I eagerly awaited the second instalment of the authors The Last Binding sequence of books, and gobbled it up as soon as it landed on my Kindle.
However due to illness I wasn’t able to post my review in a timely manner but it gave me the opportunity to love this story all over again.
We follow Maud who to aid her brother Robin in the search for knowledge of the last bindings travels to New York. Successful in finding one of the witches who discovered the Last Contract, she travels back to the UK on the Lyric, as companion to the elderly Mrs Navenby (and her parrot).
However disaster strikes as soon as the sea voyage starts as Mrs. Navenby is murdered and Maud must go from retiring companion to sleuthing detective. She is helped (and hindered) in her efforts by the beguiling, worldly Violet Debenham and the aloof Lord Hawthorn from Marvellous Light.
Evokes memories of Agatha Christie and those locked room murder mysteries but with a healthy and steamy sexual awakening for Maud. The story sensitively explores sexuality, burgeoning desires with the delight and insecurities this can bring. Maud has an able teacher in Violet and for those not inclined to explicit scenes please do not let this put you off from reading this excellent tale.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC as always much appreciated. All views are my own.

I read the first in the series, A Marvellous Light, a couple of weeks before this so it was pretty fresh in my mind and I enjoyed the magic and alternative reality setting in this so was keen to read the next.

This time in we're on board a steamship with magic and sapphic romance, and the writing is equally magical and the world is so vividly depicted. I've read quite a few books set at sea recently and this was the best in terms of setting the scene of life on board a large vessel at sea. Again I enjoyed the magical alternative reality and well written characters.

This was a fun one. While it is listed as the second book in the Last Binding series this can easily be read as a standalone as there is only a tiny bit of overlap with book one. It follows a whole cast of new characters with only small referenced to Robin and Edward from book one. It also does have nods back to the previous mystery but also I feel can stand alone as well.

This time we follow Maud Blyth who is the sister of Robin the main Character from book one, but for me this had a much more classic mystery feel. The locked room aspect of being on an ocean liner travelling from America to London was really fun to me. It kept the setting and number of characters tight so this meant that we really got to know a lot about our main pair Maud and Violet. I liked the way the mystery built and played out. There were many well plotted red herrings some really fun hijinks and overall I really liked to outcome.

I also liked the use of magic in this book. With mostly unmagical characters when magic did play into the plot I thought it was done so with real emphasis and purpose. It wasn’t just thrown around or used to solve little problems but instead built into larger more detailed plans to help catch the killer.

I also enjoyed the romance between Maud and Violet. While it did fall foul of a lot of stereotypes which did make me roll my eyes a little, I do think overall we ended up with a nice romantic story. The sex scenes were varied and intimate though did lack a little of the lust and passion that was found in book one. However, I thought the development and outcome of Maud and Violet’s relationship was a lot more measured and realistic. I found it easy to route for them but loved that they were not a perfect instalove couple.

Overall I thought this was a really enjoyable read and cannot wait to read more about this world and what might happen next in the lives of these groups of characters in the next book. I was very fortunate to be gifted both a physical copy but also the audiobook version. The audio narration was a real pleasure to listen to. Narrated by Aysha Kala, the voices of the characters were distinct and it was very clear which character was talking. The pacing of her voice was clear and she really brought the story to life.

So much yes to this one! A fantastic sequel with strong and interesting characters - and we all know my fondness for F/F romances.

The titanic, but make it an historical gay fantasy? Excellent 🤣

I enjoyed this book enough for a sequel to want to read the final book in the trilogy - Maud is an excellent character and the light mystery on a boat stakes were well done. We see a fair bit of the characters that should be centre stage in the last book and, ultimately, they were more compelling.

This book just isn't quite as good as the first - the central couple didn't have the same believable connection and I missed the forays into the magical system of the ancient magical families of Britain. The Forsythia Club will, I'm hoping, come back with more detail be arsed what we got in this book was underwhelming.

That said, I did enjoy the scenes with the main four characters together and scheming, Maude as a medium and I'm curious about Ross in the next book.

This is such an amazing follow up! I was so invested and could not put the book down. I can not wait for more from this author!

I read a Marvellous light before i started this but it is really not required in order to understand this great story. it is gay it is historical it is on a BOAT. You just have to love all these things together. I'm excited for the third book for sure.

In A Restless Truth the overall story follows on from where we left off at the end of A Marvellous Light, however the main characters are now Maud (Robert’s sister) and Violet. I’d grown attached to the main characters from book 1 and when the sequel was first announced I was surprised that it was switching main characters for the next instalment but hopeful because I’d liked the glimpses we’d had of Maud. I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed! Maud and Violet were two compelling main characters and I enjoyed both of their POVs.

A Restless Truth has more of a locked door murder mystery vibe compared to the frantic curse-breaking mission of book 1. The ship setting and tight deadline before arriving at their destination added a sense of urgency.

There was a sense of humour throughout the book as well as moments that tugged at my heart. The romance between Maud and Violet was well developed seeing them open up, find their similarities, and appreciate their differences.

Read For:
• Historical romantasy
• FF romance ❤️
• Murder mystery 🧐
• Side characters who are reluctant helpers
• A unique magic system ✨

Rating: 4.5/5🌟
Steam Level: 3.5/5🔥

3.5 ⭐️

This was slightly less enjoyable than the first book but I enjoyed the overall vibe and the murder mystery elements of the story.

I felt it dragged for a bit in the middle but I liked all the characters and the relationship development/ dynamic between the characters were done really well.

Sadly, I wasn't invested enough in the romance as compared to some of the other plot points and would have preferred a more slow burn romance.

Looking forward to the next book!

Last year I really loved A Marvellous Light and so A Restless Truth was one of my most anticipated releases. While for me it wasn't quite a s good as the first book, I still really liked it.

Maud is aboard a ship, accompanying an eldery lady from America to England. She is helping out her brother Robin with finding and protecting the final pieces of The Last Binding. Unfortunately the elderly lady gets murdered before she can tell her where her part is exactly. Enter a very big mystery for a young girl who does not quite have the social status to look around everywhere. She manages to get the help of Violet and the sort of help from Lord Hawethorn to figure out who was the murderer and who took her things.

From the little we got of Maud in A Marvellous Light I knew I was going to love her. She is headstrong and can back it up with an intelligent head on her shoulders. She is very persuasive. Seeing how the other half of the family dealt with their parents was really interesting.

Violet, the other point of view we got and Maud's love interest, ran from England quite a while ago. But an inheritance brings her back, with family who don't seem to love her very much, attached to her hip. For free Violet this is a thorn in her eye. I did not quite take to Violet. She is very closed off, even in her own point of views and she never really gives herself to Maud. Of course that is her fear and her fault but it made it hard for me to connect with her.

I was however very drawn to Lord Hawthorne. He was not painted in the best light during A Marvellous Light but somewhat better in this installment. We certainly got some part of the pieces to his history and what made him into this person. And this step in his character development makes me think he will be a main character for book 3. He also has a nice spicy interaction with Ross, a last minute addition to Maud's team, which makes me think that might be the romance. I totally want to read that.

I think what I loved the most about this book, besides Maud, was the team she managed to get on board. Violet was curious but Lord Hawthorne and Ross were less easy. It created a very interesting dynamic between these 4 characters.

This was fun and charming! The first book is one of my favourite reads of 2022, and it was always going to be difficult to top that, so I'm not surprised this didn't manage it. Most of that has to do with character dynamics--the connection between Edwin and Robin worked for me on a lot of levels, and while I was definitely rooting for Maud and Violet, their dynamic and relationship struggles didn't quite hit that sweet spot. That said, Maud is a delightful character. I love her energy, and the way she is determined to prove that she is more than what people expect from her. I liked Violet as well, but Maud was definitely the shining star of this story for me.

I'm also glad we got more of Hawthorne, and the introduction of Ross brought some extra levity to the book. Overall, this feels a bit lighter than A Marvellous Light, even though there's a murder at the heart of it. The stakes don't feel as high, and aside from the very end, the plot lacks urgency. I think it lagged a bit in the middle, and could've been shorter while still telling the same story. But the setting, the magic, and the writing are still just as good, and I can't wait to see how the story wraps up.

A Restless Truth was a steamy, salacious and sensational sequel.

A Marvellous Light was a flirty, raunchy and romantic book that blended history, mystery and fantasy brilliantly. This sapphic sequel was a murderously fun romp, feeling like Murder on the Nile meets Knives Out with plenty of queerness. I love Marske’s writing style for how descriptive and full of magic it is. She has that light touch of pure joy that contrasts so well with the occasional darkness of the subject matter. It effortlessly blends the humourous with some razor sharp moments of tension. The central mystery was well-constructed and engaging as well, with plenty of twists and turns to enjoy.

I really enjoyed the central romance and their ever-changing dynamic - leading to some very fun and sexy moments. Their spark was undeniable and watching their flirting was so fun. Maude and Violet are both intensely products of their environments, surviving in the ways they know best, but they allow each other to crack those facades ever so slightly. They allow one another to help them grow and evolve beyond their trappings of the past. Their initial sketches are so far from their entire truth.

I enjoyed the more academic exploration of magic here, compared to the more intimate examination in A Marvellous Light. It was also intriguing to learn more of the overarching history and particularly more about the Forsythia Club. This helps lay the groundwork and develop the series even more, although I was hoping for a tad more worldbuilding. However, this is still such a strong outing from Marske. This series is such ebullient escapism and the blend of genres on show is compelling.

A Restless Truth lives up to its pitch perfectly - providing plentiful entertainment for those long wintery nights.

I loved a Marvellous Light, so was really looking forward to reading the sequel. In A Restless Truth we follow Maud, the sister of the protagonist of the first novel. Maud is on a ship travelling across the Atlantic, when the woman that Maud was accompanying dies under suspicious circumstances. Maud forms some allies to try to solve the murder and find the magical item that has been hidden.

While I did enjoy the book overall, I found that this didn’t quite live up to my expectations from Marske’s first book. It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the setting on the ship, I liked Maud as a protagonist and I enjoyed seeing her learn more about the magical world. I also really enjoyed the mystery itself.

My negatives were that I didn’t feel as attached to the characters, compared to those in A Marvellous Light. I disliked Violet in particularly, finding her to be quite shallow. I also thought that some of her decisions didn’t make sense. I was also let down by the romance in this, it felt very forced. This was especially disappointing as a sapphic romance was the part of the book that I was most excited about.

I am excited for the next instalment, I am hoping that a book with all of the main characters from A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth will tie the series together nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

A Restless Truth takes place quite soon to where A Marvellous Light finishes but with Maud Blyth as our main protagonist 🥰❤️ She’s been over to the US to visit one the the 4 members of the Forsythia Club and bring her back with her. But unfortunately back on the H.M.S Lyric things don’t quite go to plan… A murder leaves Maud all alone and so she decides to investigate just as her brother Robin would!! She resolves that she must solve not only the murder but also work out who on the ship is embroiled with The Last Contract Conspiracy that caused her companion Mrs. Navenby’s death. With the help of Violet, an actress who wants to ‘ruin’ herself and Lord Hawthorne, a rather grumpy gentleman who we met in A Marvellous Light, Maud tries her best to get both done before the Lyric arrives in Southampton.

I adored this book so much!! 😍😍 Just as A Marvellous Light did before hand I’m so buzzed for more!! I loved every character, they all added so much to the story. Violet and Maud compliment each other perfectly, I love their intensity and fizz, there’s an undercurrent from the minute they speak 😍❤️ Hawthorne is brilliant as well and I hope we get more of him in the third book as I’d really like to see more of what’s going on inside his head!!

I cannot recommend this book enough!! It’s absolutely brilliant, wonderful and magical!! Maud and Violets relationship is EVERYTHING and I can’t wait for the third book to come out so I can read more smut 😂😏 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maud Blyth is on a mission: she is crossing the Atlantic from New York to Southampton as a companion to Elizabeth Navensby, a member of the Forsythia Club, to return a powerful magical artifact the elderly lady is carrying to Britain. When Mrs Navensby is found dead in her cabin only hours into the journey and several of her personal belongings have disappeared, Maud sets out to solve her murder and find the stolen items. To this end, she enlists the help of heiress Violet Debenham, who is also returning to England.

A Restless Truth is the second book in the Last Binding trilogy, continuing the story of the Last Contract with a change of protagonists. I had loved the dynamic between Edwin Courcey and Robin Blyth in A Marvellous Light. A Restless Truth focuses on Robin’s sister Maud as a protagonist and while I was quickly swept up by her buoyant energy, I took a bit longer to warm to Violet, the other protagonist. The juxtaposition of innocent Maud and worldly, scandalous Violet, who guarded herself on an emotional level and whose barriers were torn down by the Maud’s frankness, was a great fit. The sapphic romance is beautifully told, and while there are some more spicy scenes, one of my favourite and in my opinion one of the most intimate scenes is when Violet puts on a private magical display for Maud.

This is a mystery set in an enclosed space, and it was fun to see how much havoc Maud and her troops could wreak aboard the Lyric (spoiler: a lot). Lord Hawthorne, who had a brief appearance in book one and who was, in Edwin’s opinion, ‘an arrogant, insulting, self-absorbed bastard’, was roped into helping Maud. To my surprise, I absolutely loved him as a reluctant participant in Maud’s schemes, and his interactions with Ross were highly entertaining. I certainly hope to see more of him in the third instalment and can’t wait to find out how the story concludes.

If you haven’t yet started this series, I’d definitely recommend picking it up! This was an action-packed, colourful, magical journey of a mystery, and it was definitely right up my street!

In the second book in the Last Binding trilogy, Maud Blythe finds herself on the RMS Lyric, returning to England from New York. Her reason for going is because of her brother, Robin, and the cause to protect magic in the British Isles. It should be an easy trip back.

Expect when she discovers a dead body, a bad-mouthed parrot, missing silver and jewels. She, also, meets the beautiful stranger, Violet Debenham - a magician, an actress, a scandal, a siren - all the things Maud should fear and yet, desires. As the two grow closer, they have only six days to untangle a conspiracy and solve a murder, all of which started generations ago...

When I first read A Marvellous Light last year, I didn't know it was the start of a series. Once my brain finally twigged this detail, I was so happy as I really enjoyed myself. I said, at the time, there was a quality to it that I instantly warmed to and connected to. Plus, I enjoyed the characters and I spent most of the book, shouting at the two leads - Robin and Edwin - to "JUST KISS, YOU MORONS!"

So, as you can guess, I had hopes with Restless Truth. I wanted this to be good and up to the high standard that A Marvellous Light held. And Restless Truth was up to that standard and, dare I say it, I think I enjoyed this one eversoslightly more...

It's always a risky move for an author to change the protagonists in a series. Even the author admitted it herself. But Maud and Violet were so different and refreshing compared to Robin and Edwin that it did work. And to see their relationship grow very quickly (this book takes place over a six day period and we don't know where book three is going to take our little band of merry troublemakers) to friendships, sexual desires and possible something much deeper was a delight.

Plus, we had really interesting side-characters (Hawthorne was only in a chapter or two in Marvellous Light and he's stuck on the boat and forced to help Maud and Violet so we see him a lot and OH! I want a book about him. And Ross, a new character who acts as a sparring partner against Hawthorne was refreshing and bought a lot of humour).

I think it was the characters that made his for me. I just fell for Maud's stubbornness and yet her devotion to Robin, Violet's mischief and cunning, Hawthorn's arrogance and yet his desire to care and Ross... well, being Ross.

This adds a little more background to the mystery of the Last Contract. Not much, but enough to make me concerned that book three might do a bit of info-dumping rather than give us the action and romance readers desperate for. I, also, had moments where I felt elements were a little to neat (but then, I like things to be a little untidy so I'll let that slide).

But this was a delicious sequel, and I am excited/nervous to see how the last book in the trilogy goes and how it ends... maybe a reread of A Marvellous Light is in order...

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Restless Truth’ by Freya Marske.

This is Book 2 in The Last Binding series of historical fantasy romances set in an alternative Edwardian Britain. This novel takes place at sea on board the RMS Lyric, a White Star ocean liner, making the New York to Southampton crossing. On board is Maud Blyth, the sister of Robin, the young baronet who was a central character in ‘A Marvellous Light’. As a result of this being a continuous story, I will only give a few details to avoid spoilers for both books.

In order to assist her beloved older brother to unravel a magical conspiracy, Maud has travelled to the USA and has volunteered to serve as travelling companion to Mrs. Navenby, an elderly lady who is the custodian of a powerful magical object. Unfortunately, on the first night out, Mrs. Navenby is found dead in her cabin and a number of her personal items are missing.

While this outwardly appears a natural death, Maud is not convinced. She then meets the vivacious heiress Violet Debenham, who is also returning home to England. Violet had defied her place in society, moved to New York where she became an actress and stage magician. Violet seems to delight in courting scandal. She and Maud are very different personalities.

Maud distrusts Violet though is also drawn to her. Maud and Violet work together with a few others to unmask the murderer and retrieve the magical object, its exact appearance unknown as Mrs. Navenby did not reveal this.

‘A Restless Truth’ proved a quite entertaining historical fantasy. It does get spicy in places, which was of less interest to me than the magical and mystery aspects of the story. However, I felt that Freya Marske wrote these scenes well, even if they did seem to go on for a long time and effected the pacing somewhat.

Overall, I found ‘A Fearless Truth’ a strong second book in a series that has a well realised magical system, interesting storyline, and engaging, diverse characters. I look forward to Book 3, ‘A Power Unbound’, listed for publication in November 2023.

So, A marvellous light has been one of my top 10 books of last year. Instant 5 star read, already read it twice and absolutely loved it.
A mix of historical fiction / queer romance / magical murder mystery was the combination I didn’t know I needed, but 100% did.
Edwin is my son and needs to be protected at all costs. And my sweet himbo Robin, he’s like a labrador, you can’t not love him.
So I was extremely sad when I saw that this next book wouldn’t be following them. I loved these idiots so much!!!
Switching MCs in the middle of an ongoing story is always a risky business.
But I need not have feared, because this book was amazing!
I was hoping a little that this book would be following Miss Morrissy, because she was a fierce queen in book 1 and I fell head over heels in love with her.
But Maud was a great protagonist too and it made a lot of sense to pick her for the next part of the story!

After finding (and loosing) the first part of the contract, our little group of misfits is set out to find the other parts to keep them away from the bad guys.
Maud wants to help too, since Robin did so much for her. So she heads to America to find one of the other woman involved. But she’s not the only one looking for her…
This whole books takes place on the ship back to England, including magical combat, a whole zoo, hot bisexual singers and not only one murder. Oh, there’s also our beloved dickhead Hawthorn, who I somehow came to like?!
I loved Maud, she was very stubborn and stood up for herself against anyone and anything! She was a great protagonist and always up for a surprise.
I also loved Violet, the amount of independent, strong willed woman in this series is everything we need from historical fiction.
I also loved the side characters, especially Ross. He made this book the most fun and I am crossing my fingers the next book will be about him!
The only thing I have to criticise about this book: a whole book taking place in one single setting simply isn’t too gripping for me. It takes place over only three days, but it somehow felt much longer to me. I would have wished to see a little of Maud in America!

A Restless Truth is the sapphic, magical murder mystery on an ocean liner you didn't know you needed.

Maud Blyth is on a special mission: to save England's magicians, she is on an ocean liner going from New York to England with some special cargo: the second part of the Last Contract and its owner, Elizabeth Navensby, former member of the Forsythia Club. Just a few hours into the journey, however, she finds Mrs. Navensby dead in their cabin and the magical artifact stolen. However, she doesn't have to solve the mystery alone: She soon gets help from scandal-ridden, intriguing actress Violent Debenham and Lord Hawthorn. Amid conniving aristocrats, can they find the murderer before it's too late?

Far improved from the first book, I had a blast reading the second installment in the Last Binding series! I’ll admit I wasn't 100% sold on This Marvellous Light due to pacing issues and not feeling very invested in the characters. Yet in A Restless Truth, the issues with pacing were fixed and Marske amped mystery part of the story way up! Being a fan of murder mysteries in enclosed spaces, this book was right up my alley! Add the sapphic romance and historical fantasy elements to it, and you have a near perfect book! A Restless Truth is Murder on the Orient Express vibes by way of Knives Out. And damn, was it a fun romp of a book.
I already liked Maud in the first book and here, she shone as a protagonist. From her surface level motivation of proving herself and wanting to make her brother Robin proud, to having grown up with emotionally distant, lying and manipulative parents, her character had a lot of depth to it. Same as Maud, I felt drawn to Violet, who grew up a lady and caused a scandal by moving to America and becoming an actress. But beneath that act, Violet is quite vulnerable and keeps up a front to protect herself.

This layered character work resulted in a lovely romance between Maud and Violet. While Violet was more worldly and experienced, emotionally, Maud was far more open. There was a great push and pull between them, which kept their romance arc interesting. Similarly to the first book, there were also some steamy scenes here, which I thought were well written. Marske wrote the queer rep in a way that felt realistic to the time it's set in, with mentions of women being able to live together and be "companions" with far more ease than men could. I liked that Marske included these historical elements. With that being said, the group dynamics were my favorite part of the book. In particular, all scenes with the ever-suffering Lord Hawthorn.

As I was hoping after the first book, Marske also expanded the lore and magic-system of her English parallel world. Without spoiling anything, the way Marske wrote the magic also felt a lot more tangible and hands-on than in the previous book, which I enjoyed. The prose was also gorgeous and evocative, whisking you away to late 19th century England.

Finally, the murder mystery and subsequent chase for the magical artefact were really great. It got Maud into lots of sticky situations she got out of in hilarious and sometimes ridiculous ways, without the book ever losing its tension and momentum. Even more action-packed than its predecessor, I couldn't put the book down until late into the night.

A Restless Truth is a wonderful sapphic romance full of action and mystery. There is a lot of build up, but the story unfolded beautifully with moments and reveals I didn't see coming.

The absolute star of this novel is the characters, especially the main protagonists Maud and Violet. It was a shame not to see much of Robin and Edwin who I'd loved from the first book, but Maud and Violet are equally funny, sexy and dramatic. I really hope that the final book in this trilogy combines their two stories and relationships together.