Land of Ice and Intrigue Book Review
“You are a monster,” he rasped out, the smell of sweat and fear tinging the air.
“No more than you. I suppose it takes a certain type of monster to kill one.”
In the Winterlands, their icy hate turned into hot passion.
Lady Piris Volesion hid away most of her life for a reason. After she revealed her fearsome powers to help her best friend, she knew she’d pay a steep price. She didn’t think it would cost her her sanity by forcing her to spend time with the one Fae she hated above all others.
Most see Prince Jarok Borau of the Winterlands as the fun royal. Few realize the flippant mask he wears to protect his lands and his family. When asked to go on a mission with Lady Volesion, he knows he should bite his tongue, but doing what’s best for all has never been so challenging.
As they hunt rebels with a ragtag group of Fae, the two fight each other and the outlaws they’re chasing. However, hate turns from begrudging respect to heated desire. Lust might even turn to love. If they can stop the rebel leader and conquer their own doubts—about each other and themselves.
Can they fight for love in a violent, cold world?
Or will icy doubt stomp out their affection before it catches fire?
Seasons of Fae is a series of steamy, interconnected standalone fantasy romance novels perfect for fans of ACOTAR and Bridgerton.
REVIEW
Book 2 of Sonya Lawson’s Seasons of Fae series, Land of Ice and Intrigue takes place a month after the events of the first book, Land of Snow and Secrets. The story centers on Lady Piris Volesion (best friend to the female main character of book 1), who has hidden her fearsome powers most of her life, and Prince Jarok Borau (younger brother to the male main character of book 1) of the Winterlands, known for his flippant mask that hides his feelings and responsibilities. As they work together to protect their kingdom, the former enemies get a lot more … intimate.
The book is built on popular tropes like forced proximity, enemies to lovers, hidden magic, and the classic “only one bed” scenario. While these elements are usually a hit with me, they didn’t quite land as well as they could have here. The beginning is a bit slow, with a lot of repeated explanations about Piris’ power as a mimic. The plot is also predictable—which isn’t an issue if I’m still kept hooked on the characters and their stories, but I wasn’t—and doesn’t pick up until much later. This, combined with an overabundance of detailed descriptions at times, makes the first quarter to half of the book feel stagnant. On the other hand, the resolution at the very end felt rushed and anticlimactic. And the romance between Piris and Jarok seems to develop more from their physical interactions than any deep emotional connection, making their love story fall a bit flat.
However, despite the issues I’ve mentioned above, I did still enjoy the book. The spicy scenes were well done and creative. I also loved seeing our beloved characters from book 1 again, and meeting new characters. In fact, the side character of Darin Marco, an emissary and assassin from the Springlands Court, adds a layer of intrigue and depth that I was looking for. His complexity and internal conflict make him a standout character and my favorite part of the story.
Overall, Land of Ice and Intrigue has its moments, but Land of Snow and Secrets is still my favorite. The epilogue, hinting at Marco’s story, promises a more engaging continuation, and I can’t wait to read that one!
Content warnings include depiction, mention, or discussion of abduction, assault, attempted murder, blood, death, fire, kidnapping, murder, and violence.
Expected publication date is 5 July 2024.
Author Profile
Sonya Lawson (she/her/they) is a recovering academic currently writing fantasy and other forms of speculative fiction. While she remains a rural Kentuckian at heart, she currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. She fills her day with writing, editing, reading, walking old forests, and watching sitcoms or horror films.
TL;DR
- Rating: 3 stars | Genre: Fantasy Romance | Pages: 284
- Book 2 of Seasons of Fae series
- Forced proximity, only one bed
- Enemies to lovers, “good girl”
- Hidden magic
- CWs: abduction, assault, attempted murder, blood, death, fire, kidnapping, murder, and violence
Want more?
See my review of Book 1, Land of Snow and Secrets, HERE!
