[Skye’s Review]: Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell

Ancillary Justice meets Red, White & Royal Blue in Everina Maxwell's exciting debut.

While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

As soon as I read the synopsis of this book, I was sold. It’s pitched as Red, White, and Royal Blue in space. Need I say more? Red, White and Royal Blue is one of my favorite books! I couldn’t wait to devour this book.

Sigh Things didn’t go quite as I imagined. For the life of me, I couldn’t get invested in this story, the characters, or their romance– until I hit the 60% mark. Once I was 60% through this book, the story started to pick up. The characters were finally communicating rather than making (incorrect) assumptions about what the other was thinking. And, the part most of you are probably wondering about, the romance finally started to blossom. The story got even better once I hit the 80% mark. After that, it was incredibly difficult to put the book down.

For most of the book, it felt like a 3 star read and the last part of the book felt like 4 stars. I took some time to think about what I should rate this book, and I settled on 3.5 stars. If the two main characters had simply talked to each other, I’m sure I would have enjoyed this book more. I’m not a fan of authors using miscommunication and incorrect assumptions as a device to move the plot along.

If you’re a fan of space, LGBTQ+ stories, and a slow burn romance, then you should check out Winter’s Orbit. The author created a really diverse world in this book. There’s nonbinary representation and queer representation!

Skye

Hi, I’m Skye! I’m a college student by day and a bookstagrammer and book blogger by night. 😉 I’m also fluent in the language of sarcasm, so my kryptonite in any book is great witty banter.

Check out my Instagram account if you want to see my latest book obsessions! Also, feel free to reach out to me on social media if you ever need someone to fangirl with! I love meeting new bookish friends. 🙂