LGBTQ+ Fantasy Review: A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

Check out our review of A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland it’s the LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy to read if you are in the mood for M/M bodyguard romance.

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

In A Taste of Gold and Iron, Prince Kadou finds himself inadvertently suspected of conspiring against his sister, the Sultan of Arasht. In order to clear his name, Kadou must overcome his paralyzing shyness and solve a financial mystery that puts his country at risk. At his side, he will find his handsome but surly new bodyguard, Evemer and equally handsome former flame, Tadek. With a combination like that, what could possibly go wrong?

I thought that A Taste of Gold and Iron was a good read, but didn’t necessarily live up to its full potential.

Let’s start with things I enjoyed. First of all, especially given our current political climate, it was fantastic to see a prosperous matriarchal society. Reading about women who could make decisions about their bodies and who were so well respected by society at large felt both right and empowering.

As someone who enjoys good world building, I appreciated how Rowland drew inspiration from history in creating Arast and its neighbors. Being a fan of Ottoman history, I appreciated the influence that it had on Rowland’s Arast and thought that it made the story unique. However, in my opinion, even if the reader has no knowledge of or interest in Ottoman history they will be able to enjoy the intricately woven dynamics of court life and the various political machinations going on in the story.

Finally, I thought that Kadou was such a lovable protagonist. His struggles with anxiety and panic attacks are something that I think many readers could relate to. More often than not I just wanted to give him a hug while reading this story. And his struggles made it even more impressive when Kadou would ultimately come to the rescue of his friends and family.

In terms of what I didn’t like, I thought the mystery that Kadou had to solve was fairly predictable. In fact, I guessed the main villain, so to speak, pretty early on in the story. I also found that at times the pacing dragged with certain parts being humorous, but not really adding much to the overall plot. Furthermore, I felt that the magic system in this world was poorly explained. For example, I would have liked to know more about why some people in this society had magic and others didn’t. Finally, I thought that there was some missed opportunity when it came to the romance aspect of the story. I enjoyed Kadou and Evemer as a couple, but thought that this story would have been more interesting as a polyamorous romance.

in conclusion

I wish that this book had more fully lived up to my expectations, but I think that if you are looking for an LGBTQ romance set in a historical fantasy setting then you will likely enjoy A Taste of Gold and Iron.

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