Swordcrossed by Freya Marske Review

Title: Swordcrossed

Author: Freya Marske

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Pan MacMillan / Tor

Pages: 384

Release Date: 10 October 2024

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Hello fellow booklovers! Today I’m sharing my review of Swordcrossed by Freya Marske. A low stakes and sizzlingly romantic, Bridgerton meets The Bodyguard (by way of Georgette Heyer) fantasy of manners. Which follows a dutiful heir and the charming, con-man-turned-swordsman he hires to serve as best man at his arranged wedding.

Synopsis

 Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel . . .

Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at the ceremony could destroy all hope of restoring his family's wealth, something that Matti has been trying - and failing - to do for the past ten years. What he can afford, unfortunately, is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere.

Luca, for his part, is trying to reinvent himself in a new city. All he wants to do is make some easy money and try to forget the crime he committed in his home town. He didn't plan on being blackmailed into giving sword lessons to a chronically responsible - and inconveniently handsome - wool merchant like Matti.

However, neither Matti's business troubles nor Luca himself are quite what - or who - they seem. As the days to Matti's wedding count down, the two of them become entangled in the intrigue and sabotage that have brought Matti's house to the brink of ruin. And when Luca's secrets threaten to drive a blade through their growing alliance, both Matti and Luca will have to answer the question: how many lies are you prepared to strip away when the truth could mean losing everything you want?

Review

As a huge fan of The Last Binding series, Swordcrossed has been on my list of most anticipated reads since Freya Marske shared the premise at an online Q&A last year. And having finally read it, I can confirm it’s just as fun, steamy and dazzlingly cosy as I hoped it would be.

Marske’s prose was once again vividly detailed and dripping with intrigue, yet it was her heartfelt, character driven narrative (and a certain playfully witty, cinnamon roll MC) that really made this a standout read for me.

Our first POV character, Matti, was such a kindhearted (though anxious) protagonist. But his willingness to put everyone else first, even at the expense of his own happiness (or comfort) was soo incredibly endearing. Plus his interactions with the roguishly charming, Luca (our second POV character) were deliciously swoon-worthy and gave Robin and Edwin (from The Last Binding) some pretty strong competition in the slow burn relationship stakes.

Luca, in all his Labrador-esque (and cinnamon roll) glory, completely stole my heart with all his antics. His laissez faire demeanour and outlook on life contrasted so well with Matti’s self imposed reticence (which we see Luca slowly dismantle) but also served to hide some of his own insecurities (primarily his struggle with Dyscalculia.)

I really liked that Marske explored both neurodiversity and mental health in her protagonists; adding a layer of depth and dimension to Matti and Luca’s experiences that only made me love them more.

The inclusion also highlighted just how necessary representation is in raising awareness, amplifying voices and combating stigma surrounding neurodivergence, and the effects that a lack of support can have on people’s mental health. The LGBTQ+ rep was phenomenal as well and just one of many reasons Marske has quickly become one of my favourite authors.

I don’t want to say too much else for fear of spoiling the plot, but the supporting cast (including Matti’s sister, Maya and his betrothed, Sophia) were wonderfully well written too. I’m not sure if this is standalone or not, but I really hope we get the chance to see more of them as they were both soo delightfully entertaining.

The pacing was a bit slower than anticipated, but did made up for it with its witty banter and engaging characters. Definitely a worthwhile read for slow burn, historical romance lovers or fans of Freya Marske’s previous books.

Also a huge thank you to BookBreak/Tor UK for the proof

 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

About The Author 

Freya Marske lives in Australia, where she is yet to be killed by any form of wildlife. She writes stories full of magic, blood, and as much kissing as she can get away with. Her hobbies include figure skating and discovering new art galleries, and she is on a quest to try all the gin in the world.

Her debut novel, the queer historical fantasy A MARVELLOUS LIGHT, was an international bestseller and won the Romantic Novel Award for Fantasy. It kicked off the Last Binding trilogy, which was nominated for a Hugo Award for Best Series. Her next book, SWORDCROSSED, is forthcoming from Bramble and Tor UK in 2024

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