3,5 rounded up!

Overall, I really liked this book. It was cute, funny, there were a lot of nice things. It is full of fanfiction tropes, which you either like in a book or you don't, but I enjoyed it in this one.
It was a really nice read, though a little slow for me. I probably would've enjoyed it more had there been more plot, but I had a really good time 💛

thank you for this e-arc!

A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland is a captivating read perfect for fans of fantasy and romance who crave a richly detailed world, a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline, and a strong LGBTQIA+ presence, as it masterfully weaves together themes of loyalty, duty, and forbidden love in a world where myth and history collide.

Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, grappling with anxiety and self-doubt. His journey is one of personal growth and self-discovery. Kadou’s struggles with anxiety are portrayed with sensitivity, adding depth to his character.

On the other hand we have Evermer, A disciplined member of the Kayalar guard, initially resentful of Kadou but gradually developing respect and affection for him. Their evolving relationship is the heart of the story.

Both Kadou and Evermer’s perspectives are well-developed, allowing readers to connect deeply with their characters.

The novel has rich world building of this fantasy place. Rowland paints a vivid picture of Arasht, from its bustling markets to its serene temples. You’ll feel immersed in this Ottoman-inspired fantasy world. In Arasht, same-sex relationships and varied pronouns are normalized, creating a refreshing and inclusive backdrop for the story.

If you enjoy the sunshine-soft prince and grumpy bodyguard dynamic or the hate-to-love trope, this book delivers in spades. The slow-burn romance between Kadou and Evermer is masterfully developed, from initial resentment to deep affection. The relationship is built on mutual growth and understanding, making their bond believable and heartfelt.

It's not just about our two main characters, there's a handful of side characters which have their own stories. Plus strong female characters like Eozena and Seliha wield significant influence, adding to the story’s complexity.

While set in a fantasy world, the primary focus is on the romance between Kadou and Evermer. If you’re looking for a plot-driven fantasy, you might find the storyline lacking in action.

The prose has a fanfiction feel, using familiar tropes and dynamics. Some readers might appreciate this familiarity, while others might prefer a more traditional narrative style.

You’ll Enjoy This Book If:

You love character-driven stories with deep emotional arcs.

You appreciate richly detailed fantasy worlds.

You’re looking for an inclusive and refreshing take on romance.

You enjoy slow-burn relationships and well-executed romantic tropes.

You Might Not Enjoy This Book If:

You prefer plot-driven fantasies with lots of action and adventure.

You’re not a fan of prose that feels like fanfiction.

You’re looking for a traditional fantasy narrative without a strong romance focus.

A Taste of Gold and Iron is a beautifully crafted romance set in a vividly imagined fantasy world. Alexandra Rowland’s skillful storytelling ensures that both the romance and the world-building captivate readers, making this book a standout in the romantasy genre. If you’re a fan of queer romance, character-driven narratives, and detailed world-building, this book is a must-read.

Dive into the intricate world of Arasht and experience the journey of Kadou and Evermer as they navigate their evolving relationship and the challenges that come with it.

Positives of A Taste of Gold and Iron

Deep character exploration: Both POVs are distinctive and allow for a deep connection with the characters.

Rich world-building: Vivid depiction of the fantasy world, reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Engaging themes: sensitive portayal of mental health, romantic tropes and strong female characters.

Compelling romance: Slow-burn relationship development that is believable and heartfelt.

Negatives of A Taste of Gold and Iron

Lack of plot: Focus is more on the romance between characters than what is going on around them.

Writing style: Prose is more similar to fanfiction than traditional fantasy.

This took me a while to enjoy but it did pick up towards the end and I became relatively invested in the characters.

Reading this gave me a similar feeling to when I read the Blade Itself by Abercrombie - little plot and a lot of character monologue which I don’t typically enjoy.

The world was interesting but i wanted more. We only touched on fantasy and it was a bit confusing tbh. I also would have liked more from the setting. We didn’t get much description at all about the surroundings.

I did end up really liking the romance, and the fact that this world is queer-normative.

Overall, this was enjoyable as a whole, and if you like character-driven, queer novels you’ll love this!

I enjoyed A Taste of Gold and Iron, and I enjoyed it even more when I started seeing it as a romance novel with fantasy aspects rather than a balanced romantasy. The plot and stakes feel quite low and slow-moving, and it is obvious who is responsible from the beginning, but this means that the focus of the reading experience shifts to the characters in the novel and this is where it really shines. Not only does the romance between characters feel well-developed and the depiction of anxiety feel true and carefully considered, but the humour and camaraderie that bubbles between the characters makes for such fun reading. Whilst I think in places the writing veers into over-exposition, and the political plot left quite a lot to be desired, I ultimately enjoyed my time with the cast of characters. Also, hurrah for standalones!

Quite a few of my friends recommended this one to me because I'm a fan of A Marvellous Light. And I'm so glad they did because this was absolutely delightful! A historical fantasy with a large focus on romance, this was such a lovely, thoughtful read.

A Taste of Gold and Iron is the story of Prince Kadou, who must prove his loyalty to his sister by investigating the break-in at one of their guilds. He enlists the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, who he has not got off to a great start with. But what appears to be a simple crime soon turns out to be anything but, and Kadou soon finds himself facing a powerful enemy...

I did struggle to get into this one initially. It's a bit of a slower read, more in depth and detailed than my usual read and it took me a while to get my head around it. Once I'd adjusted though I soon fell for this world Rowland has created, and the characters that inhabit this world.

Greatly enjoyed this one and I will definitely be reading more from her in future!

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the ARC.

Kadou, the shy and anxious prince of Arasht, has always known the dangers of having power
– a wild horse he has to keep tame lest it lash out and hurt someone – so he’s delighted when
his sister, the Sultan, has an heir, moving him further down the line of succession. But the
child’s father cannot believe that Kadou has no intentions towards the throne, and when a
hunting party ends in a tragic accident, Kadou has to prove his loyalty to his sister to salvage
his reputation. To do so, he takes charge of the investigation of a break-in at the Shipbuilders
guild, enlisting the help of his newly appointed bodyguard – Evemer, a handsome stone wall
who seems to barely tolerate him. But what begins as a simple crime spirals into a conspiracy
that could bring about the kingdom’s ruin.

A Taste of Gold and Iron is a gorgeous romantic fantasy with a delicious central relationship
at its heart. In Kadou we have one of the best portrayals of dealing with anxiety and obtrusive
thoughts I’ve seen, and combined with his sweet nature and desire to do right by everyone,
even at detriment to himself, makes him an easy character to root for. By contrast, Evemer is
a perfect foil, disciplined and dedicated: the epitome of the perfect bodyguard. Their romance
starts off a slow-burn before becoming something achingly and satisfyingly swoony.
The world-building is also well done, the fantastical elements – people who can touch-taste
the purity of metal for instance – parcelled out as subtle details relevant to the plot, as the
focus is on political intrigue rather than a traditional fantasy quest. Think a story about a
counterfeiting conspiracy has to be dry and boring? Think again!

Looking forward to Rowland’s next book set in this world!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

DNF @ 14%

I always get excited when I see a novel compared to my all-time favourite book, The Goblin Emperor, but I don't think the comparison worked in this book's favour because I was so aware of how unlike The Goblin Emperor it is.

The premise of this novel is interesting, but the execution doesn't do the premise justice. None of the characters are particularly likeable or realistic--some of their dialogue and inner monologue feels far too casual coming from characters who've been raised within a royal court--and unfortunately the world-building around them feels rather vapid.

I want something to chew on when I pick up a fantasy novel set at court. I want political machinations and a world so rich I feel like I could hop on a plane and visit it, and unfortunately A Taste of Iron and Gold didn't whet my appetite.

Amazing loved every second of this such a page turner thank you so much for the chance to read this!

Sadly DNFed, it wasn't my cup of tea and it took me too long to get into the story - but I understand that many people would love it!

This was an enjoyable and atmospheric fantasy romance that seems pitch-perfect for those who like dramatic one-liners and unspoken declarations of love. It takes its time to get going, so it's a true slow burn, and while the romance was sometimes a little on the Tumblr/fanfic dramatic side for me (all that kneeling and swords-to-chins), I appreciate this is a plus for a lot of people and the character work is very lovely. I wish there had been a little more pace to the plot, and some more politics and magic, rather than solely focusing on the romance, but it's still a good read - it's just hard not to compare it to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, which had all the same depth of romance but also a much more effective fantasy and political element.

I really enjoyed A Taste of Gold and Iron.
I saw it advertised for fans of The Goblin Emperor (which I have been promised is cosy fantasy) and A Marvellous Light (which I adored).

It got off to a bit of a slow start, but I immediately empathised with our main character, Kadou, who has crippling anxiety which causes panic attacks. I found the portrayal of his anxiety very authentic, and I loved how the other characters supported Kadou and built him up.

The world was interesting - and Alexandra Rowland’s books are all set in the same world, which makes me want to read more! - and the story was quick paced and easy to follow.

I do feel the main attraction was the characters, and I am a little disappointed to learn that this is a standalone, as I would have liked to see more of the plot and the world in a second book. However, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was a solid 4 star read.

Headlines:
Queer historical-feeling fantasy
Politics, parentage and partnerships
Feelings alert

I don't know why I had so much trepidation over this book and why I read so much later than I intended because everything worked so well for me in this story. I love the UK cover but the US cover depicts how the main characters are described so well that I let my imagination take that course.

The world in this book was ruled by a female Sultan, women had the say on all things to do with parenting and males were called the 'body fath,er' which was a very intriguing direction. Love was love in this world and Kadou was the princely brother of the Sultan. One of his guards, Evemer was the other main character.

The couple of the piece, Kadou and Evermer truly stole my heart, bit by bit. This was a serious slow burner but my investment grew until feelings were brimming over. There was a little bit of me at the end that felt something was missing. It seems we will get more books in this world, so I hope to see more of these two.

There's superb anxiety, panic disorder and mental illness representation in this book. Those elements well woven in well and authentic to the character and those around him.

I part listened to this book and part read the physical copy and I have to say that the audio really helped me with the pronunciations of the unusual words for the guards, companions and so on. The narration was single POV and worked well.

Thank you to Tor Books for the review copy.

This was such a beautiful, masterful queer love story. The ease and fluidity with which pronouns were used was refreshing - it’s so nice to read about a world without the homophobia that plagues our own. The central characters had a magnetic connection that was wonderful to follow throughout the story.

The world that was created was amazing. This Ottoman inspired world was so interesting to read about. I would say I found some elements hard to understand, and it was a bit slow to get going, but in general it was a really lovely read.

I am no longer intetested in reviewing this book. It's been long time and I find myself uninterested. I gravely apologize.

I actually liked this book once I got into it it just took me a few attempts to finish as I thought the start was a bit slow

I found the us book addictive, magical and exciting. I would recommend this to any fantasy reader. The characters and world building were both amazing

I really enjoyed this queer courtly romance. Well-written, lush and gorgeously evocative, I devoured the story and need more.

This pains me as I so very much wanted to love this book.

From the outset, I was completely bamboozled by the lack of world-building. I'm a reasonably intelligent person who has read widely but I'm not ashamed to say I was lost. There were lots of random vocabulary terms thrown in which I think we were supposed to work out via vibes alone. I have seen this immersion technique employed by other authors but they include context clues so that readers are able to work out what things are supposed to be but it's every man for themselves here I'm afraid.

As for the story itself, it reads like fanfiction. That's not necessarily a bad thing of course, some fanfiction is excellent, but this is not. The main conflict in the story is rather dull. I think if the primary focus had either been on the romance plotline or the political plotline it maybe could have worked but there's a wishy washy attempt at both and they are both just...boring. This isn't helped by the glacial pacing and the fact that main character is as thick as a brick.

It's a real bummer as I was really excited to read it when it was announced but I didn't enjoy it at all.

Review not posted anywhere else.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC to review. I really wanted to get into this book but I could not.