Bingo: I am using this for the “Red” Bingo square. because the cover is red.
Istvhan is a former berserker, a paladin left without a god. Clara is a were-nun from an order of shapeshifting sisters. He is on the trail of a mysterious killer; she is on a mission to rescue her kidnapped sisters. As their quests bring them together, they will face bandits, creepy rabbits, living crockery, gladiator pits, and maybe (just maybe) emotional vulnerability.
This was a fun addition to T. Kingfisher’s Saint of Steel series. Istvhan was one of my favorite side characters from the first book, so I was excited to read a book centered on him. Clara is also a great romantic lead: confident, capable, and strong-willed without reading like a stereotypical “strong female character.” The mystery plot continues to be deliciously creepy as we learn about the entity that has been killing people across the land. My only disappointment was in the romance itself. In the first book of this series, the two romantic leads were both deeply insecure and inexperienced. There was plenty of hemming and hawing, lots of “how could he ever possibly love someone like me?” and “I’m so incredibly beneath her notice, I must be imagining her attraction to me.” The slow burn, misunderstanding-laden romance felt like a natural fit for their characters. Clara and Isthvan are completely different characters, though. Clara is down-to-earth and secure in her worth. Isthvan is cocky and self-assured, confident in his romantic abilities. But as soon as these two start to catch feelings for each other, they are suddenly just as shy and self-effacing as Stephen and Grace in the first book. I know that confidence in one area doesn’t always transfer to confidence in romance, but the awkward, shy slow burn felt like a retread of the first book.
Overall, I thought this was a strong sequel to Paladin’s Grace, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.