HIGHLIGHTS
~knives make the best wedding presents
~political genius + warrior cinnamon roll
~THAT’S NOT WHAT PITCHFORKS ARE FOR
~sweet, intense romance
~oh no they’re out to kill you – or are they???

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a beautiful treaty-marriage fantasy that blends intricate political intrigue with idyllic romance and exquisite worldbuilding. Although it has something of a dark start, this is fundamentally a warm, silken, feel-good fantasy, unquestionably one of the best books of the year for a whole host of reasons!

Velasin is a gay man in the nation of Ralia (which has roughly a Renaissance-esque level of technology and culture); the third son of a technically-not-noble family, he’s been able to play the wastrel a bit and keep his sexuality hidden from his father. But after breaking up with his long-term lover Killic, he suffers a second blow in learning that, in a bid to strengthen ties to neighbouring Tithena, his marriage has been arranged to a Tithenai noblewoman.

When his sexuality is revealed – in the worst possible way – the Tithenai ambassador suggests he marry said noblewoman’s brother, instead.

It’s the best thing that could ever happen to Vel – but it sure doesn’t feel like it at the time. But then, he has no idea that Cae, his future husband, is so perfect a human being that it’s almost ridiculous. Only almost, though, because Meadows does a marvellous job at keeping him mortal and fallible (interestingly, the book switches back and forth between Vel and Cae’s PoVs, and while Vel’s chapters are in first-person, Cae’s are in third. I don’t know what prompted that decision – maybe to emphasise what different people they are, and how different are the cultures they come from and thus the way that they think? – but it works extremely well). The two characters are the best kind of complimentary opposites; which is to say, opposites in a few significant ways, but sharing positions on everything important. Cae is an honest, more straightforward warrior type (not stupid or bad with people, just better with literal swordplay than verbal), while Vel is a genius when it comes to politics, and they meet in the middle with heartwarming trust and openness. Probably my favourite aspect of their developing relationship was that they were honest with each other – open even when it was awkward, or difficult, or painful. Speaking as someone who’s been married for over a decade, that kind of honesty is what convinces me, every time I see it, that a relationship is going to work. And it’s just so damn refreshing to see characters who talk to each other, like grown-ups, rather than acting like dramatic teenagers.

Vel and Cae aren’t teenagers. Their relationship starts small, from a foundation of honesty and trust and a desire to make a good life for themselves together, and grows into something deep and real and heartwarming. I’ll admit it develops quickly, but five days after we met the hubby and I admitted we knew it was forever, so between that and Meadows’ care and skill in telling their story, I have no trouble believing in it. Especially given the circumstances in which their relationship is forged.

And this is, ultimately, a romantic fantasy, which means some suspension of disbelief re falling in love is permitted. Although there’s a good deal of intrigue – someone is not happy about this marriage, presumably for political reasons – there’s no getting away from the fact that Tithena is a queer fantasy of a fantasy realm, an idealised queernorm state that could have come straight (hah) out of my own daydreams. Jacqueline Carey says in the cover quote that “Many readers looking for a sense of homecoming in the realm of romantic fantasy will find it in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance.” and I think that’s what she meant; although we get a brief glimpse of the queerphobia of Ralia, the vast majority of this book takes place in what’s functionally a queer wonderland, and there is absolutely a sense of relief and joy and homecoming in that. We don’t have to think about any of it too hard or too closely; just let it wash over us, and wash our hearts clean in the process.

But of course, if you decide you do want to look at things more closely, you won’t find anything to nitpick. All the worldbuilding prowess that was on display in Meadows’ previous books – the Manifold Path duet – comes through loud and clear in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. Meadows has thought of everything; not just the different attitudes Ralia and Tithena have towards gender and sexuality – obviously very plot-relevant! – but details like clothing, cuisine, marriage traditions, views and uses for magic, and religion. And by that, I don’t mean Meadows decided one country wears trousers and the other doesn’t; I mean they’ve invented entirely new items of clothing. While there might be slight influences from a couple of real-world cultures, the world Vel and Cae inhabit is entirely Meadows’ own – and I loved it. Especially since Meadows is an expert at not overwhelming the reader with new strange-sounding nouns, or expecting the reader to have them all instantly memorised – and creating idioms that instantly make sense!

<“Sorry,” he said. “I was whittling trees out of firewood.”>

And you cannot talk about this book without talking about Markel! Vel’s manservant is also his best friend – and they communicate via sign language because Markel is mute. They’re so close that at first some people think Markel and Vel are romantically involved or want to be, and I loved getting to see that strong a relationship – especially between two men! – with no romantic or sexual elements at all. (Listen, we stan Steve/Bucky in this house but we also stan beautiful intense platonic love because THAT IS AMAZING TOO.) Besides which, Markel is just awesome for his own sake – very kind, and also extremely smart and funny, and I will be amazed if anyone walks away from this book not adoring him utterly, okay? He’s that wonderful.

One critique I’ve seen – but don’t share – for this book is that there’s several small plot points that don’t go anywhere: for example, Vel and Markel hide Markel’s knowledge of the local language in the hopes of him overhearing something useful, and he doesn’t. But to me, that just made the story feel more realistic, because in real life, not everything is relevant, or comes up again later. Not every idea you have works out, and not every plot results in ah-hah!clues. I know that’s something we usually don’t let stories do – and I’ve critiqued books for it before. But here it felt deliberate, which is what makes the difference. Here the characters did things that were logical for them to do, or worried about things it was reasonable to worry about – and those things didn’t always pan out, because in real life, they don’t always. It adds a bit of realism to what is otherwise a very idealised story.

Ultimately A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is just – so sweet and sex-positive and big on consent in an effortlessly queernorm setting and how??? do you??? even??? The takeaway is just HAPPY FEELS and bubbly joy through and through. Which is impressive, because the beginning is pretty dark, and yet this really is a book you want to hug to your chest because EEE! It’s idealised and escapist, detailed and delicious, with plenty of plot and a swoonworthy romance – an instant fave.

I ended up DNFing this book. I liked the premise but the execution of the plot just don’t work for me. The pacing was disjointed and I had a hard time getting into the story.

This book was so engrossing! I really enjoyed the romance of it. Velasin and Caethari were adorable and I loved the friendship between Markell and Velasin that opened up to include Caethari.

I wasn't as enamored of the mystery aspect of the story, but that may have been just me. I tend to get impatient with mysteries. There were also a few times where the phrasing was awkward or an extra word that didn't belong, but it was an ARC so hopefully that won't be the case in the finished product.

I had such high hopes for this book based on the premise and beautiful cover, but unfortunately it didn't measure up to my expectations.

I really liked the unique take on arranged marriage between two men in a setting where that is possible. The author did a great job depicting societies with different social rules, including how it was difficult for the character to adjust - even in a place where things are better - due to internalized shame and trauma. The developing relationship between the two characters was very sweet and I loved seeing the way they respected each other. We also see trans and nonbinary characters, characters with disabilities, and more underrepresented groups, who are treated with refreshing dignity by the other characters.

However, I did not enjoy the voice of the first person chapters - it felt overdone to me. I understand that that was part of the character's personality, but, the third person chapters were so much clearer and I would have preferred the whole book written in that style. The author clearly put a lot of thought into worldbuilding, but we get much of it from long info dumps in the character dialogue. The court intrigue plot was cheapened by the sheer frequency of murders, which didn't do justice to the complex cast of characters.

What I struggled with most was the continuing violence against people and animals that interrupted nearly every quiet moment of the story. It came to feel a bit like a soap opera, where things go wrong again and again in increasingly improbable ways. I know this book was meant to show a character healing from sexual assault (which was helpfully presented to readers before the start of the book) but the ongoing violence felt particularly jarring when set next to that recovery. I'm not opposed to dark stories - but these scenes didn't fit well with the tone in other parts of the book for me.

I think this book definitely has an audience (it made me think more than once of some popular Mercedes Lackey books) and in particular might appeal to new adult readers who are familiar with the style of young adult fantasy romance books, but who are looking for stories with more mature themes. I've purchased it for my library, even if it wasn't the right book for me, and I look forward to the chance to purchase more fantasy books featuring queer relationships.

This a really pretty and an amazing book, not only ‘cause of the cover but also I really loved the LGBTQ+ rep in it. I really loved and the enjoyed the story despite it being a little slow I’m the beginning. However, I can’t wait enough to recommend it to anyone and everyone!!

Pretty good representation of LGBTQ forced marriage. I had a pretty fun time reading this. A little slow in parts but overall decent paced. I feel a few chapters could have been cut out as I think they were just fillers but 4 out of 5

Foz Meadows turns the arranged marriage trope on its head in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance when Velasin, the groom, is caught with a man. Instead of forcing Velasin to go through with the original arrangement, the openminded envoy makes a small change: the identity of the spouse. Instead of the intended bride, Velasin travels to a foreign country to marry her brother, Caethari. But Velasin’s understanding of the marriage alliance is shaded by his national preconceptions, and his greatest worry is that Cae will expect a wedding night and take it whether Velasin wants it or not. After all, the act that caused the envoy to change Velasin’s intended was rape.

The main issue with this book was its pacing. Meadows spends a large portion of the book setting up the mystery through crimes and the investigation of them, but the solving of the crimes comes suddenly and through luck rather than skill. Velasin and Caethari catch Laecia (Velasin’s original intended and Caethari’s sister) red-handed not because they were looking for her but because they walked in on her shouting at her accomplice. After their whole investigation, it was a very anticlimactic way to find out the truth. Also, once they catch Laecia, the book wraps up in a snap. There’s a quick scene where Laecia puts up a fight and is consequently killed, but then the book is over.

There are also a few references in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance that seem like they are going to be a big deal but are dropped. Velasin’s rosewood chest for one. Readers never find out if it and the rest of Vel’s possessions make it to Tithena. Litai, the word for a husband’s husband is dropped too, and Velasin’s and Markel’s “listening game” goes nowhere. There were a lot of these little things that might have been woven into the story better but did not distract from what the story was.

What the story was is amazing. Foz Meadows was brutal in Vel’s rape but honest in its aftermath and beyond that, she made a place in Tithena for both trans and gender-nonconforming characters. A character list would have helped keep everyone and their pronouns straight, but on the whole A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was very well done. I’m not sure how I’m going to recommend it, but I know I will be, and I’ll be looking forward to anything else written in this world.

I love an arranged marriage mix up LGBTQ+ romance! Very fulfilling. Also, this cover rocks. Can't wait to sell it.

3.5 stars

There were a lot of things I liked about this book, and quite a few things that I REALLY did not. I loved the politics, and the world building was fantastic. The characters were interesting and compelling, and I really enjoyed the story we went on with them.

However. I had big problems with several aspects. Primarily, I hated how only a few chapters in, the reader witnesses a graphic sexual assault/rape. I have no problem with a book exploring how characters heal from a situation like that, which did come throughout the rest of the book. But it was a horrible way to begin the book -- at that point, the reader has barely any connection to the victimized character, so it's both jarring/horrifying and also narratively ineffective. It was also a very weird place to put the reader as we were beginning the narrative.

Also, while I loved the world-building, I found the naming conventions to be SO confusing. I liked that you could tell a bit about each character's background by their title, but it made it very, very confusing to keep them all straight. (And I say this as a lover of complex high fantasy world-building.)

Overall, I liked it fine enough, but there were major issues that kept me from loving it. Don't know if I'd recommend or not, but I would definitely be interested in reading more from the author in the future.

I wanted to enjoy this book, especially once I saw the amazing summary and tag. I was hooked on the idea, because it really is such a wonderful concept. But the book itself simply didn't deliver for me.

The book started off with promise: the worldbuilding was incredibly interesting, and I found myself intrigued in the court politics of Ralia and how society functioned in this fictional world. Meadows did a great job of hooking the reader in with the foundations of the story, and after the first two chapters, I felt sure that I was going to get sucked in. However, that was not the case for a few reasons:

1) The r*pe season in the first few chapters. This caught me so off guard that I had to put the book down and walk away for a bit. I had come into this book knowing that those warnings were there, so obviously the author is not necessarily at fault. That being said, the scene was so early on and so graphic—especially after the somewhat fluffy first few chapters that focused solely on introducing the reader to the world and a select few characters—that it threw me off kilter right off the bat. I appreciate the author's decision and care in writing the aftermath, and how it affects Vel's mindset and how he thinks through the rest of the book. However, it set such an odd, disjointed tone for the story that I couldn't get back in the mindset after the scene, making the rest of my reading experience difficult. Once again, the author handled everything after the scene with care, but it just wasn't a good fit for me narratively and coupled with the fact that there was other plot I was supposed to focus on I couldn't find any rhythm while reading.

2) The pacing. After reading That Scene, I was definitely slightly turned off and struggled to get sucked into the story. But that wasn't the only reason why. The pacing in this book was just Off, and I'm unsure what it was. Maybe it was the fact that it's written in a very traditional, period fantasy tone of voice, and that isn't for me. But I've read plenty of other stories with similar vibes and I've never had a problem with that. I don't think this book paces itself well. It hits the right beats, yes, but in between I found it difficult to get invested in the plot, especially when there would be several pages of exposition and worldbuilding that, simply put, I didn't want to read. The only plot taking place was the murder mystery, and combined with Vel's journey towards recovery and the love story, I felt like the story couldn't decide how to tell itself, so at times, it would delve deep into how the world worked, even when I would rather be reading about the murder mystery/court politics instead because they were just that much more interesting.

3) Similarly to what I said before, this book needs to decide what kind of story it wants to tell. Yes, a book can have many different aspects of the plot within a greater story and still tell it brilliantly. I've seen it happen many times over. But this book isn't that. On one hand, there was this incredibly dark story of r*pe and its effects on the victim — especially if the perpetrator was someone they had been in a relationship with. I felt that this was treated with care, but then on the other hand, we had a court conspiracy/politics-focused story of a string of murders that moved entirely too slow to the point that I forgot the characters were even thinking about it because it wouldn't be acknowledged for multiple chapters. Then, even further, there was a romcom-like love story between Vel and Cae unfolding, even with all of this in the background. The tonal differences between all of these things were just so weird and unconnected that I felt like there were completely different characters in every new chapter. Vel would have this incredibly dark chapter chock full of thoughts about what he'd endured and s*icide, and then the next chapter act like nothing had happened and be giggling with Cae. It was like two different stories. And I acknowledge that being around Cae might have made those feelings go away temporarily — he had said something similar at one point — but as a reader, it felt off to me and I couldn't enjoy the book because of it.

Maybe I'll pick this back up when it comes out in stores and try again. But until then, I don't think I'm going to attempt to read this a second time.

I wish I had enjoyed A Strange and Stubborn Endurance more than I did, because it certainly has charm. Some of the tropes this book really delves into simply aren't to my taste, which is no fault of the book itself: I simply don't love arranged marriage plots (but I do think it was sweetly done). However, other aspects felt like more than just my differing preferences. I truly admire the brave choice to put sexual assault at the thematic heart of the narrative, but I still think there is something really jarring about the first two chapters being standard worldbuilding and then a sudden on-page rape scene; there is a tonal issue I'm not certain ever quite resolves itself. This book is one part m/m romcom, one part political fantasy, and one part psychological recovery story; I think all three of those have promise, but together none quite gets the full attention or pacing it needs. This book will doubtless really speak to some people, but I found it harder to read than I would have liked.

I really, really enjoyed this! I thought I was getting into a kind of fantasy Red, White and Royal Blue, but a Strange and Stubborn Endurance is quite a bit harsher, so be forewarned (the author does list several content warnings at the beginning, so please heed them; they are no joke). Despite the sharper edges, this book was a very enjoyable ride, with an interesting setting, truly excellent friendships (Vel + Markel 4EVA), a twisty mystery, and eventually an ooey-gooey slow burn romance that is very satisfying.

I adored this romantic fantasy about an arranged marriage between two noblemen from very different cultures.

Velasin, the closeted son of a Ralian lord, is set to enter into an arranged marriage with a noblewoman from the neighboring kingdom of Tithena. When his sexuality is publicly revealed, Velasin is ruined in the eyes of his own countrymen … but the Tithenai envoy simply adjusts the arrangement so he will marry the noblewoman’s brother instead. Tithena is a much more forward-thinking place than his home country, and Velasin could live and love openly there – that is, if he can reconcile his own cultural mores and personal traumas with his growing attraction to his new husband. And somehow stop an assassin bent on ending the Ralian alliance – and Velasin himself.

“A Strange and Stubborn Endurance” is a really enjoyable read, and I’ve no doubt fans will be clamoring for a sequel. The plot wraps up fine for standalone, but the world is so richly-drawn and the cast of characters so well-developed that it would be a shame if there weren’t more stories set in this intriguing world.

I absolutely devoured this book and my only regret about getting an advanced e-copy of it was that I could not tab some of the moments in this book.

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a story about healing. But before the story of healing begins there are events that come with heavy content warnings. Kudos to the author for putting them at the beginning of the book. CW for: on page SA, suicidal ideation, self-harm, brief animal cruelty. It is my opinion that these topics were handled well but as I plan on raving about this book it is my responsibility to make people aware of the content matter.

I would recommend this book to fans of Winters Orbit as both stories are at their core stories of healing, learning to love yourself again, and learning to find love in others. The relationship takes center stage in this book with a plethora of heartwarming and heart-wrenching scenes between the two main characters. Cae and Vel's relationship was amazing and I loved every second of watching it develop. The story alternates between Cae and Vel's perspective which is my favorite way to experience a romance.

There were so many incredible subplots to this book as well. The most prominent is the mystery. Though I found it fairly predictable and a bit rushed at the end it created the perfect environment for those tense, protective moments that I am a sucker for. I really appreciated the story of friendship between Velasin and Markel. Finally, this book is a story of family conflict and neglect and the consequences that go unseen.

The fantasy world-building is light and easy to understand with a very simple magic system. I appreciated that the story of healing was left to stand on its own without unnecessary "fantasy stuff" to make it more complicated.

My one tiny critique is that the ending was quite rushed. There is a long fleshed-out beginning with lots of important details. And then the final reveal and conflict seemed unrealistically quick in comparison.

When I realized I was on the last chapter I was sad because I didn't want to leave Velasin and Cae. With content warnings in mind, I would definitely recommend this book and now I am off to preorder it so I can have this gorgeous cover on my shelf.

Really adored this, the writing was incredibly wordy to boot and i did not like velaris much as I thought he was completely drab but nonetheless, this was an enriching read!

An intrigued filled, self-discovery, slow burn romance. Absolutely enjoyable read with well thought out LGBTQ+ representation where characters weren't defined by the orientation or sensuality.
The world was well structured. My one qualm was that with multiple languages involved, the author chose to repeat the same word in English, stating it was in the other language when characters weren't sure of the translated term. It didn't detract from the story, but those small details would have helped flesh out the world just a little more.

I meant to start this book one evening, and then found myself awake until 5am, unable to resist finishing it in one sitting. The characters are phenomenal - Vel in particular is so remarkably human, sharp and fragile and resilient. For a story that navigates so much trauma, it somehow managed to be both funny and charming, which is such a gift for a tale about healing. And the romance! Sexy, cute, deeply empathetic - I will definitely be returning to this book.

4.5 stars

A Strange and Stubborn Endurance follows Velasin, who after an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, fears he has ruined a diplomatic union with a neighbouring country Tithena as he is engaged to female noble there. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Velasin to marry his former intended’s brother instead. Meanwhile back in Tithena, Caethari has always known he might end up in a political marriage, but his sudden betrothal to a man from Ralia, where such relationships are forbidden, comes as a shock. When Velasin arrives in Tithena and an unknown faction reveals itself to be willing to kill to end the new alliance, Vel and Cae have no choice but to trust each other and maybe even find themselves and each other in the process.

I really adored the relationship in this book, which I would say is the primary focus and the emphasis on healing, support and comfort was a pleasure to read. I am always an absolute sucker for the arranged marriage trope and it was executed so well here. Both Velasin and Cae are really loveable characters to follow and seeing them grow closer and their banter was super enjoyable to read. Velasin has a lot of trauma and emotions to work through whilst also being thrown into a completely different culture but is incredibly resilient if a little stubborn. Cae is the perfect calming and steadfast counterpoint (and is also a total cinnamon roll and I love him) and their dynamic just works so well together.

I wanted to mention there is a fairly graphic sexual assualt scene quite early on in the book as well as multiple incidences of suicidal ideation. I thought the author did a good job of handling these topics with care and I liked how the primary focus of the book was on healing while not shying away from the darker, uglier aspects of dealing with the trauma from SA. I also really liked how the author had a trigger warning section at the beginning of the book.

Another thing I really loved about this was the relationship between Velasin and his valet/best friend Markel. I think strong friendships are so important and I love them especially in books with a focus on romance. Seeing the characters discuss their romantic escapades and worries with friends is exactly what you would do in real life and I really liked all Markel's teasing and knowing looks at Velasin and Cae's growing relationship. I also appreciated the representation of Markel being mute and him and Velasin communicating with sign language.

The plot is really strong as well, it definetly takes a backseat to the romance but there are some excellent cut throat politics and shocking twists and turns. I liked seeing Vel and Cae investigate what is happening and having to work together and grow ever closer. One thing I really love is complex family politics and this book definetly delivers on that. I did predict who the main "villain" was quite early on but this didn't ruin the book for me at all and to be honest I was so invested in the character relationships and dynamics Idon't think I would have cared if the plot had been non-existent lol.

At first at I was a bit unsure about the prose, but after the first chapter or so I really got into it and it actually reminded me a lot of robin hobb. There is a lot of focus on self reflection and inner emotional turmoil but these are things I really like in books, when books take their time and let characters and their feelings drive the story.

The magic system is a bit vague but there is just a hint of the fantastical, if there are more books in the series I would love to explore this more!! I think the focus is a lot more on the politics and world-building though. Foz Meadows has created such interesting fantasy cultures and you just want to get to know everything about the traditions, food and lifestyle in Tithena.

Ultimately this is a book of finding yourself, healing, learning to trust others to support you, complex family dynamics and accepting that you deserve love. It deals with some heavy topics but in a gentle and caring way and you will come away from the book with a sense of hope and it will live in your heart long after you turn the last page.