‘The larger part of power was understanding the power you had over others, even if you would rather not have had that much power in the first place.’

I read this book in three days, which is something of a record for me.

I read Paladin’s Grace last month and immediately ordered the following three books when I finished, but reading schedules what they are, I was only now able to get to the next in the Saint of Steel series, Paladin’s Strength. I adored Grace so much, I was equal measures excited to return to this world, and terrified that it wouldn’t be as good. My fears were completely unfounded, and I should have had a great deal more faith in Kingfisher.

‘Trust is one part faith and one part predictability.’

Each of the Saint of Steel books follows a different set of characters, with an over-arcing story and mystery that has so far connected Grace and Strength. I’m not usually a massive fan of when series do this, I find myself missing the characters from the previous books, but Grace ended in such a satisfying manner, and Kingfisher writes her characters so well, that I found myself content to move on with the story with Istvhan, a paladin we meet in the first book, and Clara a nun lay-sister Istvhan inadvertently receives as enumeration for reluctantly winning a duel he hadn’t realised he was fighting. An auspicious start to a romance!

Clara is tracking her sisters, who were captured and taken away by raiders. Istvhan, on a mission to follow the mystery started in the first book, feels called upon to assist a holy sister; their paths are in the same direction anyway and what kind of paladin would he be if he didn’t help a nun? This decision is only partly, well probably mostly, encouraged by the fact that he is attracted to her.

The romance follows a similar dance pattern to that in Grace, in that there are miscommunication issues, secrets  being kept, and assumptions made from misreading situations. But their particular situation makes for some hilarious moments between them. Whereas in Grace it felt inevitable that they would get together, for Istvhan and Clara it felt like the world kept getting in their way, and I was beginning to feel like it genuinely never would happen for them. But again, Kingfisher does not disappoint.

“Madam,” said Istvhan, his voice dropping nearly an octave, “I have made love. I have had sex. I have bedded, rutted, fucked, and on one occasion, with enthusiastic consent and a great deal of oil, I have sodomized, but I have never, not once, canoodled.”

In the interview following the last Christmas special of Gavin and Stacey, James Cordon and Ruth Jones discussed how they wanted to show that larger people can be sexy and experience amazing sex, and I was reminded of that perspective a great deal throughout this book. Istvhan’s attraction to Clara revolves around the fact that she is large and strong, that she is ‘built to the same scale’ as him. It was such a joy to read a large woman being the focus of someone’s sexual desire, for a large body to be celebrated in that way. Kingfisher also writes consent in a very sexy way; these are healthy, non-toxic, respectful and consenting relationships and these characters are all the more attractive because of them. The fact she makes a man not looking at a naked woman and explaining it’s because she hasn’t let him one of the most sexiest things I’ve ever read is a testament to Kingfisher’s skill in building healthy romantic tension.

Outside of the romantic plot, Istvhan and Clara work together to help solve each other’s mysteries; they of course converge, and it made for some tense and exciting reading, with plenty of sneaking around and fights and battles that I wasn’t expecting. I simply adore this world of Kingfisher’s. I understand it’s a long established one, from previous books, and you can tell it’s a world Kingfisher has taken a great deal of time exploring and thinking about. It was wonderful to see more of it this time, to get a taste of other cultures outside Archenhold, where Grace was set. The end of Paladin’s Strength felt quite final, but I know I’m only half way through the Saint of Steel quartet, so I’m very interested to know where Kingfisher will take us next. If you like unconventional romances and the cuddle-together-for-warmth trope then this one’s for you.

Paladin’s Strength is available now, you can order your copy HERE