Reviewed by Taylin

TITLE: Healing Glass

SERIES: Gifted Guilds #1

AUTHOR: Jackie Keswick

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

RELEASE DATE: May 13, 2019

LENGTH: 282 pages

BLURB:

Despite belonging to different guilds, glass master Minel and warrior captain Falcon are friends. Their duties keep them apart, but when Minel falls ill and chooses death rather than the only known cure, nothing can keep Falcon from his side.

As their friendship grows into more, old wrongs and one man’s machinations threaten the floating city and leave both Minel and Falcon fighting for their lives. Can they learn to combine their gifts to save the city and its magic, or will everything they know and love perish before their eyes?

Healing Glass is an LGBT fantasy adventure with its head in the clouds. If you like medieval backdrops, impressive world-building, three-dimensional characters and a touch of magic, then you’ll love Jackie Keswick’s socially-conscious adventure.

REVIEW:

The floating glass city is home to the Craft Guild. The people trusted to administer the city, while the masters let their creativity reign, have abused their power and there are consequences. Minel, the Glass Master is ill and has chosen death over the pair-bonding, suggested by the council – one that could save his life. Minel won’t be forced into anything. His friend, Captain Falcon from the Warrior Guild, rushes to his side. What follows is a city, that is dying, a Regent who will do anything to get Minel in his bed, and two men so much in love, they are prepared to face death together.

AND I LOVED IT.

The story is told in the third person from several viewpoints. To be honest, I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t take any notice of grammatical aspects. I just wanted to know what happened next.

Minel can do things with glass, no one else can and the money his creations bring, helps the city crawl out of debt. He can manipulate glass adding protections and the like, as needed. The council want him under their control. But, Minel has heard negative things about pair-bonding to anyone in the city of glass. As such he avoids it with all his might. Even if Minel chooses death over a paring, Falcon vows to stay with Minel until the man takes his last breath.

The wider cast are good, evil and some are a bit of both. Characters build political alliances and try to outmanoeuvre each other.

Falcon and Minel are bloody gorgeous, and through their difficulties, various people bat for both sides. Falcon shows Minel that love, and affection Warrior Style is something to be cherished and not feared. I also adored Falcon’s no-nonsense approach to protecting Minel, along with his acerbic tongue – especially when directed at people who had no business bothering his man.

I completely and utterly fell in love with the Warrior Guild. They are tough men who are there for each other, in an assortment of ways. Sometimes it’s providing emotional support, others a kick up the arse, but what caught my heart was the way they, when needed, magically give strength to any in their Guild. They are a band of brothers who go above and beyond. I was completely smitten.

I could go on for an age about this story, but then I’d end up giving away some secrets and the possibly dent the joy at reading this story and the discoveries within.

The sexual elements are tastefully done. The story is sooo good that it doesn’t need the explicit detail of a sex scene to take away from what is happening. Intimacy is detailed to a degree, but not washed over. It is hot as hell and loving but not pornographic.

What is alive, what is aware and what has intentionally been inflicted – those are some of the questions answered. As for Falcon and Minel, their relationship is both warming and heartbreaking. Both have their jobs, and they go through the ups and downs of finding a balance between work and each other. I loved the world created and the people within. The story held my rapt attention, and I didn’t want to put it down.

I look forward to the next book in the series. And between now and then I’m sure I’ll read Healing Glass again.

RATING:

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