Review: The King’s Man Book IV – MM Romantasy
The King’s Man Book IV by Anyta Sunday | Goodreads | Amazon
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Genres: Fantasy, Slow Burn, MM Romantasy
Introduction
The King’s Man MM romantasy series continues with Book 4. Taking place all in Hinsguard, the city nearest the southern border with Iskeldir, this installment includes a mystery, a deadly plot, a cast of new characters, and importantly, the romance building between our dynamic duo.
Blurb
When danger is inches away, so is temptation.
When danger is inches away, so is temptation.He was a healer with precious magic. Now, he has nothing.
Cael has lost his power, his home, and the one person who made him feel whole.
In the city of Hinsard, where enemies lurk behind every mask, he desperately hunts for a cure for his severed meridians, for the rising sickness, and for the aching void inside him. But magic isn’t the only thing slipping through his fingers.
A conspiracy is brewing in Hinsard, one that frames his ally for treason and threatens to unravel the delicate balance of power. To uncover the truth, Cael must navigate deadly politics, stolen corpses, and an elusive poison that ties it all together. And always, Quin is there, watching, doubting, challenging him in ways no one else dares. Their past simmers between them, tangled with unspoken words and the weight of something undeniable.
But when a deadly scheme threatens hundreds, including Quin himself, Cael must make a choice. Does he cling to the healer he once was? Or embrace the survivor he has become?
For lovers of slow-burn tension, aching betrayals, and a healer who refuses to break, even when everything else has.
THE KING’S MAN is an epic romantasy filled with slow-burn passion, courageous choices, and the relentless spirit of a healer determined to beat all odds.
This six-book series is one continuous journey and romance arc and is best read in order for maximum enjoyment.
All six books have been written and will release in short succession.
Genres: Fantasy, Slow Burn, MM Romantasy
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 3, 2025
Great Series, Great Installment
This MM romantasy series continues to excite me. This book does a good job of teaching readers about the world through a fun adventure through a new city, and the tension that builds between our main characters is sweeter than candy. I can’t wait for that fire to ignite.
Plot
The story continues with Cael and Nicostratus off in Hinsguard with Cael still nursing his bruised aspirations from losing his magic. Cael is depressed, despondent, and reeling from his non-linea status. Nicostratus tries to help. I guess. In his own way. It doesn’t help. Nicostratus doesn’t have the deep understanding of Cael that Quin does. So, Cael feels useless. He stays in bed, helps around the house. He’s listless. He can’t help people in the way he’s always dreamed of helping.
House-Bound
Shortly after the book begins, a group of Redcloaks attacks Nicostratus and Cael. They fight off their attackers, but something later befalls those same Redcloaks. Proximity and cause point to Nicostratus. Implicated in the crime, the constables confine Nicostratus to his house. He’s innocent, of course.
Quin’s Gonna Quin
You know who is also in Hinsguard. And it doesn’t take much time at all for him to be all Quin-like, resulting in Cael going off with Quin again instead of staying with Nicostratus. In my last review, I wondered if Book 4 would be a book-long character study of Nicostratus. Well, that’s not what we get because I get the feeling Quin just cannot, I mean CANNOT stay away from Cael. And vice versa.
Cael Needs Quin
Being back with Quin helps Cael. Cael had been circling the drain while staying with Nicostratus. Nicostratus doesn’t know Cael on the same emotional level, and he doesn’t know what to do to ‘fix’ him. Quin shakes him from his despondency and shows him that he can still be a healer, just not in the same way. It takes a bit of trial and error, but it happens.
Refugees
To staff his shenanigans up north, the High Duke pulls all the troops from the border. Tensions mount and skirmishes erupt. Now, there are floods of refugees coming from the southern border with the neighboring kingdom. In Hinsguard, they receive aid, a place to camp, and food provided. Unfortunately, though, somebody falls ill and eventually dies.
Cael’s spidey-senses are tingling. As per usual, he sniffs around and stumbles upon the larger mystery afoot. Readers of this series should understand by now that Cael is always going to go all in on finding out what’s going on. First and foremost, because he will always help people who are in danger, but also a little bit because he can’t help himself.
Upon investigation, Cael detects poison. Horrified, he concludes that someone has used these poor refugees as pawns, and thousands have been poisoned.
Why Poison Refugees?
The aid the refugees receive comes from the true king and his supporters. If large numbers of them fall ill, the survivors will believe it was the true king who killed their loved ones. Then, they will spread their discontent and untruths as they move through the kingdom. This plot has all the footprints of machinations from the High Duke, or at least the High Duke’s supporters.
Once he figures this out, it’s a race against time to find out who the poisoner is, and ultimately what the formula for the antidote is. Quin and Cael work together, getting closer along the way. Cael battles with conflicting feelings. He finally, finally acknowledges his deep feelings for Quin. But he’s promised Nicostratus.
Mystery Solved
Once the plot to kill the refugees is foiled and the bad guys are in custody, Cael knows it’s time. He is obligated to leave, to make good on his promise to Nicostratus that he will not come between his brother and their relationship.
Byeee
Cael leaves; now he’s not in the company of either brother. He’s not over losing his magic. He’s still reeling from it. While he knows he can do something, he mourns the loss of his magic. But he’s been trained in the “crude“ healing methods since he was a child. Finally, he acknowledges that that is what he has to work with at this point, and he plans to head south into the neighboring kingdom so he can train and perfect their methods to heal without the magic.
Cael is T.R.O.U.B.L.E
Almost immediately, he’s in trouble again. That’s him, that’s our guy.
What Comes Next?
We end with Cael in the precarious company of new people. Quin is going off to the mountains with his cousin to gather witness testimony. Presumably, book five will take place in the southern kingdom of Iskeldir.
Will there be another romantic interest with a new prince, who seems rather hot by the way? We kind of know what the setup for the endgame in Lumin needs to be. The High Duke has to go, the true king has to rise.
New Setting
I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I highly anticipate this new setting. It will be cool to see a different kingdom and what it’s all about. Isklders have blonde hair like Cael, instead of the dark hair more common in Lumin. One would assume that magic is uncommon because they use crude methods to heal. I hope that we learn that they are not out for Lumin’s demise.
Maybe the true king and the Iskelders could work together to oust the High Duke and then work together and prosper as twin kingdoms.
New Characters
We meet a lot of new characters in Book 4. Some recurring faces pop up, but many more are new. Many might only be important contextualized within this part of the story. But in book 4, they are the new key players: the town’s many healers and vitalians, the nobles, the constables, and the Redcloaks, who are the military presence in town. All of these guys are the movers and shakers of this important city near the southern border, well out of the grasp of the Royal City.
In Hinsguard, the true king has visible support. There are a bunch of visible, open supporters of the true king, unlike elsewhere in the kingdom. In the capital and the Royal City, that’s not the case. Spies for the High Duke lurk everywhere, and it’s not safe for people to speak their minds. In Hinsguard, people grew up with the true king; they know what sort of person he is, they believe in him, and most importantly, they will fight for him. Good thing, too, because a fight is coming.
Glows
Slow-Burn Getting Hotter
It’s happening y’all, it’s gonna happen! I know it is. It very well might take another book before we get any real action, but things heat up in this book. I love how often Cael misinterprets his feelings. Cael, baby, those stomach-swooping feelings, baby, they’re not from anger. You looove him.
We still have a ways to go, though. After finishing Book 4, the reader might wonder if it will ever be the right time for the relationship to bloom or if it’s against bro code.
Great Mystery
The plot to poison the refugees is used really well in this book to reveal the world at large, and to bring our couple closer together. I thought it was well done.
Grows
Glossary Still Needed
I still think The King’s Man series would benefit from a glossary. It’d be helpful. Keeping terms straight is hard, and a cheatsheet quick reference would be helpful. It could be done creatively.
For example, little history passages for vocabulary. And with so many herbs and poisons being mentioned, it would be cool to have little readers on them, just like the books that Cael reads. Just a thought.
Character developments
Nicostratus
Nicostratus is a good character. He wants what is best for Cael. But he does seem like a more two-dimensional character than Quin, even after spending more time with him in Book IV.
But, I do want to rescind my predictions that I made in my review of Book III. I was concerned about Nicostratus potentially double-crossing Quin in the future. However, after the plot developments in this book, that seems unlikely. He seems, on the surface, extremely loyal to his brother. Unfortunately, some newly developed discord revolves around Cael.
Let’s Face Facts
Nicostratus hones in on reality. Cael has stronger feelings for Quin than he does for himself. It drops a major roadblock in their relationship development. Nicostratus speaks out about his frustration because Cael’s focus is on regaining his power, the mystery poisoning, and ultimately, Quin.
Readers see Nicostratus putting his relationship with his brother above his romantic relationship. He asks Cael not to come between him and his brother, a valid request and fear. This could tear their relationship apart, and to Nicostratus. To him, that’s unthinkable and something to avoid at all costs.
Cael
I feel Cael develops as a character in Book 4 more than he has thus far. He is morose and dejected when his magic is taken from him. He learns to overcome those limitations, that he still can be a healer throughout Book 4. This growth is hard, and he still profoundly feels the loss. But it has made him a stronger person. Overall, it forces him to develop a deeper sense of self-worth, despite the lack of magic. And that’s a good thing.
No Chess Master
Cael is still impulsive, will always be. It’s something that’s deeply rooted in his sense of morality. He doesn’t think things through, doesn’t logic out the next steps. Which is probably why he always loses at chess!
A good chess player has to see what’s going to happen in the steps ahead, not what’s currently happening. Cael, that’s just not in his character. He reacts to what’s happening now, what’s wrong now. That is a good thing as a healer. He has to quickly ascertain what’s needed to heal someone who might just have a few minutes. So, as a healer, this trait is helpful. It’s less helpful as an inadvertent player in the very complicated chess game the High Duke is playing, where Cael is a pawn.
Quin
Often, Cael rushes into a situation that puts him in danger. Then, Quin has to help him. But Quin is already juggling a LOT of other things at once. It puts Quin in a tough spot. We see time and time again the lengths Quin will go to, to protect and help Cael.
Because Quin is, above all else, someone who deeply believes in his duty. I feel like there’s a big twist as to why, exactly, Quin feels so obligated to protect Cael. Beyond that, he loves him. He just feels honor-bound to look out for this guy. It speaks to his morals, his outlook, and the way he looks at himself that, despite the deep love he has for Cael, he feels like sacrificing his happiness to fulfill his duty to his country is the burden he has to bear.
Theme Developments
The themes in Book 4 of this mm romantasy adventure build upon already established themes in the series.
I’ll Do Anything For You
One major theme throughout the series is an exploration of what one will do to protect and empower the ones they love. Quin is devoted to Cael, even though it doesn’t look like the relationship will ever be more. Regardless, Quin can’t seem to help himself. It’s quite touching how much he loves Cael, while at the same time being continuously frustrated with him.
Family Love vs. Romantic Love
Another important theme explored in Book 4 is family love versus romantic love. Which is more important? There’s a struggle between Nicostratus and Quin in this book, and it has the potential to come between them in a big way. Both love Cael. But they’re fiercely loyal to one another.
Questions
Such a conundrum prompts deep questions: What is the priority? And what does that mean for our story? What sacrifices are necessary if what someone truly desires would hurt their other loved ones? Is it more important to follow one’s desires or sacrifice for the greater good? All hard questions are made harder if one is, well, a very key player.
Recommendation
Do I recommend this MM romantasy series? Uh, yes, I do. I’m a bit obsessed, tbh. But you have a lot of reading to do before you can read Book 4. So what are you waiting for?
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