The House of the Red Balconies

3.5 stars. Like 2022's [b:Honey and Pepper 60620498 Honey and Pepper (When in Pheme, #1) A.J. Demas https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647308677l/60620498.SX50.jpg 95554039], this one feels slight compared to the brilliant [b:Sword Dance 51856712 Sword Dance (Sword Dance, #1) A.J. Demas https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1564091594l/51856712.SX50_SY75.jpg 71873589] trilogy. Hylas has a strong personal arc; he arrives in Tykanos with a boatload of emotional and professional baggage, but develops ease and confidence over the course of his stay. Zo is a bit of a cipher because Reasons, but props to Demas for writing an MC with chronic pain issues. Their love story is meh, but if Hylas is happy with Zo, I am happy for him. I'm still a huge fan of the author, who astutely describes her work as “gentle love stories with a strong sense of place and a lot of talking”; and “characters who make good choices most of the time and treat each other with respect.” Demas warns that her next book, to be published in September 2024, amps up the angst and tropiness. I'm glad she's trying something new, but hope she doesn't forsake the rare and welcome niche that she inhabits in the queer romance space.