I really loved the characters in this book, but there was so much going on in this book that we couldn't slow down with them. I also think the side characters didn't have enough depth and fell into the background. But I love the queer norm society and I'm always looking for more of that in fantasy romance!

A Taste of Gold and Iron had some strong elements, especially in its unique world-building and the glimpses of rich culture woven throughout the story. The characters show promise, and there are moments of genuine emotion that stand out. However, the pacing was inconsistent, with parts feeling slow and some plot threads not fully developed. I found myself wanting more depth in the character arcs and a bit more momentum overall. It’s not a bad read by any means, but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Fans of slower, atmospheric fantasy might appreciate it more.

I really enjoyed this one. The setting, inspired by the Ottoman Empire, was rich and immersive. I loved how the world-building incorporated unique elements like the touch-tasting magic system, though I wish it had been explored a bit more. Kadou, the prince, was a standout character. His struggles with anxiety were portrayed with depth and sensitivity, and I appreciated how his vulnerability didn't define him—it made him more relatable. Evemer, his bodyguard, was the perfect foil! He gives stoic and disciplined vibes, gradually revealing layers of emotion. Their slow-burn romance was beautifully done, filled with tension and longing.

The political intrigue added another layer of complexity to the story. While some aspects felt underdeveloped, the focus remained on character dynamics, which I didn't mind at all. Overall, A Taste of Gold and Iron is a character-driven fantasy with a lush setting and a compelling romance. If you're into slow-burn relationships and nuanced character development, this one's worth checking out.

DNF

I’m confused why this world is feminist and queer normative but then ableist? I don’t think having anxiety makes anyone “less of a man,” and I’m not interested in reading about that without someone in the text clearly combatting that internalized ableism. Maybe I quit too early.

1 star for the queen being a new mom and 1 star for positive queer representation.

This was kinda cute. Loved the slow burn and all the characters' relationships towards each other. It definitely had a feeling of "found family" even though there clearly is a lot of power disbalance - but the characters just work so well together and it's nice to see actual human beings behind titles and the roles they have to play at court. If I'd had to find a word to describe the feeling I had while reading this book it's "warmth".

4.5 Stars

For some reason I always thought it would take me a while to get into this one, maybe because it’s a 500-page high fantasy book. But I became invested so incredibly fast! I love a bodyguard romance, and this one is delectable. If you love reading romances where one or more of the romantic heroes are just absolutely down bad—just completely and unabashedly enamored with the objects of their affection to the point of complete distraction, abandon, and devotion—this is the book for you.

Prince + bodyguard romance, but embed it in a rich fantasy world with metal-tasting and palace intrigue and LOTS of angst . . . I was HERE. FOR. IT. Rowland achieves some truly delicious tension between Kadou and Evemer, and even if their miscommunication (lack of communication) makes for a frustrating latter third, the mystery was engaging and I loved the royal family dynamics. Ready for whatever's next from Rowland!

Both me and a colleague ended up reading this and thoroughly enjoying it!

I loved the characters and the world building, it was so addictive and the romance was the most perfect slow burn.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Vibing with this fun fantasy spin! I'm mainly a romance reader and I love to dip my toes back into the fantasy world every once in awhile. This was a slower, steady burn plot wise. I enjoyed the abject normality of queerness throughout and the way relationships developed throughout.

A great time was had by all!

One of my favorite books of the year so far! A prince trying to redeem himself in the eyes of his sister, the sultan, finds himself falling for his stoic new bodyguard who initially hates him. This was such a delicious enemies to lovers slow burn. It's not an action packed book, so it may not work for everyone, but it was perfect for me. Readers are just taken along for the journey. But Rowland could've kept on writing this story forever, and I would've been content to follow along.

Steamy with political intrigue is just what I needed! This book caught me off guard with how much I enjoyed it. I was absolutely captivated by the story telling and the characters. The writing is so visual, and the plot kept my attention all the way. I absolutely love this book!

In A Taste of Gold and Iron, Prince Kadou finds himself inadvertently suspected of conspiring against his sister, the Sultan of Arasht. In order to clear his name, Kadou must overcome his paralyzing shyness and solve a financial mystery that puts his country at risk. At his side, he will find his handsome but surly new bodyguard, Evemer and equally handsome former flame, Tadek. With a combination like that, what could possibly go wrong?

I thought that A Taste of Gold and Iron was a good read, but didn’t necessarily live up to its full potential.

Let’s start with things I enjoyed. First of all, especially given our current political climate, it was fantastic to see a prosperous matriarchal society. Reading about women who could make decisions about their bodies and who were so well respected by society at large felt both right and empowering.

As someone who enjoys good world building, I appreciated how Rowland drew inspiration from history in creating Arast and its neighbors. Being a fan of Ottoman history, I appreciated the influence that it had on Rowland’s Arast and thought that it made the story unique. However, in my opinion, even if the reader has no knowledge of or interest in Ottoman history they will be able to enjoy the intricately woven dynamics of court life and the various political machinations going on in the story.

Finally, I thought that Kadou was such a lovable protagonist. His struggles with anxiety and panic attacks are something that I think many readers could relate to. More often than not I just wanted to give him a hug while reading this story. And his struggles made it even more impressive when Kadou would ultimately come to the rescue of his friends and family.

In terms of what I didn’t like, I thought the mystery that Kadou had to solve was fairly predictable. In fact, I guessed the main villain, so to speak, pretty early on in the story. I also found that at times the pacing dragged with certain parts being humorous, but not really adding much to the overall plot. Furthermore, I felt that the magic system in this world was poorly explained. For example, I would have liked to know more about why some people in this society had magic and others didn’t. Finally, I thought that there was some missed opportunity when it came to the romance aspect of the story. I enjoyed Kadou and Evemer as a couple, but thought that this story would have been more interesting as a polyamorous romance.

in conclusion

I wish that this book had more fully lived up to my expectations, but I think that if you are looking for an LGBTQ romance set in a historical fantasy setting then you will likely enjoy A Taste of Gold and Iron.

thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was a queer high fantasy novel that has raised my expectations for all the future fantasy books i will inevitably read. full review to come.

The romance was the strongest aspect of this book, and I loved reading about the 2 main characters and the dynamic they have. However, I felt like the book wasn’t as much about the romance as I had thought it was, and there was so much political intrigue right from the getgo that it took a while for the story to really get going.

My favorite part of this was how openly queerness was accepted in this fantasy world and the way that the royal lineage worked. Other than that, there wasn't anything that really stood out to me to separate this from other fantasy novels.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to review.

Thank you net galley for providing me with a copy of a taste of iron and gold in exchange for a honest review.


The carefully expanded world building and vivid characters are both features I greatly appreciate about this novel. However the writing style although beautiful can often come to be tiring which is my only complain about this book along with the length.

The characters tho? Chefs kiss. Written to perfection. So beautiful so real, you cannot understand the beauty of this book till you read it.

This was a fun book that I sadly didn't finish. I know that is a hundred percent on me due to situations going on in my life. I would love to return because I really did have a fun time.

This is a book that I took my time savoring. It's a book that demands your attention at every turn. When I say I loved this book—I'm not saying it lightly. I even joined a Discord to keep talking about it.

I enjoyed the rich and intricate worldbuilding that Alexandra Rowland had to offer in this new world. The depiction of anxiety in the main character was nuanced and accurate and I loved how it was woven into the story. The lore that comes from this world including the temples and the banking system is something I enjoyed reading and I'm more than willing to recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a fantasy romance.

A Taste of Gold and Iron was a great and immersive story about the prince of Arasht, Kadou, and the events and relationships he has with his family and the people in the palace. I loved the relationship between Kadou and Eversham, his guard, and how it grew from enemies to friends to lovers. Eversham was always there when Kadou needed him especially during his anxiety attacks.

Another big character involved in this group that was a big part of helping Kadou during his attacks was Tadek. Listen, I did NOT like Tadek. He stirred up a lot of trouble between Kadou and Eversham and just in general, BUT by the end of the story, I understood why he was an important character and why Rowland included him in this group. The depiction of anxiety was great in this book! It shows the feelings you go through when you have an anxiety attack and how you don’t know how to stop it from happening or how to end the attack.

The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the ending of this book. I did not see the twist coming towards the end and I absolutely LOVED the twist, but then the ending happened, and it was just like what?? I didn’t hear about a second book for this series, so if there is one, great! If not, what was that ending??!!