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Name of the eBook you are reviewing: Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin
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eBook Download - Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby Mahurin
This book follows two main characters:
One is our main character Lou who's a witch, and has fled her coven two years before this novel is set. She settles herself in a town called Cesarine in the hopes that she can escape her coven for good. While there, she has to keep her magic hidden or else the famed Chasseurs of the city will hunt her and kill her.
Next is our main character Reid, who's one of those very said Chasseurs. He's sworn his life to protect the city from witches, believing that they are evil creatures who deserve no mercy.
A chance encounter between this unlikely pair lands them in a bit of a predicament. And the only solution? Marriage. A witch and a witch hunter, bound together in holy matrimony. What could possibly go wrong?
Review:
Would you recommend this to other users? I definitely would, but do not go into it expecting it to be perfect. Neither of our characters are perfect, and their stories and backgrounds are far from it. Also, their relationship is at the forefront of this book. If that's not something you would be interested in, then maybe skip this one. Otherwise this book is amazing. I felt everything the characters felt, and absorbed the setting like I was actually there.
Rating(1-5):
Link to the content you're reviewing on our site (optional):
eBook Download - Serpent & Dove (Serpent & Dove #1) by Shelby MahurinThis book follows two main characters:
One is our main character Lou who's a witch, and has fled her coven two years before this novel is set. She settles herself in a town called Cesarine in the hopes that she can escape her coven for good. While there, she has to keep her magic hidden or else the famed Chasseurs of the city will hunt her and kill her.
Next is our main character Reid, who's one of those very said Chasseurs. He's sworn his life to protect the city from witches, believing that they are evil creatures who deserve no mercy.
A chance encounter between this unlikely pair lands them in a bit of a predicament. And the only solution? Marriage. A witch and a witch hunter, bound together in holy matrimony. What could possibly go wrong?
Review:
I went into this book with very high expectations, and this book delivered on most of them. I very much enjoyed the atmosphere, the world building was exquisite and the setting was so vivid. I feel like the author captured a scene with just enough words, there were no missing pieces or over exaggerations, and that made the book even more enjoyable to me.
I loved our main character Lou, though her personality did feel a bit too loud in the beginning. Her mouth has no filter, which reminds me of me sometimes, and she's not afraid of fighting for what she wants, especially if it means she can use it to protect herself. She doesn't have the luxury of making friends given that she's supposed to be hiding her identity (and she's definitely in the market of making enemies), but her best friend Coco is an absolute delight. Coco and Lou's friendship is most definitely not one sided. They both hold immense care for one another, always looking out for each other. Coco herself is a witch, but not of the same nature as Lou. Lou belongs to the Dames Blanches, whereas Coco belongs to the Dames Rouges. Their magic works differently, but it doesn't stop them from forming an inseparable bond with each other.
Our other main character Reid is the love interest of this novel, and his character is the type of guy your mother would definitely approve of. He's quiet, only speaking when spoken to, keeps to himself, and immensely devoted. His major devotion is that of the Church and to the Chasseurs, lead by the Archbishop. This group of men is trained for years to hunt and kill witches, until they can prove themselves worthy of becoming a Chasseur. Truthfully, it's refreshing to see a love interest in this light, and I thoroughly enjoyed his character.
Our two main characters get thrown together after Lou commits a crime, aided by her best friend Coco and an ally named Bas. The constabulary detected witch activity and alerted the Chasseurs, who show up at the scene but are unable to capture Lou. She flees and returns to her home in the attic above Le Soleil et Lune, a well known theatre. It is there where she encounters Reid, and her attempts to escape coupled with his attempts to catch her land them in a bit of a compromising position, which could easily demolish the reputation of a Chasseur. It forces the Archbishop to get involved, to which he suggests they get married. To me, the marriage of convenience trope in this aspect felt too convenient for my liking. If this one thing didn't happen, there would be no need for them to be married and the entire novel could've followed a completely different path.
Despite this, the marriage between Lou and Reid allowed them to both receive protection; Lou from her coven and Reid from losing his status and reputation. They are two complete opposites, and want absolutely nothing to do with each other, which is highly understandable. Lou has to hide her secret from yet another person, and Reid has to pretend that he's okay with this arrangement. But Reid, being ever the good guy, determines to honour their vows and be the loving husband he intended to be. Over time, their relationship blossoms from despising each other, to falling in love. The paths both of our characters once knew are now blurred, and the world doesn't seem as black and white anymore. There's a grey area they're both exploring with each other, and it's damn adorable to watch their story together unfold.
Of course, Lou's hiding this secret she knows can get her killed. They're playing with borrowed time, which made me nervous for both of them. Reid is trying to understand her better, and Lou is opening up to him about things. I loved seeing them grow comfortable with each other. But it's not long before the past catches up to them, and they have to fight to make their relationship work. To see these characters question what is wrong and what is right was very interesting, and makes you realize that you should not be closed off to other people's opinions.
I truly enjoyed this novel, despite the convenience of the marriage, our characters and their development throughout all of the trials in this novel made it worth it.
Would you recommend this to other users? I definitely would, but do not go into it expecting it to be perfect. Neither of our characters are perfect, and their stories and backgrounds are far from it. Also, their relationship is at the forefront of this book. If that's not something you would be interested in, then maybe skip this one. Otherwise this book is amazing. I felt everything the characters felt, and absorbed the setting like I was actually there.
Rating(1-5):
