By Raven
Edited by Sherriece Hughes
Will Til Quest Do Us Part be your next favorite cozy romantasy this December?
BEFORE WE DIVE IN…
Genre: Cozy romantasy with a strong emphasis on the romance side of things.
Age Group: Adult.
Content Warnings: Sexual content, violence, mention of parental death, abandonment, cheating (while in an arranged betrothal for non-romantic political reasons).
Series Standing: This is a new standalone from the author, but she plans on making another standalone book set in the same universe!
Spice Level: Mild to Moderate. A few moderately spicy scenes in a book filled with yearning.
About the Book
We always read about chosen ones, but what happens to the chosen ones when they defeat the big bad? Do they live happily ever after, or do the consequences of their actions catch up to them?
Til Quest Do Us Part follows Princess Elysande (Ely) and her knight, Faron, ten years after completing the quest set out by the Thousand-Eyed Goddess. Ely is set to be married to a rival kingdom to bring peace between the lands until she realizes one thing is standing in her way . . . her hasty marriage, a decade before their presumed deaths, to her knight!
What follows is a last-minute, ill-thought-out quest to the Goddess’s temple to ask for her blessing in destroying their binding union, all while trying to keep their yearning and tension at everything left unspoken from getting in the way. Will Princess Elysande stick with her Goddess-given duty, or will she follow her heart for once in her life?
READER PROFILE
This might be for you if:
You enjoy fairytales but want to see what happens after the happy ever after, especially when those loose ends aren’t tied.
You adore the flashbacks and the will-they-won’t-they second chance romance of When Javi Dumped Mari.
You loved Mulan 2 and her struggle to decide between duty and her heart.
You want a cozy romantasy similar to Tusk Love or Behooved with a quest for the love interests, but aren’t a big fan of the love interest being non-human.
You crave a queen x knight relationship similar to Legend of Zelda but if they actually got together for once!
You’re looking for subtle, normalized neurodivergence in fantasy representation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ivelisse Housman is a Puerto Rican American author of the Unseelie duology and Til Quest Do Us Part. She was diagnosed autistic at age fifteen and incorporates neurodivergent representation into her books. Ivelisse Housman is married to her high school sweetheart/arch nemesis.
WHAT READERS THINK
“This was like reading a Y2K medieval/fantasy movie in the best way! If you loved Ella Enchanted or A Knights Tale then chances are you will absolutely adore this book! It doesn’t take itself too seriously while still hitting the important emotional beats and without compromising the heart of the story. . . .”—RavenCantRead on Goodreads
“This was genuinely so touching. My heart is full. 💗
It took me a minute for the storytelling to click, and I honestly thought maybe this was a sequel at first. But then I realized we were doing something totally different, and I really loved that. Instead of focusing on the typical fantasy adventure storyline, this is more about what happens after happily ever after and how love can change and grow as we get older.
This second-chance romance had so much of what I look for. The yearning was so good. The way the FMC knew the MMC’s body language, understood his silences, and knew how to support him when he was anxious was genuinely heartwarming. And the banter!! I was actually laughing out loud at times.
As a neurodivergent reader, the representation meant a lot to me, especially seeing it portrayed so thoughtfully and realistically. I also loved that the story explored the strengths that come from the FMC’s differences, especially how her mind not being tethered to one place or time made her more open to receiving and communing with the divine. . . .”—knowyourshelf on StoryGraph
“. . . As soon as I learned this was a Legend of Zelda-inspired love story, I knew I had to drop everything and read it! Til Quest Do Us Part certainly delivers on the intended Princess x Knight trope and while it is Zelda inspired, the world and the characters still feel distinct apart from a few similarities a fan would pick up on . . .”—Brandi on Goodreads
BOOK REPORTER’S REVIEW
I love a cozy romantasy and found this a quaint addition to the growing genre. Til Quest Do Us Us Part would be a good read to curl up next to a fire on a snowy day and to read during those quiet moments you get amidst chaos in your life. Winter is the perfect time for the slow burn, for yearning, for staying warm inside while reading about characters braving the cold found in this book.
And yet, I was ultimately left wanting a bit more with this book. More comedy, more definable characters, more plot . . . something felt missing to make this book stand out compared to some other powerhouses in the genre. Sometimes cozy can feel too cozy without enough stakes or plot to keep things interesting. I’m always looking for disability representation in books, and I loved the subtle autism & ADHD representation but would have loved seeing even more of that throughout the book.
However, if you are looking for something slow with a lot of yearning to read before bed, or a lower stakes palette cleanser in between other books, I would recommend picking up Til Quest Do Us Part, if not for the absolutely gorgeous cover art and sprayed edges alone.
My favorite (spoiler-free!) quote:
“Please, brave Sir Knight,” she said dryly, looking at him over her shoulder. “Rescue me from the encroaching danger of back lacing and a mildly injured shoulder.”
“Believe it or not, Faron, I’ve never been in a ‘platonic married former lovers with benefits’ situation before. I doubt anyone has.
Thank you to Berkley and Ace Books for the advanced copy!
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