The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman

Magic, romance, and slumbering gods clash in the start of a riveting fantasy series spanning gangsters' dens, forgotten temples, and the high seas from the New York Times bestselling author of the Illuminae Files and the Aurora Cycle.

Selly has salt water in her veins. So when her father leaves her high and dry in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter at home while he sails to adventure in the north seas. But any plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician's marks on his arms commandeers her ship under cover of darkness: He is Prince Leander of Alinor, and he needs to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods.

Selly has no desire to escort a spoiled prince anywhere, and no time for his entitled demands or his good looks. But what starts as a leisure cruise will lead to acts of treason and sheer terror on the high seas, bringing two countries to the brink of war, two strangers closer than they ever thought possible and two dangerous gods stirring from centuries of slumber...

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This is the first in a series, so be aware of that if you are thinking of reading it. It also has a map! I love a book with a map, it makes it much easier to track what's going on.

This book follows five characters - some more than others - as their countries dance on the edge of war. It took me a while to sort out the characters, but that's quite common for me. It also features insta love! But it's the kind of insta love where they hate each other at first, and then the plot happens. This isn't a diss on the trope, by the way, I quite enjoyed it - there's something of the David Eddings about this book, which was great to read. (Classic Eddings, not the most recent stuff.)

I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next - and I'm making a preemptive plea for a recap in the next book! There's a lot going on here and it'll be tricky remembering it all.

Great fantasy read. Definitely give it a try.

The Isles of the Gods published on the 2nd of May, 2023 in the US and publishes on the 4th of May, 2023 in the UK, using the same cover. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.