Synopsis:
Halla has unexpectedly inherited the estate of the wealthy distant uncle she’s been caring for for the past decade. Unfortunately, she is also saddled with money-hungry relatives full of devious plans for how to wrest the inheritance away from her.

While hiding in her bedroom to escape her family, Halla inspects the ancient sword that’s been collecting dust on the wall since before she moved in. On a whim, she pulls it down and unsheaths it—and suddenly a man appears in her bedroom. His name is Sarkis, he tells her, and he is an immortal warrior trapped in a prison of enchanted steel.

Sarkis is sworn to protect whoever wields the sword, and for Halla—a most unusual wielder—he finds himself not fending off grand armies and deadly assassins but instead everything from kindly-seeming bandits to roving inquisitors to her own in-laws. But as Halla and Sarkis become closer, they overlook the biggest threat of all—the sword itself.

Review:
I absolutely loved this book and it was impossible to put down. Sarkis is dark, mysterious, sarcastic, and the type of protect-her-or-die asshole we all wish we had. I really enjoyed getting to know Halla, who is not only a very capable woman, but one who isn’t aware of just how precious she is. It was enjoyable having an older protagonist who knows she isn’t seen as the town’s version of beauty, but is still very strong and nice and capable. One thing that Kingfisher has been doing consistently is making sure that body types don’t determine capability–something true in life as well. I came to care far more for a priest than I thought I would in such a novel.

The ending of this book was so perfect when there were so many times that it seemed that not everyone could possibly have a happy ending. I cannot wait to continue reading about everyone’s adventures in future books to come.

I highly recommend this book to those that love strong women, magic, and those who have worked hard getting what they actually deserve (and were willed).

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯