***Thank you to She Writes Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I was immediately hooked by the premise of The Lavender Blade. A pair of con artist exorcists fleecing the rich by pretending to purge their homes of demons all while falling in love? That sounds like a book written for me. Unfortunately, the story wasn’t executed to its full potential at all, and many elements felt half-baked.

I’ll start off with what I really loved about The Lavender Blade. Besides its premise, the characters were by far the best thing about this book. Their dynamic as they grew their business was fun to read, and I loved getting to experience their relationship blossom. They were from very different worlds despite living in the same city, and I liked getting to see them react to how the other side lived. Colton’s undying devotion for Lucian, even in the face of so much danger, was really sweet and admirable, while also being really, really stupid. lol. Lucian’s family drama was intense at times, and I felt bad that his father just couldn’t accept him for who he was. All that to say, I really like the main characters of this book. 🙂

Unfortunately, the writing in The Lavender Blade just wasn’t for me. Transitions between scenes sometimes felt confusing. Furthermore, the writing tended to flip between third and first person on a whim, which I found really annoying. It was almost as if certain parts were meant to be asides written from inside the character’s head, but there was nothing other than the weird flipping in POV to mark the distinction. Finally, the dialogue often made me cringe and just felt so unnatural at times.

I also really wanted more from the thematic content and world-building in The Lavender Blade. The setup of the society was really bare bones. The rich and poor were divided in different parts of the city by walls and guards. Why? How did that dynamic develop, and how was it maintained? The religions and history of exorcists in society also weren’t defined very well despite being a central piece of Colton’s identity. I was just left with so many questions and wished the story had done a bit more with the themes, especially in regards to class.

I did really like the outline of the story in The Lavender Blade, though. The exorcism sham was fun to explore and just felt like cozy fun. The possession aspect was really interesting, too. The two halves of the story just didn’t fit together as well as I’d have liked. After the possession, things abruptly switched from cozy to horrifying with a lot of violence, abuse, and some sexual assault. I think the latter part of the story spent a little too much time on the horrors of possession and not enough on them planning and trying things to reverse it.

Overall, The Lavender Blade ended up being a great premise that could’ve used a bit more work. The characters were lovely, and the plot was entertaining. However, the writing and world-building left something to be desired, and the two halves of the story just felt too different to be cohesive. Therefore, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Exorcisms and romantasy..... Who would have thought? I loved the banter between the two main characters I just wanted.....more? Over all I enjoyed the read and had a good time.

I don’t tend to read a lot of romantasy so was a little nervous going into this one, but I had a great time! I appreciated the queer representation in the book, and the author’s sense of humour really shone through.

The Lavender Blade has a wonderful premise, two conmen Colton and Lucian team up as exorcists in a culture that is very religious and rigid. Along the way Lucian becomes possessed and Colton must try and remember what his exorcist mother taught him as a kid.
I really enjoyed the concept and I liked the banter between Colton and Lucian. They had a fantastic dynamic and chemistry. That being said, I wish that we saw more of that relationship grow, instead there's a large amount of time skips. Similarly, we are told they perform many exorcisms and I deeply wish that we had more of them networking and working together. It made it feel like we were rushing towards the demon possession, cutting down on the chances the reader has to connect to the characters.
That being said this is a debut novel - it's a decent read, there was just some elements that were missing that could have made flow better and give the chance to connect emotionally.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the Arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Definitely did not have Exorcism, sexual identity, authoritarian leaders and LGBTQIA thriller love story on my suggest reads list, and that is what makes Net Galley so wonderful. Exposure to the works of authors one may not otherwise pick up. Not sure I'm the audience for this book, but glad I had the chance to read it.

The plot is intriguing, and the characters are well-developed. However, the second half of the novel is significantly weaker compared to the beauty found in the first half. I appreciate the inclusion of queer characters and occult elements, but I believe the novel would be much stronger if the quality of writing were consistent throughout.

Queer con men? Demonic possession? A desperate race to save the love of your life with real magic? Yeah, I knew this book was going to be exactly my kind of chaos.

Overall I enjoyed the story though this book felt very much like it needed a few more passes of editing as we the reader were told instead of shown a LOT in this book. Between that and the erratic time skips there were times where I felt pulled out of the story and disconnected from the characters.

Still a decent read though!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this review.

This one is tough to review because there were several occasions when I felt disconnected from the story and considered not finishing it. The premise caught my attention, and right now, romantasy is very popular. Combining romantasy with queer romance usually excites me, but this book fell flat. I feel guilty saying that, as I really wanted to like it. The pacing was slow, and the characters lacked chemistry. I believe it needed a few more edits, and possibly even a shorter length, to truly become an incredible book.

This is another example of why I wish Goodreads had .5 stars. Because 3 stars is too low for me for this book and 4 feels too high. 3.5 stars.

A big reason it's not a solid 4 stars? The pace/page length. It's over 300 pages so it isn't a short book. However very often the way things were worded or happened, it read at times like it was almost rushing things along. We're told that things happened or outright that we/the mc have no idea what happened here or there. Other times things get very glossed over. I would have liked to have seen those things happen. However had that been the way the writing went I feel like this could have very quickly gone over 400 pages which I know is too long for a lot of people if the book isn't exceptional. So it was a hard thing to balance, wanting more and yet knowing there really shouldn't be more. There was definitely filler I would have traded for some more information on other things. Overall the first half of the book was fantastic, the second half was good.

The characters were a fun ride, the romance was as well even if the pacing for that was a bit all over. The possession aspect of the book was fun. There was a dark vibe to some of it that at times was a little iffy.

Overall I enjoyed the book enough that I will be adding it to my shelf however, I went into this after the blurb and with the way the book began expecting to LOVE this book and was a little sad that I wasn't immediately adding it to favorites.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was completely blown away by E.L. Deards’s writing style in The Lavender Blade. The prose strikes a perfect blend of witty, atmospheric, and emotionally sharp—it felt like watching a steampunk noir play unfold on the page.

I loved how clever humor and emotional stakes coexist: early scenes of faux‑exorcisms made me laugh out loud, while later chapters had me holding my breath at the darker, suspenseful moments. Colton and Lucian’s voices shine through individually, their banter crisp and authentic—and their slow-burn romance had me rooting for them the entire time.

Deards handles world‑building seamlessly—it feels rich and tactile without ever slowing the story down. The steampunk setting, the factions of Silvermoor, the creeping dread when Lucian is truly possessed… all of it is vividly rendered, grounded in character emotion, and balanced by real heart.

The writing is smart, layered, and inclusive in a way that feels effortless. Lucian’s identity, Colton’s journey, and even the side characters (shoutout to Marbles the pig!) all resonate authentically. It’s clear Deards has crafted something more than just paranormal romance—it’s a story about trust, identity, and sacrifice.

Overall, a stunning debut delivering both wit and depth. I’m already eager for what comes next.

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

Firstly, if you, like me, started reading, met Marbles and went "oh no" and rushed to look at reviews, don't worry. Marbles does survive the entire book!!!
Colton and Lucian immediately wedged their way into my heart and stayed their. Their banter and bond is something I love in media and books, similar to Charles and Edwin in Dead Boy Detectives. I loved seeing them bring out the best in each other while performing their silly little routines, I just adored each scene more and more. I do wish we got more of those scenes, and more detail as well. It was a lot of telling and not showing, which wasn't totally bad but at the least more detail would've been lovely.

Now, the second part. I had initially thought I was ready for it, I've seen Supernatural, The Summer Hikaru Died, Jennifer's Body, and read worse, but I was completely wrong. It was hard to read despite knowing it was all fiction. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but in the end, what got me was the end of it all. <spoiler>When Lucian had given up hope while still possessed, but then also when they ha finally defeated Lucere but Colton couldn't bring himself to trust that he was well and truly gone. Although these are all fictional characters, it destroyed me. While I can appreciate the realism of Colton's trauma not allowing him to trust Lucere was gone, I couldn't help but wish authenticity was disregarded so they could finally be happy. </spoiler> It was brutal, reading Lucere and what he was doing in Lucian's body, and I do feel as if a bit more of a warning on this front as the only way I was slightly prepared was because of reviews.

I truly adored the beginning of this book, and Lucian and Colton are easily two characters that I'll remember for a while. Even though the second half was a bit rough for me personally, the first half almost made it worth it.

I so badly wanted to love this. It started off so strong , with really likeable characters and fairly interesting world building but the last third really fell off for me :( , mei and marbles made the book imo

The premise of this book drew me in but unfortunately I struggled with it. I really enjoyed aspects of the world building and glimpses into the society we got. I liked Colton's connection to exorcisms but I felt like his lineage and the demon mythology could have been explored more.

I struggled with Colton and Luician's relationship, I enjoyed aspects of it but I had a hard to connecting to it.

There is also a rape scene in this book that really came out of nowhere, it is mostly just a mention, not detailed at all but something to note.

This book showed considerable promise, though ultimately, it didn't quite resonate with me. Several themes felt underdeveloped or awkwardly handled, which detracted from the overall experience. While the characters possessed a certain charm, I wasn't able to establish a deep or meaningful connection with them and their romantic storyline, in particular, felt rather rushed and ultimately unsatisfying.

I picked this one up as a NetGalley ARC because, honestly, magical kingdoms and a gay prince? Yes please. The concept immediately grabbed me—and while there were parts I really enjoyed, it didn’t fully live up to its promise.

Lucian, our adorably goofy prince, and Colton, his rock-solid protector, had the foundation for a swoony connection, but I kept wishing we got more of their relationship beyond flirty banter. The pacing was inconsistent too—some parts dragged, others felt rushed—and the world left me scratching my head. Is it Victorian? Futuristic? Both?

Still, there were fun elements. Marbles the pig deserves more page time (truly a scene-stealer), and I’m still thinking about the whole mechanical heart situation. (How?!)

This one’s for readers who enjoy LGBTQ+ fantasy with a touch of whimsy and aren’t too bothered by world-building that raises more questions than answers. I just wish the story had kept its early tone and deepened the emotional beats.

I’m really thankful I didn’t read the blurb before reading this book because it’s super spoilery and I’m not really sure why it goes into that level of detail. Doesn’t do the book any favors because of that. But since I didn’t get spoiled (by the time I get around to a book, I have no idea what blurb got me interested in the first place), I was able to enjoy the tension organically and make my own (incorrect) predictions about the plot. I also suspended reality while reading, which always helps. It was fun sitting at the edge of my seat (or bathtub, as it were) for the last half of the book. I get why people who were spoiled might rate The Lavender Blade lower but it’s 4.25 stars for me! I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This one had me immediately. Fake exorcists? Queer romance? Actual demons? Yes please. Colton and Lucian run scams pretending to cast out spirits, until Lucian ends up really possessed and things get dark—like body horror, desperate magic, break-every-rule-to-save-him dark.

What I loved was how messy and intense their relationship is, and how much heart it has under all the danger. Colton has to step up and learn real magic to save the man he loves, and the stakes are way bigger than just one soul.

Creepy, romantic, fast-paced, and genuinely emotional. Perfect for fans of supernatural thrillers with teeth. Comes out July 8th!!

I have a lot of feelings about this one and this might be a jumbly review.
1. A Vague overview of plot because something could be considered spoilers:
Colton was raised by his mother to be an exorcist. She always said it was in their blood. After her passing Colton keeps it up except he's never come across an actual demon. He puts on a good show for the people who believe and makes a decent living in the poorest district (The Iron District) Lucian is from the most prominent family in the Ivory District (aka the rich district) but he's been disowned by his father so he's on a mission to get back into his good graces. He comes to Colton after he sees him perform an exorcist on a patron in a bar with the proposition of becoming partners and taking clients from the Ivory district. This means so much more money than Colton can even contemplate. And this works out great for Colton because Lucian also doesn't believe in demons. Lucian hooks him up with some nice clothes and a permanent pass into the district and they start their journey to swindle the superstitious out of their money. Lucian is all about a good show so the two work well together.

2. I loved the first 60ish percent. I do wish maybe some of the mentions of their bonding or exorcist jobs were described more but there seemed to be a lot of "and after time this happened." It showed time passing which helped me get on board with how they were becoming close. But it also seemed to skip a lot of things that could have been exciting. I'm assuming it was done this way to cut back on the length. There is a specific point of the book where it feels like you're reading a completely different book. It's a sharp turn into this extremely dark situation. This point happens somewhere between 50% and 60%. It's when the possession actually happens. I wish maybe the whole book was a slow burn of the two having feelings for each other and then it ends in a way where the next installment was getting rid of the possession. OR if the possession part wasn't as drawn out. There's literally a point where you're like "oh it's been solved good now everyone can be happy again" but that's not the case and I really don't think that "haha gotcha!" was needed. It made it even harder to believe that Colton could ever get over what happened.

3. I sometimes felt the dialog of Lucian and his sister, Odessa, felt over the top and forced. Like a overdramatic Victorian Era "oh my good sir, lovely day" but also it was a contrast to Colton and Mai's way of speaking which was very good for keeping the reader remembering these people came from very different areas. Another thing I picked up on was the number of times pet names were used. It was excessive and thanks to SJM I seem to clock repetitive word usage real easy now.

4. The world building felt like enough for me. It was very steampunk, I quite enjoy the steampunk vibes. Class system based on wealth so no need for too much more there. I didn't need or want more in-depth explanation of the exorcism things. We were given the basics and maybe because I consume other things that have that religious magic it's easy for me to infer what the author is going for. (Some of the demonic possession and exorcism things made me think of that plot line in Supernatural when Bobby gets possessed)

5. I was not prepared for the emotional and physical abuse Colton would go through when Lucian becomes possessed. There's on page rape and while it isn't descriptive it was still hard for me to stomach. It was really really hard to read sometimes. The possession wasn't this sugar coated romanticized version. It was very much what I'd assume an actual demon would do to the people his host loves. BUT the demon made some choices that didn't seem to align with what you'd come to expect from him. I've gone back and forth with thinking maybe it actually works because you do learn the demon's origins so then maybe those inaccuracies do make sense.

In the rating system I use it got a 3.5 but it's not a "round up to 4" 3.5. I would very much read more from this author. I think they have the potential to write something that becomes a favorite. It's just some writing and pacing things that held me back from a higher rating.
Specifics of those things:
-repetitive word usage
-too much glossing over things that would make the reader more bonded to characters
-drug out ending
-way too much of a jarring change of tone at the 50-60% mark

I received this book for free from Books Forward in exchange for my honest review. Thanks, Books Forward and E.L. Deards for the ARC!

Flashy con men exorcists end up having to deal with a real demon! The concept of this book was intriguing to me, as I love depictions of spirituality and demon hunting (real or fake). For about half of the book, we got some great depictions of these antics and the budding romance between our two main characters, Colton and Lucian. There were sprinkles of a domestic romance between the demon slaying, which I appreciated. While I wouldn't consider the relationship in the story a slow burn, I liked the pacing of it and felt that it was introduced well. Though I did enjoy the book overall, I did have some gripes.

I would have loved for more world building and exploration of exorcists/exocisms in this story. With some of the world building that was done, it was hard to place exactly what time period things were set in. I know the fantasy genre doesn't technically have to be set in olden times, but my brain immediately defaulted to a steampunky/industrial age type thing. There were some descriptions of things you'd see in old timey Europe, and then there would be more advanced technology depending on the setting. This leads to my next and final gripe, which was that some of the modern language and phrases that were used really threw me off. It just felt out of place.

As I stated earlier, I did enjoy the book overall. If you enjoy paranormal fantasies with lovely endings, I'd say give this a shot!

I had pretty mixed feelings about this book, but I think that’s mainly because the comps set me up for a story that didn’t really remind me of them at all. It was compared to The Last Binding and The Locked Tomb books, but it didn’t really give me the vibes of either. But because of them, I think I went into this expecting something different than what was delivered.

My favourite part was definitely Colton - he’s a charmer and I loved the progression of his character from a theatrical type to someone with real emotional depth.

However, I will say that the first chapter was quite heavy info-dump wise for something not positioned as high fantasy, and the tone/language felt quite confused. The setting and timing didn’t seem to really match the kind of vocabulary of the storytelling.

If you’re here for characters, I recommend jumping in without those comps in your head, but if you’re like me and find getting your head around magical settings and systems takes you out of a story, this might not be the one for you,