Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace and S.O. Callahan. I stumbled upon this book while perusing Instagram, and the adorable cover just called to me. I was lucky enough to be chosen for an ARC, and I am so happy to have finally sat down with this regency-inspired queer romance.

Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle.

Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores.

Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies.

Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric — and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher.

Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making — but they’ll need more than magic to succeed.

***Thank you to the authors for providing a copy of Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms was such a delightful surprise. The writing brought these characters to life in such an approachable and endearing way. The world-building was interesting and wonderfully queer-normative, and I was completely entranced by the deliciously, and infuriatingly, slow-burn romance. Everything came together to create a story that had me smiling from ear to ear and dabbing at my watery eyes, from allergies of course.

If you liked the vibes of Bridgerton, then Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms will probably be something you enjoy. It was full of lavish parties and society’s elites trying to find their best match. I loved the interlude chapters that were written in the form of a gossip publication, and the way the things published about the characters impacted the trajectory of the story was smart and fun. It was all so romantic and captured the regency atmosphere really well.

I loved the magic system in Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. It was technical enough to give me enough information to latch onto without being overwhelming. The scenes of Roger and Wyn experimenting with their magic were some of my favorites. They provided interesting information while also showcasing the adorable dynamic of the two men as their relationship bloomed. I only wish the rest of the world-building had been as good. The characters constantly talked about the fae and humans being at odds and the impacts of the magical testing system on low scorers. None of it was ever really showed, though, and it impacted how I felt about the stakes of their endeavor and the execution of the story’s themes.

The characters in Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms were so fun to get to know. At first glance, Wyn was haughty, obsessed with looking his best, and kind of a bully. As his layers were pulled back, it became clear that many of his brusquer attributes were just a mask to cover up how uncomfortable he was from having to stifle his magic and emotions around other people. Roger was a bit of a bumbling mess. lol. He was an anxious ball of nerves who loved nothing more than being on his own researching ways to improve the lives of others. He had an inferiority complex because of his low test score, and often thought of himself as a burden.

At first, the two of them were like oil and water. They had a very antagonistic relationship, and Wyn was so mean to Roger in the beginning. Once circumstances forced them to work together, the animosity between them began to gradually thaw. Despite only occurring over a few weeks, the authors managed to make their relationship feel slow-burn. The two of them very gradually built both emotional and physical intimacy, and I was on the edge of my seat for them the entire time. Their relationship was such a beautiful thing, and it was definitely the highlight of Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms for me. They came to complement each other perfectly.

Overall, I enjoyed Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms. I loved the characters and their relationship. I wish more attention had been given to the world around the characters, though, because it would have upped the stakes of their endeavor and added even more importance to their romance. The book was also quite long for a romance, and more focus on the world would have utilized that space better. There were parts where things dragged a bit, but it was all so cozy and full of adorable interactions that I wasn’t put off by it. With all things considered, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the authors do next in this world.

Have you read Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms? Does it sound like something you’d enjoy? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments!