This Last Binding trilogy has been one of my favorites of late, and I can't wait for each of them to come out. I still love the first one best, but this is my second favorite of the series. I was disappointed that the second title wasn't about Lord Hawthorn's prickly seductiveness and the one to win him over, but I am so glad it was the subject of the finale. Not to give any spoilers, but I was glad it was a favored character from book 2 that won him over.

I think of the brand of magic Freya Marske had created here as lush, green English countryside magic, which just so happens to be my thing. All of my favorite characters from the previous two installments, except the ones who died - pour one out, reappear in this story. We finally see how and why Jack lost his magic and why he is so bitter.

I hope Freya continues to write series such as this, as I would definitely love to read more. The audio narration was excellent! Since each book in the series was from the point of view of a different character, each novel had a different narrator.

This is the third and final addition to the Last Binding series. I loved the first two and was looking forward to seeing the romance play out between the two main characters who we were with when they met in book 2, in addition to satisfying the overarching plot of the series of course. Our two main characters, Jack and Alan, are both quick-witted and confrontational. They love a challenge and to challenge one another. At the same time, they come from very different social and economic classes. They have to manage the enjoyment they get antagonizing one another within the context of a massive power imbalance as they get to know one another. It's very 'everything about you perfect except for.. everything about you'. It's especially interesting to see them explore this dynamic consensually during roleplay in the bedroom. Overall, this was a highly satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. It was paced well and Marske has an economy of words that is just wonderful.
The narrator did a fantastic job, from Lord Hawthorn's rumbling deep commands to his mother's high society (and yet still knowing and competent!) drawl. A+ performance.

This was a fine conclusion for the series, but doesn’t recapture the magic of the first book.

Jack and Allen LOATHE each other. If you’re okay with an enemies hate f-ing each other and not flipping to true lovers until 90%, you’ll enjoy this. Their intimate scenes are dark. I, personally, wanted just a shred of tenderness and kindness earlier. I found myself looking forward to scenes with Edwin and Robin.

The big storyline is over, but I honestly was not satisfied by it. There is one climatic scene at the 50% mark that manipulates the reader. The final climatic scene goes on for so long it loses its dramatic effectiveness. I’ve never been bored during a fight/action scene.

I don’t understand why this ends with a wedding. Perhaps it will be better upon rereading.

A Power Unbound serves up a fantastic ending for fans of Frya Marske's The Last Binding Trilogy. While the first volume centers on Edwin and Robin, and the second Maud and Violet, this time it is Lord Hawthorne (Jack) and unscrupulous journalist Alan Ross at the center of the romantic action. Along with Adelaide Morrissey (who really doesn't get enough page time and exploration and is a complete bass ass character- I'd like a whole book from here POV) this group must work together to find the final piece of the last binding before Edwin's brother acquires the pieces and all hell breaks loose.

This concluding installment does a lot of things right. Not only do we get to see the band all together and the found family continue to bond, the book is full of tense moments where I was on the edge of my seat to know what was going to happen next. We also get some real answers as to how all the events thus far relate to Lord Hawthorne's past, and we see his character grow as he heals from the wounds inflicted upon him by his own family. The last act is incredible and I finished the story quite satisfied.

The romance aspect of the book is also quite entertaining, and certainly spicy. Jack and Alan have a contentious but compelling relationship and even though Robin and Edwin will always be my favorite of the three pairings (and I wish we had more of them here too) the exploration of Jack and Alan's class difference added an interesting dynamic.

The only real weakness to the story is the pacing. As with Marske's previous books, when the plotting is moving it is fire, but when she slows down for characterization and spice much of the driving action of the story stalls. More so than in Marvelous Light and a Restless Truth, I felt the length and placement of the spicy scenes interrupted the momentum of the narrative, but that could just be a matter of personal taste. Whether Queer or Straight I tend to prefer a few pages here and there to a few chapters, so if your preferences is more the latter you may appreciate these pauses more than I did.

I listened to an ALC of this book provided by Macmillan Audio, and it is well done. The male narrator adds a lot to the story through his distinct voices of each character and particularly captures the fraught banter between Alan and Jack as well as the heightened emotional tension towards the end of the book. I loved his accent, but unlike some other audiobooks I have listened to in the past, I could clearly understand the deeper accented voice. This audiobook would work great on a road trip, or to listen while doing chores around the house, though you will certainly want headphones for certain scenes (lol).

Overall this is a marvelous story and I will miss each of these characters. It's been a fun ride.

Thanks to Macmillan, Tor Audio, and Netgalley for early access to the audiobook in exchange for this review.

Narrated by Josh Dylan

Genre: historical romance, gaslamp fantasy
England, Edwardian era

Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, hasn’t been able to access his magic since the death of his twin sister over a decade ago. He remains walled off from most of the magical community intentionally, pretending to live the life of an ordinary aristocrat. But a year ago, Robin Blyth and Edwin Courcey showed up on a his doorstep with a curse, and then Violet Debenham and Maud Blyth wrapped him into solving their murder mystery on board a ship, and now he’s in the thick of trying to save the pieces of the Last Contract from the hands of his cousin and Edwin’s brother who want to consolidate magic. And as much as he’d like nothing to do with Alan Ross, the journalist is maddeningly attractive and becoming a necessary part of their success.

I’ll start with this: you need to read this series in order. All three are critical to the larger plot, and you will be lost if you do not start at the beginning. That said, each book in the series does function as its own contained plot, and I’ve been impressed with Marske’s storytelling from the beginning.

The separate romances in each novel take on their own tone. Jack and Alan are completely different from Robin and Edwin, who are also completely different from Violet and Maud. Jack and Alan have a relationship built on attraction and mistrust, and while one is an aristocrat and the other is struggling to feed his family, they are more similar in personality than they are different. Jack is gruff and protective, and Alan is secretive and also caring. And oh, the sex. Anytime an author chooses to leave the door open for their readers, you hope that the sex is as explicit and well-developed as Marske writes it for us. Every intimate scene mirrors the character traits of Jack and Alan she’s already established, progresses the plot and the relationship, and leaves you panting for more.

In any early review for a third book in a series, it’s hard to go into details without spoiling previous books. So, dear readers, please pick up A Marvellous Light and A Restless Truth so you can read A Power Unbound and we can all talk about the limits of magical power and the allegory of the crumbling aristocracy in the years leading up to the Great War.

I appreciated the choice not to return to the same narrator as book one, even though I quite liked David Thorpe’s narration. Josh Dylan brings a little more gruffness to the audiobook for A Power Unbound, again reflecting storytelling choices Marske herself makes.

Thank you immensely to @tordotcompub for a print galley for review and to @Macmillan.audio for an ALC so I could bump it up my list faster. A Power Unbound is out 11/7/23, and you better believe you’ll be hearing more from me on this trilogy as I count down the days to meeting Freya Marske on her US book release tour!

Great conclusion to a very unique series. The collective banter, love and chosen family was awesome.

I received an ARC of the audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved loved loved it. A great wrap up to a series I really enjoyed. I really liked the couple that were the narrators and the focus of the romance side of this book. I’ve enjoyed all the couples/their relationships but Jack and Alan were 10/10 for me. I do feel that some of the potential issues with their relationship (mainly the class difference) aren’t as fully addressed as they could be. It obviously comes up but the significance is downplayed, and in the end I’m kind of left uncertain about how they intend to move forward. Didn’t keep me from loving them though. Also, it was great to have Robin and Edwin back since the setting/plot of the second book meant they weren’t around as much.

As for the non-romance plot, I thought everything was wrapped up well. There were definitely some things I saw coming and some things I didn’t. I found the ending really interesting and have a lot of questions about how the magical society is going to move forward (maybe we’ll get a second series about that??). Don’t want to give spoilers though. This book holds up to the rest of the series in just keeping me thoroughly entertained all the way through.

As for the audiobook specifically, the narrator was excellent, and I would recommend it as a good audiobook pick up for anyone who likes them. As I usually do, I sped it up to 1.5x and it felt like a good pace. No complaints about the audio version at all from me.

I have loved this series and this third and final book does not disappoint! Each book has taken a different couple to focus the romance portion of the story on, but the overall story arc of the series is a delightful and suspenseful adventure full of magic, dangerous villains, and a wonderful cast of characters. The ensemble cast of characters are full of nuance and depth, and the reader comes to love and appreciate each of their gifts and foibles. There are many strong female characters in this story for those who appreciate that, and the underlying theme of taking care of the land as stewards is very timely. The LGBTQIA+ representation of strong loving relationships is fantastic.
The narrator of this audiobook was brilliant.

I highly recommend this book and this series to readers who love magical adventure stories with a strong dose of spicy romance!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC!

"A Power Unbound," was a solid conclusion to the Last Binding trilogy, in which the we finally sort out the hunt for the pieces of the contract and, more importantly, make sure everyone is properly paired off for their happily every afters.
Sadly, I just didn't enjoy this, or the second installment nearly as much as the first book, A Marvellous Light, but it was a satisfying end to the series.
I really enjoyed the Jack's backstory, esp regarding his sister, I think I would have liked her very much!