This book is a lot, like a lot a lot, a cast of 15 others outside of Gideon and Harrow is a lot to juggle, especially as they traipse across the entirety of Canaan House.

Is it a reference? Yes it's a reference. Meme, Historical, Mythical, Fictional, it's there.
While there are a lot of references, understanding them aren't obligatory to enjoying the book, they are like a tasty little treat along with your meal.
Muir is out here being an author after my own heart, putting an insane amount of symbolism in her characters name's.

The banter between Gideon and Harrow, was fantastic, it had me laughing more then once.
I also felt a personal connection to Gideon going to say something semi-reasonable, only for what comes out to sound like it comes out left field.

Spoiler

-1 ⭐ for the feeling that the ending fell into the Kill the Gays / Fridging the "Love Interest" tropes