There are a rare number of books that balance romance with mystery and political intrigue well -- and an even rarer number of books that can manage that balancing act in a Space Opera setting. <em>Winter's Orbit</em>, Everina Maxwell's debut novel, is exactly that kind of rare gem!

Intergalactic Empire? Check. Mysterious death? Check. Multiple factions jockeying for political advantage? Check. Cool technology? Check. Arranged marriage, which becomes a sweet, slow-burn romance? DOUBLE CHECK.

Jainan and Kiem are ordered to marry by the Emperor in order to fulfill the terms of a vital treaty. Jainan, Treaty Representative of his native Thea, and recently widowed, is a quiet, intellectual man who is slowly recovering from what was clearly a less-than-ideal marriage. Prince Kiem of Iskat, bubbly, gregarious and impulsive, has outgrown his teenage shenanigans but isn't quite sure what role he should grow <em>into</em> instead. Their marriage must succeed in order to allow both their planets to maintain their current political standing in a larger, interplanetary consortium. Unfortunately, from the first moment together, misunderstandings and miscommunications plague their relationship. And now that their fate is tied so closely to that of their planets', the stakes couldn't be higher.

Then, to make matters worse, on top of the personal complications the couple is navigating...mysteries surrounding the death of Prince Taam, Kiem's cousin and Jainan's former spouse, seem to be multiplying. What actually happened in the flybug crash which brought Kiem to his death? And what strange goings-on will they uncover in Project Kingfisher, the engineering project Taam was running?

Watching Jainan and Kiem find each other -- and save their planets, rewriting political history along the way, is a delightful pleasure. Maxwell has hit every note in this wonderful debut novel. The world-building is fantastic; the characters well-drawn and so endearing; the mystery and politics believable and full of just enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing right up to the end.
As someone who's made an intercontinental move myself, I particularly appreciated the recognizable and thoughtful way Maxwell describes the extra layers of complexity that come with a mixed-culture relationship. It's so very true-to-life and gave this novel such veracity.

Honestly, I can't recommend this book enough. If you are looking for a warm, suspenseful and engaging read, and in particular a book that stars characters who at their core are good people, trying to do good things, then you will love this book. There are some big names blurbing the book on the cover, and for good reason! But aside from Wells and Leckie as read-alikes, I'd add that anyone who enjoys the later half of Bujold's Vorkosiverse (I'm looking at you, Komarr fans) will be a perfect match for this delightful, well-written and incredibly engaging novel!

Get yourself a cup of hot chocolate, snuggle up under your favorite blanket, crack this open and enjoy! The perfect Valentine's Day read -- or gift -- if you have a loved one who's a Space Opera fan!

As soon as I read the synopsis of this book, I was sold. It’s pitched as Red, White, and Royal Blue in space. Need I say more? Red, White and Royal Blue is one of my favorite books! I couldn’t wait to devour this book.

*Sigh* Things didn’t go quite as I imagined. For the life of me, I couldn’t get invested in this story, the characters, or their romance-- until I hit the 60% mark. Once I was 60% through this book, the story started to pick up. The characters were finally communicating rather than making (incorrect) assumptions about what the other was thinking. And, the part most of you are probably wondering about, the romance finally started to blossom. The story got even better once I hit the 80% mark. After that, it was incredibly difficult to put the book down.

For most of the book, it felt like a 3 star read and the last part of the book felt like 4 stars. I took some time to think about what I should rate this book, and I settled on 3.5 stars. If the two main characters had simply talked to each other, I’m sure I would have enjoyed this book more. I’m not a fan of authors using miscommunication and incorrect assumptions as a device to move the plot along.

If you’re a fan of space, LGBTQ+ stories, and a slow burn romance, then you should check out Winter’s Orbit. The author created a really diverse world in this book. There’s nonbinary representation and queer representation!

DRC provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Representation: queer protagonists, queer and non-binary secondary and tertiary characters.

Content Warning: emotional and physical abuse, death, violence.

Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell is a queer-normative space opera starring an irresistible duo and a fascinating group of secondary characters, with mysteries to solve and political schemes to unravel. Set in a world of unlimited possibilities for future works (hopefully), which I would love to read, to discover more about the other planets, their citizens and cultures, the mysterious warlords called the Galactics and the emblematic figure of the Auditor.

Kiem has perhaps met Jainan twice before the Emperor orders him to hastily marry Jainan. Jainan’s previous partner prematurely passed and because of the impending renewal of the treaty between the Empire and its vassals, the Emperor needs the new couple to become the treaty representative for Thea, Jainan’s native planet and the newest addition to Empire. Unbeknownst to all of them, concealed powers are doing everything they can to oppose the confirmation of the union and the signing of the treaty.

Although the novel starts slowly, once it picks up speed, it never slows down, keeping your eyes glued to the page, or the screen if you read digital books. I honestly loved the world more than anything else, though. Yes, the characters are extremely captivating and complex and well-developed and I loved them all in equal measure, but the world really is the main course in this really appetising banquet, with an infinite number of creative routes to travel. I really hope Everina will return to this universe.

Every so often, a book comes along that so perfectly combines six hundred of your favorite tropes into one beautiful, majestic masterpiece that you cannot put down. WINTER'S ORBIT was that when I first read its self-published, free-to-read form on the internet three years ago, and it's even more that now.

There's just so much <i>stuff</i> in this book to talk about. The politics. The rich, vivid, deliciously complicated worldbuilding. The sweeping cast of characters with their own individual personalities and desires and goals. The underlying murder mystery plot, the confusion and the concern over what made Jainan act the way he does, the lingering dread that something truly terrible is going to happen at the end of the book - but the kind of dread that only goes away when you keep reading long into the night and force yourself to avoid looking at a clock for three hours.

And then there's the relationship at the center of this book. Kiem and Jainan are a pair of disastrous messes, and at the turn of every page there's the allure of seeing the two of them finally figure each other out, of seeing them fall for each other directly as much as you see them fall for each other in secret. This book is a perfect blend of pining and obliviousness, and I love it so much.

I love this <i>book</i> so much. It occupies a very special place in my heart. If I could read ten more books about Jainan and Kiem in this universe, getting into various hijinks as they accidentally fall up the imperial ladder, I would be over the (Iskan) moon.

(Special thanks to the flybug racers over at Tor Dot Com for the NetGalley arc!!)

Prince Kiem's life as a reformed wild child is turned upside down when he finds out that he's getting married - tomorrow. His husband-to-be is dreamy Count Jainan, who only a month earlier lost his husband, Taam, in an accident. Their arranged marriage is a rushed affair with the goal to once again unite their planets in a treaty. They have one month to get the Auditor, who oversees all treaties, to confirm their union.

But things don't go according to plan. As Kiem tries to settle into a life with Jainan, more and more inconsistencies and mysteries arise. It turns out that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and his top secret military project, Kingfisher, may have had something to do with his death. As they work together to unravel the truth behind Taam's death and Kingfisher, Kiem and Jainan are drawn into a dangerous conspiracy and they'll only survive if they learn to truly trust one another.

This was a fantastic read from start to finish! I immediately loved Kiem and Jainan and was rooting for them the entire time, flailing and crying in equal measure. Kiem is a warm, kind-hearted guy who is trying to do his best, and Jainan is brilliant yet painfully polite and slow to open up (for Reasons). They are both put into a difficult and awkward position, and reading about their early fumbles is both amusing and somewhat painful once more about Jainan's backstory is revealed. I love their slow burn love story and the way they respect each other and come to truly care for one another.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding and learning about the different planets and their place in the larger system. My favorite aspect of this fictional world is that there doesn't seem to be any homophobia, racism, or misogyny, though there are tensions between the different planets and cultures, with people from the Iskat Empire looking down on people from Jainan's planet. I particularly liked how different planets have ways of signaling gender, for example on Iskat, men wear something made of wood, women wear something made of flint, and nonbinary people wear something made of glass.

I would recommend this book to fans of fake dating books like Red, White & Royal Blue and Boyfriend Material, and to fans of thrilling sci-fi!

If you’re a fan of the fake dating and/or arranged marriage trope, this is definitely a book for you. If you’re not (why though?), you would still appreciate the court intrigues and cool space opera vibes. (Even if you don’t usually read sci-fi novels, like I don’t.)

A lot of books these days use the fake dating trope, but not all of them succeed, and it’s pretty obvious why. For this trope to work in a story, to have any emotional load at all, you need to have some miscommunication. Both of the characters who are supposed to fake a relationship need to be into each other, but without the other realising. The longer this lack of knowledge goes on, the better. The bigger the emotional punch.

Winter’s Orbit understands that perfectly. It gifts you pages and pages of gay pining, and we all know there is absolutely nothing better in the world. The characters are also an ideal combination for this kind of story, with one of them being an absolute himbo & the other a detached, austere figure. There are always reasons behind actions and not everything is what it seems to be, so don’t be fooled exactly. Dig deeper.

The novel deals very heavily with domestic abuse, so it’s probably not for every reader out there. The whole arc is treated with respect, though, and all the care and attention it deserves, and the characters aren’t turned into victims with no agency.

Despite that, it’s actually a fun book that keeps you on your toes. Mainly thanks to the writing; the style is simple, but focused on details, minute emotions, which allows you to fully experience everything along the characters. And makes you care about all the more. So really, it’s a little bit perfect.

This book was the most perfect fusion that I didn't know I needed. A sci-fi romance. Have I found a new favourite sub-genre? It certainly looks like it.

The initial set-up is that of an arranged political marriage between our two protagonists, Prince Kiem and Count Jainan, set in motion to satisfy a treaty between two aligned planets. This marriage is sudden, and brought about by the death of Jainan's previous partner. It soon becomes clear that his death may not be as much of an accident as everyone has been made to believe it was, and our protagonists are forced to put their unfortunate beginnings aside and investigate.

When this was pitched to me as Red, White & Royal Blue in space, I thought it was too good to be true. Turns out even that didn't do this book justice. I was hooked from start to finish, both by the complex political intrigue and by the swoon-worthy romance. Above all else, that real win of this novel is the characters. They were both so beautifully complex and loveable, and the dynamic between them made me not want to stop reading.

Now excuse me while I go and scream at every person I know to read this book.

TLDR: slow-burn gays in space with political intrigue and murder mystery plotline.

TW: detailed discussion and flashbacks to an abusive relationship/domestic violence.

TW: this book contains rather a lot of a (former) abusive relationship, which is hinted at until near the end when there are some pretty vivid flashbacks. The abuse also really drives a lot of one of our mc's actions for most of the book.

This book was such a joy to read. There were a lot of my favorite romance / fanfic tropes (more on that in a minute), sympathetic characters, conspiracy and peril, and enough drama and action to keep me reading for hours without even realizing it. You know the type - when you tear yourself away from the book and realize it's nearly 11pm and you've been reading since early afternoon. There wasn't a lot of worldbuilding but what there was was fascinating. I really need to know more about the remnants. Remnants of... what, exactly?

This is an arranged marriage slooooooow burn romance (mostly due to some misunderstandings at the start) which means you see each character fall in love while trying to hold themselves back because the other one *obviously* doesn't feel the same. There is also a "there's only one bed" moment and an absolutely delightful incident with a bear when our mcs find themselves the focus of a murder attempt and take an unexpected detour through the snowy wilderness. Kiem and Jainan have a distinct fanfic flavor to their personalities and relationship, which probably added to my enjoyment. I'm just really into the 'affable, friends with everyone but can't shake the mishaps of his college days so no one expects him to amount to anything' and 'uptight, private and self-contained, brilliant but mistreated and so just sort of floats along' character types, I guess.

Kiem and Jainan realize pretty early on that they're up against something big, which only gets bigger the more they try to discover the truth of what's going on and who they can trust. I was really pleased with how it all turned out, as I didn't guess a lot of it ahead of time. I also really liked how it ended. It was very satisfying.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an e-arc to review.

There’s a big gap in the Sci-Fi genre between books that have some romance in them, and real romantic sci-fi novels. Usually when I read a SF book that touts romance, I have to hunt to find the peck. And when I find a real romance set firmly in the SF genre, it’s usually of the alien tapeworm erotica sort.

Where is the balance? Where is the sweet spot between the sci-fi novel where the main characters dance around their attraction, kiss a couple of times and then you find out the dude woke her up from their cryogenic sleep cycle because he was a lonely incel and has doomed her to death and the erotica novel where you are unsure how the alien anatomy not only works but how it doesn’t also spontaneously combust?

Where is the sci-fi romance?


Well, it’s in Winter’s Orbit.
Full of some of our favorite romance tropes: arranged marriage, only one bed, so much yearning, doesn’t know how attractive they are, studious quiet one and reformed partier make nice – Winter’s Orbit is a high concept sci-fi where the Imperial Power is facing an interplanetary treaty-making fraught with plebeian tensions abroad. When the military minded Imperial Prince Taam dies suddenly, the Emperor is forced to arranged a political alliance with his widow, Jainan (from the unhappy allied planet) to the playboy Imperial Prince, Kiem.

Kiem and Jainan are forced into a world of royal duties, treaty obligations and political intrigue that neither of them are prepared for. But the biggest hurdle is figuring out how to be a good partner to the other without letting him know just how much you want to HOLD HIM. Enter: the yearning.


Kiem is fun and easy and silly and a bit reckless. And even though he is forced into his marriage with Jainan, he is never reckless with him. Jainan’s husband has just died – perhaps been murdered – and Kiem is acutely aware that Jainan is grieving. He gives him space, hopes he is well, and quietly falls for him while trying not to get too close.

Jainan, on the other hand, is the stoic rock in a precarious place. He is there to represent a planet he hasn’t been on in years, and he views his entrance into Kiem’s life as an inconvenience to Kiem. He keeps his distance emotionally and physically so as not to be a nuisance. But he’s lonely. And Kiem is kind.

Watching these two navigate not only their burgeoning feelings for one another, but also the galactic politics and potential murder investigation coming their way was pure pleasure. They are so soft for one another. When their flybug (self-driving car thing) impossibly crashes into the side of a mountain, I cheered because finally they were going to be really alone for a really long time. Only one tent? Even better.

Winter’s Orbit is a true science fiction romance. Romance set in a fully realized sci-fi world. Don’t miss it.

Content Warning: Winter’s Orbit contains allusions to past relationship abuse – mental and physical, and towards the end of the novel is explicit about said abuse.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it... in a world so relentlessly uncertain, there's a powerfully simple pleasure in the experience of a promise kept.

I received an advanced copy of Winter’s Orbit through Netgalley so I could share my review with you!

Content Warning: Winter’s Orbit contains scenes and discussion of domestic violence.

The fate of the empire relies on the success of a last-minute arranged marriage between an imperial Prince and a recently widowed diplomat. With tensions rising between Iskat and its vassal planet Thea, securing a treaty is more important than ever. Prince Kiem, who is best known for his less-than-favorable appearances in the tabloids, was not expecting to get married any time soon. But, when his cousin Prince Taam is killed in an accident, Kiem is forced to marry Jainan to ensure continued positive relations between the two planets. Janian, Taam’s widower, will do whatever it takes to preserve the treaty between Iskat and Thea. The two seem to have little in common, but when they discover that Taam’s death wasn’t an accident, they are forced to cooperate to try and catch the killer. If they can learn to work together, they just might be able to save the empire and themselves.

You can get your copy of Winter’s Orbit on February 2nd from Tor Books!

It would not be an exaggeration to say that I screamed a little bit when I saw that Tor Books had approved me to review Winter’s Orbit, one of my most anticipated releases of Winter 2021. This book combines two of my favorite literary elements (queer folks and space) to create an irresistible story of romance set against a background of political strife in space. Winter’s Orbit balanced character development with plot action so perfectly that I couldn’t seem to make myself stop reading! Kiem and Jainan’s opposing personalities made for a fantastic slow-burn romance that you will not want to miss!

My Recommendation-
Winter's Orbit would be the ideal book for people who read Red, White, and Royal Blue and thought to themselves, “this could use more galactic-level conflicts”. This book would be a fantastic pick for people who enjoy a good blend of romance with their sci-fi novels.

The comp titles for this book were pieces of media I wasn't familiar with. But gays in space was enough to convince me to read this book. And I'm so glad I did!

Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell is a smart and slow-burn tale that also reads like a murder-mystery. Right off the bat, I fell in love with Kiem and Jainan, with their opposite personalities that made them so endearing to me. There were moments when I wanted the story to hurry up because it was meandering, but overall I appreciated it for the tight worldbuilding and the establishment of each character.

Cannot wait to read the next books!

I devoured this book and loved every second of it. The description of "Red White and Royal Blue meets Ancillary Justice" was an immediate sell, and it delivered. There were a lot of fun tropes all done really well, and I enjoyed getting to see the culture and politics of the planet system. For fans of The City in the Middle of the Night, Bonds of Brass, A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, Gideon the Ninth, Belle Revolte, and Carry On.

I really enjoyed this novel. A lot of focus has been made on the love story that is at the center of the story. But for those of us who aren't really into romance novels please don't be scared of this book. You would be doing yourself a disservice, as this story contains a lot of action and a intriguing plot that will keep you from putting it down. Expect this to be huge when it's released in February.

So...this book is easily going to be one of my favorite releases of the year! Winter's Orbit is a stunning sci-fi debut that merges loads of political intrigue, mystery, culturally intricate world-building, and a political marriage of convenience turned slow-burn romance. It's everything I hoped for and would be a great crossover book for romance readers trying to get into sci-fi, or for sci-fi readers wanting a little more romance.

Kiem is an outgoing, playboy prince known for his escapades and carefree attitude. When the emperor tells him he is to marry the recently widowed husband of his cousin for political reasons, it's the last thing he expects. Jainan is introverted, nerdy, and it becomes clear that things in his marriage weren't quite right. Kiem tries to respect his space as he grieves and Jainen is determined to be useful to Kiem and not get in his way. And neither of them think the other is remotely interested in a real relationship. They couldn't be more wrong. But twists start coming as they discover Jainen is being investigated for the murder of his former husband, and there are plots that need to be uncovered.

I won't say more, but this was just perfection. It really leans into the galactic sci-fi empire bit with lots of a political intrigue, but it's grounded by the thread of this slowly developing relationship between Kiem and Jainan. I loved it SO very much! I'm incredibly impressed with this debut and am eager to read more.

One thing I really appreciated is that it takes a different approach to dealing with gender. In the primary society we see on the page, people indicate their gender via accessories rather than clothing choices or body appearance. Women wear flint, men wear wood, and nonbinary folks wear glass ornaments in their hair or as jewelry. We hear about another culture where gender is indicated through different ways of tying scarves. I thought this was so interesting and and such a useful idea. And why not use speculative fiction as a way of reimagining the world to be inclusive rather than homophobic?

What an incredible book and one I hope to see get lots of attention this year! I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings include physical, emotional, and psychological domestic abuse, anxiety and PTSD, attempted murder, torture involving memory alteration.

I loved this book. It was the exact right combination of pining, romance, danger, and political intrigue. I usually get really frustrated with major plot conflict that can be easily solved by "just talk to each other already" but every once in a while a book comes along that handles it just right, and Winter's Orbit is a perfect example. The rush into the arranged marriage & associated diplomatic events, Jainan's history with Taam, and Kiem's caring though kind of bumbling personality all combine to make the perfect storm of challenges for the characters to work through together. I can't wait to recommend this to everyone I know.

Like, I love the characters and the romance but couldn't give two shits about the space politics? That's my vibe.

But then again, that is what this book is. A space opera romance, with a convoluted plot and uninteresting political drama. The world building was lacking, the sci-fi aspects (like gadgets and entities) were confusing--I still don't know exactly what a Remnant is-- but if you push that all aside there is a shining romance in between the pages.

What Winter's Orbit has in abundance is inclusion. In the Iskat Empire anybody can feel free to be their authentic self, if you wish for others to know what gender you identify with you need only illustrate it by using the right kind of accessories. Seems superficial, but it works in a pinch. There are high ranking officers who identify as "they" as well.

The characters really breathed life into the book. I loved Prince Kiem, his self deprecation, his genuine drive to do the right thing even if he goes against his family, his willingness to really listen to his partners needs and even learn his culture... Kiem is a national treasure. At the beginning of the novel he was a little sheltered, by his own choice. Politics was not his thing and he seldom paid attention. Instead he volunteered in charities and tried to rehabilitate his image from troublemaker #1. By the end he grows up so much, taking charge and using his charisma for the greater good.

Jainan! T_T oh my goodness. I knew from the first interactions between him and Kiem that something wasn't right. He seemed too guarded, always trying to anticipate Kiem's needs in a very fight or flight way, always holding his tongue... He broke my heart. There is a lot of miscommunication between Jainan and Kiem, mainly because Kiem lives in a world where Domestic Violence isn't a thing (he has no experience with it) and Jainan assumes all royalty will expect the same kind of treatment. Again, it is heartbreaking, and the moment these two finally get close enough to trust in each other what they are really thinking/feeling I shouted HALLELUYAH! It does drag along in some scenes, the same misunderstanding, but it builds in a realistic way.

While I don't think Winter's Orbit does a great job in the sci-fi aspect, I do think it shines when it comes to the romance and the respectful way it treats domestic abuse within a queer relationship. I felt close to the characters, both the main ones and the side characters, and wish we could maybe have another novel with Bel (Kiem/Jainan's aide) as the MC.

I just finished this book 5 minutes ago and now I'm so soft!

Damn, this was good. Equal parts exciting, funny, and romantic. The plot was a head-scratcher, and although there were times when the pacing was slow, it was still exciting. The writing style and prose were great, sharp yet can also be mellow sometimes and I loved that. Oh, and the main characters are two sweet, dumb boys who deserve all the world! *cries* Also, can I just say that the slowburn romance in this book made me want to tear my hair out. So good!

Full review on my blog soon!

CW: Toxic relationship, domestic abuse, physical abuse, violence, torture (mild), sexual content (mild)

Winter’s Orbit is a new favorite! It was such a strong and solid debut novel with layered and complex characters, a very well developed plot, and a really sweet romance story. Maxwell’s writing was wonderful and so easy to get into–the way they wrote Kiem and Jainan’s perspectives captured my attention right away and I fell in love with their story.

The world-building was also rather intriguing. I really enjoyed the mechanics involved in the Resolution and the process behind the treaty. The arranged marriage premise did make me a bit hesitant at the start, but the way Maxwell approached and, through Jainan and Kiem’s POVs, developed that aspect was fantastic!

I very much loved the slow progression of Kiem and Jainan’s relationship. There were so many misunderstandings and things left unsaid between them, but not in a way that generated useless drama and conflict. They were so careful with each other, though each had different reasons, and the way in which they came to rely on and support each other was my absolute favorite part in the novel. The confession at the end was icing on the romance cake to me 😀

There was also quite a bit of action! The plot got really tense and intense towards the second half and it was super fun to read about Kiem and Jainan trying to solve the mystery behind Taam’s possible murder. Some of the twists regarding that were a bit predictable, but in no way did they negatively impact my reading experience.

Honestly, if you enjoy Sci-Fi stories with a well executed plot, complex characters, and queer romance, please pick up Winter’s Orbit. It was really that good.

I quite enjoyed the characters, despite the fact that they had a lack of communication issue for 50% of the book.
The lack of communication mostly made sense. It did feel a little tedious toward the end of the communication issue portion.. but there were reasons for it.

Jainan is precious and Kiem is charismatic and compassionate heck.

Honestly maybe not the best world-building in my opinion, but I didn't mind, since heavy sci-fi world-building can often leave my lil non-scientific brain going ""whet?!"

I don't have much to say one way or the other about the writing style. It was fine for me, but not remarkable.

One of the characters in this book is a victim of domestic abuse - both emotional and physical. We do see a couple of scenes where the abuse is described on the page, but more frequently/strongly we see the after-effects. As someone who has been in an emotionally/mentally/slightly physically abusive relationship, I really appreciated that representation and caught it immediately because I could relate.

It was generally a good time! Not mind-blowing for me as far as the plot, or the characters, but I did enjoy the reading experience - the characters especially