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nobeliumreads's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
4.5
Aspen Silverglade’s on the run from people she’d once trusted most. Though determined to make sure no one else has to get hurt, she ends up dragging Charm Linville into her dangerous lifestyle when she mistakenly saves the latter from unwanted attention. Fortunately, Charm had only been in the middle of her own act of thievery. Unfortunately, Aspen’s public rescue makes people think they’re a couple. News spreads fast and now Aspen’s enemies are targeting Charm too.
Despite the danger, the two women find ways to stay together, fighting the good fight and helping those in need all whilst battling their increasingly harder to ignore feelings for each other. But is it possible for love to flourish with the threat of Aspen’s enemies hovering over them?
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A book I picked up because the cover was drawn by an artist I follow and love and because the synopsis sounded fun. Also a note: although this is a collection of novellas, I read this compendium version so I’m treating it more like a novel.
I really enjoyed this book! It was fun and full of sapphic sexual tension and pining and in my opinion had an almost cosy fantasy feel to it. It’s not really cosy fantasy, as there are lots of heavy topics mentioned throughout the book and of course our two main characters, Aspen and Charm, are in legitimate danger, but it wasn’t to the point where I was too stressed about the action to enjoy the wholesome moments they had together. Admittedly, it probably helped that the real action didn’t kick in until the last part/novella of the book.
The worldbuilding in the book is wonderful and I absolutely adored the world made here. The normalisation of sharing pronouns was something I loved to see; the different Peoples and the little bits we get of each culture; I would do anything for more content in this universe.
Aspen and Charm themselves are so much fun to read about; Aspen’s strong moral code and grounded personality with Charm’s flirtations and mysterious past. They were horrendously down bad for each other from the get go (take a shot everytime Aspen mentioned Charm’s breasts or every time Charm mentioned Aspen’s muscles and you’d be drunk before the first part’s done) and whilst that was hilarious, the progression of their feelings was so good! From just wanting to fuck, to the way they both desperately tried to rationalise why they were spending time with each other, to the eventual realisation that they couldn’t keep lying to themselves about how deep their feelings ran, it was a lovely romantic slowburn that burned with a lot of sexual tension. There were also really tender and intimate moments throughout that were so heartwarming as you saw them grow closer and closer. Also, the way they were both so different from each other and yet so hilariously similar at times with their feelings was a joy. The way they BOTH thought the flower arch trials was their fault oh my god. However, it was indeed frustrating at times how stubborn they were about their feelings!
As for the writing, it was pretty good. I feel like there might have been quite a bit of telling happening at some points, and some portions of the book felt strangely paced (particularly during part 4 and in the leadup to the climax) but overall I found it relatively well-written and easy to read. Some personal things I would have wanted more of was the ending, maybe like an epilogue or something, and the final showdown between Aspen and Charm against the Hanging Scale, especially since we spent the entire book building the threat of the Hanging Scale. I also would have loved more of Charm’s POV! Especially more of her and the People of the Mist. Considering she’s probably one of the last, if not the last, I think it would have been nice to delve more deeply into that.
Overall, whilst it wasn’t perfect, I did enjoy this book a lot; it was a good easy read in an interesting fantasy world, with lovable characters and an amusing sapphic romance to keep you entertained.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Violence, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia
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