The Wizard & the Welshman: A Queer Fantasy Mystery

this was such a lovely and calming read, it reminded me so much of my favorite childhood book/movie, howls moving castle. it interwoven the discovery of magic with romance in that same way that fill you with longing, unsure whether for the partnership or the magic itself or both. it brings the magic to life in a newer way than other fantasy books do, it makes it almost into something within the reader’s grasp if they simply get in the right mindset. that magic isn’t about the powers but about the essence and feeling of it. running off to a cottage in a long coat and a crown of vines is the goal that can be achieved and include sorcery and witchcraft if only you let it. i don’t know, i think none of this makes any sense to anyone but me but this is my favorite type of fantastical magic. when it’s so romantic and whimsical and stunning. the romance between hal and november was beautifully written. the slow burn was there but the yearning was too, letting us see how hal truly cared for november. the way their romance was written is literally my favorite way to read a love story. yearning and slow burn my very openly pining!! the ending was absolutely insane. in the best way. the way it reversed everything the reader had seen from the two so far but somehow in a way that made sense and was realistic. i can’t recommend this enough, it was such a cozy and sweet experience and it definitely provided a lovely reprieve from the stress of life. this was so wonderful and i can not WAIT…

3.5 Stars Rounded Up. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing an advanced digital copy. The world of The Wizard and the Welshman was enchanting and immersive! It pulled me in with its rich magic system and the mystery. I loved how the setting felt alive, filled with wonder and suspense. However, the romance left me wanting MORE. The relationship between the characters felt rushed, almost like instalove, with little time to explore deeper emotional connections. With so much action happening throughout the book, there wasn’t enough space to develop the characters’ personalities or allow them to truly bond. I enjoyed the excitement and magical elements, but I wished there had been more balance with slower, more intimate moments to flesh out the characters and their relationships.

Hal is woken in the middle of the night to investigate a grisly murder scene. A woman was attacked, her chest ripped apart, and something was taken from her. But no one can say what. All of her organs are clearly intact and where they should be, but right next to her heart, something is gone. After learning that the victim had been a prostitute Hal attempts to gain more information from the other girls, with none of them willing to talk to him he hits a brick wall, that is until he meets November, another prostitute at the brothel the dead woman had worked at. Almost immediately Hal feels like something is off with the young man, but never in his wildest dreams could he have guessed what it was, because November is a wizard and the killer Hal is looking for has targeted November next. Hal realizes very quickly that they are in a race against time to find a powerful magician, something that shouldn't even be possible, before he kills again, but how does an Ordinary man stop the impossible? This was so freaking cute! I will admit that the writing was rough at the beginning, but this only lasts for a couple of chapters, if that. By the time November is introduced, it's solid. But honestly, if he it had not, I would have still finished it because this was genuinely just a lot of fun! In terms of the magic system there isn't anything really groundbreaking here, it's pretty standard, I'm pretty sure I've come across the whole magic users have two hearts thing before, so at first…

In 1886 Kensington a woman is found murdered with her chest cut open. Inspector Hal Hawthorne is on the job and discovered the woman was a prostitute and alive when she was cut open. He is determined to bring the killer to justice but unfortunately, he has no idea where his search will lead him. Hal has a new partner, Donoghue, who can’t take the sight of blood and who doesn’t go above and beyond. In the dead woman’s pocket, they found a note from someone named November and the first order of business is to find him. His first stop was the brothel that the victim worked at. But his attempt for information was a huge failure. Hal’s captain is not interested in a prostitute’s life but wants him to find the missing wife of an American diplomat something Hal refuses to do. Still working on his case November shows up to inform Hal that the murder was committed by a wizard and finding him will not be easy. Hal does not believe in the supernatural, but that disbelief was soon proved wrong when he runs into all types of supernatural’s. Helena the dead woman was a witch, and Hal would get more than he could have imagined in the world of the supernatural. When Hal discovers that November is in danger of ending up like Helena, he finds him just in time before his chest was cut open. Now Hal is determined to protect November by having him stay with him. Hal is surprised when Donoghue joins him and proves he is a better partner than he could ever have imagined. The three men follow…

I fell in love with the idea of late 1800s London but with the magical twist of the knights of the round table. This is a queer fantasy but that’s not the heart of it. But the crime solving/who done it isn’t the main focus either. This being book 1 I’m looking forward to a larger supporting cast in the next novels. Think Jack the Ripper meets The sorcerer and the Stone.