A Taste of Gold and Iron

Product Information

At chapter two, I’d say I was hooked, from there on, this book was emotionally unputdownable. . . . The mental turmoil and emotional insights were so captivating! I highly recommend.”— Myth and Magic Kadou and Evemer are both such compelling characters and I loved exploring their relationship and how they helped each other grow and develop. There was a lot of angst and yearning but at the same time it felt very gentle and sweet which are my favourite kinds of relationship. I also really liked the relationship both of them had with another character called Tadek, who is Kadou's ex-lover and after events at the start of the book has been demoted from being a kahyalar to being Kadou's armsman, he is such well fleshed out side character and I was just as invested in his story as the two mains - he honestly deserves his own spin-off. I loved his sass and charm, as well as the progression of his relationship with Evemer - it's not romantic in any way but something I really love is when two characters who don't like each other intially slowly become friends and seeing how much they both care for Kadou and bond over it was so adorable. Alexandra Rowland is the author of eight fantasy books, including A Taste of Gold and Iron, A Conspiracy Of Truths, and Some by Virtue Fall, as well as a four-time Hugo... Read more

so many of y’all told me that i would love this. that it would be right up the alley of my pulley/marske loving ass. as i sit here with my brain oozing out of my ears, all i have to say is: you were all right. The romance is central in A Taste of Gold and Iron, and I adored it. Kadou and Evemer were both complex characters with many, many layers, and even though they disliked each other at first, they became more and more vulnerable to each other by peeling off those layers. Their first kiss was unexpected, and I immediately felt a warm glow of light in my chest. When they held hands in the cellar, butterflies fluttered through my belly, and I sighed with contentment. There is a bit of magic in the world- some people can "taste" metals by touching them and know things about them- but it's not the main focus. It's a world where people can be casually queer. There are pronouns used for non-binary people and homophobia doesn't exist. We have bi/pan-sexual characters, gay characters, an asexual character etc. That said as royalty Prince Kadou has less say in the gender of who he gets to marry. His sister the empress could in theory decide on a political marriage to a woman even though he is gay.He’d confided his fears to Tadek—another of the kahyalar, who he had known for some time, and who he had once been … close to. Tadek, who was so easy to talk to, even about matters Kadou barely dared to whisper aloud to anyone else.

I saw somewhere this book compared to the goblin emperor and I can definitely see that - I think if you enoyed that you will really love this. They have the same overall calm and comforting vibe (despite some heavy themes) while still having a intriguing political mystery at the heart of things.Split down the middle? The supporting cast. We had some really good eggs mixed in with our MCs and we also had some less good. Equally, we had some good eggs that just acted in frustrating ways and for reasons that are never truly explained but, of course, forgiven. Part of that supporting cast is a strong presence of queerness and identities interwoven in this world and zero homophobia. Huge win.

A Taste of Gold and Iron" was, in every sense, what a good political fantasy should be. Scenes including political turmoil outnumbered the romantic scenes. So, you can imagine..this book was heavy with court politics, treachery, betrayal and tactical negotiations. The political intrigue was surprisingly enjoyable. I don't like political fantasy novels that much. But the political discussions in this book were easy to understand and I thoroughly enjoyed them. The action sequences were great. I liked how the main characters were being thrust into forced proximity whenever a conflict appeared. Both of them, Kadou and Evemer, pretended that all of it was fake and out of necessity but they secretly waited for such opportunities. Opportunities when they could be together however they wanted without any obligations to follow by the ruled. Moments when they could express their hearts' desires; even if it was under disguises and pretense. Kadou and Evemer were loving it all. And me? I was busy trying not to melt into puddle... Tadek started off decent, and descended into a caricature of himself. He ended up being wildly childish and immature. To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him atWho you are isn't the thoughts in your head or the fears in your heart or the name someone else gives you or takes from you. Who you are is what you do. It's the actions you take, or that you don't take. It's the way that you help people, or don't. It's the good that you put into the world, or the bad.” so like. there’s a lot going on here. there’s breathtaking world building with casual queerness, political & economical intrigue, a plot that meanders like a lullaby, a gorgeously diverse & layered cast, & women who wield their power without hesitation. A Taste of Gold and Iron is an imersive fantasy romance that completly captured me. From the impressive world-building to the diverse and complex cast of characters. Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne A Taste of Gold and Iron is a slow-burn romance flush with sexy, complicated relationships, founded on the ethics of duty and love. As indulgent and satisfying as your favourite fan fiction

I loved spending time with Kadou. A Taste of Gold and Iron is a beautiful love story with a warm, genuine, and hugely relatable portrayal of living with anxiety at its center, and I rooted for the main character all the way.”—Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit Tor had a really, profoundly successful run of interesting and boundary-pushing queer titles a few years ago, so it’s really a shame to see them hoovering up all of these bloodless, middling stories.I really wish the book focused more on the romance. The romantic subplot didn't receive the spotlight as frequently as it deserved. I still loved it of course. I loved those stolen moments, those fleeting glances, their subtle banter and the unwavering royalty to each other. I live and die for a great slow burn romance. And trust me, Alexandra Rowland should get an award for writing such a marvelous slow burn romance. Evemer and Kadou’s relationship was built on mutual respect, trust and loyalty. Their love and devotion to each other was unflinching and raw. I loved every single second of it. Specially whenever Evemer was talking about Kadou, the fondness and love in in voice...I could die right there. This should have been a great fit for me - fantasy world with political intrigue, and a queer central romance? Perfection. The concept underpinning the narrative is intriguing, but there were moments when I felt somewhat adrift, wishing for a more concrete und It takes a long time for the romance to get going, but once it does, every other plot element falls away. The antagonists are goofy and pointless, and their evil plot is foiled at the 75% mark with a stern conversation and no fanfare whatsoever. The dialogue throughout reads less like a fantasy novel and more like an old Tumblr post. All sexual content is, you guessed it, gauzy and vague. A tangent, but: I think I’m officially done reading m/m romance that isn’t written by queer men. The cutesy, obfuscating language used in so many bestselling m/m romance novels has gotten SO old. I am over! It! And let's not forget the prince's ex-lover, a major character throughout the book, who exists solely as a mincing caricature of a gay man who calls everyone "darling" and has zingy one-liners for every situation. He could be cast in an offensive 90's sitcom tomorrow.