Status Updates From The Courtship of Julian St....

I hate the author for describing food so we'll.

What the actual hell. It's an entire scene of a doctor TREATING MC Alex, flirting, Alex flirting back, them basically saying they'll have sex together after this pesky Courtship (with MC2, mind you) is over and show each other how debauched they can be, then they're naked TOGETHER to get redressed, checking each other out--during a TREATMENT. A medical TREATMENT. I'm... WHAT?! Do I DNF? Zero respect for either here.

And I'm back to ew blech. Why the F would a doctor <spoiler>need to put a liquid medicine in his mouth, kiss the patient and felch it to him to have the MC patient drink it--this reads as gross.</spoiler> And what the doctor says afterward seems unprofessional and slimy. To me anyway. Alex finding it charming is...ewwwwwwwwwwwww. Plus the spell breaks and Alex is still EW.

Still 24% oh GOOD phew thank you. The magic in this world is riveting!

What is happening. I was totally enjoying this read, and now MC1 is going gaga with attraction over a (an intriguing, but...!) non-MC who's examining him, imagining them getting intimate. This is not building a romance. Blech. I hope it's a spell at work?

I must say this society is ruthless in that Julian lost his intended only days ago and is now expected to immediately be courted by and marry another due to social circumstances he created/agreed to with his late affianced. One also does wonder if his grief is genuine, or if he was bespelled into the relationship in the first place. I am so here to find out!

Narrator Alex agreeing to take part in the Courtship just so he can solve the murder, only to take great care to plan the BEST FREAKIN' COURTSHIP GIFTS ever...! Alex, do you even see yourself?! Ha ha ha this is awesome. And he doesn't even know Julian yet, not really.

I'm already immersed and mesmerized. I have to read this one more carefully than usual, and the magic in this world is rich and complex and enthralling, as is the crime situation. The lead character is fascinating, and so far the love interest is an intriguing mystery who's possibly being manipulated without knowing it. What a find!

Not me deciding to try another author I've never heard of completely at random... 😇 This sounds fun! And intense!

The problem with this book is that our main is a consultant for the police so he doesn’t actually do the detective work, no clue gathering, no real insight, he’s just like yep that’s magic and that over there is the same magic.

Because of this he’s so outside of the investigation where I can’t figure out who did it or why. And it’s a bit boring

The setting of this book is so weird and unclear. I’m like pretty sure this is an urban low fantasy that takes place in London? But like for a while I was pretty sure this took place in like 1860? And also is it winter? Or fall? Or what? It’s chilly outside? But also yall picnic? Its like mildly unclear but I really don’t mind

Could not fathom the audacity of being a consultant and being called in after putting in overnight work to clear a scene and then asked to process the evidence 😂
Like excuse me 😂😂😂

The bachelor but make it magic and don’t add in the ABO this time.

I've read the prologue first, and I don't know what I was expecting with this book. All I know is it's not this. The prologue has set up the world as modernity meets magic. They even have cellphones and subways. But with this book, it's so hard to connect between the two. It's just hard to see coffee makers and something as archaic as a royal courtship in the same setting.

This book is long, but I'm enjoying this sweet fantasy/mystery/ romance.