Description: "This slow-burn romantic fantasy with a heavy dose of political intrigue is rich in world-building and emotional angst.... A queernormative fantasy world."-- Buzzfeed " A delicious tangle of romance, fealty, and dangerous politics. "--Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne " Sexual tension overload! One of my favorite reads of the year."--Katee Robert, USA Today and New York Times bestselling author "I highly recommend this one to all adult fantasy-romance readers! With brilliant anxiety representation and a cool magic system , A Taste of Gold and Iron is one to remember." --Tricia Levenseller, New York Times bestselling author of Blade of Secrets "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 " Witty, clever, and often extremely funny , Rowland''s tale of a prince who doesn''t want power but has it anyway--and must survive all the risks that brings with it-- somehow manages to be both soft and hard-edged, clever and kind. And sexy! Very much that too."--Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings " A Taste of Gold and Iron is a slow-burn romance flush with sexy, complicated relationships and founded on the ethics of duty and love . As indulgent and satisfying as your favorite fanfiction ."--Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear "Rowland delivers a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy , in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts. . . . In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other , this achingly tender fantasy wows."-- Publishers Weekly ( starred review) "A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy . Rowland''s latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters."-- Library Journal ( starred review) "The matriarchal defaults and three-gender system present in Arasti society place the novel squarely among the ranks of contemporary queer fantasy... An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world. "-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) " Rowland''s fantasy romance is full of lush prose, and heavy on political intrigue and world-building ."-- Bustle , a Best of Fantasy Romance Pick "Drama, intense politics, and sexual tension . . . . Witty . . . While it is a romantic fantasy novel, it''s also a political thriller, heist, and family saga at once. More importantly, as with any good romantic novel, I was shaking the book asking when the characters would kiss already . It was well worth the wait when they finally did."-- Locus "The politics and ethics of power and fealty are a big theme in this book and the Kadou/Evemer dynamic hinges less on class than oaths, obedience and a hair washing scene that would make Charles Boyle sweat. "-- Geeky Inc "Kadou''s coping with anxiety and personal growth are a joy to watch as he fully embraces his talents and comes out of his shell with the help of Evemer, his bodyguard. The slow-burn romance between them is beautifully done and adds a thrilling element to the story that readers will savor."-- Booklist "For readers who enjoy forced proximity and bodyguard romances, A Taste of Gold and Iron offers both, wrapped in a delightful package of espionage and royal duty .... Rowland also impresses in their nuanced depiction of anxiety ."-- Bookpage "Strikes the perfect balance of political intrigue and romance. . . . A beautiful, compelling navigation of power and consent, loyalty and love, trust and hope. "-- Shelf Awareness "There is action and danger to provide thrills, and a hilariously witty secondary character. But it is the aching and longing that makes Rowland''s stunning queer romance so memorab le ."--The Philadelphia Inquirer "Intrigue and betrayals abound as Kadou not only carries out his mission in an effort to save the kingdom, but also journeys within himself to discover a purpose and courage. A Taste of Gold and Iron is set in an atmosphere where gender-fluidity is not only accepted, but is an unremarkable part of everyday life. It is both a gripping mystery and an exploration of human nature as the characters grow and change."-- Affaire de Coeur "Rowland writes fascinating characters in realistic feeling worlds, and I really need to read more of their work. If you love political fantasy or adored Winters Orbit , then I highly suggest checking this book out."-- Lace and Dagger Books "A sweet, pacy and gleefully self-aware queer fantasy romance romp, complete with AO3 content tag bingo and a seasoning of economic malpractice." -- Nerds of a Feather, Flock Together "If you''ve been searching for a queer fantasy romance, look no further than A Taste of Gold and Iron. Not only is there a great balance between characters and magic, but also perfect for fans of body guard and royalty romance!"-- Utopia State of Mind "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 ell, author of Winter''s Orbit " Witty, clever, and often extremely funny , Rowland''s tale of a prince who doesn''t want power but has it anyway--and must survive all the risks that brings with it-- somehow manages to be both soft and hard-edged, clever and kind. And sexy! Very much that too."--Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings " A Taste of Gold and Iron is a slow-burn romance flush with sexy, complicated relationships and founded on the ethics of duty and love . As indulgent and satisfying as your favorite fanfiction ."--Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear "Rowland delivers a breathtakingly intimate narrative in this gorgeous fantasy , in which the political intrigue of a kingdom serves as backdrop to a romance between the softest of hearts. . . . In exploring what monarchs owe their people, and what individuals owe each other , this achingly tender fantasy wows."-- Publishers Weekly ( starred review) "A beautifully detailed world, the power to touch-taste metal, political schemes, and a slow-burn romance wrap together in a lush fantasy . Rowland''s latest continues to showcase their captivating prose, immersive details, and complicated characters."-- Library Journal ( starred review) "The matriarchal defaults and three-gender system present in Arasti society place the novel squarely among the ranks of contemporary queer fantasy... An engaging fantasy/romance set in a large, lush, and inclusive world. "-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) " Rowland''s fantasy romance is full of lush prose, and heavy on political intrigue and world-building ."-- Bustle , a Best of Fantasy Romance Pick "Drama, intense politics, and sexual tension . . . . Witty . . . While it is a romantic fantasy novel, it''s also a political thriller, heist, and family saga at once. More importantly, as with any good romantic novel, I was shaking the book asking when the characters would kiss already . It was well worth the wait when they finally did."-- Locus "The politics and ethics of power and fealty are a big theme in this book and the Kadou/Evemer dynamic hinges less on class than oaths, obedience and a hair washing scene that would make Charles Boyle sweat. "-- Geeky Inc "Kadou''s coping with anxiety and personal growth are a joy to watch as he fully embraces his talents and comes out of his shell with the help of Evemer, his bodyguard. The slow-burn romance between them is beautifully done and adds a thrilling element to the story that readers will savor."-- Booklist "For readers who enjoy forced proximity and bodyguard romances, A Taste of Gold and Iron offers both, wrapped in a delightful package of espionage and royal duty .... Rowland also impresses in their nuanced depiction of anxiety ."-- Bookpage "Strikes the perfect balance of political intrigue and romance. . . . A beautiful, compelling navigation of power and consent, loyalty and love, trust and hope. "-- Shelf Awareness "There is action and danger to provide thrills, and a hilariously witty secondary character. But it is the aching and longing that makes Rowland''s stunning queer romance so memorab le ."--The Philadelphia Inquirer "Intrigue and betrayals abound as Kadou not only carries out his mission in an effort to save the kingdom, but also journeys within himself to discover a purpose and courage. A Taste of Gold and Iron is set in an atmosphere where gender-fluidity is not only accepted, but is an unremarkable part of everyday life. It is both a gripping mystery and an exploration of human nature as the characters grow and change."-- Affaire de Coeur "Rowland writes fascinating characters in realistic feel

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