In a world where magic and gangster politics collide, Patrick and Nina are captured by the Artisans as their war with the Craftsmen reaches a breaking point. Reunited with his father and aided by an unlikely ally, Patrick must decide where his loyalties lie while chasing a prophecy that could change everything.
My Review
Thank you so much to Saga Press for the ARC!
I adored A Forbidden Alchemy, so I had been counting down the days for this one. Belavere Trench is still one of the most delightfully specific worlds in romantasy right now: political unrest, miners’ unions, gangster energy, and a magic system that actually has rules. No fae kings in sight. Just Patrick Colson, gang boss and rebel leader, saying unhinged things while yearning so hard I could feel it through the page. Who needs another fae king when you can have this instead.
This one picks up immediately after book one, and the forced proximity between Nina, Theo, and Patrick gave the opening real teeth. Patrick and Nina still have my whole heart, even with the emotional distance stretched between them for most of the book (he hasn’t forgiven her betrayals, and honestly, fair).
The new POVs are a mixed bag. I liked getting more of the world, but splitting focus across multiple characters and locations kept stalling momentum right when I wanted it to build. Still, the standout moments made up for it: Miss Trunk communicating only through piano, Polly finding Otto’s letters after her betrayal. Small scenes, huge impact. Donny’s wit was also a much needed break from all the heaviness.
The three daughters prophecy intrigued me, but it needed sharper edges. I kept waiting for a reveal that tied Nina into it more directly, and when it didn’t come, parts of the book started feeling like connective tissue.
That last 30% pulled me back in hard, and the ending sets up book three on a hook I’m already obsessing over. If you loved book one, this is non negotiable.
