Review by Booklist Review
Though Louise Le Blanc fled from her coven, she has never quite left her magic behind and in Cesarine, where soldiers of the Church, called Chausseurs, ruthlessly hunt and burn witches, the slightest whiff of magic is a dangerous thing. Lou carves a life out of trickery and crime, but when she encounters a rising star Chausseur named Reid, she has to con him into a compromising position to keep from being exposed. But then the Church forces them to marry, trapping them both in a wary, unpleasant union. Though a genuine attraction grows between them, Lou knows that Reid's values are firm; the truth of what she is endangers her no matter how much he's come to care. A detailed supporting cast and a rich, French-inspired world make for a strong backdrop, but the core of this fantasy is Lou and Reid's complicated, often steamy romance, and a religious war that shows no side in a gentle light. There are no resolutions here, either readers will have to wait for the inevitable sequel for those.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2020 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Tender romance and a rebellious, resilient heroine buoy this uneven tale, which counsels understanding and forgiveness in the face of zealotry and persecution. First in a planned duology, Mahurin's debut follows Louise--an irreverent witch on the run from her coven, the Dames Blanches--and Reid, a pious Chasseur, who kills witches for the Church of Belterra. Homeless, abstaining from magic, and stealing to survive, Lou conspires with two friends to pilfer an enchanted ring that will help hide her from the Dames Blanches' queen, La Dame des Sorcières. When the heist goes wrong, attracting Reid's attention, Lou places him in a compromising position to publicly discredit him. Her ploy backfires: Reid's boss, the Archbishop, orders them to marry, thus maintaining the Chasseurs' virtuous reputation. Lou acquiesces, provided that she can conceal her true nature; who better to protect her than a witch hunter? But matters become increasingly complicated as love blooms. Poorly established stakes, wobbly worldbuilding, and a shortage of action slow the start, but the bombshell-laden conclusion thrills while whetting readers' appetites for the sequel. Ages 14--up. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A stealth witch and a devout witch hunter are forced to marry.In this French-flavored fantasy world, witches are hunted down by the Church's Chasseurs and burned at the stake; they retaliate against this genocidal crusade through vicious terrorist attacks. Thief Louise le Blanc wants none of thatshe's left her witch life behind. But Lou ends up on Chasseur captain Reid Diggory's radar when a heist goes bad; his attempt to catch her lands them in a situation so compromising that the archbishop suggests marriage to save face. Lou's initial priority is self-protectionwanting to avoid both fallout from the heist and a dangerous figure from her pastand she's fine with using Reid. The slow-burn, opposites-attract romance between crass, irreverent Lou and prim and proper Reid gets very hot and sexy once it ignites. Lou sees firsthand the damages some witches do to innocents, has her presumptions about individual Chasseurs challenged, and also sees up close the horrors Chasseurs perpetrate. Despite occasional pacing hiccups and an easily guessed twist, the secondary characters will charm readers, and the story picks up when Lou's past dangerously catches up to her, revealing the true stakes. Though at heart a romance, rich second-tier characters round out the shades-of-gray, morality-and-empathy themes. Witches, Chasseurs, and some secondary characters come in all colors; the leads appear white. The ending screams sequel.Will cast a spell on romance fans. (Fantasy. 15-adult) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
