Thank you to the publisher Tor and to NetGalley for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

What Alexandra Rowland has written in "A Taste of Gold and Iron" is the ideal romantic, mystery driven fantasy. It starts with Prince Kadou, the brother of the sultan Zehlia, trying to cope with his chronic anxiety in the middle of an investigation into counterfeit coins. The magic system of this book is excellent, because it revolves entirely around being able to learn things from touching metal, so it is a huge part of the storyline. Kadou is a brave, gorgeously written character that I connected with immediately; his representation of anxiety felt so personal. After he is accused of plotting to overthrow his sister with his bodyguard Tadek (who he has been in a relationship with for years), Kadou is forced to choose a new protector: the stern, silent Evemer who values the rules over everything. Evemer is Kadou's exact opposite in everything and the gradual enemies to friends to lovers was wonderfully paced as the two men began to actively rely on each other.

The side characters of this book all felt significant, with my favourites being Tadek and Zehlia, and the stakes felt incredibly real. As Kadou and Evemer work together to solve the mystery of the counterfeiting, it becomes clear that they can only rely on those closest to them. I adored the use of romantic tropes in this and how the idea of consent and equality in a relationship is so important. I'm really glad I read this book!

This book is spectacular. I binged it ridiculously fast considering it’s not a short book.

It’s the romance that truly steals the show in this book. Kadou, the prince, is anxious and shy; Evemer, his bodyguard, is uptight and judgemental. The dynamic is delicious. It’s all very tormented and slow-burn (if angsty internal commentary isn’t your thing, this book might not be for you.)

The rest of the cast was fantastic as well. Eozena, the captain of the guard, was an absolute powerhouse - she was such a 3D character, an auntie, a soldier, a badass. Tadek had a wonderful lovers-to-friends arc. And I appreciated the asexual rep that popped up during a gossip session.

Kadou’s anxiety brings an exploration of the ‘boy who cried wolf’ nature of anxiety - both the way you disbelieve your own instincts and the way other people dismiss your concerns. It felt validating to have some of Kadou’s concerns confirmed as correct.

The worldbuilding was fascinating, especially system of protection for the monarchy and the construction of familial relationships. And I really enjoyed the political intrigue sub-plot, however obvious the outcome was. But I would have liked to see more of the magic: considering that one of the main characters has the skill of touch-tasting (discerning metals by touch), it was given less prominence than it had potential for.

It’s definitely a capital-R genre Romance, with the fantasy providing a lovely setting but not driving the central story. I listened to the audiobook, and greatly enjoyed the narration.

Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC ❤️❤️

I loooooove a MM queer fantasy and the cover of A Taste of Gold and Iron made me go absolutely wild!! I just had to get an arc and read this book. It just sounded completely me, every part of it - from the fact the it’s based around royalty (the link to a kind of Ottoman Empire? I love!!) to the idea of a female being the sultan? Yes please!!

Well, once I got it and began to read it…it just didn’t really go anywhere for me 😅😅 I mean I got 25% into the book and all I’d learnt was that Kadou is queer (I already knew that), there was the accident at the beginning (this was super interesting and drew me in at first) and then he just wallowed…for ages…whilst Evemer judged him from the corner of whatever room they were in. I just couldn’t connect with anybody in the book at all and, to be honest, I found everyone quite annoying 😅😅

I really wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t do it. I am going to give it ⭐️.5 for the cover art though - it’s divine!!

Parts of this really worked for me, and based on enjoyment, the rating should be a bit higher. Unfortunately, I had quite a few issues with the execution.

What I liked
* The characters and the romance were both excellent. I loved the slow build of this, and the way we get to experience the small changes in Evemer that take him from "careless, flighty, negligent", to "I love him so much and would sacrifice myself in a second for him". I think the character development for Kadou wasn't as strong, although I did appreciate seeing him deal with his crippling anxiety and intrusive thoughts, and slowly learn to (sometimes) trust the fearful voice in his head. I was also extremely amused by how often the prince ends up saving the bodyguard; Kadou's competence in dangerous situations was one of my favourite things about him.

* The world is really fascinating, especially familial ties and the role of fathers in the society. Flipping the normal patriarchal structure on its head and making it so that children automatically belong to their mothers, and the fathers have no rights over them unless explicitly granted, was a brilliant move. It's clear that the author put a lot of thought into how they wanted this world to work, and I think it mostly paid off.

What I didn't like
* The plot. There's a kind of mystery running through the book that has to do with counterfeiting, and I knew who the villain would be pretty much right away. It's not at all subtle, which is unfortunate. I appreciated what the plot did to provide our main characters with tricky situations, leading to tropes I personally enjoy, but that's about it.

* The magic is completely underutilized. In this world, people can have the gift of touch-tasting, which means that they can easily differentiate the types of metals in an object, sometimes including where they come from, just by touching it. It's used a handful of times while investigating the counterfeiting, and once to give us a pretty romantic moment, but I think the author could have done a lot more with it, or just removed it altogether.

* So much of the writing was repetitive, especially the inner monologues of Kadou and Evemer. It wasn't enough to let me know that Kadou doesn't want to think about something, I had to be told that at least five times so it would really sink in. The book is more than 400 pages, and it could've easily been cut down to 300. The constant repetition got extremely tedious after the first couple of instances.

An Ottoman inspired queer fantasy romance, that's not a phrase I think publishing would have been comfortable with 20 years ago. And there is a lushness as you might imagine to the setting and how the cross culture romance and adventure work here. We have a spoiled prince betrothed to someone he has no interest in, but also attractive devoted guards whose attraction may be the person or the wealth. The book likes to feel more committed to the idea of romantic love, but also sees the benefit of a roll in the hay, but don't get them mixed up.

I must admit I was a little sceptical at the start - spare me from over-indulged posh boys and their pashes - but Rowlands won me over, first with her more stoical characters, and then broadly filling in the gaps and backstory as to why people have turned out the way they have. The central plot (though as this is primarily a romance its more a churning b-plot to get people in bed with each other) regarding counterfeit money and watering down of the treasury is pretty unusual too - though obviously tailor made for royals who can "taste the composition of alloys" with their fingers. Whilst assassins are zinging around the place and coups seen to be posited, the idea of bringing a culture down economically is sorely underused in fantasy.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed A Taste Of Gold And Iron, from the first few chapters. It does a good job of taking a relatively unsympathetic (particularly if you are a republican) protagonist and getting you to understand and them empathise with him. It is still a bit loose in places and there are lapses into fantasy cliche, but its setting and central relationships make it good fun.

I was hooked from the start and absolutely couldn’t put A Taste of Gold and Iron down, so it’s 5 stars from me because any book that has me reading obsessively and feeling like sleep and work are getting in the way of vital reading deserves this rating.
A Taste of Gold and Iron is an adult fantasy romance, set in a queer-normative society in a world reminiscent of the Ottoman empire, where people can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers. The plot involves politics, intrigue and an investigation into counterfeit currency, but the main focus of the novel is on the romance developing between prince Kadou and his stoic bodyguard Evemer. The dual POV helps to show how their perception of each other evolves as the anxious prince and the introspective bodyguard get to know each other.
This novel not only dazzles with rich settings and opulent clothing, but also with a well-rounded cast of secondary characters. Zeliha, the sultan of Araşt and Eozena, the commander of the kahyalar, are both women in positions of power who embrace their roles. And Tadek, Kadou’s armsman, is ‘an unmitigated delight’, to use his own words.
This was an indulgent read and ranks among my top favourite books of the year so far.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The romance was spot on and the dual POVs really kept me engaged. I liked that Kadou was a character who struggles with his anxiety, his battle throughout is interesting to read. My only complaint is that the plot itself is a little weak and boring. There’s some people making fake money to undermine the currency of the country and when they are captured there isn’t any detail about what actually happens to them. It felt like the plot was an afterthought. The romance however was brilliant and that’s what kept me reading.

A political fantasy and romance, three themes I adore however that being said, I found it difficult to get into the book. I think it was the writing style. It was not my favourite which took away from my enjoyment. The plot was fine it's just the writing that prevented me from devouring this book in one sitting.

I will say I did enjoy the mental health representation and how spot on the MC's anxiety was portrayedmand also how it looked from an outside perspective.

In A Taste of Gold and Iron we follow Kadou, the prince of Arasht, and newly appointed bodyguard, Evemer in an Ottoman Empire inspired world where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers. Whilst it took me a while to get into the world building in this book, once it picked up pace the slow burn romance was impeccable and I adored the politics and decadence this story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Pan Macmillan for the chance to read A Taste of Gold and Iron.

“'I want to keep you,' he whispered"

You know that feeling when you read a book and something inside you just goes "this is it, this is the one, my preciousss"? That is A Taste of Gold and Iron for me. This book is all that's been on my mind since I started reading it, it is E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.
It's quickly becoming my entire personality and I’m about to make it everyone’s problem 😘

I don't know how I lived my life before this book. What did I do with my days when I didn't spend them thinking about the most kind and beautiful prince and his stoic and gorgeous bodyguard? When I could go hours without having a meltdown over door hinges? When I didn't scream "it's about the *devotion*" 24/7 in my head? I truly don't remember.

There's amazing worldbuilding and all the rep - anxiety, nonbinary, asexual, pansexual, no homophobia. Where the book truly shines and what has me the most feral though, are the characters. I'm a slut for well-written, complex, and nuanced characters and interpersonal relationships and Gold and Iron has it in spades. Not just the main characters of Kadou and Evemer (who I love more than life itself, my pining idiot babies!) but all the side characters, too. Seriously, Alexandra Rowland is next level when it comes to characters and I am here for it.

I am completely, fully obsessed with them all and I've never felt the same frantic need for "more! I need MORE!" after finishing a book that perfectly wraps up the plot and leaves me entirely satisfied at the end. I wanted to eat this book, I wanted to live in the pages forever. I don't reread books too often and when I do, it's usually after a few years. This one I'm planning on rereading this week already.

I love A Taste of Gold and Iron so fiercely I think I may die from it! Quite possibly my fave book of 2022. And I've read some absolutely amazing books this year.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Queer fantasy! Need I say more!

This was a really unique and interesting world, I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the way the author did this.

The star of this book was the romance element. You can’t help but want these characters to be happy and to see them thrive. All of the characters were well written a don thought out and I loved them.

It took me a while to get into this book as I found the information to be a bit over levelling at the start but once I understood what was going on it was incredible!

This was not quite what I was expecting.

What I loved about it:
- The representation included, across so many areas. I knew going in that it was LGBTQ but often this just means a sapphic romance. In this book we have a broad range of gender and sexuality rep - including non binary figures who are both "bad" and "good" - we also have mental health rep
- How nuanced each and every character is. Even those who seem to be one dimensional initially open up as the story progresses.
- The relationship that builds between our protagonists is slow and based on coming to understand each other. Not without difficulty I have to say, they learn that they each have their own prejudices against the other and that their own thought processes stop them communicating effectively. It is very well done in that respect.
- The setting, this amazing blend of 1500s England, Byzantine Empire and mythology.
- The fact that we have a society in which women hold the power, not only do we have a female sultan and female commander of the Kahyalar but women can decide whether to allow the father of their children claim over them.

What wasn't for me:
- It is very slow paced. Whilst I hate a story to rush, I do prefer more plot to the fantasy I pick up. It really doesn't feel like anything much happens in this story.
- The dialogue can often feel wrong(?), I'm not sure what the right word is but conversations in this world must take an absolute age as each character goes through a myriad of thought processes before responding. I often found myself having to go back and reread what the last person said after a paragraph or two of the second person just thinking about their response.
- Whilst I loved the mental health rep in this book, our protagonist has severe anxiety, I have to say that the first 25% of the book was pretty insufferable in the extensive descriptions of the anxiety. I do understand that this makes it relatively accurate in its depiction because anxiety is all consuming but it doesn't make for a particularly enjoyable reading experience.

SO all in all, whilst this book ultimately isn't for me, I can completely understand why others would love it.

A sumptuously written tale of courtly intrigue and slow burning romance.

Prince Kadou does not want his sister’s crown but investigating a crime leads him to a conspiracy involving powerful figures from a neighbouring kingdom including the father of his Sister’s heir. Kadou is a powerful character beset by anxiety and self doubt he suffers greatly in trying to bare the burden of his royal blood.

Evemer is the Prince’s new bodyguard,straightlaced and determined to do his duty above all else, Kadou defies his expectations and as understanding grows between them so does a forbidden love.

Set in a mesmerising world drawn from Ottoman myth A Taste of Gold and Iron combines a sensuous love story with a very unexpected Prince. I found it beautiful, different and gorgeously decadent.

This was a sexy, warm-hearted, political fantasy with a fantastic cast of characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep me engaged throughout. It’s easy for political fantasy to be dry and a little snooze-worthy but this definitely wasn’t the case here. Kadou’s was a Prince to inspire loyalty and love amongst his closest friends and family, showing his own loyalty and courage as he and his friends encountered danger and obstacles that posed threats to their lives and their kingdom. His character is brave, in spite of his internal struggles, and it’s no wonder he inspired so much affection and support from those around him. It’s also easy to see how the stalwart, introspective Evemer slowly became putty in Kadou’s hands. It was such a thrill to read both characters' points of view in this book and see them fighting a losing battle with their feelings for each other, and all the while Rowland is weaving a political mystery that left me with a lot of suspicions and few concrete answers until later on. Tadek’s character added some charm and humour, and his interactions with Teznin screamed trouble - for everyone else, that is. I’d love to see more of this mischievous, chaotic duo if there’s another book on the way.

The serious topics and hard conversations were balanced out with humour, romance and a good dose of lust. This book was an absolute pleasure to read and I kept forgetting I’d finished it, only to be wildly disappointed when I remembered that any more insight into the chaos of Kadou and Evemer, wouldn’t be in my hands any time soon.

Never has an uncle been so glad to hear of the birth of a niece. In Araşt, the throne descends through the female side, which excludes a lot of the problems with royal bastards. But until his sister produces her first daughter, there is the chance that Kadou may end up heir, which is which would be a misfortune for the inept and self-effacing prince.
Even while his sister is indisposed with childbirth, he has struggled to cope with various problems, a break-in at the vital Shipbuilder′s Guild, a foreign merchant accused of counterfeiting, and the father of his niece assuming authority quite above his station.
On a hunting excursion with the father, Siranos, there is a terrible misunderstanding, leaving three guards dead. Kadou is almost exiled, but manages to convince his sister to let him stay, although he is given the by-the-book guard Evemer to keep him out of trouble. Which would be less of a burden if he was not so very handsome.
There is lots to like in this book: the various investigations that take place, the look at the society of the country, the characters, many of whom we get to see more of as the story progresses. The magic that appears is quite low-key, an ability to tell if people are telling the truth, the power to distinguish between metals, which is of great importance to a country which bases its strength on trading. There is a nice line in humour from several of the characters, and the book is certainly not in the grimdark style.
This is a standalone novel as far as I know, and I found it a really enjoyable read.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

DNF. Unfortunately the formatting on this ebook didn’t work with my kindle and all the sentences were jumbled and spaced out.

I look forward to picking up a physical copy at some point as I did highly anticipate this one.

Just as someone's palate changed over time, so too might their sense of a metal change. ...Remarkable, and ominous, was the fact that it had happened now. Remarkable was what it had changed to.
He was never again going to be able to touch iron without remembering this: the wine cellar. The door. Kissing Evemer. It was imprinted on him permanently, written into his fingerprints. [loc. 5248]

The sultan of Araşht, Zeliha, has just given birth, and her brother Kadou is torn between relief that he's lower in the succession and anxiety that the baby's father, Siranos, is untrustworthy. His anxiety has frightful consequences, and he's assigned a new bodyguard, the upright and stoic Evemer. Evemer judges the prince to be careless, flighty and negligent ... until he comes to know him better. And when the two become involved in political and financial skulduggery, there is plenty of opportunity for both to show their mettle.

This is a romance in a fantasy setting, rather than a fantasy novel with romantic elements: the emphasis is very firmly on Kadou and Evemer's evolving relationship, and their interactions with those around them. The worldbuilding is tantalising (sea serpents!) and there's little more than a glimmer of magic: Kadouhas the rare ability to sense the purity of any metal, and this manifests as a kind of synaesthesia. There are gods, but they remain firmly in the realm of the hypothetical.

One aspect of A Taste of Gold and Iron that I very much admired was its handling of mental health issues. Kadou is plagued by anxiety, panic attacks and overthinking: Evemer in particular -- but also Zeliha, Tadek and others -- are supportive and compassionate, and recognise the value of Kadou's various coping mechanisms. I also applaud the notion of the temple aunts, who are more therapist than priestess.

Araşhti society is refreshingly free of prejudice: women, or oryasilar (third-gender persons) are at least as likely as men to be in positions of power, and same-sex relationships are unremarkable. (At one point Zeliha is trying to broker a marriage between Kadou and a fine-looking nobleman from a neighbouring country.) There are three categories of fatherhood, none of which Siranos seems to understand at all; there are the kahya, who are not mere guards or servants but the future political elite; there is weaponised etiquette. And there are many very likeable secondary characters, especially Tadek (Kadou's ex-kahya and ex-lover, who has wit and heart) and Tenzin, a satyota (truth witch) who has some of the best lines in the novel.

There were some aspects of the novel that jarred. Kadou is named after the word for 'gift' in Vintish -- which, yes, is actually, literally French. ('all the Vintish servants kept coming in to stand around my crib and coo, cadeau, un cadeau, un tel cadeau' [loc. 1275]). Everything else is secondary-world: why not invent the Vintish language too? There are also some moments where the protagonists make poor decisions, which seem out of character: even when exhausted / imprisoned / panicking, both Kadou and Evemer are (almost always) fearsomely competent. And the pacing sometimes feels uneven.

But still, I loved it. The slow-burn romance; the plethora of romance tropes (only one bed! kissing to allay suspicion!); the emphasis on respect and reciprocity in what could have been a tragically unequal partnership; the ways in which Kadou and Evemer initially underestimate one another, and the openheartedness with which they negotiate their evolving relationship.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance review copy, in exchange for this honest review. UK publication date 01 September 2022.

Something is afoot within the Royal Palace. Loyalties are shifting, in the city coin forgeries are on the rise. Who can a disfavoured prince trust? And how can their stoic new bodyguard save them…when they’re not sure they can save themselves?

In the early chapters of this book I hoped we were getting a queer Goblin Emperor-type story: eg, use of hairstyle to snub your opponent. Instead, ATOGAI is 80% romance, with magic and worldbuilding pretty decor, like lavish bathhouse tiling. It’s a shame, because Rowland’s world had some interesting details about sea serpents and witches who could never lie (or never miss a lie) that were glossed over. The stakes of the palace intrigue felt low: there was one shady character and I never felt he posed a real threat to the royal family (we were told forgeries could undermine the empire…but we didn’t see that danger play out). I like books like Priory of the Orange Tree where there’s a strong romance plot, but a lot of intricate worldbuilding to chew on at the same time.

Kadou the prince was a great character. At the start he wears the reader out with his anxiety and low self-esteem, but his mental health struggles are so cleanly depicted it’s impossible not to sympathise with him. I was less sure about Kadou’s ex Tadek - was he just a sassy gay sidekick? He seemed awfully cooperative after his lover mistreated him (repeatedly), and there wasn’t a lot of nuance.

What this book does best is romance-by-tropes, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. We get interesting characters, we see them play off each other in pretty settings. It’s entertaining and escapist.

4.75 rounded up.

Rowland is a new-to-me author and after this, their backlist is firmly on my TBR. This was a beautiful slow burn romance between a prince and his new bodyguard as they step into a conspiracy that could completely upend their country.

Rowland’s writing is full of lush descriptions and indulgent scenes of tenderness, loyalty, and sparks of humor. Arasht seems to be heavily inspired by the Ottoman Empire, seen in the clothes, culture, and some of the borrowed language. The world is queernorm with a great cast of characters across the queer umbrella—bi, ace, gay, nonbinary/genderqueer, etc.

I absolutely adored Kadou. He takes the intended notion of noblesse oblige to heart with the utmost sincerity, and I don’t know how you can’t love him. I found the way Kadou’s anxiety disorder was portrayed to be really well done. Many of his thoughts and reactions were familiar and far too relatable. I also loved how Evemer’s perception of Kadou changed from when he first briefly met the prince, to hearing about him after an incident, and then actually getting to know him (and falling in love). In general, Rowland gave everyone life in multiple types of complex relationships, all the prominent characters were fleshed out and grounded to one another and the world.

I also loved the magic system. It’s a very light fantasy but the descriptions of the touch-taste magic that Kadou and a few other characters have at different proficiencies was fascinating and I appreciated how it’s linked to the culture of Arasht and the importance of currency there. On the whole, the emphasis on the value of currency, on how trust in trade and merchants is a cornerstone of the country was really interesting to think about and see.

The only reason this wasn’t a full five stars for me is because of the conspiracy plotline and how the ending falls a little flat. While this came across primarily as a capital-R-category-Romance, the conspiracy plotline took a huge backseat after the inciting incident. Whenever it returned to the forefront it was brief and limited and mainly served to develop Kadou and Evemer’s relationship—which I don’t usually mind in romances, but here it felt like it was meant to have a bit more prominence and instead was often forgotten. This plotline read as an afterthought and felt like it was developed and resolved as such as well. If you’re looking for intricate or complex intrigue, you might be left a bit disappointed. The ending itself also fell a little flat after the otherwise wonderful build and development. It kind of petered out. It almost feels like it was left somewhat open to allow for a potential follow-up—a spin-off, sequel, or a bonus epilogue/short stories. The world has an openness to it that I can definitely see possibilities for more stories from it, and would 100% welcome.

But my minor gripes aside, overall this was absolutely beautiful in the prose, the characters, the relationships, and the world.

This was a super enjoyable read. I will say it wasn't the best written for me as far as the fantasy aspects go and it wasn't exactly the slow-burn I hoped for but to say I didn't have 100% fun reading it would be a lie lol. I'll be writing a longer review on my blog soon! Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 3.5/5 Cups of coffee from me, rounded up to 4!