You have to love any book where the main plot boils down to “four lesbians, with help from varied cast of characters aggravate obnoxious local politician while navigating their relationships”.
Leaving their cozy bookshop/home for any plant Kianthe can reasonably (or not so reasonably) cram into its confines behind on their quest to recover the stolen dragon eggs, Kianthe and Reyna crash the garden party of Diarn Arlon, the powerful lord of the Nacean River. With the firm belief that what he wants he gets, Diarn demands they assist him in putting a stop to the piracy of one Serina, failed farmer turned river pirate. Her crime? Stealing foodstuffs from Arlon and redepositing them back among the inhabitants of the area. Assisting them is Bobbie, one of Arlon’s constables, who also happens to be Serina’s childhood best friend. Unfortunately, joining the constabulary has put them on opposite sides, and Serina absolutely loathes her now.
As Kianthe and Reyna watch this relation-shipwreck from afar, it quickly becomes apparent that these disaster lesbians need all the help they can get. Luckily, matchmaking is Reyna’s favorite past time. The dragon eggs may have to wait.
I was hoping the sequel would be as good as the first book and this did not disappoint. Reyna and Kianthe are as wonderful as ever, and their relationship continues to be one of the best examples of healthy lesbianism we all need, Kianthe’s groan-worthy puns included (I need to actually read the book she’s writing). I love when a couple in a book series just has their relationship grow in each book, not have some unnecessary plot-driven argument just to add drama and to keep things from going stale.
(Me with some other books *coughcoughCassandraClare’sLastHoursSeriescoughcough*)
Bobbie and Serina and their relationship was a great counterbalance, being new and so rife with miscommunication and angst. Also with how Kianthe and Serina are the off-kilter think-on-their-feet types while Bobbie and Reyna are the slow cautious planners (with Reyna being slightly more willing to be dragged into the impulsive madcap drama).
The introduction of some new characters was a treat (more Dread Pirate Dreggs, please!), mixed in with some old familiar favorites. Everyone just seems like people you would actually meet on the street, magic and dragons notwithstanding.
And the bonus “spicy” chapter and epilogue hinting at the plot of the next book? Sign me up now. Got the third in the series in my TBR hoard (I left pile behind about 100 books ago) and am eagerly anticipating the fourth’s release.