I loved this book a lot! I think the way it conceptualizes paladins is incredible, and it takes the best part of why I like werewolf romance (this person is a bit feral about you) without taking on the part I like least about werewolf romance (the feral quality is one that must be allowed to ransack or it will be unhealthy for them), but still maintains what makes paladins so wonderful to chew on (the guilt, the intense adherence to rules they think are correct).

The romance was also very sweet, really actually managed the "two broken people" concept where they are both learning to forgive who they became under Circumstances and work on moving closer to who they want to be.

I will never shut up about Beartongue. Bishop Beartongue is perhaps the first woman I've seen described as older and handsome and I would have loved her for that alone, but she also has to wrangle seven grief- and guilt-stricken paladins whose stress response is to become murderous killing machines. She does this with the air of wrangling toddlers with decent grip strength and access to breakable but replaceable objects. Have I mentioned I love her?

My one - one! - thing that I would mention about this book that I did not wholeheartedly love was that the very first chapter I think writes a slightly different check than this book ultimately cashed. It was still a good check! I am also aware that this is a series! However that first chapter implied an amount of violence and a darker tone than what I ultimately read. I think there is a darker, less healing book that could have come out of that first chapter, and I would have loved it as well.

Anyway. Very long review. Very good book. Been trying to split time between some nonfiction that is emotionally draining and some fiction that I find compelling and enjoyable, and this was it. Fantastic recommendation, thank you nasamuffin.