Never the Roses
by Jennifer K. Lambert
What is it about:
Genevieve Gornichec’s The Witch’s Heart meets Madeline Miller’s Circe in this epic and deeply emotional romantic fantasy debut by Jennifer K. Lambert. The hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges.
The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.
By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.
But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.
A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her… or it could destroy her entirely.
What did we think of it:
We read the first version of this story before it was sold to Bramble/TOR and loved it.
So when we received this gorgeous finished version of Never the Roses we had to do a reread of course.
(spoiler: it won't be our last reread)
This is such a wonderful and emotional story.
The writing is beautiful and haunting, from the first few sentences we were glued to the pages.
Both Oneira and Stearanos are characters to root for. Oneira is tired of the life she's lived and is looking for either redemption or judgement without realizing it. Stearanos is still in the middle of things, but as bitter and grumpy as a sorcerer who's been used as a tool of war for most of his life can be.
We wanted to see both of them happy, loved.
The way they start connecting with each other through their correspondence, the way they reacted to it, was wonderful to read.
Even with this being a reread we were totally engrossed, and this was yet another book we read in one long sitting, as we couldn't put it down.
If not for our TBR mountain glaring at us, we'd have done another reread immediately after finishing this one, it's that beautiful!
There will be a second book in this world, and hopefully many more, and we know it will be as amazing as this one, so we'll be (im)patiently wait for the release next year, while rereading this book once in a while when our TBR mountain isn't paying attention.
Why should you read it:
It's absolutely beautiful and amazing!
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