Oh this was fantastic. I loved this, It was such a well paced and entertaining story with amazing world building , a fantastically passionate romance between really detailed characters. I always find it hard to review books I have loved as I just want to talk about every single inch of it from the plot twists, magic system and sex scenes! So In order to keep this spoiler free I am going to keep this on the shorter side.

It is well known how much I love the urban fantasy with a hidden magical world that is revealed to us, especially if it has lots of politics and red tape. The start of this book delivers on that before morphing into a pure adventure tale, with a heavy dose of queer romance. The Edwardian setting works very well with the story. The magical society living within the same confines with regards to the treatment of women and gay men as the non-magical society at the time. It explores those struggles in minor fashion as the adventure and romance progresses. Then there is the magic system, which is just awesome. I love the detail in it and it really only feels like we have just scratched the surface.

I loved Robin, our non-magical perspective, I loved his wonder and fear, his gutsy outlook and courage as it battled with the manors that have been ingrained in him. It makes him such a loveable character. I really feel for all he has gone through before and during this tale. Edwin, the magical perspective, took me longer to warm up to. Which is unusual as he is bookish and scientific but once he flexed his intelligence and kindness I did warm to him as much as Robin. I do hope we get more of the female side characters as the series progresses as the glimpses we saw hinted at some formidable and powerful women.

The romance between Edwin and Robin is fantastic. It builds in a really natural way. Frustration with hints of admiration building to passion and lust which morphs into romantic love. The fact that we follow both perspectives really makes you route for both of them so much especially when they realise they fancy each other in such discordant times. It just feels like such a natural progression between these two men.

I loved the pacing of the plot. There is so much going on yet we also have moments of quiet and peace. The pacing really keeps you on your toes and builds both the world and the relationship so well. There is no feeling of instalove as we see all the small, slow moments that build the romance but also get the fast paced action that keeps the pages turning at great speed.

Overall, I just really enjoyed reading this and cant wait for the next book.

The Audiobook is narrated by David Thorpe. it was a very good narration however occasionally the different voices for Robin and Edwin would slip and change and it as sometime hard to distinguish which character was narrating which could get a little frustrating for listeners.

I enjoyed this book. It’s gentle fantasy featuring Edwardian magicians, a curse, a maze, and lots of secrets and surprises.

I’m not usually a reader of fantasy, but this was not at all in your face, and required no prior knowledge of the world or characters. (I realise this is the first of presumably three books, so more complexity might be added later.) I enjoyed the way the characters all seemed to know each other and read one another, it lent a sense of mutual understanding which made me like all the characters more. I got a warm feeling overall from this book.

I enjoyed the bookishness of Edwin, and the humility of Robert, despite his title. I liked the fact that although the book is set in Edwardian times, the historical setting is not overbearing. Likewise, the magic was down to earth and comes in degrees - it is a skill that needs learning and practising, and is generated using finger patterns like sign language (a kind of cat’s cradle, with or without the string) rather than using a wand or magic words.

It took me a while to remember which was which between Edwin and Robin, as the names are so similar to me - because I was listening to it as an audiobook, if I’d been reading on the page I don’t think I would have got confused!

I found the sex scenes rather too detailed for my liking. I get that they were there so we could understand just how enthralled these characters were with each other, but I think I’m more one for meaningful looks and love letters! I didn’t find them badly written, but they have annoyingly stuck in my mind more than details of the plot I found more interesting.

In summary, if gentle fantasy is your thing, or you think it might me, this book is worth a look!

I read this as an audiobook narrated beautifully by David Thorpe.

This one wasn't for me. I skipped a lot of the audiobook because I couldn't get connected with the characters. The magic system was intriguing in the beginning but then lost it's charm for me. It's really plot based, wish there was more character focus.

Wasn't a huge fan of the narration, especially when it came to dialogue. I felt like the narrator was too stiff and didn't give life to any of the characters. The story unfolded beautifully though and the romance was built up wonderfully. The narrator, however, read out the descriptions in the most vivid manner possible and I could visualise the scene perfectly!

A magical, murder mystery, romance set in Edwardian England? Say no more!

Not only is this story utter perfection in general, but the narration (arguably the most important aspect of an audiobook) by David Thorpe is spot on. If you’re like me, you may find yourself listening to certain chapters more than once 👀😂

If you’re into star ratings (and not just vibes), I give this book a solid 5 stars & would recommend if you’re into magical worlds, beautiful prose, sunshine/grump pairings. It’s definitely got spice as well (which I enjoyed and thought worked perfectly for the storyline).

Basically, without giving too much away, I loved the dynamic between Robin and Edwin and can’t wait for more of this series!

I loved this! It reminds me in a lot of ways of KJ Charles' The Magpie Lord series, but with a completely different relationship dynamic.

I saw other reviews that described this as 'like top tier fanfiction'and 'a himbo and a librarian' and really I don't think I can top that. Because this is those things, and more.

You know how sometimes a story has that indefinable characteristic that just makes you go "ooooooh this is gonna be good!" as soon as you start reading? That's what happened here. I picked it up because it sounded good; I read it in a day because it was excellent and sucked me into the world completely. Also the writing is just gorgeous.

I love how Freya Marske took the 'secret society of magicians' trope and flipped it on its head. Richard has spent his whole life knowing nothing about magic. Then he finds out the dead-end civil service job he's been shuffled into is actually a magical liaison job that includes daily reports to the Prime Minister. Then he's accosted in the street and cursed over a missing object he knows nothing about... And things spiral from there. Edwin has always been the weakest magician of his family, forced to use actual string for his cradling as a crutch, bullied and laughed at and retreating into books his whole life, and now he's stuck with a liaison who is cheerfully oblivious to what the actual duties of his job are and comes across as a dumb jock. It doesn't seem like a promising start to a relationship, but it certainly is delightful.

Ooh, and the cradling! First, a magic system built on cat's cradle is unique and genius. It made for such a visual experience of spellcasting, with the fluid (or clumsy) movement of fingers through positions, and a shimmering or color change of the air between the fingers. Having Edwin be forced to use an actual string (the horror!) was also great.

But the inventive magic system doesn't stop there! Later they encounter a secret magic system developed by girls who were shut out of the traditional magic world, this time based on liminal spaces. And that is genius, really. Because liminal spaces are magic, and it makes perfect sense that one would be more open to magic while in one.

The slow-burn relationship was lovely and I look forward to more adventures of Edwin and Richard in the future, as the ending sets them up for this perfectly.

The narration was good though it took a bit of getting used to. The narrator speaks very slowly with such long pauses between sentences that I bumped the audio speed past where I comfortably keep it, but then the words were too fast and I slowed it down again. So the optimal listening speed ranged from 1.25x to 1.75x and I'm not sure if it was the narration itself or my processing speed at different times I was listening that made the difference. The narrator did a fairly good job with the different voices although some were a bit too similar at times and it occasionally made it hard to keep track of who was speaking.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan UK Audio for providing an audiobook arc for review. (And Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing an e-arc for review.)

I devoured this thoroughly engrossing and magical Edwardian romance with delight. When Sir Robin is given a seemingly dead-end civil service job, he is thrust into a world of magic and placed under a painful curse to find out what his predecessor had hidden. He is helped by his new colleague Edwin, an intelligent but magically weak magician from a family that holds power above all else.

The intricate magic system was fascinating to read. English magicians use cradles (like a cats cradle) to power spells. They start by using string to guide the spells but powerful magicians can soon move on from this. Edwin however still needs to use string for any complicated spell. I liked how this shows us a very rigid system that everyone (well mainly men) are educated in. Later on, we meet characters who find inventive magic outside the normal method and create spells and wards that are far more powerful than anything a cradle could produce. It felt like a deeper exploration of the concept of magic and one of the best I’ve read as it’s set in a magical culture that is stagnant, with little innovation or desire to embrace new methods that aren’t the old and trusted ones.

I also really enjoyed the look into non-magical characters who come from magical families or those with only a little power like Edwin. It’s safe to say that Edwin’s family are truly the worst. They are cruel, selfish, and spiteful and since Edwin is the magically weakest of the family, he is often their target. I don’t think I’ve read a family I hated more and even the more sympathetic of them still cowardly do little to reign in the worst of them. If families are not being actively hurtful to their non-magical relatives then they are cruelly disregarded like Reggie who is missing at the start and whose family don’t seem all that bothered. Even though we don’t spend a lot of time with him you still know he was charismatic and bold and yet seemingly an afterthought due to his lack of magic by his family.

I listened to the audiobook and David Thorpe's narration was amazing. He really brought these characters to life and I especially loved his voice for Edwin. His performance during the dramatic scenes was stunning. I rewound the last scene in the maze several times just to keep hearing Edwin's desperate magical vow. He captures every character's voice so perfectly, from brash arrogance, casual cruelty and jovial good humour.

Overall, this was an exciting magical adventure in one of my favourite settings. The romance was sweet and full of angst as characters have to grow out of their feelings of inadequacy that stem from societal pressures. If you like K J Charles and Jordan L. Hawk then this is a book you need to pick up.

My one big gripe is with this is marketed on Goodreads. It’s being sold as similar to Red White & Royal Blue. The only thing these books have in common is that they are queer romances but that’s like saying you should read The Flatshare if you liked Pride and Prejudice. They are both good books, but wildly different genres. They're not even similar romance plots, with RWRB being more enemies to lovers. I understand the marketing choice of likening a queer romance to another very popular one, but The Binding is right there and the one you mention on the NetGalley page. There is also K J Charles, a figurehead in magical historical queer romances if you are really struggling that much to find similar books. You wouldn’t make this kind of choice for a straight romance, so don’t do it to queer romances.

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No sé qué tienen los libros situados en el Reino Unido en la época de la regencia o victoriana mezclados con magia, que son capaces de distraerme de una forma impecable. Supongo que será por la influencia anglosajona en el género fantástico o la atracción que esa forma de vida llena de boato y conspiraciones ejerce sobre mí, pero A Marvellous Light ha cumplido con todos los requisitos para que siga interesada en la serie. Por que eso sí, nos encontramos ante el primer libro de una serie y deja mucho, pero que mucho meollo para las siguientes entregas.


Las familias de más rancio abolengo disponen en secreto de capacidades mágicas, pero la mayoría de los demás no tienen, así que hay una diferencia importante de clases. Dentro de las propias familias hay vástagos que disfrutan de grandes poderes mientras otros apenas son capaces de encender una lámpara a distancia, por lo que sirven como objeto de mofa de sus allegados más afortunados. En esta situación se encuentran Edwin, un erudito poco talentoso con la magia que ejerce como enlace entre la sociedad mágica y el servicio civil encargado de velar por los intereses del gobierno en relación con la magia. Pero de repente, el cargo de mayor responsabilidad de esta oficina recae sobre Robin Blyth, un noble que desconoce la existencia del mundo mágico. Ambos se verán envueltos en una historia de magia, maldiciones y conspiraciones mientras descubren su atracción mutua.

Creo que el hecho de haber escuchado la versión en audiolibro de esta novela ha favorecido mucho que le haya puesto una puntuación bastante alta, porque la labor de David Thorpe es simplemente perfecta. Es capaz de imbuir a cada personaje de una personalidad propia (ya presente en el texto) adecuando su voz a cada momento. Me ha hecho especial gracia cómo representa los momentos íntimos de la pareja, su interpretación del consentimiento tan importante en la novela, pero en general es una labor muy buena tanto en la interpretación como en la dicción.

Me ha gustado especialmente el desarrollo a fuego lento de la relación, un poco como en Winter’s Orbit, novela con la que tiene alguna semejanza más, especialmente en la relación homosexual. Y no puedo dejar de señalar que hay escenas de sexo explícitas, pero tratada con respeto, cariño y haciendo especial hincapié en el consentimiento, algo que también vimos en Magic for Liars, de Sarah Gailey.

En relación a la parte mágica de la novela, es cierto que la autora no da mucha información sobre la conspiración y la amenaza que provoca todas las persecuciones e intrigas del libro, guardándose la parte más jugosa para las siguientes entregas. No obstante, sí que habla a las caras de la relegación de la mujer a un puesto secundario cuando queda patente que el poder mágico no depende del género. Aunque también he de decir que carga más las tintas sobre el maltrato intrafamiliar, algo fundamental en el desarrollo de los personajes, que se comportan de cierta forma debido a sus interacciones con sus hermanos o sus padres, dependiendo del caso.

La verdad, me ha dejado con bastantes ganas de ver por dónde lleva la historia en un futuro.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this early copy!

4 stars, as I’m afraid I did not get on with the narrator. His voice and way of speaking just really didn’t make me feel the story and love the characters.

However it would be unfair to mark the story down a lot because of that, so I will only count the audiboook part as 1 star.

On the other hand, once I looked past the narration, I loved the characters, the descriptions, the setting and the storyline.

If you’re looking for something filled with magic and wonder, look no further than this book - and I cannot wait to get my hands on a special edition in December and read it in the usual way as well!

What a fun ride that was! Magic, LGBTQIA+ representation, a mystery, character growth and steamy scenes all set in the early 1900s.

4.5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was fun and the characters were lovely and I am very much looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I really enjoyed the narrator, David Thorpe really did an excellent job with this. The voices weren’t quite what I had imagined when I was reading the book, but they were still really perfect. And really, it was only Edwin’s voice that didn’t match what I had imagined, the others all matched fairly closely.
I don’t often read historical books, but this one was really well done. Though perhaps I was simply won over by all the books, private libraries, and mildly obscure language…😁

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this audiobook!

As soon as I found out about this book I was so excited to finally read it. I'm a massive KJ Charles fan so when it was comped to that authors titles I knew I would love this one!

"A Marvellous Light" had everything in love in a historical fantasy; amazing characters, great mystery and magical elements and a lovely grumpy vs sunshine romance at its centre.

The story dragged a little in the middle, but picked up again towards the end. I really liked the writing style and I can't wait to read more by this author in the future.

Overall, I loved this one and I'm super excited for future releases by Freya Marske!

A wonderful combination of mystery, magic, and romance.

The world-building is well-done. The magic system is well-explained. The two main characters are easy to root for.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book, a super concept and brilliantly executed. The characters were well written and stayed interesting throughout. I did find the sex scenes a bit tiresome after a while (the problem with audio, more difficult to skim over) - they didn't add much to the plot and were a bit laboured (yes we understood their connection from early on!). The family home setting of the middle of the book was a familiar trope but with a lovely twist in the use of magic. An enjoyable listen.

My friend forced me to read this and I didn’t even have a single clue what it was about when I started it.
And then this book happened and totally swept me off my feet. I’m the worst at reviewing books I absolutely adored, they mostly consist of incoherent babbling because I don’t even know how to put all the feeling I had while reading into words, so be warned.

A hidden magical world in the 1900s and poor (unmagical) Robin being thrown into it without a warning, simply because someone made a mistake.
I loved Robin and I especially loved Edwin, and most of all I loved these two together!!!
Opposites attract and found family all at once.
Miss Morrisey and her sister were a delight and I’m so glad they formed a sort of friendship in the end. I hope we’ll see even more of her in the following book.
It was super gripping and unpredictable and simply…magical!
The narrator was amazing and I think he was picked perfectly for this book.
There wasn’t a single second of this I felt bored and I just wanted more and I still need MORE!
Give be book 2! Now!

So as I was browsing on Netgalley I spotted the most beautiful cover artwork and instantly knew I wanted to read that book - yup, that’s right! I judged a book by its cover, what can I say? When the cover looks this good! The colours! The foliage! The two men in suits! The final version of the cover artwork even got an upgrade when the lettering got the gold light treatment! Mwah! Chef’s kiss! Perfection!
Then I actually looked into what the book was about and was blown away - were the publishers trying to sell directly to me? Anyway, the tags for the book got me so excited! LGBTQIA! Romance! Sci Fi & fantasy! A fantasy LGBTQIA romance is so far up my alley it's practically living in my back garden. I could literally feel my heart stop beating and speed up at the same time - I was so excited to read the synopsis!
This was the first adult novel M/M romance that I had seen on Netgalley that got me truly excited and desperate to read. When the audiobook version got posted - I really wanted to have a listen so I tried and requested the audiobook. I got lucky and got a copy!

I feel that The synopsis is a fair and accurate summary of the novel but that it is like the greyscale or sepia version of the Wizard of Oz before Dorothy goes there and everything is in technicolor - the novel is in technicolor. I remember reading this synopsis and thinking ‘wow, this sounds so interesting’ and now reading it I feel like ‘wow, this isn’t even the half of it - there is so much more to this novel’ - I guess that is what a synopsis is supposed to do - but I’m just telling you now - if that synopsis didn’t convince you to pick up this book - just know - there is more to this story and it is a fun and wild ride (but in a restrained Edwardian kind of way!)

I usually go through some of the cons of a book before I start to gush and I had to really think hard about what might be considered a con… Well, it’s not a stand alone but is instead the start of a series so I suppose when you read it, finish it, and love it, you have to wait for the next volume to come out - which is rubbish - I love a good binge! It also means that you might have some unanswered questions about characters and schemes and magic and also that the HEA is, I suppose, just a HEA for now? But even in that, I think that Freya Marske was able to give the ending of this book a conclusive feeling whilst at the same time setting up the inevitable sequels.

Another con might be the length of the book - in pages it is 385 so not too bad, but in audiobook narration it is 14 hours and 30 minutes. Now you might have thought that David Thorpe really took his time with it, didn’t he? But I didn’t feel that the pace was lacking in any way. I mean it is set in the Edwardian Era and the language is a tad on the flowery side, which is a pro for me, but David Thorpe did a great job distinguishing the voices, describing the action with feeling, and explaining the magical system with ease! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him, and will add him to the ever growing list of men I don’t mind listening to!

Now the last thing I might consider a con, was not really a reflection of the book, or the narration, but of the way I read this book. I listened to it while I had things to do or when I went out walking and so I read it in fits and starts. This was really annoying because I really love to immerse myself in a book and allow it to take over and this is the very type of book that wants to do that, but because I didn’t let it I had to re-listen to sections of it to get back into it. I also didn’t have an ebook to read along with while listening - which is something I have been enjoying a lot lately, so I had to rely on my listening alone and there were times when I felt this was difficult -- anyway, what I’m trying to say is - reading this book with a beautiful physical copy would probably have been the optimal way to experience it and therefore I would very much like a physical copy when it comes out and probably the audiobook too just to listen to as I read! (preferably in a tall back armchair in front of a roaring fire!

Now let's just pretend that I have given you some cons although we all know that they were actually pros!
On to the pros!

Now I usually mention how well something is written, and in this case it is.
It’s very competent! Maturely written. Intelligent, well structured. The premise feels unique and also comforting at the same time. I get the feeling that Freya Marske understands language and the niceties of it - to the point that she enjoys using it to convey meaning and has fun while doing it. I enjoy being able to pick out literary techniques when I read - a simile here, a metaphor there, I want to spot them and delight in any unique usage! It makes me feel intelligent, too. I am under no illusions that I am reading this story for the M/M romance, that it is a fantasy adventure murder mystery - I ain’t reading a classic but I don’t always want to feel that I am reading a dumbed down book - I don’t always want to feel that I ‘could write the bloody thing myself’ as I am sure many readers sometimes think while reading gay romance or romance come to that! Or any book, come to that! I like to read a book that makes me think wow I couldn’t write this - it must have taken ages or so much effort - It makes it worth reading.

Another pro is the character growth that we see from the two main characters across the novel. Now of course, there will be magic, murder mystery, and all that good stuff and of course, my main focus would be the romance but what I really liked was the growth that both main character’s experienced through meeting, interacting with and loving each other. Even though the novel is set in a historical period many of the issues that the protagonists have to address and deal with are universal and relevant to modern life, issues such as, reconciling yourself with your sexual desire and sexuality when society predominantly says it should be otherwise, financial and work concerns, responsibility and care of family members, abuse and bullying, low self-esteem and mental health issues. I told you there was a lot in this novel!

There were times while I was reading this book that I found myself thinking about some of the other great books that I have read recently, namely the historical romance books of KJ Charles and her exquisite writing style, but also a new favourite, Lily Morton’s modern fantasy Black and Blue series. And that is a total compliment because their books are fantastic and I loved them!

So, it will be no surprise to anyone that I am giving this a 5 star rating, and really want to pick up a physical copy when it is available. Certainly I can not wait for the next book in the series to once again enjoy Edwin and Robyn’s interactions and budding relationship, but also the quest for answers and to hang out with Adelaide Morrisey and her sister - they are fantastic side characters - I hope we get more of them in the next volume! This was a novel that I had built up my own hype for and lived up to it! I hope you check it out when it becomes available wherever you are. Let’s go show Freya Marske some love. And of course David Thorpe too, if you get a chance to listen to the audiobook.

Perfect for fans of K.J. Charles!! A historical M|M, set in England, witty banter, a mystery to solve, and a sweet romance with magical touches.

It took me a while to get into the story, and that’s probably because of the extensive world-building. The descriptive writing is one of the book's strengths, but it also slowed down the pace, particularly at the beginning. After listening to a couple of chapters during a two-hour drive, I started looking forward to the interactions between Robin and Edwin. The first moment I really connected to the story was when Robin realized Edwin might like men too. His bewilderment was so genuine! And from that moment, I just wanted to read more.

I loved, loved those two men. Edwin thoughtful, dedicated and precise, and Robin good looking, spontaneous, and stubborn. Their romance was a delight, so gentle and cute.

‘You are the most fascinating thing in this beautiful world. I’d like to introduce my fists to whoever taught you to stop talking about the things that interest you.’

The slow awareness they both liked men, the bond of trust that developed between them, those subtle touches and gazes, the tension, and the yearning. I’m a sucker for these kinds of romances and didn’t even mind that the mystery was set aside for a few chapters, so their relationship could evolve more.

This was the first time I listened to an audiobook and found the pacing too slow when I started. But I liked the narrator, and then I decided to alternate between the ebook and the audio, and I started to appreciate the audio more and more. I even heard the posh accent of the narrator in the back of my mind while reading the ebook. And the audio certainly gets bonus points because I could listen to the book while folding laundry 😂.

I highly recommend A Marvellous Light to those who like feel-good romances with magic in between and don’t mind some steamy scenes. I’ll definitely put the second book of this series on my TBR!

Robin Blyth has a lot on his plate. He's struggling being a good brother, taking over as head of the house since his parents's deaths and dealing with the mess of bills they have left and trying to find his own way in the world. So, when an admin error means he becomes civil service liaison to the hidden magical world and comes face to face with Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly magical counterpart, Robin finds himself in the deep end.

And then he's cursed by mysterious men who think Robin's predecessor hid something of great importance. A man who has vanished off the face of the Earth. As Robin and Edwin find themselves in a plot that could very easily affect every magician in the British Isles, the two begin to realise that their first impressions of each other are wrong and there might be some connection between them...

I have seen several reviews on Goodreads and other reviewing sites that have said A Marvellous Light is the lovechild of Susanne Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Casey McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue. And I totally see it and kinda get why everyone is saying that.

However, I DNFed both Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell and Red, White and Royal Blue. While I liked the richness of Jonathan Strange, I found it too dense, too longwinded and the footnotes. OH! The footnotes! And with Red, White and Royal Blue, I didn't believe in the romance and the level of inconsistencies that a simple Google search would have solved.

So, why did I finish A Marvellous Light and I have plans to read the next book in the series is kinda a mystery to me.

Oh yes, this is going to be one of THOSE write-ups.

There's something about this book I really warmed to. I liked the characters - both Robin and Edwin, as well as secondary characters such as Robin's sister, Maud, and his secretary, Adelaide Morrissey (oh, I liked her HUGELY!) - as well as the world, the magic system, the romance, the mystery, the writing. Hell, I even liked the audiobook narrator. There's something about this - a quality(?) - that I instantly connected with and I hope that it continues, because if it doesn't, I fear this series will get lost in the fantasy genre.

Notice how I keep saying "series"? Well, there's a reason. I didn't know this was the first book in a series till I was around 60-odd percentage in so some of the niggles/questions I had, I realised that these will be solved or at least semi-answered later on. I just wish this was made a little clearer near the start of my reading journey.

I, still, do have some niggles as some elements to the story were quite convenient. I get why as these were explained, but still at times, it felt a little too easy, a little too neat.

But, I am going to try and read the next book in this series when it comes out (I believe in November 2022). I have hope in this series and am intrigued to see where this goes next, and I do hope that this book gets attention, not only with fantasy readers but with MM romance readers as well as I see a marvellous bright future for this author!

What's the book about:

Set in an alternate Edwardian England, due to a clerical error Robin is unexpectedly drawn into a magical underworld. There's a mysterious murder and nefarious plots must be unravelled. The prickly Edwin becomes his guide through this new world, and they work together to uncover the truth, save Robin from a curse, and possibly lower their walls enough to find love.

My thoughts:
This is an enjoyable debut novel. It has characters with distinct and developed personalities, a rich historical setting, and magical elements in the plot line. I found the start quite slow and it took me a while to get into it (the only reason it's not a 4 star for me). But then I enjoyed the journey and how the story progressed. Looking forward to the next installment in this series.

I did not enjoy this one because of the narrator and how they read the story. It completely put me off and made it hard to focus so sadly I cant really comment on the story itself. I will say that the humour at the beginning really wasn't working for me either.