I read "A Marvellous Light" recently and have not continued with the trilogy yet (even though I do own all of them already) so when I saw this new book by her I really wanted to pick it up because I really enjoyed Freya Marske's writing style. Even though it wasn't a fantasy setting, it was in its own ways a fantastical story which I really enjoyed reading! I liked how the relationships in this book formed (between all the characters) way more than in "A Marvellous Light" were I didn't feel a connection to and between the characters (maybe that will change throughout the trilogy and with this being a stand alone) but I really loved Matti, Luca, Maya and all the other characters with each other.

Small Spoiler Warning ahead (maybe), I didn't really understand the need to market this book as "rivals-to-lovers" because that's really not the essence of their relationship or rather we as a reader don't know that until very deep into the book so the book does spoiler you with that from the beginning, which I really don't like in my books because it was so easy to anticipate the twist with that because yeah we knew he was faking his persona but he could've been anyone xD

Otherwise I really loved Luca and the character growth they all went through!

Swordcrossed is a perfectly alright fantasy romance, but remarkably unmemorable, as will be evidenced by the length of this review. I knew what I was getting into beforehand, having read all of Freya Marske’s previous books, and it was pretty much exactly as expected. A reasonably fun read, an enjoyable enough way to pass the time, with characters I liked and a fast-paced plot. But so unmemorable! In fact, I remember more of the third book in Marske’s series (which I read in June 2023) than I do this one (read in May 2024). So, in lieu of continuing to say more here, let me just paste what I wrote on finishing this one:

reminded me a lot of a taste of gold and iron and i don’t mean that in a positive way: the central relationship was a LOT better here & the plot better integrated with the romance, but said plot was somehow made more convoluted than needed.

I LOVED this book.

We follow the story of Mattinesh Jay, who as the heir to his family's wool trade, is responsible for the well being of his family. After having fallen on hard times, ( of which none other than he and his parents are aware) he has entered into an agreement of Marriage with a lady of fortune. Said Lady, however, already has a suitor who is likely to challenge Matti for her hand at the wedding and so Matti must find an accomplished and expert swordfighter to be his best man for when the inevitable challenge takes place. Enter Luca, a mysteriously charming but somewhat dishonest grifter who is a remarkably good Swordfighter. This is their story.

The Characters in this story are wonderful, feel well fleshed out and even the side characters were interesting. I especially enjoyed the banter that Matti and Luca have. It's witty, occasionally funny and so full of chemistry that you have no doubt that these two are meant to be together. I loved watching (i.e. reading) their relationship develop from not liking each other, to acceptance of each other to eventual adoration and love. There is the ' Oh no, he's hot' vibe right from the beginning though, but I wouldn't call it insta-love so much as intsa-lust which is entirely different and much more enjoyable to read in my opinion.
Both of the MMC's are likable and charming. Matti suffers from anxiety and is remarkably relatable. Luca is a charming gremlin (not literally) sort who I absolutely ADORED.

The plot and pacing were good and the story is well told. It is not just a Romance story, though that of course features heavily. There is some Political intrigue, a little bit of a mystery (though low stakes,) and some investigation. The writing is easily accessible and a joy to read.

Overall this was a highly enjoyable book I absolutely adored. Anyone who enjoys Historical Romance's will love this, as well as those who enjoy LGBTQ books. I would say that whilst there is some spice in this book, it is not so prevalent that if spice is not your thing, you cannot skip those parts and enjoy the book regardless.

I can see myself re reading this over and over again, placing this story as one of my comfort, go to reads. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to Panmacmillan and Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I am posting them voluntarily.

📚 review 📚
sword crossed - freya marske

is there anything freya marske can’t do?? first she gave me my gay, georgian wizards solving magical crime and now this?! this was so much fun - political intrigue, secrets, unravelling lies, sinister plots, sword fights and mediocre poetry from entitled nepo babies, all with a little sprinkling of gay longing. and if that wasn’t enough - the final two chapters was just overflowing with piping hot tea and i was cackling to myself as all those little plans came to fruition and all the secrets were revealed.
swordcrossed is what i will be ranking all future romantasy titles against and frankly, i fear for the romantasies that try to turn my head in the future.

swordcrossed is out in october, so please preorder your copy now and join me in being hopelessly in love with every thing freya marske writes.

thank you @netgalley for the early copy

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Swordcrossed' by Freya Marske.

Freya Marske never disappoints. Her latest novel is a romantasy with DUELS? Chef's kiss. From the pining to the beautiful writing, 'Swordcrossed' is a novel that urges to be read.

Swordcrossed is the first of Marske’s works I’ve had the pleasure of reading, despite the fact that I’ve had the The Last Binding trilogy on my tbr for ages now — and this book guaranteed that I will read them as soon as possible, because this was fantastic and left me excited to read more of Marske’s books!

In Swordcrossed the nobleman Matti Jay, whose family has fallen on hard times, is about to get married in an arranged marriage. In his world it is the norm to hire a swordsman as your “best man” for wedding ceremonies, but Matti knows for him this is not just a requirement of tradition, but an actual need in order to ensure that the wedding can even happen.
He finds his best man in Luca Piere, who has fled to Matti’s city in order to reinvent himself after some events in his hometown.

This novel was wonderful, with Matti and Luca’s relationship leaving you swooning and aching simultaneously. If you like smut you will certainly be satisfied here, but even if, like me, you don’t particularly enjoy reading it, you will still have a good time. Just the right amount to satisfy either end of the spectrum.

I loved the amount of detail that went into describing all the different forms of religion and tradition here, while also offering a historical world in which queer people are simply allowed to just be themselves.

Overall I think that as long as you go into reading this with the expectations of reading a fun-but-angsty and low-stakes romantasy, you will have an absolutely fantastic time with it, definitely recommend!

A wonderful read!
I loved everything about this book. A riveting world, a cast of engaging characters, and a very clever plot combined into a story I had to stop myself from devouring at speed. Why? Because the author's turn of phrase, the intimacy of the writing, and the two beautifully drawn and wonderfully matched main characters deserved to be savoured.
My one regret: it's a standalone and not the start to a new series.

Freya Marske’s Sword Crossed is an engaging blend of MM slow burn romance and mystery, set against a richly crafted historical backdrop with a touch of fantasy. As a fan of Marske’s previous works, I was eager to read this, and it didn’t disappoint.

The dual plotlines of romance and investigation are well-balanced, keeping the story intriguing without overshadowing the emotional depth of the characters. Marske excels at creating relatable characters, making it easy to connect with their journeys.

The seamless integration of LGBTQ+ themes into a historical setting adds a unique dimension to the story, making Sword Crossed a refreshing read.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction with a twist.

I absolutely loved every moment of reading this. I’ve loved Freya’s previous books so expectations were high and it did not disappoint. It tells the story of Mattinesh who needs his arrange marriage to go off without a hitch. Following a chance meeting, he hires Luca as his swordsman if anyone challenges the match at the alter.

These two start as enemies but develop into unlikely allies, with a pull growing between them. It was intimate but epic feeling too, full of tension and potential romance. The perfect read for an enemies to lovers sucker like me. Had a blast reading it.

Hugely enjoyable low stakes fantasy set in a historic-seeming polytheistic world where LGBTQ relationships and marriages are accepted and welcomed as normal.

The main characters first meet when Luca executes a classic scam to extort Matti, who's family were once successful but are currently trying to save face from their crumbling business by marrying into money. Matti gets his revenge the next day when he not only engages Luca as his 'best man' - the swordsman to stand by his side at his upcoming arranged wedding - but also demands sword fighting lessons, dragging Luca out of bed early every day, much to his misery.

The pair are incredibly sweet together, their adoration clear to see, as well as having scorching chemistry. And Matti's sister and betrothed are great secondary characters, playing a key role in the story. The narrative gets a bit bogged down in the specifics of the wool trade and the machinations of the different guilds so can be a bit slow at times, but the joy of Matti and Luca spending time together is infectious.

Freya Marske has a way of writing that pulls you right in. A magical romance that gives you a little bit of everything. Action, romance, suspense you've got it all. I found it very interesting to see in which direction the plot was developing. The characters were very well written, I especially liked how the author dealt with their mental health issues. I loved Mattis and Lucas dynamics, they both had their problems but managed to work through them together (at least in the end). Bonus points for the title and all the sword fight refrences with a double meaning. Fun and exixting love story with just enough spice.

Swordscrossed was fun and light hearted, written in an easy-to-read style with charming characters. I found myself frustrated in parts where I felt it lacked depth, but I think that's me looking for something in a book that wasn't designed for it (I rarely read things in the "cozy fantasy genre". Regardless, I found this an enjoyable read, with charming characters and an easy to root for romance.

Action packed, witty, romantic, suspenseful. Swordcrossed is everything in one gorgeous book.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Such a great book! People will love this historical queer story

Powerful families in a guided society

This book was so much fun!

Both main characters were so interesting and easy to fall in love with. I was invested in both their stories from the very start. As individuals they were perfectly rounded and together they were just magic.

The side characters were also great! I would have loved a smidge more of Maya and Sophia content but that’s literally the only remotely negative comment I have.

I enjoyed the overall story, it was interesting and easy to follow. The progression of Matti’s and Luca’s relationship was so well paced and beautifully written. I think the intimate scenes between the two of them were handled so well! It was great to see a couple communicate so openly a sexual preferences. These scenes also often included a dash of humour which I really appreciated! Sex is meant to be fun and exciting I feel like Freya Marske captured that perfectly.

Overall this is completely worthy of 5 stars and I will definitely be adding it to my reread list!

Freya Marske is a great storyteller. This is a different society with guilds and powerful families which determine your trade. The love story between Matti and Luca was enjoyable to read. It isn't as thrilling as the Last Binding Series but it's a well told story.

New Freya Marske with swords!! And wool?

Mattinesh Jay, Matti to his friends, is struggling to maintain the family wool business. After a run of bad luck, Matti as heir is just trying to keep up appearences until he can marry his problems away. His fiance is agreeable. She’s a family friend. They’ve known each other long enough to know this is a business arrangement. He needs the dowry, she (and her family) would benefit from the status upgrade.

But a marriage means a wedding, means a chance for someone - say an ex who is still in love with your fiance - to challenge you, means Matti needs a best man. The kind who’s good with a sword. And he needs him Right Now.

Luca would just like some cash. And to not have to explain himself to anyone. Especially not a handsome groom-to-be who is desperate for an affordable swordsman. He didn’t plan on getting talked into sword lessons with the man. He certainly didn’t plan to like him.

But neither man is telling the other enough, let alone the Whole Truth, and as the wedding draws closer, the desire that is blossoming between them threatens to break through all carefully arranged plans. But even if the wedding and the challenges and all that manages to go off without a hitch, what about the secrets?!

I had just So Much Fun with this one. I think I read it in two sittings. I love sword fighting. I love this version of wedding protocol. I even loved learning way too much about the wool industry of this fictional city! The fashions, the family dynamics, the local political squabbles, the romance, and the swords, my god I loved all of it. Low stakes (comparitively to other fantasy haha) and high standards. This is my kind of romantasy.

I was thrilled to receive this ARC, even though Marske's books are often hit or miss for me due to the plot. While I always adore the writing and characters, I usually find myself not fully invested in the story. However, the blurb for this book had me genuinely excited. Unfortunately, the plot didn't quite resonate with me once again. That said, the main and side characters were incredibly engaging, and I absolutely loved the relationships—both sibling and romantic. For that reason, I’d still recommend it. As expected, the writing style was impeccable.

A slow start that deepens into a charmingly funny story full of political intrigue, romance, and law breaking antics.

Matti is the heir of his house, but it's not all what it seems. His family is deep in debt, and a chance encounter with the handsome con artist duelist Luca doesn't help things. However, it does kick off a bewildering set of events that may or may not be just what they both need...

I had a hard time getting into Swordcrossed at first as the plot progresses at a crawl and the descriptions are overly sexual in a jarring way. The pacing felt all over the place at the beginning, and it wasn't until about a quarter of the way into the book that I started connecting with the characters and feeling invested in their problems. However, once it picks up I was fully hooked.

This book is definitely spicy and explicit consistently, but it is also packed with a sweetness that had me smiling throughout (especially with all the twists at the end!). Matti is riddled with anxiety and at his breaking point, and Luca is full of fear that he masks with an exuberant layer of confidence he doesn't truly feel. Both characters are flawed, and I felt myself sympathizing with both which made the relationship even more worthwhile to follow.

I especially enjoyed the detective work that went on with Luca, Maya, and Matti. These scenes added an extra layer of adventure to the story and helped make this more than just another romance book. The house-breaking, adopted personas, undercover work, and clue gathering was such a fun element and I'd love to see what other antics Matti and Luca might get up to in future!

Swordcrossed is an enjoyable, light-hearted read. I could see certain aspects of the plot coming from a mile away, but still found the journey to be engaging. I was strangely least drawn into the romantic sections of the plot - although this is not a fantasy novel, the worldbuilding is carefully crafted and intriguing. I found myself interested in the houses, their different gods, and the different trading networks. The characters likewise felt mostly well fleshed-out - there's a strong supporting cast in this novel. Although it felt like the reader spent the majority of the time in Matti's head, it was Luca who seemed to grow and progress the most. All in all, I had a lot of fun reading this, and although I was more engaged by some sections than others, it was a brilliant mood-brightener.
3.5 rounded up to 4.