I received a copy of Wretched Mage by Juliana Pinheiro from NetGalley. This book is a fantasy romance (romantasy) story, and it is the debut book by this author. The story follows a woman named Jane Darling, who enters a mage world, a different land, by mistake. Now, she is placed in the custody of Mage Lord, Caedmon Reagan. It’s a dark retelling of the Beauty and the Beast, which intrigued me.
Jane is a human merchant. She is travelling to sell some goods on her father’s behalf because this is an extremely important sale for their survival. While searching for the way, she accidentally enters the mage territory. She enters the land of Mage Lord Caedmon Reagan, Mountheim. Although everyone in the estate is intrigued by her crossing into their world, she is placed under the care of Reagan for a year. Now, she is imprisoned amongst unknown and powerful people in a different land.
Jane is curious about the world she has landed in, but she is distrustful of everyone around her, as they are of her. Reagan and Jane barely tolerate each other, not finding any common ground, but they are still intrigued by each other. Jane learns to adapt in her new circumstances, where everyone has magic but her. She has a good business instinct and puts it to use. Reagan is a brooding figure and hates that Jane has been placed under his care. Slowly, more about his past is revealed as he has lived for centuries, and a curse keeps him isolated. He yearns for emotional intimacy and connection, though he is rude to Jane. Their banter is so fun to read. Their romance is definitely a slow-burn with the trope of forced proximity.
There are elements of the Beauty and the Beast story in their romance, especially at the beginning. Jane and Reagan start to trust each other, but know that it isn’t going to be forever. The slow development of their relationship makes their romance worthwhile. I enjoyed the world created in this story. It had some unique elements to the Mountheim setting and the magic the mages wield. Jane has to learn politics and fight monsters along the way; she tries to adapt to these changes in her life. She starts feeling more comfortable and less like a damsel in distress. The story has a gothic vibe to it with the addition of dark academia. It made the world interesting to figure out through Jane’s eyes.
Wretched Mage by Juliana Pinheiro is a wonderful fantasy book. An interesting world is created in the story, with strong characters and romance. The pace falters in some parts of the story, but not enough to be a bother. Overall, I really enjoyed the story. I can’t wait to read the next book.
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