Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was everything I like all wrapped up in one book. It was light fantasy so it was just enough removed from our universe but not so much that it took a lot of time to world build. There were multiple POV (though only one was first person which I liked). It was long enough so there were plenty of details and things didn't feel like they progressed too quickly but short enough that it didn't drag on and feel strung out. There was some change of pace to it so it wasn't break-neck the whole time but it still kept you engaged. There was a clear mystery to solve so the book had direction. I loved all of the different reps. And while there was some brutal stuff that happened in multiple parts of the book (which I feel is pretty normal for fantasy but please read content warnings if need be) there were also some really tender and lovely moments, character growth, feelings explored, and understanding and support.

I am definitely going to look up this authors other books!

(4.5 rounded up to a 5)

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a queer political fantasy romance with mystery elements by Foz Meadows. The ebook version is 554 pages. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at almost nineteen hours and is narrated by James Fouhey and Vikas Adam. We follow two main characters with third-person points-of-view.

Velasin is a gay man living in Ralia, a very conservative country that forbids same-sex relationships. Being a third son, his father decides to marry him off to a girl from neighboring Tithena to solidify a diplomatic union. However, something happens that reveals his preference for men, and the Tithenai envoy suggests that Vel should marry the brother of his former intended wife.

Caethari is the second of three siblings in Tithena; his older sister is married to a woman as their country supports the union of same-sex relationships as well as nonbinary individuals known as kem. But there are violent forces around them who seem intent on ending their new alliance, and in Cae's name--though he is not giving the orders.

I was glad to receive an audio review copy as well as an ebook version because though I really enjoyed this book, there were sections that dragged a bit for me. I think it I was just reading the digital version, I may have stalled out. Listening to audio really helps me in these instances.

Overall, it was a very good read. It delves a bit into Byzantine politics, which is something I don't see in books very often, and the two leads definitely have great chemistry together. The world building is detailed and expansive, but not confusing. The description of the magic system is kind of vague though--partly because the characters we follow aren't expected to know how to use it--and I'd be interested in learning more about it if there are further books set in this universe. I absolutely plan to read more from this author.

Big head's up that there's an on-page rape in Chapter 2, so please prepare yourself for that. The author does include a note at the beginning of the book about this content warning, but know that it's quite graphic. While I generally dislike using rape as a device to show character growth, the book does a good job showing how that character processes the trauma of the assault over time.

There are a lot of queer or otherwise minority characters in this book. Most of the main characters are queer in some way, and Vel's valet Markle--who's really moreso his best friend--is mute and the two of them use sign language to communicate. I mentioned the kem previously, they are nonbinary folks who use the pronoun "thir." There is also a reference to some kind of bodymagic that allows a person to change gender.

Tropes in this book include: arranged marriage, court drama, political intrigue, assassination plots, strangers to friends to lovers, slow burn romance

CW: rape (on-page, Chapter 2), suicidal ideation, attempted self-harm, violence, PTSD, trauma, death, animal murder (horse), blood, emesis, homophobia, transphobia, misgendering, parental death, infidelity (referenced)

Special thanks to Tor Books, Macmillan, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing an eARC and an audio galley of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

This was a frequently delightful story with strong, sympathetic characters. The world-building is solid, the pacing is mostly swift, and the story was satisfying. I was most pleased with how the leads treated each other with honesty, while they simultaneously respected the other's intelligence and emotions. Recommended to readers of other great, recent queer fantasy romances, A Marvellous Light, Witchmark, or Paladin's Hope.

This book took me by surprise and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! I was not expecting the depth of seeing and characters that were masterfully woven, and I loved how the perspectives changed throughout this book. Both Cae and Vel had a lot that they had to work through together, and all of the secondary characters (most especially Markel and Liran) were absolutely phenomenal and intriguing to learn about. I would have liked to see a bit more of the characters living after the plot against Vel was unravelled, but all in all I was extremely happy with how this story played out as it had all the elements that I look for in novels: romance, intrigue, tension, and a cast of characters to root for.

TW: on page sexual assault, mentions of suicide attempts

Really torn about this one. I loved the concept and was really looking forward to reading it, but this just didn't give what it needed to give. I really liked the idea of a society in which queerness is inherent, and the romance was sweet. However, I was really surprised by the inclusion of the sexual assault so early in the narrative, and just disappointed overall in the execution of what could have been a really great concept.

I rarely go into a book thinking I’ll dislike it. Every year without fail, Tor’s upcoming releases hype leave me incredibly hyped and I’m rarely disappointed with the outcomes. A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is one of those rare occasions of disappointment. The first 88% of this book was, if boring, lacking any outright faults. I would have walked away giving it two stars and hoping other readers found the story more compelling. And then the last twist occurs and I all but threw my Kindle across the room in sheer anger. Because I can’t fully express my thoughts without delving into the last 12%, this review will contain spoilers for the full story. Spoilers will be marked and hidden, to the best of my ability.

On paper, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance appeals quite strongly to me. Velasin vin Aaro, forced into a political marriage by his father, eventually ends up marrying his intended-bride’s brother instead of the bride herself. After Velasin moves to this new country Tithena, to a culture he has little familiarity with, he finds himself entrenched in court politics as the people around him mysteriously start dying. I profess to be more a ‘Fantasy w/Romance bits’ fan than a ‘Romance w/Fantasy bits’ fan and in theory, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance should have delivered exactly that! There’s such much setup for rich court drama, so many moving parts and possible motives for why some mysterious faction would so badly want Velasin, citizen of a country with historically poor ties to Tithena, they’re willing to carry out attacks in the name of his own husband to do so!

Tragically, the book doesn’t go into any of this. With each subsequent attack, Velasin and his husband Caethari, make a half-assed attempt at investigation, asking about two people if they saw anything before throwing their hands up and going, welp, guess we can’t figure anything out. Why Caetheri, son of the…leader? mayor? of this city (holding?) they live in and a well-respected soldier in his own right can’t appoint someone to investigate this issue (or at least do so in private if they don’t want to alarm the people) I never understood. Even the political intrigue, the many players and their possible motives, felt very lacking. For a 150k+ WC book, I felt like I learned very little about Tithena and its culture or politics. (more on this later)

In private, Velasin and Cae are dealing with the ramifications of ‘oh shit you mean your dad forced you to marry and you didn’t consent to this at all?’ that marks the start of their marriage. Overall, I did like their relationship together. Velasin, having survived a very graphic on-screen rape scene at the beginning of the book, has had his confidence and self-worth utterly shattered and Cae quietly and respectfully navigates supporting Velasin through these traumatic experiences. And the two have some extremely badass moments together that I happily cheered for. However, while Velasin has a personality established prior to the start of this book as a skilled navigator of court politics and master of secrets, Cae’s background pretty much starts and ends at ‘fought a bear once’. For a book that spent so long on the interpersonal moments, I still don’t feel like I learned anything about Cae as a person.

Spoilers begin here (highlight to read text)

So now let’s talk about the ‘twist’. Aka, why then hell am I almost finished with the book and we seem no closer to uncovering, frankly, literally any detail about this mystery. Why, dear reader, that’s because it seems Meadows had no intent of actually writing actual court intrigue or a mystery to begin with. At 88% in, Velasin and Cae entire a guy’s house for some unrelated reason. As they enter the house, they hear two people yelling from upstairs, (paraphrased) “well omg if you just killed him properly, <name>, we wouldn’t be in this situation!” Said two people walk down the stairs, (two people that had never been suspected in this mystery). Turns out the one who shouted was the sister Vel was supposed to marry! Who promptly a) monologues every detail of her plan and what happened throughout the course of the book and b) has a fucking QA session afterwards.

Because why write actual political intrigue when you could have your characters fuck around for 90% of the book and have them miraculously stumble upon the fucking conspirators arguing and have them confess on the spot. Vel has an entire character arc of building back his self-confidence, so what better way to do that than have him cleverly navigate through a court he has no experience with, in an unfamiliar culture? Instead, let’s have him do literally none of that and just deus ex machina our way to an ending. I won’t talk about the confrontation with the rest of the family other than to reassure you that it was an eye-rolling soap opera. It really felt like Meadows’ editor went ‘uh, you need a plot to go with the romance’ and Meadows quickly wrote an extra 10k of hamfisted garbage.

Overall. I rate this book a 1/5. The first 88% was bland and something I hoped other readers would connect with more than I did. The last 12% was an affront to storytelling itself.

This book won't be for everyone but it certainly was for me. It's a court mystery and queer romance rolled into one, with a cast that's large without feeling too sprawling. The romance is about healing, both from personal injustices and from living in a society that has vilified your desires. The mystery is about noble succession and political ties and magic. All of this is perfectly interwoven into a book that i absolutely could not put down.
Normally I'm a romance reader, but honestly the mystery was my favorite part here. There are so many twists and every single time new evidence comes to light it points the finger at a different potential mastermind. I honestly had the wrong culprit until the confession, but once the masterminded revealed their plan I was hitting my head with my kindle because all the clues were there.
The only thing I think would have made this book a smidgen better would have been more time. Velasin is healing from sexual assault throughout the book, but seems to come mostly to terms with it by the end. He isn't fully healed but he is at a place where he can have sex again. This is less than a month after the initial assault. Everyone heals at their own pace, but to go from the level of trauma Vel was experiencing to mostly good in just a few weeks seemed a bit rushed to me.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a queer fantasy following Velasin vin Aaro whose betrothal to a girl from a neighbouring kingdom falls through when he is outed for his preference to men. Expecting to be disowned and disgraced, Velasin is surprised when it is suggested that he marry the girl's brother instead. Velasin and his betrothed, Caethari Aeduria, fend off assassination plots and fall in love along the way.

This book may not be for everyone and should have trigger warnings for rape, suicidal thoughts, self harm, and homophobia when being hand sold.

This ARC was an absolute delight to read. I particularly like character driven fantasy and this story offered me to engaging and likable protagonists! I whipped through this in two evenings despite it being fairly long! It kept me up far too late last night too. I did feel the author handled the plot needed scene of sexual assault at the beginning of the book tastefully. And while there are steamy scenes in the book they aren’t excessive in number or overly long. Definitely more plot than …not plot… parts to the book by far. It’s my new favorite so far this year book. I absolutly recommend it if you like romance with your fantasy and don’t mind the couple being male.

Thank you so much Tor for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!! You guys spoil me way too much lol.

I liked this one, but wasn’t my favorite though.

I liked the characters a lot—Velasin was so broken and Cae was such a sweetheart!!! I loved learning about them and their backstories. I loved seeing them become friends and eventually more. It was gay and I was here for it.

Unfortunately for me I just didn’t fall head over heels for them like I have other characters which is fine, I still LIKED them I just didn’t LOVE them. But I’m sure other people will appreciate them and their journey a ton.

I would still 100% recommend this to other people who love/read m/m as it’s definitely worth a read!!!

There's a lot to love about this book; the world building, the representation, the gentleness of incredibly difficult topics. But the story gets dragged down in several parts to the point where I became somewhat disengaged. Overall a solid outing worthy of all the promotion but a fair bit of editing could take it to the next level.

Well written, engaging political intrigue/fantasy with a lovely helping of queerness and gender diversity.

Pulled me in right away, and didn’t let me go. No slumps! The romance is a sweet (moderate spice level) slow burn as far as page count, relatively quick fuse in actual timing as the main events of the book take place over the course of like…a week or two? These boys have some action packed days.

Highlights:
-Deft and immersive world building
-Diverse cast of characters
-Culture shock but make it gay
-Husbands Protecting Husbands
-Why is everyone so hot


My only caution to readers would be to take the content warnings as printed in the book seriously - topics presented in those warnings are on page and detailed, and the story has some dark and violent moments.

Overall, would definitely recommend for any reader of fantasy.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Velasin has been expecting an arranged marriage, but what he’s not expecting it for it to suddenly become an arranged marriage to a man. It isn’t a problem for him, in fact, it’s preferable but it’s going to be a battle for him to let go of his Ralian traditional beliefs.

Caethari is immediately charmed by Velasin even though one of their first encounters is an assassination attempt on the Ralian.

Part slow-burn, delicious romance and part political intrigue – this book is a great read. Be warned, there is a sexual assault depicted early in the story. What I appreciated was the way that the author addressed the aftermath for the character who was affected. There is no quick fix for this character. They work through the shock, the trauma, the pain and the guilt. It’s clear that the author put a great deal into the plot.

The addition of the mystery – pollical intrigue and family dynamics – made the story even more engaging. The plot moved at a good pace.

Velasin: Vel is a sweet character. He's struggled living in a society that doesn't accept his sexuality but he has done his best to be a loyal sun. He has a lot of overcome at the beginning of the story but he

Caethari: Cae is such a gentle character. He's the man I bet we all wish we knew. He is thoughtful, he listens, and he puts a concerted effort into actually getting to know his husband in spite of the way they are brought together. The two characters are raised in different ways and it shows in their confidence and the differences in how they make decisions.

I think what I enjoyed the most about this book was the progression of Velasin. He's a great character and the author allowed him to grow and change very organically as the story progressed. There was no rushing Vel through his feelings or hurrying his healing. I liked that he had confronting moments, tender moments and times when he felt guilty and responsible.

Over all I enjoyed the book - my only minor criticism would be that the pacing could have been moving along a little bit. Not something that took away from the story for me!

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance had all the makings of a five-star epic fantasy, but missed the mark in several areas. I liked the politics, I liked the queerness of the world, but holy fuck did this book draaaaaag on. It needed a solid pruning.

A tale of intrigue, action, and romance! This is the story of Velasin and Caethari, two men who would have never met if they didn't enter an arranged marriage under the most unfortuitous circumstances. While this novel is told from both of their points of view, the story is unabashedly Velasin's. After facing a traumatic assault and betrayal in the earliest section of the novel, it is an emotional journey to watch him face down the cruelty he expects to find from his new husband and his husband's country, and to instead find love and acceptance. All is not restful in the kingdom of Ralia, though. Indeed it leaps from one dramatic, action-packed moment of political intrigue to the next, and I found myself devouring chapter after chapter as I read. The only small hurdle I encountered while reading this book, is that occasionally Ralia seemed almost accepting beyond belief -- all of the darkest moments brought on by rogue actors in an otherwise fully open-armed society. I found myself questioning how it was possible that so little bias of any type appeared in this country's politics, religion, or culture. But this is such a tiny quibble in the face of a lush, deeply delightful and moving tale of love and coming into one's own. I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoyed Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell, and I think it would pair nicely with the soon-to-be-released A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland.

Content warnings: sexual assault, suicidal ideation, self-harm, animal death.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was not at all what I was expecting it to be, mostly in a really positive way! Before picking this up, know there are graphic scenes dealing with the content warnings above. If they are in any way upsetting to you, please be careful and take care of yourself ❤

The first thing that surprised me about this book was the writing. By which I mean I had a really really difficult time with the style at first. It was a bit too stiff and flowery for my taste and the way Meadows structured certain sentences made my ESL brain go a little ??? at times. I did get used to it after a while, though! Even more so because I really liked the characters.

Vel and Cae were such different forces from each other and I enjoyed how Meadows wrote their perspectives. Vel was going through so much while still trying to maintain a sense of calm due to the situation he was in and Cae was adorable in his fumbling. The manner in which their relationship progressed was so sweet, even with the arranged marriage element, and I appreciated how Meadows addressed sexual trauma and healing from it in connection to that.

The political plot was also pretty interesting for the most part. It was fun to read about the deaths and assassination attempts and the investigation. I just wish the twist regarding that and its reveal had been done in a different way because 1. it was really predictable and 2. it was straight-up a villainous monologue.

This was still a pretty satisfying read overall and I think Fantasy Romance fans looking for a book with queer protagonists and a plot a bit in the more political side of things will enjoy this!

Trigger-warnings: Suicide, suicidal idealization, sexual assault, homophobia, animal death

Please heed warnings! Within the first few chapters there is an explicit rape scene. It's the only such scene in the book (aside from recollections of the same incident) but it's pretty intense.

I find my feelings on this one pretty mixed. I definitely enjoyed it. It was hard to put down, it made me laugh, it made me Feel Things; I found the mystery intriguing and really loved the character interactions.

That said, I agree with a lot of reviews that point out weird tone discrepancies. I read a review that said it felt like a mystery, a romcom, and a psychological trauma book all kind of mashed together. While the author was very thoughtful in their treatment of the main character's trauma from SA, and in his transition from a very prejudiced environment to a much more open/inclusive one, there were a lot of moments where the emotional switch was very jarring. Grief, in particular, seemed glossed over. People would die and those around them were pretty okay shortly after. We'd go from moments of intense emotional reflection to light-hearted romance pretty quickly.

Other, more minor quibbles: I loved Vel's relationship with Markel but it seemed to get pretty shunted to the side once Cae showed up. Which, okay, romance. But Markel sometimes felt more like a prop than a character. Maybe that was just me. But add to the fact that Markel has mutism, it felt like a bad look. Also, while I enjoyed most of the world-building and felt I had a pretty good grasp on it, I really never understood the magic system.

BUT it was hard to put down and fun to read so I dunno! If you're someone who gets hung up on details in world-building or reads with a very critical eye, this might not be for you. If you can gloss over that while you read, I'd recommend it.

A delightful and engrossing political romance -- a book, as I told the author when interviewing them for Voyage into Genre, made me realize that romance books COULD in fact be for me too. I loved how deftly the fish-out-of-water angle was handled, how kindly and compassionately the sexual assault angle was treated, and how the plot kept humming along with more intrigue than an episode of SUCCESSION. Absolutely delightful and sure to be a hit!

I really liked this book a lot. I was hooked from the beginning. I loved both Velasin and Caethari and liked getting to hear the story from both POVs (Velasin is 1st person and Caethari 3rd). Markel, Velasin's servant/friend is mute, and they communicate via sign language. I loved his character as well.

This had several things I really like: arranged marriage, slow burn romance, a little political intrigue. I did highly suspect who was behind the incidents though I wasn't completely positive until the reveal, so it was nice both to the right but also to not have felt automatically that my guess was right as there were a few times I thought it might go in other directions.

There is an intense scene near the beginning of the book (check content warnings). It's hard to read but it's also an important part of the story as much of it is about how Velasin reacts to the trauma and how he is able to trust someone again.

I forced myself to read this book more slowly than I wanted to because I didn't want it to end too quickly. I wanted to stay with these characters as long as possible.

A politically motivated arranged marriage provides the set-up for this engrossing fantasy novel. Velasin vin Aaro has been offered by his father as a husband for a woman from neighboring Tithena, in the hopes of easing the strained relationship between the two countries. A sexual assault by an ex-lover reveals Velasin’s preference for men. This threatens not just the fragile alliance, but Vel’s safety as his country forbids homosexual relationships. The Tithenai envoy proposes a slight alteration to the original plan by having Velasin marry his original intended’s brother, Caethari Aeduria, instead. With no other options, Velasin agrees. Almost immediately it becomes clear that someone is opposed to this alliance and is willing to take violent measures to ensure its failure. Vel and Cae must learn to trust each other if they are going to survive the intrigues swirling around them.
I love a good “married to a stranger” trope and this one did not disappoint. I had some misgivings in the first couple of chapters, as I was slow to be pulled into the narrative. But by the time Vel began his journey to Tithena the story gained momentum and I was hooked, devouring the whole thing in a single day. The story covers great deal of ground. There is the political skullduggery, a murder mystery, familial complexities, a slow-burn romance and through it all, Vel’s struggle to heal from the traumas he has suffered. It’s a lot to juggle, and for the most part the author succeeds. There are some interesting secondary characters I would have liked to see given more to do, and the magical system could have been more fleshed out, but the story kept me turning pages. I would recommend it to fans of sff/romance in general and fans of Winter’s Orbit specifically, with fair warning that the sexual assault happens “on screen”.