Book Club June Selection: Radiance by Grace Draven

It’s time for our every-other-month Smart Bitches Book Club selection!

This month, we were craving some fantasy romance, and we picked a much-recommended and much-loved title, and I cannot wait to talk about it with you.

Our June selection: Radiance by Grace Draven!

Radiance
A | BN | K | AB
If you haven’t read this book before, I hope you’ll give it a try. For me, it was an ideal blend of fantasy and romance, with a friends-to-lovers plot between two characters I really, really liked. Here’s the cover copy:

THE PRINCE OF NO VALUE

Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.

THE NOBLEWOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.

Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.

You can find Radiance at most vendors ( A | BN | K | AB | Scribd ). It’s also available at Overdrive, so it may be accessible through your local library.

I’ll be posting the Book Club Chat time as soon as I have it, too, so stay tuned for that. I hope you enjoy Radiance – I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Update: The chat will occur on June 28 at 8pm EDT. Hope you can make it!

Comments are Closed

  1. Danielle says:

    I adore this book. And I’m seriously picky! It’s gone on my favorite’s list (and it’s a very short list).

    A couple with equal power in the relationship? Check.
    A hero that respects the heroine and never pushes her? Check.
    An intelligent and brave heroine? Check.
    A relationship based on trust and respect rather than lust? Check.
    An arranged marriage where both people are logical and reasonable rather that throwing a tantrum and whining? Check.

  2. oceanjasper says:

    I was disappointed when I read Radiance after all the rave reviews. Ildiko and Brishen were supposed to find each other repulsive because they were completely different species, but right from the start they were very physically affectionate, with hugs, chaste kisses and so on. This didn’t feel realistic to me and it kind of ruined the anticipation created by the arranged marriage scenario. Also, they were both such reasonable and good-natured people who easily adapted to each other’s customs and attitudes; there was no distrust or cultural misunderstanding to overcome, which might have made their relationship more emotionally involving. Their practical partnership turned to love too easily. I thought this book was a real missed opportunity.

  3. kitkat9000 says:

    I loved this book for all the reasons listed by Danielle.

    To address the concerns raised by oceanjasper: (I don’t believe this is spoilery since everything I’m going to reference happens in the first few chapters, but consider yourself warned.)

    The fact that Brishen & Ildiko met accidentally in the garden pre-ceremony and talked in a fairly unrestrained manner, answering each other’s questions honestly formed the basis for their friendship. That Brishen then spoke to her again in the castle despite the queen’s protest where he and Ildiko made a deal, followed by helping one another during the stresses of the ceremony, reception, & journey to his home solidified that basis into a strong foundation. I loved all of it. In point of fact, Ms Draven is one of very few auto-buy authors for me.

    Of course, as always, ymmv.

  4. kitkat9000 says:

    Ok, what happened to that comment? Weird.

  5. SB Sarah says:

    My fault! Sorry about that. It’s back.

  6. Joy says:

    I absolutely love this book. A friendship based on shared temperament, deepened by shared danger. I found their sincere attempts to make a good life together very touching. Its kind of the ultimate friends to lovers story.

    The world building is excellent and there are touches of humor to liven it up. The Kai reaction to a potato as food in particular!

  7. tee says:

    I HAUNT Grace Draven’s web presence. I could just join a newsletter, I guess, but instead I compulsively check to see if she has a new book out at least once a month. I am WAY PAST loving her books, I too am an auto-buy with her, and that, for me, is SO, so rare.

    I’m so glad to see the love here.

  8. Mara says:

    Loved this one!! I like that there’s a little bit of a slow burn, and of course, I’m a sucker for an arranged marriage/marriage of convenience story.

  9. PegS says:

    I also adored this one. It was so refreshing to have a couple who were *adults* and worked together to make the best of a bad situation,instead of being all pouty and rebellious. The slow buildup of their love just felt so natural too.

  10. Kareni says:

    I truly enjoyed Radiance. I’ve had the sequel on hand for several months but am a little nervous to read it in case it doesn’t do the first book justice.

  11. ReneeG says:

    I’m also one of those who loved this book. But like Kareni, I’m wary of reading the second volume . . . on the other hand, I’ve loved everything Draven has written, so there is that!

  12. ClaireC says:

    Another who has read the first and really enjoyed it, but hasn’t read the sequel yet! It’s on my Kindle, so I think I’ll queue it up for my trip next week. I also really liked her Master of Crows book, but again, haven’t made it to the sequel!

  13. Salty Girl says:

    I loved it too, but I confess it took a while for me to get into it. I really struggled with all the names…there were a lot of keep track of, and they were so alien that I couldn’t easily remember who was male, female, or from which kingdom. (Katniss and Peeta, anyone? The names are still odd but its obvious who is male & female.) I picked Radiance up 2 or 3 times before I forced myself to plow through the opening chapters….then I got hooked! I don’t think I would have persevered had I not read such glowing recommendations.

  14. DonnaMarie says:

    This has been hanging out in my Kindle for ages. Guess I’d better get busy. And since I had resolved to clear some of my Kindle back log, double reason to spend tomorrow morning out on the patio. Vacuum, shmacuum.

  15. kitkat9000 says:

    Bit of a subject change- has anyone read her Gaslight Hades? I think it was described as a Gothic Victorian steampunk.

    Also excellent.

    As is Entreat Me- her spin on the Beauty & Beast trope.

  16. Chanel says:

    I ADORE Grace Draven!! Radiance was my first read by her followed by Master of Crows. She is so fantastic and has the most amazing covers!!!

  17. Pamala says:

    Adding my voice to the Grace Draven and RADIANCE adoration! The second book, EIDOLON, is good too. But I love everything already mentioned–the adult friendship that lead to the slow burning love and passion. I also disagree that there was no tension or danger. The marriage came about to seal a treaty and no one, absolutely NO ONE, on either side expected them to get along or even to be able to tolerate each other. Grace Draven showed the differences and how hard it is to adapt but also how much they had in common. How the traits they admired in their own people were also evident in themselves.

    So glad this is the bookclub book!

  18. LisaJo885 says:

    Wonderful book! Gail Carriger just did it for her book club last month.

  19. oceanjasper says:

    Since I’m the lone voice here, I’ll just add that I didn’t dislike this book. Ironically, I normally steer clear of fantasy or paranormal and yet I quite enjoyed the world building and the external plot. I had my expectations raised by all the “slow burn romance” comments in the reviews but the main characters seemed to fall into an easy companionship too quickly. This made for a pleasant but not particularly emotional reading experience. They were supposed to find each other’s appearance hideous, so moments of physical contact should have been bigger milestones, in my opinion. Yes, it was nice to read about a relationship based on open-minded communication and mutual respect, etc. (and I hate TSTL feistiness and alpha breastbeating as much as anyone) but I didn’t find it very exciting.

  20. Lucy says:

    I started reading this at lunchtime today and ended up engrossed for the whole afternoon. I loved it. Such a good example of how you can have two characters who are unfailingly *kind* to each other right from the beginning, but still have a whole evolving, interesting, dramatic relationship arc. And it’s such a fundamental truth, I think, that once you love people, whether that’s romantically or in a family or friendship bond, you almost don’t see what they look like anymore. They just are who they are, and you see their personality when you look at their face. The more you like someone, the more beautiful they become physically (and conversely, the more you dislike someone because of the way they act and think, the less their good looks matter). This was like an extreme manifestation of something that holds true even in everyday life.

  21. JenM says:

    For those of you that have Eidolon, the second book, but are afraid to read it in case it’s a let down, let me assure that that it most definitely is not. It’s a different kind of story than Radiance, with more fantasy elements, but it’s just as good. Ildiko and Brishen were wonderful and there was a lot of action also. Every time she called him “Prince of Night” and he called her “Woman of Day”, you could just feel the love between them. Really. Read it! You won’t be sorry.

  22. HOLY FRICK FRACK THIS SOUNDS LIKE ALL OF MY CATNIP!

    I haven’t read much fantasy romance but daaaaaaaaaaaaamn this sounds good! GUESS WHO IS TOTES GONNA PARTICIPATE AHHH!

    @SB Sarah Will you be posting the book chat date/time as a new blog post, or editing this post to include it?

  23. SB Sarah says:

    I’ll do both – a new post, plus an event, and update the entry here. No worries!

  24. Kareni says:

    Thanks for your words, JenM, about the sequel; they are good to hear. I’ll move Eidolon up my stack.

  25. KtB says:

    I’m new to the Bitchery (so new that I’m still struggling with the lingo) and a book club selection sounded like a good way to join the fray. I am already a big fan of series paranormal romances, Kate Daniels and Mercy Thompson are my favorites, so my first thought was, “NNNNOOOOO! Not another open ended series!!!!” But I was sucked in anyway.
    I liked that from the very beginning, they admitted their lack of attraction for each other’s species. Very much a ‘love the one you marry’ versus ‘marry the one you love’ kind of story. I’m looking forward to the chat!
    That being said, I need someone to post a phonetic guide to their names. Please?

  26. Karenza says:

    I love the way Grace Draven writes and I love this book and agree with all the positive comments already made.

    For those who thought it was insta-love, I felt it was very much in character of those who are born to have their self worth recognized only in what they can bring to their country by means of diplomatic means and loved how they very maturely make up their mind to do the best they can under the circumstances. I am so tired of books where couples snipe and fight and try to prove they are “their own person and cannot be controlled” when in reality, they are pawns in the hands of the political system they were born into and they only people they are making miserable are themselves (and of course those of us who paid good money to read about them)

    In other words – their story perfect to the world and back ground Ms.Draven had created. Left me with a warm lovely feeling for days after the book was finished!

  27. Louise says:

    @oceanjasper
    I’m going to join you in lone-voice-in-the-wilderness-land. The voice says: Meh.

    What I saw was 90% Mary Sue, 5% each of two unrelated plots that should have taken much more of the storyline, allowing the budding romance to happen bit by bit in between times.

    When I said Mary Sue, I didn’t mean the character herself, although she is one–as is he. (Have they no faults? Does she at least pick her nose?) I meant the relationship itself. No conflict, no tension, no development. At the beginning they’re two perfect people who like each other; at the end they’re two perfect people who love each other. Yawn.

    And, a detail that continuously bugged me: Why does Mary S–, oops, I mean Ildiko, have an ordinary human female name while everyone else has a made-from-scratch fantasy-novel name? Making it worse, after moving to a different linguistic community she acquires the title hercegesé. Suspecting the worst (I don’t know Hungarian, but you can see the “Herzog” lurking in there), I looked it up. wtf?

  28. Kri says:

    I’ve never read fantasy romance before, and this was so good that it has opened doors to a whole new genre for me. My wallet and I thank you.

    I’m also finally enthusiastic enough to overcome time differences and wake up at 5 AM for this book club chat!

  29. I adore Grace Draven’s writing. I find her to be both artist and craftsperson. Her books never fail to make me weep and laugh and swoon. (Can’t believe I wrote “swoon”.) But it’s true. I am endlessly embroiled in the machinations of her worlds. Brishen and Ildiko may just be my all-time fave pairing. Can’t wait for the chat!

  30. I loved this book and just finished reading Eidolon. Master of Crows was fantastic, too. I agree. I adore Grace Draven’s writing!

  31. HOLY KRAKEN, YALL PEEPS WERE NOT LYING!

    I just started this yesterday & have been live tweeting it (@Fangirl_Musing for any interested) but that’s not the point! THE POINT IS OMG THIS BOOK IS CRACK!

    Im only on page 97 but my ass is snatched! I can’t wait for the book chat omg!

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