In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens || Queer Fairy Tale Romance Between Cinnamon Rolls

In Deeper Waters

A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.

Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.

That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…

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Perfect for readers who want:

• A super sweet M/M romance between two cinnamon rolls.
• Magic that is both wondrous and dangerous.
• A queer twist on popular fairy tales.
• Ridiculously adorable (and accurate) sibling bonds and interactions.
• Family coming together and being there for each other.
• Adventure and kidnapping and assassination attempts.

Many thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books and Turn the Page Tours for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished version and may differ from the final product.

When I was this was comped to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and Pirates of the Caribbean, I knew immediately I had to read it! Even if it’s not a genre I normally read. Even if it’s obviously heavy on the romance. That summary with that (very lovely and colorful) cover just called for me, and I’m so glad I listened.

In Deeper Waters is an utterly adorable M/M romance between two cinnamon rolls that will capture your heart. It’s a queer fairy tale, filled with tropes you’ll likely recognize, along with touching sibling bonds and plenty of adventure.

I will say, the pirates sort of feel like a lie. I mean, technically there are pirates in this book, but if you’re picking it up for pirates, you’re probably going to be disappointed. The story itself, though, is anything but. You might be surprised that I loved this so much, especially given my obvious distaste for sweet romance, but y’all, these characters just absolutely stole my heart and ran away with it. More books like this, please!

In Deeper Waters is filled with adventure and danger and attempted assassination, but the thing that will stick with you is the utterly adorable romance.

Is that weird coming from me? Yeah, probably. You have to understand that neither of them attempts to stab the other or has nefarious plans to kick butt and take names or, really, have an evil bone in their body. It’s maybe a teensy bit disappointing, but just a little. Even if romance isn’t generally your thing, it’s hard not to fall for this couple and find yourself swept up in their story and their plight. More on the romance later, though.

The adventure likely isn’t going to be what you expect, and even now, it’s really the romance that sticks with me most of all. But make no mistake, there is adventure.

There’s pirates and swashbuckling (sort of) and nefarious things afoot. What I’m saying is that despite loving the romance, it’s not the only thing going for this book. There’s magic, in a world burned by magic and utterly afraid of it. There’s coming-of-age and deciding who you want to be in a world that has already deemed you a monster. This book is so much more than just romance. So for the less romance-inclined among us (myself included), there’s plenty of other things to carry the story, too!

At its core, this book puts a queer twist on well-known fairy tales, and you’ll find easily recognizable elements of them spun into something new and magical.

I’m not going to tell you what those elements are, because part of the joy in reading it is recognizing those familiar aspects and then seeing how they’re twisted and changed! Plus, you know, there’s quite a few spoilers involved. So my lips are sealed. Needless to say, there are a lot of allusions to traditional fairy tales. So if you’re a fairy tale buff, there’s plenty for you to appreciate.

I don’t believe this story is being marketed as a queer fairy tale, but it should be! The writing quality really evokes that fairy tale feeling while still packing in plenty of action. Just when you thought fairy tales couldn’t get any cooler, Lukens comes in and not only makes both parties men but men on equal footing. No damsel—or otherwise—in distress here that needs someone to swoop in and save them. It’s a difficult thing to do, given the traditional fairy tale structure, but this book reads more like a modern fairy tale in so many ways, despite it being historical fiction. It’s a really fun dynamic to read, and I definitely want more books like this!

These characters are absolute cinnamon rolls, and I loved each and everyone of them. I couldn’t help but fall in love with them!

I mean, the banter between Tal and Athlen? *chef’s kiss* The banter between the siblings? Also *chef’s kiss* This is a weird feeling for me. I’m not used to falling for anyone who openly objects to murder. What’s happening to me?!

If you like men who are gentle but not pushovers, you will absolutely love these precious characters. Tal, especially, has such a gentle heart and is trying so hard to be a good person. That doesn’t mean he’s going to let the world walk all over him, though. He is a prince, in charge of helping rule a country, after all. I think these portrayals are so important, because as much as I love Stabby McMurderPrince, it’s nice to see different versions of strength and leadership.

There’s also this heavy dichotomy of the way people assume a person will be, or what a person will become, and the self-determination to decide that for one’s self. I absolutely loved this narrative. Plus, how can you not root for characters who are just trying to be their best selves, even if they make some mistakes along the way?!

This book has some of the best sibling scenes, ranging from teasing to arguing to simply fiercely being there for one another. I love the sibling dynamics in this, and as someone with a lot of siblings, it resonated with me.

As the youngest of five siblings, Tal inhabits a place that is all too familiar for me. His older siblings all seem to have their lives worked out and to know their place in the kingdom. His place, however, is still a little precarious, having been sheltered as a child and bearing a massive secret that makes others assume he’ll become a monster. For now, though, he’s still the baby of the family, and that definitely shows with the way his older siblings treat him—sometimes overprotective, sometimes teasing. They can joke and poke fun and mess around with the best of them.

The most important thing, though, is that when it comes down to it, family is there for each other. Oh my gosh, I can’t even start to tell you how much I love this family dynamic! Even when things are going sideways, even when Tal has doubts about everything, there’s this strong undercurrent of family bonds and what family is willing to do for each other. This is highlighted all the more by the fact that Athlen doesn’t have family, which is tragic in other ways.

I know this is a standalone, but gah, I just want more of this family! Can I become a part of this family? They should just adopt me.

About F.T. Lukens

F.T. Lukens is the author of four young adult novels published through Interlude Press, and her book Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic was a 2017 Cybils Award finalist in YA Speculative Fiction, won the ForeWord INDIES Book of the Year Gold Award for YA Fiction, and the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction, and it was also recently named to ALA’s 2019 Rainbow List. F.T. lives in North Carolina with her husband, three kids, three dogs, and three cats. Visit her at FTLukens.com.

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Up for grabs, we have ONE (1) physical copy and ONE (1) digital copy of In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens. This giveaway will end on April 26th at 11:59 PM CST. The physical copy will be available to win by US residents only and the digital copy will be available to win by INTL residents only. To enter, click the link below!

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