Even as one of the lesser royals of the Iskat Empire, Kiem knows his duty. With an important treaty on the line, a marriage alliance must be made between Iskat and Thea, one of its vassal planets. One of Kiem’s cousins, Prince Taam, was formerly married to Jainan, but upon Taam’s death, Kiem must step in and marry the Thean in order to ensure the continuation of their political alliance. Kiem might have a reputation for bad behavior, but he is reformed (mostly) and accepts the quick marraige to Jainan.

Kiem and Jainan are doing the best they can to make things work and put on a good face for the public. In order for the treaty to go through, the relationship must pass muster with the regulators. But with Jainan a recent widower and such a fast marriage, things between the men are definitely awkward. However, when it comes to light that Taam’s death may not have been an accident, and some are looking to point the finger at Jainan, the men realize that they must work together to clear his name. As they begin to look into what really happened, it reveals a complex web of politics, deceit, and cover ups. As they spend more time together, the bond between Kiem and Jainan begins to solidify into something real. But someone has secrets they don’t want revealed, and if the men get too close to discovering the truth, they may find their lives on the line.

Winter’s Orbit was an interesting story that gained speed for me as it went along. I’ll admit to finding the first part of the book to be challenging, as I found it slow, complicated, and with too many misunderstandings marring the early relationship between Kiem and Jainan. There is a lot of set up here to the story and most of it involves detailed political maneuverings that felt overly complicated and somewhat overwhelming. The bottom line is that this marriage is essential to securing a lasting peace, but it felt like there are layers and layers of nuance and side threads added in that made the set up too complex and it takes quite a while to really get things moving. The other issue is that Kiem and Jainan spend almost the first half of the book completely misunderstanding one another at every turn, which stopped me from really feeling any type of connection between them for much of the story. At first, I actually found it interesting, as these men are so different they are completely unable to understand one another — yet they don’t realize that they are misunderstanding each other. It’s like they think they are speaking the same language, but they’re not. However, this is a long book and almost 200 pages of watching them misinterpret virtually every single thing the other says or does became overwhelming. They pretty much both think that the other dislikes (or even despises) them, and so they read the wrong thing into every word and action, over and over (and over). What kept me going was the curiosity of how things would play out and the feeling that something was right there on the horizon, but getting to that point felt slower than I would have hoped.

Close the halfway point, things finally click for these guys and they realize that they have been misunderstanding each other all along. It happens a bit abruptly, as they realize that there is actually an attraction between them, and somehow that resolves all the other numerous confusions and misunderstandings that have been plaguing them. But regardless, once that dam breaks, things pick up nicely. There are some suspenseful scenes, and I particularly enjoyed a section when Jainan and Kiem are off alone together in the wilderness. The men end up making a nice team, with the more outgoing, personable Kiem being a good fit with the more reserved and focused Jainan. And I loved seeing Jainan come into his own, breaking out of the walls he had put around himself (with good reason). This story is the best when Kiem and Jainan work together and there are some nice moments and some excitement as the mystery of what happened to Taam comes together. I still feel like things get a little too bogged down in the politics, however. It often felt like there were just way too many layers here and understanding all of the players and their motivations was a lot. But I do think the story ties up with some nice energy and leaves these guys in a good place.

A couple of side notes. First, just an FYI that a version of this book appears to have been originally published on AO3 under the title Course of Honour. Second, there is a possible trigger here that is a spoiler, so I will put it behind the tag.

Spoiler

And finally, the blurb refers to this book as “Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue” and while I am not familiar with the first book, I read (and loved) Red, White, and Royal Blue and I am not really seeing the connection. This story doesn’t have that sense of playfulness or lightness of tone, nor the intense romantic vibe of that book. Also, while Kiem is technically royalty, it is almost irrelevant to the story other than as the reason he is chosen for this arranged marriage. So that isn’t a knock on this book, but just that if you are choosing the story because you think you are getting something like Red, White, and Royal Blue, I am not sure if you will be satisfied.
Overall, I found this an enjoyable sci fi romance. The story took a while to get off the ground for me, but I enjoyed the characters and think it comes together nicely. The political machinations overwhelmed things somewhat for me, but I think this is a nice choice for those looking for a sci fi story with likable characters and some suspenseful elements.

I have seen a few reviews around about this book and many people are calling it a romance. From what I know about the romance genre, the romance is the main part of the story. I would not say that this is the case in Winter's Orbit. I came for the queer romance but got sucked into the compelling story that unfolded around the politics of the universe and the mystery around the death of Taam. The romance side of the story as well was definitely a slow burn and it wasn't until well after I read half the book that the focus shifted slightly to include more about the relationship between Kiem and Jainan. I was rooting for them the whole time because in their strange way, they just seemed perfect for each other.

I do want anyone who is thinking about reading this to know that I would put a content warning on it for domestic abuse. It isn't a huge focus of this plotline but it is definitely in there and I can see that being triggering for some people.

The pacing of the book is quite slow to start but I find it picks up a bit of speed after the first half. That is when it really hooked me in and I couldn't put it down. I actually wish there was more focus on the relationship. There was one intimate scene but it was not explicit. I guess since I like to read romances, I was expecting more but I would definitely say this was a science fiction book with a side of romance.

Queer love and a mystery in space... what is not to love really.

I will definitely be trying to get other people to read this so I have someone to talk to about it.

This book is the gay space hurt/comfort romance of my dreams, As someone who is a big reader of fanfic, this book reminded me of all the best parts of fanfic and I'm so happy more publishers are publishing work by authors who have a strong interest in fanfic. Both of these gays have my whole heart and I will be recommending the hell out this book to anyone who even is slightly thinking about their next SFF read.

Winter’s Orbit is a captivating space romance with action, adventure, and galactic politics. Prince Kiem knows himself to be a minor player of the royal family, best known for creating minor scandals. When the Empress commands him to marry a stranger for the good of the empire, he obeys his grandmother. Count Jainan, a diplomat from vassel planet who has separated himself from his family and compatriots, is enigmatic and desperate to support his husband and liege planet. A slowburn romance, there are lots of threads twisting through the book: a murder mystery, palace intrigue, sinister plots, and a fraying empire. Kiem and Jianan must discover the truth of each other as well as the danger surrounding them; the fate of their planets is at stake.

Winter's Orbit is a delightful space-opera romance. I haven't read a lot of those, and this was a good introduction to the subgenre. The characters have phenomenal chemistry with each other. You have Kiem -- the reformed party boy Prince -- and Jainan -- ambassadorial and stoic, carrying a secret -- stuck in an arrange marriage, chronically unable to communicate, helping to save the galaxy.

Everina Maxwell managed to write two characters on a foreign planet with deeply human motivations and desires, a believable romance in an unbelievable setting.

The short way of describing this book is absolutely stunning, and a contender for "best reads of 2021" list. I've been slowly getting back into sci-fi these past few years, and it's books like this that make me reach for another sci-fi.

Let's start with the politics. No surprises here that I picked up this book because it was described as "political sci-fi". There's a treaty in need of signing (treaties are always a weak spot for me - I will buy any book that has politics around a treaty), but obstacle after obstacle are thrown in the way of it. Jainan and Kiem must finding who is obstructing it, and why - then stop them. It was a layered story of intrigue, and I loved how twisty it was, with brilliant information control.

I'm not usually someone who cares much about the romance side of books, but this one was <em>good</em>. Slow build, so much tension, and desire that wasn't being accurately communicated, leading to much pining. Plus, the communication blockages felt very appropriate to the situation, rather than feeling like it was there for "drama". I was wanting them to get over it not because I was annoyed they weren't talking (as it felt right for them to struggle), but because I knew it would be very satisfying when they were able to talk.

Plus there's a whole sequence where you can feel it building towards a specific trope, and it is <em>very</em> rewarding when that trope plays out (NOT going to spoil the trope - you'll know when you get there). And, once more, I am not a person who usually cares about romance tropes as they're not the thing I read for typically.

This book does deal with the fallout of a previous abusive relationship. There's not much of the actual abuse on page, but I loved that we saw someone processing it, and how it affected life. It's not something I've seen in SFF before, but it was so sensitively handled and made the book stand out. It deals with consent and desire, and the very subtle, but insidious, behavioural patterns that can be markers of abuse.

I will be eagerly awaiting Everina Maxwell's next book!

I loved Winter’s Orbit. Everina Maxwell has gifted readers with a beautifully written and exciting queer romance space opera, and it is magnificent. And what’s not to love? It’s a queer romance featuring a well-meaning, lovable disaster prince and a serious, duty-bound academic. . .not to mention the TROPES, all the glorious tropes—an arranged marriage, there’s only one bed, and they have to huddle together for warmth. I wish I’d read it sooner, and now that I have read it, I may never recover from the all the feelings this book gave me. I know it’s a standalone, but I desperately want to know what shenanigans Jainan has to save Kiem from as Kiem goes on to play diplomat.

With Winter’s Orbit, Maxwell has created a brilliant world for us to explore and an intriguing murder mystery for Kiem and Jainan to solve while trying to stay alive themselves. But where Maxwell really shines is with her endearing and complex characters. Kiem and Jainan are just so, so good. Kiem is trying so hard to be what Jainan needs, convinced that there’s no way Jainan could ever be happy with him, and is just so adorably awkward that I just wanted to hug him close and never let him go. Jainan is struggling to hold himself together while denying the abuse he endured at the hands of Prince Taam, his late husband. Maxwell handles the sensitive issue of domestic abuse well without sensationalizing it, letting it show in Jainan’s mannerism—his anxiety, the tics he’s developed, the way he wraps his duty around himself like a shield, the way he initially responds to Kiem, even the guilt he sometimes feels towards Taam. It was so difficult watching Jainan struggle to understand Kiem and the miscommunications between the two, but it adds to the delicious slow-burn romance and makes it all the sweeter when the two finally realize their feelings are mutual.

The side characters are also fantastic. Bel, Kiem’s assistant, has a great backstory and her whole attitude just exudes strength and confidence. She’s a raider turned honest who acts more like Kiem’s big sister than his assistant, always trying to protect him from himself and keep him out of trouble. Gairad, who’s a distant relative of Jainan, is standoffish with Jainan at first. She’s convinced that he’s abandoned his family and his planet, and watching the two of them slowly make amends and become friends is so rewarding.

Everyone should read Winter’s Orbit. I will be yelling about this book to anyone who will listen and shoving it in people’s hands. It touches on some serious topics that you don’t normally see in queer romance and handles them incredibly well. It’s also exciting, fast-paced, has the best characters, the best tropes. . .it’s simply the best. So go read it, read it now!

Queer, space opera romance "Winter's Orbit" delivers an intriguing plot, intricate world-building, and two characters who are so easy to fall for. In this complex universe, readers are led into a world of politics and conspiracies, while they follow the arranged marriage of Prince Kiem with his cousin's widower, Jainan.

While the political web and plot carried a level of intensity, which at times was a challenge to keep in line, the main characters as they are faced with personal growth while they traverse their relationship is gripping. The chemistry, the tension, the depth of their emotions are so eloquently described and developed, that even with the sometimes slow-moving conspiracy plot, it was impossible to not surge ahead to witness their connection.

A thoroughly entertaining, romantic read with well-timed twists and turns.

An absolutely wonderful book. An inventive sci-fi story about love, political intrigue, and murder. The characters were fantastic and the way gender was handled was particularly interesting and well done. Could not get enough of this one. Read it in one sitting, just absolutely fell in love with Kiem and Jainan. Five out of five stars!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy of this book. This did not affect my opinion in any way.

I picked up Winter's Orbit, hoping for a fun read with good romance and space shenanigans. And boy does it deliver. Times are rough these days, and although I do love complicated and gritty sci-fi, sometimes you just gotta read a gay space romance.

Parts of Winter's Orbit do have significant weight to them. There's a murder mystery that keeps getting deeper and deeper, conflict between the Iskat Empire and Thea, a planet under the Empire's control through treaties, the Resolution, a political power made between ruling factions of the rest of the galaxy who have very strong interests in seeing the political situation between the Iskat Empire and Thea resolved neatly. I strongly recommend going in aware of the content warnings for domestic violence, kidnapping, and torture, if those are things that will trigger you.

This is a love story though and the characters are where Winter's Orbit shines. I love a very good arranged marriage trop and Winter's Orbit delivers. Kiem is the Emperor's least favourite grandchild, a young man who is trying to find himself and discover what he's good at. Jainan a shy engineer and is newly widowed. They're both quickly rushed into an arranged marriage to save the treaty and impress the Resolution, and know absolutely nothing about each other except what the tabloids say. If you a fan of the trope of idiots-in-love, please pick up Winter's Orbit. It's a fun time (sometimes a pain) watching Kiem and Jainan grow into their relationship and figure out their feelings for each other. I was swinging before (softly) throwing my Kobo at the couch in despair and grinning like a loon in delight.

Even with the dark moments, Winter's Orbit is very much a feel-good book. It's a standalone, but I would gladly read a sequel or any other book set in this universe. Winter's Orbit comes out today (February 2, 2021) so go grab a copy if you'd like something with action and romance.

I have desperately wanted to read this book since I saw the cover and read the blurb. Arranged marriage? Political machinations? Murder? Yes, yes and yes. And wow, did this book live up to it! This is near my perfect mix of scifi and romance. The romantic relationship is center stage, but there’s also twisty political machinations and a murder mystery, all of which serve to give the couple more insight into each other. It’s tropey as heck – arranged marriage, “oh no, we have to share a bed,” sunshine/stoic dynamic, and plenty of miscommunications. Both characters are well-meaning absolute disasters who are trying their best to fumble their way through a relationship while, you know, trying to avert catastrophe.

“You are good at appearing confident in pictures. This should not strain your capabilities.”


Iskat rules an empire of seven vassal planets, and each of their treaties is sealed with a marriage between someone from the Iskat royal house and a representative of the planet. They’re small potatoes to the rest of the universe, though, and it’s time to renew the Resolution, which controls their trade link to the rest of universe – and protects them from being invaded as well. When Iskat’s representative to Thea dies suddenly, the only solution to keep appearances up and convince the Resolution representatives that they’re one big happy empire is a hasty marriage. Enter Kiem, the Iskat playboy prince, and Jainan, the Thean widower. While they both try to muddle through and make the best of it, it’s clear that something’s wrong, both in their marriage and with the treaty in general. Can these two very different men work together to unravel a conspiracy, without sacrificing their own new relationship?

“I think,” Jainan said slowly, “that it’s very possible to spend all your energy doing the right thing but still miss something obvious. I think that doesn’t make your effort meaningless.”


I’m going to restate this here outside the usual content warning because it is a major part of the book – there was past domestic abuse for one of the characters and his healing process is integral to the book’s plot. While I have a different kind of trauma, I empathized deeply with the character’s thought processes, and I didn’t find the descriptions to be egregious or sensationalized. However, if this is a pain point for you, I would definitely proceed with caution.

“Really,” Jainan said aloud, his thoughts unguarded, “I think you just verbalize everything.”
“Sorry,” Kiem said, raising his head. “Stopping! Stopping. Promise.”


It’s hard for me to pick a favorite from the two main characters. Kiem is the sunshiney, carefree one, with a general joie de vivre that lead people to view him as a brainless party boy, and his penchant for ending up in the scandal pages doesn’t help. He doesn’t view himself as very intelligent, and he fails to see his strengths – namely, all that talking to people and hobnobbing is political negotiation, but he doesn’t realize that. Jainan’s last husband, Taam, was The Perfect Prince ™: handsome, a distinguished military officer, and well-regarded by pretty much everyone. In other words, everything Kiem isn’t, and he’s horrified that poor Jainan is going to end up shackled to him after having what looked like the perfect relationship with Taam. Jainan is the stoic and self-possessed one, for good reason. He’s not very comfortable with people, and he’s sure he’s only going to be a burden to the bubbly and personable Kiem. They’re truly exact opposites, but adorably similar in that they’ve spent their lives longing for the qualities the other person displays, so they’re uniquely suited to appreciating each other. Neither want to push the other to go farther in this scam marriage than they’re comfortable with, though they’re both struggling with their uncomfortable – and surely unrequited – attraction to the other person.

“He grinned at Jainan, and for a moment Jainan was almost taken in by Kiem’s unfounded optimism. It made everything that had happened—the Auditor, Taam’s accident—seem like solvable problems, like Kiem thought he could make the world swing onto an easier path by sheer force of expecting that it would. Jainan knew this was absurd. And yet here Kiem was.”


Between the attraction and their misguided attempts to attempt to do what they think the other person wants (without, you know, actually asking them), their relationship takes a while to build. But that’s a good thing! They’re perfect strangers when they’re meet, and the wonderful part of their relationship is watching the trust build between them – that Kiem really does mean every single thing that comes out of his mouth, that Jainan isn’t indifferent but wary. The buildup is perfect, and it makes their eventual HEA ridiculously emotionally satisfying.

The side characters were great as well. Bel, Kiem’s personal secretary and friend, was hilarious, and I loved her backstory and how it played into the plot. I also loved Gairad, one of Jainan’s young relatives whose initial prejudice against him slowly turns into friendship. The world building, while not a centerpiece of the book, was still interesting and I loved the creepy Resolution representatives. This book is also very gay with zero stigma attached. The Iskat custom is to use a piece of jewelry – flint for female, wood for male, and glass or nothing for nonbinary – to denote gender, while Theans use neckscarves for the same purpose. Kiem is bi and marriages between whatever configuration of genders is viewed as valid and normal. The only quibble I had was that the English masculine titles were used for everyone regardless of gender (the Emperor is female, there’s at least one female Prince). I would’ve preferred a gender neutral title, but there’s not much choice for that in English, and the rest of the book was pretty free of made-up words or jargon.

Overall, if you can’t tell, I absolutely adored this book. While I feel like it wraps up everything perfectly, I would happily read another book with Kiem and Jainan or a spin-off with Bel. But whatever the author chooses to write next, I will definitely be picking it up!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Empire of Iskat has to renew a treaty with the Resolution to prevent an intergalactic war. However, a few months before the event, an Imperial Prince who was a treaty representative dies in an accident. His former partner Jainan, a representative of a vassal planet of the Empire, is rushed into a new arranged marriage with Prince Kiem to keep up the appearance of unity in front of the Resolution.

Jainan and Kiem are not too happy with this arrangement but they have to appear like the perfect couple in front of the Auditor. Jainan is a shy scientist from small vassal planet of Thea, Kiem is a socialite known in the Empire for being a troublemaker. The match isn’t exactly made in heaven but both men don’t have the luxury to refuse a direct request from the Emperor. However, Jainan and Kiem soon realizes that Jainan’s former partner may not have died in an accident like everyone was led to believe. If they don’t find the real cause of his death, the treaty won’t be renewed. The two men have to work together the find the culprit… and save the Empire.

I was expecting this book to be very romance-heavy but, while the arranged marriage is an important element of the story, I think that even people who don’t like to read romance will enjoy this one. Indeed, the story is focused on the unification treaty and the investigation behind the death of Taam, Jainan’s former partner. The political relationship between the Empire and its vassal planets is at the heart of the story. This book is mainly focused on the relation between Thea and Iskat since Jainan is Thean and Kiem is an Imperial Prince but other planets play a role in the story.

It was fascinating to discover the world Maxwell created in Winter’s Orbit. This book is a standalone story but I hope the author will revisit it in other books. I really liked reading about the dynamic between the Empire and the vassals planets but I was even more intrigued by the Resolution and its role in the galaxy. It might be because of my line of work but I couldn’t see the Resolution as anything other than a certification body for galactic alliances.

Indeed, the role of the Resolution is to maintain the peace in the universe and to check the treaties between different systems and intergalactic organizations. They also take care of objects that they deem too powerful to be kept by planets. It’s the case of remnants: pieces from ancient civilizations that can be turned into powerful weapons. I have to admit that I still have a number of questions regarding the remnants, I want to know what they are exactly and the Resolution is doing with them – are they just locked somewhere or are they used by the Resolution? I want to know! 😂

I really liked how queer this book was! Jainan and Kiem are in a relationship and it’s completely normal, Kiem has had sexual relationships with men and women and again, nobody cares. People from every planet indicate their gender by using different signs. On Iskat, people use earrings to indicate their gender – the material indicates if they identify as male, female or non-binary. On Thea, people use scarves to do so. I thought this was a great system to avoid any misgendering (as long as people knows the customs from different planets).

I also really liked the characters; my favorites were of course Kiem and Jainan even if their lack of communication almost drove me crazy around the halfway mark. I don’t usually like the miscommunication trope in romance because it’s usually only there to prevent the protagonists from working things out but, I understand why it was used in Winter’s Orbit. We learn early on that Jainan’s former partner wasn’t exactly as perfect as he appeared to be and because of that, Jainan is very hesitant to trust Kiem. Kiem is an adorable goofball but since he doesn’t know about Jainan’s complicated past, he doesn’t understand why they are unable to work together and he keeps on making mistakes.

I still wish the two characters had been able to talk things out sooner (very mild spoiler: they start talking openly about their feelings around the 55% mark and at this point I was very frustrated with them). However, I understood why they both acted the way they did so I was still rooting for them the entire time. I also liked the side characters quite a bit. My favorite is Bel, Kiem’s aide, she was so badass and competent! 😀

Winter’s Orbit was lot of fun, I loved the characters and the worldbuilding and while the plot was kind of predictable (I spotted one of the bad guys as soon as they were introduced), I still had a great time with it. Winter’s Orbit is a very solid debut and I’m looking forward to Maxwell’s future works!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. My thanks to Tor Books. All opinions are my own.

This arc was kindly provided by Tor, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: past domestic abuse (with scenes included)

This was everything I didn't know I needed in my life. What a journey!

Winter's Orbit follows the arranged marriage of Prince Kiem with his cousin's widower, Jainan as an attempt to pacify relations between nations.

Honestly, the political aspect of this book completely passed me by and I had a hard time following it so don't ask me to explain it. Nevertheless, the characters stole my heart and they kept me gripped to the events that sprouted along. Kiem has himbo energy and Jainan is a soft cinnamon roll, and I need to protect them at all costs! And the interactions between Kiem and Bell were so entertaining, I loved Bell's sarcasm and how Kiem just believes her. It's the best!

Normally misunderstandings in romance are not my favourite thing to read, but with the way the characters were written, it was very endearing to read. They both have issues to be recognized and solved, and I loved how it all came together in the end.

I apologize for how unorganized this review is but please know that I adored this book and I'll always remember Kiem and Jainan. My babies!

My god. I did not expect to love this one as much as I did but I am so so dearly happy I picked this up. Shoutout to my discord friends for putting this one on my radar because despite practically living on the Ao3 ‘Original Work’ tag, I someone managed to miss this? Also shoutout to the friends who emailed me an ebook copy of the Ao3 version for me to read, even though I never ended up getting to it by the time Tor sent me a copy. I was just absolutely delighted with this lovely space opera romance.

The number one selling point of Winter’s Orbit is our arranged marriage power couple: playboy Prince Klem and man with a Ph.D. and a shitty dead husband Jainen. If you can’t tell already, their dynamic is High EQ/Low IQ (Klem) meets High IQ/Zero EQ (Jainen) and my god they work so well together. Their sheer chemistry drives, despite circumstances neither party really wishes they would be in, is just absolutely delightful to read. Yes there’s a lot of miscommunication at the beginning, where Jainen thinks Klem is Just Being Nice because he has to for social media’s sake and Klem things Jainen’s still not over the dead ex and sometimes you really *really* just want to shove them in a room together until they talk it out, but watching the two of them still work it out and get so so so close, only to not quite make it, truly sends the reader on a roller coaster of emotions. And when they finally do talk it out about halfway through…..AHHHH. Just delightful.

Of the two, I found myself relating to Jainen more. Partially because of his nerdy academic side, but also partially because of his crippling social anxiety that could fuel ten people’s worth of social anxiety. Also Jainen’s an engineer and I’m an engineer and therefor I’m obligated to love him. There are times one reads and just immediately adopts a character. For me, Jainen was one such character. Watching Jainen slowly open up his shell, slowly come to work with and trust Klem was just so so satisfying to read. Likewise, watching Jainen slowly work through some of the issues that his previous marriage brought on and develop into such a strong character was just lovely. Klem being the supportive boyfriend, cheering Jainen on in the background was just similarly fantastic.

Naturally, the romance takes center stage, but I was pleasantly surprised by how strong the worldbuilding was. Klem and Jainen are leaders in what’s really a tiny, backwater section of the galaxy, where our focus is on Klem’s governing planet, along with several ancillaries like Jainen’s. We get strong glimpses into the government (and it’s failings), the leadership and military power struggles, and cultural tensions between said ruling and ancillary planets. I find myself fairly picky with sci-fi world building, but Maxwell does a fantastic job of bringing this world to life, especially with Jainen’s academia sectors. It definitely makes me thing Maxwell is/has been through grad school with some of the academia jokes.

Overall, I rate this book a 5/5. I absolutely loved the chemistry between Jainen and Klem and I just cannot wait to read more about them. There’s a lot of open questions left in the worldbuilding and I’m excited to see where this series goes.

I typically do not read science fiction, but I do read romance, and I requested an ARC of this title at the recommendation of a colleague.

Overall, I consider this more romance than science fiction, although I think many would disagree. I struggle with science fiction, but the romance aspect of Winter's Orbit was captivating enough to allow me to power through the science fiction, and even enjoy the book. I think for readers of both genres, Winter's Orbit is a tricky way to bridge the gap between the two. Very well done by Everina Maxwell, and I hope she continues to write books within this universe.

CWs: Instances of domestic abuse and emotional abuse (previous partner), some violence and injury, brief allusions to psychological torture

This book was a rip-roaring space adventure and an absolute delight! It is an incredibly queer space opera pitched as "Red, White & Royal Blue" meets "Ancillary Justice," which is basically industry shorthand for queer royalty fake dating in space—and that's pretty much what it is. When I went into Winter's Orbit, I wrote off the "Red, White & Royal Blue" comp title, thinking that RWARB was too high of a bar, comedically, to ever clear. But I'm happy to say that I was wrong and the comparison is apt!

This story is like sci-fi epic meets murder mystery, headlined by two absolute disaster gays who don't know up from down, and it's so much fun to read. I laughed, I swooned, I bemoaned the emotional constipation of both Kiem and Jainan, and overall it was a great time!

What I appreciate most in the story would be the emotional stakes. From the very beginning, we're introduced to these seemingly polar opposites who have nothing in common. Kiem is mostly viewed as a washout in the palace. He's newly-sober, usually gets into a lot of trouble with the press, and maintains a largely decorative role as a royal, mainly attending charity functions and putting in appearances at fundraisers and dinners. Count Jainan, on the other hand, is very stoic, straight-laced, and duty-bound. He is well-versed in diplomacy and engineering, and he's extremely committed to his home planet of Thea, which he wants to honor above everything else. They both have a chip on their shoulder and something they're desperate to prove. Kiem wants to be taken seriously and Jainan fears that he's unable to meaningfully connect with other people.

Pretty much from the first page, they're unceremoniously thrown together in order to hastily patch up this marriage alliance, and the shenanigans immediately begin. Kiem is attracted to Jainan, but trying to be respectful of the fact that his new partner is still grieving his last husband; Jainan is attracted to Kiem, but afraid that his own quiet nature and emotional reservation makes him an "undesirable" partner. Not only are they both trying to navigate the other person's roadblocks and get to know them within a very constrained set of circumstances, but they're both second-guessing themselves and doubting themselves. As if that wasn't bad enough, Jainan's recently-deceased partner, Taam, died under very mysterious circumstances, and Internal Security now views Jainan as a potential suspect in the case.

So not only do we get a myriad of romantic blunders, forced proximity, and an obscene amount of queer yearning, but there's a mystery and conspiracy unfolding in the background that really lends itself to developing the relationship between Kiem and Jainan. On the one hand, that mystery introduces tension into both the story and the relationship, because it challenges the trust between Kiem and Jainan, which is tentative at best for two strangers forced into an arranged marriage overnight. On the other hand, it strengthens the relationship between them, because it unites them in a common cause and positions them as a team trying to uncover the truth and clear Jainan's name, allowing them to grow closer to each other.

I appreciate that balance between the narrative elements in the story. While there's definitely room for humor, awkwardness, and soft romantic moments, there's also room for adventure and mystery, which makes you root for Kiem and Jainan even more as the broader implications for the entire empire become clearer. Their alliance is primarily political at first, yes, but as two powerful royal figures, it's also the kind of relationship that has the potential to change so much. Emotionally, it's satisfying how Kiem and Jainan both see each other so clearly and come to intimately understand their partner's strengths and weaknesses as plainly as their own. They bolster each other, they strengthen each other, and they make each other better—and that's my favorite kind of romance.

Over the course of the story, they're not only healing each other, but they're healing the divide between their two planets, and the divide between what is just and unjust within their political system. While some aspects of the underpinning mystery were a little bit convoluted at times, I was thoroughly invested from beginning to end, and I found that this intergalactic romance did not disappoint. If you enjoy space adventures, but you want them to be queer and super funny, then this book is for you!

Everina Maxwell's debut novel, Winter's Orbit, is a delightful blend of space opera, romance, and politics, with the inclusion of an m/m romance. In short: it's perfect.

In a universe where different planets must find a way to make and keep alliances, treaties are crucial. Sometimes, they even rely on a marriage to keep them firm. That's how Kiem found himself in this situation, that much is clear.

The treaty between the Iskat Empire and Thea had been safe, right up until the moment that Imperial Prince Taam fell. Now his widower, Jianan, is being rushed off into a new marriage with Taam's cousin.

Anything to keep the peace, right? Well, as it turns out, these two are about to uncover a series of secrets, any one of which could be a threat to the treaty they've given up so much to protect. They must save the day, and in the process, learn about each other and themselves.

“I have very little appetite for another war, and this would be the worst possible time. Hence you will be signing a marriage contract with Count Jainan tomorrow.”

Winter's Orbit is so much more than what I expected, and I went into this novel with pretty high expectations. It was delightfully complex, with lots of twists, and it makes certain that you're emotionally invested by the end.

After all, how could you do anything but root for the two of them to succeed? Not just in their journey to save everything they care for, but in their deeply personal adventure towards love. It's fitting, and it's beautiful.

It outshines the politics in this novel, that much is certain. There's still plenty of drama and action to be had along the way as well. Some of said action came as quite the surprise, and even had a few humorous notes snuck in. It was perfect.

I think the thing I love the most is that Winter's Orbit isn't a sci-fi with romance. It is sci-fi romance, through and through. It merges the two flawlessly, and allows both the plot and the characters to exist in perfect harmony.

Okay, I really did like the galactic politics as well. And the secondary characters. Actually, I pretty much enjoyed every part of this book. All of the details were so well thought out, and helped to enhance the overall experience.

Winter's Orbit is basically the perfect book for me. It represents the conjunction of a science fiction setting with the tone and feel of fanfiction, which to me was literary perfection. It's wholeheartedly a science fiction book, but it's not just that. Everina Maxwell masterfully balanced the high stakes plot and worldbuilding common in science fiction with the relationship and character development more common in a romance.

Because the point of the book was not just to be an exploration of a science fiction universe, the world building is not extremely heavy. There's a decent amount, because there's a lot to be set up, but it's all introduced fairly naturally and in a way that pairs nicely with the plot. There were no infodumps to make parts of it dense, which helped the world feel accessible and real. There's a strong political element here, exploring the machinery behind a space empire and what can go wrong, as well as how intergalactic politics could work. I liked the balance between what was going on with politics in their sector, and how this played into politics in the whole galaxy, because there often isn't that level of nuance in terms of politics. The cultural norms were also something that was explored, especially how Thean culture was different, and I liked that a lot. For those who like zoology, there are birds that are not birds, and a frankly terrifying bear!

Kiem and Jainan were excellent main characters, both independently and in how they interacted. Kiem and his desire to help, even if he didn't quite understand what was going on, was so sweet, and he was a really well-rounded character who had his flaws, but was also unerringly good. He's a prince who knows he's a disappointment to his family, but he's so much better than he gives himself credit for. Jainan was a very complex character, far more withdrawn and introspective than Kiem, but he had such strength. There was a lot going on with Jainan, but he grew and came out of the shell he had put himself into for safety, which was lovely to see. I'd also like to give Bel, Kiem's assistant, a shout out for being so awesome. She wasn't a main character, but she still had development and I loved her so much.

Jainan and Kiem complimented each other so well, balancing faults and strengths. They're both fairly different characters, but they still slotted together like that's where they were meant to be. This is to be expected, considering their relationship was such a bit part of the story, but it still felt very realistic. Their relationship was one of necessity, but it quickly became more than that very naturally. They were shown to get along and care about each other without it having to be hammered in, which made it so easy to root for them. Miscommunication was definitely something that occurred, and it did cause issues in their relationship, but it was also firmly rooted in their characters and their pasts, which made it not feel forced.

In terms of plot, it really felt like a full on, high stakes political intrigue. There were so many different elements at play that were hidden in ways that kept me on the edge of my seat in anticipation, while not being completely confusing. The reveals that occurred throughout the progression of the plot were not complete curveballs and had basis in the details that were sprinkled in throughout, which made the satisfying to read because they made sense in the grand scheme of things. Turning points where everything seemed uncertain were definitely present, but not in such amounts that everything felt like a drag to read through, and instead I just wanted to keep reading. There was a sort of 'big twist' at the end that definitely landed, but it didn't feel shocking in a bad way because of how everything had been built up. Overall the plot was really satisfying, and I love how it grew from the original version.

Most importantly, in my opinion, Winter's Orbit was just really enjoyable to read. The writing flowed nicely, descriptive when it needed to be but never clunky or over the top. The pacing kept up throughout the whole book without being too much, slow points being placed exactly when they were needed to keep things balanced. The balance between plot and relationship development was also excellent, keeping both sides of Winter's Orbit fresh and exciting while not being too much too quickly. I had a lot of fun reading it, and considering I have read it three times in the space of as many months, it's safe to say that I really liked it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This will be published on my blog on Wednesday 3rd of February.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for an eARC of this title.

Alright, this is everything I want in a SciFi novel. First and foremost I adore the fact that the world is queernorm and gender neutral. I mean, space travel is normal and people from different planets is normal, so why wouldn’t gender nuetrality and queerness be normal? It should! And I loved it!

Now, onto the other aspects. I loved the characters Kiem and Jainan are incredible characters. They are both complicated and sweet and also big dumb-dumbs. This was really a “they-just-need-to-talk” scenario, but it was so dang good. I loved how our characters grew over the book and learned more about themselves and each other. I also loved the consent discussion. Without spoilers, I will just say that it is everything I want in books and more books should treat consent this way.

The plot, oh man. I loved the plot. I will say that it is a slow beginning, BUT I loved that the set up was slow and made me desperate to know more about the world and what was happening. The whole murder mystery plot I thought was incredible. I did not guess the culprit or the reasoning so, that’s a win for me. Overall, I thought this book was incredible and I highly recommend it. The relationships are amazing, the characters are so sweet and so fun, and the plot just made me want more. I still want more!

Rating: 5/5 stars.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly January New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)