A Rival Most Vial
Ratings10
Average rating4.3
Two potion shops, one heated rivalry...until hate bubbles over into something else.Any adventurer worth their sword knows about Ambrose Beake. The proud, quiet half-elf sells the best-and only-potions in the city.Until a handsome new shopkeeper named Eli opens another potion shop across the street, throwing Ambrose's peace and ledgers far off balance. Within weeks, they're locked in a war of price tags and products- Ambrose's expertise against Eli's effortless charm. Toil leads to trouble, the safety gloves come off, and right as their rivalry reaches a boiling point... The mayor commissions them to brew a potion together.The task is as complex as it is lucrative, pushing both men to the limits of their abilities and patience. Yet as the fires burn and cauldrons bubble...they find a different sort of chemistry brewing.
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This cozy fantasy queer romance was a delight!
(I received a digital advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
Great cast of characters, great friendships. The plot is low stakes, but still eventful and exciting. The main characters are just lovely, and I really appreciated the dual POV.
I'm not much of a romance reader, so I don't know all the tropes, but I felt like this enemies-to-lovers relationship felt natural and sweet. It isn't a spicy book by any means. It feels like we're given just enough to feel the passion and heat, while still respecting their privacy.
All my cozy fantasy needs were met. There's tea, there's cookies, there's reading and book shopping, all in a magical world with adventurers, wands, potions, and dragons. I grew to really love this city carved into a chasm, and I want to know more. Very excited for the rest of the series!
This one is probably my favourite read this year so far. I absolutely fell in love with this story and all the characters and I could talk about it endlessly. The best way I think I can describe it is imagine if there was a Diagon Alley in the Lord of the Rings universe and two shopkeepers who hated each other were forced to work together ...and fell in love in the process! It's absolutely perfect and I wouldn't change a single dot!
If you like m/m romance, enemies to lovers, magic, found family, cozy fantasy (that is not boring/slow paced at all!!) with LGBT+ characters (gay, bi, nb and ace representation!!), this one is for you!
Some of my favorite stories focus on the people that wouldn't normally be considered the protagonist. They'd be the quest-givers in a game, and they'd be living an ordinary life outside of the high tension action that the heroes would struggle to overcome. A Rival Most Vial follows two potionmakers, and it's a cozy wholesome fantasy with sugar sweet romance.
