TL;DR: What an absolute delight this turned out to be! 😍 Although it took some time for me to warm up to the story and characters, I became very immersed in the plot and I grew to love so many of the characters by the end. I adored Kiem and Jainan and every time I think about them I want to kick my feet up and giggle because they are… Just. So. Good together! The mystery plot kept me intrigued and though I managed to surprisingly figure out half of it by the reveal, I enjoyed how the author laid everything out. Overall, I’m so glad I finally read this and I can’t wait to read more stories set in this space world.

I can’t remember the first time I heard about this book but I do remember seeing a different cover version of this book and thinking I NEED IT NOW. It took me years to finally pick it up but I’m so happy that I did and I can see why it’s so well loved.

The intergalactic world we’re presented in this space opera felt at once complex and simple and it was supported by Maxwell’s succinct writing. Maybe it was my head space while reading but I found certain sci-fi and political elements initially too confusing and my pea brain struggled to wrap itself around how the Empire functioned, who the main players were, and what their relations to each other were. That said, the further I read, the more immersed I became in the story and characters, and it became incredibly easy to follow. I appreciated the extent of Maxwell’s thorough and expansive world-building—it is fantastic and I can’t wait to learn more about this world and its planets in future books. If you’re not into political stories, it’s good to be aware that this involves quite a bit of politics, from political machinations to underhanded games and diplomatic dealings. After all, our two main characters are a prince and a diplomatic representative. However, I would urge you to consider trying it because as I said, it gets easier to understand the more you read and it’s in a wonderful story!

Thrown into the mix of political dealings is a giant mystery that our main characters must solve to ensure the survival of their Empire. No pressure, right? This is me oversimplifying the plot but it’s hard to explain further without going into potential spoiler territory; however, I found the mysterious time-sensitive plot intense and compelling, and it made me want to keep reading to see how it all unravelled. Something Maxwell did a great job with is balancing the character and plot development, using both to keep the slow-burn pace moving steadily forward. And yes, this is very much a slow burn in plot, romance and character growth, but it is 100% worth the journey in the end!

In large part, I think this has to do with how wonderful the characters are and they were my favourite part of this book. The story is told through two main POVs: Jainan and Kiem. On the surface, they seemingly could not be more ill-suited for each other but as we get to know them and as they get to know each other, it’s clear these opposites couldn’t be more complementary and perfect for each other. They think the other is more competent but think so little of themselves, and they’re both underestimated and overlooked as people of no consequence. Oh my heart, how I grew to love these two so much! They are so very precious! 🥹

Kiem is a naturally outgoing and optimistic people person. He’s a prince of lesser importance and he has developed (and perpetuated) a reputation as being carefree and a bit of a scoundrel and mischief-maker. I loved his positive go-with-the-flow attitude and how deeply compassionate, kind and genuinely caring he is about doing right by others. He comes across as a bit of a hot mess in the beginning as he’s overwhelmed being his cousin’s replacement in a marriage that, on the surface, was picture perfect. I loved seeing him grow throughout the story into someone more confident and commanding, while still being his indefatigable cheerful self.

In full contrast, we have Jainan who’s hardcore duty and honour bound, plays entirely by the rules, is painfully socially awkward, and comes across as very serious and quiet. If I have to be honest, I was very unsure about Jainan at first and didn’t know what to make of him. Through the writing, you could feel how tightly wound he was and how much he was teetering on a trigger’s edge, waiting for that inevitable snap that would send him tumbling down. He’s constantly apologising for things that aren’t his fault, continuously trying to make himself smaller and smaller, while making sure he says and does the right things at all times. His mind was a minefield of triggers and tension and it was so much to take in. But when it quickly became clear why he was like this, oh, my heart just shattered. Dear sweet Jainan endured so much in his first marriage and I would check the content warnings before picking this up because the behaviours he exhibits, in the beginning especially, are incredibly hard to witness and may be triggering. However, seeing him learn to trust Kiem and eventually himself, and slowly reclaim the person he used to be, was so damn satisfying. 🥹

Their romance filled my heart to bursting! It wasn’t so much the outward actions as the internal processes between them, as they found peace with each other. Kiem and his acceptance and willingness to listen were exactly what Jainan needed to feel safe and to begin his journey of healing. What starts as an excruciatingly awkward marriage where they can barely hold a conversation let alone be in the same room, slowly turns into a comforting friendship and trusted partnership, which eventually builds into a tentative but strong love. There was something so warm and comforting in their relationship and every time I think of them, I want to kick up my heels in the air and giggle like a banshee! 😂

Aside from our MCs, we’re introduced to a wide array of supporting characters and although we only get minor glimpses of who most of them are, Maxwell still manages to make them feel like well-fleshed-out characters. Even someone as fearsomely inhuman as The Auditor felt human. Other characters like Agent Rakal and even the Emperor were humanized in small but realistic ways that allowed us a glimpse beyond their immovable duty-bound personalities. I was intrigued by practically everyone we met, even the enemies, and would’ve been happy for the story to just keep going so we could get more of everyone! My two favourite side characters were Bel, Kiem’s aide (but she’s so much more than that!), and Gairad, the cheeky, outspoken university student. I was initially a bit iffy about whether to trust both of them but they added more depth to our MCs, and they were just entertaining hilarious voices to add to the story! Bel, especially, was a wonderful side character with an interesting history and I’d love for her to get her own story.

Overall, this was one of the best slow-burn stories that I’ve read in a while and I’m sad to have to say goodbye to these characters, although they 100% deserve the HEA they got. I’m glad we don’t have to say goodbye to this world though and I’m keen to pick up the next book set in this intergalactic universe very soon! 😍

Have you read Winter’s Orbit or is it on your TBR?

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