Thank you to the wonderful publicist at Tor for sending me an ARC to read, share and review!
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Right off the bat, no sugar coating, I just DNF this one at 44%.
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I was so excited to read this book because one of my top anticipated reads for 2021! I was so sure I was going to love and savor every word.
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But we just didn’t work out. I’m so sad.
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I don’t usually mind slow progressions in books, but this one was excruciatingly slow that I was very much struggling to read one sentence. A lot of the parts in the book felt so much like fillers that I was bored majority of the time and reading felt like a chore. The magic system was said to make sense in the end but my boredom and confusion clouded my brain to continue on.
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For me to be able to enjoy a book, I of course have to love the characters. But because of the lack of care and love I had for them, I didn’t feel the strong hold of pushing through with it. I had a rough time distinguishing the characters from one another, from the mains to the sides, because they all read the same. I found no distinguishing characteristics and personalities even on the main characters that about 20% in I already forgot who were supposed to be the main. I wanted to continue on to reach the romance part that others said would happen at more than 50% but at 40% I still didn’t feel anything that could redeem my interests and feel the chemistry that was to blossom into a great romance like everyone else says.
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A Marvellous Light is undoubtedly a refreshing take on Historical Fantasy. But the execution was just not there.
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I don’t know who to recommend this to because I didn’t finish it, and I didn’t read and enjoy it enough to cater to eager readers. I’m very sorry, but I hope my thoughts would still somehow help others on their reading decisions!

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske is probably the least Grimdark book I’ve reviewed for this site. I mean, look at the cover – it’s bright pink. But that’s not to say that this is a happy and fluffy book. It is an intense fantasy of manners centred around Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey, bureaucrats in a magical Edwardian England. It features amazing writing – this may be Freya’s debut novel, but I fell in love with the way she writes in her short story published in the Silk and Steel anthology in 2020. Her prose is stunning, flowery without seeming overly descriptive. And the dry wit is amazing. I honestly could not get enough of the words in this book.
And the characters. Edwin and Robin are marvellous. They are plastic, multi-dimensional people, grappling with their realities and relations, and especially, each other. Their enemies (or, at the very least, bickering dislike) to lovers arc is a delight and a model to other authors writing the trope. But the secondary characters are no less well-written. They too become real to the reader and soon take shape. My one gripe with A Marvellous Light was that it occasionally fell very hard into romance for my tastes – this absolutely does not cut to black at any point, so you might be in the middle of reading a delightful interaction between Edwin and Robin only to find yourself in a full on sex scene only lines later. Now, this is not something that everyone will take issue with, and I expect will be a selling point for many – so don’t take this as discouragement, but rather as a warning in case this is something you do mind.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 and it did not disappoint. Edwin and Robin in their magical bureaucracy setting charm the reader within just a few pages, and the mystery at the heart of the book is compelling – Robin’s predecessor in the job has gone missing. The combination of romance elements, mystery and magic is delightful and makes A Marvellous Light a book that should be on your TBR. This is especially recommended for readers of The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk, or fans of shows such as Bridgerton or Downton Abbey, who wished they’d be just that bit more magical, and a million times more gay.

Reggie Gatling is missing and Robert Blyth has replaced him.
But Gatling has been hiding a secret and magic can be dangerous; now Robert is involved in the world of magic and has also been cursed.

Working with Edwin Courcey, Robert wants the curse to be removed.
But both men have a secret of their own, the sexual desire they have for one another, and in this Edwardian setting, this is unacceptable.

This is an intriguing book about mystery, magic and curses. The imagery Marske uses is done with such detail the reader can see everything happening.
Personally, I found bits of this novel a little slow so it took me a while to get through, but this doesn't take away from the narrative. The concept of living in a world where some of us are born with magic is always a world we want to know about.

There is also a hint that this may be a series and if it is I look forward to reading it.

This started out strong, the whimsy of the world and the chemistry between the characters were very fun to read. For me, as the story went on, it lost some of the magic. This is all (obviously) due to personal preference, but I wish the romance had been more slowburn, especially after realising this is part of a series. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of how the narrative balanced the romance and the magical plot in the latter half of the book and frequently found my interest waning. All the characters were fairly one dimensional, Edwin and Robin slightly less so but it kinda read like I was being told how interesting the characters were without the actual proof of that.

Elements of this felt really refreshing and other parts pretty dull. Not my favourite but not bad either.

A Marvellous Light is a magical historical story. Following hidden clues our heroes start to uncover a conspiracy amongst the magical elite. The magical system is well developed and fits well with the Edwardian setting of English landed classes, their privilege and power.

The romance was very sweet. Edwin and Robin's relationship starts out awkward and stilted and becomes more witty and relaxed as they overcome their inherent suspicion of each other.

This is an accomplished debut and the beginning of what promises to be a compelling series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a NetGalley eARC in exchange for an honest review. A lot of descriptions for this book compare it to other works, it’s Edwardian/Regency but not a pastiche and there’s magic but it’s hidden and there’s a mystery, of a lost Last Contract. I settled into the writing style after a while and you understand the characters/their motives which is nice (I like Adelaide, and Maud) there’s a point where a character talks about being kind and being caring as different things; I like that hedgewitchery makes an appearance! I should probably warn you that there are a couple of sex scenes (I wasn’t expecting them, the consent is very well handled). Anything else? I *think* my rating probably comes from the fact that there is more mileage to come, which is still about a year off…

A magnificent book which I devoured in a day, once I picked it up I just couldn't put it down! Magic, murder, mystery, machinations, romance, forbidden love and secrets...lots of secrets.
The book opens with a magical murder in an Edwardian London, and then introduces the main characters of Sir Robert 'Robin' Blyth, assigned in error to be civil service liaison to the magical community and Edwin Courcey their representative. Magic is hidden from the population and usually the liaison in post comes from a magical family but has no magic, Robin has no conception of either and is drawn into the magical world by Edwin - in a process called unbushelling. An unknown group are searching for a lost contract and curse Robin in their quest for answers due to his predecessor Reggie's involvement.
The curse deepens Robin and Edwins interaction and they head to the latters family home to research to lift the spell which causes agonising pain on regular intervals. There is an immediate attraction between the men and as the narrative progresses so does their relationship.
I was attracted to the book after viewing so many glowing reports on social media and all I can say that the level of hype is justified. Now just to wait for the next installment...
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC, all opinions are my own.

I literally devoured this book and I didn’t expect to love it so much, therefore this review will probably suck because I’m terrible at writing reviews of books that I very much enjoyed.

Robin was pretty certain there was a mistake with paperwork when he started his new job for the Home Office. When he meets his new colleague Edwin, Robin is certain he will quit at the end of the day. The realisation comes when his new colleague uses magic to command a pen to take notes for him. Things never go as you want, and Robin finds himself involved in uncovering the truth about the disappearance of his work-predecessor and a new reality of magic and curses. On the other side, Edwin, who trusts only books and nobody else, has to lower his defences and force himself to work side by side with Robin.

The main story is led by these two strong characters, who are absolutely the opposite. Robin is charismatic, a baronet, with a chilled personality that can get the sympathies of the unknown members of the high society. Edwin is absolutely the opposite. He finds joy in quietude, with the company of books or his magic, and with no clue of how to socialise or to deal even with Robin.

The two slowly develop a friendship, and it’s obvious this friendship will develop into something more, courtesy of “the next Red, White & Royal Blue” labelled everywhere in the synopsis, which I wish was avoided. The story takes place in England at the beginning of the 20th century. The writing is marvellous, it perfectly describes and reflects the atmosphere and the society of the time, parallel to a mystery plot composed of a massive world-building and heavy magic system. I think all of this was already enough for me to love this story, the romance was a plus which I would have preferred if it remained a surprise. However, this book is massively pitched as the next RW&RB, so you kind of start building up some hype around this colleague to lovers subplot. Luckily, the hype was worth it and I wasn’t expecting it to be so steamy, while at the same time so heartwrenching to get to know these two characters’ weaknesses and strong personalities, in the midst of deadly curses and magic blood contracts.

Overall, it was an exquisite mix of fantasy and fascinating characters. I found the development of the investigation behind the disappearance of Robin’s predecessor a bit slow sometimes. However, there is so much base laid out for the next books which gets me both hyped and concerned. I am curious to see where this will go and how it will pick up on the next book – so many lateral characters worth discovering. However, the romance is already there and I wonder how the writer will be able to maintain and continue Robin and Edwin’s story further, without breaking their (and readers) hearts.

After an introductory chapter, the main story starts with Robin Blyth, an easy-going, charming non-magical person suddenly and without warning finding out about the existence of magic when he has been spitefully put into what his supervisor thinks is a dead-end, out of the way job deep within the Civil Service. The highly prickly (although not without good reason) Edwin Courcey is his liaison and guide to the previously unknown world of magic.

The writing for this reveal is particularly effective. Whilst it grounds the rules and parameters of this world’s magic, it does it in a natural way without the dreaded info dump. The magic in this world is straightforward to understand- based largely on patterns and “cradling” i.e winding string (or in this case energy) in shapes and lines to produce a result. How magic is revealed to Robin is particularly effective at highlighting his character to a T. Instead of the expected horror or apprehension he’s charmed and a little bit delighted with what Edwin shows him. Edwin on the other hand, whose magic is significantly weaker than is expected in his otherwise magically powerful family gets to bask in Robin’s enjoyment and show off a little. This pattern of Robin appreciating Edwin for what he can do, and illuminating how spectacular it is when viewed in a different light to one his family uses is repeated again and again throughout the book – my favourite one is when Edwin has effectively recreated a magical version of the Dewy decimal system and brushes it off as not worth mentioning. He’s not being modest, it just doesn’t seem to him to compare to his family’s achievements or what was expected of him.

Although it’s set in a version of Edwardian England where queerness is still secret and undesirable, hiding their feelings both from each other and society as a whole is not a key part of this book. Both realise the other is interested in men fairly on in the book and in a low key, undramatic way. This gives the story time to question what it is that they both want from each other and how their characters play off each other. Whilst at its simplest it is the sunshine happy-go-lucky and the gloomy withdrawn misanthropist pairing both Robin and Edwin are more than that very simple definition. Although Robin is definitely the golden retriever he appears early on in the book, he’s a person who is at home in himself, unlike Edwin who is all sharp edges and elbows. Both have been strongly shaped by the expectations and abuse of their families albeit in very different ways

The mystery side of this book is also strong. As Robin has been cursed by the same people looking for the mysterious object mentioned in the first chapter, he’s dragged through half of Southern England’s libraries looking for answers. As a book lover, the description of the library at Edwin’s family home is the thing of dreams and the maze Robin and Edwin end up trapped in is one of my favourite parts of the book where plants come to life and holly becomes a somewhat unnerving weapon. The book also sets itself up well for the remainder of the (presumed) trilogy without feeling like nothing is resolved.

All in all a fun blend of historical fantasy and romance with a mystery added for good measure. Perfect for fans of KJ Charles.

A Marvellous Light is a sparkling book that expertly entwines historical, fantasy, and romance to create a story that's easy to fall in love with. Robin Blyth, a young baronet, has inherited his family's financial insecurity, which compels him to take up a civil service career. Through an administrative error, he takes up the position of liaison to a magical society he didn't even realise existed. To make matters worse, his predecessor has gone missing, he's roughed up and cursed on his first day, and Edwin Courcey, his prickly coworker, obviously wants him gone. When Edwin notices the curse includes excruciating pain and strange powers, he takes Robin to his family's country estate to best research a solution. There Robin has to navigate dangerous pranks, mean-spirited family members, and his growing feelings for the closed-off Edwin. This character-focused book glitters with such a compelling, steamy, loveable romance. It's the perfect book for romance readers who want more fantasy, or fantasy readers who want a romance-forward storyline that still retains a magical quality. A Marvellous Light has a himbo x nerd pairing which is utterly delightful. Although the plot does take a backseat, the intriguing mystery, gorgeous prose, and vivid worldbuilding make this a book that's difficult to look away from. As a lover of romance and fantasy, A Marvellous Light hit the perfect spot.

Set in an alternative Edwardian England, Freya Marske’s debut novel takes us into a world of magic and mystery.
Appointed to the position of liaison to a secret magical society through a clerical error, Baronet Robert Blyth learns about the existence of magic, is attacked and cursed all on his first day in the new job. Working together with his prickly magical society counterpart, Edwin Courcey, he is soon embroiled in solving the mystery of his predecessor’s disappearance. Their investigations uncover a dangerous plot, which could affect every magician in the country.
A Marvellous Light was an absolute delight to read. It’s romance fantasy meets comedy of manners, with two very different men navigating house parties and dinners, tricky family relationships and their own growing attraction. While Robin comes from a noble, public-school background and has the confidence and social ease associated with his station, Edwin is bookish, quiet, and self-conscious due to his limited magical power. The romance between these two had a slow-burn feel to it, even though the events of the novel are set in a relatively short space of time. There’s definitely a fair bit of spice, with some graphic yet beautifully vulnerable scenes.
Freya Marske has crafted an intricate, whimsical magical system, where spells are woven in a manner reminiscent of the game cat’s cradle. The setting was sumptuous, from the large manor house of Penhallick, with descriptions of décor with embroidery, gorgeous Morris wallpapers and a large library, to the enchanted hedge maze and magical house of Sutton Cottage.
A Marvellous Light is the first instalment in the Last Binding trilogy, and while the book finishes at a point that feels rounded off (thank you for that – I don’t handle cliff-hangers well), I am relieved that we will get to enjoy more of this magical world and these engaging characters. Definitely a must-read, and I’ll be first in line to read the next book…
A massive thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much fun! The wrting was witty, characters were interesting and fun to read about. The romance was built up well. I had a really good time. Totally recommended.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4314641404

This was an extremely well written, well paced book. The characterisation was excellent and it was easy to become interested and engaged with the characters.

The book is really about how it feels to be an outsider; and how identity is formed and can be changed under the right conditions or circumstances.

The time setting is well chosen, and there are lots of detail to make it feel real, Morris wallpaper, references to Oscar Wilde etc. The magic is almost, but not quite unnecessary, as is the quest, since the real strength of the book is the growth and development of the main characters.

I look forward to the next parts of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for blessing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure, I've been climbing the walls waiting to get approved for this and I was worried I had built it up too much in my head, but fuck did it deliver.

The worldbuilding and magic system are great and the scenes where you see the magic in action were very enjoyable—I especially liked seeing Edwin’s family using it for games and pranks, it felt so realistic. The mystery was good too; it was interwoven very nicely into explaining the magic system and fairly well foreshadowed, with a twist here and there.

And the romance. The build up and budding affection is wonderfully done. I would have liked a few more instances of sexual tension/almosts, but I’m greedy for that in my ships. Still, it felt like a slow build even though it was actually a matter of days? Which was great for me. Lovely exploration of being vulnerable, and how can that feel (especially in the context of trauma/abuse), and building trust with each other. I was smiling to myself like an idiot by the time they’d got to the first kiss.

Also the sex is very explicit, well written and entirely in character. (Responding “Thank you awfully, I suppose.” to a blowjob is, of course, the height of romance in Edwardian England.)

AND LETS NOT FORGET THE MAGICAL FOREPLAY. A true blessing 🙌

I also thought the side characters were really engaging—although terrible :sweat_smile:. (I’m looking at you, Edwin’s family.) Yes a few are a little caricature; but, controversially (maybe?), I quite like when characters are a little caricature—this is fantasy after all, I want them to feel larger than life! I’m not exactly reading fantasy for the contemporary fiction style characters. And here, in the cases where the commentary on classism and sexism is incredibly obvious, I wanted it for the satire.

I’ve listened to the audiobook and had another quick read now of the ebook and I have to say I 100% preferred the ebook. Which isn’t common for me.

I know it’s a series, but the ending of this book could definitely be standalone. Yes there are numerous unresolved threads, but from a romance reader’s standpoint, you get your ending there at least. I wouldn’t feel unsatisfied if this was the true end.

HOWEVER, it’s not, and what a joy to know there’s more coming 🤩🤩.

A spicy and magical m|m romance set in an alternate Edwardian England. This was a pleasure to read from beginning to end and sets up the story nicely for the sequel. I fell in love with Robin and Edwin (and Maud and Miss Morrissey) and can't wait to read more about them and the wonderfully inventive magic system dreamt up by the author.

A delightful mix of historical romance and magical fantasy, this book hooked me from the start and kept me captivated throughout. The slow burning romantic tension between Robin and Edwin was incredible and I urge everyone to pick up a copy of this book, you won't be disappointed.

Freya Marske’s debut novel, and the first volume in her Last Binding trilogy, A Marvellous Light is a queer historical fantasy that’s warm, magical and an absolute delight from start to finish. Set in Edwardian London, it’s the tale of two very different men thrown together by circumstance and forced to put aside their differences. On his first day in an obscure civil service role, Robin Blyth gets quite the surprise when he learns about the existence of magic and meets Edwin Courcey, his counterpart in the country’s magical administration. Edwin has little patience for bringing Robin up to speed, but when the matter of Robin’s predecessor having inexplicably disappeared develops from an inconvenience into a dangerous problem, the two of them begin to develop a fragile friendship as they investigate a mystery that could affect every magician in the country.

At its heart this is a story built around the inevitable coming together of two engaging, well-drawn characters, and there’s more than enough to enjoy in just this aspect of the story to make the book worth reading. Robin and Edwin are, on the surface at least, very different characters, each one with distinct upbringings and backgrounds informing their worldviews, actions and instincts. Robin’s public school confidence and social graces contrast strongly with Edwin’s quiet, bookish nervousness, and their initial discomfort with each other – personally and professionally – is entirely believable. So too, however, is the tentative friendship that they begin to develop, informed in part by Robin’s delight at learning about the new world he’s being exposed to, and an uncomfortable relationship with family that both men share. Not to mention the obvious attraction between the two of them, of course.

While Robin and Edwin’s developing relationship is a joy to follow in its own right, it’s also set to the backdrop of a brilliantly-observed alternate Edwardian England populated by mostly-hidden magicians, and delivered by way of an entertaining plot full of magic that’s equal parts beautiful and dangerous, family drama, social etiquette and a sinister, faceless threat. Marske’s magic system is an understated but evocative mix of ordered logic and almost childlike wonder, its use tied in cleverly with the stratified society of upper class England, and it’s impossible not to want to know more about how it works and what can be done with it. With their collision of worlds, Robin and Edwin offer the perfect pair of viewpoints on this magical alternate England, and Marske peppers their thoughts and dialogue with all manner of lovely little details that help bring both the world and the characters to vivid, believable life.

This is, quite simply, one of those perfect books where (for the right reader, of course – your mileage may vary) every element combines beautifully into a single, unputdownable whole. Think of it as a novel of manners with added magical mystery and a queer romance, and you’re in the right ballpark. There are dinner parties and awkward social situations to navigate, difficult family members to placate and bureaucratic hurdles to overcome, not to mention a magical curse to overturn, all while the two main characters try to understand each other and how they feel – it’s warm, heartwarming, full of life and love and peril and wonder. It’s also surprisingly saucy, as Robin and Edwin’s romance gets quite graphic in places, albeit never gratuitously so. For fantasy fans looking for a queer alternate history, this is an absolute must-read, and if the whole Last Binding trilogy as good as this book, we’re all in for an absolute treat.

A Marvellous Light is due out in the UK on the 9th December 2021. Many thanks to Tor Books, Black Crow PR and Freya Marske for providing me with a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had been aware of A Marvellous Light through the twittersphere for a while, and so naturally I was incredibly excited to receive an eARC. A superbly fun, action packed romp through Edwardian England that is surprisingly tender and filled with heart, this follows Robin Blythe, who takes a position in the civil service as a liaison to a magical society after his predecessor mysteriously disappears.

Marske has created a fully believable and well thought out alternate version of England with an intriguing and incredibly well done magic system, but the true magic of the book lies with the characters. I fell head over heels for Robin and his grumpy with a heart of gold counterpart Edwin, and I am eager to read more about them.

This is the queer historical fantasy of my dreams and I could quite honestly rave about it for hours. I had so much fun reading this and am very much looking forward to more from Freya Marske. I cannot recommend this enough.

A Marvellous Light is a very lovely and incredibly tender historical fantasy queer romance. It follows the adventures of Robin Blyth who is a sincere, good natured man, struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and look after his late parents' estate. An admin mistake sees him become the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known. His foil and magical counterpart is Edwin Courcey, who is prickly, grumpy but ultimately very sweet and passionate. The unfolding of their story - from tentative hostility to affinity to confidantes to lovers, and how they both dealt with trauma from their families, was beautiful to read. It has a lot of heart, I had a good time with it, I will definitely be continuing on in the series!

Really enjoyed this fun and surprising magical romp. Set in Edwardian England Sir Robin Blythe, Baronet reluctantly takes a civil service position in an unknown department after his predecessor mysteriously disappears. He is soon embroiled in a world of magic he never realised existed and investigating curses, plots and visions with his reserved, reluctant and beguiling colleague Edwin Courcey.

With shades of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Sorcerer to the Crown, Marske had written an engrossing alternative Great Britain and an intriguing magic system. Robin and Edwin are wonderful and the development of their relationship and their individual characters is the heart of the novel. It's a well-plotted, character-driven magical mystery tour peppered with interesting side-characters and a gorgeous romance. I'm looking forward to to future installments, hopefully with lots more of the female characters. Definitely more Kitty and Addy, please!