Thanks to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun! I absolutely enjoyed it. If you loved the Bull Moon Rising, then you will enjoy this next installment in the Royal Artifactual Guild. Dixon does such an amazing job of expanding on the lore she is creating. i also love that we get to see life and characters development from characters i already loved from the first book. I don’t know how she does it but ever couple Dixon introduced is my favorite until I read her next book. I really hope there will be a another book in this series.

Ruby Dixon does it again with another fun, sexy romp set in the world of Bull Moon Rising. The story starts six-ish months after the first one ends, following Gwenna as she tries yet again to become an artificer while also struggling with the fact that she is, in fact, somehow connected to the dead.

I really enjoyed this one, though maybe not quite as much as the first book. I enjoyed Gwenna and Raptor as our main characters, and I loved getting to see our favorites from book one again! (Kipp remains my absolute favorite, to no one's surprise.)

While I liked the first book more, this was absolutely a worthy follow-up and one I think fans will really enjoy!

It's impossible that Gwenna is a Necromancer. She's quietly working hard until she can apply to the guild again after last year's debacle. But why then can she hear the dead? She can hear the newly murdered man in the alley. She can hear the dead down below. But if anyone discovers she's a Necromancer her life is forfeit. It's illegal for anyone to have that kind of power, and certainly not someone they would let into the Royal Artifactual Guild.

As Gwenna focusing on becoming a fledgling with the guild for the second time, she's stuck with Raptor, a Taurian who is on a mission to figure out who is stealing from the guild. And Gwenna definitely is hiding something. She's Raptor's best lead, and the woman he can't keep his eyes off. As their attraction builds, so does the danger both Gwenna and Raptor are facing. Will they figure out in time they are the one they each need?

The second in Ruby Dixon's Royal Artifactual Guild series is as much fun as the first, and will keep the reader engaged, and coming back for more.

*Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this title. All thoughts are my own.*

This was a solid follow-up to “Bull Moon Rising.” I will admit to liking the first one a little bit more, but I didn’t dislike this one. Gwenna and Raptor were different enough from Hawk and Aspeth, as was the circumstances of their relationship. There was some feeling of repetitiveness, with them having to go through another year of training. But not enough for me to not enjoy this one.

It’ll be interesting to see if there’s a third installment, even if it’s not immediately obvious who the main characters will be. I like this universe quite a bit and wouldn’t mind another visit.

Necromancy? Forbidden. Ex-fling with a dangerously flirty Taurian? Complicated. Hearing the dead while trying to pass your magical internship exam? Just another Tuesday for Gwenna.

By the Horns is a spicy, high-stakes romp through a world of magical politics, forbidden powers, and one minotaur who refuses to be ghosted (literally or figuratively). Ruby Dixon blends heat, humor, and heart with fantasy flair—this sequel hits hard and horns first.

Short, sharp, and totally addictive.

3.5 stars. Readers should definitely start with Bull Moon Rising for the best experience-- there are a lot of reminders throughout the book re: world-building and the book 1 adventures, so readers don't have to worry about reading them back-to-back or remembering every detail, but readers jumping in at book 2 might feel at a disadvantage.

Only 3.5 stars from me, as this felt pretty same-y-- both to book 1 and, generally, to the author's Ice Planet Barbarians series. This is set apart from book 1 by having a more sexually-experienced heroine and jumping in to the physical intimacy within the first scene. Although the universe is expanded a little bit, this is an explicit romance with a side order of fantasy: not at all a problem, just manage expectations accordingly. I probably won't continue with this series, if any more books appear-- I dunno, maybe if I had a plane trip or something-- but I would definitely check out new stuff by the author farther down the line.

eARC from NetGalley.

By the Horns is an amazing sequel! Gwen’s goes on a rollercoaster of adventure with mythical and magical creatures who will delight you to no end!

I likes By the Horns better than Bull Moon Rising. Gwenna is a great character, and her conflict in the book is interesting and well done. The romance develops partially as a slow burn and it's a nice organic relationship.

Gwenna, is instantly relatable. She's a pragmatic, hard-working woman with simple aspirations and a strong sense of responsibility. Her desire to secure a position at the Royal Artifactual Guild and provide for her mother is a driving force, making her character instantly sympathetic. The added complication of her secret (and illegal) necromantic abilities throws a wrench into her plans, creating compelling internal conflict and raising the stakes considerably. Gwenna’s internal struggle – wanting a normal life while battling her extraordinary circumstances – is well-written and believable.
Enter Raptor, the big, flirty, and utterly charming Taurian. He's everything Gwenna doesn't need in her life but can't seem to resist. Dixon excels at writing compelling alien romances, and Raptor is no exception. His dedication to his mission, coupled with his genuine interest in Gwenna, creating a dynamic tension. The "one night stand turned suspicion-filled romance" trope is well-executed, with both characters having valid reasons for their distrust and attraction.
The plot itself is intriguing. The mystery surrounding the artifact thief adds a layer of suspense to the already complicated romance. The forbidden magic element is also well-integrated, adding depth to the world-building and raising the stakes for Gwenna dramatically.
By the Horns is a delightful blend of fantasy romance, mystery, and humor. Ruby Dixon delivers another entertaining read with compelling characters, a steamy romance, and a world filled with intriguing possibilities.

A perfect follow up to Bull Moon Rising. I cannot wait to get more books in the wonderfully interesting world. Although a little dark at times, the story had good pacing and I loved the relationship between the MCs.

After a one night encounter Raptor and Gwenna find themselves thrust together as part of the same five for fledgling training. What develops between them felt real and natural. As Raptor is searching for the woman he thought he needed while Gwenna was that woman all along.

Some little part of the outline felt a pinch forced or rushed. But overall it came together to make sense and flow well. I want to learn more about Kipp and his little lady friend! They better be in future stories!

A spicy return to the world of Bull Moon Rising, Ruby Dixon’s By the Horns is a fun read for anyone who enjoyed the first book. It has a bit of mystery, a bit of humor, and a bit of sex with a Taurian bull who’s always ready with a knot, but is a bit confused about the mate he is looking for. That’s actually the only confusion in this book. Taurians are supposed to have enhanced sense of smell…so how does he not identify Gwenna as the ‘sex worker’ who serviced him in the hospital? They were certainly close enough for him to get a good whiff.

This series is completely ridiculous, but it's also pretty fun. This is a (dependent) sequel to her first book in this series. It offers the story of Gwenna (who want to be admitted to the Royal Artifactual Guild) and Raptor (who is a qualified Tauran knocked back to investigate theft within the guild). The story veers between fantasy, mystery, and interspecies erotica. All in all, I found it very entertaining, though perhaps not quite as much so as the first book. I did appreciate the size inclusiveness, which I think more romance could use.

Book two in Ruby Dixon's Royal Artifactual Guild series continues where the first one left off, but this time focusing on Gwenna and Raptor. Full of forbidden love and deadly secrets, the attraction and banter between the two characters leaps off the page, as Dixon crafts two characters that instantly make the reader root for them. I hope there's a third in the series in the near future!

I’m not surprised this was a 5-star for me. It had a little more magic than the first book, and it was death magic at that, which always gets bonus points from me. The pacing is done pretty well and the tension between the characters is drawn out almost perfectly. I absolutely need more from this series ASAP. Thanks to NetGalley for ARC access!

Ruby Dixon never disappoints. This story about follows Gwenna, a former maid and servant, and a minotaur like Tauran named Raptor. *I love their meet cute, if you can call it that. It was hot. I loved the added mystery here where Raptor is undercover in the guild searching for a murderer. Loved it.

I loved this book. Ruby Dixon truly knows how to create a sizzling tension that keeps you hooked. Gwenna is this amazing, relatable character and Raptor, with his flirty, confident energy, adds so much heat to the story.The blend of magic, mystery, and simmering romance is perfect, and you feel every bit of their emotional tug-of-war. The world-building is rich, and the tension both romantic and suspenseful makes this book one you’ll devour. If you loved Bull Moon Rising, this one will have you gripped from start to finish.

Now that her best friend is settled, Gwenna returns to the guild once again to try to become a member and hopefully raise her station enough to support her own mother. One problem, an interaction with a magical device seems to have activated mancer powers in Gwenna - more specifically the ability to perceive ghosts - a power that could lead to her death. Another problem, Gwenna engages in some intimate activity with the Taurian Raptor while trying to distract herself from the dead man in the alley. When the two are joined in a training team, secrets all around make a case of mistaken identity even more precarious.

The world building in this series is interesting. It was good to see that Gwenna gets her own story. This won't make a lot of sense if you haven not read the first book in the series.

I love this series and the world. It's so interesting and I can't wait to read the next one. It was so good to check in on the characters from the first book.

i love you ruby dixon i loved bull moon rising i love by the horns i love this terrible hole you've thrown me in. im literally supporting minotaur romance at work. 10/10.

Tropes:
— monster romance
— human & minotaur
— curvy heroine
— knotting
— dual POV

This book reminded me of a Cinderella story—but the adult version, where instead of a prince we have a minotaur, and instead of a glass slipper, we get some spicy memories.

In this part, we learn what happened after the first book. The story is told from Gwenna and Raptor’s POVs. I won’t go into details to avoid spoiling either the first book or what’s to come in the second. But I will say this—this story is just as good as the tale of Sparrow and Hawk.

I wouldn’t recommend reading both books back-to-back or out of order—this one includes callbacks to the first, which is great if you need a refresher, but might spoil things if you haven’t read it yet.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.