I utterly adore that we got another The Knight and the Witch story! Mangus and his Elfrida are some of my favorite characters in this time frame, and I'm pretty sure I love them more now than I did with their first book (and I really adored that one!).
One of my favorite tropes that seems to be a rare find for me (and well done), is when our hero and heroine are already married and for the most part, secure and solid. Sure, there'll be bumps and tumbles along the way, but when they're already bound to each other, the emotions and (healthy!) possessiveness (you're mine!) seems deeper, stronger, infinate. So getting to be with Mangus and Elfrida after they've been married a year-ish and seeing their bond, and how they face their struggles together was a delight.
The affection and desire between Mangus and Elfrida is still intensely burning bright, which is what helps to carry them through their next adventure saving seven girls. So not only are they united on a mission, but as a consequence from that same mission (and other things), some insecurities rise to grip each of them tightly, adding another layer to the story. I appreciated that we got to spend time in both their heads, hearing their thoughts, because even though they struggled with fully understanding and communicating their worries to each other, I as the reader knew exactly what those worries were and how each felt and responded and that made me empathize and ache with them all the more, and also rejoice when revelations broke free.
There was also quite the adventure in rescuing the girls, gifting readers with some unexpected surprises, interesting twists, and definitely several moments of nail-biting anxiety - oh and some eye rolls to with certain characters. haha!
I love how even though it's addressed and we know Mangus has his physical scars/wounds and Elfrida has her magic, we view one through the other's eyes so much that we forget all about that and just see them through love filled eyes. Definitely a testament to it's what's inside that shines brightly to make the entire package a breathtakingly beautiful package. They genuinely love each other and fulfill a need in the other so perfectly, that even when they are at odds, they still are together (and that's another kudos to the author!).
So that's alot of words to say, this is an amazing follow-up story to The Snow Bride, complete with all the heat and adventure and beauty you'd expect. And I really do hope that we get more of their story soon!
