Disclaimer: I do not support J.K. Rowling and affirm my stance. While I did not purchase this book, I requested it as an ARC. I have since gained insight into the impact that these published works, which are derivatives of fan fiction, continue to have on the LGBTQIA+ community. In response, I will contribute to LGBTQIA+ causes as a means of making amends (I donated to SOFRA – Queer Migrants e.V.). I firmly believe that every trans woman is a woman, and I reject J.K. Rowling’s ideology. If you want to know more on this topic, I recommend this post on Threads.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing this free advanced reader copy through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.

Osric Mordaunt (Assassin) needs help and only one healer actually can. He bribes his way into getting Aurienne Fairhrim (Healer) to help him. It was hate on first sight. So they strike a deal, Osric donates an obscene amount of money to Auriennes Order and she will try to heal him of his ailment. But with a pox epidemic and the whole mystery of Osric’s ailment, thing aren’t as easy as they seem.

This was a fun little romantasy but do you know the feeling of thinking you read a standalone and it actually isn’t? Yeah. But that explains the pace.

It didn’t read the original fanfiction but you can’t tell that it was a fanfiction. The characters could stand on their own and the story did not depend on the original story. I was pleasantly surprised at the fun banter between the characters. At first I was a little intimidated because the book had a lengthy glossary. The worldbuilding didn’t feel as forced as I thought it would be by the size of the glossary. However I think it could’ve been a little more simplified.

The book started off feeling slow and not very exciting, which made me question if I would enjoy it (the banter between the characters did help). When the story picked up and the stakes rose, it became much more exciting, and I found myself turning the pages and having much more fun.

3.75/5 ⭐

xx, Jana