Quicksilver is Callie Hart’s fae romantasy about Saeris Fane, a thief from a water-starved desert city who falls through a gateway into a Fae realm and ends up bound to a warrior she has good reason to distrust. Here are the short answers most people are searching for.
It is spicy, with explicit open-door scenes. It is the first book in the Fae & Alchemy series, planned as a trilogy. Book 2, Brimstone, came out on November 18, 2025. Book 3 has no title yet and is listed for September 7, 2027.
The rest of this guide covers the plot without spoilers, the characters, how we rate the spice, content warnings, reading order, and how the book sits next to ACOTAR.
Quicksilver at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Quicksilver |
| Author | Callie Hart |
| Series | Fae & Alchemy, book 1 of a planned trilogy |
| Genre | Adult romantasy (fantasy romance with Fae characters) |
| Main characters | Saeris Fane and Kingfisher (called Fisher) |
| First published | Self-published in June 2024, then picked up by traditional publishers, including Hodderscape in the UK and Forever in the US |
| Length | Roughly 610 to 670 pages, depending on the edition |
| Age guidance | The publisher recommends it for readers 17 and up |
| Adaptation | Retailer copy says a Netflix feature film is in development |
What is Quicksilver about?
Saeris Fane is 24 and lives in a desert where water is rationed. She survives by picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs, and she hides some odd powers she doesn’t understand.
When she comes face to face with a figure she takes for Death, she accidentally reopens a gateway between realms. She wakes in Yvelia, a land of ice and snow, where the Fae turn out to be real and already deep in a centuries-old conflict. No human has walked there in over a thousand years.
Saeris binds herself to Kingfisher, a Fae warrior with a murky past and a short temper. He wants to use her abilities as an Alchemist to protect his people, whatever it costs her. He is also her only route home. That tension, a reluctant partnership between two people who each need something from the other, drives the book.
One note on the title: in the novel, quicksilver is a magical substance tied to Saeris's alchemy, not a nod to anything outside the story.What genre is Quicksilver?
Quicksilver is romantasy: fantasy where the central relationship matters as much as the plot. It is firmly adult. The publisher describes it as no-holds-barred, with banter, action and a heavy dose of romance, and recommends it for readers 17 and over.
The fantasy side has a quest and a war. The Fae realm is under pressure from a neighboring enemy, and Saeris’s magic may matter to the outcome. If you prefer romance with light worldbuilding, this has more plot than that. If you want a book where the fantasy takes over and the romance fades into the background, it leans the other way.
Quicksilver characters
This section stays close to the opening of the book. Anything bigger is flagged.
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Saeris Fane | Protagonist. A human thief and a gifted Alchemist who is learning what her magic can do. |
| Kingfisher (Fisher) | Fae warrior, introduced as Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. Brooding, guarded, and tied to Saeris by the binding. |
| Everlayne (Layne) De Barra | Fae friend of Fisher’s who had long hoped to find him. |
| Renfis (Ren) Orithian | Layne’s companion, part of the same circle. |
| Belikon | The Fae king and Layne’s father. He has a fraught history with Fisher. |
| Carrion | A recurring ally in the wider series. Hart has said he and Kingfisher spend a lot of time together in Brimstone. |
Saeris is stubborn, resourceful and wary, and the book spends real time on her learning to trust her own power. Kingfisher is the sort of character the genre loves: cutting, secretive and tougher on himself than on anyone else. Whether that works for you is a matter of taste.
If you want more of Fisher’s side of things, Hart published free bonus scenes from his point of view on her website before Brimstone came out. Some reading-order guides list them as 1.5.
Is Quicksilver spicy?
Yes. By publisher and reader descriptions, Quicksilver contains explicit, open-door sex scenes. The publisher’s own warning mentions adult situations, and the marketing copy promises a blistering hot romance.
How we rate spice
We use a five-point scale based on how explicit the scenes are on the page.
| Rating | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1 | Kisses and romantic tension only |
| 2 | Sensual scenes that fade to black |
| 3 | Some open-door scenes with moderate detail |
| 4 | Open-door scenes with explicit detail |
| 5 | Frequent, very graphic scenes |
Quicksilver gets a 4 out of 5. This is an editorial estimate built from publisher copy and third-party descriptions, not a scene-by-scene count. Ratings are subjective: a German edition of the book is listed at 2 out of 5, so scales vary a lot between sources.
What a 4/5 means here
- Explicitness. The most intimate scenes happen on the page with real detail. They don’t fade to black.
- How often. Reader guides point to three fully explicit scenes and two shorter, lighter ones. Using one reader’s page markers for a 2024 paperback, those scenes add up to roughly 30 of about 620 pages, around 5%. That is our own rough arithmetic from a single guide, not an official figure.
- Beyond the scenes. Reviewers also mention sexual banter and crude language outside those chapters, so the book’s heat isn’t confined to them.
- Pacing. The romance builds slowly. The leads begin as wary partners, the first lightly steamy moment is reported around chapter 12, and the first explicit scene around chapter 22.
- Romance versus plot. The romance is central, but a war and a magic system carry real story weight too.
Fact versus opinion
What we can source: the publisher warns of graphic violence and adult situations and recommends the book for ages 17 and up. What is editorial: the 4/5 score and the slow-burn description. Not every reader will find it equally spicy.
Heat versus explicitness
The romance burns slowly. Saeris and Kingfisher start as wary partners, and the early chapters rely on banter, friction and forced closeness. Explicit scenes arrive after that tension has built. So the book has strong chemistry throughout, but the explicit content is not constant.
If you want a low-spice story, this one isn’t it. If you want a slow-burn romance that eventually goes fully open door, it fits.
Chapter-level spice
We haven’t listed spicy chapters. Chapter numbers differ between editions and we haven’t verified them against a copy. Readers who skip explicit scenes should check a source that cites the edition they own. One reviewer notes that the author’s site offers modified versions of some scenes, which we haven’t confirmed, so look there first.
Quicksilver spicy chapters: which chapters have explicit scenes?
This guide is for readers who want to find, or avoid, the intimate scenes. It is reader-reported. We haven’t checked it against a copy ourselves, and chapter numbers can differ by edition (see below). Where sources disagree, we say so.
| Chapter | Scene classification | Brief, non-graphic description | Spoiler level | Verification status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Kissing or sensual intimacy | A short, early moment of physical closeness between the two leads. Guides disagree on how far it goes; at least one lists it as kissing only. | Low | Reader-reported; intensity disputed |
| 20 | Sensual scene, brief | A short, heated scene and one of the lighter entries. One guide’s page markers put it at about two pages. | Low | Reader-reported; explicitness unconfirmed |
| 22 | Explicit sexual content | The first fully explicit scene, near the book’s midpoint and the longest of the five. Some magic- and relationship-related details come up around it. | Moderate | Reader-reported; also on a reported list of closed-door-modified scenes |
| 27 | Explicit sexual content | A second explicit scene, shorter than chapter 22, in a chapter where the relationship shifts. | Moderate | Reader-reported; also on that list |
| 37 | Explicit sexual content | The last of the explicit scenes, before the final stretch. Bond-related developments occur in the same chapter, so this is the most spoiler-sensitive entry. | Moderate to high | Reader-reported; also on that list |
A few notes on reading the table:
- Total count. Guides agree on five chapters with romantic or intimate content, but we can’t confirm that is the complete total. One guide lists only chapters 12, 20 and 27, and the guides that agree on the chapters disagree on intensity.
- Classifications are ours. We sorted entries into sensual and explicit based on how readers describe them. They aren’t official labels.
- What the table leaves out. Innuendo, sexual banter and crude language outside these chapters.
- Spoilers. The guide is spoiler-light, not spoiler-free. Entries for chapters 22, 27 and 37 hint at relationship developments.
Quicksilver tropes and themes
Enemies-to-lovers is the headline trope. Here it works through the binding: Saeris and Kingfisher are stuck with each other, they don’t trust each other, and their goals clash before they align. Cosmopolitan described the book as taking enemies-to-lovers to another level.
Other elements you’ll find:
- Human and Fae pairing. Saeris is an outsider in a world that has treated humans as myth.
- Reluctant partnership. Each lead needs the other’s skills.
- Magic with a price. Alchemy in this world isn’t free, and using it costs the characters something.
- War and politics. Yvelia’s fight with a neighboring realm gives the story stakes beyond the romance.
Mild spoiler: reader discussions also mention fated mates, with a twist on how the idea is handled. If you prefer to go in blind, skip that thread.Quicksilver content warnings
The publisher’s listing says Quicksilver describes graphic violence and adult situations and is for readers 17 and up. It also points to the author’s website for a full list of tropes and warnings. The author’s current Quicksilver page doesn’t display one. A 2024 review reproduced a list that appears to come from the author’s page, though the review doesn’t say so. Treat that list as author-provided but unconfirmed.
| Category | Warning | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Sexual content | Explicit, open-door sex scenes | Publisher (adult situations); reader guides |
| Violence and danger | Graphic violence, war, blood and gore, murder, decapitation, physical injury | Publisher (graphic violence); author list as reproduced in a 2024 review |
| Violence and danger | Torture | Reader and third-party lists; unconfirmed |
| Strong language | Crude and sexual language | Reader-reported; unconfirmed |
| Other distressing themes | Suicidal thoughts, infertility, forced sterilization (recounted), death of parents (recounted), vomit | Author list as reproduced in a 2024 review |
| Other distressing themes | Sexual violence or sexual assault references, sex work, human trafficking, consent concerns in the leads’ dynamic | Third-party and reader-voted lists; unconfirmed, and readers rate the severity very differently |
Related Post
- Daggermouth Book Review: Spice Level, Characters, and Series Guide
- The Road of Bones by Demi Winters: Book Guide and Series Order
If specific topics matter to you, check a reader-compiled warning list or the author’s website before reading. We haven’t included a longer list because we can’t verify one against the text.
Is Quicksilver a series? Reading order
Yes. Quicksilver is the first book in the Fae & Alchemy series, sometimes called the Quicksilver series. Hart planned it as a trilogy. The books follow one continuous story, so read them in order.
| Order | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quicksilver | Published June 2024 |
| 1.5 | Kingfisher POV bonus scenes | Free online, released before Brimstone |
| 2 | Brimstone | Published November 18, 2025 |
| 3 | Untitled (listed as Fae & Alchemy Book 3) | Listed for September 7, 2027 |
Brimstone picks up the story of Saeris and Kingfisher directly. Reporting on the series says it ends on a sizeable cliffhanger, so be ready to wait for the finale.
The third book’s date moved. Earlier retailer pages showed November 10, 2026, but the current listing says September 7, 2027, and no title had been announced as of late September 2026. We checked this on October 19, 2026. Don’t read the series as finished until book 3 is out.
Questions people ask a lot: how many books are in the Quicksilver series? Two are published and one is announced. Is there a Quicksilver book 2? Yes, Brimstone.Is Quicksilver worth reading?
Quicksilver suits readers who want enemies-to-lovers, sharp dialogue and a plot that moves. The chemistry between the leads is the main draw, and the setup gives them real reasons to be at odds.
It may not suit readers who want closed-door romance, who dislike graphic violence, or who don’t want to wait for a series ending. One reviewer noted the pacing picks up after the opening, so the first stretch can feel slower than the later action.
Before you start, know the content warnings, expect explicit scenes, and decide whether you’re comfortable starting a trilogy with the final book still more than a year away.
Is Quicksilver as good as ACOTAR?
There’s no objective answer, and this comparison rests on publisher positioning and reader commentary, not a page-by-page analysis. Quicksilver is often recommended to readers who liked A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas, so the overlap is real. The differences matter too.
| Area | Quicksilver | ACOTAR |
|---|---|---|
| Romance | Enemies-to-lovers built on a forced binding and constant sparring | Romantic arcs that shift across the series and its leads |
| Spice | Explicit open-door scenes, with reader descriptions placing them in book one | Open door as well, with heat that builds across later books |
| Worldbuilding | One realm under war pressure, tied to an alchemy-based magic system | A larger courts-based setting that expands book by book |
| Pace | Action and banter early, with the romance escalating | Slower, more atmospheric opening in the first book |
| Violence | Graphic, and some reviewers found it heavy | Violence and dark themes appear throughout the series |
| Series length | A planned trilogy | A longer, still-growing series |
Readers who like banter, a human lead with unusual power, and a compact trilogy may lean toward Quicksilver. Readers who want a sprawling world with many courts and a long reading commitment may prefer ACOTAR. Plenty of people will enjoy both.
How the Quicksilver romance develops
Saeris and Kingfisher begin as reluctant partners bound together by circumstance, and neither trusts the other. Press and publisher copy call it enemies-to-lovers, with banter and sexual tension doing much of the early work.
Attraction builds through forced closeness and friction. One reviewer notes that the first five chapters are mostly worldbuilding, with the plot picking up from chapter 6.
Physical intimacy appears in small doses first (chapter 12, per reader guides) and becomes explicit around the midpoint. More scenes follow in the second half.
The romance and the fantasy plot are tied together. The binding that links the leads, and later developments connected to it, tie their relationship to the story’s magic and its war. The later chapters give more space to the larger conflict.
Opinions on how convincing the romance is differ. One reviewer found the chemistry underdeveloped, while others call it the book’s main draw.
Is Quicksilver right for you?
Is it suitable for readers who prefer low-spice fantasy? Probably not. It has explicit scenes and sexual language outside them, and the publisher recommends it for ages 17 and up.
Is it romance or fantasy? A combination. It is romantasy, with the relationship central and a war and magic system carrying real plot. Readers who want the romance to take a back seat may find it too romance-led.
Is the chapter guide spoiler-free? No, it is spoiler-light. See the notes under the table.
Can I skip the explicit scenes? See Can you skip the explicit scenes? above.
Why do chapter numbers differ? See the edition section above.
Quicksilver FAQ
Who wrote Quicksilver?
Callie Hart, a British-born author based in the US. It is her romantasy debut after more than a dozen dark romance novels.
Which chapters in Quicksilver are spicy?
Reader guides most often list chapters 12, 20, 22, 27 and 37. Chapters 22, 27 and 37 are described as explicit, while 12 and 20 are lighter. This is reader-reported, not official, and numbering can vary by edition.
What chapter contains the first explicit scene?
Reader guides place it in chapter 22, around the midpoint. We haven’t verified this against a copy. Chapters 12 and 20 have lighter intimate moments earlier.
How many spicy scenes are in Quicksilver?
Guides report three explicit scenes plus two shorter, lighter ones. We can’t confirm an exact total, and sexual language also appears outside those scenes.
Is Quicksilver more romance-focused or fantasy-focused?
Both. It is romantasy: the relationship matters as much as the plot, but a war and a magic system carry real story weight.
Can I skip the spicy chapters in Quicksilver?
Reader guides say the explicit scenes can be skipped, but plot and relationship details sit in or near some of them, so you may miss something. We haven’t tested skipping.
Is Quicksilver a spicy book?
Yes. We rate it 4 out of 5, with explicit open-door scenes. See the spice section above for how we score.
How many books are in the Quicksilver series?
Two are published (Quicksilver and Brimstone). A third and final book is listed for September 7, 2027.
Is Quicksilver part of a series?
Yes, the Fae & Alchemy series, and the books should be read in order.
Who are Saeris Fane and Kingfisher?
Saeris is a human thief and Alchemist. Kingfisher, also called Fisher, is the Fae warrior she binds herself to.
Is Quicksilver similar to ACOTAR?
It shares fae romance and a human heroine in a Fae world, but it is a tighter story with explicit scenes in the first book. See the comparison above.
Are there content warnings for Quicksilver?
The publisher lists graphic violence and adult situations and recommends it for ages 17 and up.
Final word
Quicksilver is a good pick if you like a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance with real heat and a war in the background. Go in knowing it is explicit and violent, and that the story isn’t complete yet. If those things don’t put you off, start with Saeris and Kingfisher and read Brimstone next.
Hi, I’m Nisbah – a blogger with over 2 years of experience creating content and a fantasy enthusiast who loves exploring magical worlds, fantasy books, captivating stories, and unforgettable characters. I share book recommendations, reviews, fantasy insights, and story discussions and creating guides to help readers discover their next great adventure.
