Love us both or neither, it will not change my feelings for you.

This line! This. Line! It is my favorite line from the sequel in Brittany N. Williams’ Forge and Fracture Saga, Saint-Seducing Gold.

I found this series last year and had been impatiently waiting to read this sequel to the first book, That Self-Same Metal. And I was not disappointed. The book begins with . . . quiet. Nothing’s been going on in merry old London and Joan Sands, our heroine, is worried. The Pact between the humans and the Fae has been broken, and it’s up to Joan and her family to reforge it. Because the Fae do not play and will make themselves known in due time, all under the Queen of the Fae, Titanea. She will reign or die trying. That is one creature I would not want to mess with because Titanea is cunning, fierce and very, very deadly.

On top of dealing with Titanea, Joan also has to contend with slimy spymaster, Robert Cecil, who is a horrible man AND a racist. When Joan is ordered to join the royal court, Cecil is LIVID (which made me extremely happy) but it also means he will be on Joan even more than before. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Joan still has the love of Nick and Rose, two people who adore her and have her heart. Joan is conflicted about her feelings towards the two, who have proven time and again how much she means to them.

Listen, I could go on and on and on about how much I love this series. The writing is solid and the action had me feeling real stress when things started to hit the fan. The Fae are frightening and dangerous, reminding readers that the fae of Disney movies all pale in comparison to the ones in this series. Titanea most of all because she’s driven by her smarts and plays the long game. She knows how to get what she wants and will manipulate anyone to achieve her goals, including Joan.

Honestly, if this series were to be adapted for television, I could easily see Jodie Turner-Smith playing the role of Titanea. I’m still up in the air about who would play Joan, Nick and Rose, but Robert Cecil absolutely should be played by Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the series of She Who Shall Not Be Named.

The third book and final book in the series, Iron Tongue of Midnight, will be released on April 22, 2025 (EEEEEEEEE!) and the cover has already been revealed!