If you like swoony stories and unlikely love stories, you should check out Swordcrossed. It’s full of sword lessons, he fell first and totally denies it, and a love that could endanger our future. Keep reading this book review of Swordcrossed for my full thoughts.
Summary
Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged marriage. Sword-challenge at the ceremony could destroy all hope of restoring his family’s wealth, something that Matti has been trying—and failing—to do for the past ten years.
What he can afford, unfortunately, is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere.
Luca, for his part, is trying to reinvent himself in a new city. All he wants to do is make some easy money and try to forget the crime he committed in his hometown. He didn’t plan on being blackmailed into giving sword lessons to a chronically responsible—and inconveniently handsome—wool merchant like Matti.
However, neither Matti’s business troubles nor Luca himself are quite what they seem. As the days count down to Matti’s wedding, the two of them become entangled in the intrigue and sabotage that have brought Matti’s house to the brink of ruin. And when Luca’s secrets threaten to drive a blade through their growing alliance, both Matti and Luca will have to answer the question: how many lies are you prepared to strip away, when the truth could mean losing everything you want?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I’ve read many of Marske’s books before this and so was super excited for Swordcrossed. How could I turn back from that cover? We also love a good teacher moment and sword lessons? Yes please. With an arranged marriage on the horizon, Matti has to figure out not only how to save his family’s wealth, but also how to sword fight. And thus the panic begins. I really enjoyed the romance vibes – we love the swoons and the tension – but I felt like at some parts of the story is really dominates the story.
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For the whole middle part I feel like we really sunk into their relationship, to the point where the overall plot took me by surprise again. And normally I wouldn’t mind a whole romance vibes only. I can appreciate a good vibes only story. But when the main hammer of the plot and the impetus gets dropped again at the end, it just feels a bit abrupt and took me out of my reading experience. I appreciate the idea of low stakes, but here it just felt a bit start and stop on the whole big overall story. That being said, if you know what to expect before going in, I think you can still enjoy this! It reminded me a bit of the merging of romance and fantasy you might see in A Taste of Gold and Iron in case you loved that one!
I still enjoyed Swordcrossed and their character dynamics, especially in the weight they’re both carrying, you just have to expect a bit of a pause on certain story lines at various points. Find Swordcrossed on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.