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The Saint of Steel #1
Paladin's Grace
Whilst foraging for startleflower, perfumer Grace finds herself pursued by ruffians and rescued by a handsome paladin in shining armour. Only, to outwit her hunters they have to pretend to be doing something very unrespectable in an alleyway. Stephen, a broken paladin, spends his time knitting socks and working as a bodyguard, living only for the chance to be useful. But that all changes when he saves Grace and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now, Stephen and Grace must navigate a web of treachery and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind.
Paladin's Grace is a darkly whimsical fantasy featuring sock-knitting paladins, badass perfumers, courtroom hijinks and heart-racing romance, from Nebula and two-time Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher.
Paladin's Grace is a darkly whimsical fantasy featuring sock-knitting paladins, badass perfumers, courtroom hijinks and heart-racing romance, from Nebula and two-time Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2020
3717 people are currently reading
106767 people want to read
About the author
T. Kingfisher
57 books24.8k followersT. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon. In another life, she writes children's books and weird comics, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,223 reviews
September 24, 2020
If you're weary of fantasy starring super-hot, super-special eighteen-year-olds with improbably smooth banter skills, allow me to recommend these two awkward, well-meaning, damaged middle-aged people who are trying to patch together adequate lives and don't deserve to be caught up in political intrigues and supernatural serial killings that have nothing to do with them.
Sequel with more gnoles, please.
Sequel with more gnoles, please.
Read
December 4, 2023Reread in prep for book 4 which is coming ANY MINUTE and will feature the delightful Marguerite, who has a great supporting role in this.
A delightful fluffy romance with a high severed head count. A paladin whose god died meets a perfumer who's escaped an abusive marriage and the romance develops over a pile of dead assassins, political intrigue, spies, religious fanatics, and decapitation. On brand T Kingfisher. I read it in a delightful evening sitting and enjoyed every moment. Linked to Swordheart but it's not necessary to have read that, you just should because it's also wonderful.
A delightful fluffy romance with a high severed head count. A paladin whose god died meets a perfumer who's escaped an abusive marriage and the romance develops over a pile of dead assassins, political intrigue, spies, religious fanatics, and decapitation. On brand T Kingfisher. I read it in a delightful evening sitting and enjoyed every moment. Linked to Swordheart but it's not necessary to have read that, you just should because it's also wonderful.
January 6, 2023
Also the two sequels, Paladin's Strength and Paladin's Hope, which are a braided trilogy of the structure familiar to Romance readers, where each of some association of persons -- siblings, workmates, team members, whatever -- gets their One True Love, not smoothly, but the setting or plot is drawn out to further volumes with another supporting character from the first round getting their romance. I much prefer this style to dragging out the first romance absurdly far with endless interruptions or, worse, take-backs.
I'd started Paladin's Grace quite a while ago, but hung up on the horror elements. But I ended up reading the Kindle sample of the third on some random browse, and was quite taken with one of the main characters, the lich-doctor (coroner, and what a great fantasy job title for it) Piper. In order to get properly to him, I circled back to the beginning. I did not get hung up the second attempt (though all three volumes have some quite grisly bits), breezed through the second book which turned out to have my second-favorite character, a most unusual nun, and quite enjoyed the third which had all the developments for my character-of-interest I could have desired.
If you liked the author's Swordheart, one of my faves, well, here's a triple dip of more like it. Middle-aged protagonists, authorial humor, and all.
All set in the world of The Clocktaur War duology, also recommended.
Ta, L.
I'd started Paladin's Grace quite a while ago, but hung up on the horror elements. But I ended up reading the Kindle sample of the third on some random browse, and was quite taken with one of the main characters, the lich-doctor (coroner, and what a great fantasy job title for it) Piper. In order to get properly to him, I circled back to the beginning. I did not get hung up the second attempt (though all three volumes have some quite grisly bits), breezed through the second book which turned out to have my second-favorite character, a most unusual nun, and quite enjoyed the third which had all the developments for my character-of-interest I could have desired.
If you liked the author's Swordheart, one of my faves, well, here's a triple dip of more like it. Middle-aged protagonists, authorial humor, and all.
All set in the world of The Clocktaur War duology, also recommended.
Ta, L.
December 15, 2020
He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread. He smelled like gingerbread.
The above being at least 40% of one character's internal monologue.
So...I loved my first foray into this author's work. And...will read more by her, but this book...was a repetitious, mess of Suffering Mary Sue. The plot, as I understand it, is that Stephen, a Paladin of Steel, went berzerk and killed people because his god mysteriously died. And he has the guiltz.
Grace, is a master perfumer, (but not really a master), who, uh...what does she do? Mostly oggle Stephen, and snarl at him when he rescues her from whatever stupid situation she's stumbled into. While the character types somewhat echo those in Clockwork Boys, it's a weak noise at best.
A serial killer is running about the city lopping off heads and Grace and Stephen get mixed up in the matter. Somehow. I don't know; I don't care.
The narrative plods along, thick with endless internal dialogues where each character second guesses their actions around each other like a couple of whiny adolescents. Stephen needs a hard smack to the head, but Grace is the most irritating. She has the emotional maturity of a twelve-year-old, and yet, her backstory is full of typically adult angst. Broken marriage, career woes, etc. The overarching theme is that she's broken, sooo very broken.
And she's peculiar. Normally, I love peculiar women, being one of the tribe myself. But her oddness is just another layer in a shit sandwich of characterization.
And there's ye olde, "I'm not beautiful, why are all the menz in love with me?" trope.
For anyone hoping for a fantasy romance, but romance with loads of adventure and less "pining" and stupid contrivances to keep the couple apart, this ain't it.
DNF at 68%.
The above being at least 40% of one character's internal monologue.
So...I loved my first foray into this author's work. And...will read more by her, but this book...was a repetitious, mess of Suffering Mary Sue. The plot, as I understand it, is that Stephen, a Paladin of Steel, went berzerk and killed people because his god mysteriously died. And he has the guiltz.
Grace, is a master perfumer, (but not really a master), who, uh...what does she do? Mostly oggle Stephen, and snarl at him when he rescues her from whatever stupid situation she's stumbled into. While the character types somewhat echo those in Clockwork Boys, it's a weak noise at best.
A serial killer is running about the city lopping off heads and Grace and Stephen get mixed up in the matter. Somehow. I don't know; I don't care.
The narrative plods along, thick with endless internal dialogues where each character second guesses their actions around each other like a couple of whiny adolescents. Stephen needs a hard smack to the head, but Grace is the most irritating. She has the emotional maturity of a twelve-year-old, and yet, her backstory is full of typically adult angst. Broken marriage, career woes, etc. The overarching theme is that she's broken, sooo very broken.
And she's peculiar. Normally, I love peculiar women, being one of the tribe myself. But her oddness is just another layer in a shit sandwich of characterization.
And there's ye olde, "I'm not beautiful, why are all the menz in love with me?" trope.
For anyone hoping for a fantasy romance, but romance with loads of adventure and less "pining" and stupid contrivances to keep the couple apart, this ain't it.
DNF at 68%.
October 16, 2025
This was cute. A romantasy perfect for a autumn evening when all you want to do is to cuddle up with a book and feel warm inside. A bit funny, some action, a good amount of romance and what I liked the most, both MCs were over 30. The fantasy world was not overly interesting, but good enough to make want to read the next one.
Yeah, that's about it. Again I am behind with reviewing so I'll write what I want.
Yeah, that's about it. Again I am behind with reviewing so I'll write what I want.
September 15, 2020
DNF @ 32%
Honestly I'm just fed up with constantly reading about how much Stephen wants to have a peak at Grace's chest.
This book is a blend of fantasy and romance. It's set in a world where each god has dedicated servants and Stephen is a paladin who belongs to a god that dies. Long story short many of the paladins go bezerk and kill innocent people, many more kill themselves, and just six are left including Stephen, so they have a bit of a reputation. Grace is a perfume maker in the city and gets rescued by Stephen from some followers of the Hanged Mother who are rather nasty folk. What ensues is a will they won't they where they both feel literally the same way about each other and constantly think about how much they want to see each other without their clothes on but they're both completely convinced that the other person isn't at all interested. It gets really frustrating to read.
At the point I'm giving up at, the book is around a 50/50 split between progressing the plot and 'progression' of the romance side of things. As I've explained the romance stuff is not enjoyable to read, but the plot is also pretty weak. I certainly don't care enough about the plot to push through the parts where Grace wonders about how Stephen's scarred hands will feel running across her body.
Honestly I'm just fed up with constantly reading about how much Stephen wants to have a peak at Grace's chest.
This book is a blend of fantasy and romance. It's set in a world where each god has dedicated servants and Stephen is a paladin who belongs to a god that dies. Long story short many of the paladins go bezerk and kill innocent people, many more kill themselves, and just six are left including Stephen, so they have a bit of a reputation. Grace is a perfume maker in the city and gets rescued by Stephen from some followers of the Hanged Mother who are rather nasty folk. What ensues is a will they won't they where they both feel literally the same way about each other and constantly think about how much they want to see each other without their clothes on but they're both completely convinced that the other person isn't at all interested. It gets really frustrating to read.
At the point I'm giving up at, the book is around a 50/50 split between progressing the plot and 'progression' of the romance side of things. As I've explained the romance stuff is not enjoyable to read, but the plot is also pretty weak. I certainly don't care enough about the plot to push through the parts where Grace wonders about how Stephen's scarred hands will feel running across her body.
February 3, 2025
Watching a 37 year old paladin guilt spiral because he likes a pretty lady & she likes him back is just so cozy and wonderful
June 8, 2024
Someone remind me to come back for a review this week
April 5, 2025
so he knits socks and smells like gingerbread? i, like grace, am not immune
thank you to orbit UK for sending me the physical copy to review
Bookstagram | Blog
thank you to orbit UK for sending me the physical copy to review
Bookstagram | Blog
April 15, 2021
Buddy read with my lovely MacHalo’s 💕
Omg!! Severed heads!! Don’t step on the severed heads!! Ok, I’m done.
I love Kingfisher’s books. This one didn’t let me down. I’m always on the edge thinking I won’t like a particular book. But I was engaged with the hilarity and the unique storyline. I mean
Either way, I enjoyed it!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Omg!! Severed heads!! Don’t step on the severed heads!! Ok, I’m done.
I love Kingfisher’s books. This one didn’t let me down. I’m always on the edge thinking I won’t like a particular book. But I was engaged with the hilarity and the unique storyline. I mean
Either way, I enjoyed it!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
July 18, 2023
That shit was FUNNY. I could talk about the conclusion being rushed, or the lack of world building, or how the romance was a bit insta lovey but honestly? I don’t really care to. I was highly entertained and that’s enough for me. T. Kingfisher’s characters and worlds are also a refreshing deviation from all of the fantasy books that seem to just be following a formula these days.
This is only my second book by this author but I think she’s got a bit of a thing for ‘gentle giant’ types of heroes and quirky awkward heroines. I’m not mad at it at all 👌🏼
Also, this was delightfully dirty🌶️Not what I was expecting after reading Nettle and Bone which was pretty PG
This is only my second book by this author but I think she’s got a bit of a thing for ‘gentle giant’ types of heroes and quirky awkward heroines. I’m not mad at it at all 👌🏼
Also, this was delightfully dirty🌶️Not what I was expecting after reading Nettle and Bone which was pretty PG
December 19, 2023
wayyyy too horny for my taste. like i get it, i would also fuck him, but those two were simping for each other way too extremely and way too early. it might be my fault for going in with the wrong expectations but i thought this would be some intense high fantasy and not a guide to getting laid by a muscular man with a sword.
also minus stars because every men in this smelled like gingerbread which was a fact that was mentioned approximately 53738632 times and i am allergic to gingerbread and also easily annoyed.
also minus stars because every men in this smelled like gingerbread which was a fact that was mentioned approximately 53738632 times and i am allergic to gingerbread and also easily annoyed.
June 19, 2025
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 4 stars
apparently all it took to convert me to cozy fantasy was a perfumer with a hidden knife and a paladin whose god is dead. who knew.
what i loved
exhausted middle-aged protagonists who would rather have good socks than shiny armor. stephen and grace are awkward, kind, a little broken, and absolutely worth rooting for.
a world full of practical gods, chatty bishops, spies in sensible shoes, lawyers with no chill, and paladins who need a snack before they accidentally berserk.
perfume science, cat-weasel musk, severed heads, and political intrigue all sharing the same plot without tripping over each other.
dialogue that made me laugh out loud, then underline entire paragraphs so i can steal the jokes later.
what tripped me up
the middle lagged. right around the halfway mark the pacing hit molasses mode, but once the plot picks up again it races to a very satisfying finish.
stephen and grace are so self-effacing that the loud side characters sometimes steal the spotlight. minor quibble, but i caught myself wanting a touch more confidence from our main duo earlier on.
bottom line
older, tired people figuring out love, faith, and why there are random headless bodies turning up in the city. cozy but not bland, romantic without cringe. i’m in. bring on book two because i need more gnoles, more Istvhan, and definitely more weird perfume facts.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ pre-read
romantasy isn’t my thing and i stand by that… except for when i absolutely want it to be. i want knights and longing and emotional damage. i want two people bleeding out in a cathedral whispering “it was always you.” so maybe this is the one??
never read t. kingfisher before but trusted voices have spoken, so we go. let’s see if this changes me.
apparently all it took to convert me to cozy fantasy was a perfumer with a hidden knife and a paladin whose god is dead. who knew.
what i loved
exhausted middle-aged protagonists who would rather have good socks than shiny armor. stephen and grace are awkward, kind, a little broken, and absolutely worth rooting for.
a world full of practical gods, chatty bishops, spies in sensible shoes, lawyers with no chill, and paladins who need a snack before they accidentally berserk.
perfume science, cat-weasel musk, severed heads, and political intrigue all sharing the same plot without tripping over each other.
dialogue that made me laugh out loud, then underline entire paragraphs so i can steal the jokes later.
what tripped me up
the middle lagged. right around the halfway mark the pacing hit molasses mode, but once the plot picks up again it races to a very satisfying finish.
stephen and grace are so self-effacing that the loud side characters sometimes steal the spotlight. minor quibble, but i caught myself wanting a touch more confidence from our main duo earlier on.
bottom line
older, tired people figuring out love, faith, and why there are random headless bodies turning up in the city. cozy but not bland, romantic without cringe. i’m in. bring on book two because i need more gnoles, more Istvhan, and definitely more weird perfume facts.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ pre-read
romantasy isn’t my thing and i stand by that… except for when i absolutely want it to be. i want knights and longing and emotional damage. i want two people bleeding out in a cathedral whispering “it was always you.” so maybe this is the one??
never read t. kingfisher before but trusted voices have spoken, so we go. let’s see if this changes me.
April 23, 2025
I liked it a lot, but boy were these some horny idiots.
April 20, 2022
Was anybody going to tell me that this was a romance book not a fantasy or was I supposed to read a 100 pages to figure it out myself?
Jokes on me because I finished the book anyway. At least the characters in this book were still more stupid than me.
Grace stated at the beginning that she hated being the damsel in distress, then proceeded to be one for the rest of the book anyway. It's not that she is a bad feminist, she's just that incompetent. There's a difference, because she was very annoyed by this, I guess.
This book was 400 pages but we learned almost nothing about the death of that god, the magic system, the other orders, the rest of the paladins, the spy friend, the murders, the cat/human people that were just randomly there and so on. Still there was enough time for Grace to think over and over again how she wanted to "climb Stephen like a tree"...
The main conflict was literally solved off screen (spoilers I guess), and all the main characters did was having sex in an abandoned church, where they were supposed to be hiding, but they couldn't even do that right because literally the whole city found them there, then conveniently got told what happened by multiple side characters.
Damn the first chapter for being so intriguing, that storyline had literally nothing to do with the rest of the book. (Wait sorry it had, because if Stephen had spent less time feeling guilty he would have let Grace "climb him like a tree" sooner. So the death of Stephen's god wasn't pointless, but actually an important plot point, I get it now.)
Rant over.
Jokes on me because I finished the book anyway. At least the characters in this book were still more stupid than me.
Grace stated at the beginning that she hated being the damsel in distress, then proceeded to be one for the rest of the book anyway. It's not that she is a bad feminist, she's just that incompetent. There's a difference, because she was very annoyed by this, I guess.
This book was 400 pages but we learned almost nothing about the death of that god, the magic system, the other orders, the rest of the paladins, the spy friend, the murders, the cat/human people that were just randomly there and so on. Still there was enough time for Grace to think over and over again how she wanted to "climb Stephen like a tree"...
The main conflict was literally solved off screen (spoilers I guess), and all the main characters did was having sex in an abandoned church, where they were supposed to be hiding, but they couldn't even do that right because literally the whole city found them there, then conveniently got told what happened by multiple side characters.
Damn the first chapter for being so intriguing, that storyline had literally nothing to do with the rest of the book. (Wait sorry it had, because if Stephen had spent less time feeling guilty he would have let Grace "climb him like a tree" sooner. So the death of Stephen's god wasn't pointless, but actually an important plot point, I get it now.)
Rant over.
July 13, 2025
“Look, if you can't laugh about the homicidal fits that make you a menace to society, what's even the point?”
rating: 4.25★
the first half was a *tad* slow for me, but i literally read the entire second half today in one sitting so it redeemed itself!
a clever fantasy romance about a berserker and a perfumer in the midst of a murder mystery around their town. while the murders are creepy, the tone is fairly light for fantasy and there are many silly moments abound.
“Oh gods, if any of you are listening, please grant that we don’t make things worse.”
it has real heart though, with stephen dealing with losing his sense of purpose now that his god is dead and grace dealing with a rough past. two wayward souls finding comfort in this crazy world <3 also love that they're in their 30s! yay older ish fantasy mc's! also stephen knits and smells like gingerbread, the softness balances out his murderous berserker side so well <3
“If we limited loving to just the sane, undamaged people, the next generation would have about three people in it and presumably humanity would die out shortly afterward.”
i'm definitely invested in these two so i will be continuing this series shortly ⚔️
rating: 4.25★
the first half was a *tad* slow for me, but i literally read the entire second half today in one sitting so it redeemed itself!
a clever fantasy romance about a berserker and a perfumer in the midst of a murder mystery around their town. while the murders are creepy, the tone is fairly light for fantasy and there are many silly moments abound.
“Oh gods, if any of you are listening, please grant that we don’t make things worse.”
it has real heart though, with stephen dealing with losing his sense of purpose now that his god is dead and grace dealing with a rough past. two wayward souls finding comfort in this crazy world <3 also love that they're in their 30s! yay older ish fantasy mc's! also stephen knits and smells like gingerbread, the softness balances out his murderous berserker side so well <3
“If we limited loving to just the sane, undamaged people, the next generation would have about three people in it and presumably humanity would die out shortly afterward.”
i'm definitely invested in these two so i will be continuing this series shortly ⚔️
August 12, 2020
2020 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo: Title is a Pun
I looooove T. Kingfisher and everyone should try her books. Her backlist is a bit confusing to sort out (fantasy vs romantic fantasy vs fantasy romance vs horror), but PALADIN’S GRACE is fantasy romance.
Highly recommended. Go read this! It’s dark but also hopeful and funny. Not entirely sure what hopedark is, but I think this qualifies.
I looooove T. Kingfisher and everyone should try her books. Her backlist is a bit confusing to sort out (fantasy vs romantic fantasy vs fantasy romance vs horror), but PALADIN’S GRACE is fantasy romance.
Highly recommended. Go read this! It’s dark but also hopeful and funny. Not entirely sure what hopedark is, but I think this qualifies.
November 3, 2025
☆☆☆.75
I’ve been a fan of T. Kingfisher for a while now, this is my 8th book by them, but Paladin’s Grace marked the first time I encountered a (MMC) in one of their works (I believe). And I have to say, I enjoyed it! Grace and Stephen have undeniable chemistry, which made their interactions a joy to read. There’s a certain spark in their conversations that felt natural and authentic, and I really loved the banter between them.
For fans of yearning, Paladin’s Grace delivers wholeheartedly. You can feel the tension building between the two, and there’s a deep emotional undercurrent running through the plot that kept me hooked.
That said, I do have a few issues. There were certain characters in this book that made me so angry. The injustice faced by Grace and Stephen sometimes felt infuriating and unnecessarily drawn out, which made the stakes feel even higher, but also at times… too frustrating. I felt like I was getting emotionally battered, just like they were, and while that makes the eventual resolution more satisfying, there were moments when I just wanted things to go their way, for once.
Also, I have to mention the repeated references to Stephen smelling like gingerbread. Once, twice, maybe three times? Fine. We get it. But by the time it’s brought up again for the 30th time, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. It started to feel a bit repetitive, and as a reader, we didn’t need that many reminders. Just a little overkill on a minor detail.
Overall, Paladin’s Grace was a solid read, and I think it’ll definitely resonate with fans of Kingfisher’s work, especially if you’re looking for a romantic action plot with plenty of yearning. However, those few frustrations did hold me back from giving it a full 4 stars. Still, I’d recommend it, especially for those who are looking for something a little different in terms of the dynamics between the characters.
I’ve been a fan of T. Kingfisher for a while now, this is my 8th book by them, but Paladin’s Grace marked the first time I encountered a (MMC) in one of their works (I believe). And I have to say, I enjoyed it! Grace and Stephen have undeniable chemistry, which made their interactions a joy to read. There’s a certain spark in their conversations that felt natural and authentic, and I really loved the banter between them.
For fans of yearning, Paladin’s Grace delivers wholeheartedly. You can feel the tension building between the two, and there’s a deep emotional undercurrent running through the plot that kept me hooked.
That said, I do have a few issues. There were certain characters in this book that made me so angry. The injustice faced by Grace and Stephen sometimes felt infuriating and unnecessarily drawn out, which made the stakes feel even higher, but also at times… too frustrating. I felt like I was getting emotionally battered, just like they were, and while that makes the eventual resolution more satisfying, there were moments when I just wanted things to go their way, for once.
Also, I have to mention the repeated references to Stephen smelling like gingerbread. Once, twice, maybe three times? Fine. We get it. But by the time it’s brought up again for the 30th time, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. It started to feel a bit repetitive, and as a reader, we didn’t need that many reminders. Just a little overkill on a minor detail.
Overall, Paladin’s Grace was a solid read, and I think it’ll definitely resonate with fans of Kingfisher’s work, especially if you’re looking for a romantic action plot with plenty of yearning. However, those few frustrations did hold me back from giving it a full 4 stars. Still, I’d recommend it, especially for those who are looking for something a little different in terms of the dynamics between the characters.
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August 24, 2023
Now this is romantasy.
Fun and fragile characters who remain strong in their brokenness. Middle aged folks just doing their best and getting by, and realizing that it's okay to fall in love again.
A fantasy world that is fully realized and lived in, with a plot that the characters stumbled into and out of.
Hilarious side characters, particularly in Beartongue and Istvhan. Mopey, guilt-ridden, godless paladins ready to sacrifice themselves at a moment's notice, and the long-suffering priests struggling to keep them alive and fed and gainfully employed. City employees who just want to do their jobs already.
And perfume! And random headless bodies! And spies! And cat-weasel anal glands!
Fun and fragile characters who remain strong in their brokenness. Middle aged folks just doing their best and getting by, and realizing that it's okay to fall in love again.
A fantasy world that is fully realized and lived in, with a plot that the characters stumbled into and out of.
Hilarious side characters, particularly in Beartongue and Istvhan. Mopey, guilt-ridden, godless paladins ready to sacrifice themselves at a moment's notice, and the long-suffering priests struggling to keep them alive and fed and gainfully employed. City employees who just want to do their jobs already.
And perfume! And random headless bodies! And spies! And cat-weasel anal glands!
December 23, 2024
HELLO this is a NEW FAV ROMANTASY for me. 100% my kinda vibe right here and T Kingfisher has officially solidified themselves as an auto buy author (I have also read Nettle and Bone).
TKing said in her afterword that Paladin’s Grace was her attempt at a “fluffy romance” but then by the end she said well my bad… are fluffy romances supposed to have decapitated heads and rotting corpses? And that was so real of her because as I was reading this I was like is this supposed to be cozy fantasy? The humor and vibes are giving that but dear lord someone did just step on a severed head. As a reader who likes their Fantasy with some bite, these surprisingly grisly elements really worked for me. It was something I noticed in Nettle and Bone too. Things would start getting all cute and fairy tale like and then BOOM violence. :)
Paladin’s Grace is MUCH more romantic than N&B though. In fact, in N&B I thought Tking couldn’t write romance because that element was so underdeveloped… boy was I wrong. Here we follow Stephen, a “Paladin” (~ soldier/ guard) whose soul and purpose is intimately tied with his God. When this God unexpectedly dies, he is left practically despondent and prone to “berserker” fits. The only one who can seem to get through to him is Grace. Grace is a talented perfumer haunted by her past but determined to make a life for herself… and her pet Civette :3
When Grace and Stephen get caught up in a plot to assassinate the Crown Prince, they have to navigate spies, poisoners, and a mysterious be-header murdering their way through the city of Archenhold to get out unscathed. I’ll be honest, while the plot was enough to prop up this story…. I was here for the humor, the romance, and the most perfect love interest ever Stephen.
This is a hilarious take but Stephen really reminded me of Logen Ninefingers from The Blade Itself. I love a secret sweetie pie who occasionally loses themselves to rampages of unstoppable bloodlust and rage. <3 Then the way Stephen was so genuinely dismayed by Grace’s presence and his attraction to her was too freaking good. The way he knits socks like his life depends on it? Sublime. I liked Grace too but mostly her knowledge of perfume was what I found cool (good job researching that Tking).
If the characters don’t charm you, if the awkwardest romance ever doesn’t make you chuckle, if the plot doesn’t mildly entertain you…at least admit this story is hilarious asf. I blew air out of my nose SEVERAL times !! Things are so awesomely ridiculous.
Anyway, if you saw me add T Kingfisher’s entire backlist to my tbr after finishing this no you didn’t.
5 stars I won’t listen to the haters
TKing said in her afterword that Paladin’s Grace was her attempt at a “fluffy romance” but then by the end she said well my bad… are fluffy romances supposed to have decapitated heads and rotting corpses? And that was so real of her because as I was reading this I was like is this supposed to be cozy fantasy? The humor and vibes are giving that but dear lord someone did just step on a severed head. As a reader who likes their Fantasy with some bite, these surprisingly grisly elements really worked for me. It was something I noticed in Nettle and Bone too. Things would start getting all cute and fairy tale like and then BOOM violence. :)
Paladin’s Grace is MUCH more romantic than N&B though. In fact, in N&B I thought Tking couldn’t write romance because that element was so underdeveloped… boy was I wrong. Here we follow Stephen, a “Paladin” (~ soldier/ guard) whose soul and purpose is intimately tied with his God. When this God unexpectedly dies, he is left practically despondent and prone to “berserker” fits. The only one who can seem to get through to him is Grace. Grace is a talented perfumer haunted by her past but determined to make a life for herself… and her pet Civette :3
When Grace and Stephen get caught up in a plot to assassinate the Crown Prince, they have to navigate spies, poisoners, and a mysterious be-header murdering their way through the city of Archenhold to get out unscathed. I’ll be honest, while the plot was enough to prop up this story…. I was here for the humor, the romance, and the most perfect love interest ever Stephen.
This is a hilarious take but Stephen really reminded me of Logen Ninefingers from The Blade Itself. I love a secret sweetie pie who occasionally loses themselves to rampages of unstoppable bloodlust and rage. <3 Then the way Stephen was so genuinely dismayed by Grace’s presence and his attraction to her was too freaking good. The way he knits socks like his life depends on it? Sublime. I liked Grace too but mostly her knowledge of perfume was what I found cool (good job researching that Tking).
If the characters don’t charm you, if the awkwardest romance ever doesn’t make you chuckle, if the plot doesn’t mildly entertain you…at least admit this story is hilarious asf. I blew air out of my nose SEVERAL times !! Things are so awesomely ridiculous.
Anyway, if you saw me add T Kingfisher’s entire backlist to my tbr after finishing this no you didn’t.
5 stars I won’t listen to the haters
August 16, 2024
3.5 ☆
”Oh gods, if any of you are listening, please grant that we don’t make things worse.”
the romance in this was soooo cute but i wish there was more time spent fleshing out the fantasy elements and world building. Stephen and Grace are both awkward and unsure of the other persons feelings, but there’s plenty of moments where their connection shines. i liked how even with Stephen being a soldier of sorts, he’s also so gentle and considerate. i did find that this book was a bit too reminiscent of Swordheart and the couple from that book though. but as always, i love the way T.Kingfisher writes her characters and this was no different, i just don’t feel very strongly about what occurred in this one so i am happy that the books in the series are interconnected standalones.
”Oh gods, if any of you are listening, please grant that we don’t make things worse.”
the romance in this was soooo cute but i wish there was more time spent fleshing out the fantasy elements and world building. Stephen and Grace are both awkward and unsure of the other persons feelings, but there’s plenty of moments where their connection shines. i liked how even with Stephen being a soldier of sorts, he’s also so gentle and considerate. i did find that this book was a bit too reminiscent of Swordheart and the couple from that book though. but as always, i love the way T.Kingfisher writes her characters and this was no different, i just don’t feel very strongly about what occurred in this one so i am happy that the books in the series are interconnected standalones.
January 5, 2023
дуже давно не було книжки, щоб я була прям exited, нарешті! планую прочитати абсолютно все, написане авторкою, а потім передзамовляти нові книжки решту життя
фентезійно-детективна історія про дуже надійного паладіна, в якого буквально вмер бог, і тепер він функціонує в режимі "а раптом я зараз стану берсерком і всіх навколо вб'ю", та парфумерку-втікачку, яку злий релігійний орден хоче присудити до спалення
також у меню відрізані голови, орден Білого Пацюка з неймовірною очільницею, гончарня для големів, аб'юзивний шлюб, парфуми, братерство-сестринство паладінів, кіт-вівера, tension між героями та смішні жарти, над якими я насправді хіхікала
фентезійно-детективна історія про дуже надійного паладіна, в якого буквально вмер бог, і тепер він функціонує в режимі "а раптом я зараз стану берсерком і всіх навколо вб'ю", та парфумерку-втікачку, яку злий релігійний орден хоче присудити до спалення
також у меню відрізані голови, орден Білого Пацюка з неймовірною очільницею, гончарня для големів, аб'юзивний шлюб, парфуми, братерство-сестринство паладінів, кіт-вівера, tension між героями та смішні жарти, над якими я насправді хіхікала
June 4, 2025
In which we meet Stephen, a Paladin whose god has died, and Grace, a perfumer by trade who has run away from a thoroughly unpleasant husband. I guess the genre is fantasy/romance or maybe that crazy word someone invented - a romantasy.
Whatever the genre the book contains a very enjoyable romance with some brilliantly creative characters and a lot of very humorous dialogue. Everything I expect from this talented author. I cannot wait to start on book 2, Paladin's Strength, where Istvhan gets his chance to shine. Five stars.
Whatever the genre the book contains a very enjoyable romance with some brilliantly creative characters and a lot of very humorous dialogue. Everything I expect from this talented author. I cannot wait to start on book 2, Paladin's Strength, where Istvhan gets his chance to shine. Five stars.
December 21, 2021
i can't finish reading this. it's too embarrassing. i would not have expected this level of excruciatingly boring, conventional romance from t kingfisher. it's just unendurable. and to add insult to injury half of it is from the male pov. i can't do this.
January 10, 2024
Absolutely loved this! I am a fan of T. Kingfisher, but I've only read her horror works. When I saw this audio available at my local library, I downloaded it. I am so happy I did!
This might be called a Romantasy and hey now, I don't even like romance, but I loved this.
It was sweet and funny. There were a few compelling mysteries to solve and some beheadings, which my horror-loving self enjoyed.
*Thanks to my local library for the free download. Libraries RULE!*
This might be called a Romantasy and hey now, I don't even like romance, but I loved this.
It was sweet and funny. There were a few compelling mysteries to solve and some beheadings, which my horror-loving self enjoyed.
*Thanks to my local library for the free download. Libraries RULE!*
June 23, 2025
I will never get tired of T. Kingfisher's humor! This was so much cozier than I expected & the tension in the romance is my favorite part of this book.
July 26, 2021
Don't get me wrong, I haven't written anything in my life and I am not going to start with a "searing critique" of Paladin's Grace. I am writing this to "vent my frustration", to use yet another cliché, not to pose as an expert. Don't care for spoilers, so if the three people who will read this text want to go for the vanilla experience, stop wasting your time now.
What was the most frustraring part of it all, you ask? Interestingly, the Acknowledgements. Miss Vernon innocently describes her writing process, which includes one lazy afternoon, a castle somewhere in the US, a short car trip, a random podcast on perfumes and her earnest desire to write fluff. Apparently this mature, skilled, professional and presumably serious author considers she has not succeeded in writing fluff because of the severed heads dispersed randomly throughout the story. I will tell you, and you may believe me or not, that when you invest ca. 3 hours (compounded) time on getting your inspiration, gathering your information (from any source at hand) and eventually come up with a plot, you actually write fluff. Miss Vernon, you have succeeded spectacularly. Let me tell you why.
The plot:
Reusing the worldbuilding from prevoius novels (see Swordheart for example) is one thing I do not begrudge the author. Worldbuilding is hard. It may be a small, compact, well-ordered world where bad guys are bad and good guys are good, but there was some real work put in there, albeit far from original. This is your typical pseudo-medieval world we all expect from our fantasy. Cannot escape this one. Ok, the city's called "Archenhold", the heroine's name is Grace (to work better in the title), and there are some very vague nods to some French influence which doesn't harmonize well with the rest (DuValier?! Marguerite Florian?!), but there is still some worldbuilding present. There is some claim to originality too - a dead (deceased) god. Which should be selled as something extraordinary in that universe and ours, but leaves me pretty indifferent. The mechanics of being a deity are not hinted at. Other than that the story is very straightforward - two grown-ups are somewhat granted a pretext by faith to spend some time together, if they so wish. The said pretext are the requisite "external obstacles" which should also be expected. For some reason the horrible, horrible obstacle in the form of some tangled legalities serves as a comic relief (and makes you think, yet again, how could medieval people be so stupid not to know the first thing about law and order, the series). A week long detainment in isolation - a comic relief. An autopsy - a comic relief. A lot of coincidences are this novel's secret engine - the group of main and supporting characters stumble on a very elaborate plot (or is it?) to assassinate a visiting prince. Later on they stumble on a severed head (for the first time). A bit later Stephen (just Paladin Stephen, and yes, they call him by his first name - Paladin) stumbles in a dark alley and witnesses a murder. Kicks a severed head. This is the second time they kick a human's head simply by being clumsy and not watching their step. A comic relief, of sorts. They did not invest a whole lotta time looking for the murderer, but by coincidence Stephen is locked up with him in the same prison cell. With the murderer, yes. Or with one of the murderers. In essense, we have all the usual elements of pulp romance plus all the usual elements of pulp fantasy. Well-balanced blend this is, proved itself countless times as a good combo which is, paradoxically, not going to double this novel's fan base. Good, solid work.
The characters:
Grace, Stephen, Marguerite. The cat's called Tab. Which is original, since it is actually a weasel. We have Bishop Beartongue (same pattern, everyone calls her Bishop in a more private setting). A group of seven paladins in total (one is a woman, which is original). They are produced by a manufacturing process - roughly the same age, roughly the same background (no familiy ties to speak of, same emotional trauma, slightly different coping mechanisms). All of them are of course very bodily able. If one is a paladin and alive, one is assumed to be functional and good looking. There are hints of imperfection (age, weight, some chronic pain, mussle rub), but "handsome" is a more prevalent characterisation. One capable person who appropriates the pronoun they for themselves. I know they are capable because I have read Swordheart. I only read Swordheart because it was recommended to me by a reliable source I will not mention here. If I didn't know they were a capable person, I would never have thought so - good-natured, certainly. Compassionate - yes. Dutyful - agreed. A lawyer - maybe not so much. One non-human race (they look like badgers and are very obliging, taking the city jobs no one else wants, like garbage collection and murder investigations). There are some hints at equality and peaceful coexistence, but the badger persons are nontheless the very bottom of the social pyramid. Take it as you wish. We take notice of poverty as a general phenomenon. Both Stephen and Grace are supposed to be people with very few possessions, but interestingly this does not pose any inconveniece - gear, equipment, shelter, warmth, baths, muscle rub, free time, carriages, dress, breakfast are all available when needed. Hardships of this sort are things of the past (vague biographical details provided). They both smell nice, which to me is proof they cannot be especially dispossessed or poor. Is there any character development, you ask, if I took so much time to describe all protagonists? No, there isn't. There won't be. Because Stephen has duties, and Grace doesn't like to be rescued, even when she needs it. She accepts being rescued, but reluctantly. They will just carry on as lovers, for the foreseeable future. Why so many people take a liking to Grace (running attribute "grey mouse"), we don't know. She is a grey mouse, cannot string two sentences together, blushes fiercely every couple of pages, but is simultaneously an independent, self-sufficient, capable, quite rich (earning large sums from foreign princes and accepting the deeds for their house from their best friend without their eye blinking)... woman.
Analysis: there can't be. There is not enough width and depth for analysis. This a feel-good, baseles, purposless fluff. Alas, fluff is transcient, and so is the feel-good sensation. There is a moment when you want to know what will happen next (apart from the sex, because we know it will happen a couple of times), but when it all comes together eventually, it is not convincing. It is almost painful to watch how Ms Vernon is painstakingly trying to tie those lose ends in a more seeming weave. And has them all tied, apart from leaving Tab at the temple - no one is in a hurry to retrieve him, since he is supposed to be well tended to there. Which temple? The Rat's, supposedly. Do they have a person dedicated to lost animals? Probably. They are fixers. And this is how everything works out in the end.
Why did I write this lengthy nonsense?
Far be it from me to have any ulterior motives. I am just frustrated, because this nonsense, albeit not entirely unpleasant, is marketed as fantasy. Some "Hugo and Nebula winner" thrown in for a good measure. No, I am not opposed to romance at all. I am occasionally reading by far more rawdy texts. But this is no romance either. And again, I like my texts to be coherent at some level or another. The one star is for the deception - don't bait me with "Hugo and Nebula", you lousy marketers. I've awarded more stars to lesser works, but this one deserves the mark. Disappointed by the 4.28 stars appointed by the fellow goodreads members. Will I read "Paladin's Strength", where Stephen takes three weeks to convince Strength they should fuck? I will deprive myself of the pleasure. If you are advertising something as a "saga" and dare mention the Hugo and the Nebula which have nothing to do with this novel, you can employ an editor who can edit out a few of the excessive "climb him like a tree", "rake his hand through his hair" and "I am not reliable". It's dull. It's repetitive. It's pointless because we are people of average intelligence. Ugh.
Later addition: if you are looking for a fantasy-romance crossover, I have two solid recommendations. They even merit a re-read every now and then. The audiobooks are very nice too: 1) The Bridge Kingdom Series by Danielle L. Jensen, consists of two books and 2) Master of Crows by Grace Draven, again two books.
What was the most frustraring part of it all, you ask? Interestingly, the Acknowledgements. Miss Vernon innocently describes her writing process, which includes one lazy afternoon, a castle somewhere in the US, a short car trip, a random podcast on perfumes and her earnest desire to write fluff. Apparently this mature, skilled, professional and presumably serious author considers she has not succeeded in writing fluff because of the severed heads dispersed randomly throughout the story. I will tell you, and you may believe me or not, that when you invest ca. 3 hours (compounded) time on getting your inspiration, gathering your information (from any source at hand) and eventually come up with a plot, you actually write fluff. Miss Vernon, you have succeeded spectacularly. Let me tell you why.
The plot:
Reusing the worldbuilding from prevoius novels (see Swordheart for example) is one thing I do not begrudge the author. Worldbuilding is hard. It may be a small, compact, well-ordered world where bad guys are bad and good guys are good, but there was some real work put in there, albeit far from original. This is your typical pseudo-medieval world we all expect from our fantasy. Cannot escape this one. Ok, the city's called "Archenhold", the heroine's name is Grace (to work better in the title), and there are some very vague nods to some French influence which doesn't harmonize well with the rest (DuValier?! Marguerite Florian?!), but there is still some worldbuilding present. There is some claim to originality too - a dead (deceased) god. Which should be selled as something extraordinary in that universe and ours, but leaves me pretty indifferent. The mechanics of being a deity are not hinted at. Other than that the story is very straightforward - two grown-ups are somewhat granted a pretext by faith to spend some time together, if they so wish. The said pretext are the requisite "external obstacles" which should also be expected. For some reason the horrible, horrible obstacle in the form of some tangled legalities serves as a comic relief (and makes you think, yet again, how could medieval people be so stupid not to know the first thing about law and order, the series). A week long detainment in isolation - a comic relief. An autopsy - a comic relief. A lot of coincidences are this novel's secret engine - the group of main and supporting characters stumble on a very elaborate plot (or is it?) to assassinate a visiting prince. Later on they stumble on a severed head (for the first time). A bit later Stephen (just Paladin Stephen, and yes, they call him by his first name - Paladin) stumbles in a dark alley and witnesses a murder. Kicks a severed head. This is the second time they kick a human's head simply by being clumsy and not watching their step. A comic relief, of sorts. They did not invest a whole lotta time looking for the murderer, but by coincidence Stephen is locked up with him in the same prison cell. With the murderer, yes. Or with one of the murderers. In essense, we have all the usual elements of pulp romance plus all the usual elements of pulp fantasy. Well-balanced blend this is, proved itself countless times as a good combo which is, paradoxically, not going to double this novel's fan base. Good, solid work.
The characters:
Grace, Stephen, Marguerite. The cat's called Tab. Which is original, since it is actually a weasel. We have Bishop Beartongue (same pattern, everyone calls her Bishop in a more private setting). A group of seven paladins in total (one is a woman, which is original). They are produced by a manufacturing process - roughly the same age, roughly the same background (no familiy ties to speak of, same emotional trauma, slightly different coping mechanisms). All of them are of course very bodily able. If one is a paladin and alive, one is assumed to be functional and good looking. There are hints of imperfection (age, weight, some chronic pain, mussle rub), but "handsome" is a more prevalent characterisation. One capable person who appropriates the pronoun they for themselves. I know they are capable because I have read Swordheart. I only read Swordheart because it was recommended to me by a reliable source I will not mention here. If I didn't know they were a capable person, I would never have thought so - good-natured, certainly. Compassionate - yes. Dutyful - agreed. A lawyer - maybe not so much. One non-human race (they look like badgers and are very obliging, taking the city jobs no one else wants, like garbage collection and murder investigations). There are some hints at equality and peaceful coexistence, but the badger persons are nontheless the very bottom of the social pyramid. Take it as you wish. We take notice of poverty as a general phenomenon. Both Stephen and Grace are supposed to be people with very few possessions, but interestingly this does not pose any inconveniece - gear, equipment, shelter, warmth, baths, muscle rub, free time, carriages, dress, breakfast are all available when needed. Hardships of this sort are things of the past (vague biographical details provided). They both smell nice, which to me is proof they cannot be especially dispossessed or poor. Is there any character development, you ask, if I took so much time to describe all protagonists? No, there isn't. There won't be. Because Stephen has duties, and Grace doesn't like to be rescued, even when she needs it. She accepts being rescued, but reluctantly. They will just carry on as lovers, for the foreseeable future. Why so many people take a liking to Grace (running attribute "grey mouse"), we don't know. She is a grey mouse, cannot string two sentences together, blushes fiercely every couple of pages, but is simultaneously an independent, self-sufficient, capable, quite rich (earning large sums from foreign princes and accepting the deeds for their house from their best friend without their eye blinking)... woman.
Analysis: there can't be. There is not enough width and depth for analysis. This a feel-good, baseles, purposless fluff. Alas, fluff is transcient, and so is the feel-good sensation. There is a moment when you want to know what will happen next (apart from the sex, because we know it will happen a couple of times), but when it all comes together eventually, it is not convincing. It is almost painful to watch how Ms Vernon is painstakingly trying to tie those lose ends in a more seeming weave. And has them all tied, apart from leaving Tab at the temple - no one is in a hurry to retrieve him, since he is supposed to be well tended to there. Which temple? The Rat's, supposedly. Do they have a person dedicated to lost animals? Probably. They are fixers. And this is how everything works out in the end.
Why did I write this lengthy nonsense?
Far be it from me to have any ulterior motives. I am just frustrated, because this nonsense, albeit not entirely unpleasant, is marketed as fantasy. Some "Hugo and Nebula winner" thrown in for a good measure. No, I am not opposed to romance at all. I am occasionally reading by far more rawdy texts. But this is no romance either. And again, I like my texts to be coherent at some level or another. The one star is for the deception - don't bait me with "Hugo and Nebula", you lousy marketers. I've awarded more stars to lesser works, but this one deserves the mark. Disappointed by the 4.28 stars appointed by the fellow goodreads members. Will I read "Paladin's Strength", where Stephen takes three weeks to convince Strength they should fuck? I will deprive myself of the pleasure. If you are advertising something as a "saga" and dare mention the Hugo and the Nebula which have nothing to do with this novel, you can employ an editor who can edit out a few of the excessive "climb him like a tree", "rake his hand through his hair" and "I am not reliable". It's dull. It's repetitive. It's pointless because we are people of average intelligence. Ugh.
Later addition: if you are looking for a fantasy-romance crossover, I have two solid recommendations. They even merit a re-read every now and then. The audiobooks are very nice too: 1) The Bridge Kingdom Series by Danielle L. Jensen, consists of two books and 2) Master of Crows by Grace Draven, again two books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2020
Wonderful. Just wonderful. Warm, imaginative, deeply, profoundly hilarious romance involving poisoners, severed heads, spy intrigues, perfume and civets. Features the return of the Temple of the White Rat, the holy order of sardonic lawyer-priests who may be one of my favourite creations in all of fiction, and in particular Zale and Bishop Beartongue, who are absolute perfection here.
May 24, 2025
4.5 rounded up - absolutely loved this!! Cozy, hilarious, sharp, witty, and also a murder mystery with some genuinely unhinged moments??
Full RTC but this was such a good time, had me chuckling and also super invested the whole time. Adorable wholesome romance. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
Full RTC but this was such a good time, had me chuckling and also super invested the whole time. Adorable wholesome romance. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series!!
January 26, 2023
Wow what a surprise! I expected another fantasy read, hoping for something above average. This smashed all my expectations. A great world build with some really cool characters. but the best part is I laughed my way through the book with some really unexpected humor. Highly recommended
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