while the duel sequences become much sharper and more physical. I could feel the difference between Willa navigating conversation like a battlefield and Thomasin entering an arena where violence actually is the language everyone speaks.

Kane is also very good at dialogue.
Willa and Thomasin’s banter never felt like two characters delivering perfectly polished lines purely so readers could highlight them later. Their exchanges reveal how differently they think. Willa chooses words carefully because she has been trained to survive society. Thomasin is much more willing to provoke, deflect or make a joke when something becomes uncomfortable.
The moments when that banter stops are therefore much more effective.

There is one point in any good enemies-to-lovers romance where teasing suddenly becomes honesty, and the entire emotional temperature changes.
This book has several of those moments.

The side characters also prevent the story from becoming too enclosed around the central couple. Willa’s sisters matter because they make the stakes personal, while the other competitors and members of society help show how normalised this brutal system has become.

I wanted even more from some of them.
That is probably my main criticism: I became so interested in this world that I occasionally wanted the book to slow down and explore the political and social consequences of the Season in greater depth. The central premise is so strong that there were moments where I found myself asking questions the novel didn’t necessarily have room to answer.

How did this system become accepted?
How differently do women from less powerful families experience it?
What happens to those who resist but do not have Willa’s money or Thomasin’s skills?
Those questions did not damage my enjoyment, but they are part of why I stopped just short of a full five stars.
I also thought the latter portion became extremely busy.

The romance, the duels, Thomasin’s past, Willa’s inheritance, the fortune hunters and the broader implications of the system all begin colliding. Most of it works because I was already invested, but a couple of emotional beats could have used another chapter to breathe.

Still, the book made me feel everything it wanted me to feel.
I was furious for Willa.
I wanted Thomasin to get back into that arena and remind everyone exactly who she was.
I wanted them to kiss.
Then I wanted them to stop kissing long enough to communicate properly.
Then I wanted the next duel.
That is a very good place for a romance to leave me.

The Bridgerton meets Pacific Rim comparison is obviously the easy pitch — even the publisher uses it — but the finished book has more personality than that description suggests. It is romantic and spectacular, yes, but also genuinely interested in what it means to claim ownership of your own future in a society determined to make that future someone else’s prize.
Willa wants to win her own hand.

Thomasin wants to reclaim what was taken from her.
And somewhere between courtship balls and giant mechanical death matches, the two of them become exactly the kind of terrible idea I wanted them to be.

4.75/5 ⭐

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you so much to Maia Kane, Dutton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Season of Steel. I really appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Amelia · Rating 2.25 out of 5]

I went into *Season of Steel* fully expecting to discover a new favourite read of the year. Unfortunately, what I got instead was something that felt distinctly underseasoned and undercooked.

Set in an alternate Regency era, *Season of Steel* presents a society in which marriage prospects are determined not merely by wealth, status or social connections, but by victory in the battle arena. Here, access to extraordinarily powerful machines known as ‘mechs’ can secure a place among the wealthy and well-connected, provided, of course, that you have the right connections to get your foot in the door in the first place.

Our main character, Willa, is still reeling from the increasingly suspicious circumstances surrounding her father's death when she discovers that her hand in marriage has been offered up as the following season's grand prize. A gaggle of greedy socialites will descend upon the arena, battling it out for the right to claim both her hand and her considerable inheritance.

Enter Thomasin, a failed bloodsworn whose greatest disadvantage in this world of mechanical dick-swinging contests appears to be the unfortunate fact that she's a woman. With precious few options available to her, Willa hires Thomasin to fight on her behalf, hoping to secure not only the right to determine her own future, but also the freedom and security of her younger sisters.

On paper, this sounds incredible. Unfortunately, the most seasoning this book received was, at best, a pinch of salt.

(Yes, I know that's not the kind of season the title is referring to, but the joke amused me, so we're glossing over it.)

To begin with the positives, the premise is fantastic, and the cover is genuinely stunning. *Season of Steel* is brimming with queer characters, and the dynamic between Thomasin and Willa is easily one of its strongest elements. Their interactions have a charm that makes it easy to understand why this particular pairing might appeal to readers, and there are glimpses of a genuinely compelling story beneath the surface.

Unfortunately, it's when you start digging beneath that surface that so many of my issues with *Season of Steel* begin to emerge.

For starters, while this alternate Regency world borrows heavily from the aesthetics of the period, it never convincingly explores how the existence of such extraordinary technology might have fundamentally reshaped society. We're presented with these enormously powerful machines that supposedly underpin the social hierarchy, yet their influence seems remarkably limited beyond the confines of the arena. Where are the wider cultural, political and technological consequences of their existence? How has society adapted to machinery capable of transforming the very foundations of wealth, power and social mobility?

Beyond the occasional passing reference to mechs when they aren't physically present, so much of the setting feels as though it has been plucked wholesale from any other Regency romance, with the technology simply dropped into the middle of it. Rather than a world that has evolved around the existence of these machines, it feels like a familiar historical setting with a particularly elaborate mechanical accessory bolted on.

In a similar vein, the mechs just don't feel like they show up nearly enough .The fight scenes are brief and sparse, and seeing the mechs outside of battle are mostly opportunities to stumble across them so the narrative can point and go "hey look at this cool thing, anyway, lets get the MCs back to flirting."

SoS has this incredible world mechanic, and it just doesn't get the page space that it absolutely deserved.

Furthermore, the plot just felt too easy. There's just so many discoveries that come about through pure happenstance or good fortune. The plot just lacked the agency that I want from my plots, I don't want it to feel like the whole time our characters are stumbling across what they need.

The villains are either cartoonishly evil out of the complete blue, or spend the novel being built up to be a big bad only to do a 360 at the eleventh hour.

SoS had so much potential, and Kane has a lot of the characteristics of a book I'd love. So I will definitely seek out more of her work going forward, but sadly this one really fell short for me.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Dutton via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date March 16th, 2027.

I've got to admit that it was the gorgeous cotton candy cover that sucked me in, but this book's Regency lesbian mecha premise was also pretty cool. In Season of Steel, Willa is left bereft after the unexpected death of her father the duke, especially since her hand in marriage is now about to be auctioned off in aristocratic mecha tournament. Determined to spare herself and her baby sisters from this fate, Willa hatches a daring plan—hire the rakish and unconventional Thomasin Drake as a mecha pilot to fight in her name and win back the title.

As one might assume from the cover and premise, this is a light and fluffy sapphic battle mecha fancy party romance with only a token relation to the actual Regency period. Thomasin and Willa's butch/femme romance is sweet, open-door but not particularly explicit, and clearly designed to reference the idea of a knight fighting for the hand of her princess. Fans of Una from The Everlasting will appreciate Thomasin being six foot two and buff, although I think neither the author nor the cover artist appreciated what a one foot height difference really entails. However, the romance is firmly a secondary plot thread, with most of the plot focused on Willa's struggle to secure and enter a winning mecha against a tidal wave of social disapproval. Here, mecha aren't very integrated into the setting, despite vague gestures to the Romans, and they're almost entirely piloted as part of aristocratic fistfight boxing duels. Still, Willa's nail-biting efforts to secure a decent rig are enough to keep the plot moving. I'll leave the task of determining which anime this book was inspired by to more expert minds than mine...

A bit unusually for the fluffy romance genre, Season of Steel's setting leaves the homophobia in, although as more of an abstract concept that happens to other people. If some of KJ Charles' books have a homophobia intensity rating of a 7, this is like a 0.5. Still, I think the treatment of bigotry threads the needle nicely between making the patriarchal logic of the forced marriage tick without bringing down the cotton-candy mood. On the other hand, I disliked how the social strictures of this pseudo-Regency setting were consistently dismissed by the plot and characters as silly and ignorable. It defeats the purpose of setting the book in a restrictive social world to allow the main character to flout every rule of Society and get away with it scot-free. Actions should have consequences, or why should I, as the reader, care? However, I've always been a fan of a good comedy of manners over cosplay historicals, and the enormous popularity of history-lite Bridgerton et al fiction may mean I'm in the minority here.

A light and fluffy romp that takes its plot seriously enough to stay grounded. I had quibbles with some of the worldbuilding and the romance wasn't very deeply felt, but Season of Steel is a fun (if undemanding) read. Pair with Alexis Hall's Mortal Follies.

[journy · Rating 4 out of 5]

SEASON OF STEEL is a fun, light-hearted romp that doesn't quite meet the limits of its own potential-- but I was so entertained that I'm giving it four stars anyway. Willa and Thomasin are well-drawn characters and the twins are a delight, and for the most part I found the romance very compelling. Though it never quite makes the leap to nuance, no character is overly flat, and it does the work of a romantasy admirably.

My major points of criticism are the prose, which was often juvenile and repetitive, and the plot, which occasionally overly relied on coincidence and did not make both characters as active as they could have been. But both of these factors also had their bright spots: Kane's descriptive language can be lush and ornate, without ever feeling purple, and the plot had an endearing habit of pulling up a long-forgotten minor detail to be relevant later. This delighted me to the point that I was willing to forgive the moments when things seemed to happen to the characters, rather than out of their own action. Plus, there were excellent plot points to balance out the less interesting: Willa's final action in the duel was a great character moment, and genuinely thrilling.

Willa was my favorite of the two characters-- Thomasin was largely the victim of the plot's happenstance. For a while, she is pretty useless, and her getting trounced in her very first duel is a plot choice I can't agree with. The first major section of the plot revolves around Thom and Willa having to construct a new rig, rather than the combat-heavy training I expected from a novel of this sort, and all their struggle is invalidated when they get a fully-functional rig from a side character, something which does not at all result from either character's personal ingenuity or Thom's physical ability. Thom is more useful for her underworld connections than her prowess, which is fine, but I wanted more textual support for her combat ability. She never seems to be the brilliant warrior we're told she is.

My last problem with the book was the worldbuilding. For the most part, this world is just Regency-era London, without a ton of thought given to how society would physically and societally change with the introduction of rig-fighting. I wanted to dive deeper into the magic, the mechanics, and the technology of this world, rather than have the entire system hingeing on the fictional metal vinculum. This was not a huge issue, but I still longed for more depth in the workings of the setting.

Despite its flaws, SEASON OF STEEL is still a book I'd recommend to anyone who was drawn in by its tagline (and what a tagline it is!) The innovative premise is enough to carry this book through its sometimes-lacking execution. I'm excited to see what this author does next.

[Emily Naugler · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing an ARC for review.

Season of Steel has an excellent premise but stumbles in its execution.

I really can’t express how disappointed I am that I don’t like this book more. Lesbian romance + regency + mechas is incredibly up my alley. However, I felt like I was having to look past a number of strange decisions, because I liked the writing and the characters, until the ending twist was the final nail in the coffin.

For starters, the characters feel like they have no agency, and a good amount of the plot momentum is due to sheer dumb luck. Finding a mech after their rig is destroyed? They succeed not because they’re scrappy, but because they find someone with a gorgeous mech that has gone unused. Thomasin loses the first match of the Season? No matter, there’s one for peasants later. Character ends up in jail? No worries, this knowledge will be passed along by people bumping into each other.

Not to mention, we have no reason to believe that Thomasin is a talented Bloodsworn fighter at the beginning of the story. She lost the match in her sister’s Season, is disgraced, and seems to have the most success in drunken bar brawls. When Thomasin loses the first match of the Season, I didn’t feel that she lost due to foul play; there wasn’t enough build-up establishing that she was a talented fighter. Instead, I found myself wondering if Willa trusted her fate to the wrong person, and if Thomasin was not as talented as she thought.

Then, the path to the end of the Season felt too simple. Succeed in the peasant match and you go straight to the finale? It just felt too simple.


What really angered me though was the comically evil heel turn as the Big Bad revealed his whole plan. It just felt so beyond silly, to have Ollie go from a bumbling “nice guy” with a sweet tooth to being a cartoon villain that let Willa’s father die, stole her mother’s necklace, and is now threatening colonization against Willa’s mother’s island home. This reveal felt like it cheapened really serious themes by not giving them the time and attention they deserve, while also feeling like a huge curve ball because the book does not begin to even mention these topics prior to this conversation. Willa then using another character to spread Ollie’s confession and distribute proof of his thieving, rather than any direct action, removed Willa’s agency as a character even further.


I’m very disappointed, because I liked Willa and Thomasin as a couple. Their dynamic was sweet, and the tension building between them as their relationship grew was excellent. However, there’s enough that frustrated me here where I have a hard time recommending this.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley.

Pacific Rim was not simply a good movie to me, I made that my personality for like two years at least. So if you're going to market a book as Pacific Rim meet Bridgerton I'm going to try it.

The best way I can describe this book is fun. Even though some of the topics touched upon were quite heavy at times the antics of Willa and Thomasin kept the plot moving forward at a decent pace. I was a little bit dissapointed in the lack of training montages and just the general time spent with Thomasin actually using the rigs. I also wasn't a massive fan that we didn't actually get to see a massive amount of action with Thomasin.

I liked both characters, but Willa was the best in my opinion. While Thomasin was kind of there and everything that happened to her was just luck and the writing doing her a solid, Willa actively spent the book believing that she did deserve more and making actions to save her family estate and protect her sisters from fortune hunters and even when I didn't agree with her I understood why she was making these choices.

I thought that the book had lost me at the 80% mark when it played into one of my least favourite third act conflict tropes, but swiftly saved it with the reveal of the mysterious sponsor. The entire reveal and interaction surrouding this was so well-done. It's also a great example of something that makes Maia Kane's writing strong - the dialouge. It's not the only example in the book but all the dialouge felt natural and when needed powerful for the moment, especially for Willa, who was pushing against the boundaries, was the only tool at her disposal to move forward.

I am a little torn on whether to give this three or four stars and honestly would say it sits somewhere in between for me. I throughly enjoyed this but also feel like it just fell short of it's full potentional. Still I would reccommed this as fun, sapphic read.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Season of Steel” was a wonderful book. The concept of people dueling in Mechs for the hand of the most eligible young noble woman making her debut was an interesting and amusing one. It was also a concept that, if not well done, could turn out poorly and farcical. With a debut author, there is no way of knowing what to expect. Thankfully, the author did the concept justice.

Willa and Thomasin were delightful characters; in some ways very different and an unlikely pairing but in other ways they matched each other well, especially with their stubbornness and unconventional behavior. There was also a great supporting cast with Willa’s twin sisters, Rose and Lily, with their mix of sweetness/innocence and macabre; Fitz, troublemaker and dandy; Vincent and Ollie; and Bella, Cleo and Sunny.

The author handled Willa’s sexual awakening quite well. Willa had long known she had no interest in marrying a man, for a variety of reasons. However, the concept of becoming romantically involved with a woman had never occurred to her until her unexpected visit to the Honeypot and the comments and assumptions regarding Thomasin and her made by some of the courtesans. And when the opportunity arose to experience that intimacy for the first time, it was surprising but enjoyable and she was a quick learner.

The story contains some obvious villains or pseudo-villains, but the identity and motivations of the worst villain were quite surprising. And his downfall was quite fitting.

I liked the Londinium setting and the references to the old Roman Empire, including technological marvels like the aqueducts, as well as references to Gaul and other former kingdoms/nations.

I liked the challenges Willa and Thomasin faced obtaining a rig and the unexpected manner in which they ultimately obtained Bluestocking. I appreciated the ingenuity of the two women, and that Willa’s mechanical engineering knowledge would prove to be so valuable.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fun sapphic Regency romance that takes its queues from recent entries to the Gundam franchise, Pacific Rim, and Netflix’s massively successful Bridgerton series. Our main characters, Lady Wilhelmina “Willa” Applewhite and Bloodsworn fighter Thomasin Drake, are easy to root for, and the various battle scenes both in and out of the mecha are well-choreographed and exciting. Fans of mecha franchises and queer Regency romances will definitely enjoy this spirited take on familiar tropes, even though the historical politics and empire building of the period are mostly glossed over.

My favourite part of the novel were the fighting sequences, which were just plentiful enough to not be overused and hinged upon the partially mysterious technology in a way that felt tangible as much as it is fantastic. I appreciated how each battle had a narrative purpose, and the downtime between the action gave space to let the characters communicate and grow closer to (or further away from) each other, leading up to an exciting climax supported by a compelling twist. Kane exercises admirable restraint with the number of characters we’re expected to follow, which allowed me to become more invested in our main cast.

I have mixed feelings about the middle of the novel sequence that takes our heroes both through a sewer and underwater sequence and then to a brothel. While I was entertained by the characters’ actions, I had a hard time buying into much of what was occurring, and it felt a bit like a fantasy trope speedrun. I also found the author’s attempts at social commentary to be a bit hamfisted, although most are meant to make Willa grow as a person. Overall, I would easily recommend this to anyone looking for an action-packed romance and who want to have a fun, well-written action romance.

[Ashley Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m officially a big fan of Maia Kane, and I genuinely cannot believe Season of Steel is her debut novel!! This book was absolutely brilliant! There’s romance, action, betrayal, political intrigue, societal drama, and SO much more packed into this story!

After Willa’s father passes away, she finds herself being offered as the grand prize of the Season, where suitors select warriors to fight in the ring for her hand in marriage. But Willa has other plans. Rather than allowing someone else to determine her future, she decides to fight for her own hand, giving herself the chance to decide not only her fate but also the fates of her two younger sisters.

Enter Thomasin Drake, a well-known Bloodsworn fighter who defies societal expectations simply by being a woman in the ring. As Willa and Thomasin work together to secure Willa the title of Duke, their partnership slowly blossoms into something more.

I absolutely loved the combination of romance, political intrigue, and societal expectations throughout this story! I was completely enthralled by all the characters and their backstories, and I loved how each of them brought something different to the story. Watching Willa fight to take control of her own future while navigating a world determined to make those decisions for her was so engaging, and the developing romance between Willa and Thomasin made it even better!!

And can we talk about the mystery suitor trying to win Willa’s hand in marriage?!? That reveal was SHOCKING!! I genuinely did not see it coming!

Overall, I had SUCH a fun time reading this book, and I cannot wait to see what Maia Kane writes next!! I’m also definitely hoping Gauntlet of Gold will feature Fitz and the Bloodsworn connected to the mystery suitor because I NEED more of these characters and this world!!

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was somewhat ruined by the fact that the selected champion was awful at fighting while the duke-to-be was too slow to figure out obvious clues and too quick to surrender to society... The concept was intriguing, duels between soul bonded mechanical creatures deciding the marriage fate of eligible women, a young lady determined to win back her life and a woman spurned from society with the ability to bond with the creatures required. Their romance developed well, they bonded well, the sharing of angsty backstories and pairing for exciting, illegal, adventures was fun. However, first mechanical battle for the Lady's hand? Lost. Loophole desperately exploited. Second battle? Only won because the opponent had never bonded before... Third battle? Again, going to be lost until the Lady stepped in and took over, only winning through trickery and threat... The central element of the story was wholly unsatisfying and barely featured.

The slow reveal of the evil family friend was well-paced, if obvious, the Lady's shock understandable given her general obliviousness to everything around her. The threat to her sisters a bold move, but an obvious ploy, pointed out by her lover, who she ignored. The fact they stay together in the end is somewhat surprising given how that situation played out... I enjoyed the concept, the set up was well done, the character development engaging, the end was somewhat satisfying if mildly rushed.

It's hard to support a fighter that never wins anything except drunken brawls and a Lady who wants freedom but doesn't want to risk anything for it...

[Hannah Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely fantastic.

FANTASTIC

The characters are interesting and engaging and the author has taken what *could* have been a pretty predictable story and instead twisted it so as the reader you’re always guessing, always uncertain, wondering how they’re gonna do this and rooting for them as underdogs.

The romance was utterly perfect. The attraction is there but we’ve gotta wait for the culmination, the tension slowly building over time - always my personal preference. I wanna see two characters orbit each other, especially in a historic setting.

Chefs kiss

Willa and Thom were fantastic leading ladies. Making them total opposites really helped embed for me how naive Willa was, sheltered from the reality of the world - both the realities of society AND of actual society, of people outside of her bubble. I found myself actually quite annoyed with her dad throughout the book; not because I necessarily agree with Vincent but because he completely ignored the reality of what he’d created. I like to think he’d figured out Willa’s preferences long before she did, and didn’t know what to do, but by not preparing her for society or the real world outside of society, he really did let her down. It added such a good layer to the book that I think really added to the already AMAZING worldbuilding.

Truly a 10/10 read

[Aidan Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book.

I am utterly speechless upon finishing this book. I feel like I've got to gnaw my own arm off and then immediately force all of my loved ones to read this book.
Kane gives us a dazzling debut novel that rocketed her onto my auto-buy list for all books to come.
Season of Steel is some of the most imaginative world building I've read in a long while. We're tossed into a world that revolves on its own and respects us as the readers enough not to attempt to hold our hand through their history.
Wilhelmina Applewhite is an unbelievably lovable protagonist. She's bold, hard-headed and stubborn, insisting she will win her father's title.
Thomasin Drake is equally as lovable, scrappy and full of fight and fury, with the intent to win back her sister's rig from the man who took it from them.
In less eloquent wording, Thomasin Drake is probably the sexiest love interest of a book I have ever read, she had me clawing at the walls and howling.
Together they make a phenomenal pair. Their chemistry is as hot as a house fire (ha) and their quiet moments still burn with the yearning between them.

Overall absolutely incredible book from cover to cover. 5 stars, I highly recommend, and eagerly await everything Kane plans in her career. She now has a very dedicated reader and fan in me.

[Cee · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

What a fun read! I devoured it in one sitting - it was so easy to get into and I was so invested.

The tagline "Pacific Rim meets Bridgerton" is fairly accurate, aesthetically at least. The world building is a delight -- it's heavily inspired by mecha anime (when I read the fight scenes, I won't lie I was sometimes picturing the fights from the Gundam series) and I really enjoyed it. While I do think the ambitious world-building leaves us a lot of questions, that can be easily ignored with the breakneck-paced plot and enjoyable characters.

The plot was engaging, and there was never a dull moment. The characters are well-developed with complexity and explored strengths and weaknesses. The romance was sweet, and they have a "princess and her (reformed rakish) knight" dynamic that I found particularly romantic and swoonworthy (with all that loyalty and possessiveness). They're both determined and incredibly sympathetic - they were battling against so much in their society and I was rooting for their success.

If the following appeals to you:
- swoonworthy and compelling sapphic romance,
- anime-esque action with mecha robots, and
- charismatic and tenacious main characters
Then this is the book to pick up!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

[Mrs.lizla]

An excellent debut from Maia Kane.

Set in an alternate London that has one foot firmly planted in the past (English Regency vibes) and the other in the future (fighting mech suits!), this story brings together a delightful combo of elements.

At its core is a beautiful queer love story, features two absolutely hilarious twin sisters, and some seriously cool mech suits. But beneath it all the there is a story about discovering the truth of who you are while also simultaneously uncovering the truths about the people nearest and dearest to you.

I’m giving this one 4.5 stars! It took me a little while to find my footing in the story, but once the pacing picked up, I was flying. The author handles both the romance and fight scenes with skill, delivering on the emotional tension just as well as the action. A really enjoyable read and an impressive debut.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC! This book was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Doe Is Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley, however all opinions are my own.

I'm not going to lie, the reason I wanted to read "Season Of Steel" was because the cover was GORGEOUS. And once I saw it was sapphic, I was all in. Friends, this story was incredible. If you're like me and you can't wait for the sapphic season of Bridgerton this will be the one for you. I loved every moment of reading this. It truly had everything I wanted in a sapphic romance, grumpy x sunshin, slow burn, found family. I laughed, I cried, I genuinely was surprised more times than I could count. This story was such a beautiful representation of feminism, lesbian romance, and opposites attract and I cannot wait to see what Maia writes next. I would 1000% recommend this to everyone and anyone and I will be picking myself a copy up the moment it's out.

[Cally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I first picked up this book I was very uncertain. I love both Pacific Rim and Bridgerton, but a mashup of the two is a concept I would never think would go together. I'm pleased to say it actually worked very well, and this book had me completely hooked. It has everything you want in a novel from strong characters, to excellent banter and romance, to exciting fight scenes and twists. While it was definitely a bit predictable, I actually loved that, as it felt like everything I was hoping for came true in a satisfying way.

Overall, if you love books about strong female characters, sapphic romance, found family, and epic fight scenes this is a great choice! 5/5 stars.

[Kirstie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5

I enjoyed Season of Steel overall, particularly its creative blend of Regency era courtship and deadly mecha duels. The duels were easily the highlight for me, they brought excitement and higher stakes to the story and helped distinguish it from other historical fantasy romances. While I liked the book, I never became completely absorbed or emotionally obsessed with it, which kept it from reaching a higher rating for me. Still, this was an inventive and entertaining sapphic fantasy romance with a strong heroine.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[MiloBiblio · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Review of advance copy received from Net Galley*

Holy. Shit. 10/10, six damn stars if I could give it that. First of all you had me at Bridgerton and pacific rim but this book delivered! The action was amazing. The romance was so delicious and I was NOT expecting spice but oh boy was I excited when I got it. And underneath all of. The mechs and the politics of the ton, the feminine rage!!! So many times I wanted to jump into this book and fight someone. Also the twins have my entire heart and I would commit crimes for a book about them.

[kassadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“pacific rim meets bridgerton” is not a crossover i ever saw coming, but i really enjoyed this concept! thom and willa are so dear to me; their characters felt really balanced and i loved the way they both rebelled against their positions. the supporting cast was great too, and i hope to see more of them in a potential sequel. i was torn between wanting more of the dueling aspect of the plot versus liking the unexpected routes we took to get to the ending. overall, very fun read!

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Gretal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so happy to say I absolutely loved this book. It was full of all the classic regency romance tropes that we love but with a totally refreshing angle and take on them. I loved Willa and Thomasin and was positively giddy over their relationship. The plot was also just fantastic, and if Gauntlet of Gold is about who I think it's about, I absolutely cannot wait for it.

[Emma Parnell · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Incredibly clever, well-written, and romantic! The Bloodsworn fighting was such a great physical representation of the suppression and lack of agency for women in this time, and also made the stakes that much higher. Also, Thomasin and Willa just have my whole dang heart and I hope they live happily ever after!

[Jenny]

Bridgerton meets Pacific Rim in this sapphic fantasy romance where a feisty noblewoman must team up with a disgraced mecha fighter to win her own hand and save her family from fortune hunters.

Excuse me? This sounds so good!!!