“There are more kinds of power than the men of this country have bothered to know.”

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT is fascinatingly magical and deeply romantic, with a compelling mystery to boot. Set in Edwardian England, the story follows Robin, who is placed in a new position as a civilian liaison with the formerly-unbeknownst-to-him magical world and is promptly cursed by a group of magicians looking for a mysterious and powerful item. The curse causes extreme pain and also shows him enigmatic visions. Edwin, his counterpart on the Magical Assembly side of things, gets embroiled in the mystery as he tries to help remove the curse, and of course our boys fall in love in the process.

This book is a fantasy novel, a murder mystery, and a romance novel smashed into one, with the best elements of all three. Robin and Edwin are an absolutely delightful genial himbo/uptight librarian pairing, and it’s beautiful to watch them soften towards each other and help heal each other’s wounds. Both of them have complex histories with and feelings about their families, and I loved how that was integrated into their relationship and the plot development. The world building unspools slowly and the magical system was really interesting to learn about; I can definitely see how there’s room for this to be a series. The chemistry between the men is simmering from the start, and the novel becomes quite steamy. I loved how the intimacy and trust and openness established during sex ties back into the magical evolution aspects of the story (it’s quite...versatile, one might say). Aesthetically it’s also wonderful: sprawling country manors with secret rooms and blood-soaked oaths, a Beauty and the Beast-worthy library with an innovative cataloguing system, a dangerously enchanted labyrinth. This is definitely a novel lodged firmly in period-typical prejudices and I would have liked to see that more challenged in the story, especially by Robin and Edwin. Relatedly, (minor spoilers) I’m secretly hoping that the next novel is all about Flora Sutton’s escapades when she was younger and present-day Adelaide Morrissey just taking charge and kicking ass. Overall this one was really fun and I’m excited for the next installment! Also, the audiobook version is fantastic. Thanks to Tor.com for the eARC and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

“I want you. Enough to risk it. More than enough. You make me feel like something - extraordinary.”

Content warnings: sexism, homophobia (external and internalized), racism, xenophobia, injury/severe pain, death of a loved one, bullying, kidnapping

ALL THE STARS. EVERY STAR EVER. Historical fantasy in London with secret societies and LGBTQ+ rep? Sign me the hell up. Robin and Edwin were absolutely amazing characters with so much development and I loved how they evolved over the story. Robin had the best relationships with everyone, whether it was Edwin or his sister, Maud. He’s also the creator of the single most romantic line I’ve ever read. Meanwhile, Edwin is also so amazing. He’s closed off and prickly, but mostly because of how he’s been treated for years because of his magic and studies.
This book was entirely unpredictable in the best way possible. I found out it would be in a subscription box a few days before I got approved for this ARC and I am SO glad I’m getting a physical copy!!!
If I had to pick on one thing, it would only be that I found certain parts hard to follow. Not confusing per se, but I’m a fast reader and sometimes miss a couple of sentences, and in this book, a couple sentences could completely change my understanding.
Basically, READ THE BOOK! It’s gay, has magicians, secret societies, and British people insulting one another.

A Marvelous Light is a whimsical, retro sci-fi novel following two men on a quest. I must admit I'm not really a plot person, and this book is very much a plot-based book, so for some amount of the book I was rather uninterested. However, when the book gave more character development, background, and romance, it was fantastic. Much like my reading journey with Six of Crows, while the plot was a bit hard to get through for me at times (at no fault to the author, just personal preference) the character work and romantic development made it SO worth it.

The romance between these two characters is electric, tender, and new. I'm so glad we're finally getting more queer love in the genre of adult sci-fi; there so much to love about their journey and how their romance develops in conjunction tot he surrealist magical backdrop of the book.

I definitely recommend this if you're somebody who can enjoy a book with 80% plot, 20% character work/romance, and even if you're somebody who doesn't prefer plot, this book would still make a great read.

A Marvellous Light is this wonderful blend of period drama, queer fantasy, and magic. From the beginning, I was entranced by the mixture of 'polite society' and a magical world that's hidden from us. But what quickly swept me away was this conflict between the world of Robin and Edwin. Not only the feeling of a magical world opening before our eyes, but also the consequences. The ways that entitlement meets power. All the ways that there's magic used for marvels and intimidation.

For power games and actions without consequences. Robin is immediately immersed in terror as he's drawn into a whirlwind not of his making. While I appreciated their chemistry and banter from the beginning, I enjoyed seeing Robin and Edwin grow as characters in A Marvellous Light. There's a distinct hum of attraction and romance, but the stakes couldn't be higher. And that's what I mean about A Marvellous Light. Marske is fabulous at switching between the personal stakes, like Robin's curse, the slightly more pressing issue of the magical artifact mystery, and this larger world threatening level we barely glimpse.

I knew I was going to be obsessed with A Marvellous Light, Freya Marske's enchanting debut novel, the first time I heard it described as "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell meets Red, White and Royal Blue." And I was totally right - I'm officially obsessed. That description is apt - though I'd throw in a few other, maybe slightly less well-known comparisons, like C.L. Polk's Kingston Cycle and Zen Cho's Sorcerer to the Crown. And, for that matter, E.M. Forster's Maurice, but with more (literal) magic and near-death experiences.

Despite all these other books I keep bringing up, A Marvellous Light is wholly, luminously, delightfully original, and is a definite contender for one of my favorite books of the year. The world is realistic and wonderous at the same time, the blend of history (a period I love reading about, as it happens) and magic working as gloriously as in the aforementioned Strange & Norrell; the whole thing feels like one of the William Morris wallpapers described in the story, bright and busy and full. Edwin and Robin are immediately engaging, wholly developed characters, as are the rest of the book's cast, no matter how minor a role - this is a world and a cast I deeply want to spend more time with, a story I can so easily imagine myself writing fanfiction for, because there's just so much richness and vibrancy to it all. The story moves at a brisk pace, never slowing down or dragging on exposition (the "one character has magic and the other doesn't" trope is perfectly executed to keep the reader up to speed), and from start to finish, it's a romantic, exciting, breathtaking tale. Obsessed? Yes, I am, officially, and already counting the days until I can read book 2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor.com for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

A Marvellous Light is a gay romance magician story set in Edwardian England. Robin, one of the two main characters, is accidentally assigned to work as a civil service liaison to a magical society when his predecessor goes missing. His new office is where he meets Edwin, his counterpart working for the magical side. Robin's world is turned upside down and when he realizes that his new position has put him in horrible danger, he and Edwin have to team up to find a way to save him and solve the mystery of his predecessor's disappearance.

What a fun, exciting read! I was drawn to this book because I saw it described as a "himbo/librarian romance with magic" and I was not disappointed. Robin and Edwin are both great characters, and I found it really refreshing that the author decided not to give Edwin astonishingly strong powers. Quite the contrary, his magical powers are pretty lacking in comparison to his family and friends, and I loved how well that worked with his characterization. The book starts slow and it took me some time before I felt that I had a firm grasp on the world-building elements, but once I got past that, I was hooked on the mystery and the relationship between Robin and Edwin. I do wish the romance was more of a slow burn and that we got to learn more about the side characters (unfortunately they felt a bit two-dimensional), but those are the only complaints I have. Other than that, I really couldn't put A Marvellous Light down, it was such an amusing and engaging read! It was very steamy and explicit too, so maybe not the best of choices for younger readers. It's the first book in the series, and I will definitely be picking up the next ones!

"I suggest a daring stealth adventure and you have to ruin it by telling me it's going to involve books."

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC of this story to read and review. Magic, mystery and steamy romance are themes that make up some of my favorite books, and A Marvellous Light, the first book in the The Last Binding series by Freya Marske, has easily become one of those.
Set in Edwardian England, the story starts with Robin, an ordinary man beginning an ordinary day at his new job. He is introduced to Edwin, a prickly and seemingly unfriendly man who tells him that magic is real, and the job he has taken is actually to research and investigate the goings on of the magical world. He is targeted and cursed by a radical group of magicians who are looking for something that they believe he possesses because of his new position in the world of magic. He turns to Edwin for help, and the two of them start to discover that the plot is even more sinister than they thought. With their mounting attraction for each other and the magical odds stacked against them, they must learn to trust each other to save not only themselves, but every magician in England.

The world building and magical system are so well done. Doing magic is called 'cradling' and its described like the children's game cat's cradle, which was easy to visualize. Some of the history of magic and other magical properties were a bit overexplained and dragged a little, but overall I thought the pacing of the story was great. Being the first in the series, the explanations of the magic system will set us up for the next books. I love a steamy m/m romance so I thought that was phenomenal, as well. Robin and Edwin are such opposites and I love how their circumstances allow them to come together in such an organic way. So many romance novels with the opposites attract trope feel forced, but this one was done really well.
I liked how Marske pokes fun at the misogyny of the times, too, saying that women with magic had only just begun to be allowed to use it. I'm hoping that some of the female characters, like Adelaide and Kitty, will have bigger roles in the next book.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the start. I loved unraveling the mystery of the curse and the bigger, more sinister plot. I will definitely be on the look out for book two.

I had high expectations for this book, and wow, did this book deliver! I think a lot of comparisons can be made to Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series: the unusual historical setting (Edwardian England in this case), the magical secret society, the opposites-attract m/m romantic pairing. Considering how much I adored that series, this was an absolute homerun for me.

Robin’s first day of work in a (supposedly) relatively unimportant civil service position takes an unexpected turn when a man bursts in demanding to know where his predecessor is. Even more confusing, this man, Edwin, insists that magic is real, and that Robin’s job is supposed to be investigating reports of magical activity by those not in the know. It becomes even worse when he’s attacked and cursed by a group of men who seem to think Robin knows more than he does. Without anyone else to turn to, Robin asks Edwin for help, and before he knows it he’s being whisked off to Edwin’s family’s country manor to research how to remove it. The stakes are further raised when they figure out what Robin’s attackers are looking for. With Robin’s life – and England’s safety – on the line, can two very different men navigate their attraction and a shadowy group to save themselves?

“I suggest a daring stealth adventure, and you have to ruin it by telling me it’s going to involve books.”


Edwin has very little magic, so he dismissed by the majority of his family and bullied especially by his older brother. Well aware of his (supposed) inferiority, he made up for it by folding in on himself and committing to his own research, creating new spells and researching better ways of doing existing ones. The only place Edwin is truly comfortable is surrounded by books, and that’s where his thoughtful, dedicated nature truly shines. His complete opposite, Robin is sporty and handsome, the perfect minor lordling, or as Edwin calls him, “the idiotic flower of English manhood.” Robin is everything Edwin has learned to despise. Robin knows he’s not clever – he much preferred playing cricket to studying – but he admires it in Edwin, and frankly can’t understand why his family doesn’t appreciate him. And Robin’s not just all sportsmanship and good breading. After growing up surrounded by his wealthy parents’ purchases, Robin has something of an eye for art, and his enthusiasm for Tiffany lamps and Morris wallpaper was, frankly, adorable. Robin’s parents were only interested in their children as collateral to be used – Robin, of course, would go into civil service so that they could use him as another example of something they’d donated to the British Empire. It’s left him hungry for love and afraid of being used.

“I am nothing like you, and yet I feel more myself with you.”


Put the two of them together and what you get is a whole lot of slow-burn chemistry. With Edwardian English society being what it is, admitting they’re both attracted to men is something that’s fraught with danger. The way they tiptoe around each other, while simultaneously pining for the other person, was so sweet. Edwin comes off as cold and prickly, and that’s certainly how Robin initially viewed him, but he quickly reevaluates that once he sees how quickly Edwin offers to help him. And sure, some of that is certainly curiosity about the particular curse used, but Edwin’s outer shell hides a kind, curious man. That shell exists to keep him safe from ridicule (or worse) from others, and even with Robin he hesitates to drop it too much. Robin, for his part, is afraid of being used and discarded, of being someone who’s not worth fighting for.

“I’ll settle for knowing all the things I want to know,” Edwin said quietly. “When and how I need to know them.”


The world building and magical system are fascinating. Sure, it’s the common “hidden magical society” trope, but it’s set in Edwardian England. Plus the magic system, based on the children’s game of cat’s cradle and magical synergies, felt completely original while also making complete sense. There’s bits about historical magic, as well as a few asides about non-English magic usage (complete with requisite colonialism of course). While parts of the story are set in London, a good chunk of it actually takes place in the countryside. While I was initially a bit disappointed (because, c’mon, magical London), there’s an enchanted library, a magic-hating hedge maze, and an absolutely delightful magical country manor.

“And we are but feeble women,” said Miss Morrissey. “Woe.”


Besides the class distinctions between magical and unmagical, the author also pokes a bit of fun at the misogynistic way women are treated through the female characters. My favorite way this worked can’t be talked about for spoiler reasons, but my personal favorite character was Miss Adelaide Morrissey, Robin’s secretary, who’s been at the position for years and frankly pretty much runs the office herself. She and her sister, Mrs. Kitty Kaur, end up roped in to the situation, and they were just plain lovely characters in a book that had a lot of jerk ones. I hope they both play a bigger part in the next books!

Because there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll definitely be picking up the next book in the series. Overall, 4.5 stars, and I’d definitely recommend it to paranormal historical romance fans, especially those of Allie Therin’s.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I first want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for my eARC in exchange for my honest review. A Marvellous Light was a marvellous surprise. A introduction to a wonderful English Georgian world filled with hidden magic, amazing characters, and a romance that only needed to be taken a chance on. It really did have the feeling of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell but added a risk taken in love. Those that have magic and those that do not and the intriguing race to gain control of even more. 4.5 stars

First of all this Cover is GORGEOUS!

This was an enjoyable, well paced read. The magic system was mysterious and unique without being to confusing. And I loved that this book has a little of everything! It has mystery, family drama, romance, betrayal and magic.

3 ⭐️

Publication Date: 11/02/21

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor for providing me access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a historical fantasy that takes place in England. A man goes missing one day and his replacement; Robin, gets thrown accidently into the world of magic with an accidental hire. After Robin is cursed for thinking he knows information that his predecessor held, he and Edwin must attempt to solve the mystery to his predecessor's disappearance and to unravel how to undo his curse.

Characters (6/10): As told from the dual perspective of Edwin and Robin, we get to know both of our main characters fairly well. While I did enjoy both Edwin and Robin, I found the other characters were a bit lackluster. None stood out that really grabbed my attention.

Plot (6/10): I liked the mystery aspect of the story, though the plot felt like it got hung up on the “undoing the curse” aspect for quite a while and thus felt like the plot did not progress for a fair chunk of the story.

World (6/10): I hope in the next book we get to explore more into the magical world and government. We really only got a brief introduction into this magical world.

Magic (7/10): The magic was quite unique. Magicians are required to “cradle” , (which I picture in my head something like the hand signs in “Naruto”) to produce their spells. One character even needs to use an actual string to help guide his hands to aid in the magic. I would love to delve more into this magic system.

Writing (7/10): There were a few moments I had a little bit of confusion regarding one of the characters that has “visions”. At first I had no idea what was going on and why. The transitions did get easier to spot as the story progressed.

Entertainment (6/10): A bit slow paced at times for me and I do not usually prefer the romance to the plot, but in this case I found the romance to be more entertaining than the main plot. Everytime we shifted from our two main characters' bonding, I felt sad and just wanted to get back to that.

Overall 6.3/10. While a bit slow for me I do like the overall premise. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Edwin and Robin and am excited to see where there story leads in the next book.

I want to thank netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book! Unfortunately I was approved the same day it was archived so I was unable to read. I have added it to my tbr and I can’t wait to read it!

This book was unfortunately disappointing. It is very slow-paced. The magic system was intriguing, but the romance was not compelling enough.

Thanks VERY MUCH to netgalley for a free eARC of this book in exchange for a review!

Well! WELL!!! I'd actually had this book on my radar for upwards of 6 months based 1) on the description which sounded wonderful and 2) on the good word of other ARC readers. it did not disappoint!! Extremely fun book & huge recommend

"A Marvellous Light" is about: a secret world of magicians getting revealed, family drama, murder/conspiracy plots, romance of course. It IS, as the blurb describes it, a gay fantasy novel set in Edwardian England-- I would, though, hesitate to call it "Red White and Royal Blue meets Jonathan Strange" for MANY reasons. I would really call this book "extremely in the genre of Witchmark by C.L. Polk." I liked another reviewer's comparision of AML to K.J. Charles as well-- I've only read the first two Will Darling books but they TOO have a heavy plot of romance spiced up by some murders and conspiracy. And in that same vein: also Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell-- it's a romance, primarily, but it's got mystery in there too and additionally, like this book, tosses some SFF into the mix for us genre readers. SO if you liked any of those last three things i think you will like this book

I found this extremely readable-- I am a VERY preferential audiobook reader but received this eARC in text format so I had to read it with my eyes AND I found it fun and enjoyable, which isn't often the case-- I think it had good action, good dialogue, good events. engaging! fun! I enjoyed the alternating character POVs as well-- thought the main two characters had a lot of interiority which is fun to read about, and to see them interact with each other.

Just in general a great fun romance read-- I think coming into this I'd expected a bit more of a Fantasy Novel and less of a K.J. Charles but you know, I like to be surprised and I had a great time. I think more genre fiction should multiple extremely explicit gay sex scenes actually. keep the audience on their toes

Robin Blyth is sucked into a position suddenly left vacant, only to find out by his coworker and liaison Edwin Courcey that there is indeed magic in this world. As much as Robin wants to leave this world, and Edwin wants to be rid of him, Robin is dragged right back when a curse is thrown on him. Now Edwin and Robin are forced to work together to not only remove this dangerous curse before it destroys Robin, but also face a potentially deadly threat to the magical world.

I'm gonna start this by saying that this story was beautiful. The world-building was extremely well done, especially when it came to the magic system. I've never read anything like it. Magic is done by cradling, and has a limit to its usage depending on who exactly is using it, because magic stores itself differently in everyone. Edwin, even though he's older, still has to use string because of his magical limitations. I can't tell you the last time I saw magic limit its users like this, and it's so refreshing. Furthermore, magic users can make blood pacts with land to inherit their power? Like what?! That's so cool! It blew my mind how much I loved this magic system. Also the writing style was very exquisite and stylistic, but could be a bit overwhelming at times.

Everything else, however, I'm not sure how I felt. I kind of liked Robin, but he was definitely the nobody that gets some minor greatness thrown onto him. Otherwise, he felt very bland at times. Now Edwin is a different story. I loved his character. I related to him a lot as he was the bookworm, studious child who felt limited by everything he did and was. And oh my god did that hit close to home. I related to him more than any other character in this book.

Robin and Edwin's relationship was not as much of a slowburn as I thought. First off, they definitely have some minor attraction towards one another when they meet, and then grows after about 20% of the way through the book. They actually like get together halfway through, and also be warned that there definitely is some spice here. It actually threw me off guard cause I was really not expecting that. But for me, I wish there was some more buildup than just physical attraction? It didn't really feel like there was much of an emotional one and I was a bit disappointed by that.

The plot was a bit iffy to me. I'm surprised that Robin didn't focus more on the whole "contract" thing at the beginning of the story after his curse, since that's the whole reason he's cursed in the first place. I get that they were trying to save his life before focusing on the bigger picture, but after Robin's curse is mostly figured out, the rest of the book felt... boring? Like we were given reasons to understand how dangerous the new plot point is, and sets it up for the rest of the series, but I didn't really feel like I cared? I get it's a threat to the magical world as we know it but I wanted a bit more.

While this book is described as a more magical version of Red, White and Royal Blue, I see it more as a more refined version of A Darker Shade of Magic, but just make it more academic and gay. I recommend checking this book out if you want a unique magic system.

I received a copy of this book as an e-ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. Any and all thoughts and opinions are mine.

As a lesbian reader and avid fan of historical fantasy fiction, I was thrilled to read this explicitly gay story set in Edwardian England. The himbo/librarian dynamic is excellent, the tension between the protagonists is palpable, and I love the magical elements. "A Marvellous Light" is the perfect fall or winter read and I can't wait for everyone to read it, since it's being published today.
So many of the lines in this book hit me, HARD. One of my favourite quotes is: "I'd like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you."

Thank you to TOR for sending me this book before its publication!

This was an incredibly enjoyable read, even though it wasn't really what I was expecting. I expected this to be more heavily focused on the fantasy elements with a subplot of romance, but it felt a bit more like the reverse. It worked for me, though, because I loved the relationship between the main characters. They started out at odds with each other and became closer throughout the book, while still keeping a high level of entertaining snark. There were plenty of steamy moments, as well, which were explicit but didn't feel overly gratuitous as they revealed important things about the characters and their evolving dynamic. The author did a wonderful job of building the setting, and I truly felt transported to Edwardian England. It was interesting to see the characters navigating that time period as queer individuals, and the struggles they faced added an extra layer to the relationship between them and others. The fantasy elements were interesting, and the magic system was unique. I enjoyed learning about it with Robin, and the mystery and world-building kept me turning to the page to find out more. There were a lot of engaging elements to it (murder, attack swans, prophecy, killer hedges, magic administration conspiracies, etc.). My only major complaints would be the somewhat slow pacing of the first half of the book and the lack of depth to the secondary characters. I enjoyed the character moments of the first half of the novel, but it just felt dragged out with little forward movement on the mystery for a bit too long. That being said, I loved the book and am now anxiously awaiting the sequel. Therefore, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.

This is a fun m/m romance set in a magical and dark Edwardian England. The writing and world-building are very well done, and the plot is interesting, though it mainly serves as a vehicle to get our two leads together. The doors are wide open in this book with lots of steamy sex scenes. So, if you love that, you'll definitely enjoy this. If you don't love that, this book is still worth reading if you enjoy fantasy, but you might want to skim parts of it. While the romance was very sweet, I had a little trouble buying the pairing of non-magical, non-intellectual, sporty Robin and book-loving, timid Edwin. To my own taste, I think I would have liked more mystery and fantasy elements and perhaps slightly less of the romance. That being said, I found the magic system fascinating and will definitely follow on with book two when it eventually comes out. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge Publishing for the digital copy to read and review.

A Marvellous Light is the first installment in The Last Binding trilogy set in Edwardian England. The story starts with recently orphaned Sir Robert (Robin) Blyth who just started his new position as Assistant in the Office of Special Domestic Affairs and Complaints after the previous person, Mr. Reginald (Reggie) Gatling disappeared. He meets Mr. Edwin Courcey, who is the liaison to the Chief Minister of the Magical Assembly and will work closely with Robin. While Edwin has vast magical knowledge, he does not possess a lot of ability. Robin, in turn, is amazed that magic actually exists and is fascinated by the concept. After an event, Robin and Edwin are forced to work together to solve a secret involving a curse, a missing person (Reggie), and a mysterious villain.

The two characters are very endearing and I loved watching their romance blossom. As the story is duel perspective, the reader gains insight into each character’s thoughts and their pasts. Their previous romantic encounters are also explored and pave the way for how each character’s actions play out. Their romantic feelings do not develop overnight and it is a slow burn as the two get to know the other. There are many sweet moments along with some fun witty banter. The two characters share a few steamier scenes that may not be for every type of reader. If they are not for you, then you can still understand the story by skipping or skimming them. For me, I loved reading them as they illustrated the trust and love building between the two characters.

As this is the first novel in a series, the pacing is a little slower, especially towards the beginning. This gives a larger introduction to the characters the bond they slowly build. When the two characters end up at Edwin’s family home, there is additional exploration of magic and the family dynamics with the appearance of both Edwin and Robin’s families. Both characters have complex relationships with their families and it was great to see them explored. Edwin’s family was the more complicated of the two as his brother Walt is a bully and his sister, Belinda, and mom do not always stand up for Edwin. On the other hand, Robin’s complicated past stems from his deceased parents, while he maintains a close and supportive relationship with his sister, Maud.

Overall, this was a very fun read with a mix of romance, humor, and magic. This novel both sets itself up well for the sequel, while also having a self-containing element. This works well as I am still anxious to read the sequel, but I walked away feeling satisfied after this story. The novel is a great mix between fantasy, romance, and mystery with a small emphasis on each depending on the circumstances. After the joys of reading this tale, I am very curious to see how everything comes together in the sequel(s)!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tordotcom, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Anytime Red, White, and Royal Blue is mentioned in a blurb for a book I immediately have to check it out. I enjoy magical realism and this book fit the bill! The setting for this book is one of my favorites and I have been on a huge kick of it lately. This is a series and I am excited for the rest because Marske set the series up beautifully with book one!

*ARC received in exchange for my honest review*