Bright Spring (Harmony of Seasons Book 1) by Emmaline Strange

Bright Spring is the first in the Harmony of Seasons series. Four demigod brothers are cursed for eternity to turn to stone for most of the year, with an unbreakable curse. Only awakening once a year for a single season - this spring, it's different for Auro when he meets Alexios.


From the blurb:

Four godling brothers. A powerful curse. And time is running out.   

After playing a part in his brother’s death, Auro embraced the curse his father placed on him. He knows he doesn’t deserve to be saved. Every spring has been the same for four hundred years: Awaken, perform his duties as the god of spring, return to cursed slumber. He’s known nothing but service, solitude, and grief, until he stumbles upon a handsome stranger in his forest.   

Alexios has a curse of his own: a royal marriage and a destiny determined by others. When he finds himself lost and injured in the wild forest, a chance encounter with a shy, peculiar stranger shows him he’s not as helpless as he thought.

Alexios coaxes Auro out of solitude and back into the world, but their time is running out: when spring ends, Auro will turn to stone. When an assassin comes for Alexios, Auro decides enough is enough—it’s time for him to break his curse and heal his family.

Can Auro and Alexios break Auro’s curse and forge their own destiny? Or will time run out, returning Auro to cold, unfeeling stone?

Bright Spring is the slowburn first book in Harmony of Seasons, a sword-and-sandal queer fantasy romance series. If you love mythology, gods, heroes, and lots of toga content, warm your face in the sunshine of Bright Spring.

Rogue's Review:

Bright Spring is the first of a series, following 4 demigod brothers cursed for eternity to turn to stone and only come alive during a single season. Auro's season is spring, and he meets Alexios when he gets injured outside Auro's temple, and is intrigued by the young man he meets. This is a relatively slow burn, with Auro hesitant about the world outside the one he knows, and with no way to break his curse, he's also wary of getting involved with Alexios. Alexios is Prince of the nearby kingdom of Papia, and as the only son is being pressured by his parents to marry and provide an heir - something of no interest to Alexios.

This is a well crafted fantasy world, rich in detail and infused with myths and legends, and later on magic too. It's not just a straightforward story of two men trying to be together against oppressive family strictures, but about the land, and the history, and gods and magic and curses. It's so hard to describe, but it's a wonderful story packed full of twists and turns, and romance. Of course. I fell in love with this world and with the ending of Auro's tale, I really want more stories as soon as possible. I can't wait to dive back into this world.

Bright Spring is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription