The book I've been eagerly waiting for!! And these characters, and this story, was well worth the wait!
From the blurb:
One introverted athlete. One colorful artisan. One extra part to make them a perfect fit.
Laurel Lushroot runs a gauntlet of extremes. After his apprenticeship as a blacksmith’s assistant ended abruptly due to an accident that maimed him, he redirected his creative focus toward magical body modifications. He’s made a name for himself—the Anatomancer—and elves travel from far and wide to seek his services. But his father resents supporting him, and the Everend Marriage Market is the perfect opportunity to make Laurel someone else's problem.
Beacon Sure-of-Foot has long known that his preference for solitude is not compatible with his profession. He’s an elite athlete, especially famous for his performance in the caber toss. During competitions, the rush of attention from winning is invigorating. All other times, he wants to be left alone. Unfortunately, he's the heir to the Sure-of-Foot clan, and societal expectations demand Beacon accept a spouse.
The first time Beacon and Laurel meet is just shy of a disaster. Despite that, both men find the other intriguing enough to proceed. The union neither of them wanted seems like it might work…
Except it's not long before Beacon’s avoidant nature takes over. He struggles to tell Laurel that he was born different from other men, that his current appearance is due to magical intervention, and that he will be missing something Laurel is likely to expect in their marital bed.
Knowing their fragile connection will wither unless he can break through Beacon’s walls, Laurel must find a way to prove he’ll accept his intended no matter what. Fortunately, his creativity is unmatched.
~
Marriage Market Misadventures is a light-hearted series of queer romances where elves from all over the realm gather at the Everend Midsummer Markets to meet, match, and marry—with plenty of shenanigans along the way. “Tossing the Caber” is a spicy trans M/M romance, featuring a fuchsia twink with a tail, a grumpy ginger, and rather interesting use of magic. Happy ending guaranteed!
Katriana Prey's review:
I have been eagerly waiting to read this book and I am happy to say that the wait was well worth it!! If you've been following along with the Market series, then you might remember Laurel and Beacon being mentioned as they've made their appearances throughout some of the others books. (Which can I just say I love?! I love when there are Easter eggs to find and when books tie into others books in a series, it makes reading and following along so much fun!!)
Now, onto the story itself! It was AMAZING! This was everything I wanted and more! Laurel and Beacon's story is the one I've been most excited to read and they both absolutely won me over.
Laurel is an absolute sweetheart, he has such a beautiful soul and is so precious. I hate his dad, he never deserved Laurel, and I'm so glad that Laurel won't ever have to deal with that cruel man ever again! Beacon is also amazing, but he's more of a grumpy stormcloud compared to Laurel's more sunshine-y demeanor, but that's what makes him so endearing to me. And clearly, Laurel agrees!
I thought the writing and the characters were absolutely beautiful, it was amazing seeing these characters getting to know each other and finding their footing together as a couple. Sure, their marriage may have been arranged and out of their control, but they made the most of it. I have to say, I was NOT expecting the way they met, that could've been quite disastrous! But thankfully that became a blip on their radar, and they were able to move forward from there.
The representation that's within the pages of this book is truly so beautiful and wonderful to see. Plus, the way Laurel over thinks things a bit? The way his mind jumps to Beacon not liking him when Beacon is quite/isn't acknowledging him? That's something I can relate to on a personal level, and while I hate that sweet Laurel was experiencing that himself, it was something that was nice to see because of the relatability of it.
Overall, this was an absolutely wonderful book! I just wanna give Laurel a hug, and maybe ask how to get a tail...
Tossing the Caber is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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