Secrets! Magic! Enemies to. . .something more?

Jack Alston, Lord Hawthorn, would love a nice, safe, comfortable life. After the death of his twin sister, he thought he was done with magic for good. But with the threat of a dangerous ritual hanging over every magician in Britain, he’s drawn reluctantly back into that world.

Now Jack is living in a bizarre puzzle-box of a magical London townhouse, helping an unlikely group of friends track down the final piece of the Last Contract before their enemies can do the same. And to make matters worse, they need the help of writer and thief Alan Ross.

Cagey and argumentative, Alan is only in this for the money. The aristocratic Lord Hawthorn, with all his unearned power, is everything that Alan hates. And unfortunately, Alan happens to be everything that Jack wants in one gorgeous, infuriating package.

When a plot to seize unimaginable power comes to a head at Cheetham Hall―Jack’s ancestral family estate, a land so old and bound in oaths that it’s grown a personality as prickly as its owner―Jack, Alan and their allies will become entangled in a night of champagne, secrets, and bloody sacrifice . . . and the foundations of magic in Britain will be torn up by the roots before the end.

In “A Power Unbound” by Freya Marske, the author leads the series to a stunning conclusion. Even better, I get the story that I’ve been waiting for, the story of Jack. We meet Jack in the first novel, “A Marvelous Light.” While I loved Edwin and Robin, I was intrigued by Jack Hawthorn and even more intrigued when he returns in the second book, so I love that he gets his story told. 

In this conclusion to the series, Jack and Alan are the main couple and a more antagonistic and passionate pair I have yet to meet. I love their dynamic and both the contrasts in their personalities but also the similarities. Here we have a pair of men who both lack trust, both with difficult pasts. While that means it takes time for them to bond, when they do it is explosive. 

I also love that in this novel the author explores the dynamics of power and money, wealth and poverty. She also explores the theme of healing from deep loss and that dynamic is the one that made me literally cry at particular moments in this book. I love how she expounds on found family and love. And I find how she explores magic especially intriguing. The ending is compelling and powerful. 

If you love stories that are powerful and emotional, I highly recommend the entire series, “The Last Binding”. If you liked the previous two books, you will adore this one as it brings the series to a stunning conclusion that will make you weep and rejoice all at the same time. It is lovely and magical. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 family.