A Taste of Gold and Iron

Queer fantasy for the win! (You'll notice this is a subgenre I often like.) This novel has court intrigue with plenty of intelligence, but also a slow-burn romance with plenty of swoon, in what I consider the perfect proportions. It's also got a touch of magic, giving its fantasy country some extra spice. The characters kept surprising me in delightful ways—the seemingly cowardly prince showing his ferocity at some moments, and the stoic bodyguard/soldier coming through with his tender side. I was cheering for their blossoming love while also genuinely invested in the mystery of who was trying to infiltrate… show more.

I’m a sucker for so many things in this book—strong socio-political worldbuilding, a royal family with actual duties that they carry out onscreen, a gay bodyguard romance, an enemies-to-lovers plot arc, a character being an absolute badass thanks to coping strategies they developed to deal with a debilitating mental illness.

I was particularly impressed with the way the political intrigue and the romance were balanced with and woven into one another.