This one definitely took me a while to get into, but I have built up enough trust in Sara Raasch at this point to know that I’d end up really enjoying it.

Ahhh I loved this so much!! I am loving all of the D&D-esque books that are coming out this year. My nerdy heart is obsessed!! 10/10 would recommend!!

I'm often a little bit hesitant about an enemies to lovers read, but Sarah Raasch does them so VERY well, and this story was no exception.

A heated academic rivalry + complicated family dynamics + an amazing best friend supporting character = a wonderful story full of heart and heat.

I loved seeing Sebastian growing emotionally throughout the story. He and his best friend Orok have been through some stuff and they always have each other's backs in the best way. I would love to see another book where we get to see things from Thio's point of view too. Invisible familiar Nick was a really fun touch as well. The way to a man's heart is by loving on his familiar.

Thank you @brambleromance for the gifted ARC and @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC!

Sebastian and Elethior are academic antagonists specializing in opposing styles of magical practice. They both end up receiving a doctoral research grant that forces them to combine their research and their methodologies. When these rivals start to fall for each other, they have to decide whether to let go of past wrongs or their chances at a future together.

I loved the characters in this one! I loved Thio's straight-laced exterior and Seb's sass. But my favorite was Orok. I hope the next book in this series is his!

In typical Raasch style, this was funny and cute, filled with banter, tension, and spice. However, the themes/stakes in this one were pretty high for what I expected to be a cozy fantasy romance. Lots of severe trauma and an exploration of how PTSD can prevent someone from opening up to love. I didn't mind it, but readers going into this expecting cozy low stakes should be aware!

Overall I thought the connection between these two lead characters was fantastic and I was rooting for them through all the trauma. It was a fun and enjoyable story!

3.5 stars. Sara Raasch's THE ENTANGLEMENT OF RIVAL WIZARDS is an angsty MM romance between two grad students at the magical Lesiara University in Philadelphia. Sebastian and Elethior are academic rivals studying evocation and conjuration as a part of their Mageus programs. The two are forced to collaborate on a grant study that will combine their magical departments and also force them to be in close proximity to one another. Sebastian is in the evocation program - he's a hot, angry, blonde Clark Kent with a butt load of trauma. Elethior is in the conjuration program - he's giving major Ruhn Danaan vibes, is a momma's boy and comes from a problematic military family that was responsible for Sebastian's hellish former years at Camp Merethyl. What starts off as a tense and problematic pairing becomes something much hornier (and adorable). This book is basically giving the same vibes as an Ali Hazelwood STEM story, but gayer...and with magic! I loved watching Seb and Thio go from bickering to blow jobs and then eventually a deeper connection.

There's something profoundly sexy about finding out that the guy you've been hating has actually secretly liked you and that deep down you've actually felt the same. (Bites fist). These two bond over their traumas, their messed up families, their studies and their mutual attraction for each other's hot bods. My fave parts were admittedly the spicy scenes and let's just say these two "hate f**k each other's throats" like their lives depend on it - whether it's in the back of a car, on a kitchen counter or just about anywhere else. But beyond the hormones, these two are really there for each other in their times of need and help each other to heal and become better people. For those that love a HEA, you will be pleased. I equally loved Sebastian's brotherly best friend Orok and their unshakable platonic bond that felt more important than any romantic relationship Seb could've found. The sweetness, honesty and understanding that those two have is so commendable and I'm pleased to know that Book 2 will revolve around Orok because he really he is a G.

Although this is technically an adult/new adult mm romance, it feels very YA to me (with the exception of the spice). Those boys are guzzling fluids left and right, so definitely not YA, BUT there just seems to be a tonal schism between the magical lab stuff, the trauma stuff, and the spicy stuff. We go from zero to sixty real fast and it's hard to not find that rushed rivals to lovers trajectory a bit cringy or forced. The contrast from "omg I just kissed him" sweetness to buckets of c*m scenes is...QUICK and sometimes a tad silly the way Raasch writes these two. Don't even get me started on the absolute cheesiness of the final chapter. There's an underwhelming third act conflict that feels unnecessary and I had NO interest in any of the grant study stuff. Like, I would've been completely fine without it, even though that's the main point of them coming together in the first place. Either way, these two guys come together...A LOT. But what's more important is that Sebastian learned that you're not too broken to accept good things into your life. We could all learn a thing or two from that lesson.

Special thanks to Bramble and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rich worldbuilding in an urban fantasy setting inspired by D&D? Check. Rivals to lovers because they were never really enemies but they still have a healthy hate-love fire? Check. Academic competition, trauma, and healing? Check.

What more do you need? Well… I sure did not mind the classy spice sprinkled throughout. The vulnerable emotional moments for our characters. The catharsis of their coming together. And the way with words. Just lovely.

This is a combo of new adult-aged characters, forced proximity due to grad school project requirements, lots of hot sex, and majorly traumatic back stories. Sebastian and Elethior study different disciplines of magic, and they've been engaged in a prank war for ages. Now they have to work together ... and maybe Elethior hasn't been as much of an active participant in the prank war as Sebastian thought... In addition to the prank war stuff, Sebastian hates Thio, mostly because his family is rich and powerful while Seb's family hasn't been supportive of his own academic ambitions or, frankly, of his lived experiences. There's also the matter of Seb's past trauma, which is tied to Thio's family business.

The book is written in first person present tense from Sebastian's sole POV. I can often be a bit frustrated when reading these romances, because I get annoyed with the POV character for not catching on that their romantic partner is, y'know, into them. But in this case, since Sebastian is so prejudiced against Thio, he's pretty blind to the way Thio feels about him. (Also, Thio can be kind of a dick, so I get it.)

All in all, I liked it!

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

She’s done it again! I thoroughly enjoyed her Royals and Rkmance series and this new series is just as good and I binged the heck out of it! The enemies to lovers with college magical pranks was so fun. I liked this magical system but would have liked a little more in the two types they talked about. We get a lot of Sebastian’s envocation magic but not much on the conjuration side. Regardless our MMC’s relationship was well developed and thought out. I loved that we get them working and communicating through their hard times and not just oops miscommunication let’s break up (they don’t!). I really loved how it shows a male/male friendship that isn’t siblings that includes hugging, talking about feelings, and saying I love you. We need more of that in this world!

This book has everything from navigating family dynamics and mysteries, relationships, enemies having to work together, fun pets/magical enhancement creatures and finding your own strength. Cannot wait for Orok’s book!!

Thank you to Bramble for a review copy of this book.

The blurb is bright and happy but there’s an extremely serious side plot for Sebastian (past and present) that is hinted at until it comes to light. The two of them worked through things at a good pace for how much they disliked each other at the start. I really enjoyed this one.

This book is an excellent romantasy with explorations of sensitive topics such as codependency, child abuse, and consent, conducted with the respect due to such subjects. Raasch promises a steamy, swoon-worthy romance and she delivers.

This book was an absolute delight to read and helped pull me out of my slump. I snort laughed, and kicked my feet the entire time I was reading and I may have even cried a little. The banter between Sebastian and Elethior is top notch and there are some really spicy moments as well. I also loved the dynamics of their relationship.

I didn’t just read this—I inhaled it. From the very first page, I was completely swept up in Sebastian’s voice: sharp, stubborn, and so heartbreakingly earnest. I love this author’s ability to balance snark with softness, and this book hit that sweet spot perfectly. I laughed, I swooned, I muttered “oh no” under my breath more times than I care to admit. I didn’t expect to fall so hard for Thio. I mean, he starts off as a pretentious half-elf with a superiority complex and suspiciously perfect biceps—but the way his layers peeled back? I was gone. I got lost in this world. The magic system was clever, the academic rivalry delicious, and the familiar? I want one.

If you’re looking for a fun book with awesome banter, check this one out.

This author can do NO WRONG. Perfect amount of smut, amazing world building and lovable characters. I’m already anticipating the 2026 release in this series!

Hurt and comfort, hella consent and really adorable romance. I ate up every word of this. The audiobook is also super well done! The pacing was amazing and the length was perfect ( although I could see myself eating up a thousand pages of this )

I can’t wait to force this recommendation on my book club and my friends. Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this!

A well done fast paced romance with a great emotional depth. This enemy's to lovers story has great character development and deals with communication issues in a real way (which is very satisfying to see in a romance book). Dialogue can be a little cheese at time but is not over done and the romance between Sebastian and Thio sweet. I also really liked the friendship between Sebastian and Orok and their love for each other which is platonic but just as sweet as the main romance. The world building is well done without any big plot dumping expositions. Would recommend this title for people looking for romance with a little fantasy sprinkled and characters that grow.

Fantastic, give us anything Raasch has ever written and we will read it up and ask for more. Loved our dorky boys, the idiots in love, the bros for life, and of course, Nick the invisible fox.

This is my third book from Sara Raasch and I’ve loved every one. She’s so good at distracting me with the characters banter and chemistry that I forget the emotional ambush is waiting around the corner. And Sebastian and Elethior’s story might be the most emotional so far. I may not have fully understood the magic, but it didn’t matter in the end. The story balances the deeper themes with tons of banter and jokes. Plus, there is so much love in this story- romantic and platonic. I am so excited that the next book has already been announced, I need Orok to have all the good things.

If you are a fan of STEM Romance novels and Fantasy set at Wizarding Schools then The Entanglement of Rival Wizards, that merges the two should be a delight. This is the first in the Magic and Romance Series. The story follows two wizards, a human-Sebastian and a half-elf Thio. Sebastian has trained in Evocation magic which creates new objects from spell components. Thio on the other hand does Conjuration magic which brings forth already existing objects. Both think their brand of magic is superior so are displeased when the Mageus Research Grant is announced as not going to one of them but both of them to work on a joint project.

Although not as whimsical as Raasch previous adult series there is still humor derived from both the academic field and magic world (I loved the fun little between chapter announcements about magic chaos going on around the campus like an escaped basilisk on magical creature adoption day). The rivals to lover romance between Sebastian and Thio is steamy, but what I really enjoyed is how they helped each other work through previous traumas; love can't heal all but a loving partner can help you navigate healing.

Also notable is the strong friendship between Sebastian and his best friend Orok and how they negotiate supporting each other without fostering a level of codependency that would stop their own personal growth. I'm already looking forward to the next novel in the series which follows Orok's love story and merges sports romance with fantasy.

Sara Raasch is quickly becoming a go-to author for me, and The Entanglement of Rival Wizards might be my favorite. I enjoyed the university setting and the rivals research project. The way each character’s inner turmoil and motivations were revealed was well done.

Enemies to lovers, set in a magical academic environment? Yes please! Both characters are endearingly earnest and sometimes get in their own way due to their stubbornness, so when they clash there are big emotions. The scenes of family drama pulled on my heartstrings and helped the story move along without being disruptive. Fully enjoyable read with delightful heat.

I've been thoroughly enjoying Raasch's romance books that have been coming out, but this is a new favorite! It was cute and silly, with just the right amount of spice for me. I was really charmed by the grad school setting.