Happy Everyone!! I hope that you have been well. I have been very busy but was really excited to participate in this blog tour. I have been wanting to get back into audio-books and this was the perfect chance for that. I am so thankful to Second Sky Books for the chance to listen to this tantalizing tale of romance and magic.
Many of you that know me, know that I am a sucker for a good fantasy novel, pair that with a little romance and I am even better. I used to despise romance novels but now…as long as they don’t get too mushy, I enjoy them. Maybe it’s because I am getting older, who knows. Anyway, let’s take a look at the book shall we?
![Heir to Thorn and Flame: A totally addictive MM fantasy romance (Court of Broken Bonds Book 1) by [Ben Alderson]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ZhkiVRCIL.jpg)
Heir to Thorn and Flame
Author: Ben Alderson
Published: July 31st, 2023
Book Length: 484 Pages
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+
Married to a ruthless prince…
For years, Max had to serve and obey the vicious magical nobles. Now he is one of them.
When the heir to the throne attacks him, Max accidentally responds with a lethal burst of magic. Max is certain he will be executed. But his power is too rare and precious for that…
Instead, the king forces him to become the boy he killed, taking on the identity and duties of the heir. That includes an arranged marriage—to the dangerously attractive Prince Camron.
Living a lie, Max knows he can trust no one. Not Camron. And definitely not Simion, a handsome, dragon-riding spy sent to test his loyalty.
As a deadly struggle for power begins and desire sparks, Max must protect his secret and his heart at all costs.
Heir to Thorn and Flame is a passionate and page-turning fantasy romance that will have you reading late into the night. Featuring slow-burn, dark secrets, arranged marriage and found family, it is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elise Kova and C.S. Pacat.
Previously published as The Lost Mage, this expanded version begins a series that builds in heart-pounding tension and steam.
We all know that the first thing we have to take a look at is the cover and man the detail in this one is fantastic. I love the small elements in the gold that we can see such as a leaf and butterfly. The artist is Maria Arteta. You can find more of her work on Twitter: @marosar_art or Instagram: @marosar_art.
Now that we took a look at the cover, let’s learn a little about the author, Ben Alderson.
Ben Alderson is a #1 Amazon bestselling author. His stories are set in fantasy worlds filled with magic, adventure and MM romance. Ben lives in Oxfordshire and, when not writing, can be found reading, taking Winston – his Labrador – out for long walks, or obsessing over Marvel’s The Scarlet Witch.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Website, TikTok, Goodreads
Second Sky email signup: www.secondskybooks.com/ben-
Alright, now we are on to the book.
Ben Alderson’s queer fantasy romance novel Heir to Thorn and Flame follows a Max as he discovers his powers and becomes caught up in political intrigue that is outside the scope of his knowledge and experience. Prior to being attacked in the woods by the heir to the kingdom, Max is a servant to a vicious noble family. Max was attacked and discovers a hidden power, accidentally killing the heir. His lethal response persuades the king to name Max heir to the throne so he can exercise power not seen in the South for many years. It doesn’t take long before Max finds himself in an arranged marriage to Prince Camron and Max has no idea what forces are working against him.
I was given access to an audio-book version of this books via NetGalley. The narrator was alright but I will admit, the first few chapters made me want to put down the book. This was not due the narrator though, I feel they really put emotion and life into the story. It was just the first two chapters that felt…lacking. I am not sure, it just did not make me want to dive deeper etc. I was not falling in love with it. Yet, I pushed on and did find some semblance of joy in the characters but mostly the world overall is what I fell for.
I was really hoping for more fantasy but did feel it was a little more a coming of age or something along those lines. The fantasy aspects of the book were fantastic though! I loved the detailed word building and that is what kept pulling me back into the book. Well…that and the development of the characters throughout the story. This is truly a novel where you see growth in characters, I was so happy for this.
I will say that I was a little tired of Max at times. I would actually roll my eyes at certain parts of the book and my husband thought I was rolling my eyes at him once…oops! He just felt very immature in many scenarios. I do feel the romance happened very quickly but then again, some sections of the book felt rushed while others seemed to glide right thought the pages. I would have loved to see more depth there. I also don’t understand the political choice of marriage but then again, I am not one for politics. That is the part of fantasy novels that I don’t really get into. I did go into this expecting more fantasy with magic and mystical beings but there was way more hurt and betrayal than I expected. It felt as if every chapter there was something new that I might not have seen coming, a new betrayal or twist that made my gasp and go “Wait…whaaattt?”
The magick system was something refreshing though. It was described well and I really want to learn more. Introducing a new magical system is tricky and has many aspects that need to be done well but Alderson did fantastic!
All in all, this was a well written story. There were some slow paced moments that had me fidgety but others were filled with romance, passion, betrayal, magick, and death. Overall, I give this book 3 stars. It was a good read but I feel there is room for improvement too.
Does this sound like something you would read? Let me know in the comments below!
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