"All the Hidden Paths" by Foz Meadows is an absolutely stunning read and deserves a 5 star rating as much as its predecessor. Meadows effortlessly continues the captivating journey of Velasin and Caethari from where the first book left off, and the result is nothing short of glorious.

The seamless continuation of the story showcases Meadows' masterful storytelling, weaving a tale that is both gloriously captivating and profoundly introspective. The exploration of what happens after coming out adds a layer of depth that resonates throughout the narrative, making it more than just a fantasy romance but a nuanced reflection on the human experience.

The characters of Velasin and Caethari continue to shine, and Meadows skillfully navigates their complexities. The dual POV setup beautifully captures the essence of their arranged marriage, portraying them as wonderfully gentle yet politically sharp individuals. Their struggles with communication and the challenges they face in a society embracing their love provide a realistic and emotionally charged backdrop.

The political intrigue and the intricately mapped-out world are standout features of this book. Meadows compensates for a soft magic system by delving into a richly detailed political landscape, where the reader becomes deeply invested in the complex web of interests. The cultural complexities, including nuanced understandings of gender and sexuality, add layers of authenticity to the fantasy realm.

Secondary characters, notably Markel and the court members, contribute significantly to the narrative. Markel's loyalty and the impressively fleshed-out actions of the court members enhance the overall storytelling experience. The introduction of the new Ralian character, Asrien, further demonstrates the author's ability to craft fully realized, sympathetic personas.

I wholeheartedly recommend "All the Hidden Paths" to fans of fantasy romance who appreciate beautifully crafted worlds, nuanced characters, and narratives that go beyond the conventional. Reading this series is not just a suggestion but a must for anyone seeking an immersive and thought-provoking journey into the Tithenai Chronicles.

Rating: 4.75/5

After reading A Strange and Stubborn Endurance I couldn’t wait to read more about Velasin and Caethari. These two had me wrapped up in their fingers from the beginning and I needed more. So, I had very high expectations for All The Hidden Paths and Foz Meadows didn’t disappoint.

Here we get our two MCs plus Markus travelling to the capital, then all the perils and conflicts they face during the trip and once they get there. We also get a couple of chapters from the perspective of another Ralian, Asrien.

I loved that we get to see how Velasin and Caethari’s relationship evolves. Vel’s drauma from the previous book is still a looming presence in his life and I like this aspect a lot. Traumas don’t just disappear after a victory or a comfortable situation.

Also, it’s fascinating to experience more of the intricacies of this world Foz created. I specifically love the contrast we get of a nation that don’t accept any queerness to another that’s completely queer normative.

I definitely recommend this book.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All the hidden paths was a much anticipated sequel by me from author Foz Meadows. It did not disappoint as a sequel.

The book picks up mere weeks after a strange and stubborn endurance leaves off. I really liked the almost immediate continuation of the story. We still have the same lovable and well-developed main characters as the first book. The tensions and miscommunications are still there, and it's absolutely endearing to watch these characters maneuver through together. There is no doubt of their affection to each other, and it's delightfully tense to watch them try and figure out how to relate to each other. These characters on the storyline absolutely tugs on your emotions and strains, your last nerve in the most delightful way. You want them to communicate, but yet living in this degree of uncertainty between them keeps a delightful tension for the storyline.

We continue with political intrigue, and the maneuvering of different courts within the kingdom. This keeps the storyline fresh and keeps you on your toes. It's also extremely simple to keep track of the different characters. It is not muddled at all. I personally really enjoy a fantasy book set with lots of political intrigue, and this book did not disappoint at all in that area.

Overall, I cannot wait for another book by this author. Both books in this series so far have been absolute amazing perfection for me. And I sincerely hope that I get to see these characters again at some point. However, I'm also very comfortable with where it was left off in this book so if there isn't another, I won't be disappointed because I felt they were left off in a good place.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Picking up where the first book left off Velasin and Caethari are now married and navigating the new waters of their marriage while dealing with assassins, politics, and trying to find love. Velasin is still dealing with his ptsd from the assault from a previous lover while trying to stewing in his own self misery and what he wants his relationship to Cae to be. Caethari is made the new heir to his grandmother and must travel to establish his title. Cae never wanted to lose his grandmother and is also still reeling from his sister's subsequent betrayal and her murdering the rest of their family. Cae is wracked with guilt and grief while Vel is struggling with trying to express what he wants and keeping everything to himself. They are both pursued by unknown assailants and are trying to navigate Qu-Xhan's court factions who are vying for power. Vel and Cae's relationship was a really slow burn one, the miscommunication, lack of talking to your partner, and just dumb decisions could be so grating but it paid off in the end. We are also introduced to Asterion, someone who is blackmailed to either seduce or kill Vel or Cae, by Vel's own family. Asterion doesn't want to do it but his mother's life is being threatened and he'd do anything to protect her... yet he finds himself drawn in by General Naza, someone who is powerful yet soft with him, someone who knows exactly what Asterion needs. Can Cae and Vel work out who is trying to kill them and finally be clear with each other about their feelings, or will they die before they even get to tell each other the truth. This was a really interesting second novel, it was hard at parts to read because you really do care for the characters and you want them to heal and be happy, but it's hard and difficult, and they do make frustrating decisions, but in the end it was a really great read and I can't wait for the second one.

*Spoilers: Cae and Vel do finally tell each other they love each other, and despite Asterion trying to seduce either of them they remained faithful and firm in their love for one another. Asterion manages to get his mother out safe and General Naza (quites his job) and they do become sort of lovers. Naza clearly cares for Asterion but they are unsure about their new feelings as Naza had left his post and he and Asterion traveled to meet Asterion's mother together. Cae and Vel find out that it was one of other tiern's who wanted power for herself and to marry Cae but she ends up killing herself after revealing the truth and making her heir Ethian (an innocent who had a crush on Vel). Markel , my icon, is still alive, hilarious, and healthy. We stay winning yall.

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

4.5/5
This was a fun and wild ride! I'll admit to being a bit confused at first at why we were getting a sequel but also excited and this definitely lived up to my excitement! Foz Meadows crafts such delicious political intrigue sprinkled with romance. I wasn't able to put this down! I love all these characters, yes, even the morally grey ones, and hope we get more set in this world. I've been struggling to get into fantasy lately, but this got me right back into it. I loved engaging with the map and glossary of terms as well.

I am now the leading member of the Foz Meadows fan club. This series is truly everything I want; magic, romance, a relationship built on mutual trust and respect. Watching Cae and Velasin's relationship grow is the best part of these novels, the first book gave them such a strong foundation that the idea of their marriage being challenged was a really effective foil.

My only complaint is that the novel seems to try a bit too hard to come up with fancy Fantasy names, so it can be a bit easy to get lost in the tangle of characters. Still, the novel is a wonderful follow-up that I couldn't possibly take any stars away.

3.75 stars

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, giving it 4.25 stars (note: TW on that book for SA on page as well as the resulting PTSD and suicide attempts). I have to admit that I did not enjoy this one quite as much, however, I still think it was very well done.

As with the first book, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, as well as their titles, so it’s a bit confusing tracking who is who. Also, this one is quite politic heavy and that has never been my favorite.

At its heart, though, after everything else is stripped away, this is a love story. And seeing the progression for Vel & Cae was lovely.

In the acknowledgments at the back of the book, there is an important message from the author, and something that I, as a cishet woman, never really thought about. They discuss coming out and explain that it isn’t just the one experience of “hey family, I’m gay“ but the continuing journey after that. And I think that was handled very well in this series, with Vel trying to figure out what is and isn’t OK for him to do and think (having come from a heavily homophobic country).

Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

The prose is generally lovely but overly narrative for me. I wasn’t getting into it, but I can see it getting an easy three stars, four to five with the right readers. I stopped after chapter 1 (4%).

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC.

3.5 stars, rounded up because I had so much dang fun. this follow-up to the author’s book A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE was fast-paced, super engaging, and a great time overall; and if you like fantasy romance, arranged marriages, political fantasy with mystery elements, or the idea of a cat named Spoons, you might enjoy this series as well!

this sequel takes all the good stuff from the first book and runs with it. there’s more romance, more humor, and more fantasy politics; more worldbuilding, more danger, and more of our favorite characters from the first installment. there’s more development of the central romance, which I was very pleased to see; the consequences of the first book’s events aren’t ignored, and the romantic conflict felt very realistic and reasonable, especially for two people in an arranged marriage. we also got a pleasing expansion in the setting, and acquired some wonderful, fun new characters, who I very much hope will stick around if there are more books in this series coming! and it was a super readable book; once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down, and the plot and romance both kept me really engaged.

my major reservation about it was that in a lot of cases, the plot action didn’t feel significantly different from that in the first book; there’s another mystery to uncover, more intermittent and unpredictable instances of danger, and in general the structure felt somewhat formulaic. this isn’t a bad thing, necessarily, but I think I would have enjoyed the book more if there had been a little more variation in that formula. I also personally wasn’t super compelled by the interlude subplot, which focused on a different main character and relationship; it was fine, but didn’t feel like it added a ton to the story, other than some useful context.

all in all: I had a very fun time! if you want an original fantasy romance that scratches the same itch as a good fanfic, with a nice balance of fantasy and romance, I’d definitely recommend picking this series up. thank you so very much to the team at Tor for sending over this gorgeous finished copy; and to Tor and Netgalley for the accompanying e-galley!

This one honestly snuck up on me, it’s the sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance which I really enjoyed and thankfully this has all the same notes as the first one, mystery, court intrigue, conspiracies, political schemeing as it follows our same couple from book one but obviously things are slightly different as there having to deal with newfound info, if you enjoy following a queer married couple in a royal environment who have to deal with a whole set of problems then add this to your TBR.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.

All The Hidden Paths... I've finished this book in a day. I really love what Foz Meadows did with the plot line and the worldbuilding. It was such an easy read and page turning!

All the Hidden Paths served up another helping of intrigue, mystery, sexual tension, and attempted murder. All the things I loved about its predecessor were in this book, too. The story kept me hooked with its relationship dramatics and my need to figure out the attacker. The writing and pace made this book extremely bingeable, and I often found myself regretting the need to put it down. My only complaint about the story/plot would be its incredible similarity to the first book, but I guess it makes sense the author would stick to what they know well.

I loved getting to see more of the queer-normative world of Tithena in All the Hidden Paths. There was so much politics in this book, but I found it easier to follow in this book than the first. I almost always enjoy lots of court intrigue, and this story was no exception. I found the hierarchical structure of the government and citizenry really interesting, and the way that structure played into the power struggles that defined the story's main conflicts was smart and made for compelling reading. I just wish there had been more magic in the story. It was one of the more interesting pieces from the first book, and it didn't get explored in this story at all.

Caethari and Velasin were still the same dummies I came to know and love in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance. At the start of All the Hidden Paths, they were trying to get to know one another better and figure out the logistics of their relationship, with Velasin still being unsure of his feelings for Cae. After heading off to the capitol together, they faced yet more people trying to kill them, which led to both men blaming themselves for the other getting hurt. This caused so much unnecessary interpersonal tension in the first half of the book, and I just kept wanting them to HAVE A CONVERSATION. All the horrible things happening just didn't allow it, though.

Even though I found bits of it frustrating due to their communication issues, I still really enjoyed the journey of Cae and Vel in All the Hidden Paths. They were both neurotic messes who experienced shame, self-worth issues, grief, and anxiety/PTSD. They had so much to overcome, and I'd probably never leave my room again if I was Vel after everything he's had happen to him in these two books. By the end, it felt like the two of them had a better understanding of themselves and each other. I'd love to see where their story goes next, but I definitely would want it to be a happier tale with a little less murder and relationship strife. lol.

The other characters in All the Hidden Paths were more of a mixed bag. I still loved Markel, and, if anything, he felt even sassier in this story than the first. He had some great banter, and I loved almost all of his scenes. There were many other fascinating characters I'd love to learn more about, including the Silver Chair and the Asa. They both stood out, and I think they would make great centerpieces in stories of their own (fingers crossed). Alternatively, I hated the new POV character, Aserian. His story added so little and felt like it was included just to add in some BDSM scenes. I was often annoyed because his interludes felt disruptive to the story.

Overall, All the Hidden Paths was an entertaining sequel that doubled down on the plot and characteristics that made its predecessor such an engaging read. Despite the story feeling somewhat copied from the first and being mired in miscommunication dramatics, this was still a fun read that I think fans of the first book will enjoy. Just be prepared for Vel and Cae to go through even more pain... Therefore, I rate this book 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Thank you for the digital ARC!

ALL THE HIDDEN PATHS was one of my most anticipated sequels of 2023, following up on how much I loved A STRANGE AND STUBBORN ENDURANCE, and it hit all the notes I hoped it was. A story about healing after trauma--and how healing isn't linear--ATHP continues the story of Vel and Cae as they navigate an increasingly trial-filled new marriage. The author's note at the back discloses that this is largely a story about coming out, and I really appreciated that. So often in books, we don't get to see how coming out is a lifelong process, made extra complicated when there's complex trauma involved. Foz Meadows' navigates these topics with care and nuance, and as a survivor myself, I felt very seen.

If A Strange and Stubborn Endurance was “swoon, swoon, swoon”, then All the Hidden Paths could best be described as, “angst, angst, angst”. This does somewhat have to do with me liking this book less than ASaSE, because I’m not the sort to enjoy angst due to either willful miscommunication (AKA I’m uncomfortable and I don’t want to tell you this thing because it might make things more difficult even though I know that honesty is the best policy and has kept us out of trouble in the past) or out of ignorance (AKA I knew this but I conveniently didn’t think to tell you about it because while it’s in my character to be forgetful about these things you’d think I’d have learned by now that you don’t know enough about how stuff works around here and I should’ve explained it).

In other words: the main reason I didn’t like this book as much as ASaSE is because the large amount of angst between Cae and Tel doesn’t only feel unnecessary, it also feels contrived for the purpose of the plot and that’s not a good enough reason for more than half the book to seemingly be dedicated to it.

I had thought, starting out, that All the Hidden Paths might be a novel dedicated to allowing Cae to grow as a character and to learn how to stand on his own in court politics without Vel to aid him at every turn, but instead the book turned simply into a lesson of how much Cae simply couldn’t exist at court without Vel’s help (or Markel’s, for that matter). Cae made it no secret how he hates politics and games and that sentiment only grows throughout the book.

For all of the above faults, I still love Tel and Cae beyond reason. I am besotted with the pair of them, for all their faults. Tel and his absolute disregard for his own personal welfare. Cae and his lumpheadedness. I still think Markel is the absolute best. I love fantasy novels where court intrigue and politics are the main plot (I am weak for them). Most of all, I just love a great love story like this.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fantasy/LGBTQ Romance/OwnVoices

The sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, where nobleman Vel is sent to marry across the border, but on the eve of the move is discovered in flagrante with his - male - lover, and so goes to marry the brother of the intended betrothed (and political shenanigans ensue), All the Hidden Paths sees the same protagonists (and a bonus third) head deeper into Tithena, and its politics, as they are called to the capital. There, they must discover who's been trying to attack them and why, as well as hope their fledgling relationship can stand up to these new stresses, as well as the lingering hurts of the first book.

I've seen a number of reviews discuss this book, and highlight specifically what they consider a flaw - that the story "artificially" recreates some of the parameters of the first book so we can essentially redo the same plot and the same character dynamics over again, rather than have to take things in a new direction. However, I disagree.

At the end of the first book, our protagonists are married and have feelings for each other, but have known each other only a handful of weeks. There is camaraderie, lust, fellowship and romance, yes... but there's not a longstanding relationship and trust and reliance. They care for each other, they want each other and they want to work together for the good of their marriage and their situation. But they don't know each other, not fully. And this is much of the crux of the second book, and of the issues many reviews I've seen have had with it. Because this lack of knowledge that Foz Meadows takes such pains to remind us of, leads them to doubt. Not the good intentions of their husband, no, but the strength of their still-new relationship. Of course they have doubts! One of the two protagonists, Vel, is brilliantly portrayed in the first book as having pretty severe anxiety. Of course he's worried his husband is going to find him annoying, or care about other things ahead of him. Of course he's worried that his lack of grasp of the politics of the country he's only just moved to is going to hinder them. It's who we've consistently been told he is, and honestly, they're perfectly reasonable doubts to have in the circumstances. Yes, they leave us with a reiteration of the dynamic of "oh god am I annoying Cae? He's going to get sick of my bullshit isn't he?". But to me, this is a strength. Just because they won in the end of the first story and are married and fancy the heck out of each other doesn't magically solve trauma and anxiety and self-esteem issues and the longstanding habits of existing in a culture where gayness is extremely taboo and so any relationships are fleeting and secret and dangerous and desperately fragile things. One hot guy from a culture that's a bit more open is not a panacaea, nor should it be, and it is, in my opinion, a great strength of the book that Meadows has not caved to the narrative inertia to make it so.

The other great part of this is giving us a new character from Vel's home country, and another gay, aristocratic man at that. In Asrien, we have someone whom we might assume, from his identical context, would approach things in a similar way to Vel - would have the same fasciation with Tithenai culture, the same disdain for their shared Ralian mores and homeland. But he doesn't. Despite all that his country does and thinks about people like him, Asrien cares about it. He prefers the food. He disparages Tithena and its way of doing things in moments he thinks he can do so. He hates what it has done to him, but doesn't hate it, and has not quite left it behind, in sharp contrast to Vel's wholehearted embrace of his new home.

Because we have Vel and a Tithenai man as our primary viewpoint characters, this attitude isn't taken well, but when you fit it into the broader context of the story, and of Asrien's behaviour and backstory, it's really well done, and a source of great sympathy for his character from the reader. Much like his approach to trauma and anxiety, Meadows has done a really great job of giving us the multifaceted nuance and complexity of how someone oppressed by their culture can feel all sorts of ways about it, no matter how inconsistent or illogical they may seem to someone on the outside. He gets that feelings are feelings and people are people, and consistently shows us that in all its variety.

With these two points, there's a lot of strength to the book to compare to the first - people, personalities and interpersonal relationships are always beautifully crafted and nuanced. Beyond that, Meadows has a fantastic way with descriptions, especially of food (I have some intensely clear ideas of what Tithenai food is like and I want to eat all of it) and of fashion. We always know what Vel, Asrien and Cae are wearing, its colour and texture and cut and not only does it make the novel deeply visual, but it adds to the characterisation. Vel particularly clearly thinks about fashion, and when we have his viewpoint telling us about it, it shows us more of him, more of how he looks at the world around him and presents himself in it, and more of how the culture of the world presents itself. It's unusual for a story to have such a neat grasp of fashion as social language, and there's a really great moment - only a snippet really - where Vel wonders what to wear to a foreign court he's never been to, how he makes the impression they need to make, and in that tiny bit of discussion we get a whole swathe of... not even context, but just the acknowledgement that the context exists, even if our characters don't even know it themselves. And I love it. I love subtle, thoughtful worldbuilding like this, and it's been an absolute strength in both books.

And, building on that in something not quite so present in the first - in All the Hidden Paths we do get some critique of Tithena, that felt, by that point, much needed. Cae loves his country and Vel has thrown himself into his adopted homeland in exile (understandably), and so in both of their views, it's been very easy to see it as a perfect, equalitarian utopia. But nothing is ever so perfect, and people are always people, and in showing us the internal politics of the court of the capital, Meadows has done some great work undercutting that perfection without completely bursting the bubble. We still understand why Vel likes it, why Cae cares about his home, but we begin to see the odd crack appearing, and revealing it to be just as realistic-feeling a country as the far more flawed Ralia.

Alas, not everything can be perfect though. While the world-building and culture-crafting is impeccable, the politics leave something to be desired. There's a lot going on in the last third of the book - and a lot of players we've never met before - and there's simply not enough time to get to know everyone and everything necessary to feel emotionally connected to it all. The shenanigans make sense on a logical level, the solution is comprehensible, but they don't have the gutpunch that the ending of the first book did, simply because we've not had enough time getting to know all the players to really care about them, outside of our viewpoints characters.

Some of this is simply a pacing issue - a huge early chunk of the book is spent on the road with not a great deal happening (beyond some perfectly decent character work for Vel and Cae and some dangerous occurrences), and so when we flip to court politics, there's a big tone shift and pace shift, and there's just not enough book to accommodate everything we need at the speed we might need it. But beyond that, the court politics is just much less close to our main characters - geographically and emotionally. It's not their home town, their family, their closest people anymore, and we feel that as the reader in how the characters approach the problems... and we feel the lack. We're just not invested in the same way. There's a lot of potential in what's there, but without the feeling to go with it, it just rings a little hollow by the ending. If we could have just spent a little bit longer, and known the people involved a little bit better, it could have been really wonderful.

There are also a few small but niggling unresolved threads throughout, things that were hinted at and then never picked up on. A character is remarked upon as strange several times, another character tells us that if we don't know they're not going to say it aloud... and then... nothing. Don't leave us hanging like this Foz! Another character is looked for, has their absence noted, is sought for by some, but never turns up and their absence again feels just a little odd. Is there going to be a sequel? Are these things we'll learn more about then? I don't know! I don't mind hints that stretch across books, but they have to feel like things that might get resolved, rather than just forgotten threads never quite tied off, and at the moment, all the ones I noticed felt like the latter.

That said, while there are flaws, they don't ultimately get in the way of what is, at its core, a story very truly about people in the best way possible. It's not quite as impactful or as bittersweet as A Strange and Stubborn Endurance but nonetheless All the Hidden Paths is also a story about healing and personal change in the wake of both acute tragedy and the long term harms of a stifling, oppressive culture. Its strength lies in how authentically Meadows portrays this, and how humanly - it's so easy to feel deeply for both protagonists, and even more so than its predecessor for Cae, who now has his own hurts from the events of that story. If you loved the characters in the first book and want to see them continue to struggle and grow together, the sequel is fulfilling and worthwhile, and I harbour a hope that there will be a third book to tie off all the loose ends, and give a fully satisfying series the close it deserves.

“All the Hidden Paths” by Foz Meadows is a beautifully authentic story about loss, gender identity and sexuality that is realistic and well written. In this sequel to “A Strange and Stubborn Endurance”, the story continues with the aftermath of the events that occurred in that novel. In this story, the politics and intrigue continue with the relationship between Cae and Vel tested in new and different ways as they learn to navigate the political ramifications of their relationship. 

I love the authentic expression of grief that we see in Caethari but also Vel’s continued struggles in the aftermath of his sexual assault. I love the ways that each man differs and how we continue to see Vel embracing his strengths. Both characters are beautifully complex, three dimensional and flawed but those flaws are balanced out by their love for each other. I love the evolution of their relationship and how they learn to navigate the difficulties and complexities of that relationship. This is a beautiful continuation of the story of this pair.

If you like Foz Meadows and you read “A Strange and Stubborn Endurance”, you will want to read this novel. It is beautifully authentic with complex characters and a lovely relationship. This fantasy is one of my all time favorites now.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

All the Hidden Paths picks up immediately after the events of book one, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, and we are thrust into the after effects of the arranged marriage between Caethari and Velasin.

Both characters are still reeling from their own personal tragedies from book one, while they attempt to navigate the newfound relationship they find themselves in. Cae and Vel are deeply in love, however, the implications from their PTSD is causing some distance and miscommunication between the pair. While miscommunication can be a bothersome device, it makes perfect sense for this to be a foil for the couple. They are navigating a complex politic backdrop, familial obligations, and a new marriage, all the while recovering from trauma, the stumbles in their communication are perfectly reasonable.

I loved reading about the relationship between Cae and Vel. There was romance, political intrigue, and just enough fantasy to keep it engaging without bogging you down with instance world building. The exploration of gender, identity, sexuality, and self worth was masterfully done. This sequel in the Tithenai Chronicles was a joy to read, and I would love for this world to continue to be explored.

Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing me an arc and a finished copy.

This is a delightful series. Heavier on the romance than the fantasy but the main characters are both likable even when the book falls into the just sit down and talk to each other already realms. There’s danger that never feels too much for a romance focused series but keeps the plot moping quickly. I’d love to see a book three. I’m enjoying the characters too much to want to be done with them yet.

4 -⭐⭐⭐⭐

"You pull away, draw close, step back. You make me hope. You dizzy me...”

All the Hidden Paths is the second instalment in the Adult Queer Fantasy Romance series, The Tithenai Chronicles. The story follows Telasin and Caethari after the events of Qi-Katai which sought to bring an end to them and their marriage. While they may have saved the city, the political ramification of their relationship continue to echo, in addition to them testing the waters of their relationship only just blooming. Yet things are far from finished as they are summoned to the capital city, Qi-Xihan to present themselves. Add in a Cae's newfound title of heir, unknown assailants dogging their steps, and court politics seeking to divide them, Tel and Cae must face the rising odds for any hope of a future...together.

I'm gonna be honest and say I actually haven't read book 1. I went right into this book not realizing it was the sequel until about 10% in. That said I still thoroughly enjoyed the novel and felt I received enough information to keep going.

Now, Cae and Tel are absolute perfection for me. Tel is a person who has spent his life having to hide who he is, pursing love in dark alleys knowing it can never go anywhere because of his culture's view on same sex relationships. Seeing him have to confront the complete opposite situation with Cae and his culture was both beautiful and raw. He struggles with this idea of being safe to be who you are alongside feelings of inadequacy and guilt for what happened in book one with Cae's sister. I was rooting for his confidence to build each time and admired his tenacity to keep fighting.

Cae is adorable. He loves Tel so clearly but recognizes Tel needs time and space. He supports him, banters with him, but also has his only struggles around becoming heir and making space for the court intrigue that comes with that. Together these two struggle to communicate which creates some delicious angst.

This novel does contain some spice - I would say 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. The couple is in a relationship as the novel begins so spice does appear early on but is sporadic for awhile as Tel and Cae find their place; there is also spice between other POV characters that is more rough. I felt the writing was well done.

The world in this book is fascinating with the Byzantine influence and the different courts and alliances. I felt there are a lot of names to unravel that I wish there was a guide to go alongside the novel. This world builds beautiful into the over arching story filling with court machinations, alliances, attempts to break treaties, and espionage. I felt there was a bit of a slow down around the 60% mark but it does pick back up quite a bit and push you to the end which both satisfies you and tempts you with more. I felt the balance of the romance and court plot was well done and I devoured this book as an easy read for me.

Overall, I will definitely keep reading this series...and go back and read book 1!

Thank you Tor for the arc!