House of Bane and Blood

Saints, magic, and serious steampunk vibes are the hallmarks of the entertaining first Order and Chaos romantic fantasy from Menard (The Last Daughter). Camilla Marchese is the heir to her family’s railway company and the so-called “Princess of Steam”—but the Marcheses are having money troubles. To restore the family coffers, her brothers arrange for her to marry their associate, Felix Firenze. Before the papers are signed, however, Camilla sneaks off into town—and lands a better offer from a more compelling suitor: Nicolai Attano, the head of a rival family. While the Marcheses are “natives” who lack any magical abilities, the Attanos are “remnants,” descendants of ancient magic users. Nicolai has powers over air, light, and time, and was once punished for his gift by being locked away in Hightower, a remnant prison. As Camilla and Nicolai each attempt to make their arranged marriage work in their favor, tensions between natives and remnants mount. There are other forces at work in the city as well: a criminal called the Collector is kidnapping remnants; mercenaries dubbed the Grey Hands are after Camilla; and the delicate balance of power is tipped every time Nicolai does a job for the Inspector. Menard’s complex worldbuilding is packed with intrigue, and the dark, slow burning love story between the leads will please fantasy romance fans. This is good fun. (Self-published)