Heist of the Assassin and the Sorceress: (A Sapphic Romance Fantasy Adventure) (The Assassin and the Sorceress Series Book 2)

Hot on the heels of the first in the series, we're flung into events in Dremeria a year after Asha and Jessara's climatic 5th? 6th? 29th? escape from death at the end of the first book, and right into another brush with certain oblivion. As if the author had presciently read my mind about the rough edges of the first book, this one from page one flows more smoothly and much improved. Much like the first book, 'Heist' steadily ramps up to a climactic finish, with another cliffhanger ending leaving us wanting more. There's a stronger thread of romance in this story, but with a massive helping of bittersweet. No spoilers, but you will be rooting for our two love birds the whole way through, while feeling a knife in your heart (much the same as one of the characters). You see it coming, you see it played out, you see the after effects, all quite brilliantly done. Bravo! This doesn't diminish from the stabby and slashy at all, but now with an element of thievery thrown in it takes a different tone and focus. It kept me gleefully glued to the story waiting to see where it would go and how events would play out. Heist doesn't disappoint with more character development and expansion. We learn more of the Red Daggers - the arguably evil cult of magic-snatchers using children for nefarious purposes - and the King, at one time a father figure to Jessara, shows more of his true colors and warped personality. Even Harriott, Jessara's grudging respectful former peer gets some…

I read a very early copy of this book, and I think it very much deserves your time. In the second book of this series, N. R. G. Selove does a wonderful job of using tension to keep readers engaged in a way that doesn't feel like the story has to constantly ramp up the action to do so, which is something that frustrates me with a lot of sequels. Without giving away any spoilers, the author takes inspiration from his own experience of rediscovery to portray an important part of this story, and I think that his use of inspiration from real people and real events helps to create such a nuanced and immersive story, and it's one of the author's biggest strengths that I've seen in this series. I'm not someone who normally reads books of this genre, but the writing is so good that it's enough to pull me in from a few genres over. Definitely worth a read.

Jessara and Asha are back for book two of this glorious sapphic romantic fantasy!! I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This author delivers! The world building is divine, the romance is beautiful and the story is action packed! The author has a gift of balancing romance to action with tension and intimacy. Well paced and captivating from start to finish. I can’t wait for more from this author! Highly recommend!