Sarah Glenn Marsh was able to create a strong fantasy romance novel and was invested in what was going on with Griff and Mal and how their enemy to lover concept worked overall. I was engaged from the first page and was glad everything worked together and was hooked in this universe. I enjoyed the feel of this and how well the characters were used and worked together to tell this story. It was everything that I was hoping for and glad I got to read this.

When Mal makes a deal with the minions of the Shadow Queen to keep his friends safe, he must convince them to join him as he traverses a haunted swamp in search of a treasure that got one of their parents killed. Along the way these estranged friends must learn how to work together again, though they have all changed. And Mal and Griff grow closer than ever before.

Alys was really the star character here for me. She seemed to be the only one with a good head on her shoulders, and she played mommy and therapist for the boys for the majority of the book. She had the best character development out of all of them too. The boys were kind of all over the place playing “will they or wont they” be in a relationship and trust each other. Their romantic progression was a little too fast for me too (Mal goes from being a womanizer who doesn’t sleep with men to in love with his best friend and having sex with him after he almost dies twice).

The setting for the book was well done, though I would categorize it more as D&D inspired rather than LOTR (which was how I saw it marketed). There were plenty of orcs, wargs, wyverns, ghosts, treasure, and heroes to make up a campaign.

Overall I think the vibes were there but the story itself could use some work.

This book found me on Netgalley with a calling card on the cover in the form of words of praise by Sean Astin. As a LOTR fan that's all I needed to immediate pray for a copy. The spirits of the were absolutely on my side when I got approved for this ARC. And by the gods look at this COVER!! Stunning Thank you @netgalley and our beautiful author for this ARC copy!

"If the LOTR was gay" a MM, treasure hunt quest style, fantasy romance, friends to enemies to lovers, comfort decapitated heads (my fav), cozy and heavy, touch him and die, soft but grumpy, mental health and disability rep, queer normative, and some absolutely badass female characters. I was hooked from the very beginning and it definitely helps to be able to picture Aragon while reading.
The world building for this book was so immersive that I felt like I was in the story alongside the characters. I decided to read this while on my walking pad and it truly felt like I was treking the long hours at their sides. And when things started heating up I could barely keep my footing! Once it started there was no stopping these two! I don't know how they found the time since I don't think there is a moment of peace in this entire book. It's either emotional destruction from childhood traumas, trying to resolve past wrong doings or supernatural beings trying their best to kill a member of the travelling party. It keeps the adventure one of high stakes, with so much to lose. Some of the lines on this book touched my soul so deeply. It truly captured the way struggling with mental health feels, the heaviness of it even when surrounded by those you love. It was exactly what I needed to read.

On top of all the danger and adventure is a truly beautiful story of love and coming back together. There is something I find so moving about harsher male characters sharing their softer vulnerabilities, and both Griff and Mal and even Alys express themselves so beautifully. I adore them. My only regret is that I found such an incredible story, eight months before it enters the world, which means book two is even further away!

Our Rogue Fates is a love letter to fans of The Lord of the Rings, especially those who were rooting for Legolas and Aragorn or Sam and Frodo to get together.

Sadly this wasn't quite right for me, but I see how this might be exactly what someone else is looking for!

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a read on this.

I think there is a story here, I just don't think I am the reader for it. It's not the story itself but the way it is written.

The author chooses to write in this very passive tone that makes you loose interest, and also unable to really form a connection to the characters that each chapter is focused on. It's like someone telling you a story but like this "Oh, there is this guy, and maybe he is a good guy, maybe he is a bad guy. Anyway, he is a guy who used to be bad, but he's not bad anymore. But I guess you can say that he still has ties to bad people. And so, he used to have friends but he doesn't have friends anymore."

I couldn't deal with this type of writing. So, I gave up on it.

What a plot, my friends! What a plot!! It was so enjoyable watching these two's relationship unfold—from their past fight to now. I liked how the author brought them together in a way that didn't feel forced; the treasure hunt was exquisite and truly a celebration of The Lord of the Rings. I loved every second of their friendship throughout the journey. The plot was well-structured and enjoyable to follow.
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the eARC.