Bull Moon Rising is a fun and campy fantasy romance from Ruby Dixon, and the start of a new series (4/5 stars)

Bull Moon Rising is a fun and campy fantasy romance from Ruby Dixon, and the start of a new series.

I borrowed the audiobook from my local library. It took me a bit to place the male narrator’s voice, because I’d definitely heard it before. Turns out he also voices Optimus Prime from Transformers. He was a great narrator voice for a minotaur character!

The magic system is interesting, and I’m especially looking forward to reading more about the other four folks in Aspeth’s adventuring group. I’m also really enjoying the worldbuilding–there’s a lot of it! I grew up on adventure stories (a la Indiana Jones) so journeying to a ruined civilization and poking around is a big hook for me.

I love a good marriage of convenience trope. The author did a good job with the pacing of how our mains opened up and got to know one another. Dixon continues to do a great job at writing steamy scenes.

Overall, I had fun reading this one, and I’m excited for the next book in the series!

Rep: MMC with limb difference (prosthetic hand)

Tropes: marriage of convenience, monster romance (minotaur), spinster heroine, bluestocking, virgin heroine, knotting

CW: alcoholism (side character), misogyny, sexism, classism, violence

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The Royal Artifactual Guild includes:

• Bull Moon Rising
• By the Horns