A Rake of his Own (Stariel #5) by AJ Lancaster

Marius Valstar doesn’t know which is worse: the dead body in his greenhouse or the naked fae prince on his desk.
The only rakes of interest to Marius are garden tools. Not fae princes. Certainly not the arrogant, selfish fae prince he has the misfortune to have a history with.
But when Prince Rakken turns up naked and bleeding in Marius’s college the same day a body appears in his greenhouse, scruples must take second place to solving a murder that could unravel the delicate balance between humans and fae.
Marius’s own developing magical powers are more hindrance than help – as is Rakken’s bloodied past. Forced to work together, they must forge an uneasy alliance if they are to track down the killer. But how can Marius trust the man who represents everything he’s trying to avoid?

It’s been a year since I’ve read the fourth installment of the Stariel series (I binged it, which induced a headache, but worth it) and I’ve been craving more ever since. So imagine my joy when I’ve been offered a review copy of Marius and Rake’s story!

We’ve been following Hetta and Wyn’s story for the entire previous quartet, but even with the focus firmly on their romance and the challenges they faced, it was difficult not to get intrigued by their respective brothers.

Marius and Rake have a somewhat awkward history. Their attraction to each other is undeniable and they only need a little push. Unfortunately, the push comes in the form of a murder investigation.

The book hits the tropes of both the mystery and romance genres, with twists. A murder investigation when Marius has telepathic powers? Very intriguing. And you’d expect the romance dynamic to be an “opposite attracts” sort of deal, except it’s not really, because Rakken and Marius have much more in common than previously thought. They both have to come to terms with the fact that their respective sisters are now in a position of power, and frankly, they’re both total nerds (Rake would vehemently deny it and probably try to murder me in my sleep but…it’s true).

A compelling romance plot is, in my opinion, when the parties involved handle their own baggage, have their own respective journeys towards healing or self-realization, and it’s definitely the case here. Marius’ self-confidence is in shambles because of a previous relationship. Rakken is also vulnerable and hides it beneath several layers of murderous intent and playboy behavior. If the attraction is purely physical at first (and oh my, is the heat up in this book!), they start to truly see each other (if you like the “alas, banging this person to get them out of my system didn’t work” trope, do I have good news for you).

AJ Lancaster also continues to flesh out her fascinating world, with human and fae lives colliding. I have always loved a dynamic worldbuilding, and it’s so interesting to see how things can change with the fae and mortal worlds negociating a common way of life. It creates progress (queer rights, yay!), but also new threats, new ways for both species to be dangerous.

A Rake of his Own is such a smooth, comfortable read, and god knows reading doesn’t come easy for me lately. Getting back to the world of Stariel is like reuniting with old friends; the familiarity makes for a cozy reading experience, even with, you know, all the murdering…It also features cameos from previous main characters, and the cutest lowfae sidekick ever. You could technically read the book as a standalone, but why would you deprive yourself of the previous books in this amazing series?

Oh and I’m sensing a Cat book coming next. AJ, blink twice to confirm!