The Sun Blessed Prince

In this rip-roaring queer romantic fantasy from Byrd (On the Subject of Griffons), Prince Elician of Soleb is sent to the front lines to fight Alelune’s forces for control of the Bask River, which is believed to be blessed by gods. Cat, an Alelune Reaper capable of killing with a single touch, is assigned to assassinate Elician, not knowing that the prince is a Giver, a healer who can resurrect the dead. Not only that, but Cat’s powers won’t work on him. When the mission inevitably fails and Cat is captured, he expects to be put to death. Instead, Elician transports him as a prisoner to Kreuzfurt, a fortress sanctuary for Reapers and Givers, hoping to extract information from him. This sparks a slow-burning enemies-to-lovers affair—until Elician and his friend Lio are captured by Alelune soldiers and brought to their kingdom. There, Elician is imprisoned with Lio and tortured for years, while everyone back home believes they have died—except for Cat, who, now caught up in Soleb’s court, searches for a way to free his lover. The delicious romance and thorny court intrigue keep the pages turning, and a clever late plot twist shocks. This hits all the right notes. (Apr.)