What do you think?
Rate this book
Starian Cycle #4
The Exile's Gift
Laurent and Sabre's story continues...
All Laurent de Rue wants to do is live a peaceful life with his husband, Sabre, and support his little sister Rose’s rise to stardom on the Starian stage. But learning the truth of his heritage, and rediscovering his magic, brings a whole new set of problems...most notably the Archmage of Mislia, who is determined to find the apostates who fled his wrath all those years ago. He’s willing to use any means necessary to track down Laurent, and that includes cursing his own son and heir, Hektor Drakos, who fled Mislia with Prince Adrien and is now all alone in a city that bears no love for his kind.
But Laurent soon discovers the dark-eyed mage and his clever fox demon is no threat...but a young man in need of healing and a place to hide from his terrifying, power-hungry father and his father’s demon -- a faceless creature who can travel vast distances through mirrors. Despite the danger, Laurent’s never been one to turn away someone in need of protection. As he and Sabre make a place for Hektor in their unconventional family, they’re besieged by old enemies and new threats alike, and Laurent will have to harness the true strength of his magical gift to protect the people he loves.
All Laurent de Rue wants to do is live a peaceful life with his husband, Sabre, and support his little sister Rose’s rise to stardom on the Starian stage. But learning the truth of his heritage, and rediscovering his magic, brings a whole new set of problems...most notably the Archmage of Mislia, who is determined to find the apostates who fled his wrath all those years ago. He’s willing to use any means necessary to track down Laurent, and that includes cursing his own son and heir, Hektor Drakos, who fled Mislia with Prince Adrien and is now all alone in a city that bears no love for his kind.
But Laurent soon discovers the dark-eyed mage and his clever fox demon is no threat...but a young man in need of healing and a place to hide from his terrifying, power-hungry father and his father’s demon -- a faceless creature who can travel vast distances through mirrors. Despite the danger, Laurent’s never been one to turn away someone in need of protection. As he and Sabre make a place for Hektor in their unconventional family, they’re besieged by old enemies and new threats alike, and Laurent will have to harness the true strength of his magical gift to protect the people he loves.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2021
About the author
Iris Foxglove
26 books157 followersIris Foxglove is the shared pen name of Avon Gale (she/her) and Fae Loxley (he/him). Avon and Fae met in fandom in 2019, and began writing fanfiction together in 2020 during lockdown. They eventually decided to collaborate on original fantasy fiction, and haven't looked back since.
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
They write queer fantasy with an emphasis on biological imperative, natural power exchange dynamics, complex worldbuilding and unforgettable characters.
You can follow Iris on twitter @irisfoxglove, or sign up for Iris' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/hrhA6z
Iris also has a brand-new Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/irisfoxglove
Iris' Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
You can also follow the authors individually on Twitter and Facebook:
Avon Gale
Twitter: https://twitter.com/avongalewrites
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hz4fv
Fae Loxley
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fae_loxley
Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/mrxt2fnn
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 31, 2021
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review. Thank you!
It's no secret I love this series, I yell about it everywhere I can. The books are unique and different and I genuinely adore that they are sort of genre-fluid, I guess is the best way I can think to describe them?
This one was so much fun, and maybe my favorite! I loved seeing Sabre and Laurent again, but what I REALLY loved was the character development with both of them. In this entry, we get to see Sabre come into his own after the events of Traitor's Mercy, and take up his position in the Starian court as Adrien's BFF and future left hand. His return to court intrigue puts some stress on Laurent, who is used to being in charge and is somewhat out of his element -- and that gave them some interpersonal conflict to run alongside the external one with the archmage, which was interesting especially with the dom/sub stuff the book incorporates. After everything Sabre went through in book one, I found it narratively satisfying to see him coming into his own as he did. He and Laurent work so well together, I loved how they functioned together as a couple with all the shenanigans going on around them. I also really like Sabre's conflicted feelings about Isiodore and King Emile, and how Adrien is determined to break the cycle of his father's violence. And with Laurent,
It was fun to see how much more confident Adrien was, too, and I loved the banter between Izzy and Laurent. Hektor and Rose's romance was so sweet, and I loved Hektor's list of "good things" and of course, seeing Flick again. This one is definitely a plot-centric ensemble novel, and I really liked seeing the House of Onyx crew again (YVESSS) as well as meeting some new ones.
Highly recommended and if you like the series, especially book one, you'll probably really like this one. While I'd say the focus was a touch more plot-heavy than book three, seeing Sabre and Laurent's relationship grow and adapt was really rewarding. And I loved Hektor and Rose, they were so sweet! Flick is the true star of the show, though, if you ask me.
I can't WAIT to read the next one, which looks like it'll be Thanks to the author for the ARC and don't miss this one if you're a series fan!
It's no secret I love this series, I yell about it everywhere I can. The books are unique and different and I genuinely adore that they are sort of genre-fluid, I guess is the best way I can think to describe them?
This one was so much fun, and maybe my favorite! I loved seeing Sabre and Laurent again, but what I REALLY loved was the character development with both of them. In this entry, we get to see Sabre come into his own after the events of Traitor's Mercy, and take up his position in the Starian court as Adrien's BFF and future left hand. His return to court intrigue puts some stress on Laurent, who is used to being in charge and is somewhat out of his element -- and that gave them some interpersonal conflict to run alongside the external one with the archmage, which was interesting especially with the dom/sub stuff the book incorporates. After everything Sabre went through in book one, I found it narratively satisfying to see him coming into his own as he did. He and Laurent work so well together, I loved how they functioned together as a couple with all the shenanigans going on around them. I also really like Sabre's conflicted feelings about Isiodore and King Emile, and how Adrien is determined to break the cycle of his father's violence. And with Laurent,
It was fun to see how much more confident Adrien was, too, and I loved the banter between Izzy and Laurent. Hektor and Rose's romance was so sweet, and I loved Hektor's list of "good things" and of course, seeing Flick again. This one is definitely a plot-centric ensemble novel, and I really liked seeing the House of Onyx crew again (YVESSS) as well as meeting some new ones.
Highly recommended and if you like the series, especially book one, you'll probably really like this one. While I'd say the focus was a touch more plot-heavy than book three, seeing Sabre and Laurent's relationship grow and adapt was really rewarding. And I loved Hektor and Rose, they were so sweet! Flick is the true star of the show, though, if you ask me.
I can't WAIT to read the next one, which looks like it'll be Thanks to the author for the ARC and don't miss this one if you're a series fan!
Read
September 18, 2021Out in August 2021, this is the continuation of Sabre and Laurent's story, along with a plot set in motion in book three.
August 18, 2023
4.5 Stars
After reading Tempest I found I was not ready to leave this universe yet, so I reread this one. It's also the first book we encounter Iason who is one of the MCs of Tempest so it felt appropriate.
Highlights include:
FLICK - goddamn I love that little blue fox. He's funny and strangely charming. And he loves kittens.
Laurent & Sabre - I'll never not love hanging with them.
Rose and Hector - Rose is a force of nature and Hector is besotted. Plus he's a bit of a hero here (understatement). He's brave and kind.
And much more. I love that I can pick up any of the books in this universe and be transported right there. I love the writing, the storytelling, the characters, the plots. Le sigh...
After reading Tempest I found I was not ready to leave this universe yet, so I reread this one. It's also the first book we encounter Iason who is one of the MCs of Tempest so it felt appropriate.
Highlights include:
FLICK - goddamn I love that little blue fox. He's funny and strangely charming. And he loves kittens.
Laurent & Sabre - I'll never not love hanging with them.
Rose and Hector - Rose is a force of nature and Hector is besotted. Plus he's a bit of a hero here (understatement). He's brave and kind.
And much more. I love that I can pick up any of the books in this universe and be transported right there. I love the writing, the storytelling, the characters, the plots. Le sigh...
September 5, 2021
I will admit I was initially skeptical about this book. Like, getting a story from Sabre and Laurent again? And this time adding in 2 additional POVs - Hektor and Rose? I tend not to be a fan of multiple POVs when they’re not of the main couple. BUT FEAR NOT. This book was actually really fun (with some angst thrown in of course!) and I loved it.
Content notes include mentions of abuse, mentions of an execution and other murders, mentions of manipulating someone’s mind, and mentions of slavery in Mislia.
Like I said, we had Sabre and Laurent’s story in the first book of this series. They were literally the intro we had into this world of books. So in some ways, this story is more of a checkup on them and filling in parts of Laurent’s backstory we didn’t get a chance to see before. I feel like this almost felt like an epilogue or a follow-up novella of sorts about them. Like, their relationship is already GOOD and established, so what more did we need? But it was so much fun seeing how Laurent complains about running a house with whores who are oh so dramatic, when really Laurent is the one with the most dramatics and is a man who dares to wear velvet before sunset. Also, his banter with Isiodore and his horror anytime anyone talks to Emile is great. Every moment from Laurent’s perspective in this book just makes me laugh. He may be a dominant, but he could be an actor on his sister’s stage for all the drama he seems prone to.
Laurent’s adopted sister, Rose, is 16 and wished very much to be an actor and have people act out plays she’s written. And in this book she gets her wish! Sabre’s old home has been converted into an acting school of sorts where anyone can go, much to the chargrin on his old neighbors. Rose also longs to be a submissive, but, well, she can’t have it all. She’s a very natural dominant and I think it’s interesting to see how that works in this world, when the young ones come into their natural dominance or submissiveness. Rose may be young, but she has a good heart. And when she sees Hektor for the first time, she immediately takes him under her wing and always makes sure to take care of him. IT’S SO CUTE.
Hektor is the exile mentioned here in the book’s title. This is a continuation of the story in book 3, The Prince’s Vow. He ran away from the hunt of people who wished him harm, including his own abusive father, only referred to as the “Archmage”. The man controls much (if not everything) in Mislia, and has a wickedly grotesque demon who travels and communicates through mirrors at his side. The Archmage is a villain, make no mistake about that. Hektor has a curse placed on him by the Archmage and this has locked away his own demon, a very cute and endearing blue fox demon called Flick, and his own voice.
I really liked how this book went about describing and showing how Hektor was handling not being able to talk with his “voice”. He would write on a slate to communicate his thoughts across, and he even began to learn sign language from the House of Onyx’s sadist called Charon. (And side note, I love Charon and Yves!)
I do think there were some parts of this story that felt too easy, or rushed. Like, how quickly and simply Laurent managed to figure a way around the Archmage’s spell on Hektor once he was handled the right info, and even the showdown at the end. But overall, this was a very enjoyable book because we got to see so many of the characters again.
Sabre obviously still remembers the day he was sent to the gallows and has nightmares and regrets at how life turned out for his mother and sister, but mostly for his younger sister, Elise. I think a lot of this book is about Sabre moving forward from his past and going towards his future and the role he’ll play by Prince Adrien’s side. Sabre still obviously holds a lot of sadness and regret with him, but his family now with Laurent and the members of the House of Onyx is so different from the life he knew before, and it brings him happiness. And I’m just so happy he’s managed to find so many people who love him and take care of him, when he wants it.
I really liked Hektor in this book. He felt and made decisions like any teen would make in his position, I think. So while he makes some ill-advised decisions he does only want to do what’s best for Rose, and also for his older brother Bazyli. Hektor is also besotted with Rose. They’re so cute. For all that time Hektor couldn’t talk with his voice, I forgot that when he COULD, how talkative he could be. He’s adorable.
But you know who steals the show? FLICK. Flick is the CUTEST character ever and I love him so much. He is a fox demon who would protect Hektor against anything, but he is also maybe a little vain and likes to speak into people’s minds in ALL CAPS FORM LIKE THIS. I love him so much. I can’t wait to listen to Flick on audio, because I feel like that will be so much fun? Anyways, when we find out WHY Hektor winded up summoning such a small demon who eats words, instead of, say, a powerful demon like the Archmage’s, I cried. I just want Rose, Hektor, and Flick to have the happiest and beauiful life together.
We do see the set up for the next book here. Which gives more explanation (and maybe what’ll feel like a redemption) to King Emile. I was super skeptical about him getting a book because he was so awful in the first book. But he seems to be loosening up? He winds up with Bazyli? Hektor’s older brother? Bazyli is 14 years older than Hektor, I believe, so that definitely puts him closer in age to King Emile than say, the age gap between Prince Adrien and Isiodore. Bazyli has been hurt so much and I just want him and his flower demon to find happiness too! HAPPY ENDINGS FOR EVERYONE IN THIS SERIES (except the Archmage obviously). While this book ends in a very satisfying HEA, if you read the excerpt, you will be dying for more! I think Emile needs a good cry and someone who he can be vulnerable with, and Bazyli just really needs someone to care for him and treat him like he’s precious. Maybe Bazyli can tend to the beautiful garden in memory of Emile’s wife and they can have quiet moments in the garden together? I’m afraid the person who was attending to the garden before though will be out of a job. I CANNOT WAIT to read Emile and Bazyli’s story!!! I’m sure I’m going to cry. It’ll be great.
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
Content notes include mentions of abuse, mentions of an execution and other murders, mentions of manipulating someone’s mind, and mentions of slavery in Mislia.
Like I said, we had Sabre and Laurent’s story in the first book of this series. They were literally the intro we had into this world of books. So in some ways, this story is more of a checkup on them and filling in parts of Laurent’s backstory we didn’t get a chance to see before. I feel like this almost felt like an epilogue or a follow-up novella of sorts about them. Like, their relationship is already GOOD and established, so what more did we need? But it was so much fun seeing how Laurent complains about running a house with whores who are oh so dramatic, when really Laurent is the one with the most dramatics and is a man who dares to wear velvet before sunset. Also, his banter with Isiodore and his horror anytime anyone talks to Emile is great. Every moment from Laurent’s perspective in this book just makes me laugh. He may be a dominant, but he could be an actor on his sister’s stage for all the drama he seems prone to.
“It must be the theater. It’s a terrible influence.”
Laurent’s adopted sister, Rose, is 16 and wished very much to be an actor and have people act out plays she’s written. And in this book she gets her wish! Sabre’s old home has been converted into an acting school of sorts where anyone can go, much to the chargrin on his old neighbors. Rose also longs to be a submissive, but, well, she can’t have it all. She’s a very natural dominant and I think it’s interesting to see how that works in this world, when the young ones come into their natural dominance or submissiveness. Rose may be young, but she has a good heart. And when she sees Hektor for the first time, she immediately takes him under her wing and always makes sure to take care of him. IT’S SO CUTE.
Hektor is the exile mentioned here in the book’s title. This is a continuation of the story in book 3, The Prince’s Vow. He ran away from the hunt of people who wished him harm, including his own abusive father, only referred to as the “Archmage”. The man controls much (if not everything) in Mislia, and has a wickedly grotesque demon who travels and communicates through mirrors at his side. The Archmage is a villain, make no mistake about that. Hektor has a curse placed on him by the Archmage and this has locked away his own demon, a very cute and endearing blue fox demon called Flick, and his own voice.
I really liked how this book went about describing and showing how Hektor was handling not being able to talk with his “voice”. He would write on a slate to communicate his thoughts across, and he even began to learn sign language from the House of Onyx’s sadist called Charon. (And side note, I love Charon and Yves!)
I do think there were some parts of this story that felt too easy, or rushed. Like, how quickly and simply Laurent managed to figure a way around the Archmage’s spell on Hektor once he was handled the right info, and even the showdown at the end. But overall, this was a very enjoyable book because we got to see so many of the characters again.
Sabre obviously still remembers the day he was sent to the gallows and has nightmares and regrets at how life turned out for his mother and sister, but mostly for his younger sister, Elise. I think a lot of this book is about Sabre moving forward from his past and going towards his future and the role he’ll play by Prince Adrien’s side. Sabre still obviously holds a lot of sadness and regret with him, but his family now with Laurent and the members of the House of Onyx is so different from the life he knew before, and it brings him happiness. And I’m just so happy he’s managed to find so many people who love him and take care of him, when he wants it.
I really liked Hektor in this book. He felt and made decisions like any teen would make in his position, I think. So while he makes some ill-advised decisions he does only want to do what’s best for Rose, and also for his older brother Bazyli. Hektor is also besotted with Rose. They’re so cute. For all that time Hektor couldn’t talk with his voice, I forgot that when he COULD, how talkative he could be. He’s adorable.
But you know who steals the show? FLICK. Flick is the CUTEST character ever and I love him so much. He is a fox demon who would protect Hektor against anything, but he is also maybe a little vain and likes to speak into people’s minds in ALL CAPS FORM LIKE THIS. I love him so much. I can’t wait to listen to Flick on audio, because I feel like that will be so much fun? Anyways, when we find out WHY Hektor winded up summoning such a small demon who eats words, instead of, say, a powerful demon like the Archmage’s, I cried. I just want Rose, Hektor, and Flick to have the happiest and beauiful life together.
We do see the set up for the next book here. Which gives more explanation (and maybe what’ll feel like a redemption) to King Emile. I was super skeptical about him getting a book because he was so awful in the first book. But he seems to be loosening up? He winds up with Bazyli? Hektor’s older brother? Bazyli is 14 years older than Hektor, I believe, so that definitely puts him closer in age to King Emile than say, the age gap between Prince Adrien and Isiodore. Bazyli has been hurt so much and I just want him and his flower demon to find happiness too! HAPPY ENDINGS FOR EVERYONE IN THIS SERIES (except the Archmage obviously). While this book ends in a very satisfying HEA, if you read the excerpt, you will be dying for more! I think Emile needs a good cry and someone who he can be vulnerable with, and Bazyli just really needs someone to care for him and treat him like he’s precious. Maybe Bazyli can tend to the beautiful garden in memory of Emile’s wife and they can have quiet moments in the garden together? I’m afraid the person who was attending to the garden before though will be out of a job. I CANNOT WAIT to read Emile and Bazyli’s story!!! I’m sure I’m going to cry. It’ll be great.
***Thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review through Patreon!***
August 24, 2021
What a delight! I had the day off and started this early this morning, intending to read with my coffee and kept on until I'd finished. I love the character growth for Sabre and Laurent, and Rose and Hektor were a delight to read about - but Flick the fox was the real star of the story, what a cutie.
I'm so impressed with the worldbuilding in these books. Very much looking forward to Bazyli and Emile's book, as well. Bazyli was such an interesting character and as a gardener myself, I thought his magic was very cool and would love to have him over to weed my garden.
So happy to have found this series!
I'm so impressed with the worldbuilding in these books. Very much looking forward to Bazyli and Emile's book, as well. Bazyli was such an interesting character and as a gardener myself, I thought his magic was very cool and would love to have him over to weed my garden.
So happy to have found this series!
October 18, 2021
This was really enjoyable, I loved it! This book is in the POV of Laurent, Sabre, and Hektor. Laurent and Sabre were the main characters in the first book, and honestly I wasn't too sure about it but at loved it. The overall story in the series continued and we got to see previous characters from previous books. I have no idea how many books this series is going to be , I'm definitely curious though. Really looking forward to the next book that has the King as the main character...been looking forward to it for a while actually !
August 27, 2021
favorite so far i loved flick and hektor so much!
August 26, 2021
3.5 stars
I liked this one about as much as the first and third books (book two remains my favorite so far), but I particularly enjoyed the comedic scenes. I literally cannot wait for Emile's book though! 😍
I liked this one about as much as the first and third books (book two remains my favorite so far), but I particularly enjoyed the comedic scenes. I literally cannot wait for Emile's book though! 😍
December 9, 2021
This book was two stories in one. Which usually I don't like but since the second story was Hektor and Rose I was totally fine with it.
This book was also really funny. Rose talking back to the king and Laurent freaking out about it. And of course Flick. My favorite of all the demons. Flick is the entire reason this book is 4 stars for me.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
This book was also really funny. Rose talking back to the king and Laurent freaking out about it. And of course Flick. My favorite of all the demons. Flick is the entire reason this book is 4 stars for me.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
December 20, 2021
Laurent de Rue wants to have a nice quiet life - running his House of Onyx and enjoying his husband, Sabre and helping his sister soar as an actress and playwright. He finds this is not possible as he learns about his past and the fact that he is wanted by the Archmage of Mislia. The Archmage has a demon that can travel through mirrors and has set his sights on Laurent as well as young Hektor Dragos, a young man rescued by Adrien during his trip to Mislia. Laurent and Sabre take in Hektor and make him part of their unconventional family. Laurent will need to harness his power if he wants his family to prosper.
We learn more and more in this story, book 4 of the Starian Cycle. Mislia is a land of mystery, its people with varying powers. Power is appealing to some and they will do whatever necessary to maintain that power. Laurent and Hektor, as well as some friends, will need to work against the man who wants such power. This series gets better and better. Sabre and Laurent are one of my favorites and it made for great reading to see how they fit together. The world created for these stories is incredibly rich and unique as we learn more and more in each book. We can look forward to more surprises as the rest of the Cycle unfolds.
We learn more and more in this story, book 4 of the Starian Cycle. Mislia is a land of mystery, its people with varying powers. Power is appealing to some and they will do whatever necessary to maintain that power. Laurent and Hektor, as well as some friends, will need to work against the man who wants such power. This series gets better and better. Sabre and Laurent are one of my favorites and it made for great reading to see how they fit together. The world created for these stories is incredibly rich and unique as we learn more and more in each book. We can look forward to more surprises as the rest of the Cycle unfolds.
January 5, 2022
”You love me. You make me happy. You keep me safe.”
This is the follow up to the story of the couple of book 1, which is, if I had to rank them, my least favourite couple in this series, so thats probably why I didn’t love this book as much. But, I must admit I did enjoy the couple much more in this book. They balanced each other out very well and they were very sweet together. The relationship building and the time they spent together was my favourite part of this book, it was just so lovely to read about.
I thought that this book was a very good follow up to the series, it did a really good job at developing the plot while always tying every book before it together. I really enjoyed the world building in this book, it was lovely to read. But I did feel like the world building took away a little from the romance, I just wanted to see the main couple of the book spend more time together on page.
Also the kink in this book, goddam did that work for me. It was so hot and absolutely delightful.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
This is the follow up to the story of the couple of book 1, which is, if I had to rank them, my least favourite couple in this series, so thats probably why I didn’t love this book as much. But, I must admit I did enjoy the couple much more in this book. They balanced each other out very well and they were very sweet together. The relationship building and the time they spent together was my favourite part of this book, it was just so lovely to read about.
I thought that this book was a very good follow up to the series, it did a really good job at developing the plot while always tying every book before it together. I really enjoyed the world building in this book, it was lovely to read. But I did feel like the world building took away a little from the romance, I just wanted to see the main couple of the book spend more time together on page.
Also the kink in this book, goddam did that work for me. It was so hot and absolutely delightful.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
November 24, 2021
Since our sweet Prince Adrien in his book brought Mislia in the forefront, in this book here we are delving more into Laurent's past, with the help of Hektor, and a lot of his missing pieces are found throughout the story, some with more ease than others.
Laurent and Sabre's relationship, a year or so into their marriage, has its ups and downs, especially since there are threats and attempts against Laurent's life and Sabre can't help but take action and decisions to protect him, something that chafes against Laurent dominance. They find their balance though between trying to corral and "chaperone" the budding romance of Rose and Hektor, a theatrical play that will expose their enemy, a kitten, a demon fox, a stormy King and assassins.
I really liked this one but I think my eagerness to read Emile's story probably didn't let me enjoy it as much as I did the previous 3 😆
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Laurent and Sabre's relationship, a year or so into their marriage, has its ups and downs, especially since there are threats and attempts against Laurent's life and Sabre can't help but take action and decisions to protect him, something that chafes against Laurent dominance. They find their balance though between trying to corral and "chaperone" the budding romance of Rose and Hektor, a theatrical play that will expose their enemy, a kitten, a demon fox, a stormy King and assassins.
I really liked this one but I think my eagerness to read Emile's story probably didn't let me enjoy it as much as I did the previous 3 😆
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
September 7, 2021
Gddamnit I love this series. The first book had me a bit hesitant at first because I wasn't truly read for WTF I was reading.
It's not real BDSM, clearly, but it's an interesting take on sub/dom roles. The banter is whitty, the characters are lovely, the plot is thick, and so is the .... um. It's a male-male romance with a fair amount of smutty-smut tagging along with the story line.
This book returns to the previous MCs in the limelight, the PoV is your favorite pleasure house Lord finding out who he is. There are some demons. A back alley brawl and some other non-sexy fight scenes.
5/5 stars because I've fallen in love and am excited book 5 comes out in October 2021.
#TheExilesGift #IrisFoxglove #gayromancereviews #fantasyromance #mmromance #highfantasy #bookish #bookworm #ilovereading #readingislife #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #lgbtqa
It's not real BDSM, clearly, but it's an interesting take on sub/dom roles. The banter is whitty, the characters are lovely, the plot is thick, and so is the .... um. It's a male-male romance with a fair amount of smutty-smut tagging along with the story line.
This book returns to the previous MCs in the limelight, the PoV is your favorite pleasure house Lord finding out who he is. There are some demons. A back alley brawl and some other non-sexy fight scenes.
5/5 stars because I've fallen in love and am excited book 5 comes out in October 2021.
#TheExilesGift #IrisFoxglove #gayromancereviews #fantasyromance #mmromance #highfantasy #bookish #bookworm #ilovereading #readingislife #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #lgbtqa
December 5, 2021
4.5 stars
I think this just might be my favorite book in the series so far. It’s great to see Laurent & Sabre again (start at the beginning of the series for all the plot elements to make sense, and to see all the things that have brought them to this moment in their lives) and the way they’ve adapted into the people they are now feels really rewarding. For me, however, Hektor was really the heart of the story: I loved how well-crafted he felt as a person, who makes realistic choices based on his age and life experiences. Plus, Flick, who is, and I use this word rarely but here it is justified, just adorbes. No spoilers, but the plot is absorbing from start to finish here, and I’m looking forward to the next book.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I think this just might be my favorite book in the series so far. It’s great to see Laurent & Sabre again (start at the beginning of the series for all the plot elements to make sense, and to see all the things that have brought them to this moment in their lives) and the way they’ve adapted into the people they are now feels really rewarding. For me, however, Hektor was really the heart of the story: I loved how well-crafted he felt as a person, who makes realistic choices based on his age and life experiences. Plus, Flick, who is, and I use this word rarely but here it is justified, just adorbes. No spoilers, but the plot is absorbing from start to finish here, and I’m looking forward to the next book.
*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 30, 2021
This book felt lighter than the rest of the series so far (particularly the first two books), but it was no less entertaining. In fact, I would say this one has the most humor of any of the books so far. Of course, there is still some drama and angst, danger, and a bit of discord between our old friends Sabre and Laurent. There is also the new story of Hektor and Rose. Mislia is a very interesting and intriguing land with its mages and various magics. It has villains and demons, too, particularly Hektor's father, the Archmage. I really enjoyed learning more about Laurent and his past and secrets, and how he is connected to Mislia.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
December 30, 2021
Laurent and Sabre!
Getting to revisit the two main characters from book one in this series,seeing how their relationship has grown,is absolutely wonderful!
In this story we are given the opportunity to learn more about Laurent's past and more about Hektor,the young man who came back from Mislia with Adrien and Isidore.
This story had me hooked straight from the beginning and I couldn't put it down!
I'm not going to say too much about this story,even though I want to,as I don't want to spoil this delightful story for anyone!
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Getting to revisit the two main characters from book one in this series,seeing how their relationship has grown,is absolutely wonderful!
In this story we are given the opportunity to learn more about Laurent's past and more about Hektor,the young man who came back from Mislia with Adrien and Isidore.
This story had me hooked straight from the beginning and I couldn't put it down!
I'm not going to say too much about this story,even though I want to,as I don't want to spoil this delightful story for anyone!
I received an ARC copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
January 12, 2022
Story: 3.5 stars
Narration: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
From all 5 books this is the one I just liked and couldn't get lost in. As much as I loved Hektor and his fox demon Flick, especially when Flick called Hektor "his boy", that's a really sweet relationship right there, and all the salacious, kinky scenes between Sabre and Laurent, the budding romance between Hektor and Rose deterred my enjoyment a bit. Not because it wasn't sweet, it's totally my problem because I don't read (and like MF) anymore.
When it comes to the narration there were some editing issues here and there but Kris did a good job even with the missing intensity and atmosphere.
Narration: 4 stars
Overall: 4 stars
From all 5 books this is the one I just liked and couldn't get lost in. As much as I loved Hektor and his fox demon Flick, especially when Flick called Hektor "his boy", that's a really sweet relationship right there, and all the salacious, kinky scenes between Sabre and Laurent, the budding romance between Hektor and Rose deterred my enjoyment a bit. Not because it wasn't sweet, it's totally my problem because I don't read (and like MF) anymore.
When it comes to the narration there were some editing issues here and there but Kris did a good job even with the missing intensity and atmosphere.
December 14, 2021
Terrific continuation of mm series
This book, unlike the others in this series, doesn’t focus on just one couple. I like that Iris Foxglove has written this book more to further the overall story. Many romance series focus more on stories about one couple in each book but having a broad overarching tale of magic and adventures woven through all the books makes it more interesting for me. A lot of interesting stuff comes out in this book that has be hinted at in the previous books. Can’t wait to read the next one.
This book, unlike the others in this series, doesn’t focus on just one couple. I like that Iris Foxglove has written this book more to further the overall story. Many romance series focus more on stories about one couple in each book but having a broad overarching tale of magic and adventures woven through all the books makes it more interesting for me. A lot of interesting stuff comes out in this book that has be hinted at in the previous books. Can’t wait to read the next one.
December 31, 2021
Adrien's and Isiodore's decisions in the previous book now begin to have grave consequences through the presence of Hektor. I loved Laurent and Sabre from the second book, they are my favorite couple so far, and it is wonderful to get to a view into how their relationship has progressed and to see them have to renegotiate some power roles here. The mirror demon is truly frightening and the stakes are incredibly high. Excited to read the last book, but really sorry to see this wonderful series end.
October 7, 2021
Possibly my favourite of the series so far! I really enjoyed revisiting beloved characters from book 1, but from this completely fresh perspective. There was a lot of humour in this one, and the found family themes were even more pronounced. Most significantly, we got PLOT! Hello assassins and clever plans to defeat the big bad. Not to mention super cool magic!
The sneak peak for book 5 has me very intrigued, too 👀
The sneak peak for book 5 has me very intrigued, too 👀
November 22, 2021
Sabre and Laurent are very much the heart of this series. And this book 1 was definitely Sabre's story, I was thrilled that Foxglove returned to her original heroes in order to give us Laurent's own moment to shine. Wrapping Hektor's story within this narrative furthered the external plot even more without sacrificing any of the intensity. I can't wait to read the conclusion to this epic adventure, even though I'll be so sad when it's over.
December 5, 2021
I love Flick!
The story continues with Hektor returning with Adrien and Isiodore. He is still not safe from his father the Archmage of Mislia. Hector needs to steer clear of the King who hates Mislians.
Laurent and Sabre have to keep themselves, Rose, and Heltor safe while an assassin tries to kill Laurent off.
This series is so much fun. Suspense, humor, steam, romance. I totally want Flick he's the BEST DEMON EVER. :p
The story continues with Hektor returning with Adrien and Isiodore. He is still not safe from his father the Archmage of Mislia. Hector needs to steer clear of the King who hates Mislians.
Laurent and Sabre have to keep themselves, Rose, and Heltor safe while an assassin tries to kill Laurent off.
This series is so much fun. Suspense, humor, steam, romance. I totally want Flick he's the BEST DEMON EVER. :p
January 5, 2022
I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ENTIRE SERIES!!! I absolutely love this series. Each story has made me fall in love with its characters. In this book we get more of Sabre and Laurent’s sorry while learning about his past. Get to see how Hektor’s future is going to be while him and Rose get closer. Hektor’s demon Flick is definitely adorable and I hope to see him more! Despite being hunted by assassins and a shadow demon they all find their way. Very highly recommend!
December 31, 2021
In this book we get to see Sabre and Laurent again along with some new and great characters. We get to hear more from Laurent’s past and watch his magic unfold. This world is so fascinating and so well described and I’m not tired of it yet at all. Each book just leaves me wanting more and if that’s not the best compliment to the authors I don’t know what is.
January 21, 2022
I’m giving this one 4 stars because of the writing. It was good, but the plot didn’t interest me as much as other books, and I found myself wanting to skim through the end. It shouldn’t have taken me 5 days to read with how short it is. But I do still like the world and the fantasy aspect to it, and the style of writing.
April 11, 2022
3.5
I liked seeing Laurent and Sabre again, though their intimate scenes weren’t as intense or compelling as book one. The rest of the plot was good, though it tended to veer from action and danger to frivolity regularly. Hektor was an I retesting character that I hope we see more of. I also liked knowing the king a little bit better. I’m looking forward to his book.
I liked seeing Laurent and Sabre again, though their intimate scenes weren’t as intense or compelling as book one. The rest of the plot was good, though it tended to veer from action and danger to frivolity regularly. Hektor was an I retesting character that I hope we see more of. I also liked knowing the king a little bit better. I’m looking forward to his book.
December 8, 2021
The Starian Cycle series is so riveting. The world building is just amazing. I love the author, Iris Foxglove, take on the BSDM/omegaverse world. Oh did I mention how the characters are absolutely amazing?
December 10, 2021
Devouring these
There is nothing better than discovering an amazing series and then getting to race through the books without waiting. It’s glorious! I am a big fan of how the author created this world with a balance between world building and relationships. On to the next one.
There is nothing better than discovering an amazing series and then getting to race through the books without waiting. It’s glorious! I am a big fan of how the author created this world with a balance between world building and relationships. On to the next one.
February 23, 2023
As with all of the books in this series, there’s an immersive setting, intriguing magic system, and immensely compelling characters whose triumphs and tragedies, minor and major, matter. Just a wholly escapist HEA fantasy romance!
September 2, 2021
this was OK but I really want to get to the King's story....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews