This was an entertaining early 20th century, Sapphic murder mystery set aboard a Titanic-like steamship and full of magic, spirits, romance and a dangerous locked room style cat and mouse game. I loved Maud and Violet's relationship - we get lots of tender moments and some STEAMY scenes too. Fans of the author's previous book, The marvellous light will enjoy some references to the characters in that story but it does work as a standalone. Overall a tad long for me but still great fun and excellent on audio narrated by Aysha Kala. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I found I enjoyed this more than book 1! It could be difficult to follow at time, but I liked the plot and sapphic relationship more in this one. Overall a decent read!

I really loved the first book in this series. A Marvelous Light was fabulous and I loved everything about it, particularly the mystery and the magical world building. It was a five star read for me and I was eagerly awaiting the second in the trilogy.

I was turned down for the ebook but approved for the audiobook. I am relatively new to the world of audiobooks, and generally don't like complex stories in this format because I like to be able to flip back and forth if I ever feel the need in the course of an involved storyline. I did really like the narrator for this one, which helped immensely. The crisp read really added a depth to the characters that I enjoyed. I had a much easier time picturing things in my head with the British accent working its way through my ears. Still, on the whole, I think there was too much going on for me to really follow it the way I wanted to in an audiobook format as I tend to be much more visual than auditory.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery as it was set out, but I found this one to have a whole lot more romance and sex in it then I recall in the first. That may be a case of memory glossing it over or of it being more difficult to ignore when words are being whispered in your ear, but I found the emphasis in this area to be somewhat distracting from the main storyline rather than additive to it. While I appreciated the way it helped flush out the characters involved, it felt like it was more involved than I wanted it to be, at the expense of the underlying mystery which was carrying over from the first book regarding the Last Contract. And those are the elements of the first book - and of the trilogy as a whole I suspect - that I like the best. I'm not a big fan of romance, and while I understand that it is often a necessary element in plot development and character development, it is not my first choice of genres. And this one felt at times more like a romance novel with a mystery underneath it then a mystery novel with romance underneath it. Fortunately, at just past the halfway point things seemed to settle back into mystery and that really drew me back in the way I hoped it would.

I was a little disappointed it did not have more Edwin and Robin, as i really enjoyed them as characters. I'm definitely looking forward to them being more involved in the third and final installment. I think I may try to read that one again rather than listen - or at least read first and listen after. There was so much going on here that the inability to refer back or reread sections easily was a bit of an issue at times.

On the whole it's a fantastic series, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how everything wraps up.

*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my free and honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early #ARestlessTruth #NetGalley *

This is the second book in Freya Marske's The Last Binding trilogy, a queer magical romance series that began with A Marvellous Light (AML). In this book, Maud, Robin's sister, gets her own storyline, self-discovery and sexual awakening. While I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the fist installment, AML, I will be staying tuned for the third book in the series. I found that this book dragged a but in the middle; it felt very long although it took place over the course of a 6 day voyage on a ship from NY to London.

I liked the focus on the influences of women in the magical world and how they are consistently overlooked and underestimated. The romance was just okay for me. I never felt that invested in that aspect of the storyline but think that the queer representation is important and refreshing. I missed Edwin and Robin and hope to see them in the third installment.

A Restless Truth is the follow up to 2021's A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske. The second entry in this the Last Binding series follows Maud Blyth, sister to Robin, finally getting a taste of the adventure she has always longed for. She volunteers to serve as a companion for a member of the Forsythia Club travelling by ship from the US back to England. Unfortunately nothing goes to plan and the woman gets murdered...basically straight away. This leads to a murder mystery that pulls together many new allies to Edwin and Robin's cause regarding the Contract. The group only has the length of the journey to solve the mystery and try to secure another part of the Contract and maybe fall a bit in love on the way?

The newly introduced characters (as well as the better used characters) really brought this book to life. The setting of the entire novel is the ship so there is not a ton of variety. However Violet Debenham and the return of Lord Hawthorn really charmed me. I think the next book might focus on Lord Hawthorn and I love that. A stoic grump? I'm down.

I wasn't particularly interested in the sapphic scenes (as an ace gay romantic person) but its not a negative. I love seeing queer representation, especially in historical settings. My first reaction to this book when it was announced was dramatic sighing because it wasn't going to focus on Robin and Edwin again but basically from the jump I was so entirely interested in Maud as our main character and I love Violet SO much.

If you've already read A Marvellous Light, I hope you already plan to read this but, if not, I highly recommend picking this series up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook (narrated by Aysha Kala) in exchange for an honest review.

Sapphic romance, magic, and shipboard murder!

A Restless Truth has it all. In this followup to A Marvellous Light, we follow the sister of one of the main characters on board a ship. But shortly into the voyage, the old woman Maude was accompanying dies under mysterious circumstances. Enter Violet- the notorious heiress who ruined herself on the American stage. Sparks will fly and danger abounds as they try to track down the killer and a magical artifact.

This was fun, and definitely steamy at times (much like book 1). Violet and Maude have a fun dynamic- Maude is inexperienced but doesn't lack a backbone. Violet has been hurt and has walls a mile high. And there is lots of magical danger! I didn't love this quite as much as book 1. I felt it dragged on a bit too long for the amount of plot, but also shipboard stories aren't my go to. If you enjoyed A Marvelous Light this is definitely worth the read and if we get more in the series I will certainly read those as well. They are a good time! The audio narrator is good, but I would have liked clearer distinction in voices between Maude and Violet's perspectives. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to Tordotcom and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC.

Sapphic murder mystery on a boat with magic what more can I say. This book was great, if you liked the first you’ll love the second. Maud and Violet are my favorites every. I really hope the third book has them back with Robin and Edwin to solve the next piece of the puzzle.

I believe Freya Marske called A Restless Truth "Lesbian Knives Out on a boat and with magic" and she absolutely was correct in the best way!

After reading A Marvellous Light this summer, I was really excited for its sequel, A Restless Truth, and it didn't disappoint, giving us a book full of fun hijinks, feminism, and magic.

Maud, Robin's sister, is tasked with escorting another member of the Forsythia Club from the US back to England. Turns out her trip isn't as straightforward as expected, as other people onboard are after the same secrets Maud'ss helping Robin, Edwin, and the remaining Forsythia Club to protect. Luckily, Maud finds great allies in another woman she meets onboard, Violet, and, somewhat surprisingly, Lord Hawthorn.

The book was lots of fun to read and having been introduced to the way this world uses magic in the first book, I felt it worked much better in this one. I loved Maud and Violet both and their chemistry was amazing (also, this book has the amount of smut I wished AML did lol) but I did find it slightly weird how closely tied the plot of this was to AML when the MCs had changed. There were lots of references to book one in the series (I loved how close Maud seemed to have gotten with Edwin, and her loving how happy he made Robin) and so if you've not read that one for a while, you may want to reread it before A Restless Truth.

That said, A Restless Truth is a great book, and I liked it just as much, if not possibly a tiny bit more, than A Marvellous Light. It also sets up the third (and final?) book really well where I assume we'll get to see Maud and Violet working more closely with Edwin and Robin, and my guess would be that maybe Lord Hawthorn will be the MC of that one. I love the universe Marske has created in this series and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

I listened to an audiobook ARC of this book which clocked in at just under 14 hours and the narrator was excellent.

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske // ⭐⭐⭐⭐ of 5

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the audio ARC. A Restless Truth is out on Tuesday November 1.

What can I say except I loved it!

A Restless Truth has the same immediate charm of its predecessor as it traces a familiar path. This time Maud is the focus, stuck on a voyage across the ocean and racing against calculating magicians to find and protect a piece of the contract while solving a murder. She collects a small team of accomplices, including an unexpected ally in Lord Hawthorn. There's humor, personality, actual character depth, and the now-expected steamy scenes. The story also introduces a touch of variety to the white aristocratic cast, which is a choice that I hope will increase as the series continues.

Marske's magic system is original and developed and just genuinely cool. Reading this book made me want to re-read A Marvellous Light so I could linger in the world for a little bit longer. I'll be waiting in anticipation for whatever comes next!

Freya's writing is so vivid and humorous. Set on a transatlantic cruise, this who-done-it was smart and engaging. Though I liked Maud as a character in Marvellous Light, she really came to life in this book. Violet was a perfect counterpoint to her, she is more world weary and experienced yet she is also softer. There are so many characters and plot points thrown at you within the first 15% that it is a bit overwhelming to begin but so enjoyable overall

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske was a delightful murder mystery, furthering the conspiracy first uncovered in A Marvellous Light, the first in her series. You follow Maud Blythe, Robin's sister, as she returns from America, bringing with her one of the holders of the last contract. Along the way, she gets wrapped up with Violet Debenham, a scandalous actress turned heiress.

This was really fun! I love the return of cradling magic and dastardly conspiracies to control all the magicians of Great Britain. Maud is as delightful as she was in the first book and Marske further fleshes out her character and Violet is a fantastic new love interest, and I was very invested in both of them. I did also find that their romance progressed more believably (imo) than Edwin and Robin's. The smut was also top notch.

Playful, action packed, sweet and all around a good time, I think I may actually like this a little more than Marvellous Light? 4/5 stars.

The narrator also added just the right amount of action and drama to the prose. I think she was perfectly suited for the characters in the novel.

***4.5 Stars***

Overall,
A fantastic sapphic sequel to A Marvelous Light. This book focuses on Robin’s sister Maud and her murder mystery adventure on board a ship. She is helped by the mysterious and capricious Violet who is heading back to England in order to accept her inheritance after leaving in scandal. The relationship is interesting and I really enjoyed the emotion and very real aspects of it. There is a lot more revealed in the overall plot of this trilogy and with many questions answered about the history of the overall mystery. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. The only thing keeping this book from being an overall 5 star was that there were a few pacing issues that through off some of the action/discussion scenes.

Audiobook- I had the Audiobook arc of this book which was narrated by Aysha Kala, she did an excellent job, especially with the different accents of characters. I would definitely listen to her again.

***I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Macmillan Audio, in exchange for my free and honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book early #ARestlessTruth #NetGalley ***

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske

In the second installment of The Last Binding series, Maude Blyth, sister to Robin of the first book, has been tasked with accompanying the elderly holder of an important magical object from the America back to England aboard an ocean liner. The task immediately proves to be a dangerous one when Maude finds the elderly lady dead and several items missing. As she in not magical herself and has no idea which item is the coveted object that she must recover, Maude enlists the help of the unpleasant Lord Hawthorne and the scandalous Violet Debenham, a stage actress.

As with the first book, this is an action-packed story with lots of characters, an intriguing magic system, and some very spicy queer sex scenes. I listened on audio and found that if my attention strayed for any amount of time, I’d miss something important and be confused. I may have had a better time of it if I had read instead of listened. I enjoyed the narration and was comfortable listening at 1.75 speed, which is good at it is a lengthy one.

This is a fun queer fantasy. While featuring different characters, it definitely requires a reading of the first book in order to fully enjoy. Thankfully, even for someone like me who forgets books quickly, there was enough here to jog my memory of the first one so that I wasn’t too lost.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

I enjoyed A Restless Truth, but nowhere near as much as I'd hoped, or expected, to.

All the things that I loved about A Marvellous Light are present in its sequel, except that they feel smaller somehow, less developed or else more subdued. The writing is still great: Marske has a real knack for charming, playful narration, and her storytelling always feels buoyant and lively, leaning into the chaotic-but-fun-hijinks-ness of it all. The way she crafts character and dialogue are especially impressive: her characters think and act and talk like real people, so it's no surprise that when they're all together in a scene, plenty of fun and quippy exchanges ensue.

All of this is to say, a lot of the groundwork underlying Marske's writing in A Restless Truth--the narration, the character work, the dialogue--is solid, just as it was in the novel's predecessor. Where I think this novel let me down, then, is in the bigger-picture stuff, namely the plot and the romance. The plot of A Restless Truth, a whodunnit, has a kind of sputtering quality that made it really hard to be invested in; it felt like the narrative equivalent of trying to start a car and having its engine stall over and over again. I like a story that slowly builds up to a crescendo--like A Marvellous Light's did--whereas whodunnits, by their nature, tend to have a stop-and-start style of storytelling. You investigate clues, but nothing turns up; you chase down leads, but they turn out to be dead-ends; you get closer to figuring out the mystery, but your attempts are thwarted by something or someone. It was too episodic for me, and the fact of the matter is, I just don't like that kind of storytelling all that much.

None of this is helped by the fact that the entire novel takes place over 6 days, and in one singular location, too. These two things only work to make the narrative feel too small, too limited. I usually love stories set in some kind of enclosed space or area--most of A Marvellous Light took place on an estate--but A Restless Truth took it too far. For this reason, its story ends up feeling a bit stagnant, not dynamic enough because everything in it is just stewing in this one small space and in this very short time frame.

This issue with the limited setting and time frame affects the characters too, and, by extension, their romance. I pretty much immediately loved Maud: she's stubborn and a little foolhardy, but she cares so deeply about doing good, and is so earnest and compassionate, trying not to let down the people she cares about, that it's impossible not to be endeared to her. My problem with the character work, then, isn't with Maud, but with Violet, the other main lead of this book, and Maud's love interest. Violet is, like Edwin in A Marvellous Light, emotionally closed off, reticent to reveal any real part of herself to others. And I absolutely love these kinds of characters; the fact that they're closed off means that they have that much more room to grow, so that when they do open up later on in the novel, it feels so much more rewarding to you as a reader. Thing is, we never really get to see Violet open up in A Restless Truth. Like I said, the novel only takes place over 6 days, so there's really only so much character development that can happen without straining plausibility. It would've felt disingenuous if Violet had done a complete 180 over the course of 6 days and become totally open and emotionally trusting, but at the same time the limited time frame of the book puts it in a bind because we barely get to see Violet open up at all. There is a little development, to be sure, but it feels so paltry. Maud goes through such a strong character arc in this book, but Violet is kind of left in the lurch; her character arc is less arc and more...slight curve. By the end of the novel Violet is only beginning to consider opening up, but it's too little too late: the novel is over, and we won't get to read from her POV again.

My problem with Violet's character development, or lack thereof, carries over to her romance with Maud. Because Violet doesn't get to have that strong of an arc throughout the novel, the romance also isn't allowed to grow as much as it could have--or as much as I wanted it to. I mean, I liked the dynamic that Maud and Violet had, but their romance felt incomplete to me. It's not that it was bad, but that it didn't go far enough. And that's really the crux of my issue with the novel as a whole: it develops a lot of things, but it doesn't develop them enough. I was constantly left wanting more: more honesty from these characters, more intimacy, more time.

I hate to keep comparing this book to A Marvellous Light, but I keep doing it because that first installment did so well all the things that A Restless Truth stumbled on. And that's what's disappointing me about A Restless Truth, I think: all the components are there, but the novel as a whole feels like it could've been much better than it ended up being.

Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced audiobook copy of this via NetGalley!

Ahhhh I thought nothing could top the first one and then there was FORCED PROXIMITY SAPPHIC WOMEN! I ate this up so quickly. The relationship was adorable, the characters charming and full of witty banter.

“…you look at the world and decide you can live with it or decide you can’t. And if you can’t, you decide what you’re prepared to do about it.”

Lesbian “Knives Out” on a boat could not be a more perfect description of this sharp, sexy book. A RESTLESS TRUTH is the second in The Last Binding trilogy, a historical fantasy series set in Edwardian England. This book carries over the story started with A MARVELLOUS LIGHT but with a new set of central characters: Maud (Robin’s younger sister) and the heretofore unknown Violet. It’s a murder mystery and a romance, with equal parts intrigue and chemistry, as well as a talking bird, a charmed coat, and a diverse collection of pornography. I loved the setting of a massive passenger ship during a six-day ocean voyage; the constraint of space and time was captivating, and I like how it allowed this story to focus on the new characters. The main pairing is very compelling: Maud, with her fierce stubbornness and desire for knowledge, and Violet, with her many faces protecting her soft, wounded heart. And like the previous book, there’s plenty of intimacy laced with magic. I was thrilled to see more of the Forsythia Club and I can’t wait to get my hands on book three to learn how the battle for the Last Contract will end. Also, I’m predicting Hawthorne and Ross are the two queers central to the final installment; their prickly banter definitely felt like a setup for something more. Thanks to Tordotcom and Macmillan Audio for the review copies! This book is out 11/1.

Content warnings: attempted assault, injury/blood, violence, death, period-typical homophobia/racism