The entanglement of rival wizards

Sebastian Walsh can't stand Elethior Tourael, who has had everything handed to him by his powerful family. Plus, Elethior studies conjuration, which, in Sebastian's opinion, is an inferior magic to the evocation that he studies. Then the grant committee--the one assessing the grant Sebastian needs to complete his graduate studies--decides that Elethior's and Sebastian's individual proposals would work better as one project. As they work together, Sebastian learns that Elethior isn't quite what he seems, and finds he might not hate him after all. And that, in fact, he might want to make out with him. Raasch's latest (after Go Luck Yourself, 2025) answers the question: what if Dungeons & Dragons was set at a magical university in Philadelphia, and there was kissing? Sebastian is a mess of spiraling anger and anxiety, barely coping with trauma thanks to the help of his best friend, half-giant Orok (who, according to the back matter, will be featured in the sequel). This steamy, queer, new-adult, academia romance will appeal to those who like their romantasy grounded in the real world.

Raasch (Go Luck Yourself) enchants with this queer fantasy romance. Sebastian "Seb" Walsh is a hot-headed college student studying the magical discipline of evocation and preparing to apply for a research grant he needs to graduate and secure a job in the nonprofit sector. Also competing for the grant is Elethior "Thio" Tourael, a conjuration student from a wealthy family who run an unethical magical research and military development company. Between their departments' long-standing rivalry and Seb's personal and moral qualms with the Tourael family, the two students are sworn enemies. Their grant proposals, however, are strikingly similar, leading the college to award the funding to both boys with the stipulation that they work together, hoping the collaboration will end the animosity between the two departments. Forced to share a lab, they butt heads as they work towards their goals, all while sexual tension mounts, especially when Seb learns that Thio doesn't support his family's immoral practices. Raasch pulls from familiar fantasy and romance tropes while adding in enough unique worldbuilding details to keep things fresh, and she handles themes of trauma and family strife with care. The fun magic school setting, animated and complex characters, and steamy enemies-to-lovers romance will have readers hooked. Agent: Amy Stapp, Wolfson Literary. (Aug.)