“i would put your heart between my ribs and guard it like my own. is there any way i could make you believe it?”

lets’ go to the beginning of the end—

following the death of his sister, hawthorn is having a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Time. to uncover the final piece of the last contract and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, he’s reluctantly drawn back into the world of magic, living in and trying to solve a bizarre puzzle-box of a home. the key? alan ross—writer, thief, hater of hawthorn, and absolute short king.

series closers are an odd little thing. we yearn for it, mark its release date on our calendars, make a big event out of it, counting down the days and speculating over how the story ends. then the day arrives. the very last instalment in your hands. and suddenly a part of you doesn’t want to read it. you don’t want to say goodbye. because, well, then what?

it’s no secret that a power unbound is my most anticipated read of the year. it’s a finale, a grand hurrah. it closes off the story that began in one of my favorite books—a marvellous light. the hand kink book, if you will.

but within it’s pages is also a story of new beginnings. of learning to let go and stop running, to allow yourself to grieve and feel pain. to forgive yourself and make amends. to learn to move through the world again, allow yourself to feel, to let the blood rush back into numb flesh. to live again.

there's something about freya’s writing that makes me feel so insane. whimsical but not overly flowery. the way she strings the most innocuous words together in a way that makes me want to claw my eyes out. gnaw on my fists. tattoo them on the inside of my eyelids. eat her words whole.

and of course, hawthorn and ross. the feral wet cat and short king. filthy and delectable with so many levels in between. a consensual and fun play with power dynamics that doubles a vehicle for exploring class inequality. i’m fully obsessed with freya’s mind.

it’s always so interesting reading about historical queers. to see how they have to navigate their sexualities in that time period, how they keep themselves safe, how that love flickers like a bright light anyway, restless and powerful.

and now: the end. time to say see you later. but i'll always look at these books the same way robin looks at edwin: with a besotted gaze that says they could be doing anything and i would be just as content basking in their light.

The strength of this series has been and remains the depth and warmth of the relationships. In that sense, this book is just as strong as the ones that came before. As a romance, it's an easy five stars.
There's always been a risk with a series that so completely jumps viewpoints rather than building on the characters from before. To me, the second one avoided this mainly by using the ship and separating out Edwin and Robin. Having them, Maud and Violet around, I felt the loss of those other POVs more strongly. Edwin and Violet (especially Edwin) remained so central to the plot it felt strange not to be in their thoughts, even though their romance arcs had ended. And the Blythes had been so built up and were so magically unusual only to have that thread dropped in this book. It's a testament to Marske's strength that I just want more, not less and even though I'm not positive the structure of rotating couples served as perfectly as a vehicle for her finale, this entire trilogy remains an utter joy.

A Power Unbound saves the Last Binding trilogy by providing a strong and satisfying conclusion. I was very hesitant going into this final installment as I found A Restless Truth incredibly underwhelming. The Last Binding trilogy adopts the romance book trend of having new main couples for each book while attempting to maintain a shared fantasy plot across the series. A Restless Truth failed to successfully balance the new elements with the existing story leading to a disconnected middle book. However, the return to England and frequent appearance of familiar characters made A Power Unbound much more enjoyable. Though A Marvellous Light remains my favorite book in the series, I devoured A Power Unbound.

If I am being honest, I was not excited to learn that this finale would follow Hawthorn and Ross. It was the obvious next step with the many unanswered questions about Hawthorn’s past, however, their dynamic in A Restless Truth did not interest me. But this book completely won me over and I was grinning and blushing through this entire book. The addition of both Hawthorn and Ross’ POVs adds depth and complexity to their characters. Hawthorn has a very unique position in relation to the rest of this dysfunctional found family and I particularly enjoyed getting his perspective on the mystery and the other characters. His reluctant big brother/paternal instincts were so endearing. I was really moved by his story of healing and grief and I honestly think he is one of my favorite characters in the series now. Ross, despite my hesitations, fit in perfectly with the rest of the crew and watching him learn to accept kindness and affection brought tears to my eyes.

As for my hesitations for the romance, I was very wrong to be worried. None of the books in this series are fade to black but A Power Unbound takes the spice to the next level in a way that I did not expect but very much enjoyed. The tension and banter between Hawthorn and Ross was absolutely delectable and I couldn't stop reading.

Freya Marske’s particular blend of “romantasy” really works for me. She weaves together sexual tension, humor, and emotional stories of healing to create books that I cannot put down. It was incredible to see all of the POV characters together in A Power Unbound. Maud and Violet are much less irritating from an outsider’s POV and I probably highlighted every interaction between Robin and Edwin in this book.

Every book in this trilogy seems to have the same odd pacing issue where there is a significant lag around the 60% mark. It was less of a problem for me in A Marvellous Light and A Power Unbound because I was fully invested in the romance. However, it is still noticeable and makes the books seem a bit longer than they need to be. The mystery element with the last contract is a bit messy and I am not a huge fan of the type of ending that this series had. But, let’s be honest, I read these books for the romance.

If you were disappointed in A Restless Truth, I highly recommend still giving this one a try. A Power Unbound was a pleasant surprise with incredible moments from old favorites and an addicting new romance.

Surprising no one, I absolutely ADORED this book. It was such a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy. The story had everything I've loved about this series so far, including a hunt for a magical item, prose that I couldn't stop highlighting, magical houses and fascinating world-building, so much sexual tension, relatable, complex characters, and SCORCHING HOT SEX. Everything culminated in a massive showdown that literally changed everything for these characters and their world.

I was so happy that all of the series regulars were present in this book. The middle book of the trilogy left out the protagonists from the first novel, and I really did feel their absence despite loving the story and new characters. Everyone came together in this one, and it had the most wonderful found family vibe. I also liked that we got to see them all through the eyes of new POVs, Hawthorn and Alan. Hawthorn's perspective on his past with Edwin was a particular treat because it really underscored just how much better Edwin's life is with Robin in it. Importantly, the ensemble was balanced quite well. There was enough time spent with all of the characters to satisfy fans of each while also still feeling like this was the story of Hawthorn and Alan.

I'll be honest. Despite loving the idea of the magic system in this series, I've always found it a bit nebulous and hard to wrap my head around. It had a lot of different parts, from the land magic to the cradle magic to the powerful artifacts of the last contract, and I never really understood how all the different pieces related to one another. I get it now. This book did a great job of showing how it all fit together and provided a lot of background on the history of magic in this world. I really want to go back and do a re-read now that I understand it better because I'm curious to see if things will make a different kind of sense.

We finally got to see who hurt Lord Hawthorn and turned him into the grumpy bi recluse we all hate to love. It was sad, y'all. Real sad. That's all I'll say about that because I don't want to spoil his beautiful emotional journey. Just know this book made me love his character even more than I already did, which was a lot after A Restless Truth. I also want to point out that he met his match in Alan Ross. They were absolute fire together. There were so many levels to their relationship, but I loved how it played with power dynamics in a way that was safe and valued consent. It also provided a great vehicle for exploring class inequality. It definitely helped that Alan was a firecracker of a short king with a robust and kinky imagination that came in real handy in the bedroom.

There was only one thing that didn't really work for me. There was a bombshell reveal about one character, and the rest of the characters got over it a bit too quickly. I had barely recovered from the shock of it all, and the characters and plot had moved on already. I get why they understood the character's motivations and forgave the actions, but it just happened way too fast and seemed unrealistic with how that character was welcomed back with trust. Despite this hiccup, I loved the book and cannot bring myself to knock off any stars. So, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. If you haven't already, go read this series!!!

I was so curious if this final book would be as successful as the previous installments because it felt so ambitious and I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the POV characters, but I loved it. The stakes felt correct, everything hung together nicely, and the romance elements didn’t feel forced or alienating at all. I remain floored by how thorough and nuanced the magic systems in these books are and can’t wait to read more by this author.

A fantastic ending to the trilogy, it was everything I wanted and more. When I read A Restless Truth, I was hoping the third couple would be Jack and Alan and they ended up working even better than I had hoped. There was a good balance between Jack and Alan and the overarching plot of the novel, something that seems like it would be very hard to do when each novel has been a different couple and this one has to bring together all the parts of the first two. This novel also keeps in with the previous two in that it is spicy. Highly recommended.

A delightful conclusion to a fantastic series!! Did a really great job of balancing this book’s central protagonists with the series’ larger ensemble cast and wrapped it up in a way that felt satisfying but not predictable. It’s always great when a series sticks the landing, and this one absolutely did. I had a blast!

This was a fabulous conclusion, to an absolutely wonderful series. I could not recommend Marske's books more, and look forward to whatever they publish in the future.

Since A Marvellous Light, the first book in The Last Binding, was published, I've probably read it four or five times with my eyes and my ears. While A Restless Truth, its sequel, didn't romance me quite as thoroughly, it improves upon reflection (and I expect will do so upon rereading, as well). With such a complex storyline and expanding cast of characters, I felt some trepidation as I cracked the cover (metaphorically speaking) of A Power Unbound.

It turns out I shouldn't have worried.

(Spoilers for books one and two are inevitable in this review, so please read at your own risk.)

A Power Unbound returns to England after the ocean voyage of A Restless Truth. Violet, Maud, and Jack are holed up in Violet's inherited home hunting for the final piece of the The Last Contract. For the readers (like me) who missed Robin, Edwin, and Adelaide Morrissey, never fear. All our heroes are together at last, each bringing their powers (magical, physical, and intellectual) to bear in the hopes of defeating the villains who want to get their hands on coin, cup, and knife--and with them, the power of all of England's magicians.

Alan Ross, a writer whose newspaper articles bear a different byline than his secret pornographic tracts, is of a very different class than the three people who inadvertently revealed to him the existence of magic. Why would they ever cross paths with again? But his ability to perturb magic turns out to be an asset, and a bargain is struck to obtain his assistance with the Violet's stubbornly enchanted residence. Now Alan and Jack are constantly thrown together, fighting tooth and nail with each other and with their own unexpected attraction.

I don't want to say much more, as any spoiler would be a crime against this novel. I will say that my emotions were topsy-turvy the whole way through: I laughed, I cried, I gasped in horror and delight. Freya Marske delivered a perfect ending for both her story and her characters. A magnificent achievement.

A Power Unbound will take readers on a twisty, magical adventurous romp, leaving you breathless and aching for this story not to be over. With lyrical prose (I was highlighting so many great lines in this novel), steamy romance (make sure to hydrate book friends), and a magical system fantasy lovers will appreciate.

I loved A Power Unbound!!!

All of the magic, the anticipation, the romance, it’s all so perfectly executed that I was on pins and needles to see what would happen next. And now that I’ve finished 😔, if I’m being honest, I do not want this series to end. There is a kernel of hope that Marske could potentially write another series, but with a different cast of characters.

This is by far my favorite out of the set and book friends if you’ve read A MARVELOUS LIGHT and/or A RESTLESS TRUTH get ready to be swept off your feet and pulled into this incredible conclusion of Freya Marske’s The Last Binding series.

Thank you so much @tordotcompub for the advance copy for review.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

What a wonderful, satisfying conclusion to the Last Binding series! I was a little nervous going in, because I have loved the first two books in this trilogy, and found A Power Unbound to totally exceed my expectations. I loved this book so much and can't wait to scream about it with others.

A Power Unbound combines the thoughtful worldbuilding of this series with the sparkling chemistry between Jack Alston and Alan Ross, who readers met in the previous installment of this trilogy, A Restless Truth. The way Marske explores their character and differences—particularly the thoughtful consideration of the class gap between them—makes each of them come alive quickly.

We are also treated to return visits from all the old favorites from the previous two books in the series. If anything, I would have loved more time for Jack and Alan alone on the page together, but the novel is so delightful and complete that this is only a minor quibble.

The overarching plot is resolved masterfully here, with some epic twists and turns that left me screaming at the page. I love these characters so much that I didn't want anything bad to happen to them, and, no spoilers, but let's just say I was stressed more than a few times during this reread.

For the record, I also swooned, so no matter what you hoped to feel about A Power Unbound, I'm almost certain you will feel it.

For anyone waiting to see if The Last Binding sticks the landing...the landing has been stuck and there are 10s across the board. If a queer historical fantasy-romance sounds intriguing, you absolutely need to read this series. For those eagerly waiting for A Power Unbound, it will absolutely be worth your wait.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an early review copy of A Power Unbound.

A fitting conclusion for a lovely, fantastical trilogy. Full of magic, humor, and incredibly steamy romance, this final story proves Marske's innate ability to write a line so gorgeous it feels like a suckerpunch. Lord Hawthorn, an enigma since his first appearance in A Marvellous Light, takes the stage and finds an unlikely match in Alan Ross. Their love story unspools in a compelling yet still distinctly different way than those of the other books' protagonists. Through schemes, betrayals, and sacrifice, is a pleasure to be singed by the heat that erupts between them.

With A Marvellous Light, Marske set the stage for a large-scale romantic, dramatic, erotic, and action-packed tale. Edwin and Robin set readers off on a journey that would lead to murderous hedge mazes; Maud and Violet took up the torch and carried it across the Atlantic Ocean; and now Jack and Alan have picked up where the others left off, but no one is left behind. All the characters that won our love in previous books come together for the final adventure, told through the perspectives of Jack and Alan. These two broken men easily won my heart in A Restless Truth, and following their story in A Power Unbound was everything I hoped it would be. The chemistry between the two is constantly boiling over and setting off something new and wonderful. They come together in a way that is both anticipated and unexpected, defying what the reader thought was going to happen and doing something better instead.
For a fantastical world, Marske’s characters, heroes and villains alike, are incredibly true to life. Her prose is, as ever, remarkable and unique in a way that makes me, at least, want to tattoo the words to my skin so I can hold them close forever. Marske’s writing shows a powerful grasp of feeling and expression, and I challenge anyone to find an author with a more poignant pen.
I have loved The Last Binding since the very beginning, and now that I have come to the end of the story, I am ready to start it all over again. Whatever Marske writes next, it is sure to be as devastatingly wonderful as this series inevitably was.

The final book in The Last Contract series does not disappoint; it exceeded all my expectations. A satisfying conclusion to the series as well as an electric self-contained romance. I had been intrigued by Jack (or Baron Hawthorn), a sarcastic, brooding aristocrat who lost his magical powers since book one, and Alan Ross, journalist and thief, was a scene stealer in book two, so I was delighted to see them plotting together to protect the Last Contract from falling into the wrong hands. This book had excellent twists, and an explosive conclusion that wasn't afraid to deliver devastating blows to the group of protagonists before the final resolution. It was a lot of fun to see previous characters again, since book two was largely on a ship and previous characters were absent. I loved the reimagining of how power and magic could work that this series has played with, and this book delved into that really deeply. The one thing I would have liked to see more of is Jack's feelings about losing his sister and his magic, and the opening up to both those topics again, but that is a fairly minor point compared to how much I enjoyed this book. I literally could not put it down.

Freya Marske finishes off the last book of her Last Binding trilogy with a bang as Jack Hawthorne, Alan Ross, and the rest of the gang try to head off the magicians attempting to steal all of Britain's magic for themselves. As with the others it's equal parts action, romance, mystery, and historical fantasy with a heaping handful of spice thrown in. (Seriously, if you're not okay with a handful of explicit sex scenes, this series is not for you.) Finally getting Jack's POV after seeing his evolution through the books was a perfect capstone to the series. Marske managed to finish off this series beautifully, and I was left satisfied with the conclusion, even though I would've loved to see the series go on and on. Can't wait to see what she writes next!

This trilogy has been magnificent from the start, and A Power Unbound finishes as strongly as A Marvellous Light began. Like its predecessors, this book offers readers a satisfyingly self-contained romantic/emotional arc within the larger story of power and politics, family and stewardship, and the ending did not disappoint. (It was just right. And yes, I cried.)

Also, can I just say? Freya writes feelings in a poetic way that takes me out at the knees. I want to share lines with strangers on the bus. I want to tattoo them on my heart.

I need to reread the entire series again. I hope you love it too.

I don't know how these books keep getting better.considering how amazing they've been from the start. It's clear Freya Marske comes from fanfic in the best ways: character-focused romance, exploration of kink with a strong emphasis on consent, and scenes that are simultaneously extremely sexy and heartwrenchingly emotional. Relationships where two characters have such a vast power difference can be difficult to pull off, but A Power Unbound manages it beautifully.

A fitting end for a delightful caper of a trilogy! Our final couple is Lord Hawthorn and Alan Ross, of course, and their chemistry really carries the book. The team effort to thwart the evil magical plot gets a little overly convoluted at times, and in the end gets rescued by a deus ex machina (deus ex arbore?) plot device, but honestly: we're not reading this book for the plot. The whole gang is finally together so there's a lovely found family vibe to enjoy, and the sex scenes are many and spicy. There are books with dominance and submission elements that get what's hot about dominance and submission, and there are books that seem to have decided to paste a sex dungeon into an otherwise bland one-family home in the suburbs because they've heard it's trendy: this is decidedly the former, not the latter. And the book is very thoughtful about how class affects Jack and Alan's relationship as well as their respective abilities to safely play out their fantasies! If consensual non-consent roleplay is a no go for you, then give A Power Unbound a skip, but if you're worried about whether it's handled well, I thought it was excellent.

I received an ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Wow, just wow.
This book - I knew it would - hits all my favorite tropes, forced proximity, Grumpy/Sunshine (though in this case it's almost more of a grumpy/grumpy 😆) be gay, do crime, and found family.

I was nervous going in because I've been reading quite a few cozy fantasy books before this and was afraid the stakes might be too high for my palette. They are indeed very high, but Freya does such an amazing job at making the drama matter. There isn't drama just for the sake of drama, she never relies on it for a plot point, and instead uses each event throughout the trilogy as character development. There are very action filled, exciting moments that I found myself rereading just to make sure I got everything that happened. There were also quiet, deep moments where doors opened up wide to reveal the soul of a character.

For those worried about the MCs of the previous books, they are ingrained in the story. You get so much time with all of them, their shenanigans bring charm to the story, humor, sadness, and love. And it truly is like you are living in a house among them, sharing in their lives, their stories, and their desire to protect not just the ones they love, but the world.

My only "critique" is that I struggled with wanting to read it quickly to know what happens, then slowing way down because I didn't want it to end. I want to live along side all of them forever. Why is it only a trilogy? 😂😂😂 That being said, it wraps up wonderully. It pays such great tribute to A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth, while still being its own book. It is the third in a trilogy, and you really must read the others to understand and fully enjoy A Power Unbound, but it also takes care to tell the story of Jack and Alan to the fullest. You won't leave this book wanting more because you feel unfulfilled, but rather that you just love the characters so much.

Freya's writing style has so much prose without being overly done. There is amazing humor in the banter between all the characters, not just Jack and Alan. There is also real grief, fear - with loss of a loved one, loss of One's self, fear for family, conflict between the classes, and betrayal in many forms. I felt everything along side the characters, in a very raw way I haven't before in books. I cannot wait for the rest of the world to read the conclusion. It's perfect. 5/5 stars, my new favorite book series.

I represent this book so I'm not going to be able to leave an unbiased review, sorry! But I will just say that as the third book in the trilogy I think it sticks the landing.