I went into Quicksilver by Callie Hart not entirely sure what I was getting into. I came out the other side completely unable to stop thinking about it. This is book one of the Fae & Alchemy series and it is exactly the kind of dark, immersive fantasy romance that reminds you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place.

★★★★ — 4 stars. A solid, gripping fantasy romance that I’d push into anyone’s hands without hesitation.

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The Book

Saeris lives in a harsh desert world where water is so scarce it’s basically currency. She’s scrappy, resourceful, and genuinely strong — not in a performative way, not in a “she thinks she’s strong but she’s actually helpless” way. She just is. And I love that about her. So many FMC characters in romantasy can tip into whiny, and Saeris never does. She holds her own from page one.

Then there’s Carrion — who we meet in a tavern in one of the first big scenes, and who is exactly as complicated as he seems like he isn’t — and Kingfisher, who I will not say too much about because if you haven’t met him yet, that’s a gift I don’t want to spoil. Strong. Brooding. The kind of character you read a whole series for.

The magic system leans into alchemy and I am a big alchemy fan, so this world grabbed me fast. The desert setting transitioning into the Fae realm gives the book this incredible contrast — all heat and scarcity in one world, and then cold and beauty and danger in the other. Callie Hart builds both really well.

If you love enemies to lovers, morally complex side characters, a heroine who doesn’t need saving, and magic that actually has internal logic — this one is for you.

The Drink Pairing: Vodka Soda at Charlotte Street Pub

The drink pairing for Quicksilver is a vodka soda — and here’s the reason behind it.

The tavern in the book is also where so much begins — it’s where we get some of our first real glimpses of who these characters are before everything gets complicated.

In Asheville, I took mine at Charlotte Street Grill & Pub — one of those bars that’s been a fixture of this city forever, low-key and comfortable in exactly the right way. Order whatever’s on tap or keep it simple with a vodka soda and just sit with the book for a while.

Charlotte Street Grill & Pub | 157 Charlotte St, Asheville, NC

The Food Pairing: Mushroom Toast from Mother

Okay. Story time.

The food pairing I wanted to make was the quiche — there’s a scene in the book around Chapter 20 at the war camp with Carrion, and quiche felt like exactly the right match for it. Rich, a little indulgent, something warm and filling after a long stretch of not much.

Mother had a quiche on the menu. Then they replaced it with a frittata. I thought: fine, frittata it is. Except the frittata is only served until 3pm. I got there at 3:30.

So the food pairing is the mushroom toast from Mother, which — to be completely fair — is absolutely delicious and I have zero complaints about it as a meal. It just had nothing to do with the book, which is very on-brand for how this pairing came together.

Lesson learned: check the hours before you go. Mother has updated their menu and times, and things change. The mushroom toast and chocolate mousse are both worth it even when you’re not on a book-pairing mission.

Visit motheravl.com for current hours and menu.

The Soundtrack

For the desert world, the grit, and the tavern scenes: something with a dark, driving energy. I’d lean into anything atmospheric and moody — think cinematic, a little dusty, a little dangerous.

For the Fae realm and Kingfisher specifically: something that feels like cold mountain air and bruised herbs. If you know, you know.

One song I felt that worked well though for our beloved Saeris and Kingfisher is Cosmic Love by Florence + The Machine.

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Follow along on Instagram at @winedineandread — Brimstone is up next and Saeris is not done surprising us.