This book was such a fun surprise. Sebastian and Elethior’s chemistry is fantastic, and watching them go from rivals to lab partners to something more felt completely natural. While it leans heavier on the romance than the fantasy, the magic system and world still felt well thought out, and the family backstories added real depth.

It’s witty, emotional, and yes, very hot. I loved the genuine friendship between Sebastian and Orok almost as much as the romance. The blend of academic rivalry, magical research, and heartfelt vulnerability made this an easy five stars for me—and the epilogue even made me tear up.

Perfect for readers who want Dungeons & Dragons vibes mixed with The Love Hypothesis, plus a lot of heart.

I swear Sara Raasch can do no wrong, in my humble opinion!! She is SO creative and comes up with things that I’d never think of, but every single aspect is perfect for the story. I spent a lot of time laughing and smiling. I can’t decide if I love Seb or Thio more. I loved the animal familiars and I don’t want to say much because I don’t want to ruin it, but Nick is a star! I am SO EXCITED we already know when Orok’s book will be coming out!

This book was an absolute delight! I've been a big fan of Raasch's Royals and Romance series, and I'm happy to report that this series looks to be another fun one. I always love the humor, romance, & that sprinkling of heavy trauma somehow balanced in Raasch's books. It always makes the characters endearing and easy to root for. Our main character, Sebastian Walsh, is trying to graduate from his Masters with help from a prestigious grant that will help him complete valuable research. However, when the grant is awarded to both Sebastian, and his rival in the Conjuration department, Elethior Tourael, they must put aside differences to work together.
This was just a lot of fun. Sebastian & Elethior had great chemistry and were forced to be vulnerable quite a bit throughout the book. It made the development of their lab partnership to friendship to relationship really believable. This is definitely more romance than fantasy but it still managed to have some fun fantasy elements in the world & a decently fleshed out magic system. Plus, it was super hot & had an interesting background story regarding our main duo's families. The fact I actually teared up a bit during the epilogue convinced me this was 5 stars. Also, I loved the deep platonic friendship between Sebastian & Orok.
Plus, when I saw there was a sneak peak for the next book I was already so excited for it! I will definitely be picking up the next one too!

I ate this up in one sitting!!! My love for the Royals and Romance series made me immediately request this one on NetGalley. (AND it has a Ruhn Danaan lookalike on the cover??? Duh!) It did not disappoint! I do not know what Sara Raasch is pumping into these books, but they always hook me. Is this book a little ridiculous? Yes, it is ridiculous in all of the best ways. If we are being honest, no one is looking for a book about rivals wizards teaming up (academically AND romantically) that is not at least a little ridiculous! This spicy and sweet book has me on the edge of my seat for the next one in the series. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Okay yall this book!! Easy 5X. It's Dungeons and dragons meets Love Hypothesis. Rival wizards in a prank war realize they have to work together on a research grant proposal even though their magics are "at odds." One comes from a v complicated trauma background and uses it to be a fiesty, slutty menace while the other comes from money and a family they wish they weren't associated with. It's got laughs, some of the best MM friendship I've seen, trauma and healthy healing, collegiate setting and a good description/ understanding of academics (don't even get my started on their magic research it's so cool and actually makes sense!!), the stress of trying to be who someone else wants you to be and so much heart. Don't let the cover fool you, it looks like a light hearted fantasy romance but this one made me cry!!

Vibes:
Rivals to lover
MM romance
Collegiate setting and grad students
Magical study
Dungeons and Dragons components magic inspired
Banter
Mean to each other but they like it
MM friendship
PTSD and healing from trauma
Family dynamics

The Engagement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch is a fun, steamy romance featuring the enemies-to-lovers academic rivals trope. I loved the characters and had a great deal of fun reading this book. Raasch does an excellent job of handling tough topics such as mental health and anxiety while still creating a fun, light-hearted book. She has quickly become a favorite, and I eagerly await her next book!

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch
Narrator: Sam Stark
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 8/26

Thank you so much to Bramble Romance for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Seb’s a grad student in the Mageus of Evocation program who’s fighting for the Mageus Research Grant, money he desperately needs to finish his degree and start doing work that actually matters. Thio, on the other hand, is a half-elf Conjuration prodigy from a wealthy, war-profiteering family who doesn’t need the grant at all…and still might take it.

When the two are forced to work together, it’s not so much a friendly collaboration as a prank war with explosions. But as the days pass, Seb starts to realize there’s a lot more to Thio than the ridiculous biceps taking up their shared lab space.

I loved Raasch’s The Nightmare Before Kissmas, and this book is similar in many ways. The worldbuilding is rich, yet it's easy to get caught up in. The politics, magic systems, and history are all there without slowing the story down. The book also dives into heavier themes like grief, privilege, and the cost of war, but they’re woven in with care. And the found family vibes are absolutely top-tier.

Seb and Thio’s relationship is everything! Spiky and sarcastic at first, then slowly, beautifully soft. By the end, you’ll be rooting for them so hard!
I went back and forth between my physical copy and the audio, and I loved Stark’s narration! He brought this world and all the characters to life beautifully.

If you love magical academia, enemies who can’t stop falling for each other, and worlds you don’t want to leave, this is the book for you.

This author has quickly become a favorite. Their writing is amazing. Fun, spicy reads. This one did not disappoint. The characters are fun and believable and you really start to worry when they do. You laugh when they do and you start to care about them like they are your best friends. Wonderfullu written. Amazing characters. Awesome world building. Highly recommend.

I didn't think I'd like this as much as I did but it surprised me in the best ways. Building a fantasy world and system like this is hard but it felt effortless. I didn't feel lost with any of the magic, although I wish there was a little more magic and academia tbh. I loved all of the relationships, and the amount of animosity and rivalry between Sebastian and Thio felt right for their characters. Sometimes, it can feel forced, but this felt about right for me.
I also love Orok a Very Normal amount, and I can't wait for the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley & TOR Publishing Group, for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book SO much and honestly, no surprise, because Sara Raasch is already an auto-buy author for me. The Entanglement of Rival Wizards was everything I wanted it to be and more. The world was such a fun place to get lost in (not just because I also live in Philly), but because you really feel yourself growing alongside the characters. The magical backdrop was stunning, never overwhelming, and always enhancing the emotional beats of the story.

The romance had me hooked, equal parts swoony and chaotic, but what really stuck with me was the beautiful friendship between Sebastian and Orok. Their dynamic added so much heart, and I absolutely cannot wait for Orok’s story in book two!

This book was magic in every sense!!! Heartfelt, hilarious, gorgeously written, and brimming with characters that feel real. If you love banter, rival-to-lovers tension, and a fantasy academia setting that sparkles with originality, this one belongs at the very top of your TBR.

4.5/5

At first I wasn't sure of the science grad student portion of this story, but eventually it grew on me. Our two main characters definitely fell in lust first before they fell in love, but I felt that made it more realistic in the messiness of falling in love. There was way more than romance in this story, and it dived into some more serious themes. Sebastian and Thio's relationship was definitely rocky from the beginning as there was a lot of resentment and anger towards Thio's family and what they had done to Sebastian, as well as Thio's mother. The book also explored the Sebastian and Orok's codependent relationship as well as their collective PTSD from Camp Mereythel.

Because it had a more serious tone I couldn't quite give it the 5 stars that I gave to Raasch's other books, but the story did pull me in and I enjoyed the antics that the characters got up to, and of course our invisible friend Nick was a favourite.

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards is exactly what I wanted - fun and serious, fantastical and down to earth, romantic and sexy, all packaged into a fantasy-rich world of magical academia. Sebastian is a firecracker of a protagonist who spends the book breaking down the walls he’s built around his professional life, friendships, and romantic relationships. The pacing is solid, both in the overarching plot and in the relationship that grows between Sebastian and Elethior. I was already a fan of Sara Raasch (there’s no better title for a book than The Nightmare Before Kissmas) and now I’ll be anxiously awaiting every one of her books. It’s always exciting to find a gay romance author who never misses, and I’m thrilled this book was firing on all cylinders.

The Best Bits

The initial rivalry - it was fun and a great start for them
D&D if it was real life
The Ending - better than I could have hoped for

A Few of My Favorite Things

The Protagonist
I’m a huge fan of Sebastian. I love how easily Raasch dives into first person character voices - I felt like I knew Sebastian after only a few pages and didn’t want to put the book down. He’s complicated with a frustrating past and a fully planned future that’s also unsure. He’s resistant to any kind of change and Elethior is the definition of a change that breaks him down. We get to see every thought and feeling of Sebastian and by the end, I was rooting for him every step of the way. His relationship with Elethior is A+ but I was also drawn to his relationship with his best friend, Orok. They have a traumatic past but are always there for each other and have the cutest dynamic that only two extremely devoted friends could have.

The Relationship
I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers romance and it was done extremely well here. They start off so petty and it slowly melts into a very loving relationship. The research project ties the story from beginning to end, but it eventually takes a backseat to their scenes together, and I didn’t mind that approach. The emotions are often extremely high, and theirs is an all-in, 100% intensity kind of relationship. I loved everything about it.

The Steaminess
This is extremely steamy, even more so than The Nightmare Before Kissmas and its sequel, Go Luck Yourself. On a comparative scale, I’d rank the sex scenes up there with Tessa Bailey, marginally lower if only because of longer lead up time.

The World
I love a magical world and was fascinated by what Raasch created around her story. From magical universities to a form of magical football that puts you-know-what to shame, it all provided an interesting backdrop to the story. I most enjoyed how established everything felt. There wasn’t a lot of time spent explaining the various aspects, the pieces were just inserted without question, and it made the world feel very real in my opinion. In general, I just wanted more time spent in this world and I’m excited to see a sequel on the horizon.

The Entanglement of Rival Wizards is a clever, fast-paced fantasy with plenty of wit, intrigue, and magical duels. Sara Raasch delivers a story full of clever schemes, witty banter, and complex relationships that kept me invested from start to finish. The rivalry between the wizards is fun, tension-filled, and occasionally heartfelt, giving the narrative both humor and emotional weight.

The worldbuilding is imaginative, with magic rules that feel fresh and well thought out. A few plot threads were a bit predictable, but the characters’ personalities and the humor more than make up for it.

A charming, entertaining read for fans of magical duels and clever fantasy romance.

At this school of magic two feuding wizards find themselves forced to be science partners on their final project before college graduation. Both emotions and stakes are high for them. Sebastian is still reeling from trauma, and Thio is desperate to get away from his toxic family. Will the forced proximity bring them closer to the brink or closer to one another? This is a fun romp, very character driven, taking place in a world of magic and fae. It’s steamy and emotional though I will say it’s not my favorite of Sara’s work. I felt the plot felt a bit surface level compared to her other works.

I did however think that the relationship between Sebastian and Orok was very sweet, there aren’t many books that portray male friendships as being emotional and at times physical. But it felt very on the nose and a little too aware of itself at times. Familial troubles are touched on here and there with most of the characters from Orok and the pressures as a star athlete to Sebastian with his military family. Overall though the story is more about Sebastian and Thio’s relationship developing and how it effects Orok and Sebastians friendship. It also tackles the turbulence of what happens after college when work or careers take you away from your friends.

Fun and easy read for someone looking for something spicy to take the edge off.

Thank you Bramble Books for the digital ARC
Sincerely, Kristofer Parrott
Manager and Bookseller at Book Hounds

3.5 ⭐️

this is marketed as an lgbtq+ stem-esque paranormal rom com and it absolutely delivers on that promise! the enemies-to-lovers partnership is a really cute setup, and the general banter/quirkiness is a lot of fun. the side plots were enough to keep me engaged, and the romance is cute.

however, the latter half of the book is a bit spice-heavy; i love spice in romcoms, but when scenes start to over-saturate the narrative, i start to lose interest a bit.

despite that, this was still a really fun read, and im definitely down to give the second book a go!

**thank you to Tor/Bramble for the ARC copy**

I temporarily DNF'd Nightmare Before Kissmass, but this was SO up my alley that I had to give it a chance - and boy am I glad I did. Is it campy and ridiculous? Absolutely - and delightfully so!

These two brilliantly stupid boys had me kicking my feet and giggling as I tore through my ARC copy. Academic rivals-to-lovers in a very modern American university magic school with family drama all around and side characters I'm excited to get to know better in future books. I'll definitely be grabbing a physical copy because I plan to reread this one when book 2 comes out.

I had such a good time that I'm absolutely going to be picking up Kissmass again soon because I'm absolutely convinced it was just a wrong time for it thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC to review!

4.75/5

Academia but make it ✨magical✨
This was such a fun time! I loved everything about this book.
It's an urban fatasy MM romance set at a University. Sebastian and Elethior are rival wizards who are forced to work together for their grad paper.
We follow them through their journey of hating each other, working together as lab partners and slowly becoming more.
I loved how funny and silly it was, while still having depth and dealing with more serious topics. I did not expect to cry but Inshed a few tears when they started to open up about their past.
I highly recommend if you're looking for a fun read, if you like academia and magic and also a lot of spice.

I loved this book! Once I settled into the fantastical world-building of magicians in graduate school and understood the rivalry between Sebastian and Elethior, I was locked in. I highly recommend this book. Sara Raasch is an excellent writer and story- and character-builder. Love her work. I will write a full review soon.

What I really love about this one is the character growth our I'm individual main and support characters went through! While the romance plot was just okay for me, I really loved and was surprised by the deep friendship and how everyone process intense growth. I wasn't expecting this kind of depth and was pleasantly surprised!

Raasch does it again! Making me giggle and tear up within the same sentence. Giving me so much tension that I can't put it down.
I loved this world. Modern day US but with DnD races, classes, spells and gods? I didn't know I needed it until she gave it to me.
I was also so impressed with her well thought out, surprisingly scientific (if you can use that word to describe spellwork?) take on DnD spells and components. This sweet, sexy, hilarious and emotional romcom is perfect for literally anyone. Love love? Great, read this. Need a delightful pallet cleanser? Here you go. Are you a DnD player? You'll love this.
I will read Raasch's grocery list at this point. She's got me in a chokehold.