Phew, this book sure is something! I will start off by admitting that when I first started A Taste of Gold and Iron I was 80% convinced that it would be a disappointing read for me. I’d recently seen a relatively negative review of it, and the on-ramp for the world-building in terms of character names and terminology was quite steep. There are lots of terms like kahyalar, Oissos, satyota, and altin and quite a few characters to become familiar with right at the start. However, dear reader, I am very glad to have been wrong in my prediction, because once I was settled with the world and the cast, I was hooked and I absolutely raced through the second half.

The book is told from two different points of view – both in third person narrative: the first is Prince Kadou, crown prince and Nervous Wreck, and the second is Evemer Hoskadem, member of Kadou’s core guard and Mr Stoneface. The main point of conflict in this story is political and economic, with a break-in at the Shipbuilder’s Guild occurring the same day as the birth of the Queen’s daughter, risking secrets the country of Arasht has used to build itself up as the strongest economic power in the known world. Kadou is tasked with investigating it, and is keen to prove to his sister that all he wants is to build up the country, and has no designs on the throne. However, having confided some fears to one of his guards, a misunderstanding causes his intentions to come under suspicion and he has to work even harder to earn the Queen’s good graces.

This is where Evemer comes in, as he is known for his rigidity and even temper, and he is tasked to keep an eye on Kadou to avoid further political disasters. Evemer looks down on the prince, thinking him carless and superficial, but soon realises that Kadou is an extremely anxious person, constantly worrying about the effect every small action might have on others, and as the two men continue their investigation they realise that they both underestimated the other. It’s a classic opposites-attract story, and it was a delight to watch the two of them start pining for each other. Because this is, most definitely, a kissing book. There is political tension, and some great action scenes, but the core of A Taste of Gold and Iron is the romance that develops between Kadou and Evemer.

It was built up exquisitely, with some well placed tropes (‘You have to kiss me so they don’t recognise us’ is great), and I think I was as full of longing by the end as they were. I also loved the supporting cast, especially Melek and his hilarious outbursts and Commander Eozena, the most badass of them all. In fact, the more I think of it, the more I feel like I should reread it and appreciate it all from the start… and that says it all, really! The only thing I struggled with was picturing the setting, which I can often do quite well, but that’s a small complaint! If you like slow-burn romance, with a light fantasy setting and a bit of a mystery, then you should pick this book up right away!

CONTENT WARNINGS:

This book contains scenes of violence, death, loss of parents, trauma, bullying and mental health. The representations of anxiety in this book are exceptionally accurate and this may trigger some people with mental health conditions. If you are feeling particularly vulnerable right now then this may not be the best read for you. I say that with love and kindness as someone who has anxiety and depression. There are scenes of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping by drugging, and there is a racial slur on page.

Please note that this review discusses mental health, particularly living with anxiety in detail.

If you are feeling particularly vulnerable right now then this may not be the best read for you. I say that with love and kindness as someone who has anxiety and depression. I do not want anyone to be triggered because of me <3

Reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire, A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland is a tale of fealty, politics and desire. Sister of the sultan, Kadou is Prince of the kingdom of Arasht and Duke of the Harbors. When his sister gives birth to a daughter he is relieved to no longer be heir. While others might have been interested in the throne Kadou would prefer to be out of the spotlight. From a young age he has felt the weight of responsibility, so much so that it feels like it is suffocating him. He is terrified to do anything in case his actions cause something to happen, to harm someone. It is a lesson he and his sister were painfully taught by tutors after their parents died, leaving the two young children orphans and under the care of the state. While his sister was slightly older and able to process the lesson, Kadou was not and the trauma developed into chronic anxiety.

When an altercation with the body father of the sultan’s child turns ugly and leads to some serious consequences, Kadou is not just humiliated, he loses access to his kahya, a personal bodyguard, who had been helping him with his anxiety. His new bodyguard, Evemer is completely different to Tadek, stiff and formal and Kadou is certain that Evemer hates him. To redeem himself in the eyes of the court, he takes responsibility for investigating the break-in at the shipbuilder’s guild as his role of Duke of the Harbors. The investigation soon leads to a much bigger conspiracy involving counterfeiting, one that could lead to the ruin of the kingdom and that Kadou is uniquely qualified to help solve. He can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers, telling which coins are real and which are fake.

When Evemer first joins Kadou’s service he is fresh out of training to be a kahyalar, one of the loyal guards dedicated to serve the royal family. The kahyalar (kahya singular) are trained in a variety of subjects not just defence, they are the future ministers of government and military. They are not just guards or bodyguards, the relationship they have with the royal family are very personal. It is about fealty, of swearing an oath and giving yourself completely to that person for the duration of that oath (in a non-sexual capacity unless both consent). The kahylar do everything for the royals, including clothing and bathing them, and they do it out of choice not servitude. In return, they are treated with respect, as people with voices and opinions of their own. As Kadou explains to someone from outside Arasht, they trust them with their lives and if they trust them when to draw a sword how could they not trust them when to hold their tongue?

Evemer is chosen for being new, and also for his exemplary record. The sultan wants someone who will not grow as close to Kadou as his last khaya, who he ended becoming lovers with and political complications ensued, resulting in the death of two kahaylar. So when Kadou thinks that Evemer hates him, he’s not far off because the rumour mill has been spinning and as usual it doesn’t know the full story. Evemer is the complete opposite of Kadou, and he grows very frustrated with him at first. He has no idea what is happening, why the prince of the realm is such a mess, however, beneath Evemer’s stiff exterior is a kind heart and a devotion to his duty. He made an oath, and he is damn well going to do that job to the best of his ability!

As the two of them unravel the mystery of the break in and the counterfeiting, Evemer unravels the mystery of Kadou and realises that his original judgements were based on incorrect information. The longer he spends time with the prince he realises how much Kadou struggles every day, and he starts to help him. Their relationship grows, and yes, it’s going where you think it is; straight into bed. This is a book that was promoted with a whole bunch of tropes and personally, I don’t mind. Their relationship is beautiful, it’s sweet as can be, and the sex scenes are saucy and hot!

I made the mistake of looking through some reviews, and once again, I can’t help but feel that many people have no grasp on what living with a chronic health condition or disability is like. Kadou’s anxiety isn’t the butterflies in your stomach feeling you have before a big event or an interview. It’s huge, all encompassing, overwhelming and more importantly chronic. I don’t think many people understand that there is a very big difference between feeling anxious and chronic anxiety. It is in every single thing you do. You hear a noise and your mind fills in the blanks. Someone says something even remotely suggestive, and you wonder if you did something. Rowland does a brilliant job of showing this in the way Kadou thinks through every single interaction with people

I found A Taste of Gold and Iron to be a very authentic account of someone living with chronic anxiety, at least in my experience. This may contradict to other people’s experiences with anxiety and that doesn’t mean mine or theirs is incorrect. Anxiety is such a diverse condition as all mental health conditions are, and I’m going to break down what parts spoke loudly to me.

Kadou’s thought patterns hard to follow because they were all over the place. When my anxiety is flaring my thoughts are not linear. They don’t even make sense sometimes, especially if paranoia is involved. I was nodding as I read through Kadou’s thoughts, tracking his processes and thinking how they made sense to me. It’s not just me; I’ve experience being around other people with chronic anxiety and I have seen them react to the tiniest things, to pick up on something I have said and react to it. I’ve been in both Kadou and Evemer places and there aren’t enough words to explain how wonderful it was just be seen so explicitly.

I know that this type of thought process is a lot because I live with it every. single. day. I would ask readers to remember that when they’re reading this book. What you may find annoying is a reality for many of us. It may not be for everyone, and that is fair enough, but please consider for a moment that books like A Taste of Gold and Iron are extremely important because they open readers eyes to situations they cannot/do not access. I would not wish a mental health condition on anyone, however, one day someone you care about may have one and yes, a saucy fiction book can help you understand them better.

Rowland writes Kadou as a complete mess and that is because that is what chronic untreated anxiety does to a person. Chronic anxiety has very real and long term effects on the body, all of which Rowland shows in A Taste of Gold and Iron. As a result of his anxiety Kadou isn’t sleeping properly, and he’s not eating unless prompting. This in turn leads to more health problems as his body is not getting the rest or nourishment that it needs. All of this has physical and mental effects that stack on top of what was already happening in the body. So yes, Kadou is a mess. Who wouldn’t be?

In A Taste of Gold and Iron mental health doesn’t even exist as a concept, there definitely is not any treatment for it. Kadou refers to his anxiety as his “cowardice”; he doesn’t recognise himself as ill and refuses to get medical help because no one will believe him. Unfortunately, mental health stigma is still very much alive and kicking and too many people feel this way. I appreciate that Rowland went down this path instead of writing scenes with a healer/doctor, it gave it much more authenticity. This is also the first book where I’ve ever seen an author properly tackle the trauma of inheritance of young rulers and the weight of royalty on their head rather than portraying it as luxury and power. For someone with anxiety or a mental health condition power and responsibility is terrifying.

I personally felt very seen by Evemer as someone who appears very strict, sticks to rules and kept their head down to do their job. When I was working I was that person, and I don’t feel like enough characters quite capture what Rowland did with him here. The way he thought things through and reacted to certain scenarios was very familiar. There were a lot of great characters in A Taste of Gold and Iron and even if I didn’t particularly like them, they were very dimensional. I particularly liked how realistic the sultan was with a life wrapped up in politics and pomp, and how she was fed up with not being able to just be a person. Zeliha longed to just take a day off and just do silly stuff with her brother like they used to do as a kid, and it reinforced how trapped both siblings were in their roles as rulers.

There are a lot of layers and emotions in this book, however, there is humour mixed with the dread, angst and anxiety. Although it occurs to me that some of the humour might appeal more to people with anxiety. For example, Kadou talking to himself and his brain responding. He has conversations with his own fear, and I was just sitting there like…. yup so done this. There’s a particular one where he’s talking himself into action when he hears something in the room, and he’s saying to it, are we just going to lie here and let ourselves be torn apart by a tiger?! I live in Britain as opposed to an exotic fantasy location so I’ve never jumped to a tiger, but I have legitimately laid in a bed when home alone and heard a noise and my anxiety has jumped to is that a cat or a bird coming in the window? It’s not big enough or loud for a person, so I logically have ruled that out, but a small animal is perfectly possible. As I have several chronic health conditions I talk out loud to my body all the time, not just to my head or in my head. So I loved Kadou’s random conversations and I found them comfortingly amusing.

I’ve said a lot of positive things about A Taste of Gold and Iron, but as you can see it’s a three and a half star not a five star. I have no familarity with the Ottomon Empire or Turkish, I did not even recognise the language in the book was Turkish until I read some reviews. Likewise other people have spoken about the inclusion of a well known Muslim slur. My opinion is that if you can take the time to create an entire fantasy world you can create new words in a language. We’re not talking about going full Tolkien and creating an entire language, we’re talking about a selection of words. There is no need to appropriate a language or to include a slur. I feel that some authors forget that they are the masters of their own universe and have the power to do things like this. This book is promoted as being reminiscent of the Ottomon Empire, not based on it so again, the room for creativity is there. There was no need for the cultural appropriation.

Then there’s the counterfeit plot which to be honest, was very obvious and at times felt like it got a bit forgotten. The main focus of this book is the journey, the characters and their relationships. While the metal touch-tasting is very interesting the plot of A Taste of Gold and Iron is Kadou and Evemer’s relationship. A lot of the information about finances and economics that came with the counterfeitting plot I have to admit I skim read a lot of it. I would have liked a bit more magic, but I’ve seen Rowland mention something about small magic systems on Twitter so from that I gather that was never going to be a large part of the world-building for her. It certainly did make things a bit more interesting.

I keep finding books like A Taste of Gold and Iron where they have excellent representation in some ways and then failed in others. I would ask that people keep an open mind when reading A Taste of Gold and Iron, not because of the author’s mistakes but because it can give you some insight into what it is like to have chronic anxiety. Even if you can’t finish it or it’s not to your taste, please try to look at it in the way I have described it. As I said, one day you may find yourself in Evemer’s shoes and looking after someone with a mental health condition.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I had a hard time getting into the story and connecting with the characters.

The pacing felt off to me. There were a lot of plot elements that felt added on and not fully thought through.

I'm sure lots of people will like this book though.

Thank you to the publisher Tor and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

What Alexandra Rowland has written in "A Taste of Gold and Iron" is the ideal romantic, mystery driven fantasy. It starts with Prince Kadou, the brother of the sultan Zehlia, trying to cope with his chronic anxiety in the middle of an investigation into counterfeit coins. The magic system of this book is excellent, because it revolves entirely around being able to learn things from touching metal, so it is a huge part of the storyline. Kadou is a brave, gorgeously written character that I connected with immediately; his representation of anxiety felt so personal. After he is accused of plotting to overthrow his sister with his bodyguard Tadek (who he has been in a relationship with for years), Kadou is forced to choose a new protector: the stern, silent Evemer who values the rules over everything. Evemer is Kadou's exact opposite in everything and the gradual enemies to friends to lovers was wonderfully paced as the two men began to actively rely on each other.

The side characters of this book all felt significant, with my favourites being Tadek and Zehlia, and the stakes felt incredibly real. As Kadou and Evemer work together to solve the mystery of the counterfeiting, it becomes clear that they can only rely on those closest to them. I adored the use of romantic tropes in this and how the idea of consent and equality in a relationship is so important. I'm really glad I read this book!

This book is spectacular. I binged it ridiculously fast considering it’s not a short book.

It’s the romance that truly steals the show in this book. Kadou, the prince, is anxious and shy; Evemer, his bodyguard, is uptight and judgemental. The dynamic is delicious. It’s all very tormented and slow-burn (if angsty internal commentary isn’t your thing, this book might not be for you.)

The rest of the cast was fantastic as well. Eozena, the captain of the guard, was an absolute powerhouse - she was such a 3D character, an auntie, a soldier, a badass. Tadek had a wonderful lovers-to-friends arc. And I appreciated the asexual rep that popped up during a gossip session.

Kadou’s anxiety brings an exploration of the ‘boy who cried wolf’ nature of anxiety - both the way you disbelieve your own instincts and the way other people dismiss your concerns. It felt validating to have some of Kadou’s concerns confirmed as correct.

The worldbuilding was fascinating, especially system of protection for the monarchy and the construction of familial relationships. And I really enjoyed the political intrigue sub-plot, however obvious the outcome was. But I would have liked to see more of the magic: considering that one of the main characters has the skill of touch-tasting (discerning metals by touch), it was given less prominence than it had potential for.

It’s definitely a capital-R genre Romance, with the fantasy providing a lovely setting but not driving the central story. I listened to the audiobook, and greatly enjoyed the narration.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC ❤️❤️

I loooooove a MM queer fantasy and the cover of A Taste of Gold and Iron made me go absolutely wild!! I just had to get an arc and read this book. It just sounded completely me, every part of it - from the fact the it’s based around royalty (the link to a kind of Ottoman Empire? I love!!) to the idea of a female being the sultan? Yes please!!

Well, once I got it and began to read it…it just didn’t really go anywhere for me 😅😅 I mean I got 25% into the book and all I’d learnt was that Kadou is queer (I already knew that), there was the accident at the beginning (this was super interesting and drew me in at first) and then he just wallowed…for ages…whilst Evemer judged him from the corner of whatever room they were in. I just couldn’t connect with anybody in the book at all and, to be honest, I found everyone quite annoying 😅😅

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t do it. I am going to give it ⭐️.5 for the cover art though - it’s divine!!

Parts of this really worked for me, and based on enjoyment, the rating should be a bit higher. Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the execution.

What I liked
* The characters and the romance were both excellent. I loved the slow build of this, and the way we get to experience the small changes in Evemer that take him from "careless, flighty, negligent", to "I love him so much and would sacrifice myself in a second for him". I think the character development for Kadou wasn't as strong, although I did appreciate seeing him deal with his crippling anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and slowly learn to (sometimes) trust the fearful voice in his head. I was also extremely amused by how often the prince ends up saving the bodyguard; Kadou's competence in dangerous situations was one of my favourite things about him.

* The world is really fascinating, especially familial ties and the role of fathers in the society. Flipping the normal patriarchal structure on its head and making it so that children automatically belong to their mothers, and the fathers have no rights over them unless explicitly granted, was a brilliant move. It's clear that the author put a lot of thought into how they wanted this world to work, and I think it mostly paid off.

What I didn't like
* The plot. There's a kind of mystery running through the book that has to do with counterfeiting, and I knew who the villain would be pretty much right away. It's not at all subtle, which is unfortunate. I appreciated what the plot did to provide our main characters with tricky situations, leading to tropes I personally enjoy, but that's about it.

* The magic is completely underutilized. In this world, people can have the gift of touch-tasting, which means that they can easily differentiate the types of metals in an object, sometimes including where they come from, just by touching it. It's used a handful of times while investigating the counterfeiting, and once to give us a pretty romantic moment, but I think the author could have done a lot more with it, or just removed it altogether.

* So much of the writing was repetitive, especially the inner monologues of Kadou and Evemer. It wasn't enough to let me know that Kadou doesn't want to think about something, I had to be told that at least five times so it would really sink in. The book is more than 400 pages, and it could've easily been cut down to 300. The constant repetition got extremely tedious after the first couple of instances.

An Ottoman inspired queer fantasy romance, that's not a phrase I think publishing would have been comfortable with 20 years ago. And there is a lushness as you might imagine to the setting and how the cross culture romance and adventure work here. We have a spoiled prince betrothed to someone he has no interest in, but also attractive devoted guards whose attraction may be the person or the wealth. The book likes to feel more committed to the idea of romantic love, but also sees the benefit of a roll in the hay, but don't get them mixed up.

I must admit I was a little sceptical at the start - spare me from over-indulged posh boys and their pashes - but Rowlands won me over, first with her more stoical characters, and then broadly filling in the gaps and backstory as to why people have turned out the way they have. The central plot (though as this is primarily a romance its more a churning b-plot to get people in bed with each other) regarding counterfeit money and watering down of the treasury is pretty unusual too - though obviously tailor made for royals who can "taste the composition of alloys" with their fingers. Whilst assassins are zinging around the place and coups seen to be posited, the idea of bringing a culture down economically is sorely underused in fantasy.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed A Taste Of Gold And Iron, from the first few chapters. It does a good job of taking a relatively unsympathetic (particularly if you are a republican) protagonist and getting you to understand and them empathise with him. It is still a bit loose in places and there are lapses into fantasy cliche, but its setting and central relationships make it good fun.

I was hooked from the start and absolutely couldn’t put A Taste of Gold and Iron down, so it’s 5 stars from me because any book that has me reading obsessively and feeling like sleep and work are getting in the way of vital reading deserves this rating.
A Taste of Gold and Iron is an adult fantasy romance, set in a queer-normative society in a world reminiscent of the Ottoman empire, where people can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers. The plot involves politics, intrigue and an investigation into counterfeit currency, but the main focus of the novel is on the romance developing between prince Kadou and his stoic bodyguard Evemer. The dual POV helps to show how their perception of each other evolves as the anxious prince and the introspective bodyguard get to know each other.
This novel not only dazzles with rich settings and opulent clothing, but also with a well-rounded cast of secondary characters. Zeliha, the sultan of Araşt and Eozena, the commander of the kahyalar, are both women in positions of power who embrace their roles. And Tadek, Kadou’s armsman, is ‘an unmitigated delight’, to use his own words.
This was an indulgent read and ranks among my top favourite books of the year so far.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The romance was spot on and the dual POVs really kept me engaged. I liked that Kadou was a character who struggles with his anxiety, his battle throughout is interesting to read. My only complaint is that the plot itself is a little weak and boring. There’s some people making fake money to undermine the currency of the country and when they are captured there isn’t any detail about what actually happens to them. It felt like the plot was an afterthought. The romance however was brilliant and that’s what kept me reading.

A political fantasy and romance, three themes I adore however that being said, I found it difficult to get into the book. I think it was the writing style. It was not my favourite which took away from my enjoyment. The plot was fine it's just the writing that prevented me from devouring this book in one sitting.

I will say I did enjoy the mental health representation and how spot on the MC's anxiety was portrayedmand also how it looked from an outside perspective.

In A Taste of Gold and Iron we follow Kadou, the prince of Arasht, and newly appointed bodyguard, Evemer in an Ottoman Empire inspired world where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers. Whilst it took me a while to get into the world building in this book, once it picked up pace the slow burn romance was impeccable and I adored the politics and decadence this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Pan Macmillan for the chance to read A Taste of Gold and Iron.

“'I want to keep you,' he whispered"

You know that feeling when you read a book and something inside you just goes "this is it, this is the one, my preciousss"? That is A Taste of Gold and Iron for me. This book is all that's been on my mind since I started reading it, it is E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
It's quickly becoming my entire personality and I’m about to make it everyone’s problem 😘

I don't know how I lived my life before this book. What did I do with my days when I didn't spend them thinking about the most kind and beautiful prince and his stoic and gorgeous bodyguard? When I could go hours without having a meltdown over door hinges? When I didn't scream "it's about the *devotion*" 24/7 in my head? I truly don't remember.

There's amazing worldbuilding and all the rep - anxiety, nonbinary, asexual, pansexual, no homophobia. Where the book truly shines and what has me the most feral though, are the characters. I'm a slut for well-written, complex, and nuanced characters and interpersonal relationships and Gold and Iron has it in spades. Not just the main characters of Kadou and Evemer (who I love more than life itself, my pining idiot babies!) but all the side characters, too. Seriously, Alexandra Rowland is next level when it comes to characters and I am here for it.

I am completely, fully obsessed with them all and I've never felt the same frantic need for "more! I need MORE!" after finishing a book that perfectly wraps up the plot and leaves me entirely satisfied at the end. I wanted to eat this book, I wanted to live in the pages forever. I don't reread books too often and when I do, it's usually after a few years. This one I'm planning on rereading this week already.

I love A Taste of Gold and Iron so fiercely I think I may die from it! Quite possibly my fave book of 2022. And I've read some absolutely amazing books this year.

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

Queer fantasy! Need I say more!

This was a really unique and interesting world, I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the way the author did this.

The star of this book was the romance element. You can’t help but want these characters to be happy and to see them thrive. All of the characters were well written a don thought out and I loved them.

It took me a while to get into this book as I found the information to be a bit over levelling at the start but once I understood what was going on it was incredible!

This was not quite what I was expecting.

What I loved about it:
- The representation included, across so many areas. I knew going in that it was LGBTQ but often this just means a sapphic romance. In this book we have a broad range of gender and sexuality rep - including non binary figures who are both "bad" and "good" - we also have mental health rep
- How nuanced each and every character is. Even those who seem to be one dimensional initially open up as the story progresses.
- The relationship that builds between our protagonists is slow and based on coming to understand each other. Not without difficulty I have to say, they learn that they each have their own prejudices against the other and that their own thought processes stop them communicating effectively. It is very well done in that respect.
- The setting, this amazing blend of 1500s England, Byzantine Empire and mythology.
- The fact that we have a society in which women hold the power, not only do we have a female sultan and female commander of the Kahyalar but women can decide whether to allow the father of their children claim over them.

What wasn't for me:
- It is very slow paced. Whilst I hate a story to rush, I do prefer more plot to the fantasy I pick up. It really doesn't feel like anything much happens in this story.
- The dialogue can often feel wrong(?), I'm not sure what the right word is but conversations in this world must take an absolute age as each character goes through a myriad of thought processes before responding. I often found myself having to go back and reread what the last person said after a paragraph or two of the second person just thinking about their response.
- Whilst I loved the mental health rep in this book, our protagonist has severe anxiety, I have to say that the first 25% of the book was pretty insufferable in the extensive descriptions of the anxiety. I do understand that this makes it relatively accurate in its depiction because anxiety is all consuming but it doesn't make for a particularly enjoyable reading experience.

SO all in all, whilst this book ultimately isn't for me, I can completely understand why others would love it.

A sumptuously written tale of courtly intrigue and slow burning romance.

Prince Kadou does not want his sister’s crown but investigating a crime leads him to a conspiracy involving powerful figures from a neighbouring kingdom including the father of his Sister’s heir. Kadou is a powerful character beset by anxiety and self doubt he suffers greatly in trying to bare the burden of his royal blood.

Evemer is the Prince’s new bodyguard,straightlaced and determined to do his duty above all else, Kadou defies his expectations and as understanding grows between them so does a forbidden love.

Set in a mesmerising world drawn from Ottoman myth A Taste of Gold and Iron combines a sensuous love story with a very unexpected Prince. I found it beautiful, different and gorgeously decadent.

This was a sexy, warm-hearted, political fantasy with a fantastic cast of characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged throughout. It’s easy for political fantasy to be dry and a little snooze-worthy but this definitely wasn’t the case here. Kadou’s was a Prince to inspire loyalty and love amongst his closest friends and family, showing his own loyalty and courage as he and his friends encountered danger and obstacles that posed threats to their lives and their kingdom. His character is brave, in spite of his internal struggles, and it’s no wonder he inspired so much affection and support from those around him. It’s also easy to see how the stalwart, introspective Evemer slowly became putty in Kadou’s hands. It was such a thrill to read both characters' points of view in this book and see them fighting a losing battle with their feelings for each other, and all the while Rowland is weaving a political mystery that left me with a lot of suspicions and few concrete answers until later on. Tadek’s character added some charm and humour, and his interactions with Teznin screamed trouble - for everyone else, that is. I’d love to see more of this mischievous, chaotic duo if there’s another book on the way.

The serious topics and hard conversations were balanced out with humour, romance and a good dose of lust. This book was an absolute pleasure to read and I kept forgetting I’d finished it, only to be wildly disappointed when I remembered that any more insight into the chaos of Kadou and Evemer, wouldn’t be in my hands any time soon.

Never has an uncle been so glad to hear of the birth of a niece. In Araşt, the throne descends through the female side, which excludes a lot of the problems with royal bastards. But until his sister produces her first daughter, there is the chance that Kadou may end up heir, which is which would be a misfortune for the inept and self-effacing prince.
Even while his sister is indisposed with childbirth, he has struggled to cope with various problems, a break-in at the vital Shipbuilder′s Guild, a foreign merchant accused of counterfeiting, and the father of his niece assuming authority quite above his station.
On a hunting excursion with the father, Siranos, there is a terrible misunderstanding, leaving three guards dead. Kadou is almost exiled, but manages to convince his sister to let him stay, although he is given the by-the-book guard Evemer to keep him out of trouble. Which would be less of a burden if he was not so very handsome.
There is lots to like in this book: the various investigations that take place, the look at the society of the country, the characters, many of whom we get to see more of as the story progresses. The magic that appears is quite low-key, an ability to tell if people are telling the truth, the power to distinguish between metals, which is of great importance to a country which bases its strength on trading. There is a nice line in humour from several of the characters, and the book is certainly not in the grimdark style.
This is a standalone novel as far as I know, and I found it a really enjoyable read.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

DNF. Unfortunately the formatting on this ebook didn’t work with my kindle and all the sentences were jumbled and spaced out.

I look forward to picking up a physical copy at some point as I did highly anticipate this one.

Just as someone's palate changed over time, so too might their sense of a metal change. ...Remarkable, and ominous, was the fact that it had happened now. Remarkable was what it had changed to.
He was never again going to be able to touch iron without remembering this: the wine cellar. The door. Kissing Evemer. It was imprinted on him permanently, written into his fingerprints. [loc. 5248]

The sultan of Araşht, Zeliha, has just given birth, and her brother Kadou is torn between relief that he's lower in the succession and anxiety that the baby's father, Siranos, is untrustworthy. His anxiety has frightful consequences, and he's assigned a new bodyguard, the upright and stoic Evemer. Evemer judges the prince to be careless, flighty and negligent ... until he comes to know him better. And when the two become involved in political and financial skulduggery, there is plenty of opportunity for both to show their mettle.

This is a romance in a fantasy setting, rather than a fantasy novel with romantic elements: the emphasis is very firmly on Kadou and Evemer's evolving relationship, and their interactions with those around them. The worldbuilding is tantalising (sea serpents!) and there's little more than a glimmer of magic: Kadouhas the rare ability to sense the purity of any metal, and this manifests as a kind of synaesthesia. There are gods, but they remain firmly in the realm of the hypothetical.

One aspect of A Taste of Gold and Iron that I very much admired was its handling of mental health issues. Kadou is plagued by anxiety, panic attacks and overthinking: Evemer in particular -- but also Zeliha, Tadek and others -- are supportive and compassionate, and recognise the value of Kadou's various coping mechanisms. I also applaud the notion of the temple aunts, who are more therapist than priestess.

Araşhti society is refreshingly free of prejudice: women, or oryasilar (third-gender persons) are at least as likely as men to be in positions of power, and same-sex relationships are unremarkable. (At one point Zeliha is trying to broker a marriage between Kadou and a fine-looking nobleman from a neighbouring country.) There are three categories of fatherhood, none of which Siranos seems to understand at all; there are the kahya, who are not mere guards or servants but the future political elite; there is weaponised etiquette. And there are many very likeable secondary characters, especially Tadek (Kadou's ex-kahya and ex-lover, who has wit and heart) and Tenzin, a satyota (truth witch) who has some of the best lines in the novel.

There were some aspects of the novel that jarred. Kadou is named after the word for 'gift' in Vintish -- which, yes, is actually, literally French. ('all the Vintish servants kept coming in to stand around my crib and coo, cadeau, un cadeau, un tel cadeau' [loc. 1275]). Everything else is secondary-world: why not invent the Vintish language too? There are also some moments where the protagonists make poor decisions, which seem out of character: even when exhausted / imprisoned / panicking, both Kadou and Evemer are (almost always) fearsomely competent. And the pacing sometimes feels uneven.

But still, I loved it. The slow-burn romance; the plethora of romance tropes (only one bed! kissing to allay suspicion!); the emphasis on respect and reciprocity in what could have been a tragically unequal partnership; the ways in which Kadou and Evemer initially underestimate one another, and the openheartedness with which they negotiate their evolving relationship.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this honest review. UK publication date 01 September 2022.