I’ve read a lot of queer fantasy novels, but the story in this and the overall quality were a wonderful surprise. The story has twists I didn’t see coming and the parallels and differences between certain relationships are beautiful and a little heart-breaking sometimes. The characters are well-developed, including secondary characters who in a lot of books would’ve just been walking tropes. The romance is lovely and, within the limits of strangers falling in love in days, feels very real. The dialogue is wonderful and Joel Leslie does a great job bringing it to life. The author’s descriptions and Leslie’s narration combine to bring the world to life. I didn’t expect anything that special from the cover, but this story really drew me in and I enjoyed it many more chapters into the night than I’d planned.