Tadek and the Princess (Mahisti Dynasty, #1.5)
Alexandra Rowland
Long before Tadek Hasira ever made it to the Gold Court to serve as one of the royal family’s elite bodyguards and servants, he was nothing more than a grubby street urchin in the poorest district of the capital city—that is, until her Highness, the Crown Princess Mihrişah, held out her hand in kindness, lifted him out of his circumstances, and gave him a future to dream of. But that was twenty years ago, and tragedy befell the palace only a few years into Tadek’s training. Ever since, Tadek held his unwavering love and loyalty to his princess in silence. No one knows what she was to him, and he is prepared to carry that secret for the rest of his life... Unless someone—the right person—happens to find him standing vigil at her portrait.
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Tadek and the Princess is a novella following the events of [b:A Taste of Gold and Iron|58724599|A Taste of Gold and Iron (Mahisti Dynasty #1)|Alexandra Rowland|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1635774115l/58724599._SY75_.jpg|87027106] but focused on the bodyguard Tadek who had an interesting character arc of his own in that original story. Tadek and the Princess explores Tadek's love and loyalty for the Crown Princess who raised him out of poverty and gave him a better chance at life and how the grief of losing her and not being able to show that has affected him.
Tadek and the Princess is a very niche novella that is clearly written for the readers who grew to love Tadek in A Taste of Gold and Iron and unfortunately as someone who frequently doesn't love cozy, this is just too slow and introspective for me. While I liked Tadek, there is a lot of description of clothing and atmosphere here that I just was completely uninterested in. I also never really felt connected to Tadek's love of the princess since it mostly just seemed like hero worship. I will grant bonus points to Rowland for still managing to make me cry with the handling of Tadek's grief, so I wasn't completely unaffected.
Overall, my favorite parts of this novella where with Tadek's humorous interactions with the newlyweds on their honeymoon rather than his history with the crown princess, which feels like I'm taking the wrong lesson from the story. If you really loved A Taste of Gold and Iron (and Tadek's humor and outsized personality in particular) and you don't mind a more cozy/detail heavy pace, you might pick this one up.
0This was so beautiful, I love Tadek even more! I cried through so much of it but so worth it. The glimpses of Kadou and Evemer brought in some much needed lightness and they helped him heal. Im glad i waited to read this after i had just finished a reread of A Taste of Gold and Iron. I hope Rowland revisits them and we get more time with everyone.
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