Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin
I received a complimentary ARC from the publisher, courtesy of Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
Serpent & Dove Summary
Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou's, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou's most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
Book Details
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Serpent & Dove #1
Published September 3rd 2019 by HarperTeen
Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Wizards & Witches
Hardcover, 513 pages
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Review
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin is a paranormal romance featuring a witch and a witch-hunter who find themselves in a marriage of convenience while a dangerous enemy threatens. The setting is inspired by French folklore and the witch trials of the seventeenth century, with a war between the church and witches at its center.
There are plenty of moments of danger, dark magic, religion and secret identities. And the slow-burning romance is an enemies-to-lovers trope that sizzles with great banter.
This debut was such a fun read, and the love/hate relationship between Lou and Reid worked so well. I loved how the marriage of convenience forced these two opposites to work together and their points of view were comical and heart-warming.
Reid has no idea he has married a witch and Lou finds herself within the fold of the Chasseur’s, the church’s witch hunters she is hiding from.
Lou is sassy and often irreverent and loves to sing bawdy songs while Reid is a dedicated witch hunter, both loyal and brave. Complete opposites—yet, the banter will make you smile and is super sexy at times.
Something I noticed as a pleasant surprise was the fact that in Serpent & Dove, good and evil are not portrayed as simply a black and white notion. Grey, ambiguous characters are. Ones who are blinded by their individual notions of rightness and righteousness. I especially enjoyed seeing Lou and Reid’s perspectives open up.
In the End
Serpent & Dove swept me away with plenty of romance and danger. Lou and Reid are two characters that will stick in the reader’s minds. Morally ambiguous characters, false identities, and an arranged marriage just added to the story’s allure. My only hope would be for more magic in the next installment and can’t wait to see what happens next.
