This was a super enjoyable read for me. It had a lot of tropes I enjoy in romance, the mystery was fun without trying to break my brain with complexity and I loved both Kiem and Jainan to pieces. Kiem is just a cinnamon roll of cheerfulness and consideration for his partner, and Jainan deserves all the hugs in the world. I loved seeing the relationship between them develop and all the beats it hit. The only complaint I have is that there is a lot of misunderstanding/miscommunication/lack of clarity between Kiem and Jainan. I understand why it happened the way it did, but I think it could've been dealt with a bit sooner because it did drag on a bit.

Here are a few other reasons to love this book:
* Jainan and Kiem are both POC
* The world is queernorm
* There is a fabulous cast of side characters, of which Bel is my favourite
* The book has a great balance between hurt/comfort, pure fun, romance and intrigue

Overall this is a great debut and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Winter’s Orbit is a book that I’ve been so hyped for since I first heard about it. An adult queer sci-fi that just looks pretty character-driven and a lot of fun? I seriously needed it then and there. The moment I had an opportunity to sign up for a blog tour, I was right on it. I just had to get my hands on this book, and I’m so damn glad I did. This a fantasy novel by a British author and, honestly, I’m here to be promoting fellow Brits. As I don’t think I read enough genre books by British authors.

Thanks again to Compulsive Readers and Orbit for letting me take part in this tour!

This book follows Prince Kiem, a man who is spending his time with charities trying to make up for his troublesome past; and Jainan, his new husband, who was recently widowed and part of a political deal. Prince Taam died in a crash, and Jainan is being accused of his murder. The accusations could not come at a worse time as a political alliance needs to be signed and soon.

If you’re looking for sci-fi with political intrigue, then this book is definitely for you. It was heavy on the politics with a lot of the problems that ensued being tied with the politics of this world. The story is set up across a few different planets though the settings outside of the stations feeling a lot like our world. But there are some animal name differences. By that I mean, an animal is mentioned, and what one character says it is, isn’t what the other character and we would expect it to be. It was a weird experience, that’s for sure.

With it being very political the other area that this book is strong in is, unsurprisingly character. My favourite character was definitely Kiem. He was a fun character. He’s had a troubled past, but he’s trying to change, and he’s just such a genuinely good guy. I really appreciated him and how hard he was trying. Jainan, on the other hand, was a little hard to read. This is because – and I’ll give a trigger warning for domestic abuse here – his life recently until now was difficult. It was obvious from his attitude towards his new marriage that he was treated terribly, and it’s just sad. It’s well done, but it made it hard to really enjoy a lot of his parts. Side-character wise I adored both Bel and Rakel. They were fun for different reasons, but they did bring something to it.

I’ll add here that gender is well-represented in this book and world. There is a mix of different characters with varied genders and sexualities but it is also explained how people show their genders in this world. It’s not just how someone physically presents themselves but might be a material they wear or a way of tying a scarf. This is explained well whilst still fitting within the narrative, and I really enjoyed that. Gender is definitely an area that can be explored more within sci-fi and fantasy, and I loved seeing it.

The world-building in general was pretty damn good. As I said before, many of the aspects did feel a lot like our world. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Even after a few days of stewing on it. I do want to say the world-building is good. Like, I love the gender aspect and that all the different planets are different but closely connected through this treaty. But I would have liked to know a little bit more about the planets and the remnants and things. I do feel like more information could’ve been provided, but at the same time, this is only a standalone book. So a lot of the information I wanted just…wasn’t necessary. It’s just me wanting to devour more of the world.

But I would love another book. Just saying.

The final thing I want to talk about, need to talk about really, is the romance. It was just adorable. Again, it could be frustrating due to Jainan’s past but it was nice to see him being in a supportive relationship. Kiem is so understanding and just? So good? It was just lovely to see something sweet and wonderful. It was just a lot of fun.

If you haven’t already picked this book up, then you need to grab it as soon as you can. You won’t regret it.

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for providing me with this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Came for the space opera stayed for the romance.
If you like romance and science fiction, this is the perfect book for you.
Kiem and Jainan are opposites. Kiem is outgoing and confident, while Jainan is shy and insecure. Kiem is a renowned party boy, Jainan is a reserved scholar. But together, they must make their arranged marriage work, or the worlds will collapse.
Winter's Orbit is a perfect blend of romance and sci-fi. The first half of the book is focused on their romance and worldbuilding, while in the second half, we are entertained with intergalactic politics and intrigues. And there are some fascinating intrigues.
The book was a joy to read, it's well thought, and the writing is very polished. It has romance, queer representation, politics, and diplomacy. The main characters are relatable, and their romance is swoon-worthy. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of A Memory Called Empire or Ancillary Justice.

Winter’s Orbit is an adult sci-fi/romance featuring an arranged marriage between one tired diplomat and the playboy prince, slow burn romance, one badass female advisor/bodyguard, planet politics, and for those of you with a little bit of Nancy Drew in you a MURDER MYSTERY.

Winter’s Orbit kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot was so intriguing– The Iskat empire is made up of many planets including Thea. Every few years all the planets get together with Iskat to sign a treaty preventing interplanetary war. Thea is the home planet of Jainan, and in the past there were hostile tensions between Thea and Iskat, however Jainan’s first marriage to imperial prince Taam helped the planets come to an agreement. Taam is now dead, and Jainan is rushed into a marriage with the imperial prince Kiem, and someone is blaming him for Taam’s death. I was glued to the pages waiting to see what happened. The stakes were high for both main characters as they rushed to prevent the war brewing.

Furthermore, the world building was phenomenal. The author describes everything so well, even down to the smallest details. For example, when the characters wanted to know the pronounces of another character, they would look at an ornament pin placed on their clothes. There were different pins for each pronoun. This leads me to my second point – the world was full of queer characters. Both main characters are also not white.

Like all books – the characters were my favourite part of the story. Kiem is so soft and the SWEETEST PRINCE. Jainan is more weary, due to circumstances which I wont spoil, he is not himself in the beginning of the book, and he does not trust Kiem. Reading along as Jainan gets stronger and slowly finds himself and his culture again- made me whoop and cry. I loved them and their romance was adorable. They’re the definition of two people clearly in love but neither can see it.

“Kiem let his head drop back, as if Jainan smiling was all he needed to be supremely satisfied.”

I cannot finish this review without mentioning by favorite bodyguard/advisor EVER- that is miss Bel Siara. I love the trope that feature the girl protecting the man and this is the dynamic between Bel and Kiem- they are also best friends which makes it better. She comes to save his ass so many times, I loved it.

Winter’s Orbit, I have noticed, is highly anticipated, and it is WORTH THE HYPE. Even if sci-fi is not your genre, I still recommend trying out this book because it is as much romance and mystery as sci-fi and if you are lucky to love all three genres – what are you waiting for? Get on this book.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I was prepared for a nice little SciFi with a ‘marriage of convenience’ trope.
However I was not prepared for the sweetness, the friendship, the trust and the ‘the is only one bed’ trope BUT PUT IT ON ITS HEAD!

Everina Maxwell took all of my favourite parts of SciFi and cobbled them together to create a story of love and political manuvering + a truly wonderful view of gender nonconformity.

We are thrown from the first page, directly into the middle of a intergalactic clusterfuck with the death of Prince Taam, a son of the ruling Empire, leaving his widower scholar husband Jainan alone to keep the peace between his small planet and those who rule it - and then his replacement, which is the wonderfully chaotic, supreme cinnamon bun Prince Kiem, comes along and the galaxy will never quite be the same again.
Thrown together in a rushed marriage to cement the ties between their planets this books follows their budding relationship amongst the elite which is full of intrigue, misunderstandings and a softly simmering romance that I have no hope of forgetting any time soon.

Both Kiem and Jainan are well fleshed out, have very distinctive voices and though I usually detest the ‘misunderstanding trope’ this one was done so well and with such cause that I couldn’t help being throughly engrossed.
The pacing is fast and the writing littered with humor and strong bonds between the most surprising of characters.

Though certain parts of the plot might have been explored a bit more to really flesh out the twists, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good amount of political intrigue with their expansive SciFi.
Dump in a healthy dose of romance as well and you have a winner in my eyes.

I would give warnings about PTSD as caused by abusive relationships as well as gaslighting.

Space opera’s are not really my cup of thing as I have a tough time wrapping my head around all the scientific terminologies and the workings of the world and trying to understand it almost always makes the reading experience less smooth. But when I heard this book being pitched as a scifi version of Red White and Royal Blue, I knew I had to read it and boy oh boy did it deliver.
The main characters, Jainan and Kiem are just absolute sweet hearts. My heart is still going all pitter patter even thinking of their romance. Full on feels even now, almost 3 weeks after finishing the book. Kiem is such a ball of sunshine and he reminded me soo much of Hinata from Haikyu. And Jainan just about pulverised my heart into a puddle of goo. I love them both soo soooo much!!!!!!
Other than then main characters and the romance, there’s also a murder mystery and political intrigue that kept me fully engaged till the end. Basically this book had everything tailor made to keep my attention glued to the pages.
My one complaint, as usual with scifi , is with the world building. It took me a long while to understand the world and the politics of this world but once I did understand it, it became very very interesting.
Before I end the review, let me also just make a not of how much I loved the side characters, especially Bel. I would so so so love a book on her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this scifi romance from Maxwell and look forward to reading more of her work. I definitely recommend checking out this book when it gets released because I don’t think anyone would be able to resist falling in love with Jainan and Kiem.

Synopsis: The Iskan Empire dominates the relationship between many different planets and does that mainly through treaties which are strenghthened by marriage alliances. As this treaty is about to be renewed, those alliances become even more important and for the Iskan Empire it becomes increasingly more crucial to show that everything is the way it should be. One of Iskat’s alliances is with the much smaller Thea, whose population has become more and more unhappy with the conditions of their alliance.

When Prince Taam, the Iskan husband of the Thean Count Jainan, dies in an aviation accident, the alliance between the two powers seems to be on the line: In comes Prince Kiem, who is forced into the arranged marriage with Prince Taam’s widower, so that the political advantages of the previous union don’t get lost.

But then it comes to light that Taam’s accident might not even have been an accident, but a murder maybe committed by Thea. So in the end, this novel is a combination of a sci-fi space opera, a gay romance and a political murder mystery and if you don’t like any of these aspects, you’re probably not going to love this book.

Review: Before I even knew exactly what this was about, I was absolutely thrilled about a gay space opera. I haven’t really ventured into the spectrum of different science fiction genres and I’m not even entirely sure, which subgenre this one is, so I haven’t really figured out what kind of sci-fi I actually like. When I had this conversation with my dad, he pointed out that I had a similar journey in the fantasy genre and that that journey just took way longer, so that I had more time to get to know my tastes. So, really, I’m just in the beginning stage of my science fiction journey, and I know that I didn’t particularly loved Winter’s Orbit. It’s just a bit hard to explain, why…

First of all the things that I did enjoy:

I enjoyed the LGBTQ+ representation: It’s not only that the main characters are in a gay relationship – this novel’s society also has some representation concerning gender: there are nonbinary characters and generally, it seems to be quite usual that people mark their gender by using accessories of different materials:
Gender on Iskat was easy: anyone wearing flint ornaments was a woman, wooden ornaments signified a man, and glass – or nothing – meant nonbinary.

I really liked the main characters (Jainan and Kiem). They were very different and therefore complemented each other very well. Kiem is that really goofy, extroverted character with a past as wild child, who’s very good with people and always seems to know what to say (at least when it’s not with regard to Jainan), but who also feels quite insecure about his education and intelligence. He sees all the great things about Jainan and tries very hard to do right by him. Jainan on the other hand is very introverted, nervous, and quiet as well as aware of his responsibilities. He has a hard time opening up to people and hides his many talents in fear of being judged to harshly. They’re just both giant cinnamon rolls who deserve all the best. I really enjoyed how they slowly got to know each other and how they were awed by each other’s virtues without realizing they had them in the first place. It was just super cute.
Now to the aspects I didn’t love:

Like I said, at first I was thrilled about a gay space opera, but then the premise kind of read like the beginning of a fanfiction and from there it went downhill. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I used to read fanfiction all the time and loved the really tropy, kitchy stuff, but well – that was fanfiction. I don’t necessarily love those aspects in published novels, and the tropes just kept adding up (the arranged gay marriage and them being stranded in the wilderness and having to (oh no!) share a tent, as well as someone having to be saved from a weird dream sequence within a certain time limit, just to name a few). When I found out that this actually used to be a story posted on the fanfiction-platform AO3, I wasn’t that surprised. Anyway, this is just my personal opinion and I do like these aspects in fanfiction, but this just wasn’t the right time and place for me.
The second thing I didn’t love was just the amalgamation of different subgenres. Maybe I like sci-fi romance – and this was quite sweet at times, but I didn’t really love it. I’ll just have to pick up some more works in that genre. What I really didn’t like was the rest. The mystery just felt forced and the solution was sort of anticlimactic. I also didn’t care for the political intrigue. It just didn’t go into the inner workings of the political society enough that I could actually understand what was going on, why people did what, and what was the goal of everything. Maybe I just got too bored and skimmed the crucial parts without knowing. I don’t know. It just fell flat for me.
Anyway, those two points of criticism are just my personal opinion and other readers seem to really love the novel, so maybe it’s great for people who already know that they love those particular sub-genres of science fiction.

Oh, and just on a side note: There should be a trigger warning for domestic abuse.

This is a Sci-Fi Romance in all its glory. Its not a Sci-fi book with a romance, its not a romance with sci-fi elements. It holds both sides of its plot in perfect equilibrium. It is both a cinnamon roll of a fun, slow-burn, angst filled romance and a fast paced space opera with a mystery to solve and political machinations aplenty. I loved it.

I had not read any of the serialised original so I am coming to this as a new reader of Maxwell's work and I really enjoyed it. I am not usually a fan of the miscommunication troupe but this was an example of it at its finest. It really held my attention and made the romance all that more sweeter in the end. I have to commend Maxwell on how the Domestic Violence subplot was handled. There was a maturity and grace to the writing of this topic that really made it resonate with emotion and the resolution was powerful.

The Space Opera side of the plot was just my cup of tea. It was fraught with political machinations of all those around our main characters, with a great mystery who-dun-it sort of feel. I couldn't have even guessed at the outcome and that made it such fun when it all drew together.

I really liked the balance that Maxwell struck between sweet romantic moments, awkward romantic moments, tense moments of action and slow moments of realisation. It just all blended together to draw you into the story, to care for the characters and to build the universe in which the book is based. The world building itself was interesting, with enough detail to make it stand apart but also to entice you to want to learn more. I would love to read more from this universe and its history. I do feel sometimes we were missing little bits of information particularly around the political system of this universe and I would have loved more physical dyscription of the different planets, space stations etc. But that is my only major gripe.

Overall I really enjoyed this. I think its one of those books that expertly spans genres and would be liked by both Sci-Fi readers, Romance Readers and those in between.

Winter's Orbit is a comforting read that will warm the coldest of hearts. While it's a light-hearted book with a sweet romance, it also handles serious topics really well.
The strongest part of the story is the two main characters, Kiem and Jainan. Opposites definitely do attract, and their contrasting voices helped create two distinct and developed POVs for us (and them) to fall in love with. The book is packed with entertaining tropes that are approached a little differently, like the arranged marriage, one bed and miscommunication tropes. We get to watch them slowly gain trust and start to understand each other, while dealing with a difficult past and their public relationship.
I liked how there was a sci-fi backdrop which allowed the characters to shine through, with political intrigue and even a murder mystery. The pace picks up in last two thirds of the book, and although I wasn't as invested in the mystery as the romance, it was intriguing and added an extra layer to the story. At times however, it felt like some elements of the plot and world were sacrificed for the romance. The world building we did see was really interesting, with a refreshing casually queer society and the politics of negotiating a treaty. I just wish we could have seen more of the world and perhaps some wider topics that were brushed on like imperialism could have been explored more. There is a lot going on already though so I don't blame it! Maybe in another book??
A very strong debut with lovable characters, drama, mystery, romance and space!

cw: past abuse (physical and emotional)

When I think about my journey reading Winter's Orbit, I am thrilled by the emotional highs and lows. Immediately I fell in love with Kiem. He's covering up his tender heart with self-deprecating humor and relying on his history as a party boy. But underneath his scatterbrained sentences, is a caring and generous heart. While it may have taken me more time to get to know Jainan, once I did I was thoroughly sold. Winter's Orbit delivers a stunning space opera-scape with intrigue and mystery.

My enjoyment of this book largely stems from Maxwell's talent with characters. The internal narrative voices in this dual POV were so different, but helped me get to know them. As the mystery ramped up, I was drawn in by the intrigue, while also needing to read about Kiem and Jainan's relationship. They're such a pair of precious and slightly out of it dorks. Full of quirks and mannerisms, if you're looking for a true SF romance, you have to check this out.

Winter’s Orbit theoretically is something I would love, I mean from the amazing cover to the settings and the fact that it is published by Orbit aka my favorite publisher. And I am saying theoretically because it ended up being a lit underwhelming. You should take this review with a grain of salt though because I know it will be successful and the majority of readers will love it.

The story follows prince Kiem who finds himself facing an arranged marriage with his cousin’s widower Jainan. The cosuin’s -Prince Taam- death is suspicious and the new pair finds themselves entangled in a political situation complicated by the fact that Taam’s death may not have been an accident.

The two characters are kind of stereotypical for stories of this kind, Kiem is the goofy extrovert and Jainan is an introverted ball on anxiety. They are kind of opposites and I think opposites attract each other?!
The problem is that up to 60% the dynamic between them was meh and could have been improved by a little more conversation and then suddenly they talk and they fall head over heels for each other. The secondary characters are not memorable for me except maybe for one character.

The writing is not bad, it is light-hearted, and easy to follow but I don’t think it goes to the degree of being quotable! There was something strange and I don’t know how to explain it, it kind of reminded me of fanfiction which I don’t read a lot of (I used to read using Wattpad back in the day) and when I finished it I did find out that it actually started as one and don’t get me wrong here because I don’t think fan fiction is bad bit I think there is a certain format to it that I kind of touched upon here.

The other thing is that it is a sci-fi story but I did not feel that, it was just a minor part of the story. I actually don’t read much sci-fi and I am more of a fantasy reader so I had to prepare myself and get in the mood for this genre and then I felt it was not really sci-fi. The world-building is very simple and we are not given much, it then takes the course of a contemporary story with sci-fi in the background!

Summary: I think Orbit’s Winter is a good story but I kind of had different expectations which affected my enjoyment of the story. The characters and settings could have been better in my opinion but I can still see it as a successful book among readers which is what matters at the end of the day!

This was such a sweet story with so many tropes that I genuinely enjoy - arranged marriage that turns into love, opposites attract, some good old misunderstandings thatkeep them apart. I wasn't blown away by this story as much as I wanted to be, but I still really loved reading it.

"Winter's Orbit" tells the story of Kiem, one of many many princes of Iskat, and Jainan, a nobleman and scientist from Iskat's vassal planet Thea. They are thrown together for a last-minute arranged marriage to basically save the future of their star system. Their characters couldn't be more different: Kiem is a wayward prince who's caused quite a number of scandals, is irresistibly charming, outgoing and social and never actually knows when to shut up. Jainan on the other hand is a super intelligent, quiet genius who prefers to not be seen and have no attention thrust upon him, dutiful and loyal to a fault, barely speaks a word. They are both interesting, complex characters and the book tells their story from both their perspectives. They have their distinct voices and go about solving the many problems in their path in very different ways that are in line with their personalities. There is a certain twist when it comes to Jainan that I could basically tell from the first time I met him, so when it was revealed it didn't really touch me emotionally because well yeah, that was obvious. I do think that Maxwell tended to focus too much on certain plot-important aspects of the characters and didn't fully flesh them out. The way Jainan was written regarding said twist felt a little superficial at times. He reads like every fanfiction-character with his kind of trauma, though it didn't keep me from enjoying him.

The writing is very accessible, with lots of humour and some world-building involved. While this is a scifi-setting, the focus isn't on the scifi-part but the romance so obviously the reader can't expect there to be Sanderson-levels of world-building. Still, the world is interesting and has a lot of potential, and there are some concepts (like how society views gender) that I absolutely adored. The Resolution ist so so interesting too! And what is going on with those remnants?

The plot is rather standard and it did feel like I was reading a fan-fiction for most of the time. Not that that is a bad thing at all, but the structuring of the plot, the pacing, the kind of problems and obstacles in the protagonists' way and the, in the end, rather simple and easy ways they overcame these obstacles resembled works I've read on AO3. And while I do love a good misunderstanding as a way to keep two lovebirds apart for a while longer, it has to be, well, a good misunderstanding. It has to make sense. The aforementioned twist about Jainan's past was so obvious that it made Kiem seem rather idiotic for not recognizing the signs, and major parts of their misunderstandings could have been solved with a good earnest talk way earlier in the story. It drags out a little and thus becomes a bit annoying at some point. Once the misunderstanding has been cleared up, though, boy they become a power couple! We stan! I do think that the reveal of the aforementioned twist could have been handled better, but there is actual progress of the couple and I loved to read it.

In the end, this is a cute, comfy scifi romance between two sympathetic boys, set in an intriguing world that I hope Maxwell might work on even more because I'd definitely read more stories set in her galaxy. It has its flaws, it's very fanfiction-y, but it is a feel-good story that gives all them fluffy emotions and is perfect for a cold sunday afternoon in bed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I really enjoyed it. Maxwell dumps you into the world pretty unceremoniously but then does a brilliant job of world-building so by a few chapters in you're completely engrossed in the plot. Kiem and Jainan are empathetic, fully realistic characters and the diversity on the page is refreshing. Maxwell also deals with subjects such as domestic abuse and grief in a very sensitive way. I can't wait to see what else she does with the world.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Believe me, giving this book a 1-star rating upsets me greatly. I love the blurb and I thought I would really love this book. In fact, it was one of my highest anticipated 2021 releases. I love science fiction. I love space opera. I love the political arranged marriage trope. Basically, at first glance this should've been the perfect book for me. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a really disappointing read.

First of all, I really didn't enjoy reading this book. I usually like slow books but the thing with Winter's Orbit is the fact that nothing really happened in the first half. I was extremely bored because it took a REALLY long time to get into the actual plot. The plot picked up around 75% through but by then, it's too late to pique my interest. It took me quite awhile to finish this book even though usually I'm a fast reader.

And then, my main complaint about this book; MISCOMMUNICATION TROPE GALORE. This is my least favorite trope ever and honestly I wouldn't read this book if I knew this trope would play such a huge role in it. It's very frustrating to read because all of their problems would be easily solved if only they're WILLING to talk to each other. It's so tiring because the first half (or maybe even 3/4 of the book?) is basically miscommunication upon miscommunication upon miscommunication and so on.

Next, the lack of solid worldbuilding. I was so excited to read this book because I'm a sucker for sci-fi, especially space opera, but turns out the worldbuilding in Winter's Orbit was never really fleshed out. We got a few glimpses of the world here and there but well, that's it. It's such a shame because I think the world is pretty interesting and I wish we could've gotten more information about it.

Last but not least, I must stress that this book may not be particularly bad, but it's definitely not for me. I feel like this is actually a matter of preference and I'm sure this book is another reader's cup of tea. Go read it and judge it for yourself!

This is a hard book to review. It's definitely a success as a romance, as SF I'm not as sure.

It's based on an original story written at AO3, which is home to vast reams of fanfic as well. It's written for that audience and the plot hits hard on many familiar tropes, which can be a real comfort during difficult times in the world outside.

So what is the plot then?

When Imperial Prince Taam dies, his widower Jainan is forced to quickly marry Taam's cousin, Kiem, so they can sign a treaty and avoid an intergalactic war. The two men are very different - one an extrovert, one an introvert, and both prone to misunderstanding the other. But how can the relationship possibly get off to a good start when they're wondering whether Taam's accident wasn't one... And if he was murdered, who's implicated, and who's next? Will Jainan and Kiem learn to trust each other? Can a forced marriage become something more?

As you may be able to tell this is a classic romance plot set against a SF background. The SF worldbuilding is fine, though I can't say I had that sense of being fully immersed in somewhere completely new and yet believable. Lots of worlds are mentioned, and trade links, slight differences in cultures and animals, mysterious 'remnants' that seem oddly powerful. Lots of intriguing things, but nothing as concrete as the romance. The SF plot is really a 'who killed Taam and why' - which doesn't need SF to work.

However I did read it in a couple of days and found myself desperately rooting for Jainan and Kiem to finally have a proper conversation! Romance fans who enjoy SF too should love it. SF fans who like a bit of romance - possibly?

I am actually very conflicted about how and what to rate this novel. But right now I am going with 3.5 stars.

cw// death, guns, abuse, abusive relationship

Winter's Orbit is not an instant favourite, its more of an acquired taste. It is more than its tropes of arranged marriage/marriage of convenience, grumpy-sunshine, stuck on an icy tundra and huddling for warmth, slow burn. It is about two people who have very bad self-esteem issues, perpetrated by the people around them, although in very different circumstances.

The premise of the novel is very interesting. A wayward prince (Kiem) and a dutiful diplomat (Jainan) are forcefully bonded into marriage. Kiem is a happy-go-lucky extrovert while Jainan is shy and pensive. Kiem verbalises every emotion while Jainan keeps everything close to his heart. Kiem is a recently reformed rebellious prince who no one expects much of. Jainan is a grieving widower who has gotten into the habit of making himself smaller. Their relationship is sweet and frustrating. Sweet because they study each other and learn the other's habits, nervous tics and behavioural patterns; frustrating because both of them are swimming in so much self-pity and disdain that they can't see past it. Their relationship does not develop over banter and conversations, but over how they shape themselves around each other to cause the least amount of damage.

Although I really liked the storyline, I think we should have seen Kiem and Jainan interact more. Entire scenes written out for the readers, rather than just mentioned in passing as something that happened in the past. It would have made their attachment more subtle, true and believable.

I was very intrigued by the politics of the Empire and its vassal states, the Auditor and the Resolution, as well as the outer Galatic entities. Since, we do not have prior information about all these entities and their relationships, its hard to understand how they function. We are interested in their history and politics, but since our characters are diplomats, they are not aware of them. So, it leads to situations where we either have an info dump, or a very flimsy understanding of the situation. At times, I most ardently wished for a companion's guide so that I can have a better handle on how the Iskat Empire works. As fun as it is, to watch our protagonists investigate a murder that might bring war upon their empire unless it is solved, it does not reach its full potential because we do not know how this society functions or who is actually supposed to solve the murder. I did not understand what clan duties Jainan had forsaken that made him so ashamed to face his people and why were Unification Day protests on Thea so very concerning.

There are many threads in the storyline and I was able to follow them all pretty easily, which is always a plus point in epic fantasies and space operas. I do believe that the entire book needed a little bit more polishing, to make it palatable to its audience as well as to do justice to its characters.

"Winter's Orbit" is a romantic sci-fi novel with elements of mystery. The concept is brilliant, the writing is flawless, and the characters are constructed well - as is the world this book is set in. It did feel slow though... Like following a trail of breadcrumbs to get to the meat of the story. Having said that, I'm sure most people will adore this book.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

3.25 stars

This book understands the inherent terrifying nature of birds.

Look. I liked it! I enjoyed the reading experience, I clenched up at all the painful moments and giggled at the cute ones. And yet, there was something missing for me.

Arranged political marriage in an intergalactic empire setting with a chaos bisexual prince and his clever and correct love interest is exactly the kind of stuff I could read 10 of in a row and not get bored!

What worked really well for me was the main relationship. Kiem, the prince, is great with people and can talk fast. He’s a charm machine and is genuinely kind and considerate. Jainan, his new husband, is obviously dealing with Stuff and freaking out about everything 24/7. He also happens to have a hench brain and martial arts skills. They complemented each other well and balanced each other’s insecurities while uplifting their strengths. They both start off from a point of misunderstanding and confusion, but they find their way through communication and care.

I think the discussion around abuse and trauma was well constructed and addressed. It was often very painful being in Jainan’s hypervigilant POV so keep that in mind when picking this up.

And then the third act happens. And it’s fine. I get the logic behind it and the narrative decisions made internal sense. I can’t help but wish that Kiem and Jainan had had a less important part to play in the bigger political plot and that everything had been smaller scale and more focused.

A lot of the complaints I’ve seen are around the world building and its thinness and I admit, I didn’t really mind. I knew from the get-go that I was there for the main romance and everything else was secondary. And maybe that’s why the sudden interest in plot felt a bit uninteresting in the latter part of the book.

Oh well, it wasn’t a bad read and I don’t regret giving it my time. I will definitely check out anything else Everina Maxwell comes out with in the future.

In Winter's Orbit, Everina Maxwell balances a complicated m/m romance with engaging interstellar politics. While romantic fic fans will likely be sold at the mention of ‘arranged marriage’, for me it was the notion of two gay male characters featured front and centre in an exciting sci-fi story (and yes, maybe a little because of the romance).

The first half of the novel is where we get most of the ‘will they/won’t they?’ action, and it’s as adorable as it is pleasantly frustrating. Kiem and Jainan’s relationship is complicated; their awkward alliance develops mostly out of necessity rather than through episodes of moon-eyeing one another, which makes the romance feel well-balanced with the greater plot. The two men are incredibly different people, so it’s a lot of fun seeing them attempt to figure each other out. Maxwell’s characterisation is well-developed, and Kiem and Jainan are both full of surprises.

Then, as suspicions around Prince Taam's death come to a head, the newlyweds find themselves investigating a murder while racing against time to prevent an interplanetary war. The action escalates nicely, and there are a few unexpected developments that I loved.

The overall story of Winter’s Orbit is so freakin’ good, and its orchestrated perfectly. Maxwell gets into the actual nitty-gritty of court procedures, law, trade, public relations and even government auditing. That might not sound very sexy, but it’s SO interesting and adds a different aspect of realism to this sci-fi book. This worldbuilding tactic reminded me of A Memory Called Empire and aspects of the aforementioned Ancillary Justice.

I’d recommend Winter’s Orbit to fans of any of the above books, or who are looking for a great sci-fi read with a healthy dose of drama, humour and romance.

This book was a 5 star prediction for me, and I'm so glad I was right!

I took my time reading this so that I could really savour it, and I loved the slow build-up of Kiem and Jainan's relationship. I was hesitant to put much faith in the comp to Red, White & Royal Blue, as this is a sci-fi novel, but honestly, I could really see the comparison from the start. Of course it's a very different book, but it does have a similar feel to it. And it's for sure a new favourite for me.

Reading this book was a frustrating experience at times, because I wanted Kiem and Jainan to JUST FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER. But it made a lot of sense to me why they didn't - especially from Jainan's point of view it's clear to see why he doesn't easily trust Kiem. And seeing them learn to trust each other was really amazing to see, and I love how this was spun out - I kept wanting them to talk to each other, but at the same time, every time I got JUST enough to keep me happy for a while.

CW: past domestic abuse