Description

Brimming with steamy romance, rougeish charm and intrigue, Swordcrossed is a dazzling queer fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of The Last Binding trilogy.

‘If you’re doing romantasy without Freya Marske, you’re doing it wrong’ – Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal Blue

Low stakes. High heat. Sharp steel . . .

Mattinesh Jay, heir to his family’s struggling business, needs his arranged marriage to go off without a hitch. But if he’s to successfully restore his house’s fortunes, Matti must first hire a swordsman to defend him against any sword-challenges at the altar. Unfortunately, the only duellist he can afford is part-time con artist and full-time charming menace Luca Piere.

All Luca wants to do is make some easy money and forget the crime he committed in his home town. 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 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?

The cosy, low stakes of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree meets the scorching bodyguard fantasy of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash in this enemies-to-lovers romance by Freya Marske.

‘Deliciously cosy and blisteringly hot’ – Lex Croucher, author of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love

‘Swordcrossed proves there’s nothing in fantasy – or queer romance – Marske can’t do’ – Sarah Rees Brennan, author of Long Live Evil

Publisher Review

Marske writes what I crave most in romantasy: brilliant craft, fresh voice, characters worth obsessing over, and genuine honest-to-god heat — Casey McQuiston New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue Both deliciously cosy and blisteringly hot, Swordcrossed is a book best read by a fire, with a glass of mead in your hand and a hot swordsman on your knee — Lex Croucher, author of Gwen and Art Are Not in Love The perfect blend of charm, yearning and romance delivered at sword’s point, Swordcrossed is a compulsively readable fantasy with characters who will steal your heart — C.S. Pacat, New York Times bestselling author of Captive Prince Clever, sparkling and perfectly indulgent, Swordcrossed feels like stepping into a party already in full swing. Everything is possible; everything is wondrous. This is fantasy romance at its very best — Grace D. Li, author of Portrait of a Thief Freya Marske’s books catch my heart with a butterfly net, because I believe in her characters so utterly . . . Swordcrossed proves there’s nothing in fantasy – or queer romance – Marske can’t do — Sarah Rees Brennan, author of Long Live Evil Swordcrossed is so good I want to set it on fire and physically throw it at people’s faces . . . It filled my brain with tickly champagne bubbles of glee — Alexandra Rowland, author of A Taste of Gold and Iron An effervescent, sparkling fantasy romance that eagerly pulls you along into its blade-sharp dance until the final words. Freya Marske’s characters leap from the page and take your whole heart in their hands, so compelling and vividly drawn that you can’t help but love them — Emma Denny, author of One Night in Hartswood When I’m looking to lose myself in a book, I know Freya Marske will deliver something smart, sexy and splendid. Freya Marske is my first stop in romantasy — Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author of Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake What a world Freya Marske has created for us! . . . A beguiling romance between a man who is too careful and a man who thinks he has nothing to lose — Ellen Kushner, author of Swordspoint Wonderful . . . Funny, cosy and romantic, with fabulous sword fighting and lovable characters — Stephanie Burgis, author of Wooing the Witch Queen Marske is an extraordinary talent who writes compelling characters, entertainingly awful families and love stories like nobody else — Everina Maxwell, author of Winter’s Orbit Delightful and spicy . . . Marske is simply superb at her chosen genres — The New York Times on The Last Binding trilogy Cross my heart, can’t wait to swoon over this one — LitHub, A Most Anticipated Book of 2024