Serpent & Dove
Serpent & Dove #1
By Shelby Mahurin
TheStory
Louise le Blanc left her coven and wound up in Cesarine, where she stopped using magic and started using wits. That was over two years ago. Now, Louise only lives off of what she can steal.
In the city of Cesarine, witches are feared, they are hunted, and they are burned. When a chance meeting has Lou crossing paths with Reid Diggory, a zealous witch hunter sworn to the Church, the two are forced into a marriage due to circumstances beyond their control. With her true identity hidden from Reid, the two struggle through the beginnings of marriage but eventually start to fall for each other.
Originally, the city belonged to the witches but was stolen and now the witches are hunted and executed. When the witches attempt to sack the city, Lou’s true nature is revealed. When Lou runs away, she falls into the hands of the last person she wants.
When a rescue attempt turns into secrets revealed, everyone’s beliefs are challenged. No one can change who they are, circumstances may be beyond this group’s control, and difficult choices must be made.
TheReview
Right off the bat, the characters are fantastic. Lou is a good FMC. Reid. Oh, Reid. Such a hateful, judgemental little stickler. Which makes sense considering how he was raised and his job description. But, man. He has lots of growing to do.
I was immediately immersed in the world. Centuries-old France during a witch/church war? Yes, please. I couldn’t put it down.
The two MCs are definitely enemies in the beginning - without Lou’s witchiness even revealed to Reid. The relationship development is deep and meaningful. But we know it’s all gonna blow up when Lou is revealed as a witch (which you know is coming because otherwise there wouldn’t be a storyline). They were easy to connect with and their banter is laugh-out-loud funny. But I was biting my nails the entire time waiting to see when the witch-bomb would drop.
On a nitpicky note - the forced marriage? The reason behind it? A little far fetched, if you ask me. There could have been much better reasoning for the forced marriage had the time been taken to create one.
It’s a beautifully written book and the plot is delicious. At the end, you see the hidden ties and reasons certain events happened. All the underlying secrets and revelations throw back to a lot of the main events throughout the book. So if you start reading it and you’re wondering, “Why this,” and “What about that,” stick it out to the end. It provides a lot of the answers. It’s a wonderfully wrapped ending.
Off to the next one…
TheRating
Storyline: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Writing: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Serpent & Dove Series
Serpent & Dove
Serpent & Dove #1
Blood & Honey
Serpent & Dove #2
Gods & Monsters
Serpent & Dove #3