Review By Veronica
Bull Moon Rising is a slow-burn fantasy romance that is bursting with memorable characters.
Favourite Quote:
I stagger, arms flailing–
– only to be caught around the wait and saved by strong arms and the irritated, strange expression of another Taurian, this one with golden eyes.
Goodreads Synopsis:
As a Holder’s daughter, Aspeth Honori knows the importance of magical artifacts . . . which is why it’s a disaster that her father has gambled all theirs away. Now that her family is in danger of losing their hold—and their heads—if anyone finds out the truth, Aspeth decides to do something about it. She’ll join the Royal Artifactual Guild and the adventurers who explore ancient underground ruins to retrieve the coveted arcane items.
It’s a great plan—with one big problem. The guild won’t let her train because she’s a woman. Aspeth needs a chaperone of some kind. The best way to get around this problem? Marry someone who will let her become an apprentice. Who better than a surly guild member who requires a favor of his own? He’s a minotaur (it’s fine) who is her teacher (also fine) . . . and he’s about to go into rut (which is where it gets tricky). He also has no idea she’s a noble (oops), and he’ll want nothing to do with her if he discovers her real identity.
Now Aspeth just has to pass the guild tests, thwart a fortune hunter, and save her hold—oh, and survive a rut with her monstrous, horned husband, whom she might be falling in love with.
It’s time to dig deep. Literally.
Ruby really is the master at her craft. She can create stories that are interesting, charming, spicy, and that have fabulous world-building. Now, a heads up for those new to Ruby’s writing: Ruby’s books are SPICY and very romantic. There is definitely a fantasy element to this story, but the growing relationship between Aspeth and Hawk really takes center stage in this story. I enjoyed the world that Ruby created. Ruby does a fabulous job weaving in all these world-building elements (its history, political system, magic, etc.) in an interesting and cohesive manner. I adored all the archaeology vibes this story was giving off. The story itself has a little bit of everything in it. There is humour, charm, adventure, unexpected twists and turns, and, of course, spice.
I’ve read a few of Ruby’s books now, and the one thing I notice is that she knows how to write a female MC that is just so damn unforgettable. Aspeth is a force to be reckoned with when she wants something. She is bookish, smart, sassy, brave, and rash. At the beginning of this book, we meet Aspeth, who is determined to enter the Royal Artifactual Guild. She wants to live and save her family from ruin. The problem is the Guild won’t let her join because she is a woman. It was entertaining watching as Aspeth tried and tried again to join the Guild. There was just something so great about Aspeth’s character. Watching her spread her wings and learn about artifacts and the spicier things in life was wonderful. Hawk is a Minotaur who is in a sticky position. He knows that soon he is going to go into a rut, a.k.a in heat, and that he needs a willing partner to go into heat with, or things will get messy. Hawk is this delightful blend of broody, gruff hero, and a cinnamon roll. I loved watching him and Aspeth interact with each other. They constantly kept each other on their toes.
The romance is a real slow-burn spice. What I mean by that is there is a lot of foreplay… very risky, spicy foreplay. We don’t get to the actual banging until near the end of the book. This is a monster romance, so this book has some knotting, but it’s not overly crazy in the spice department. Besides all the spice in this story, there are a lot of quiet moments between Aspeth and Hawk. It blows me away how Ruby was able to make it feel like Aspeth and Hawk were in their own little world. It was interesting watching these two strangers enter this marriage of convenience with little trust for each other. The journey they go on is full of bumps and miscommunications but also full of physical and emotional exploration. It was surprisingly sweet at times.
Bull Moon Rising is a fun romance fantasy, perfect for those who want to add a little spice to their reading life.
Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
