Poison or Protect

I’ll admit, I side-eyed the premise at first—*another* assassin-meets-soldier romance? But *Poison or Protect* disarmed me within chapters. Carriger’s worldbuilding is deceptively light; she drops you into a London where poison is a lady’s best accessory and Highlanders carry more than just kilts (though, let’s be honest, the kilt scenes are *a choice*). The real magic, though, is in the dialogue. Every exchange between the leads is a power play, and Lavington’s narration sells it. She nails the assassin’s icy detachment and the soldier’s *just barely* restrained exasperation, but where she *shines* is in the subtext. A paused breath here, a clipped syllable there—it’s the audiobook equivalent of a raised eyebrow. That said, the middle act drags slightly with a subplot involving a secondary character that feels like a detour from the main tension. And while the chemistry is electric, the romantic resolution leans *slightly* too neat for a story that otherwise revels in moral ambiguity. Still, the final act delivers a payoff that’s equal parts explosive and satisfying. Lavington’s performance in the climax—especially during a certain *tea-related* confrontation—is worth the price of admission alone. If you love enemies-to-lovers with actual teeth, historical fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and narrators who can make ‘I’d rather not kill you today’ sound like foreplay, this is your next listen. Just maybe don’t sip your Earl Grey while listening.