REVIEW: The Lovers by Kristin Cast

The Lovers by Kristin Cast: One enchanted tarot card. Two infuriatingly hot men. And a heroine who refuses to be anyone’s damsel.

Gemma Summers is barely holding her life together. Broke, burned out, and weeks away from moving back in with her parents, she’s trying to survive the fallout of a career collapse and a confidence crisis. The last person she needs to see again is Alder Hawke — the wealthy, magnetic ex who broke her heart and still knows exactly how to unravel her.

But when a magickal tarot card sends them spiraling into another realm, Gemma and Alder land in the steampunk-laced Kingdom of Cups — a world ruled by power, secrets, and shifting loyalties. Survival means working together, even as old wounds resurface and new dangers rise.

And then there’s the former king — roguish, perceptive, and far too good at seeing through Gemma’s defenses. Caught between the man who once shattered her trust and a ruler who may not be what he seems, Gemma must decide who she is in this new world — and who she’s willing to become.

THE LOVERS by Kristin Cast was tarot meets steam, toxic ex energy meets self-discovery — all wrapped in a spellbinding fantasy setting.

The chemistry was steamy, the emotional push-and-pull feels intentional, and I genuinely enjoyed watching Gemma stop apologizing for taking up space. This was a romantasy with spice, banter, and a heroine choosing herself before choosing anyone else — and honestly, that’s my favorite kind of love story.

Tropes & Themes

• Steampunk romantasy
• Fate-driven magic
• Strong heroine energy
• Love triangle tension
• Toxic ex vs. new temptation
• Identity + reinvention
• Trust & betrayal
• Power and identity
• Emotional resilience
• Strong heroine energy

THE LOVERS by Kristin Cast is the kind of romantasy that throws you straight into emotional chaos — and then dares you to enjoy it. If you love romantasy with bite, banter, and a heroine figuring herself out while two very different men make things complicated — this one’s for you.

QOTD: If a tarot card dropped you into another realm… are you running back home or staying to see what (and who) is waiting for you?

Book Info:

Publication: February 10, 2026 | Bloom Books | Towerfall

Gemma Summers is broke, burnt out, and about three weeks from moving back in with her parents. Her career has imploded, her confidence is circling the drain, and the last thing she needs is a run in with Alder Hawke—the dangerously charming ex who still haunts her dreams and could buy her a new life with just his pocket change.

When a magickal tarot card sends them spiraling—literally—into another realm and they land in the steampunk inspired Kingdom of Cups, Gemma is forced to rely on the man who shattered her trust, broke her heart, and somehow still makes her weak in the knees.

But survival in the world of Towerfall is anything but simple, especially when she’s caught between the ex who wants to own her and a roguish former king who sees through every one of her defenses.

With secrets mounting, identities unraveling, and her heart very much on the line, Gemma must decide: will she cling to the version of herself she built in the real world… or risk everything to become the woman she was always meant to be?