Publishers Weekly
★ 09/04/2023
Marske’s showstopping final Last Binding historical fantasy doubles down on all the romance and magic that made the previous books in the trilogy so delightful. After the events of A Restless Truth, only one object binding the Last Contract, a centuries-old fae bargain that “left magic in the hands of humans,” remains to be found: a silver knife. Violet Debenham suspects it’s hidden somewhere within Spinet House, her recent inheritance, so she, her paramour Maud Blyth, and Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn—the women’s “glorified bodyguard”—comb the house for clues. This proves a difficult task; Jack muses of Spinet House, “It was a fortress. It was a musical, magical puzzle-box. It was a fucking headache.” Luckily, they have allies in some welcome and familiar faces from the series, including Robert Blyth, Edwin Courcey, and Adelaide Morrissey. Help also comes, much to Jack’s chagrin, from dashing journalist Alanzo Rossi, who has a handy ability to repel magic, though Jack is suspicious of his motives. Time is running out, however, as Jack’s villainous, power-hungry cousin, George Bastoke, is determined to find the knife himself, hoping to use the Last Contract to consolidate magic for his use alone. As the stakes ramp up so too does the tension—and the attraction—between Jack and Alanzo. Marske again demonstrates her talent for balancing romance and fantasy action. This does the series proud. (Nov.)
From the Publisher
Indie Next Pick, Library Reads "Hall of Fame" Pick, and Best Of Pick for LitHub, Amazon, and PopSugar
"Messy people and burn-it-down conflict. . . . Marske uses the full span of the trilogy to build to a beautiful, devastating conclusion. . . . Romance runs on undiluted wish fulfillment; sometimes this means give me everything I desire, but other times it means promise me that I can survive the worst."—The New York Times
"Stunning—the writing is lush, the world-building is fascinating, and the romance is searing hot. I am completely obsessed with this story of unrepentantly dangerous people falling in love with one another."—Cat Sebastian, author of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb
"A delightful, twisty, endlessly charming romp. I would travel anywhere with these characters."—Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief
"A charming, heart-thumping close to a world and characters fans won’t be ready to let go of."—Booklist, starred review
"A satisfying conclusion to a charming, queer historical fantasy trilogy."—Library Journal, starred review
"Marske’s showstopping final Last Binding historical fantasy doubles down on all the romance and magic that made the previous books in the trilogy so delightful. . . . Marske again demonstrates her talent for balancing romance and fantasy action. This does the series proud."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Delightful and spicy. . . . Marske is simply superb at her chosen genres."—The New York Times on the Last Binding trilogy
"I squealed with delight. Marske delivers a prickly love story while adeptly tying up all the loose ends of her series, involving a long-ago bargain between human magicians and ancient fae, and how the magic that resulted has been twisted by mortal greed."—LitHub
"A spectacular and satisfying series conclusion.... If you love historical fantasy, complex magic systems (maybe based on ancient contract law?), begrudging groups of friends (dare I say... families of choice), or enemies learning they have more in common than they thought (and falling in love about it!), then this is the series for you!"—Powell's, Best of 2023
"A Power Unbound takes everything that was being built up in A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth and throws it in your face in a glorious climax that seems to solve both everything and nothing. . . . I honestly cannot recommend this series enough. The characters, the relationships, and the world-building are all amazing. The mysteries are compelling. With all three of these books, I could not put them down. And A Power Unbound is the perfect conclusion."—The Geekiary
"Fantasy romance with many fascinating characters and a scorching romance."—BookTrib
Praise for the Last Binding Trilogy
"A breathtaking romp of a plot, prose as sparkling and luxuriant as a diamond sautoir, and at the heart of it all a sense of wondrous possibility."—The New York Times
“Truly a scrumptious treat of a book, like a fancy tea all laid out with silver spoons and floral-painted cups.”—NPR
"The prose is sublime, the world-building top-notch, and the magic system is fascinating and unique.”—TJ Klune, New York Times bestselling author of The House on the Cerulean Sea
"Mystery! Magic! Murder! Long looks full of yearning! A confection, both marvelous and light."―Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House
“Stunning, sensual. . . . A thrilling mystery and a lush historical fantasy that will leave readers breathless—both from its exciting plot twists and its captivating romance.”—BookPage, starred review
"Marske continues the beloved journey from the first book with an almost entirely new cast of characters and a new hot-and-steamy queer romance. . . . New magical insights and charming whimsy. Fans will be delighted."—Booklist, starred review
"Sensual erotic scenes, an intriguing magic system, and a puzzling mystery combine to make this novel a wonder. Fans of C.L. Polk’s Witchmark, period queer novels, and creative fantasy will all clamor for more."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Marske’s debut is a delightful blend of Edwardian fantasy and romance, with enough twists and questions to have readers clamoring for the next in the planned series."—Library Journal, starred review
"Marske is an extraordinary talent who writes compelling characters . . . and love stories like nobody else."—Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit
"A delectable sapphic fantasy-adventure on the high seas . . . . Never has the term ‘to ship’ been more appropriate."―Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
"Everything you could ever want from a book—beautiful descriptions, expertly woven worldbuilding, queer kissing, sexual tension in a library . . . Brilliant on every level."—Alexandra Rowland, author of A Taste of Gold and Iron
“Prepare to fall in love.”—Emily Tesh, author of Silver in the Wood and Some Desperate Glory
“A magical world of exquisite refinement, where peril skims beneath manners, interiors bespeak both faultless taste and deadly secrets, and the sexual tension crescendos until it literally makes sparks fly.”—Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun
“Perfect.”—Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings
“The perfect book if you're looking for oceanbound queer shenanigans, suspense in a coherently magical world, or opulent historical fiction."―Malka Older, author of The Mimicking of Known Successes
"If you ever wished Downton Abbey was sharper-edged and full of magic, this is the book for you."—Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians
"If I had the ability to make everyone read one trilogy of books, it would be The Last Binding, Freya Marske’s phenomenal (and extremely spicy) fantasy series. No one intersperses gleeful, squeal-inducing sexual tension with tender and painfully human interactions between characters quite like Marske does. Think of your favorite romance trope. Is it rivals to lovers? Enemies to something more? Sunshine and grump? Forced proximity? Chances are you’ll find it in one of these books. A Power Unbound is a deeply satisfying conclusion to this series."—Polygon
"A fast-paced book full of delightfully witty repartee, wonderfully lewd sexytimes, and a truly biting class and gender commentary that does not waste time with subtlety."—Gizmodo
"A magical murder mystery. . . . A twisty match of wits leavened with society intrigue, skullduggery, and more than a little spy-fiction cloak and dagger action. There are dueling conspiracies, scandalous secrets, and questionable loyalties. But it’s sapphic romance too, with erotica that will leave you checking over your shoulder to be sure you have some privacy."—Geekly Inc
“Maud Blyth shares a similar aversion to lying as Knives Out’s would-be murderer Marta . . . . Pair Maud with Violet Debenham, an actress and magician who can’t fathom making herself vulnerable enough to be truthful with anyone, and their romance unfolds along the same breathless plot beats as solving a murder that could shift the balance of all the magic in England.”—Paste
Library Journal
09/01/2023
The pursuit for the final piece of the Last Contract is coming to a close. Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, would rather stay as far away from magic as possible after the death of his twin sister, but keeping his friends safe is important. Yet it seems they will also need the assistance of writer and thief Alan Ross, whose materialistic and opinionated attitudes will result in more harsh words—and a large pot of simmering sexual tension. When Jack's ancestral seat, Cheetham Hall, becomes the epicenter for a lavish celebration hiding a dark and twisted plot, Jack, Alan, and their friends discover that nearly everything they knew about Britain's magic origins will be washed away in bloody sacrifice. Sharp and pointed dialogue keeps all the relationships moving forward. Twisting plots lead to surprising answers and futures for the Blyth siblings and their partners, and delightful interactions with spirits and near-sentient homes create fanciful moments. VERDICT The final book of Marske's "The Last Binding" series, after A Restless Truth, is a satisfying conclusion to a charming, queer historical fantasy trilogy.—Kristi Chadwick
