A perfect ending of the amazing trilogy. I didn't know if anyone could come close to beating Edwin and Robin as my favourites, but darn it, Jack and Ross are up there with the greatest. In the third instalment of her saga about power struggle, treason, heartbreak and passion, Freya Marske ramps up the pressure as she guides the characters towards the finale (oh, the finale!!!). We have twists and turns, explosive announcements, magical houses and sexual tension. I loved the author’s attention to detail and being able to create memorable characters, to get under their skins and flesh them out as living and breathing people. Jack is a great example of a character taken to the next level in this book, as we get to know his past and his struggles. I loved his connection with Alan, based on trust and free will, more like two equal partners despite the differences in their status (and inclination), and I think the way in which the author presented their relationship was respectful as well as steamy. The conclusion to the book is perfect and in a tone with the general message of the book, about magical obligation and responsibility. It is hard to write about this book without spoilers, but these are these are the locations of three of my favourite scenes: Jack’s library, The Barell and the oak. There. If you want to know more, please read the series. It is SO worth it.

I loved the first book in this series, enjoyed the second and was really looking forward to A Power Unbound. I enjoyed the relationship between Jack & Alan but the rest of the plot let it down for me, and I felt that they never quite got the chance to shine. A solid read, would read more from Freya Marske, but just didn't quite strike the right balance between fantasy and romance for me!

I really love this world and I'm honestly so sad to leave it, but the ending of this series was so clever. I spent most of the book wondering how the hell they were gonna get out of this, but the conclusion was satisfying and wrapped everything up.

I did find it a bit hard to keep track of the characters. Because of the way the books are set out, there are some characters in this that we haven't heard from since the first book so I really struggled. There was also the fact that the two POV characters were referred to by their last names or first names depending who's perspective it was. But I got it all straight by the end!

The audio was fantastic, they captured Jack and Alan's voices perfectly and was really pleasant to listen to.

I would recommend reading this series all at once so that you don't have so much to remember, but overall it was a really strong trilogy!

With A Power Unbound, Marske at last centres a book on Jack Alstom - Lord Hawthorn - one of the more enigmatic of the gallery of magicians and magic-adjacent individuals we've seen in this series, and a character who's always had a whiff of brimstone about him (Violet, you may recall, asked him to ruin her in A Restless Truth). As a reminder, the first book, A Marvellous Light, largely follows Sir Robin Blyth, our non-magician gateway to the world of these books, a Civil Servant and the Home Office's liaison with the enchanted world, and Edwin Courcey, his magician counterpart, as they fall in love while the second book, A Restless Truth is more Sapphic in tone, with Maud Blyth and the aforementioned Violet getting to up all sorts on an ocean liner. Behind the personal entanglements, though, a dastardly plot is evolving, a scheme to take all of the power of the British magicians into one pair of hands. This has proceeded as the conspirators find pieces of the "Last Contract" and as Jack, Edwin, Maud and others seek to prevent that.

A Restless Truth also introduced Alan - journalist, radical, peddler of smut, and thief - as a sort of counterweight to Jack and - given the previous books - that means there is a big element of will-they, won't they in A Power Unbound. The powerful distaste between the two men, a distaste with its roots perhaps in a contrast between Alan's working class suffering and Hawthorn's hauteur, has not gone away but since the events of A Restless Truth Alan has also been enlisted in the last-ditch effort to save British magic. Marske does a terrific job here at unpeeling layer after layer of Alan's feelings - his resentment of those who, as well as being born with wealth and power, have inherited magic too; his revulsion at what was done to Jack to remove his magic (yes - finally, we're learning more about what has been going on, and it's riveting!) and his desire to protect and nurture his family.

Plus, of course, his attraction to Jack...

Fantasy novels can often be accused of ignoring real social conditions, as well as being oblivious to the actual politics of a world in which magic is real, but Marske inverts this, making questions of power, agency and privilege central to the narrative. It's perhaps in keeping with this that when things get steamy between Jack and Alan (sorry, minor spoiler, but surely you expected that? It's not just me?) the liaison between titled aristocrat and scrabbling guttersnipe doesn't dodge those same issues of power and consent, with some lovemaking scenes where these things are in fact central to the sexiness, Jack and Alan negotiating their relationship by stages through some saucy role-play.

And yes, if you're a reader of a traditionalist hue who doesn't an appreciate these themes, maybe this book might not be for you - but I would still encourage you to at least try it. There is also plenty of conflict, scheming, magical combat and racing for time, as the clock counts down and the villains finally make their move - enough to keep any reader satisfied even if they don't really get on with the more tender parts of the story.

For me, A Power Unbound does several difficult things very well. It rounds off a complex through-plot, which Marske has made us care intensely about. It does justice to the historical background of the Imperialistic, Edwardian setting, without uncritically adopting the prejudices of the time (this is shown most fully in the Queer narrative strand, one of the reasons it would be a mistake to see this as something secondary). It does credit to characters we've come to love. And, even at this late stage in the trilogy, it gives us a great deal of new information to round out, explain and motivate pretty much everyone.

Lastly - and of course not lastly - it tells a rattling good, exciting story in its own right and totally lands the ending.

In short, I'm sad to see this series end, but it goes out firing on all cylinders, the perfect ending to the trilogy.

At the core of the narrative lies Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, who yearns for a peaceful and secure existence but finds himself reluctantly pulled back into the realm of magic when a perilous ritual threatens every magician in Britain. Jack’s multi-faceted character, marred by the loss of his twin sister and his rejection of magic, adds profound layers to the story as he becomes embroiled in an exhilarating adventure.

As the plot unfurls, the stakes soar, and the narrative takes a shadowy and theatrical turn. Murder, magic, and romance intermingle within a labyrinth of concealed truths, ensuring that “A Power Unbound” keeps readers perched on the edge of their seats, forever guessing at what might come next. The climactic events that transpire on Jack’s family estate bring the series to an astonishing and unforeseen culmination.

@freyamarske has masterfully woven a tale brimming with magic, mystery, and romance, leaving readers entirely content and yearning for more. This book is a must-read for fans of the series and an enticing invitation for those new to @freyamarske enchanting world.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

A power unbound is the brilliant and steamy conclusion of this trilogy and this book is absolutely perfect! Alan and Jack are not only magnificent main characters and their bickering and flirting so good and involving, but this book gives the reader the chance to put everything together. Every clue, every characters, every story come to an end. We finally know about lord Hawthorne and his twin, about the Last contract, about what's happening to all the characters we know from book one and two in this compelling last book. It's funny and filled with many steamy scenes and bickering, secrets and lies and all kind of magic.
Unforgettable

A very decent finale!

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this last installment more than the previous two books. I think, this is one of the series which quietly grows on you, especially, the complexities of the magic system and the depth of this magical conspiracy, which is the at the heart of the story.

It helps that I have liked Jack's character from the beginning and reading his story felt fantastic. I also really liked Jack and Alan's relationship. It was bit on a spicier side but was very delightful and kept me hooked throughout the book.

The ending can be a bit controversial but in all honesty, it didn't bother me much. I ended up loving this found family of magicians so much more than I had expected.

3.5 (rounded down)⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

For me I was a bit meh about the first book, really liked the second (totally bucking the second book slump trend I have had this year) and the final instalment whilst better than the first didn’t continue its upward trajectory from the second for me.

I did overall like this series, and I really liked the premise as well as the authors writing style and characters. I would definitely read whatever they write next.

An amazing finale to one of the best trilogies I've read in years! I've adored The Last Binding series, and this is a spectacular end to it.
The series started with A Marvellous Light, continued with A Restless Truth, and ends here with A Power Unbound. For those unfamiliar with it, it's a very sexy, spicy alternative history magical story. The setting is the early 20th Century, the Edwardian period. Magic is a secret, held and used mostly by certain aristocratic families and their servants but generally kept away from the rest of the population. There's murder, there's mystery and there's romance.

All three elements are definitely present here. But in different ways to the earlier books. There's no retreading of old, familiar ground here. Where A Marvellous Light was very much a mystery introducing the world and its players, and A Restless Truth was a murder mystery treasure hunt set on an ocean liner, A Power Unbound is probably a lot more straightforward. There's one of the three treasures remaining to be found, but the hunt for it only occupies the first half of the book. After that it's a race to stop the villains from enacting their evil plan, which involves strategy, teamwork, magical secrets and an understanding of magical theory. All of the pieces have been very cleverly put in place in the earlier books, and this is really all about them coming together to save the day.

Each of the stories in the series has two different point-of-view characters, and that tradition is continued here too. This time it's two already established characters, Jack Hawthorn, the lord with the terrible reputation seen in both the earlier two books, and Alan Ross, the journalist, thief and pornography peddler introduced in A Restless Truth. All four of the previous point-of-view characters are here playing major parts too, and it's fascinating seeing them from new perspectives. Character development has been really well done across the series and that really pays off here.

World building has been another strong element too. This book again builds on the groundwork done by its forerunners. We learn more about how magic functions in this world, really as the characters themselves learn and adapt their own knowledge. It can be fairly complex but never seems to bog the narrative down in too much detail, and when it does it's usually poking fun at Edwin's love of bogging down conversations with too much detail. There's enough in there to follow the action without ever feeling like a treatise or essay on magical theory.

Appropriately, given the name, this is at heart a story about power. This is reflected in different ways. There's magical power, a recurring theme but here taken to dramatic extremes as the villains try to seize more of it for themselves. There's political power too, and politics plays more of a lead role here as Hawthorn is something of a political beast and Alan is something of a political commentator. The structures, dictates and forces within both the magical and the mundane political establishments all play a part and it's interesting seeing them being explored more. There's also a lot about inequalities in power. Exploring this through the medium of Alan and Jack is fascinating. On the surface Jack has all the power. He's got his wealth, his status, his standing, his magical friends and acquaintances. He's also big and strong, a man of physical power as well as political power. This definitely creates tension between the two, but it's really interesting seeing how it plays out, how it's explored and how it makes them both feel.

It's also fascinating exploring Jack's past too, and I loved how the story slowly let the truth of what happened in his youth unfold and be revealed. It was subtle and emotional and very well done.

Then there's the sex. Oh boy, is there the sex! If A Marvellous Light was all about a slow building tension, a love that dare not speak its name, with yearning glances and longing hearts, and A Restless Truth was about an enthusiastic education in corruption, A Power Unbound is about a very different kind of sex. This is enemies to lovers, it's fantasies about power inequality and force, about taking and being taken, and about two men who know what they're doing trying to figure out just what they want. It's very hot, very sexy, but what I particularly loved was that for all of this, there was a discussion about consent, about limits and safe words, albeit in a way that felt more in fitting with the Edwardian landscape rather than forcing modern terms and values in there in an artificial way. It was very clever, very thoughtful and very appreciated. It also fitted in perfectly with the novel's core ideas about the importance of power and consent.

A Power Unbound is a wonderful end to a magical series. I loved it.

i gave the other two in this trilogy four stars and for most of this book i would have given it the same! it's fun, the gang is back, i was digging the romance, i love the magic system. but the last chunk of plot felt messy and incredulous and lacked the propulsive thing that makes these books work. it's still good and for a lot of it i was like !!! yes !!! mouth open on the train etc. but :( i love violet and maud forever though, kiss kiss girlies.

This was the final book in one of my favourite series and safe to say it did not disappoint!! I think Hawthorne and Rossi are my two favourite characters in the whole series so their book was a triumph!

I loved the romance between grumpy aristocrat and sarcastic con artist and their dynamic in this was so much fun but also a beautiful romance and finding your person with whom you just click.

The overarching plot of the series wrapped up nicely and was well balanced with new storylines and old, leading to a very satisfying conclusion.

Overall I would highly recommend this series if you love magic, romance, historical fiction and overall cosy mystery vibes.

I received this book as a free arc in exchange for review.

A solid end to a series I've really enjoyed. The individual characters of Jack and Alan and their character progression were so good. I'll be thinking for a long time about that scene where Jack talks about his own self-confidence and how he didn't realise others' experiences were different.

I rooted for them as a couple even though the dynamic itself wasn't my favourite. I'm just not into that kind of thing, I guess, so certain aspects made me somewhat uncomfortable. I do applaud Freya Marske for writing three very different relationships throughout the series, though.

My main gripe in this book [major spoilers ahead] is how little Alan's betrayal was hinted at before it was revealed. There were little things, maybe, but they could too easily be interpreted as part of the class difference between him and the other characters (which probably was also a genuine factor). Obviously that's not nothing, but I would have liked more of an "ohhh it all makes sense now" moment during that reveal.

One more thing: I adore Adelaide, Robin and Edwin. Need I say more?

This is such a lovely conclusion to a stunning series!

What a clever way to weave magic, class, politics, academia and love together. This is a very special series, I'll be recommending widely. Jack and Alan are the epitome of enemies to lovers.

One of my favourite quotes:

“I would take your heart between my ribs and guard it like my own.”

I really enjoyed this story. A Power Unbound draws you in right from the start, the characters are well developed and the plot flows well

I loved this series since I read A Marvellous Light and loved each of the instalment. Each novel was better than the previous one.
I always find hard to say goodbye to a world and the characters I love. This time it was even harder as I felt for Jack and like how his relationship with Alan evolved.
There's a great world building in this mix of romantic fantasy and alternate history, there's a cast of lovely characters, some serious vilain and a tightly knitted plot.
I hope there will be other novels in this world or another series that I will love like this one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A Power Unbound wraps up the series with triumph, the cherry on an already incredible cake. Jack Alston, the sarcastic and grumpy Lord Hawthorn, takes the lead in this final book, and spends it being rich, tortured and horny. The bane of his existence is Alan Ross, a short, beautiful and irritated journalist who likes nothing better than to verbally berate Jack with barbs about the aristocracy (go off, Alan).

The dynamic between Alan and Jack is electric, a constant battle of witty remarks and insults, crackling hatred that thinly veils a deep desire. The book absolutely can’t wait to have them throwing each other over desks and into storerooms. It’s very hot, and very kinky, but it’s also achingly vulnerable, two characters letting go of things they’ve held onto for too long.

Getting Hawthorn’s perspective after the increasing hints at his past and character is a great treat. The book builds successfully on the established foundations of his character, but also peels back his layers to expose the complexities beneath the aristocratic face, his desire to take care of others coupled with his feelings of failure. Delving into his painful past and the death of his sister becomes integral to the book’s plot, but also lets him open his heart up to others. He becomes the big brother of the group, and seeing him heal from his trauma by protecting others is a really beautiful element.

Alan is a brilliant counterpart - passionate, hard-working and full of righteous anger at the upper class, he is devoted to his family and an easy character to love. The power dynamics between him and Jack open up some interesting discussion on the class divide, a theme that is echoed in the story’s broader, magical plot. I feel very protective of Alan. He is doing the most for the people he loves, no matter how difficult, and is fully prepared to put himself at risk in the process. Like Jack, he has an innate need to protect, and he also needs a break. He deserves the little fluffy pillows and hot baths.

In a manner fitting for a finale, this book centres themes of grief, healing, and rest. Both Jack and Alan struggle to let go of the people they have made themselves into, the armour they both wear, and only by making themselves totally vulnerable to each other, by trusting each other completely, can they begin to lay that armour down.

The Edwin/Robin and Maud/Violet content is like a little serving of dessert after the main meal - sweet, enjoyable, and a perfect way to finish the night. It’s a treat to see these established couples enjoy moments of love, in the company of those they feel safe with. I also feel strongly that Adelaide Morrisey is an asexual icon and she deserves to live unbothered and free for the rest of her perfect life.

CW: graphic sex, consensual non-con roleplay, grief, death of a sibling, violence, blood

This was an amazing conclusion to an amazing trilogy. I have adored both of the first books and couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. What a way to end, by making sure all the threads were tied together seamlessly and just being the perfect conclusion. I adored the new central people Hawthorn and Ross and they did not disappoint. A big bonus was getting to have our beloved from the first book back in our world.

The third and final book in the Last Binding trilogy, and what an end!

I didn’t know I needed Hawthorn and Ross as a pairing, but it worked well, and gave us again – similar to A Restless Truth – two whole new perspectives to inhabit and learn about their histories and struggles. These are both characters that have featured in the previous two books, especially the second book, but only from an outside view, and the little hints we got before are now expanded on and fleshed out.

There were some newer concepts introduced as far as worldbuilding and lore, but it was all tied together in a way that felt like it made sense. I was very pleased to be able to follow Hawthorn more, he is such an interesting character and so unique in this magical society, being a magicless magician. He has all the privilege he could possible attain – he is a lord, after all – but still compared to his equals he falls short. Match this with Ross, who has had to fight tooth and nail for every little thing he has, and you end up with a rising tension and clashes that were very engaging.

As with the previous books, this does have spicy scenes, and it’s a very different kind of explicit scenes than with the other couples – a tiny bit more uncomfortable for me, but it always kept it just alright enough for me to keep reading. This wasn’t my favourite book of the trilogy – that will still have to be A Marvellous Light – but I read this so fast, I kept wanting to come back to it, and it was just so entertaining!

I honestly can’t wait to see what Freya Marske writes next – it’ll instantly be added to my TBR!

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

This is Book 3 in The Last Binding Trilogy of historical fantasy romances set in an alternative Edwardian Britain. As this is a trilogy with a continuous plot and characters it is important to read them in order to fully appreciate what is going on.

The focus in Book 3 is upon Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, who was a supporting character in both ‘A Marvellous Light’ and ‘A Restless Truth’. Following the death of his twin sister sixteen years ago Jack had renounced magic. Yet when a threat is uncovered that could endanger every magician in Britain, he is reluctantly drawn back into the magical world.

In order to thwart the plans of their enemies, Jack joins with Robin Blythe, his sister Maud, Edwin Courcey, and Violet Debenham. To complete their plan they need the assistance of journalist and thief, Alan Ross (Alanzo Rossi), who they had encountered on the Lyric ocean liner in Book 2. The prickly Alan is only in it for the money and is very vocal about his hatred of the aristocracy and their unearned power. Naturally he and Jack take an immediate dislike to each other. The plot by the baddies comes to a head during a lavish party on Jack’s family estate.

I felt that Freya Marske had elegantly woven together the various elements of her story to create this final novel. As before, there were the occasional spicy chapters that I thought were well written even if not my thing. I was more interested in how she had continued to develop the binding magical system and linked it with Edwardian social issues of class and politics.

Overall, I felt that ‘A Power Unbound’ was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I will be keeping a look out for Freya Marske’s future projects.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

An absolutely stonking conclusion to the trilogy, and my favourite romance of the three. It continues the previous books’ fascinating magic system, banter and gorgeous prose, with the added bonus of kinky enemies-to-lovers romantic arc between Hawthorn and Ross. At times it’s on the denser side, which I personally enjoy, but it might be easier if you’ve read the other books recently.

Much of the story is propelled by the consequences of Hawthorn’s past, which has been much teased in the previous books, and I really enjoyed diving deep into how his grief changed the way he interacts with the world, as well as how it does and doesn’t impact his developing relationship with Ross. Both are very dynamic characters, making their debates, quarrels and roleplay scenes incredibly engaging. (also, the consent play in the latter was really well done.)

Everyone else is there and doing their part to combat the downward spiral of magical society, being witty and lovable all the while. I felt bereft when I finished, and will inevitably be rereading very soon just so I can spend more time with this cast of characters - I can’t bear to let them go.