Winter's Orbit - Everina Maxwell

 

Title: Winter's Orbit

Author: Everina Maxwell

Publisher: Tor, 2021 (Hardcover)

Length: 428 pages

Genre: Adult; Science Fiction

Started: June 15, 2022

Finished: June 18, 2022

Summary:

From the inside cover:

Prince Kiem, a famously disappointing minor royal and the Emperor's least favourite grandchild, has been called upon to be useful for once. He's been commanded to fulfill an obligation of marriage to the representative of the Empire's newest and most rebellious vassal planet. His future husband, Count Jainan, is a widower and murder suspect. 

Neither wants to be wed, but with a conspiracy unfolding around them and the fate of the Empire at stake, they will have to navigate the thorns and barbs of court intrigue, the machinations of war, and the long shadows of Jainan's past, and they'll have to do it together. 

So begins a legendary love story amid the stars. 

Review:

When this book was pitched to me as, "arranged gay marriage in space", I knew I had to read it. To elaborate a bit more, this book has: political intrigue, immersive world building, characters you can't help but love, a slow-burn romance, and a dash of fanfic tropes for those that like them, all amidst an engaging science fiction setting. 

Prince Kiem, who gives off lovely Golden Retriever vibes, is the least favourite grandchild of the Emperor, and he's constantly reminded of it. He's considered a failure at most things, but because he can socialize and look good for the cameras he's been called on to marry his deceased cousin's widower from the planet Thea in order to keep things smooth for the interplanetary treaty that's due to be renegotiated in a few weeks. Unfortunately the circumstances surrounding his cousin Taam's death were shady at best, so when his new husband Jainan uncovers details that implicate Taam and the military in smuggling and embezzling, both he and Jainan are targeted when they uncover a larger plot that could put the whole Empire at risk. 

Winter's Orbit pulls you in right at the beginning and weaves an engaging tale of politicians, socialites, and of course Kiem and Jainan. There were a few slow sections I trudged through, but for the most part the story was well done. Kiem and Jainan are well-written, you can't help but love them since both personalities are highlighted in the alternating points-of-view in each chapter. Kiem feels inadequate and wants to prove he's capable of following through on something without screwing up, and Jainan is quiet and reserved due to the trauma in his past relationship with Taam (trigger warnings abound for this part) and you just want to hug the poor man. While I wish there was a little bit more to work with regarding the romantic elements (it's a bit scant for my liking), it's not enough to detract from the overall package. 

Recommendation:

If you would like an engaging science fiction story with a good queer romance added in, give this book a go. If you're going into this book thinking "I would like a dash of science fiction with my romance", you'll be disappointed, this story prioritizes plot and atmosphere first and the romance follows. 

Thoughts on the cover:

So stunning, but granted I am a bit of a sucker for galaxy-themed anything. Glad to see the continuation in cover theming for the author's second book, not a sequel but set in the same universe, due out in November: