The Iron Hex by Victoria S. Walsh

Blurb:

She doesn’t remember her past. But some memories come with a cost.

Eira Eckhart has spent years building a quiet life in a small town at the edge of a recently overthrown kingdom. Her memory is fractured, her past a blur—but with her shop, her loyal rabbit familiar, and practicing only the potions magic still legal under the watchful eye of the Iron Empire, she’s managed to remain unnoticed by the empire’s witch hunters.

Until Hugo Venton walks through her door.

Brash, clever, and infuriatingly handsome, Hugo is searching for something…and seems to know more about Eira than she knows about herself. But when a terrifying encounter with an unnatural, deadly new breed of soldier puts a price on her head, she has no choice but to join Hugo on his quest.

Their hunt for a missing princess pulls Eira across the continent—and deeper into a past she can’t recall. As buried memories, mysteries in the Iron Empire’s capital, forgotten feelings, and the truth behind her identity begin to surface, Eira realizes the forbidden magic simmering in her veins might be the very thing that could save them from the Iron Empire’s forces as they draw ever closer…if she can remember how to control it in time.

FOR FANS OF:

• Yearning

• The guard that falls in love with their assignment

• Enemies to friends to lovers

• Forbidden magic

• Memory loss plotlines

• Spark of the Everflame and A Fate Inked in Blood

• Plus sized main characters (whose weight is the least important thing about them)

• Powerful women in romantasy

Review:

Eira Eckhart has spent years building a quiet life. One that places her in a small town at the edge of a nearby, recently overthrown, kingdom. With a fractured memory and a blurred past, she cannot do much, but she does enjoy tending her shop with her sassy rabbit familiar. She also very much enjoys practicing creating the potions that are still legal under the dominance of the Iron Empire, which has restricted the use of magic across the continent. She’s desperate, above all else, to ensure her shop and her livelihood is never touched or altered by the empire’s witch hunters.

That is, until Hugo Venton, a notorious witch hunter, pays her a visit.

Cunning, charismatic, and hopelessly self-serving, Hugo needs something from Eira that she doesn’t think she has, and he seems to know far too much about her. When a terrifying new breed of soldier puts a price on Eira’s head for her works in magic, she has no choice but to flee home and join Hugo on his quest to acquire what he wants: a missing princess.

Their journey takes them across the world and immerses Eira in a past she can’t quite recall. As her memories resurface and the Iron Empire’s corruption becomes apparent, Eira begins to realize the forbidden magic in her veins might be the very thing that can protect her from the empire’s ruthless soldiers as they hunt her down…if she can master it before they catch up to her.

On the description for this novel, Amazon writes that it’s for fans of “yearning, enemies to friends to lovers, forbidden magic, and memory loss” – and they didn’t really need to say anything else for me to request this ARC on NetGalley!

This is a charismatic, smart, immersive high fantasy novel with so many of my favorite tropes. With charming characters, intriguing plots, sexy romance, and a healthy dose of a unique magic system, this novel sucked me right in and refused to let me go. It was pacey, clever, and engaging in a way my favorite novels are, with a special emphasis on a quest—which is almost a lost art in the fantasy genre.

I loved, loved, loved the unique take on quests returning to fantasy narratives. I don’t think I’ve read such a narrative in a long time. The Iron Hex puts a fresh twist on classic literature through a modern snapshot, making it one of my favorite reads of the month. 

I also particularly loved the sass and characterization of the characters, especially in regard to the protagonist. It was simply too easy to root for her and to get engaged with her story, especially with the memory loss plot. 

I know some readers get tired of memory loss plots, but when done right, they can be a core plot in any well-dressed narrative. Walsh manages this tenfold, making the reveal of Eira’s memories all the more impactful when the truth comes to light.

The world itself was also particularly interesting to me, considering world building is one of my favorite parts of the stories I enjoy. The setting, the magic—it all pulled and pressed at the most particular parts of my mind.

The corrupt, oppressive empire was a great commentary on how oppressive regimes can damage the lives they impact.

The chase of the soldiers coming after Eira and Hugo’s quest added the perfect amount of stakes and intrigue, giving the story a well-paced feel that isn’t overwhelmed by too many in-depth descriptions.

Overall, The Iron Hex was masterfully written, and I hope to read more of Walsh’s stories soon!