by C. L. Polk
First published 2018
Miles Singer bears a witchmark that dooms him to serve his noble family's political schemes or face imprisonment in an asylum. He chooses war instead, fighting in the conflict between Aeland and Laneer. When he returns home, Miles fakes his death and becomes a doctor at a struggling veterans' hospital. His new identity crumbles when a dying patient forces him to reveal his healing powers. The patient dies from poison, and Miles realizes someone murdered him. To solve the crime, Miles must risk everything he has built. He needs help from the family he fled and finds himself drawn to a man whose beauty captivates him. The investigation pulls Miles back into the world of magical politics he tried to escape. His search for truth becomes a fight for his freedom in a society where magic determines fate.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, mystery, fantasy
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Aeland, Laneer
Period: 19th-century
318 pages · Kindle Edition · Tor.com
Content warnings: violence