Elle Mei is caught between her two brothers in a messy family drama. As a result of their most dangerous altercation, she and her older brother, Tony, are in hiding, presumed dead. To keep their secret, she's placed so many precautions and limitations on her life that she's not truly living, constantly on edge. She's holding herself back at work, making glyphs below the power grade she's capable of as the descendant of the Chinese god of healing, Shénnóng. There's also the fact that though she finds the calligraphy she needs for her work centering, she's no longer pursuing her other art.

Elle's recently formed a friendship with a particular French, half-elven customer, one that masks a crush she won't pursue. Neither Luc nor Elle can afford a romance, so they take the friendship they can get on the flimsy pretense of business. Elle makes glyphs that have saved his life in the field, letting herself do higher-level work than she's strictly supposed to. She can't help but love throwing herself into something with a bit of challenge, and she has a more than usual stake in keeping Luc safe and well. She doesn't know the exact nature of his job (other than the fact that it's dangerous), and Luc prefers it that way. Widely vilified for his past and disliked for his cold persona, Luc is in a literal bind that prevents him from forming meaningful relationships with anyone. Elle provides an opportunity he can't seem to get anywhere else to be a different, lighter version of himself and show true care for someone. If you're hearing alarm bells about a misunderstood, manly protagonist, you can put them to rest. In Luc's case, I'd say it's warranted, but I refuse to divulge anything more that could smack of spoilers.

This is a paranormal romace/romantasy between two beings gifted with longevity rather than the typical gendered imbalance that can haunt both subgenres. Elle and Luc have long histories, tons of baggage, and this singular moment to change how they approach it all. Both need to understand that they can be more than their utility to others and seize happiness from being valued for just existing. They each must examine their perceived duties more clearly and consider how they're preventing a full, meaningful life. The romantic vibes are a 10, but the banter couldn't keep up for me. One of the things I liked best is how the story avoids some yucky romantic pitfalls (unnecessary angst, miscommunication) to focus on real opportunities for growth like how to support one another during difficult transitions and how to listen to one another when not everything can be said.

Because the book ditches some of the common rhythms of romance, things were looking ~too~ good halfway through, and it freaked me out... because happiness can't be trusted that early, especially in a romance. While there are definitely trials to come, the deviation from annoying tropes means it wasn't as much drama as I feared. I ~will~ say that after everything is sorted out, the end wraps up pretty quickly. Some of Luc's history is left unresolved, though that might be preferable to suffering an obvious, drawn-out explanation. Something I especially appreciate about the conclusion is that it's not what I would classify as a neat, easy solution to the characters' insurmountable problems. They face the situation with courage and don't walk away unscathed (not to freak out my fellow romance fans-- this is not a threat to HEA, just the presence of nuance).

There are some other little bits of the book that I loved. It's threaded with queerness in multiple ways because why settle for the bare minimum on representation? Luc is queer, and he works with Pei (they/them), who is descended from the Chinese god of war, as well as a violent polycule known for maximum effort. Tony's gay, and Elle's best friend and business partner, Lira, is also queer (and a corporeal ghost specializing in runes). Another awesome facet of the story is all the translanguaging-- something made even cooler if you read the author's note at the end.

I would definitely pick up more by this author in the future. The book takes on some of the shakeups that I think the genre desperately needs, adding complexity and removing unnecessary hangups in multiple ways. Thanks to Tachyon for my copy to read and review!

The romance is slow ( but not to slow) and sweet, with Elle’s connection to her love interest feeling natural. What I enjoyed about the book was how it dives deep into themes of identity, healing, and finding acceptance, both from others and within oneself. The characters are easy to root for, and Tsai’s writing makes the magical elements feel real and relatable.

If you're into fantasy with well-developed characters, Bitter Medicine is definitely worth the read.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended

Such an interesting hook and world the author has created here and I couldn't get enough of the romance!

DNF at 40%. I don’t know why but I couldn’t get into this book at all. I felt like nothing kept the plot moving or kept me invested.

Bitter Medicine's description drew me in originally. I love culturally-based magic mixed with the real world. I'm a sucker for urban fantasy and half-elf/human romance. While the plot of this book is interesting, some of the writing wasn't as satisfying. Right off the bat, I felt that the dialogue was a little too overdone. There's a lot of hyperbole and filler when the characters talk to each other, and a bit of cliche in their personalities that comes across when they're talking to each other. That distracted me. There wasn't really anything inspired about the dialogue and how that moved the story along. The next thing is totally a me-thing, but i didn't realize that the main characters, Elle and Luc, knew each other before the start of the book. That's typically something I stay away from, but that's on me. I should've figured that out beforehand.

I enjoyed this book, but one of my grumbles was that there were times the characters spoke in languages that weren't translated and I wanted to know what was said. Then I read the afterword and well... Dang. It was done intentionally to make us see that people of the dominate culture get upset when they can't understand because "they've been denied the access they believe is theirs". Well played. Please don't change that ❤️ it was brilliant once I was forced to stop and see it, and I appreciate that.

As for the book itself it was enjoyable. I wished there were little blurbs to help me understand the culture/mythos better since it was pulling in so many different ones. But I loved that there were so many working in harmony. I feel like it could have been a bit better with balance the two halves of the story (it felt like two different parts and less cohesive than ideal), but overall I enjoyed it. I would happily read more by this author.

Also, slight spoiler but not big, so glad that when given the chance to use the trope of "shocking moment, now I hate you until I realize I was wrong", the author didn't use it 🤣

The book that had a chance to become another "booktok made me read it". I don't understand why it didn't happen because it meets the criteria for a popular cosy romantic story.
Personally, I don't usually read romance novels and if I do I consistently skip smut (not sorry), but I was interested in the myth and urban themes. While the first one was something quite fresh, urban part fell flat (probably because we focused more on romance and action - to my disappointment. But You can't please everyone.
Still, I'm following the author and will check next book.

This is how you do fantasy romance! This is an excellent debut by Mia Tsai that I still keep thinking about months later. It is a perfect mix of world building, magic, mystery and romance. I was sad to see there is no news on the next book by this author and I can only hope she adds to this universe. Can't wait to follow this author over the coming years!

This was fun and atmospheric, but moved too slow. In novel format, this kind of serialized story feels bogged down. However, the tension between the two main characters was wonderful.

A perfect blend of fantasy and romance. Elle is a magical calligrapher working in a faery temp agency, where she's been hiding out from her murderous younger brother and never using her abilities to their full potential to avoid attracting attention. Luc is her client and a half-elf security expert who works for a domineering boss that leaves him little time or freedom to make connections with others. They grow closer after he asks for a personalized commission for a job, but Elle's loyalty to her family and Luc's obligation to his boss are at odds when he is assigned to track down her brother.

The world-building in this book is truly exceptional. Tremendously detailed but never clunky or distracting. There could easily be a whole series about the faery temp agency and the supporting cast of characters, but the focus of the story is on the relationship between Elle and Luc. This is a book that lets its characters be strong and vulnerable at the same time. We see them deal with loss, regret, sacrifice, and loneliness. They struggle with the duty they owe to others and how it keeps them from pursuing their own happiness. Their connection is built up believably over the course of the book, and I love how soft Luc is with Elle even when his job is to be terrifying with everyone else. I always love it when a woman who is doing so much for others gets to be taken care of by someone else for a change. Without any spoilers, this book is very emotional, especially at the end. You may cry. An amazingly well written and compelling story.

I only hope that one day readers will get the book two we deserve. For Tony. 🕯️

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Blog Post goes live Oct 31st
Amazon Review submitted and pending system approval
Will be included in upcoming Youtube 'Should You Read' video series

**TL;DR**: Lacking a real grip on my attention and much more focused on the romance than the central plot. But I did like it!

I may have gone into this with the wrong expectations but this was far more Romance, and Open Door Romance at that, than I thought it was going to be! The focus of Bitter Medicine is around Luc and Elle, who meet at work. Elle is an incredibly talented magic user making low level glyphs and potions for agents while Luc is the right hand of the leader of their company. He uses her glyphs and goods, and she works a shop front. They've developed a friendship that gradually turns into more while the world catches up to them.

From the start the story is intriguing, though I wouldn't label it as gripping. I loved the setting (think a Men in Black style world and organization except it's more Fae creatures and the like than aliens) and I liked Elle and Luc. Elle is burdened with guilt trying to make up for something in her past and hiding in plain sight to do so. Luc is very sweet, and very kind but very much at the mercy of a real piece of work boss.

The struggles they faced never felt too insurmountable and the two always communicated fairly well, especially when I gauge this more on a Romance scale than a Fantasy one (which is where this should lay in my opinion). Unfortunately because of this the story didn't have the staying power or the unputdownable aspect I'd look for. I was 90% into this and almost forgot I was reading it, though I was interested in what happened, I just... forgot?

Overall I did enjoy this! It was just a quiet and unassuming type of story. The use of languages does stand out as something I loved, and the multicultural aspect. I just wish it had gone full cozy or more intense to keep your interest.

3 Flying Glyphs out of 5

Such a gorgeous book!
This an urban fantasy romance with ancient magic and modern technologies and the swooniest romance.

The book started rather slow and a bit confusing for me. We are thrown right in the middle of the story and there is so much talking and nothing much happening and I was impatient for some action and then boom, a whirlwind of events and emotions. I was completely on board both with the suspense plot (he is a deadly fixer for a shadowy agency; she has ancient healing magic she is trying to hide) and the romance (so much pining, so much "our love is doomed and impossible").

I don't want to reveal much about the plot so I will focus more on the rest - gorgeous writing, fabulous main and supporting characters. They are all so well drawn, standing strong on their own. Elle is a descendant of the Chinese god of healing and her past and her culture is so, so strongly present in the story. Luc is a French half-elf and his European and magical heritage is also very much in the story as well. There are talking sphinxes, and fae-touched being and ordinary humans and it all so seamlessly blended. I loved it!

Their coming together is not easy and it comes at a great personal cost. Slightly spoilerish comments ahead. Something I loved a lot in their relationship is the way he reacted to her being injured and recovering from it. The way he took care but also gave her space when she needed it. Something too much attention and care can be suffocating, can put pressure on the person to pretend to better than they actually are. Here is where Luc completely won me over. He listened to her, he was there for her even when she lashed out at him (for which she apologized later on). And then it was her turn to be there for him and support him in the life-changing, life-threatening decision he made for his future. It was scary but also magical.

The supporting cast was great as well. No relationship was bland or stereotypical, they all felt real - complex and changing. We see family members being absolutely toxic and others being full of love and support. Queer characters (both MCs are bi actually), found families - all effortlessly fitting in this world of magic and mayhem.

This is a debut by Mia Tsai and it's a perfect blend of SFF and romance. It makes me excited to read more by this author in the future.

CW: dark magic, violence, life-threatening injuries, abusive families

Elle is an immortal with powerful magical abilities that she is hiding in order to protect her brother. Luc is a half elven secret agent who is bound by his boss to continue working for him. Luc and Elle meet when Luc hires Elle to create protective glyphs for him to use in the field, and their friendship and attraction to each other grows.

I wish this book had been billed as a fantasy romance rather than just a contemporary fantasy. My expectations of a fantasy include more world building and plot. In this book, the main plot point - Elle's secret past and her villainous older brother - comes to a head about halfway through and is underutilized as plot. The author could have done so much more with that thread. Instead, it is completely dropped, and we spend the rest of the book with Luc's main plot point - getting out of his curse. This is also a good plot thread that is underdeveloped and comes to completion fairly easily. I wish the author had spent more time to develop these plots and characters - make it a duology, perhaps. The romance was wonderful, though, and I loved seeing Elle and Luc help each other grow.

Overall, I would recommend this book to people who like fantasy romance, but warn them that the action is minimal.

Elle is descended from a god of medicine, granting her the power to treat fellow fae and create runes to enhance abilities better than most. Due to family drama(to the extreme) she has taken a position of a lower caliber helping agents of a fae-type FBI. This is where Luc comes in, a handsome half elf with clearance up the wazoo with enough baggage to full an airplane and the eyes only for Elle. When professional lives begin to affect personal lives what are Luc and Elle willing to give up to get together?

This was a fun break from the super serious books I have on my TBR as of late, with lots of fluffy romance and "aww" moments. The world building fell a bit flat for me and I wish there had been more elaboration when it came to certain terms and the weight they carried for the world. At times the romance seemed to take front and center allowing pieces of the plot to not pack the punch intended at the time of their reveals. But plenty of playful banter was fun to read, not just between Elle and Luc but with the supporting cast as well.

Overall 3.75 rounded to a well deserved 4. Recommended for lovers of the Bargainer series, or those who like a fun take on Fae. Age recommended for 16+ for graphic sexual content. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book sounded so good, but when trying to read it I found it lacking what I had hoped for. I dnf this book. Others seem to like it so it may be that it just wasn’t a good fit for me

I received a free copy of Bitter Medicine from Netgalley and Tachyon Publications in exchange for an honest review.

Holy moly, this book is so much more than I expected. The worldbuilding is wonderful and the characters are compelling. I was not prepared for the exceptionally detailed magic system and how much I would crave more stories from this world.

My biggest criticism is with the climax and resolution. It felt over and done with far too quickly and didn’t make me feel like I’d read a finished novel. I struggled at times to get a handle on the pacing of the novel and found myself checking the percentage to see what part of the part I was on (to know how soon the middle/climax/ending would occur).

Overall, it was a good read and I can’t wait to see was Mia Tsai writes next.

Bitter Medicine was such a fun fantasy romance adventure with so much heart. The entire concept was interesting that I almost wanted MORE of the world building elements and specifically Elle's work. I love all the culture, the languages, characters... just the whole thing. I wanted to give this book a hug.

The pacing was interesting at times, it felt like it was building to one point (which really felt like the climax) but then there was more. But really, I was so charmed at that point it didn't matter.

I also loved the authors note at the end about why she chose to approach language as she did. It is a point of view that many of us, myself included, take for granted. It also made me reminisce of my time living abroad.

Definitely will read more from Mia!

A charming fantasy romance that had an incredible world building. I really enjoyed this read, especially the magic and the fantasy characters. It's always exciting jumping into an entire new world like Bitter Medicine, The romance was phenomenal in my opinion, a great buildup and development between them both together and separately.

Unfortunately found this one a little disappointing and hard to finish.. the premise seemed interesting but a lot of aspects didn't seem well thought out.