Review: Anhaga by Lisa Henry

Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.

When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.

With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.

The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice.

Action, drama, heartbreak, romance, and magic - all the markings of an excellent MM fantasy adventure! Consider me very pleased.

In her latest work, Lisa Henry introduces us to Aramin Decourcey, who isn’t necessarily an anti-hero, but certainly isn’t the best of men.

Born in the underbelly of Amberwich society, Min has been raised to be tough and calculating; traits that serve him well in being a mercenary for the ruthless aristocracy.

However, his resolve and loose morals are put to the test when his nephew, Harry, becomes the latest victim of the nobility.

I was sucked into the story from the initial get-go. Yes, Harry’s a bit of an idiot. But he was just a kid, so I could overlook the repeated bad decisions. And it was nice to see from the start that Min had a weak spot, despite his reputation.

This book is action first, and romance second. The plot involves Min being put in the middle of the Sabadines, one of the most powerful families in the kingdom, and the Hidden Lord, the leader of the fae.

The Sabadines send Min on a dangerous journey to retrieve their wayward witch, Kazamir Stone. The terrifying fae seem to have taken a special interest as well.

Min definitely ends up between a rock and a hard place!

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I was thoroughly entertained. The magic, the constant sense of danger, and the uncertain politics all kept me on the edge of my seat. The worldbuilding was excellent!

The relationship between Min and Kaz builds gradually. While Min finds Kaz attractive, being the younger man’s captor isn’t exactly conducive to romance.

Kaz stole my heart pretty early on. He’s a bit broken, but has a core of strength. Something Min can’t help but take notice of, despite trying to ignore it.

Kaz and Min are an odd pair, but they just work. I enjoyed their romance just as much as the grand action plot. The HEA was the perfect way to wrap things up.

Overall, this was an excellent fantasy read. If you’re looking for an entertaining read with magic and a sweet romance, give ‘Anhaga’ a try!

A review copy was provided.