August 1, 2024
Aspeth is a high noble low on cash. To save her hold (and fulfill her lifelong dream), she secretly enrolls in the Royal Artifactual Guild to find relics to power her hold's defenses. She's unprepared when the guild shuts her out until she can get a man guardian's permission. Hawk is a minotaur used to being ignored, even though the strength of his people is the only reason the guild survives the ruins. He just needs one more student to keep teaching, and he'd like someone to spend the upcoming month-long lunar rut with. Getting married seems a convenient option to solve both their problems--that is, until Aspeth's past comes calling and threatens to destroy everything they're building together. Dixon follows up her "Ice Planet Barbarians" novels with this first in a new searing romance series set in a well-crafted fantasy world. Problems layer the personal with economics and politics; tensions build up and are resolved in a naturalistically messy way; side characters are complex and memorable. VERDICT A patently silly premise develops into a sincerely crafted, explicit romantasy.--Katherine Sleyko
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August 5, 2024
Bestseller Dixon (Barbarian’s Taming) leaves the sci-fi milieu of her Ice Planet Barbarians series behind and dives into historical fantasy in her raunchy Royal Artifactual Guild series launch. Lady Aspeth Honori, heiress to Honori Hold, sees the writing on the wall. Her father has gambled away what’s left of their family’s fortune. At 30, she’s unlikely to marry her way out of the problem, and the estate’s lack of funds makes the Honori family a target for their rivals. Her solution is to join the guild of magical artifact hunters and find enough ancient magical treasures to save her home. But as a woman, she’s laughed out of guild training by the other new fledglings and all the mentors except for Guildmember Hawk, one of the Taurian race of minotaurs, who is looked down on for his half-bull body. He and Aspeth strike a deal: he’ll mentor her and her friend at the guild if, in exchange, she’ll marry him in time for the upcoming Taurian rutting season. The result is a steamy marriage of convenience featuring all the unusual anatomy Dixon’s fans expect. The worldbuilding is well done and the love story convincing. Dixon should win a whole new set of readers with this. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary.
September 15, 2024
In this instant-classic from Dixon, Aspeth has fled her comfortable, if unloving, home and her snobby fianc� to apply at the famed Royal Artifactual Guild dressed as a commoner. Aspeth believes she can study and work hard enough to be allowed to search for precious items that would save her family home from being overrun by a neighboring greedy noble. The one problem (of many) is that the guild doesn't employ women, especially young, unchaperoned women who can't help but act like nobility. The only solution is for Aspeth to marry her teacher--a hot, yet nerdy minotaur who needs a companion for the coming months to get through his species' rut. Dixon weaves a fun tale of intrigue, conspiracy, warring families, a plucky heroine, and a found family that will warm the heart of readers. The new world Dixon creates is full of details but also has potential for further development of adventure and fun as the series continues. Fans of The Mummy, Dungeons & Dragons, and good old-fashioned spicy romance will adore this latest true-love monster tale from Dixon.
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