Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Recently, I read Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin. It had been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, and I finally decided to give it a shot. Let me tell you—it did not disappoint!

Here’s a brief summary of the plot: Lou is a witch hiding in the city of Cesarine, where witches are hunted and burned. To stay safe, she stops using magic and tries to live like a normal girl. Reid is a witch hunter who works for the Church and believes all witches are evil. After a public scandal, the Church forces them to marry, even though they are total opposites. Reid doesn’t know Lou is a witch, and she tries to keep it a secret. At first, they argue and don’t trust each other, but over time, they start to grow closer. Just as their relationship changes, Lou’s past catches up with her. Her mother, the leader of her old coven, returns with a dark plan that puts everything at risk.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it was the perfect mix of fantasy, comedy, and romance. If you’re into enemies-to-lovers stories or the “forced marriage” trope, this book did a great job of delivering both. Lou was definitely my favorite part of the book. She was loud, sarcastic, bold, and didn’t care what people thought of her. Her unique personality made the book so much fun to read, and I loved seeing how she softened a bit around Reid. Reid was the total opposite of her. Strict, serious, a rule-follower, and a little clueless at first. But he grew a lot throughout the story, becoming more understanding and open-minded. Watching their relationship develop felt natural and satisfying.

One thing I didn’t like as much was that the magic system wasn’t explained in much detail. I found myself a bit confused at times about how certain spells worked or what the rules were. Also, a few chapters in the middle felt like page fillers, where not much happened. The pacing could have been stronger, especially since the beginning pulled me in right away, but the middle slowed down a bit.

Overall, Serpent and Dove was a really fun and engaging read. I am excited to see where the story will go next, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fantasy book with romance, humor, and a bit of danger.

-Yelina