Unpainted

by Dan Fitzgerald, Dani Finn

"I'm ready."

In the hermetic society of the Painted Faces, pale, unblemished skin is rewarded with station, wealth, and power.

Tera would almost rather go unpainted than enter into an arranged marriage with a total stranger, but that would mean giving up the only life she's ever known. Not to mention her share of her family's Pureline fortune.

She’s always thought love was a fairy tale and sex a joyless chore, but the alternative might be worse.

Enter Aven, a soft buttercup of a man, the kindest and most considerate person she’s ever met. A tropical honeymoon awaits, and with the help of her intimacy consultant, Tera is determined to make the best of this awkward ritual. Amid the island breezes, she and her new spouse form a bond neither of them knew they were capable of.

But trouble stirs beneath the polite veneer of the Painted Faces’ society, threatening to tear them—and their entire world—apart.

Unpainted is a queer arranged marriage fantasy romance, a standalone in the Weirdwater Confluence universe. It features a dual POV, magical currency shenanigans, mind magic, and inordinate amounts of steamy, fluffy goodness with a soft femdom dynamic. Coming June 2023.

Content warnings

Unpainted contains numerous explicit, consensual sex scenes, including light bondage and sex toys, as well as drug use and minor violence. It is intended for an adult audience and should not be read by anyone under 18.

Author's note

Unpainted has cameos from several characters in The Living Waters and The Isle of a Thousand Worlds but contains no spoilers, and no prior knowledge of these books is required to enjoy Unpainted.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

245 pages, ebook

First published June 30, 2023

About the author

Fantasy and romance author of the Maer Cycle trilogy (low-magic fantasy) the Weirdwater Confluence duology (sword-free romantic fantasy), and the in-progress Time Before Trio (spicy romantic fantasy). The Time Before Trio will include The Delve (a smutty dungeon crawl, out now), Wings so Soft (an owl-themed fantasy romance, out now), and Cloti's Song (a poly fantasy romance, February 2024).

I also have a short romance: Unpainted (a queer arranged marriage fantasy romance, a standalone in the world of the Weirdwater Confluence) and another one coming, Jagged Shard (an enby/sapphic dungeon crawl fantasy romance coming early 2024, a standalone in the Time Before featuring characters from The Delve).

I write non-epic fantasy books, mostly romantic, in which you will find:

Mystery. Darkness. Wonder. Action. Romance. Otherness examined and deconstructed. Queer and straight characters living and fighting side by side. Imaginary creatures and magic with a realistic touch.

What you won’t find in my books:

Wholesale slaughter. Sexual assault. Unquestioned sexism or discrimination. Evil races. Irredeemable villains. Predestined heroes. An ancient darkness that threatens to overspread the land.

Catch me on Twitter or Instagram as danfitzwrites.

Reviews

[Dani Finn]

Reread this (again) to refresh my mind on some worldbuilding details for my upcoming novel Sortilege. Gotta be honest: this is a banger to me. The softest MMC* ever written, plus a delicious smut arc (7 days of decreasingly awkward honeymoon sex, followed by 3 days of enforced celibacy with tons of edging, followed by some fantasy action and ending with a resounding .

[Tilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book.

It is worth noting that I was reading outside of my usual genre with Unpainted but Dan's interesting premise and marketing for the book intrigued me to read it and I don't regret it one bit.

Lila and Tera are brilliant characters. The gentle, low stakes storyline was an interesting change of pace for me. There is a lot of vivid, intriguing worldbuilding detail throughout in just the right amount. But by far my favourite thing about this book is the way it is written. Dan's prose and wide use of interesting vocabulary has attracted me into moving onto his fantasy novels in the future which I am sure I'll enjoy even more. I'm looking forward to diving into Dan's Living Waters very soon.

Overall I'd give this 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.

I knew I already loved the utter creativity this author pours into his works but when I say I couldn’t get enough of this book, I mean I am currently sleep deprived because I couldn’t put it down. I’m so glad I started reading this going into a weekend!

Let’s start with the best part: Aven and Tera are utterly gorgeous characters and deserve all the happiness in the world. I ADORE how consent and communication is woven into the narrative. It’s natural, it’s beautiful to see given representation and it makes their love scenes together so much more romantic because you KNOW they care about and respect one another. I couldn’t get enough of it!

Can we talk about the worldbuilding here? Cause it’s amazingly done. Information about traditions, about norms, about political and societal change and expectations is all brilliantly formed by the characters interacting with the plot. As a result, it feels smooth and natural, giving a sense of authenticity to the world.

It was a complete pleasure to read this story and I look forward to more!

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...

[Rowena Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

In some ways this is a complicated review to write for several reasons. Firstly, because in many ways I am not the reader this book is necessarily intended for. I’ve made no bones about it my previous reviews, romance and I have a new and somewhat complicated relationship, and with Unpainted very much leaning into the romance side of things, it was a little like square peg and round hole. So, I cannot say this is my favourite of the books set in this universe. BUT – I want to be very clear that is an entirely ‘me’ thing and is absolutely not a reflection on the book itself. The other major reason, and one that has given me much food for thought as I have wrestled with this review – and is something I will talk about in more detail later in the review – is that this book resonated, and gave me that weird, wonderful feeling of being SEEN.

So, if I wasn’t going to be the perfect fit, why did I read it then?

Well firstly, because I have read everything that Fitzgerald has written and I have no intention of stopping now, and I enter their books knowing just what to expect and knowing that the other aspects of the book and the skill with which they weave their stories, especially the character aspects more than makes up for that gap between me and romance. Secondly, I trust Fitzgerald as a writer to make me invested in the character and their stories, beyond the romance and the spice, and again the author did not disappoint on that front. And thirdly, as a rule reading is supposed to take us off the familiar beaten path, we might seek for familiar patterns and points of connection, but for myself, reading is a way to dip my toes in unfamiliar waters, to test out new paths and experiences, all within the comfort of the book.

So, there’s the why, and some of the reasons I am a little conflicted about this book.

But now on with the review!

And I want to start with giving a massive shoutout to the author, who not only did the cover themselves for this one, but also negotiated the hazard of ai art with absolute grace and did a fantastic job on both.

Secondly, while Unpainted can absolutely be read as a standalone and particularly for the romance (with spice) inclined, would be a wonderful, gentle easing into the wider universe; there are also plenty of easter eggs for those like me who are familiar with the Weirdwater Confluence and the wider universe. There was one character in particular whose appearance made me incredibly happy, as he was one of my favourites from an earlier book – but you could enjoy his appearance and role without that additional knowledge (Although you absolutely should go and read The Living Waters).

Fitzgerald’s worldbuilding has always been a strong point, especially within a narrower setting or viewpoint i.e., in the Delve where a lot of the action takes place in a single, constricted dungeon. In Unpainted we see that skill again, because our POV and setting is very much with Tera and Aven and the world they immediately inhabit, and while we certainly get a wider experience of the world though their honeymoon, it is still incredibly private and personal. Yet, at the same time, there are connections to the wider world – through the markets, and the food, and the places our characters visit, and through conversations about the economy and more, and it’s all done incredibly naturally, layered into the world and through Tera and Aven’s interactions with it and other characters; and I love that feeling of this being a drop in a much wider ocean. It’s also a key aspect of the world itself, where connectivity is a central feature – whether in person, or through more esoteric means, and it feels incredibly fitting that the worldbuilding reflects that.

It should also be noted that this is another book that will leave you with a hankering for the food and drink that Fitzgerald describes, especially if like me you already have a taste for seafood…

‘The attendees put their choice of seasonings in the conchs before placing them on the grill set up over a fire…’

The worldbuilding also builds into one of my favourite aspects of the book, which perhaps unsurprisingly is the non-romantic subplot (although it is mostly shaped, influenced and interacts somewhat brutally with the romance). Firstly, the idea of Pureline as a currency that is more than just money, but also of social and economic standing, as well as heritage is just fascinating, as is the way the curtains are peeled back to show not just how it has shaped the relationship we are witness to – through an arranged marriage with Pureline playing a role in establishing the pairing, but also how it is many ways a pyramid of cards wavering on a table that has just been bumped into, and how different people are plotting and planning for when the cards fall. I was not expecting the economical and almost political side-story, and it was fascinating, especially against the backdrop of the Weirdwater setting.

And my one small gripe with Unpainted (and again this is to be taken with the pinch of salt that is the fact that I am NOT the ideal reader for this book) is that I would have loved to see more of this subplot, because while it is well done within the framework of what this story is and set out to do, it feels like something that could have filled a novel itself if you got into the nuts and bolts of what was happening. But – that would have changed what this book is.

However, as much as the worldbuilding shone – and it really did – from all the details about the economy, to the food and cultural activities, to the economical plotting and intrigue; Unpainted is at its core not just a romance, but in many ways a character study – with the characters studying one another, as much as we were them, and what characters.

Firstly, a special shout-out to Leo – if you know you know.

However, Tera and Aven our two main characters absolutely stole the show. Arranged marriages are a challenge all their own, even without adding in the differences in social standing, the fact that due to rules etc they had not spent significant time together and the various complexities of the Painted face society and how it interacted with the wider world; and these two characters are thrust into the maelstrom that is the middle point of all those challenges.

Aven was initially my favourite of the pair (although it was hard – and remains incredibly hard to choose between them, because Fitzgerald has done such a fantastic job of bringing them to life). He’s a cinnamon roll, dusted with extra sugar. An absolute sweetheart, with a remarkable amount of self-awareness and consideration for others, and a well of bravery that we get to see bubble up from time to time. He was so often a duck out of water, and yet his willingness to learn, to make adaptations and just to listen, both with Tera, but also the wider society was a joy to read. Honestly, if you were going to get hit with an arranged marriage, he would be the ideal outcome. Fitzgerald also does a brilliant job of bringing us a bisexual main character, with mixed experiences on both sides of the spectrum to the page; and how that has shaped the man Aven is now, without being who he is.

However, as much as Aven stole my heart. In the end it was Tera that really became the heart of this book, and this reading experience for me.

“And I guess it doesn’t really matter if we feel the exact same thing, does it?”

Tera shook her head gently, her face softening. “It doesn’t. I just felt like you should know. I’ve been intimate with other people before, but in this, you’re my first.”


I mentioned above how this book made me feel SEEN, and Tera is absolutely the reason for that. The representation in Fitzgerald’s books has always been spectacular, so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they would be able to bring such a fantastic Ace-spectrum character to the page in such a brilliant and delicate fashion. What I loved, and what rocked me the most – was just how simple and understated it was, while feeling like it moved mountains beneath me as a reader. Tera is for the most part comfortable in her own skin. She’s aware of what she likes and dislikes and has taken steps to find her own path to where they need to get to, and when she brushes against the wave of Aven’s feelings and attraction, she’s honest and strong enough to show who she is, and in such a way, that it feels like a ripple rather than the rock plummeting into the water. The quote above is one of my favourites, not least because it is such a simple, profound combination of Tera acknowledging her own feelings and experiences, but also of Aven’s simple, quiet acceptance.

As much as this pair stole the show, this would be an entirely different book without Lila. An intimacy consultant who is also a friend and ally, and later business partner with the potential of more. She’s a wonderful addition to the other two, an essential link not just to one another – her guidance is woven through the slow, tender growth of the relationship between Tera and Aven, but also to the world of the unpainted. I would have loved to see more of her, but she was badass for what we got to see of her.

Speaking of the relationship, this was such a refreshing and tender take on the concept of an arranged marriage, especially one that involved different social status. Aven and Tera came from similar but significantly different backgrounds, their experiences in terms of intimacy were different, and their ways of experiencing them were quite different. Fitzgerald navigates those potentially chaotic waters with great skill, and graces us with a tender, unfolding relationship, that was full of communication, understanding and as one might expect from Fitzgerald by now – more than a little spice. There was a steady buildup of both the relationship and the spice, not quite a slow burn, but more the slow, steady moulding of clay on a wheel, letting us see the work going into making the beauty of the finished product. I might not be a big romance reader, but I do love how Fitzgerald writes their relationships and especially the different layers of communication that they build into the story.

Unpainted is at its heart a tale about acceptance. From the arranged marriage which starts this story on its path and requires a certain level of acceptance from both Tera and Aven, to the slow, unfolding petals of their relationship as they learn each other’s rhythms and patterns. It’s about Tera accepting the fact that Aven has fallen for her first, and fallen hard, and later accepting that she has come to love him in his own way. It’s Aven accepting Tera and her different experiences. It’s about trying to navigate the waters of Painted society (and as a side note and something I didn’t mention in the worldbuilding, but I loved the use of compliments as a greeting, and had to giggle at some of the comparisons that the Painted would come up to describe the painted faces of those they were greeting – and I felt for Aven having to learn to navigate that); but also the wider world, where they were different. It was accepting that the old way was changing, that family could be a threat and that sometimes to survive you had to dismantle the old . And ultimately it was about embracing the future outside that society, of accepting being Unpainted – and revealed completely and utterly to one another and the world.

Unpainted is the perfect read for anyone looking for the softer (and still spicy) side of arranged marriage, with fantastic representation especially of an ace-character, and for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the Weirdwater confluence. Earlier this year, I said that The Delve felt like everything Fitzgerald had written and wanted to write was coming together, and that feeling was even stronger with Unpainted – and that is another reason why I, as the non-perfect reader for this book, ended up loving it all the same – because you can feel the love and passion for this story, and these characters and this deeper exploration of a relationship shining through on the pages, and it those books – the ones where the author’s feelings and passion bleed through that have the greatest impact.

[Chris Zable · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Disclaimer: the author and I are mutuals on Twitter and Bluesky)

I enjoyed this soft fantasy romance from Dan Fitzgerald. The fantasy style is not at all "swords and sorcery" -- there's mind magic and alchemists, but nothing that made me feel like I'd stumbled into an off-brand D&D campaign.

It's the story of Tera and Aven, two "painted faces", members of a high social class who are never seen by another person without a covering of artfully applied paint...except their spouse. This piece of world-building was new to me and handled deftly -- woven into all the social interactions in the book. Like all the worldbuilding, it's present throughout without ever being presented in a clunky infodump.

The book is divided into two parts of equal length: the couple's honeymoon, and their return to society, complete with some dramatic derring-do.

The part I loved most is the honeymoon section. Tera and Aven are in an arranged marriage and have barely met before the ceremony. Over the honeymoon, we find them getting to know each other and building a relationship embracing both friendship and physical intimacy. Their culture gives them some framework for structuring their early interactions, and within that structure they both act with such kindness and honesty that it's just beautiful to watch. It's not unusual in romance novels for the reader (this reader anyway) to want to scream "Would you two just talk TO EACH OTHER!?" That doesn't happen in this book even once. And the relationship they build grows naturally into one of gentle femdom and adoring submissive, which really works for me.

I wasn't *as* into the part where they've left their tropical paradise honeymoon and are reintegrating into society (and have to figure out some mysterious stuff and negotiate some adventures). I still enjoyed it, though. Highly recommended for people who want to see gentle, squishy love with a bit of D/s.

[Dae Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpainted is sensual, consensual, and bisexual. It also features an ace-spec character, Tera, who has and enjoys sex. The representation of asexuality is done well, it's not over or under-explained nor is it stereotypical. Tera is a complicated creature. In some ways she knows exactly what she wants, in others... not so much. She's brave, well read, and interested in making the most of her arranged marriage; BUT I found that I just wasn't as interested in her POV compared to Avens. I can't say this specifically has anything to do with the writing. The writing is good, the spice is very good, and their backstories are fleshed out enough but not too much. I simply favored Aven over Tera.

Aven's POV really caught me, and I really enjoyed him as a character. He's soft, romantic, also well read, and brave.

As a couple they really click. Romance is the strong point of this book. I'd say it is the entire point of this book for the most part.

Going on that... the main reason for the 4 stars and not 5 is due to the fact that I wasn't really interested in the side plot. Bank/currency/family stuff I'll say for no spoilers, just didn't click very well with me. It will undoubtedly be liked by others, it just wasn't for me.

I did beta read this book and at the time I did also feel that the secondary plot wasn't the most interesting for me; but after reading it a second time as an ARC reader, I think I just wasn't into the secondary plot.

All that aside, this is a well-written, spicy, romantic, and different book. The world-building is done extremely well. It starts very vaguely, and you get bits and pieces of it as things go along. The concept of the paint and classes feels very new to me, and I liked it. I really enjoyed the different food and drinks.

I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS BOOK AND THIS IS MY HONEST OPINION.

[Chyanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was selected as an ARC reader for Unpainted and I am voluntarily leaving my review. Unpainted was quite the treat after reading some longer/heavier books. I wish I could bump it up to a 3.5. Although it felt a bit slow for me in certain parts, the spice was carefully and nicely written and you immediately start to get a feel for the type of relationship Tera and Aven will have with each other. I really enjoyed the way the plot picked up towards the end and honestly wish it would’ve happened a little sooner/would’ve been a little more fleshed out, but enjoyed it nonetheless. I will definitely be checking out some of Dan’s other work.

[Karen Lykkebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unpainted is a soft, sweet, and sex-positive erotic romance! It’s utterly queer, screams out “consent is sexy!” and just dwells in tropic vibes and first love feels.
It’s got plenty of spice and enough descriptions of tropical waters it made this scuba diver long for the ocean.
The femme-dom and soft boy pairing is sweet and believable and though the story progresses slowly, it’s wholesome and entertaining to explore the MCs’ relationship as it develops.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Brigid Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly gorgeous, immersive, and low angst romantic fantasy story. Who among us wouldn’t want an Aven of their very own after reading this? A precious little angel baby.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and very soft romance with just enough of the world to make me interested in learning more about the world as a whole.

[Kriti | Armed with A Book]

In most books I read and relationships I am surrounded by, such marriage is the next step years after knowing someone. The uniqueness of Unpainted to focus on arranged marriage really drew me in. Though this is a fantasy world, I wanted to understand why arranged marriages happen and what does it look like to be in one?

Tera belongs to an important family, her mother being an important banker in the region. Aven’s parents have a real estate business and his marriage to Tera is a step up for him. Marriage is an alliance between families, a promise of a comfortable future through both their fortunes. But Tera and Aven are practically strangers, now wedded, and must embark on a honeymoon mandated by society.

As I read Unpainted, I noticed how an arranged marriage also had its first days of getting to know each other. Noticing who they are with others and the partner, now that two people are around each other all the time. Tera and Aven have a cute chemistry from the start and I enjoyed how their connection became more and more solid as the story progressed.

I liked the focus of the first half of the book on Tera and Aven, as they enjoyed each other’s company during an exotic honeymoon. The time they spent getting to know each, particularly in pleasure, wasn’t something I had seen done well before. Their awkwardness as well as their intentions were clearly conveyed and the open manner in which they created their bond was heartwarming to read about. It took me a little bit of adjusting to how self-assured Tera was and once I realized this was another aspect of romantic relationships that I had not read of often made me even more interested. Aven’s awe for her was pouring out of the pages and I liked how open he was to learning more about sex and sexuality.

I love the title of the book. Being with someone in a marriage is showing them all the good and bad parts of us. Unpainted offers a beautiful word for the act of taking off the paint prior to, coming to each other completely naked. The plot also peels away the challenges of living under a strong painted face society.

The second half of Unpainted reads a little bit like a court fantasy with inheritance, sabotage and secret plans. Through the experiences of the characters, their diverse backgrounds and situations in the first part, Dan builds the society of the painted faces with great care. Their culture, values, customs, prejudice are well documented and the ethereal undercurrent of magic adds a grounded feel to the book. Lila’s character arc offers some insight into the implications of being a painted face vs unpainted face but maybe I just needed a little more information around what that meant for everyday living, or I was too distracted by the love making. ;)

As a Weirdwater Confluence novel

Unpainted is set in the same world as The Living Waters from The Weirdwater Confluence series with cameos from some characters but you don’t have to read The Living Waters to read this book.

I will say if you have read it, you might enjoy this contrast: Reading The Living Waters was like being on a boat, going on a journey, but also being on the journey that is led by the current and motions of the waters (full review). I thought this book would have a similar feel as that and some similarities were indeed there. Endulian meditation and meditative magic from The Living Waters is found in Unpainted too and I was intrigued by the emergence of powers in Tera. Unpainted had its own pace with the coziness of a low fantasy where the characters and their relationships are the focus. While The Living Waters had been an adventure of two face painted nobles to explore the world, Unpainted is the story of two other face painted well-off individuals living in Anari society.

Many thanks to the author for providing me a review copy for an honest opinion. When I told Dan that I had started reading this book, they wished that it would meet my reading needs. I love that sentiment and I believe it met my reading needs. I was looking for something closer to real life in fantasy and this was perfect to pick up! I enjoyed all the romantic parts as well as the reflections that Tera and Aven shared about their sexuality. I liked how they balanced each other in different things and were accepting of what the other excelled at.

- Kriti, Armed with A Book | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram