Hawk & Sparrow

by Ayana Gray

In the industrious city of Basalton at the height of the gilded age, highborn families use enchantments to flaunt power and status while the lower classes dabble in cheap counterfeit enchantments that, if misused, can be deadly...

Seventeen-year-old orphan Vesper Evans doesn't trust magic, or the sorcerers who wield it. Instead, she commits herself to her job as a writer for the Basalton Herald. But when her newspaper finds itself under threat of permanent closure, Vesper will do anything to save it. When she witnesses a murder first-hand, everything changes.

Maximilian Kite is not only the heir to one of Basalton's wealthiest families, he's also a sorcerer, and one with a bold proposal for Vesper. If she can use her investigative skill to help him solve that murder (and prove his innocence) he'll pay her more money than she's ever seen in her life.

Max is everything Vesper despises—but his offer is too good to pass up. And to infiltrate the upper class, Vesper must pretend they are courting. What ever could go wrong?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mystery, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Romantasy, Historical

349 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Ayana Gray is a New York Times-bestselling author of speculative fiction. Her works have been translated in eleven languages across five continents. She currently lives in Arkansas.

Reviews

[hater ★ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

this was such a good standalone! i loved vesper as a main character. she's so intelligent and never annoying, which is exactly what i want in a protagonist. the story revolves around a machine that really makes you think about ai, and if you look closely, there's a sharp critique of it whenever the book explains how the machine works and how it would affect society. loved that! it also gave me major autumn/winter vibes, which is a big plus since we're in that season right now :))

[DianaRose · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

4.5 stars — i’m very shocked at all of the luke warm reviews for hawk & sparrow; it was such a fantastically written gilded age inspired novel, full of mystery, magic, and murder!

i was very excited to dive into my second ayana gray novel, especially because i really loved her adult debut i, medusa, and have heard wonderful things about her latest ya novel, and i have to say that this did NOT disappoint.

i think what stood out to me the most was the commentary at the beginning in which machines that have been created to copy the magic that only humans could wield was debuted… it strongly reminded me of a lot of conversations revolving around ai, without necessarily mentioning ai in a late 19th century novel, of course.

the narrator did a fantastic job!

my fairyloot edition is absolutely GORGEOUS!

[angelinabvby ۶ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley for this arc ❤️

dnf @ 40%

gilded age x murder mystery x fake dating x magic system had me HOOKED. also this is the perfect cover for autumn 🍁 🍁 🍁 the narration was a breeze to listen to. however about 20% in the plot kinda fizzled out and they were just questioning random suspects. vesper and maximilian's sleuthing was also juvenile and their chemistry was too dull. would still read ayana's other books tho ❤️

𓅋 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉 ๋࣭ ⭑🪄⋆.˚
sorry for reading 2947 books at once i just can't help myself

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an intriguing and engaging mystery with fantasy elements about power, finding your path, love, and breaking societal norms. Hawk & Sparrow follows Vesper, a reporter in the Gilded Age covering a gala when an inventer of a magical machine is murdered. Vesper makes a deal with Max, a suspect and if she helps clear his name he will give her money. What will happen next?

Thoughts
The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, but it quickly picked up and I became immersed in this Gilded Age mystery. I loved that this book was a blend of mystery and historical fantasy, it added intrigue to the story. The plot was very interesting and I found myself trying to solve the mystery along with the characters. I had a few theories about who the culprit was, but honestly I was shocked by who it was. There were also some other shocking plot twists that kept me at the edge of my seat. The sorcery magic was very unique and interesting, such as bringing flowers to life, and floating Although I wished the magic was explained in more detail. I enjoyed Gilded Age setting and the descriptions of the clothes and city. The writing was witty, descriptive and flowed well. I appreciated how the author blended important topics in the story without distracting from the plot such as feminism, societal norms, misogyny, and classism. The ending was shocking and exciting. I'm glad most parts of the mystery were resolved, but there was one aspect that was left open.

Characters
I loved Vesper, she was ambitious, smart, brave, hardworking, and determined. Vesper's character development was great, she became more sure of herself throughout the book and opened up to another person. I loved that Vesper didn't give up on the mystery and was determined to find out what happened. I adored Max as well, he was sweet, charming, witty, funny, and brave. Max's character development was excellent, he showed all sides of himself to Vesper. There were several sweet moments between Vesper and Max that warmed my heart. The side characters were intriguing and mysterious such as Ada, Bess, and Richard.

Romance
The romance was great, I loved that it was a subplot but I was also super invested in it. The slow-burn romance was amazing, I'm so glad it took the characters a while to fall for each other. The tension and chemistry was also excellent! I loved the banter between the main characters it made me laugh and smile. I enjoyed that the Max and Vesper understood each other and a great deal in common. The romance was relatable and realistic, which made me enjoy it even more.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a blend of historical fantasy and mystery, great characters and unique magic.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This adventurous romp through a magical Gilded Age society perfectly pairs a brilliantly twisted mystery with the sweetest of romances. I was captivated and wholly smitten!

[Liana Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-3.75! Young adults will love this!
FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW



Gilden Age mystery and magic sounds like a hit to me. Doing a buddy read with my oldest! Intended for 14-18 year olds :)





Many thanks to Macmillian Audio for this early ALC!

Publication date: September 1, 2026

[Maeghan 🦋 semi-hiatus · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This Fairyloot edition is just perfect 😻

Hawk & Sparrow was such a fun Autumn read. It starts with a murder mystery in a social class divided society. We follow our fmc who is a demi-sexual left handed woman (I was SO HAPPY to be reading about a demi-sexual character!! I’ve never read a character that was like me in this aspect so it was very nice). She’s a journalist & was brought up in this building with the staff so she had deep attachment and wants to save it from ruin. The mmc was sweet & thought outside of the box so I liked that about him.
Honestly I had a lot of fun with this one. It was cute & I liked how it ended!

[Sheri | HawksNestReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Being newer to the audiobook experience, one of the things I’m immediately looking for is whether the narration captures my attention. With this one, the answer was absolutely yes!

Narrated by Renika Williams-Blutcher, I was immediately immersed in the story. This isn’t my usual genre, but it’s one I enjoy, and this was such a fun listen. There’s love, magic, and mystery, which are all the makings of a good story.

I especially loved Vesper’s character and the dedication and loyalty she displayed toward her work at the Basalton Globe. There was plenty of intrigue throughout the story, along with some twists I didn’t see coming.

Overall, this was an entertaining listen, and I would definitely recommend it!

[kat · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

this one was honestly so fun - i love a good literally murder mystery moment and this book provided just that! our characters were super fun and quirky, it was genuinely so easy to love them and want to see them succeed.. i loved the development of our characters relationship through this book (vesper may or may not be my slightly anxiously attached angel, i would die for her) and max was such a fun typical cheeky mmc lmao

i had to lower my rating a little because i did guess a pretty major twist quite early on into the book - i will say though this didnt really take away too much of my reading experience, i did still have a lottt of fun with this! it obviously did take away the shock factor of said twist but genuinely i do think that this is just a genuine fun time in general - i actually read it in pretty much one sitting too so its definitely bingeable if youre looking for something like that

i actually adored the narrator, despite only being one person, everyone they voiced had really distinctive voices and it helped me stay clear on who was who. they also did an amazing job of portraying the emotions of our characters throughout the books, definitely 0 complaints from me!! i would absolutely love to check out more of their work in the future!

thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook - this review is entirely voluntary and contains only my honest thoughts!

[Olivia | Liv's Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun mystery driven fantasy! Super cozy & perfect for fall as well. 🍂

[annotated by Noi (in & out)]

I'm a simple girl, I read the words 'Gilded Age' with mystery and magic, and I'm in.
+ the cover is stunning so that also helps.

[Gracie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s was soooo cool!! Very well written!! Loved the relationship between max and vesper, I thought it was really cute!! 🥰 They are so cute!! The plot was awesome and I loved every second of it! The ending was great as well!! I’m sad it’s a standalone as I loved this book so much and want a series 😂 but I would definitely re-read and recommended!!!!

[Angie Haymour · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️ ARC read

-Gilded Age Romantasy
-Murder Mystery
-Fake Dating/Courtship
-Forced Proximity
-Forbidden Romance / Different Social Classes
- HEA

Set in the 1800s during the Gilded Age, Hawk and Sparrow follows a human reporter who attends an exhibition party hoping to land an interview and a story. During the exhibition, an inventor presents a groundbreaking creation that could allow humans to cast incantations like sorcerers without having to learn the language of sorcery themselves.

Not long after, the inventor is found dead in the garden, and we have ourselves a murder mystery. A reporter and and a sorcerer team up to try to discover who the killer is to clear the sorcerers name. 👀

This definitely reads on the younger side and felt very YA to me. The world-building is fairly minimal and easy to follow, making this a good entry-level romantasy for someone who doesn’t want to be thrown into an overly complicated magic system or massive fantasy world. It’s light and approachable.

The romance is a slow build with some good tension, particularly with the fake courtship and forbidden romance aspects. There is very little spice, so I would go into this expecting romantic tension rather than an actual spicy romance.

The murder mystery kept me curious, and there is a BIG reveal toward the end that I genuinely did not see coming. I love when a book can actually catch me off guard, and this one did!

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

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.

I’m not usually a big historical reader, but lately I’ve been slowly getting into it and this book worked really well for me.

The story is set in the late 1800s and mixes mystery, magic, and romance and I really enjoyed how everything came together. The world building was solid and the investigation kept me fully engaged.

This was very bingeable, I read it in one go.

I loved both main characters. Vesper is strong and determined, and Max… I have to say, I really liked him. He’s not just the typical rich, arrogant guy. Yes, he has his moments, but he’s also kind, supportive and actually shows up when it matters.

The fake dating trope was done really well, and I liked how their relationship developed. It wasn’t rushed, they went from reluctant partners, to friends aaand to something more.

Even though the mystery takes the lead, the romance builds nicely in the background.

Also, I appreciated how mature both characters felt, especially considering their age. My only complaint is that... maybe a bit more magic would've been nice.

The ending was satisfying, and overall this was just such an enjoyable read.

⭐ 5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

https://turnthepagewithana.blogspot.c...

[Brend · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love it when a YA book teaches teens about the importance of unionizing

[Selene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the author and publisher for my arc. The opinions are my own.


This is phenomenal, a gilded age murder mystery with a sprinkle of magic in a cozy setting. Vesper has Enola homes vibes and Max is just a complete cinnamon roll. The mystery is done really well and it was fun to try and keep guessing page after page , while watching the romance between the two progress. Their “fake” courtship was obviously never going to stay fake. The “first” kiss was adorable. Also three cheers for an excellently executed standalone.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Ayana Gray and NetGalley for this incredible read. The first page had me hooked! Vesper is a news reporter, so we experience the world through the way she analyzes things. At the same time, we gradually get a sense of how everything works and looks, which I really loved. I immediately noticed there isn’t much world-building at the beginning, but that actually worked really well for this story and likely would have taken away from it.

The story starts off fast-paced, and the mystery kicks in not long after. I really enjoyed the writing style as it’s more straightforward, but it works so well for the story. Vesper is such a unique character with a compelling backstory, a no-nonsense attitude (but not obnoxious), and a big heart, which completely won me over, she deserves the world! She’s also a strong young woman who fights for what she wants while still showing how much she cares, and that really pays off throughout the story.

And Max… he was just perfect, and perfect for Vesper. He’s also a character with depth, a lot of heart, and he genuinely tries to understand Vesper. I love MMCs who show their softer side early on, and he just got her. The side characters are minimal, but they add to the story and help tie everything together. Tom and Ida were my favorites.

It was such a lovely read, cozy but fast-paced, with a murder mystery and magic. I mean, could it get any better? Easily one of my favorite reads of 2026!

[sevarenii · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

This book has a bit of a Howl's Moving Castle vibe with the urban fantasy type setting and an outwardly vain male lead, with an added murder mystery—which definitely has potential. I found the mystery to be interesting, if a bit fast-paced and a tad too convenient.

Let's start with the things I liked: I can appreciate how the book, through Vesper's eyes, frames the female characters' struggles and acknowledges them from a systemic view. Vesper does a fair bit of calling out the privilege of the elite—though sometimes it felt somewhat selective—more on that later.

I think what I struggled most with in this book was suspending my disbelief surrounding how easily Vesper, who is nineteen, manages to solve the mystery. Both Vesper and Max (and Ada) felt too young for the setting. I generally found the two main characters somewhat underwritten, or kind of inconsistent (in Vesper's case). It just didn't really make sense to me that she's established as someone who's deeply wary and suspicious of the wealthy elites, which results in her immediate dislike of Max, but then she's able to trust Ada right after meeting her. Maybe she felt rapport with another woman who understood gender discrimination, but that wouldn't explain Vesper's attitude toward Bess—she's so ready to draw a connection between Bess and murder after one single conversation, like she did with Max, but somehow doesn't with Ada? Why is Ada the only one who gets the benefit of the doubt? I get it; we keep hammering home the idea of systemic injustices, but it really got to a point where Vesper came off as self-righteous with her double standards. Felt a bit like "girl discovers class consciousness" for the first time, but that kind of tracks with her age, whether intentionally or not.

The romance... I did not care for it. Maybe it's that I've misinterpreted the subtext, but Vesper read pretty aroace-spec to me, and I really wasn't a fan of how the romance was written. I think if we'd gotten to see a bit more of Max's thoughts (like, can we get some unrequited pining), maybe it could have worked, but from the setup I never saw how Max was interested in her. And she clearly couldn't stand him. Whatever they were doing was not bantering. And then by the end, Vesper—who, from the beginning, mentions how she's never understood or felt any desire to experience attraction—suddenly "gets it" now, because she's "found the right guy." The previous kiss in the library also gave me the ick.

tldr; mystery was interesting enough, if a little too convenient. but the characters, and especially the romance, did not spark joy

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Murder, magic, high society and a fake courtship? Sign me up, because apparently I have no self-preservation when it comes to fictional men and questionable romantic arrangements.

Meet Vesper Evans: ambitious journalist, orphan turned reporter, and a woman who has absolutely no time for Basalton’s wealthy magical elite and their ridiculously luxurious lifestyles. She’s just trying to keep her newspaper afloat when a glamorous society gala turns into a murder scene. Because why enjoy a fancy evening when you can stumble across a dead body instead?

Enter Maximilian Kite. Wealthy industrialist, prime murder suspect and, naturally, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome man. He offers Vesper a deal: investigate the murder, clear his name and earn enough money to save her beloved newspaper.

There’s just one little catch. To infiltrate high society, they’ll have to pretend they’re courting.

Oh, fake dating! My favourite kind of terrible decision. What could possibly go wrong when you pair a determined journalist with a suspiciously charming millionaire?

I love the combination of Gilded Age glamour, magical privilege, murder mysteries, political and social scandals, and romance. The contrast between the lavish world of the elite and the darker backstreets of Basalton gives this story such an intriguing setting, while Vesper sounds like the kind of FMC who won’t simply sit quietly and look pretty.

And let’s be honest, an investigation involving murder, secrets and a fake romance with a man you supposedly can’t stand is basically asking for sparks to fly.

Journalism, danger, magic and a little romantic tension? That’s one headline you won’t want to miss

[veerali · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

oh maximilian was yearning so hard here 😛

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exploring power, privilege and class inequality in a magical, Gilded Age inspired world; Ayana Gray’s newest release was an insatiable Romantic Fantasy, bursting with rich prose and wrapped in a plot twisty murder mystery that had me on the edge of my seat.

From the Grumpy x Sunshine, Opposites attract dynamics between protagonist Vesper, and the charming Maximilian Kite (the sorcerer and Coal Magnate who hires her to help clear his name, in a murder investigation she’s also caught up in.) To their forced proximity, fake courtship (with Max) and ever increasing danger the closer they get to uncovering the truth. There wasn’t a single moment I wasn’t fully invested and completely rooting for Vesper and Max to succeed (and also realise their own feelings for one another.)

I don’t want to delve too deeply into the plot here as I fear this review will never end (and of course I don’t want to spoil anything.) But I really enjoyed the nuance and depth that we unravel in both Vesper and Max, and their tragic pasts (which have shaped so much of their lives and opinions.) They do clash quite a lot, but the chemistry (and their banter) was phenomenal, I practically inhaled their scenes together.

We also explore the inequality faced by the lower classes, which was heartbreaking! Rspecially when juxtaposed against the lavish backdrop of high society. One such scene (a mother and her children selling paper flowers whilst everyone ignores them) had me tearing up soo much.

The mystery elements were great too, and I really enjoyed trying to guess the killer and their motives (which by some miracle I actually partly managed to guess.)

An enjoyable read that Mystery-loving Fantasy fans should definitely consider picking up.

Also, thanks to Bookbreak UK/ First Ink for the proof

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I thought you said you'd never been kissed before?"
"I... haven't."
"Then I need to ask you another question, Miss Evans."
"What?"
"How would you feel about me being your second kiss too?"

Set in the Gilded Age, journalist Vesper Evans attends an elite gala for her new article. When a murder of a wealthy inventor takes place, Vesper knows that figuring out who killed him will help save her job, but she is too poor to break through to the wealthy. That is, until sorcerer Maximillian Kite approaches her. While Vesper doesn't trust magic, he is her ticket into high society, and he is desperate to prove his innocence and save his reputation. Max decides the easiest way to make their working relationship believable is to pretend they are courting each other.

I received this in my Fairyloot September 2026 YA fantasy subscription, and unfortunately I am very underwhelmed. While I have heard of Ayana Gray before, I had not heard of this title being released, nor had I had any interest in it. I don't like to skip my subscription, mostly because I get confused as to which is which, but also because you never know what book will be a hidden gem. While I feel like Fairyloot slacked this year with their picks, it still hasn't been a horrible year, but a lot of the YA picks have lacked for me. There is plenty of YA fantasy I do like, so it's not me aging out of the 'genre,' but this story just generally wasn't my style.

I'm not big on cozy sleuth stories, and that is what this basically is with a fantasy backdrop and a romance subplot. Their romance blooms over the course of a month, but sometimes Max wasn't even present in the book, so it just didn't fully feel believable to me. I didn't care for the mystery plot, and I wanted more about the sorcery-magic and the romance. It's definitely being marketed as a fantasy romance, but I don't think it quite fits that description!

I believe this is a standalone, but there are still some loose ends if Gray decided to write a sequel. I unfortunately won't. be reading it, but I'm glad to have finally read one of her books after all this time!

[Kortnee - The Closed Door Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview:

Language 🤐: Mild (biblical swears, God’s name in vain)

Romance ❤️‍🔥: LV 2 kisses only (longer lightly descriptive)

Violence ⚔️: PG some on page fighting, seeing dead bodies but nothing descriptive

⚠️Social Class differences, society restrictions, fire, death of parents mentioned, grief, nightmares about death of family mentioned⚠️

Tropes/Micro tropes
- Single POV
- Fake Courting
- Murder Mystery
- He Falls first

My Thoughts:

This was a fun story. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the book and found the mystery intriguing in how it unfolded.

Vesper is an interesting and fun MC. She’s smart and clever. I liked Max’s as well. They had a fun dynamic as a couple. They are 19 and 20 and I did feel that age was coming through while reading. So this is a fun YA book.

There were some discussions relevant to like the social restraints on women. A little thing at the beginning that is similar to the talks about AI. Some talk about how the rich had access to things the poor don’t and some other social issues similar to that, that I felt like was really pushed in this book that almost took me out of the book sometimes for me personally.

I agree with others that the ending felt really fast and it felt like there was some loose ends.

Vesper did do things at times that drove me a bit nuts like keeping information to herself and doing things that she knew she shouldn’t. There were times she felt 19 and others where things she was doing/connections she had were way more than a 19 year old should have.

I found Max to be charming.

There were things I quite enjoyed and others I wish would have been developed more or explored more, like the magic.

Overall it was an enjoyable story and felt like it fit the fall season and a bit of a cozy murder mystery. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was well done.

[Matilda (Tilly) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i want a sequelll

[Sanja ✵ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is one of those instances where the main audience will enjoy it much more than I did. Even though I’m older than the intended reader, I can definitely still enjoy YA-novels, and I think I would’ve loved this a couple of years ago.

But it feels like this falls under the younger side of YA and lacks some substance. When the focus on the murder investigation started, it felt repetitive. Vesper sort of went from person to person and asked them some questions. The revelations also didn’t feel that shocking.

The time setting didn’t come across as believe. We’re told this is the regency era, but weren’t shown it. Nothing really screamed Gilded Age.

But like I said, a younger audience will probably love it.

[Lyra (Cardan's tail's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Maximilian was looking at her the way a dehydrated man might look at a cold glass of water.”

—3.5 stars—

A murder mystery wrapped in autumnal atmosphere and the glamour of the gilded age, Hawk and Sparrow follows Vesper Evans, a female reporter, and Maximilian Kite, a wealthy sorcerer, in their quest to clear Max’s name after an inventor is killed—just after the reveal of his latest creation. And so begins a trail of clues and a scheme of fake courting…

Ayana Gray wrote the two halves of her world so beautifully, from the cramped housing and dangerous working conditions for factory workers, to the opulent beauty and wealth of the highborn. With sorcery adding another aspect of privilege, the discussions and depictions of class differences was so well written.

Another aspect i loved was the mystery side, as there were so many twists and different suspects which were crossed out one by one. I also genuinely didn’t predict the actual culprit at all! I thought i’d figured it all out halfway through, but was so pleased to find the plot moving in a different direction.

I really liked Vesper! As one of the few female reporters and striving to save the small newspaper she works for from going under, her tenacity quickly endeared her to me, and i only continued to like her as the book went on. With an ever-present notebook and pen in her hands, she’s so inquisitive and was truly the driving force of Hawk And Sparrow for me.

Her partner in crime-solving and fake-dating, Maximilian, is a character who definitely hides a lot of depth behind his smirk. Between his weakness for a sweet treat or dessert and his softer side that only comes out around Vesper, i really liked the little glimpses into the person he really is.

Their budding romance was so cute, and—as i adore characters calling each other by their past names!!—the banter was so fun. Seeing Max and Vesper grow closer to each other and let their defences down was one of my favourite parts, and a particular first kiss scene had me giggling and kicking my feet so much!

(many thanks to First Ink, Ayana Gray, and Netgalley for this eARC! all thoughts and opinions are my own.)

[Laurensliterarylair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Ayana Gray for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

I loved this book so much. The characters were so intricately written and the mystery was so well done. I was caught off guard by all the twists and turns and the many different elements of the story in all the best ways. I also thought that the love story was so beautifully written. I loved both the FMC and MMC.

I also want to just take time to admire ayanas writing. There is something beautiful about the way Ayana writes her stories and the way it flows perfectly. I find her stories to be so compelling and I can literally binge them on the spot.

Please please go read this book if you like books with a lots of mystery and plenty of romance.

Tropes and themes:
Sorcery
Woman in a male dominated field
Fake courting
FMC journalist
Romance
Murder mystery

[The Fox · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I don't know why, but I didn't expect to enjoy this book as much as I did.
Maybe it was because the cover gave me YA vibes, but it turned out to be a fun standalone!
The romance wasn't cringe at all. The FMC wasn't swooning over the guy's money or acting all clumsy, and the MMC actually embraced her strength. He was strong enough to stand beside her as an equal.
I guessed the killer from the very beginning, but I still had a great time reading it!

[Sandra's Book Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️ALC REVIEW✨️

Thank you, MacMillan Audio, Netgalley, and Ayana Gray for this ALC. My review is of my own opinion.
10hr.27min
Narrator Renika Williams- Blutcher
This was a fun listen. The narrator did very well. Definitely, if I was still young and in school, I would have really enjoyed it. You have murder mystery, FMC journalist, historical gilded age, fake courtship, high society, magic, sorcery, detectives, and romance.

[Kate Pace · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

It stoked my feminine rage fire, but I wish it would have dug more into certain themes.