Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin the first book in the Serpent and Dove series.

A Witch and a witch hunter, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.

““You’re to be my wife.” Catching up to her in two strides, I reached out to grab her arm, but stopped short of touching her. “That means you’ll obey me.”

“Does it?” She raised her brows, still grinning. “I suppose that means you’ll honor and protect me, then? If we’re adhering to the dusty old roles of your patriarchy?””

 Lou is a witch and a thief, she is running from a fate as a sacrificial lamb, going unnoticed until one day she makes a mistake and is caught by a man who would burn her at the stake if he knew the truth about her. Reed is forced to marry Lou to protect his own reputation, not for any love or desire for her, because he is still in love with Célie, the woman he thought he was going to spend his life with. Chalked as they are not only by circumstance but by faith as well they start to get to know each other and warmer feelings begin to grow between them. But will that be enough to save Lou form the pyre?

““What if I were a witch, Reid?” I asked softly. “Would the stake be what I deserve?”

The worldbuilding is incredibly good, it could be 17’th century France or in another universe entirely, and I like that a lot, it makes the story more believable, when you, consider that this could have happened to you if you lived in another time. The witch hunts both in Europe and America was brutal, both because of the means they applied to get a confession, but because of the efficiency around 40.000-50.000 is estimated to have been burnt worldwide. That is a lot of people, even over several hundreds of years. I feel its very relevant, to talk about this because, it was and is the fear of the unknown and how it affects the established powerbase, that makes people go crazy.

““You are like a son to me, Reid.” The Archbishop reached up to clasp the Chasseur’s shoulder—a mouse comforting an elephant. Some disconnected part of my mind wanted to laugh. “Do not throw away your life—your promising career, your oath to God—for the sake of this heathen. Once she is your wife, you can lock her in the closet and never think of her again. You would have the legal right to do whatever you please with her.” He shot him a meaningful look. “This arrangement would also solve . . . other matters.””

Lou is sassy, rude, arrogant, kind and a multitude of other things that make her a well-rounded and well written character. She doesn’t love easy but when she does its for good. Although she might seem like a coward, I think her decisions make her human, she ran away as a young woman, and didn’t want to join either side in the fight. And that makes her relatable. Its not easy to betray those you love even if it is for their own good, and the other side wants you dead so what’s a girl to do.  

““Connard! Salaud!” She thrashed in my arms, kicking water everywhere. “I’m going to kill you! I’m going to rip those robes off your shoulders and strangle you with them, you misshapen, foul-smelling piece of shit—”

All three of us gaped at her—eyes wide, mouths open. The Archbishop recovered first.”

Reed is the typical strong, capable and confident male hero type, but with one BIG difference, he has been indoctrinated to think he has the right to burn other people because they have magic and he doesn’t. several times during the book I wanted to jump in there and slap him upside down the head and ask if he had ever had an independent thought in his life. I mean I the beginning I only tolerated him because I knew he didn’t know any better, and I was right he does actually become a little more aware that there may be two sides to every story.

“She grinned, tilting her head up to examine me. Then—incredibly—she rose to her toes and flicked me square on the nose. I staggered back, startled. My face flushed. She grinned wider and started walking. “I will do what I please, Chass.””

The story of opposites attracts, enemies to lovers, and so on and so forth, is always a crowd pleaser, especially when the mortal enemies turns out to have more in common than they ever thought they would. The theme of the witch persecutions, is relevant because persecutions happen to this day, it just the subject that has changed. It makes me even happier that I live in a time where I am not considered someone else’s property just because I got married. I actually got a little angry whilst reading the book.

““I implore you to see God’s teaching in this woman.” The Archbishop’s voice rose. “Learn from her wickedness! Wives, obey your husbands. Repent your sinful natures. Only then can you be truly united with God!””

I love the French interspersed throughout the book, the gives it character, even if I have no idea what it means.

The book really made an impact on me, all books that make me feel anything does that. and even though it was sometime anger, it also made me hopeful for a happy ending.

I loved the book, ill happily recommend it and I definitely finish the series.

4 out of 5 stars.