I loved this final book in The Last Binding trilogy. An amazing, exciting magical storyline along with the best romance.

a satisfying and kind of epic end to a great series. Oddly enough, I wasn’t as invested in the romance as I was in the establishment and wellbeing of the whole found family, and I don’t think this book or series was perfect, but I was glad to have read it and to have found an author whose career I will keep following.

A very interesting read which was magical and mesmerising. I really enjoyed being transported into a world of magic and intrigue and well written characters. Such beautiful writing from an author I will read more from.

Completing the set of this trilogy, if you've made it this far you know exactly what to expect: two of the group involved in finding the Last Contract will get together in increasingly steamy ways, there will be magic (but it will take second place to romance), there will be misunderstandings and characters having to face their own baggage and flaws before moving forward in a positive relationship, and a growing sense of the found family of the group alongside the lingering threat and fear of the baddies.

It's a bit formulaic, but it still works. I think I was more frustrated by book two (same plot as the first book but on a boat) so by the time you get to book 3 and - surprise! - it's exactly the same, you just go with it.

Obviously there's the plot and the magic and the Last Contract (think Harry searching for Horcruxes but for very very grown ups that would make JK extremely unhappy) but it always feels secondary to the romance.

And although the romance is also always the same formula (a power dynamic, embracing personal desires and preferences, one person more hesitant/submissive, no holds barred sex) it's what we are all here for really.

I received an eARC of this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

What a satisfying conclusion to The Last Binding trilogy! I'm not going to lie and say I fully understood every single detail of the sometimes complex plot, but the characters, their motivations, and their romances thrived on the page. I was definitely a bit more interested in the romance between Jack and Alan than the actual overarching plot but I still really enjoyed reading this book. Though books two and three have not hit the same perfect marks as the first book, I absolutely recommend this to all readers who enjoy queer historical romances with magical & mystery elements.

This book was a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy

Wonderful characters and brilliant storytelling

Reads well and keeps you in engrossed

Would recommend

I've really love The Last Binding series, so much so that this last installment has almost reached that sort of... too scared to pick up/ over-anticipated status, if you know what I mean?

After finally deciding that it was The Time, I actually reread both the previous books (A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth) back-to-back before diving into this one, and the uninterrupted story-telling experience absolutely hit it out of the park for me. I can definetly see myself rereading the trilogy again in future.

A POWER UNBOUND brings all the leads from the previous books together, while putting Alan and Hawthorn centre stage this time. I adored Hawthorn in A Restless Truth and I really enjoyed getting his (and Alan's) POV. Personally, I think I may have slightly preferred A Restless Truth of the three books, but this was a great finale, that tied together various characters and plot points and delivered a really satisfying conclusion.

Without giving anything away: if you've enjoyed the previous books in the series, A POWER UNBOUND is a high-stakes, fitting conclusion. If you haven't started the trilogy, it's a brilliant one - a powerful overarching story, but with books, relationships, and characters that all have their own, individual vibe. I thoroughly recommend all three.

This was an excellent end to a brilliant trilogy!

Whilst Robin and Edwin will always be my favourite pairing, Jack and Alan were so good together and watching them learn to accept and even love the differences between them was wonderful. Being back with the characters from the first two books was like being welcomed back into a group of old friends and I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

This book was an incredible and satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, which may be one of my favourite of all time. Freya Marske's writing is snappy, punchy and beautifully eloquent without being tiring or obnoxious. I will recommend her books every single time

I adore this series! And this final instalment does not disappoint. The whole plot is tied up brilliantly whilst also still allowing the characters to develop throughout.

There are twists and turns, explosive announcements, magical buildings and not forgetting the sexual tension. The romance in this one was scorching, the characters have such excellent chemistry.

A brilliant end to a brilliant trilogy, and i am incredibly sad to see it go!

As someone who absolutely adored the first two books in The Last Binding trilogy, I had so much faith that this final entry would stick the landing, and it absolutely did! I loved how Alan and Jack, and their relationship, was fleshed out while still including the characters we know and love from the previous books. Freya Marske's prose is utterly incredible and enchanting, and made this book a joy to read. The plot was spectacular, and made for a satisfying finale to an amazing series.

An incredible ending to what is now one of my favourite book series of all time. 4 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan/ Tor and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There was so much going on!! there is so much I want to say, but I also don't want to spoil, ughhhhhhhhhhhh!

So this book, this beautiful book is the finale to the Last binding trilogy in which we follow the story of Jack, the bratty Aristocrat and Alan the part time conman, part time journalist and part time gay erotica writer. So basically the privileged vs the un-privileged and a lot of other moral and emotional and cultural factors. The story is basically a race, the race that began in book 1 between (obviously!) the good guys and the bad guys as to who will get their hands on the pieces of the LAST CONTRACT - the last known piece of magical contract between the fae and the magicians that could possibly change the way magic works (in the bad way - obviously!).

As much as I was anxious about them saving magic with no contingencies, the character arc that we got especially for Jack was remarkable. From being Edwin's annoying prick of an ex in book 1, to the one dependable man on the cruise in book 2 to this one where he was ripped open with all his past pain, loss, trauma and grief out in the open and then to se him develop a tender beautiful bond of understanding with Alan was so brilliantly written. But also as much as I enjoyed seeing the character development for Jack and Alan, without any doubt, Edwin stole the friggin show.

To conclude, a solid finale with a thoughtful, passionate, steamy queer romance with an amazing cast and crew of people who has kept us entertained for a long time. I truly did not want this trilogy to end. I will dearly miss the banter and the comfort of these characters.

TW: Death, violence, betrayal, homophobia.

[2.5]

No one is more disappointed than me with this rating. I absolutely adore The Marvellous Light, A Restless Truth was also a ton of fun with amazing character moments and humour but this instalment is probably going to be my biggest bookish disappointment of the year (I hope. I don’t want any more).

My favourite part about the book is seeing the old characters back! I adore Edwin and Violet so much — Edwin/Robin were also such a joy to see again. The cast interactions and the found family was very heart-warming, especially seeing Jack appreciate those around him. The plot was satisfying enough for the most part, except that it all ended in a very convenient way but I could forgive it if the romance was as good as before.

As you can probably guess, it was not. It felt very physical and lacking of the emotional bond and understanding between the characters. Only at the end do we see a more vulnerable side to the two characters but it was a little too late. The focus is very much on the physical aspect of their relationship and the sexual tension they have which, sadly, isn’t all that well done in this book (I’m saying this actually being so hyped for this romance after A Restless Truth). I felt like the author really could’ve done so much better with this couple given their difference in social status and different life experiences. It was such a good contrast and I’m left disappointed.

The smut scenes were very kinky and the author was really leaning into the dominant/submissive tropes that sadly I despise (so it’s defo a me thing). Also roleplay during smut scenes is just so off putting to me personally — i just really didn’t think it was as well written as in book 1.

Soft DNFd it once and I wanted to DNF it again but pulled thru for my love of the series.

I will miss this cast of characters so much, it was fun a fun ride but next time I read the books, I might just skip this one.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the eARC

After years of avoiding the magical world, Jack Alston finds himself dragged into the thick of a plot to track down the final piece of the Last Contract before their enemies can do the same. Not only that, but he’s forced to work with journalist Alan Ross, who makes no secret of hating Jack and everything he stands for.

Now, see, I knew fairly early on in A Restless Truth that I was going to fall hard for Jack Alston, and by the end of that book alone, I had. It’s a real testament to Freya Marske’s development of her characters and the way she utilises his POV, how much further and harder I managed to fall in this final instalment.

The exploration of his past, and his relationship with his family, with magic, and with magical society was so so good. Honestly some parts of it were so gratifying to read and so precisely what I was hoping for, it felt like reading fan fiction of his character perfectly tailored to me. Phenomenal.
Without spoiling anything, I really appreciated the lack of miscommunication trope despite the overarching plot, Jack really said 'we are going to talk about this whether you like it or not' and I love that for him.

The overall construction of the plot was so satisfying, once you hit that reveal and you look back on everything that’s happened so far and realise the signs were there all along, so good. The use of the dual POV to not only supply us with the most revealing perspective for certain events, but also omit key details without letting us know we’re being kept in the dark, love it.
And as usual, I just absolutely love Marske’s writing style, it’s never overly flowery but there’s so many standout lines and metaphors that just perfectly capture emotions or interactions, weather, scenery, everything. It’s stunning.

Maud and Jacks’ dynamic was so enjoyable to read, and of course (!!) seeing more of Robin and Edwin again was a joy, and seeing the slow and begrudging development of their relationship with Jack really added a layer to all of their characters.

I am so sad to say goodbye to this series, this world and these characters. It so quickly became one of my favourite fantasy series I just can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you NetGalley and PanMacmillan for my advanced copy of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely charming end to a trilogy I have thoroughly enjoyed. I will be keeping an eye out for books published by FM in the future!

"I would write you into immortality. I would trap you in ink and wear the pages next to my skin until they fell apart. Kiss me until I know you. Kiss me until you know me, and unmake me, and love me anyway." - WOW!

4.5 stars rounded up!

I was eagerly anticipating this final instalment in the trilogy, and found it a little bit of a mixed bag, saved by a solid final act. Marske’s prose is good, though there’s an occasional reliance on just dropping some chunks of character backstory or motivation, which may be related to the shifting POVs book by book (more on that later). I did find the beginning pretty slow going - the ‘magical house’ stuff isn't nearly as charming as it thinks it is, and dragged a little for me. Then, there’s a mid-book twist that just wasn’t seeded thoroughly enough for me - we’re in the character it relates to’s POV for half the chapters beforehand, and there’s not even a hint of anything bubbling underneath. Perhaps the thing that causes the twist happens ‘off stage’ in between chapters, but if there was any nod towards this in subsequent chapters pre-reveal it was so subtle I missed it. It feels a little bit of a cheap trick to pull a twist like this without having at least some breadcrumbs along the way, but the way it was resolved did pull me back in - so kudos on that front. I love that we have these slightly complex, morally grey characters in this book in particular.


The choice to shift POVs book by book is a slightly odd one to me, as it feels like it gives us a bit less time to really get to know each of these characters. There’s a bit of a trend with some similar series to swap POV characters each book - after hooking us in with one specific coupling or set of characters in the first. I must admit I don’t quite get it - reading the second book in this trilogy I found myself missing the POV characters from the first - it was odd to be thrown into the heads of characters that were barely in the first novel. It was slightly less jarring in this one, as we’d spent far more time with these characters in the second book (albeit not in their ‘heads’) and all characters who were POVs in the previous books were present in this final one, though the non-POV characters did feel a touch flattened at times, rather than feeling as well rounded as they previously had for quite a bit of the book. I do wonder if authors feel they have to sandwich the female characters POVs in the centre of a trilogy as a way to draw interest for a queer female led novel in this genre - its a real shame if this is the case, as these types of female led stories should be able to stand on their own, but fair play if its a way to get more Sapphic led fantasy read, I suppose.

Tangent aside - as a working class person I enjoyed the exploration of class in this book, though at times it was a touch heavy handed. Whilst Alan’s anger is understandable, it did get a little tiresome on occasion, and I’d have loved to see a bit more of the joy that exists in these working class characters lives than just the fury and sadness (there’s a couple of moments of this toward the end, in Alan’s memories, but I could have used more!) - although I do applaud Marske for attempting to broach something this genre often ignores and the nuance present at the end re: the complexities of class was great, it’s a tricky subject without a clean resolution; I’m glad she didn’t cop out and tie up this thread with a neat bow. The central romance did feel a touch rushed at first (again, perhaps this is because we didn't see inside these characters' heads when they interacted previously?), but the sex scenes were suitably sexy - phew! - probably the best of all three series, and I was really sold on it by the time we got to the ending. This was probably a solid three star read for me until the final third or so of the book, which nudged it up to four. This final portion (when they reach Cheetham Manor) was WONDERFUL- the characterisation and pacing felt settled by this point, we got into the nitty gritty of what we’d been pursuing this whole trilogy, and I was totally sucked in by the romance - I almost wished we’d gotten there earlier, and spent more time in this setting. The exploration of Jack’s trauma once back in his home was beautifully executed, and I genuinely shed tears at the ‘swing’ scene. Overall, some slight pacing and characterisation issues aside, this was a strong and enjoyable conclusion to the trilogy, and I’m excited to read whatever Marske releases next!

What a brilliant conclusion to a fantastic series! The connections between the characters and how the series seamlessly flowed was beautiful. I'm very excited about Freya Marske's next story.

The third and last of The Last Binding trilogy this book bought all our protagonists neatly together as they desperately try to find the missing piece of the Last Contract and keep all of it from falling into the wrong hands. It was nice to see the whole gang together and the different interplay’s between characters that it gave.

I love the magic system in these books, particularly the relationship between magicians and the houses they have pledged themselves too – and we got to see plenty more of that as Violet tries to uncover the secrets of the peculiar house she inherited. Without giving away any spoilers I will say that I loved that the house seemed to have it’s own personality too.

We also got to learn more about what happened to Jack and his sister when they were younger and what it was exactly that led to the loss of his magic.

The final showdown was everything I wanted it to be, bold, dangerous, magical and desperate. I was glued to the story willing it to turn out well. I loved the ending as well, I love a story that gives a proper end and this one certainly satisfied that need.

I won’t say any more about the plot as I don’t want to give anything away but this was an excellent end to the trilogy, I thoroughly enjoyed all three books and will certainly be looking out for any future books Marske writes.

A Power Unbound is the perfect conclusion to this trilogy. It’s full of beautiful descriptions, especially of emotions, and I’d happily read an entire book on every single side character—each and every one is fleshed out and feels like a real person, not a two-dimensional plot stand-in.

A Marvellous Light has been a favourite since I read it last year, and A Power Unbound was one of my most anticipated releases this year. Fortunately for me, it lived up to my hopes. I actually enjoyed it more than A Restless Truth, in part because this book finally brings together the entire reluctant found family.

Perfect for fans of:
- found families
- very queer friendship groups
- sentient houses that turn into their own characters
- grumpy love interests
- a bit of spice

Honestly, you can read this for the plot, for the spice or for both and you’ll be happy either way.

There was one plot point—a betrayal of sorts—that didn’t feel quite developed or explored enough. It irked me, but it didn’t inhibit my enjoyment of the book.

Take a look at the content warnings before heading into this and start with A Marvellous Light if you haven’t started the series yet.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for an advance copy.

I've enjoyed this trilogy and I think this final book was the best of the tree - mainly because we get to see all the characters from the previous books together for most of it. I feel so invested with them all and it was great watching characters you've got to know so well separately engaging with each other and working together on a ...big mission to save magic?

Honestly, the magic system in these books, and the folklore that is built around it, is still a bit of a mystery to me. I didn't think about it too much, just sort of trusted what the characters were telling me. I felt like one of the non-magical characters for most of it, not a clue what's going on but very invested anyway.

Jack and Alan are SOOOOOOO good together too! Their stories come together so beautifully and they really work to push each other at every given opportunity. It's entertaining, hot and very, very overdue because I didn't really get that out if the last book with Maud and Violet.

If you've read this series and we're also a little underwhelmed with the second, this one definitely deserves to be read, even if it is a smidge long!