Both online and irl, Witchmark is celebrated. A magical gay historical romance was bound to make it on my TBR. We picked up our copy at the library. 

In an alternate Edwardian England Aeland, Miles has to fake his death to find freedom. Magic is outlawed, except if you’re an aristocrat and member of the Avengers a secret government task force to keep the weather nice. Even then, less powerful mages must bind their souls to the more skilled magic wielders, like human batteries. The non-noble mages are locked up in insane asylums. Y’all would rather enslave half the population then update your infrastructure, huh. Anyway, Miles is quietly working as a doctor at a veteran’s hospital when a rash of patients come down with the same psychosis. Things go from bad to worse when an aristocrat stumbles in, identifies him, and dies. The single witness to his unmasking is an unbelievably attractive stranger named Tristan. Miles thinks Tristan wants to blackmail him. Tristan wants to solve the aristocrat’s murder. 

Major question: why is everyone so into bicycles? I kid, I kid. Bicycles are a recurring motif though. My actual thoughts on the book are a string of compliments. Miles, Tristan, Nurse Robin, and the rest of the cast are compelling characters. The mystery was excellent. The atmosphere, imagery, and pacing lent the story the feel of a warm bath—which turned into a heart pounding run in the final chapters. The world-building is as intricate as it is solid. The soul-binding reminded me of the Sentinel/Guide or A/B/O tropes. My one disappointment is the next book doesn’t focus on Tristan and Miles. Their romance is a soft, gentle dream. It does jump from “I’d be okay if we broke up” to “we’re married” rather quick, but I believed in their love nonetheless. 

What can I say but 5 out of 5. Very cozy.