This historical fantasy romance series keeps growing in interest. This fourth installment is told primarily from the POV of Owein and it's an intriguing look into his thought processes and emotions.

The characters continue to grow and bloom throughout the series and I really enjoy how Holmberg lets her characters change based on life circumstances. They make realistic alterations to their thought patterns and actions. Their priorities are quite fluid and they come off incredibly realistic.

The plot was very action filled with a lot of tension throughout. There is a lot of emotional struggle for Owein and you could plainly feel the discordance. His anxieties and convictions were excellently handled and presented. The development of a love triangle was fairly well handled, but there is some awkwardness to it simply because of the situation of the age and the off kilter personality of Fallon.

The pacing starts off slow, but as soon as Silas appears on the scene things take off like a shot. There is a LOT of action and the scenes are gripping and interesting. The read went remarkably quickly for the last 3/4.

The ending was solid and can stand on it's own, but there are some things left unsettled that will be fodder for the fifth and final book in the series. Though the ending does feel complete, the novel itself is absolutely not a standalone and readers will need the background of the first three books in the series in order to understand the basis of the plot.

Summary: Excellent read that starts out slow, but quickly turns fast-paced. Fantastic character work that feels realistic and makes the reader sincerely care about the individuals. Absolutely worth the read, but will require reading of the series as a whole. One book remains to be published for the series, expected in 2026.