Series: The Last Binding #1
Author: Freya Marske
Publisher: Tor.com
Released: November 2, 2021
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Abuse, torture

Freya Marske’s latest novel, A Marvellous Light, is a blindingly brilliant read, one that swept me off my feet and had me begging for more. It’s a little bit of everything – historical fiction, romance, fantasy, LGBT+, all with a dash of intrigue and mystery.

Robin Blyth is the son of two philanthropists that were…less than kind in real life. So, of course, he and his sister are the ones left paying their debts. For Robin, that means getting shuffled off to a job he isn’t qualified for, all because somebody didn’t like his late parents.

That job ended up changing Robin’s life forever – and not in the way he expected. Thanks to a series of strange events, Robin is now very aware that magic exists in the world and that not everyone who has it is considerate of others.

“We are man’s light / We hold the gifts of the dawn / From those now passed and gone / And carry the into night.”

Words defy description when it comes to A Marvellous Light. It has the right balance of so many different elements; it’s no wonder that I ended up loving it as much as I did. If you love librarian tropes blended with magic and with an m/m romance, then you’re in luck!

I’ll admit that I didn’t love either character at first. Both Robin and Edwin had a bit of growing to do, and it took some time to see them for who they really are – and thus truly appreciate them. But once I did? I was hooked on their story!

“Robin was definitely going to punch someone before the day was out.”

I’ll admit that I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I’ve had a lot going on in my life; some of it is good, some not so much. It’s made it difficult to concentrate. However, A Marvellous Light fought hard against that mood and really did suck me into the story. In fact, I was pretty sad when the story concluded – once again, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.

Luckily, A Marvellous Light is the first in a trilogy, so there will be two more books heading our way soon enough! I am very much looking forward to seeing what will happen next.

Thanks to Tor.com and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.