I'd been hankering after a bit of old-school sword and sorcery fantasy for a while when I picked this up. Because I am reading on a e-reader, I don't really pay attention to the covers, so I was intrigued as to quite how old-school it seemed, and by old-school in this case I mean straight. Fantasy is a pretty queer genre at the moment, which has been a lot of fun to read, and so this wasn't just heteronormative, but also quitestrictly regressive in its social codes (we're in a world where a woman cutting her hair shocks the locals). It was odd though, as I was reading I wondered if this was all a bit of a fake out, and as we got into the thick of our heroine being the chosen one, and her discovering her magic, I noticed that the seeming heteronormativity had shifted slightly. The prince, who seemed to be the object of affection, seemed to be a bit of a shit; and our heroine Shaski's friend and patron Celia seemed a much more attentive match. The game of unpacking queer subtext was on, and was as enjoyable as the actual text. Was this a knowing throwback to interrogate if we really want is openly queer fantasy all the time?

Sadly, the book finally breaks that tension in another very old-school way, at which point I was three-quarters of my way through the book, so I had to finish it. Though at that point, Shaski had not encountered the villain and had barely embarked on her quest, so I was also worried that this was another shy trilogy that hadn't let on being book one. I'm pleased to say that, with the exception of a very throwaway last line, it does conclude - even if its ending does seem rather rushed. An easy and solid reminder why fantasy is a little more diverse and grubby these days, it also reminded me that subtext is a great thing to tease too, even if you are doing it accidentally.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Forbidden slow-burn romance✅
Magic ✅
Medieval setting ✅
Adventure ✅
DRAAAMA ✅ ✅

This book was really good! There was tension and I enjoy anything with a slow burn angsty romance. Our fmc had some tough decisions to make torn between love and loyalty.

A true page turner with all the plot twists! Thanks for a great read!!

Sword of Hadrian pulled me in from the start with its vivid world and high stakes. Sashki is the kind of heroine you root for: powerful yet vulnerable, torn between loyalty and love, all while hiding a dangerous secret that could change everything. The slow-burn romance with the prince added just the right amount of tension, but what really hooked me was the emotional weight of her choices—nothing felt easy, and that made it all the more real. I finished this one in two days because I had to know how it would all play out.

I'm a sucker for forbidden romance and love me some good fantasy romance and this book hit all the marks for me. It was a fun ride with lots of drama and adventure, and a medieval/magical setting. I loved the world building and how the story unfolded, and the characters are interesting and likeable. It was an intriguing start to a series and I hope to see the story continued in the future!

Magic? Forbidden. Romance? Forbidden. Me, reading this past midnight? NOT forbidden. 💅

This book is dramaaaa with a capital D. Sashki’s got secret powers, a mysterious twin, a swoony prince, AND a kingdom to save? Girl’s plate is full. I was flipping pages like my life depended on it—plot twists, magic sparks, secret makeout vibes, moral dilemmas… it’s got it all. If you're into fierce girls with big feelings and even bigger destinies, Sword of Hadrian is your next obsession. ⚡💔👑

Power runs in the family... so does trouble.

Sword of Hadrian swept me off my feet faster than a prince on a dragon—full of forbidden magic, royal drama, and a heroine with enough fire to torch an entire kingdom (and maybe her twin... oops). 🐉💥💔

I didn’t finish the book, so I don’t plan to post the review unless it’s requested of me.

I made it four chapters in, but I wasn’t able to get into it. The prologue is difficult to read- the number of times “the commander” is used is distracting- he’s the character being narrated, we know who he is.
The first chapter seems like it belongs to a different book, which can be fine, but was a bit confusing. The fast forwarding of several years of life for a number of characters, some of which feel like they may only be relevant in that chapter, felt strange. I feel like anything of value there could have come up in conversation or flashback later.
The next chapter, which I think is a dream? Is also confusing. The third we get into the present tense, but the narration is a bit awkward. The stable hand tells her singing and she just has an entire flashback while standing there staring at him? Her friend asks her not to call her lady, but presumably she’s been her servant for years, so that feels like a strange request to just happen now.
There’s an entire exposition of the history of Celia and the princes’ relationship that seems strange for its placement in the narration.
The conversations between the women, again, feel like they would have come up throughout the years- it’s like they ceased to exist in the interim and are only snapping back awake at the moment the reader rejoins them.