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Gods of Tintar #2
Pilgrimess
Robbie Finch and her found family of fellow lady criminals are weathering tyranny from a theocratic patriarchal rule. Their resistance movement is interrupted when they get word that her niece is in trouble. Disguising themselves as penitents on a religious pilgrimage to a powerful enemy city, the ladies set out on a rescue mission. Along the way, lifelong enemies persecute them, an old flame reignites and danger threatens. And a strange man will not stop dogging Robbie’s steps. As she and her mysterious new suitor dance around each other’s desires and intentions, Robbie is forced to reckon with her past. She can only defeat the evil that looms if she remembers who she is, what gift she possesses, and opens her heart to new kinds of magic.
584 pages, Paperback
Published April 28, 2026
About the author
Kara Voorhees Reynolds
6 books282 followersKara Reynolds is a watercolorist who lives in Florida with her husband and their cats.
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Review of advance copy received from Author
If you were devastated by Priestess by Kara Reynolds BOY HAVE I GOT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. 🎉 TINTAR IS BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!
You got:
✨️ religious trauma
✨️ Girl gang vibes
✨️ vigilante shenanigans
✨️ Y E A R N I N G
✨️ Queer Rep like a mf'er
I was beyond excited to receive an ARC from the author. Reading Priestess and Illuminator healed me in ways I didn't expect, so applying for an ARC of Pilgrimess was a no brainer. Imagine my joy when it landed in my inbox!
That being said, Pilgrimess did not let me down. A new girl gang, a new love interest(s), new GODS. What i love about TGoT is that you never get the same story. Every character is so nuanced and distinguishable, to the point of feeling like my friends long after I've closed the book.
In my many years as a literate human who is constantly trying to find not only themselves in fiction, but also constantly seeks healing in fiction, it isn't super often i find a book that hits those thorny parts of me that need healing and acknowledgement...but here we are 2.5 books deep and each book has healed some buried aspect of me.
I grew up in a military family. This comes with baggage and trauma all its own, but it also comes with the expected "rub some dirt on it and keep going" coping mechanisms. If you acknowledge the pain you're weak. If you're weak, the mission fails. What mission? Who knows. keep pushing.
And thats where Pilgrimess comes in. Robbie is the kind of carer who does not stop for herself. She keeps going because without her, women die. Without her, babies die. The weight of her village rests on her and when they're uprooted by the war Perpetane incites with Tintar, she is the ONLY midwife who can keep the women safe on their resettlement journey. Robbie doesn't have the luxury of dissecting the many traumas life had visited upon her up to that point.
But, the events of the pilgrimage forces her to confront her heart breaking last. The discomfort of the lowlands and the emotional toll of being around people who want you dead will do a number on your mental health and this book does not shy away from that reality. Robbie is torn down, laid low, multiple times but shes the type to push herself up, spit out a gob of blood, and say "Is that all you got?!" as she sways in her feet. She is a survivor through and through, and she knows how to survive, but she doesn't know how to heal. And that is what she must learn on the road.
The book is equal parts mystery, romance, ride-or-die friendships, and healing. You should know by now that Kara doesn't write with half her heart, she uses the whole thing to give you a story worthy of the time she's asking you to invest in her books. I cried multiple times for multiple reasons, and I cannot recommend this book enough. Priestess was written so beautifully. Illuminator upped the ante. Pilgrimess proved that Kara does not write to plateau, she writes to scale mountains. Her craft comes first and it shows with each book. Some lines and passages tore my heart to shreds with their beauty.
I am beyond excited for the world to read this. I believe a lot of people will face a reckoning with core aspects of their lives should they choose to pick this book up, and that is one of the highest compliments I can give a book. Books change our lives, they force us to rip apart the thornhedges within us that have kept us safe from hurt....why else would powerful men want to ban and burn such books?
You got:
✨️ religious trauma
✨️ Girl gang vibes
✨️ vigilante shenanigans
✨️ Y E A R N I N G
✨️ Queer Rep like a mf'er
I was beyond excited to receive an ARC from the author. Reading Priestess and Illuminator healed me in ways I didn't expect, so applying for an ARC of Pilgrimess was a no brainer. Imagine my joy when it landed in my inbox!
That being said, Pilgrimess did not let me down. A new girl gang, a new love interest(s), new GODS. What i love about TGoT is that you never get the same story. Every character is so nuanced and distinguishable, to the point of feeling like my friends long after I've closed the book.
In my many years as a literate human who is constantly trying to find not only themselves in fiction, but also constantly seeks healing in fiction, it isn't super often i find a book that hits those thorny parts of me that need healing and acknowledgement...but here we are 2.5 books deep and each book has healed some buried aspect of me.
I grew up in a military family. This comes with baggage and trauma all its own, but it also comes with the expected "rub some dirt on it and keep going" coping mechanisms. If you acknowledge the pain you're weak. If you're weak, the mission fails. What mission? Who knows. keep pushing.
And thats where Pilgrimess comes in. Robbie is the kind of carer who does not stop for herself. She keeps going because without her, women die. Without her, babies die. The weight of her village rests on her and when they're uprooted by the war Perpetane incites with Tintar, she is the ONLY midwife who can keep the women safe on their resettlement journey. Robbie doesn't have the luxury of dissecting the many traumas life had visited upon her up to that point.
But, the events of the pilgrimage forces her to confront her heart breaking last. The discomfort of the lowlands and the emotional toll of being around people who want you dead will do a number on your mental health and this book does not shy away from that reality. Robbie is torn down, laid low, multiple times but shes the type to push herself up, spit out a gob of blood, and say "Is that all you got?!" as she sways in her feet. She is a survivor through and through, and she knows how to survive, but she doesn't know how to heal. And that is what she must learn on the road.
The book is equal parts mystery, romance, ride-or-die friendships, and healing. You should know by now that Kara doesn't write with half her heart, she uses the whole thing to give you a story worthy of the time she's asking you to invest in her books. I cried multiple times for multiple reasons, and I cannot recommend this book enough. Priestess was written so beautifully. Illuminator upped the ante. Pilgrimess proved that Kara does not write to plateau, she writes to scale mountains. Her craft comes first and it shows with each book. Some lines and passages tore my heart to shreds with their beauty.
I am beyond excited for the world to read this. I believe a lot of people will face a reckoning with core aspects of their lives should they choose to pick this book up, and that is one of the highest compliments I can give a book. Books change our lives, they force us to rip apart the thornhedges within us that have kept us safe from hurt....why else would powerful men want to ban and burn such books?
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating: 4.75/5
Spice Level: 3/5
Note: I haven't read Priestess yet and that didn't affect my enjoyment of this book. Since finishing this book, I have purchased and have started reading Priestess, due to how much I enjoyed this book.
Trigger Warnings: Spicy Content, Religious Abuse/Intolerance
Having grown up in a Christian household and now am an atheist due to my experience with religion, this book hit very close to home. The entire story is tied very closely with religion, especially with keeping women downtrodden, which happens commonly all over the world, in religious ways as well as non-religious, societal ways.
I love Robbie as a character, how headstrong and fiery she is against injustice. I really love that she is experience at life and acts like her 40 years of age. No 20 year old FMC here! Which really is a breath of fresh air for a reader who is quickly approaching 40 herself. She's lived and loved and lost, and it's reflected in her personality and the decisions she makes.
I love the male love interest(s) (sort of love triangle-y vibes, but not seriously, so don't let that put you off), including the love interests from the past and present. Really like the way the book is split up into parts alternating between the now/present and the then/past. All clearly labeled and well paced/split up. The two timelines following the main plot of the present events and her childhood and life leading up to those events, which really give background and understanding to her actions.
Found family vibes are also immaculate, and the relationships between these characters are so strong. And there's so much representation amongst them as well.
Now, I rate books off of vibes and enjoyment, rather than objectivity, and I found myself sucked into this story so quickly and thoroughly and just hooked by the FMC and the whole story/environment. I have only one MINOR criticism and it the one thing that made me not give this book a full 5 stars. During the show-down with the Big Bad (which, btw, I didn't see that full situation coming at all), I felt like the FMC didn't make the best decisions/take the best actions. I was mentally yelling at her to do something, anything! Now there was a lot going on, quite a bit of things from the multitude of characters who were all in action, so maybe everything was being described so much that it seemed like she wasn't doing anything, but I think that was the only "issue" I had with this entire book.
So overall, what a wild and fun ride. Really had a great time and recommend this to anybody looking for a fully fleshed out fantasy world/story with a non-overpowered, older FMC.
Spice Level: 3/5
Note: I haven't read Priestess yet and that didn't affect my enjoyment of this book. Since finishing this book, I have purchased and have started reading Priestess, due to how much I enjoyed this book.
Trigger Warnings: Spicy Content, Religious Abuse/Intolerance
Having grown up in a Christian household and now am an atheist due to my experience with religion, this book hit very close to home. The entire story is tied very closely with religion, especially with keeping women downtrodden, which happens commonly all over the world, in religious ways as well as non-religious, societal ways.
I love Robbie as a character, how headstrong and fiery she is against injustice. I really love that she is experience at life and acts like her 40 years of age. No 20 year old FMC here! Which really is a breath of fresh air for a reader who is quickly approaching 40 herself. She's lived and loved and lost, and it's reflected in her personality and the decisions she makes.
I love the male love interest(s) (sort of love triangle-y vibes, but not seriously, so don't let that put you off), including the love interests from the past and present. Really like the way the book is split up into parts alternating between the now/present and the then/past. All clearly labeled and well paced/split up. The two timelines following the main plot of the present events and her childhood and life leading up to those events, which really give background and understanding to her actions.
Found family vibes are also immaculate, and the relationships between these characters are so strong. And there's so much representation amongst them as well.
Now, I rate books off of vibes and enjoyment, rather than objectivity, and I found myself sucked into this story so quickly and thoroughly and just hooked by the FMC and the whole story/environment. I have only one MINOR criticism and it the one thing that made me not give this book a full 5 stars. During the show-down with the Big Bad (which, btw, I didn't see that full situation coming at all), I felt like the FMC didn't make the best decisions/take the best actions. I was mentally yelling at her to do something, anything! Now there was a lot going on, quite a bit of things from the multitude of characters who were all in action, so maybe everything was being described so much that it seemed like she wasn't doing anything, but I think that was the only "issue" I had with this entire book.
So overall, what a wild and fun ride. Really had a great time and recommend this to anybody looking for a fully fleshed out fantasy world/story with a non-overpowered, older FMC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you Kara Reynolds for letting me beta read Robbie's story. She resonated with me so much, I'm grateful I also had an opportunity to read an ARC.
Gods of Tintar is a series of interconnected romantic fantasy standalone stories with FMCs over the age of 35. Pilgrimess is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone.
The religious townsfolk say that Robbie is a criminal, the witch that lives on the edge of the woods, but she has always been essential to the women of the town—secretly helping those with pregnancies and hiding banned books. After hearing her niece is in trouble, Robbie and her friends disguise themselves as penitents on a journey to a powerful enemy city. Danger still lurks and lifelong enemies continue to target Robbie, while a mysterious new suitor ignites something in Robbie she is forced to reckon with.
Pilgrimess is a story to women everywhere—those oppressed by a tyrannical rule, those who have their bodily autonomy threatened. Robbie encapsulates feminine rage, silently supporting women under the cover of moonlight, actively fighting the religious rule in her town. Robbie's fight is often lonely, throughout I could feel everything wearing on her, yet her perseverance, her strength to go on, was simply inspiring.
Robbie is a character that is authentically herself. I love that she is an older FMC and actually written like one. She is assure of herself and her capabilities. Kara always writes a found family aspect so well and that shines in Pilgrimess. Robbie's found family shows us what it means to be seen, to be loved for who we are. Yet the side characters in this story are not just pillars for Robbie, they are their own people with their own backgrounds. They all represent something different for womanhood and sisterhood.
I appreciated that the story flips between Robbie's past and present. We come to understand what makes her the person she is today—her relationship with her twin sister, Magda's mentoring and fighting injustice, her first love. I loved the flashbacks with her first husband, Avery, and I appreciated that this doesn't overshadow or complicate things with the new MMC. Robbie has had a full life full of love, terror, grief—yet there is so much more hope to come.
The slow burn romance is done so well, with Robbie's barriers slowly coming down. I don't want to reveal too much for the MMC in my review because his mystery feels so important to their story, but their banter and chemistry is captivating.
Pilgrimess is made for those who love stories full of feminine rage, found families and what it means to fight against injustice, against a fantasy backdrop.
Tropes & Themes:
Fantasy
Slow burn romance
40 year old FMC
Younger MMC
Practical magic
Feminine rage
Found family
Forced proximity
Banter
Only one tent
Queer representation
Please read the author's full list of TWs as this story deals with religious bigotry/trauma and themes around childbirth, miscarriages and abortion.
Gods of Tintar is a series of interconnected romantic fantasy standalone stories with FMCs over the age of 35. Pilgrimess is the second book in the series and can be read as a standalone.
The religious townsfolk say that Robbie is a criminal, the witch that lives on the edge of the woods, but she has always been essential to the women of the town—secretly helping those with pregnancies and hiding banned books. After hearing her niece is in trouble, Robbie and her friends disguise themselves as penitents on a journey to a powerful enemy city. Danger still lurks and lifelong enemies continue to target Robbie, while a mysterious new suitor ignites something in Robbie she is forced to reckon with.
Pilgrimess is a story to women everywhere—those oppressed by a tyrannical rule, those who have their bodily autonomy threatened. Robbie encapsulates feminine rage, silently supporting women under the cover of moonlight, actively fighting the religious rule in her town. Robbie's fight is often lonely, throughout I could feel everything wearing on her, yet her perseverance, her strength to go on, was simply inspiring.
"What am I to do now? Why is this fight even worth fighting, and why am I the one forever on a battlefield? Why me?"
Robbie is a character that is authentically herself. I love that she is an older FMC and actually written like one. She is assure of herself and her capabilities. Kara always writes a found family aspect so well and that shines in Pilgrimess. Robbie's found family shows us what it means to be seen, to be loved for who we are. Yet the side characters in this story are not just pillars for Robbie, they are their own people with their own backgrounds. They all represent something different for womanhood and sisterhood.
I appreciated that the story flips between Robbie's past and present. We come to understand what makes her the person she is today—her relationship with her twin sister, Magda's mentoring and fighting injustice, her first love. I loved the flashbacks with her first husband, Avery, and I appreciated that this doesn't overshadow or complicate things with the new MMC. Robbie has had a full life full of love, terror, grief—yet there is so much more hope to come.
"And though I was experiencing a grief like no other grief I had endured, I felt a certainty and a potency. I felt safe in my anger, my lifelong companion."
The slow burn romance is done so well, with Robbie's barriers slowly coming down. I don't want to reveal too much for the MMC in my review because his mystery feels so important to their story, but their banter and chemistry is captivating.
Pilgrimess is made for those who love stories full of feminine rage, found families and what it means to fight against injustice, against a fantasy backdrop.
Tropes & Themes:
Fantasy
Slow burn romance
40 year old FMC
Younger MMC
Practical magic
Feminine rage
Found family
Forced proximity
Banter
Only one tent
Queer representation
Please read the author's full list of TWs as this story deals with religious bigotry/trauma and themes around childbirth, miscarriages and abortion.
March 6, 2026
✨Pilgrimess✨
Pilgrimess felt like reading modern literature. Robbie’s world felt vast and timeless, a magical memoire full of heartbreak, loss, hope, pain, perseverance, chosen family, and love.
In this standalone within Kara’s interconnected world, we follow a singular POV from our FMC, Robbie, as she undergoes a pilgrimage to save her niece during a time where her country is at war. Her life has been difficult, to say the least, relegated to an outcast “witch” from the religious patriarchy that seeks to rule and oppress its people. We spend half our time (woven within) learning of Robbie’s past and what brought her to where she is today: taking her family across the country, fighting for her life against men who want to kill her, illegally helping women under the cover of the stars, hiding her magic, and slowly falling in love with a mysterious scout.
Robbie experiences 3 great loves but the most being the male who empowers her wildness. This is a story of sorrowful events that lead us to the most joy-filled futures, standing firm in our values despite it not aligning with society, and loving hard. The cast was so beautifully done and Reed’s letter had me MELTING. All those small moments we get with him… they build up so beautifully. Their eventual freedom made my heart so happy. And Thane. Oh gosh… he has my heart too, that poor precious soul.
Tropes you may find in Pilgrimess are forced proximity, bodyguard, one tent, 30+ y/o characters, practical magic, fighting the patriarchy, religious trauma, chosen family, standalone, banter, medium spice, and a HEA.
Thank you, Kara, for this gifted arc. Robbie’s story is one that will continue to stick with me.
Pilgrimess felt like reading modern literature. Robbie’s world felt vast and timeless, a magical memoire full of heartbreak, loss, hope, pain, perseverance, chosen family, and love.
In this standalone within Kara’s interconnected world, we follow a singular POV from our FMC, Robbie, as she undergoes a pilgrimage to save her niece during a time where her country is at war. Her life has been difficult, to say the least, relegated to an outcast “witch” from the religious patriarchy that seeks to rule and oppress its people. We spend half our time (woven within) learning of Robbie’s past and what brought her to where she is today: taking her family across the country, fighting for her life against men who want to kill her, illegally helping women under the cover of the stars, hiding her magic, and slowly falling in love with a mysterious scout.
Robbie experiences 3 great loves but the most being the male who empowers her wildness. This is a story of sorrowful events that lead us to the most joy-filled futures, standing firm in our values despite it not aligning with society, and loving hard. The cast was so beautifully done and Reed’s letter had me MELTING. All those small moments we get with him… they build up so beautifully. Their eventual freedom made my heart so happy. And Thane. Oh gosh… he has my heart too, that poor precious soul.
Tropes you may find in Pilgrimess are forced proximity, bodyguard, one tent, 30+ y/o characters, practical magic, fighting the patriarchy, religious trauma, chosen family, standalone, banter, medium spice, and a HEA.
Thank you, Kara, for this gifted arc. Robbie’s story is one that will continue to stick with me.
May 4, 2026
Kara Reynolds is known for beautifully weaving together the moments—simple and significant—that form the rich tapestry of her characters’ lives. With Pilgrimess, she has done it again, introducing readers to Robbie, a fiercely protective woman rebelling against the men and the church that shaped her while discovering the true depth of the power she holds and allowing herself another chance at love. Ripe with the sisterhood and slow burn tension that are the hallmarks of Reynolds’ works, Pilgrimess is a powerful and timely addition to the Gods of Tintar series.
April 7, 2026
3.5⭐️
There’s so much that enjoyed about this book. The overall story and how everything came together, Reed’s devotion to Robbie, her being an older FMC, Robbie’s strength and cunning, the female friendships and the complexity of all the characters.
For me though, dual timelines are tough, and they tend to slow down the story progression for me in most cases, as it did for me in this story. I also had a hard time with the writing style and I didn’t feel as connected to the characters until towards the end of the book.
Thank you to the author for this E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
There’s so much that enjoyed about this book. The overall story and how everything came together, Reed’s devotion to Robbie, her being an older FMC, Robbie’s strength and cunning, the female friendships and the complexity of all the characters.
For me though, dual timelines are tough, and they tend to slow down the story progression for me in most cases, as it did for me in this story. I also had a hard time with the writing style and I didn’t feel as connected to the characters until towards the end of the book.
Thank you to the author for this E-ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much for the arc, but it's going to be a dnf at 7% for me.
These are my opinions below.
Please. Please. Please.🙏
Hire an editor.
I'm so sorry. I don't want this to come off as mean, just constructive.
To me, the writing is unfortunately very awkward, clunky and really interrupts the flow of my reading.
Some examples:
"For caged birds everywhere. May the bitter screech of your beak’s drag on the bars frighten the hell out of the ones who put you there."
"Your beak's drag "sticks out here, you could put: "the drag of your beak"
First paragraph:
"It was the reappearance of my favorite book that saved me. It was taken from me, and then it was returned. But before it was returned, I lost hope. I had finally caved to a lifetime of pursuit, of being the skittish deer darting between trees, the hunter’s horse on my heels. I had felt the arrow strike me in the neck and take me down. When they came for the books, they came for all that I believed in. It was a death. But I would have that book again."
I think if you rework the first 3 sentences, into one, you can make it less repetitive and wordy.
We should also talk about the deer part, if you commit to imagery, deer don't have heels.They have hooves.
Next: "I had felt the arrow", don't need the word "had" here, since the "felt" is already in past tense.
I also want to talk about the use of the word strike, because even though arrows do technically strike, that action is more related to one of a hammer or a dull instrument.
Arrows are more known for piercing or grazing due to their sharp points.
"They came to my house on the day before my fortieth day of birth."
This line also confused me, bc are you talking about being just over a month old? Is it 40 years?
Why not phrase it more clearly?
There are so many examples of this in just the first chapter, unnecessary words like "had been", or "had never".
The word "had" appears ~1400 times in this book. Unfortunately for me, and my brain, I really seem to notice repetition and patterns in things. 🤷♀️
All of these are, of course just my personal opinion and my preferences when it comes to writing. There is no wrong or right way to write and this book may just not be my cup of tea.
These are my opinions below.
Please. Please. Please.🙏
Hire an editor.
I'm so sorry. I don't want this to come off as mean, just constructive.
To me, the writing is unfortunately very awkward, clunky and really interrupts the flow of my reading.
Some examples:
"For caged birds everywhere. May the bitter screech of your beak’s drag on the bars frighten the hell out of the ones who put you there."
"Your beak's drag "sticks out here, you could put: "the drag of your beak"
First paragraph:
"It was the reappearance of my favorite book that saved me. It was taken from me, and then it was returned. But before it was returned, I lost hope. I had finally caved to a lifetime of pursuit, of being the skittish deer darting between trees, the hunter’s horse on my heels. I had felt the arrow strike me in the neck and take me down. When they came for the books, they came for all that I believed in. It was a death. But I would have that book again."
I think if you rework the first 3 sentences, into one, you can make it less repetitive and wordy.
We should also talk about the deer part, if you commit to imagery, deer don't have heels.They have hooves.
Next: "I had felt the arrow", don't need the word "had" here, since the "felt" is already in past tense.
I also want to talk about the use of the word strike, because even though arrows do technically strike, that action is more related to one of a hammer or a dull instrument.
Arrows are more known for piercing or grazing due to their sharp points.
"They came to my house on the day before my fortieth day of birth."
This line also confused me, bc are you talking about being just over a month old? Is it 40 years?
Why not phrase it more clearly?
There are so many examples of this in just the first chapter, unnecessary words like "had been", or "had never".
The word "had" appears ~1400 times in this book. Unfortunately for me, and my brain, I really seem to notice repetition and patterns in things. 🤷♀️
All of these are, of course just my personal opinion and my preferences when it comes to writing. There is no wrong or right way to write and this book may just not be my cup of tea.
April 27, 2026
Thank you so much to Kara for the eARC!
”There will always be some fierce woman angry at the way of kings.”
Kara has done it again. A beautifully written romantasy with a 40-year-old FMC and her girl gang/found family. Robbie takes no bullshit from anyone - starting as a child, which the dual timeline clearly shows. Salt Man, our MMC, enters the chat in the most perfect way: with sultry eyes from a dark corner. There’s banter. There’s slow burn. There’s a long pilgrimage - which you would think would not be the ideal way to move a story forward, however, it is literally the title of the book and Kara makes it amazing. All the while continuing to call out 🖕 the patriarchy and weaving in the elemental magic that was in Priestess.
”A woman’s life is overwhelming.”
This is a massive theme of the story. Robbie’s rage is felt for the entirety of her life - from being boxed as a preteen, to being labeled a witch and becoming the local midwife who doesn’t sleep because she secretly delivers birth control and performs abortions. Robbie handles death, being ostracized, taking in an apprentice/child, betrayal and more in stride… but of course, with that simmering BURN IT ALL DOWN feminine rage always bubbling beneath the surface.
The last 20% was full of culminating action, a very unexpected/grotesque situation, loss (not FMC/MMC) and an epilogue that hits you in the feels.
Kara’s works make you feel SEEN as a female in the 21st century, while being written with medieval flair.
I said it with Priestess and I’ll say it again here for Pilgrimess: read it and then pass it on to the FMCs in your life. 🫶
”There will always be some fierce woman angry at the way of kings.”
Kara has done it again. A beautifully written romantasy with a 40-year-old FMC and her girl gang/found family. Robbie takes no bullshit from anyone - starting as a child, which the dual timeline clearly shows. Salt Man, our MMC, enters the chat in the most perfect way: with sultry eyes from a dark corner. There’s banter. There’s slow burn. There’s a long pilgrimage - which you would think would not be the ideal way to move a story forward, however, it is literally the title of the book and Kara makes it amazing. All the while continuing to call out 🖕 the patriarchy and weaving in the elemental magic that was in Priestess.
”A woman’s life is overwhelming.”
This is a massive theme of the story. Robbie’s rage is felt for the entirety of her life - from being boxed as a preteen, to being labeled a witch and becoming the local midwife who doesn’t sleep because she secretly delivers birth control and performs abortions. Robbie handles death, being ostracized, taking in an apprentice/child, betrayal and more in stride… but of course, with that simmering BURN IT ALL DOWN feminine rage always bubbling beneath the surface.
The last 20% was full of culminating action, a very unexpected/grotesque situation, loss (not FMC/MMC) and an epilogue that hits you in the feels.
Kara’s works make you feel SEEN as a female in the 21st century, while being written with medieval flair.
I said it with Priestess and I’ll say it again here for Pilgrimess: read it and then pass it on to the FMCs in your life. 🫶
April 25, 2026
ARC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* the enduring power of women
* religious trauma
* roadtrip
* he falls first
* queer rep galore
* found family
* gods
There are gods in this story, and divine magic, but it is not a fantasy. There is love and spice, but it is not a romance. What it is, at its heart, is a testament to the enduring strength and power of women as individuals and as a group.
When religious war threatens their town, the people of Sheridan pack up and relocate. Robbie has always lived as an outcast because of her beliefs and her career as a midwife and healer. And the powerful men of Sheridan have delivered brutal punishments over and over again to try to get her to stay in her place. But she’s collected a group of women into a family in her home and chooses to join the pilgrims on their journey for the safety of the women there.
Told from Robbie’s POV, and switching between past and present, this is such a character-driven story as we learn about all that Robbie has endured in the name of religion and patriarchy. And it is rough, especially now. Check your triggers. It’d also very much a “regular people called upon to do extraordinary things” story.
The pacing is very measured, but no less enjoyable for the time it takes. Do not expect to fly through this. Expect to savor every scene.
The camaraderie of our group of women is so engaging. There’s banter and love and the sort of sniping you would expect of any group of people forced in close quarters for a long period of time over their journey.
What’s going to stick with me is the danger of small minded men who use religion to try and grind women under their boot heel, to literally feed their power, and the image of Robbie, Fox, Ilsit and the others fighting back.
Thanks so much to the author for a review copy. This was fantastic.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
* the enduring power of women
* religious trauma
* roadtrip
* he falls first
* queer rep galore
* found family
* gods
There are gods in this story, and divine magic, but it is not a fantasy. There is love and spice, but it is not a romance. What it is, at its heart, is a testament to the enduring strength and power of women as individuals and as a group.
When religious war threatens their town, the people of Sheridan pack up and relocate. Robbie has always lived as an outcast because of her beliefs and her career as a midwife and healer. And the powerful men of Sheridan have delivered brutal punishments over and over again to try to get her to stay in her place. But she’s collected a group of women into a family in her home and chooses to join the pilgrims on their journey for the safety of the women there.
Told from Robbie’s POV, and switching between past and present, this is such a character-driven story as we learn about all that Robbie has endured in the name of religion and patriarchy. And it is rough, especially now. Check your triggers. It’d also very much a “regular people called upon to do extraordinary things” story.
The pacing is very measured, but no less enjoyable for the time it takes. Do not expect to fly through this. Expect to savor every scene.
The camaraderie of our group of women is so engaging. There’s banter and love and the sort of sniping you would expect of any group of people forced in close quarters for a long period of time over their journey.
What’s going to stick with me is the danger of small minded men who use religion to try and grind women under their boot heel, to literally feed their power, and the image of Robbie, Fox, Ilsit and the others fighting back.
Thanks so much to the author for a review copy. This was fantastic.
April 29, 2026
Robbie Finch isn’t your 20-year-old Chosen One. She’s 40, a midwife, a survivor, and the backbone of her village. She doesn’t have time to unpack her trauma, because if she stops, women die. But when war uproots them and her niece is in danger, Robbie and her found family of lady criminals disguise themselves as penitents and head into enemy territory.
What follows is equal parts political thriller, romance, mystery, and healing journey. There’s tyranny, old enemies, reignited flames, and a strange man who won’t leave Robbie alone. The past/present split timelines are labeled perfectly and show exactly how Robbie became Robbie; lived, loved, lost, and still standing. She’ll spit blood and ask “Is that all you got?” but she doesn’t know how to heal. That’s what this road forces her to learn.
The found family vibes are immaculate. The representation is there without feeling forced. And Kara’s writing? She doesn’t plateau, she scales mountains. Some lines tore my heart to shreds with their beauty.
I teared up multiple times, for grief and for hope. It’s fierce, tender, and painfully human. Robbie’s 40 years of life show in every choice she makes.
Mystery, romance, ride-or-die friendships, and healing. Kara writes with her whole heart, and it shows. Books like this rip apart the thornhedges we build to stay safe. Read it.
What follows is equal parts political thriller, romance, mystery, and healing journey. There’s tyranny, old enemies, reignited flames, and a strange man who won’t leave Robbie alone. The past/present split timelines are labeled perfectly and show exactly how Robbie became Robbie; lived, loved, lost, and still standing. She’ll spit blood and ask “Is that all you got?” but she doesn’t know how to heal. That’s what this road forces her to learn.
The found family vibes are immaculate. The representation is there without feeling forced. And Kara’s writing? She doesn’t plateau, she scales mountains. Some lines tore my heart to shreds with their beauty.
I teared up multiple times, for grief and for hope. It’s fierce, tender, and painfully human. Robbie’s 40 years of life show in every choice she makes.
Mystery, romance, ride-or-die friendships, and healing. Kara writes with her whole heart, and it shows. Books like this rip apart the thornhedges we build to stay safe. Read it.
April 28, 2026
I would like to thank the author, Kara Reynolds, for the ARC of this book in return for my honest opinion.
This was such a good book! I finished 60% of the book today! I couldn’t put it down! The beginning had a lot of building and explaining the intro into Robbie’s story and I thought the author did a great job with that. I also loved the dual timeline. It really allowed you to get insight and better understand things. I loved her first book, Priestess, however, this one was a touch better, in my opinion. Robbie’s story was so heavy and tragic and heartbreaking. Her hope and duty to other women, no matter what it cost her, really touched me. The religious abuse she suffered is so hard to handle and I found myself yelling at the men who treated her like she was nothing. There are many life topics brought up in this story and I think the author really handles it well. I definitely recommend this book!
This was such a good book! I finished 60% of the book today! I couldn’t put it down! The beginning had a lot of building and explaining the intro into Robbie’s story and I thought the author did a great job with that. I also loved the dual timeline. It really allowed you to get insight and better understand things. I loved her first book, Priestess, however, this one was a touch better, in my opinion. Robbie’s story was so heavy and tragic and heartbreaking. Her hope and duty to other women, no matter what it cost her, really touched me. The religious abuse she suffered is so hard to handle and I found myself yelling at the men who treated her like she was nothing. There are many life topics brought up in this story and I think the author really handles it well. I definitely recommend this book!
Review of advance copy
Thank you Tales & Teacups for Pilgrimess (Gods of Tintar) which was one of my most anticipated reads of the year considering the first book and I appreciate that this can be read as a standalone.
Fantasy has a habit of casting teenagers as the heroine but here we have an actual adult (40yo FMC) which is fantastic! Representation actually does matter especially considering the graphic nature of this book and it did actually
offer a varied perspective that is so often left out and challenges the stereotypes we so often see.
I would definitely reccommend this but consider the trigger warnings before doing so
Fantasy has a habit of casting teenagers as the heroine but here we have an actual adult (40yo FMC) which is fantastic! Representation actually does matter especially considering the graphic nature of this book and it did actually
offer a varied perspective that is so often left out and challenges the stereotypes we so often see.
I would definitely reccommend this but consider the trigger warnings before doing so
March 1, 2026
This is actually more like 4.5 ⭐️ rating. So much of this book was beautiful, salient, touching, and heartbreaking. It is first and foremost a celebration of women and our ability to persevere with one another’s support. It digs into the toxicity of religion and theocracy and how they are uniquely designed to prey on women. And it reminds us of the importance of staying true to one’s self, even if the society you were born to doesn’t approve of you.
Robbie is an authentic and real FMC. She is flawed and human, and has true lived experiences. Reynolds does this so well, as we saw with Edie in Priestess and Helena in Illuminator. Robbie is the defiant twin being raised in a rural, religious area, and is daily punished for being intelligent, curious, brave, and empathetic, and willing to fight to the death to protect and help women. The “Then” chapters show us her past and allow us to see her grow into who she is in the “Now” chapters, and they are so nicely woven in. She is a woman in her early 40s who believes her time for love and attraction is long gone, and cannot see the effect she has on men. When a one-eyed, hooded, lean man comes into her life, she cannot believe he may be attracted to her or have her best interests in mind. She has just seen too much betrayal from men.
A big part of this book is an emphasis on “acts of care”, which means a few different things in this book, and both Robbie and Reed demonstrate their care for others via their actions. Both struggle to orally communicate affections; their love is shown by their commitments, even if others don’t understand the toll it takes on them. Reed sometimes flirts awkwardly, saying coded things that Robbie can’t quite understand, and I loved these parts.
The only reason this is not more highly rated for me is it needed a bit more editing for pacing. The first 10% felt like a lot of information dumping and then the last 8% or so dragged in one spot but then rushed in another. While I loved everything about Robbie and Reed, I wished the final chapter had been different. Both Pilgrimess and Priestess ended in a similar manner—once the main plot was resolved, Reynolds gives us a quick rundown about the immediate aftermath and then jumps ahead decades. It would be nice to leave that to the reader’s imagination but provide them more about that couple now that the major issues are resolved. These time jumps could be epilogues after a chapter or two of wrap up. I guess I just wanted a little more of Robbie and Reed.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author!
Robbie is an authentic and real FMC. She is flawed and human, and has true lived experiences. Reynolds does this so well, as we saw with Edie in Priestess and Helena in Illuminator. Robbie is the defiant twin being raised in a rural, religious area, and is daily punished for being intelligent, curious, brave, and empathetic, and willing to fight to the death to protect and help women. The “Then” chapters show us her past and allow us to see her grow into who she is in the “Now” chapters, and they are so nicely woven in. She is a woman in her early 40s who believes her time for love and attraction is long gone, and cannot see the effect she has on men. When a one-eyed, hooded, lean man comes into her life, she cannot believe he may be attracted to her or have her best interests in mind. She has just seen too much betrayal from men.
A big part of this book is an emphasis on “acts of care”, which means a few different things in this book, and both Robbie and Reed demonstrate their care for others via their actions. Both struggle to orally communicate affections; their love is shown by their commitments, even if others don’t understand the toll it takes on them. Reed sometimes flirts awkwardly, saying coded things that Robbie can’t quite understand, and I loved these parts.
The only reason this is not more highly rated for me is it needed a bit more editing for pacing. The first 10% felt like a lot of information dumping and then the last 8% or so dragged in one spot but then rushed in another. While I loved everything about Robbie and Reed, I wished the final chapter had been different. Both Pilgrimess and Priestess ended in a similar manner—once the main plot was resolved, Reynolds gives us a quick rundown about the immediate aftermath and then jumps ahead decades. It would be nice to leave that to the reader’s imagination but provide them more about that couple now that the major issues are resolved. These time jumps could be epilogues after a chapter or two of wrap up. I guess I just wanted a little more of Robbie and Reed.
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you’ve ever been told that you shine too brightly, told that you must dim your light so not to offend the delicate sensitivities of men in power, then this is the book that you need to read. This is a book about how women are less, subservient to men and church, and it’s about rebellion, the quiet ways in which women say no. Who find small ways to fight back, who find their worth, not in being less than, but in who they are.
If you like fast-paced fantasy stories, then this is not the story for you, if however, you love slow-paced stories that flow gently like a peaceful lake before throwing you into the deep rapids at the end, and will have you reading through floods of tears, this is the book for you.
For this story blocks slowly, its beauty revealed with each opening of a petal, under the bloom of sunlight. The tension, a slow simmering thing that has you turning the pages, awaiting the next reveal.
This story might be fiction, but it is grounded in startling reality and that is what makes the story so brilliant to read, and makes you so angry as a reader, because we read this not only from a modern perspective where we clutch our pearls at the idea of living in a world like this, while knowing that bit by bit it is exactly the life we’re being pushed towards. Where the bright are expected to douse their flames to become less than for those in power, as if they have any actual right to be there.
Better still, the FMC isn’t young, she’s not untested, Robbie is the opposite of that, she’s mature, she’s emotionally scared. She’s been tested over and over again, her faith wavers, and when she falters, her friends are there to pick her up and dust her off. The diversity within the story is so well done, and without drawing overt attention to it, each character is so beautifully normal, not the overly attractive, good at everything, characters we usually see within fantasy settings. They are all flawed in their own way.
For some Robbie is going to grate, but thats her superpower, shes unafraid to be herself, even if shes’ been forced to be less to save herself from burning, because yes, in this story if the woman doesn’t bow, if she doesn’t lower herself to a man, if she doesn’t repent, she’s burned at the stake.
We follow our character’s are they flee from war, and towards Robbie’s neice who sent a startling letter begging for help, in secret code. There is hardship on the road, though, and strangers who linger.
This is a love story, but not just a love story between main characters, though that story is beautiful in its own regard. It’s a love story between friends. It’s a love story with yourself. The friendships in this book are the foundations of the entire story; without it, there would be no story. These women have been through so much and yet together they found a home and a life that carries on right to the very end. Where I ugly cried. A lot.
The actual love story, though, is such a brilliant slow burn; it’s gentle and surprising. It sneaks up on you, which makes sense given our Salt Mans affinity. He’s so freaking smooth, and honestly, how Robbie held out for as long as she did is truly beyond me.
This book, broke me in the best way, because we sit with these characters, it’s like sitting with friends, you get to truly know them, so that when they feel pain or fear, or suffer loss, you suffer it too. Those last chapters had been read through tears, which is a hard thing to do. Because they were all too real.
This story also manages to take my least faviourte thing in fantasy, which is past and present being woven into together (we read several chapters in the present, and then jump back into the past) and had me enjoying it because those chapters built on what we knew, they offered you insight and understanding and without them we wouldn’t have enjoyed the story half as much. They were needed. We needed to understand Robbie, I feel, without them, we might have found her jarring, and less likeable plus they make sense for the end of the book.
Which had me sobbing, did I say that yet?
Please check your triggers though, they are clearly outlined, and for good reason, if you're sensitive to any of them, this is probably not the read for you. They are haddled with such grace, though and done tastefully. All in all i’d give this six stars if I could.
If you like fast-paced fantasy stories, then this is not the story for you, if however, you love slow-paced stories that flow gently like a peaceful lake before throwing you into the deep rapids at the end, and will have you reading through floods of tears, this is the book for you.
For this story blocks slowly, its beauty revealed with each opening of a petal, under the bloom of sunlight. The tension, a slow simmering thing that has you turning the pages, awaiting the next reveal.
This story might be fiction, but it is grounded in startling reality and that is what makes the story so brilliant to read, and makes you so angry as a reader, because we read this not only from a modern perspective where we clutch our pearls at the idea of living in a world like this, while knowing that bit by bit it is exactly the life we’re being pushed towards. Where the bright are expected to douse their flames to become less than for those in power, as if they have any actual right to be there.
Better still, the FMC isn’t young, she’s not untested, Robbie is the opposite of that, she’s mature, she’s emotionally scared. She’s been tested over and over again, her faith wavers, and when she falters, her friends are there to pick her up and dust her off. The diversity within the story is so well done, and without drawing overt attention to it, each character is so beautifully normal, not the overly attractive, good at everything, characters we usually see within fantasy settings. They are all flawed in their own way.
For some Robbie is going to grate, but thats her superpower, shes unafraid to be herself, even if shes’ been forced to be less to save herself from burning, because yes, in this story if the woman doesn’t bow, if she doesn’t lower herself to a man, if she doesn’t repent, she’s burned at the stake.
We follow our character’s are they flee from war, and towards Robbie’s neice who sent a startling letter begging for help, in secret code. There is hardship on the road, though, and strangers who linger.
This is a love story, but not just a love story between main characters, though that story is beautiful in its own regard. It’s a love story between friends. It’s a love story with yourself. The friendships in this book are the foundations of the entire story; without it, there would be no story. These women have been through so much and yet together they found a home and a life that carries on right to the very end. Where I ugly cried. A lot.
The actual love story, though, is such a brilliant slow burn; it’s gentle and surprising. It sneaks up on you, which makes sense given our Salt Mans affinity. He’s so freaking smooth, and honestly, how Robbie held out for as long as she did is truly beyond me.
This book, broke me in the best way, because we sit with these characters, it’s like sitting with friends, you get to truly know them, so that when they feel pain or fear, or suffer loss, you suffer it too. Those last chapters had been read through tears, which is a hard thing to do. Because they were all too real.
This story also manages to take my least faviourte thing in fantasy, which is past and present being woven into together (we read several chapters in the present, and then jump back into the past) and had me enjoying it because those chapters built on what we knew, they offered you insight and understanding and without them we wouldn’t have enjoyed the story half as much. They were needed. We needed to understand Robbie, I feel, without them, we might have found her jarring, and less likeable plus they make sense for the end of the book.
Which had me sobbing, did I say that yet?
Please check your triggers though, they are clearly outlined, and for good reason, if you're sensitive to any of them, this is probably not the read for you. They are haddled with such grace, though and done tastefully. All in all i’d give this six stars if I could.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐ 3.5 | ❤️ 3/5
I want to start off by saying that Priestess was one of my favorite books of 2025— I recommended it to everyone including pitching it to my book club, recommending it on Reddit, and pressing it on every bookish friend who would listen. While I was enraptured by the flashbacks in the middle third of Pilgrimess, the rest of the book was laborious for me, which was hard to sit with given how much I loved Priestess.
Readers who are drawn to female rage, religious trauma themes, or a MMC who is deeply down bad for the FMC may find this a more enjoyable read than I did. Readers who are sensitive to craft and pacing issues, miscommunication as a plot device, or characters whose decisions feel inconsistent with who they were established to be may struggle.
Pilgrimess has a lot of the ingredients that resonated with Priestess readers: an older female lead, found family, and characters who are written to feel like people rather than walking tropes. The story alternates between present-day Robbie and flashbacks to her past; the two halves wildly different in experience in what they deliver. The romance between young Robbie and Thane in the flashbacks with its slow burn across years, pining, and tenderness is this book at its best. I was fully immersed in their story; heartbroken in the best way by the time the flashbacks reached their turning point. The flashbacks felt like a novella within the book, and it would have been a 4.5 for me.
The Magda arc, told within the flashbacks, is also one of the most compelling parts of the story. It includes one of the most powerful, visceral scenes of the story: women weeping at the climax of her arc, complicit in their silence, and then expecting Robbie to fill the void resonated so hard. This will pack an emotional punch for readers who connect with stories about survival in the face of institutionalized misogyny or religious bigotry
The book reads as if it has been written chronologically and then restructured to start with the present day, but the present day characters don’t yet have their origin stories established until late into the book. This results in spending most of the book with a cast of secondary characters, who as a visual reader I couldn’t picture (physical descriptions arrive late in the book, mostly in flashbacks, and in some cases as late as the epilogue) and didn’t feel like I knew, which made it hard to feel invested in them. Magda is the exception though, because her backstory surfaces early in the flashbacks which allowed her arc to fully land. She was the only one. As a result, the found family didn’t really land for me— not in the way it did for Priestess, where we got a whole book to understand why the characters cared for each other as they experienced trauma together.
The first 20% was a barrier for me. The prose was confusing and at times overreaching, such that I had to reread some sentences multiple times to decipher what was meant. The dialogue read more like a script at times, and there were two full chapters of lore-dumping that felt like a detour from the story rather than necessarily for the plot. I skimmed both. The writing does find its footing once the flashbacks start, but the present-day chapters never quite reached the same level.
There was a love triangle in the present-day story, neither of which worked for me as romantic leads. We are told of Reed’s feelings rather than shown. His dialogue read more as plot-driving rather than helping us understand his interiority. For example, there was a scene in a tree where instead of flirting, he explains to Robbie why she is desirable. As a result, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them. Since his feelings don’t surface until late in the story and without the groundwork laid for me to buy into it, it landed as a reveal rather than payoff. I personally gravitate towards self-possessed leads, and Reed was the opposite of that.
The other thing I struggled with was the gap between who Robbie was in the past versus who she is in the present. Robbie in the past was a fierce, brave, resilient critical thinker. Robbie in the present was still fierce and resilient, but she made decisions that felt inconsistent with her character. For example, present Robbie withheld information from her closest allies, reasoning that it would keep them safe, but in doing so, she actually put both herself and her loved ones in further danger, since they were unaware of the looming threats. It felt like the story needed her to act this way rather than how her character, as established, actually would. The book acknowledges this: a secondary character called her out directly, but naming the problem isn’t the same as resolving it.
The most prominent secondary characters with the most egregious offenses were positioned for redemption arcs that I wanted badly to land, but unfortunately they didn’t for me. Regret and accountability are not the same. Pining for someone and reckoning with what you did to them are not the same.
This book has the bones of a really good book, especially in the middle third. Priestess is proof that Kara Reynolds can write memorable characters you fall in love with and a compelling story that stays with you. Pilgrimess wasn’t that book for me, but even if it wasn’t for me, it could be for you if the themes resonate with you and you’re a generous skimmer. I will continue to recommend Priestess far and wide and look forward to what Kara Reynolds publishes in the future.
1. Priestess ⭐ 5
2. Pilgrimess ⭐ 3.5
This review is based on an ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
I want to start off by saying that Priestess was one of my favorite books of 2025— I recommended it to everyone including pitching it to my book club, recommending it on Reddit, and pressing it on every bookish friend who would listen. While I was enraptured by the flashbacks in the middle third of Pilgrimess, the rest of the book was laborious for me, which was hard to sit with given how much I loved Priestess.
Readers who are drawn to female rage, religious trauma themes, or a MMC who is deeply down bad for the FMC may find this a more enjoyable read than I did. Readers who are sensitive to craft and pacing issues, miscommunication as a plot device, or characters whose decisions feel inconsistent with who they were established to be may struggle.
Pilgrimess has a lot of the ingredients that resonated with Priestess readers: an older female lead, found family, and characters who are written to feel like people rather than walking tropes. The story alternates between present-day Robbie and flashbacks to her past; the two halves wildly different in experience in what they deliver. The romance between young Robbie and Thane in the flashbacks with its slow burn across years, pining, and tenderness is this book at its best. I was fully immersed in their story; heartbroken in the best way by the time the flashbacks reached their turning point. The flashbacks felt like a novella within the book, and it would have been a 4.5 for me.
The Magda arc, told within the flashbacks, is also one of the most compelling parts of the story. It includes one of the most powerful, visceral scenes of the story: women weeping at the climax of her arc, complicit in their silence, and then expecting Robbie to fill the void resonated so hard. This will pack an emotional punch for readers who connect with stories about survival in the face of institutionalized misogyny or religious bigotry
The book reads as if it has been written chronologically and then restructured to start with the present day, but the present day characters don’t yet have their origin stories established until late into the book. This results in spending most of the book with a cast of secondary characters, who as a visual reader I couldn’t picture (physical descriptions arrive late in the book, mostly in flashbacks, and in some cases as late as the epilogue) and didn’t feel like I knew, which made it hard to feel invested in them. Magda is the exception though, because her backstory surfaces early in the flashbacks which allowed her arc to fully land. She was the only one. As a result, the found family didn’t really land for me— not in the way it did for Priestess, where we got a whole book to understand why the characters cared for each other as they experienced trauma together.
The first 20% was a barrier for me. The prose was confusing and at times overreaching, such that I had to reread some sentences multiple times to decipher what was meant. The dialogue read more like a script at times, and there were two full chapters of lore-dumping that felt like a detour from the story rather than necessarily for the plot. I skimmed both. The writing does find its footing once the flashbacks start, but the present-day chapters never quite reached the same level.
There was a love triangle in the present-day story, neither of which worked for me as romantic leads. We are told of Reed’s feelings rather than shown. His dialogue read more as plot-driving rather than helping us understand his interiority. For example, there was a scene in a tree where instead of flirting, he explains to Robbie why she is desirable. As a result, I didn’t feel the chemistry between them. Since his feelings don’t surface until late in the story and without the groundwork laid for me to buy into it, it landed as a reveal rather than payoff. I personally gravitate towards self-possessed leads, and Reed was the opposite of that.
The other thing I struggled with was the gap between who Robbie was in the past versus who she is in the present. Robbie in the past was a fierce, brave, resilient critical thinker. Robbie in the present was still fierce and resilient, but she made decisions that felt inconsistent with her character. For example, present Robbie withheld information from her closest allies, reasoning that it would keep them safe, but in doing so, she actually put both herself and her loved ones in further danger, since they were unaware of the looming threats. It felt like the story needed her to act this way rather than how her character, as established, actually would. The book acknowledges this: a secondary character called her out directly, but naming the problem isn’t the same as resolving it.
The most prominent secondary characters with the most egregious offenses were positioned for redemption arcs that I wanted badly to land, but unfortunately they didn’t for me. Regret and accountability are not the same. Pining for someone and reckoning with what you did to them are not the same.
This book has the bones of a really good book, especially in the middle third. Priestess is proof that Kara Reynolds can write memorable characters you fall in love with and a compelling story that stays with you. Pilgrimess wasn’t that book for me, but even if it wasn’t for me, it could be for you if the themes resonate with you and you’re a generous skimmer. I will continue to recommend Priestess far and wide and look forward to what Kara Reynolds publishes in the future.
1. Priestess ⭐ 5
2. Pilgrimess ⭐ 3.5
This review is based on an ARC provided by the author. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review: Pilgrimess (Gods of Tintar, #2)
Author: Kara Reynolds
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Verdict
A masterclass in adult fantasy that prioritizes community over "chosen one" tropes. "Pilgrimess" is a gorgeous exploration of a woman who has truly found her place in the world and uses that strength to build a sanctuary for others. It’s a story about the quiet, fierce heroism of protecting your own and opening your doors to those in need.
The Story;
In this second installment of the "Gods of Tintar" series, we follow Robbie Finch and her found family of fellow lady criminals as they weather the tyranny of a patriarchal theocracy. Their resistance isn't just political—it's personal. When Robbie learns her niece is in danger, the crew disguises themselves as penitents on a religious pilgrimage to infiltrate a powerful enemy city.
The mission is a gauntlet of physical and emotional survival. Between old flames, persistent enemies, and a mysterious man dogging Robbie’s steps, the journey forces her to reckon with her past. To succeed, Robbie must finally embrace her unique gift and realize that opening her heart to new magic is the only way to defeat the looming evil.
Why I Loved It;
A Grounded Heroine:It is so incredibly refreshing to read a female lead in her 40s. Robbie doesn’t set out to "save the world" in a grand, abstract sense; she focuses on saving women who need protection and providing a home for them. She has found her place in this world, and she’s determined to help others find theirs.
The "Found Family" Bond;
This book perfectly captures the beauty of choosing your own family. The bond between Robbie and her fellow criminals is the heartbeat of the story—it's about being different and alone, but finding life-long friends to stand with.
Themes of Agency;
This isn't just a fantasy; it’s an exploration of the female experience. It’s about love, loss, and the courage required to let people in. Reynolds highlights the power of choosing to do what is right rather than what you are told.
Balanced Storytelling;
The romance and magic are excellent, but they serve a deeper narrative about heartbreak, happiness, and the strength found in protecting the vulnerable.
That Epilogue;
I won’t give anything away, but you really need to experience it for yourself!
Final Thoughts;
Even though these can be read as interconnected standalones, I highly recommend reading Book 1 first. I am so glad I did! Book 2 is every bit as strong as the first, reminding us that we are never too old to rediscover our magic or protect the ones we love.
Special thanks to Kara Reynolds for providing an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Author: Kara Reynolds
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
The Verdict
A masterclass in adult fantasy that prioritizes community over "chosen one" tropes. "Pilgrimess" is a gorgeous exploration of a woman who has truly found her place in the world and uses that strength to build a sanctuary for others. It’s a story about the quiet, fierce heroism of protecting your own and opening your doors to those in need.
The Story;
In this second installment of the "Gods of Tintar" series, we follow Robbie Finch and her found family of fellow lady criminals as they weather the tyranny of a patriarchal theocracy. Their resistance isn't just political—it's personal. When Robbie learns her niece is in danger, the crew disguises themselves as penitents on a religious pilgrimage to infiltrate a powerful enemy city.
The mission is a gauntlet of physical and emotional survival. Between old flames, persistent enemies, and a mysterious man dogging Robbie’s steps, the journey forces her to reckon with her past. To succeed, Robbie must finally embrace her unique gift and realize that opening her heart to new magic is the only way to defeat the looming evil.
Why I Loved It;
A Grounded Heroine:It is so incredibly refreshing to read a female lead in her 40s. Robbie doesn’t set out to "save the world" in a grand, abstract sense; she focuses on saving women who need protection and providing a home for them. She has found her place in this world, and she’s determined to help others find theirs.
The "Found Family" Bond;
This book perfectly captures the beauty of choosing your own family. The bond between Robbie and her fellow criminals is the heartbeat of the story—it's about being different and alone, but finding life-long friends to stand with.
Themes of Agency;
This isn't just a fantasy; it’s an exploration of the female experience. It’s about love, loss, and the courage required to let people in. Reynolds highlights the power of choosing to do what is right rather than what you are told.
Balanced Storytelling;
The romance and magic are excellent, but they serve a deeper narrative about heartbreak, happiness, and the strength found in protecting the vulnerable.
That Epilogue;
I won’t give anything away, but you really need to experience it for yourself!
Final Thoughts;
Even though these can be read as interconnected standalones, I highly recommend reading Book 1 first. I am so glad I did! Book 2 is every bit as strong as the first, reminding us that we are never too old to rediscover our magic or protect the ones we love.
Special thanks to Kara Reynolds for providing an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Author
TLDR: If you earned your grey hairs from hard times and got your tattoos to reclaim yourself; you're going to love this even when it hurts. Just like her other books in the Gods of Tintar universe, Pilgrimess healed something in me. Reynolds writes 6-star, gold tier, Romantic Fantasy and should be all over your TBR.
Reynolds has the uncanny ability to illuminate what it means to draw strength from an empty well. How trauma and hopelessness can become shame and how women both wear and transcend those feelings over and over in our lives. This book examines grief, religious trauma, and family exile in more depth than Priestess. (Note: these are interconnected-stand-alones and you can enjoy Pilgrimess without reading Priestess).
Robbie's story is raw, violent and unsettling. There is an enemy here philosophically and there is a literal villain (who feels a little too real these days). Hers is also a story of love and healing. Romantic love that curls your toes, sure. But also rebuilding a found family, a safety net, a real community, and healing through love that way. Her gentle and caring addition of a varied cast of character gave the story gorgeous queer representation. The balance is delicate and the pacing made me sit in discomfort and grief just as much as in excitement or anticipation. Another author would have turned this story into trauma dumping but Reynolds' characters are so authentic you just feel with them and then you get to grow with them too.
The love story is very different than in Priestess. Which makes sense, Eddie (the heroine in that book) is very different than Robbie. A part of me felt something was missing in the romance. I wanted to know him more. Get to know the scouts better. But, I think the story flows in the way Robbie does. Shes's got a foot in the water before she can feel the cold. (I did enjoy the spice, I would give it 2 peppers). It makes the book feel more like fantasy with a romantic subplot but we get our HEA! Like Priestess, like Illuminator, if you can read the whole epilogue without ugly crying at how beautiful it is, I would be amazed. I could barely see the words jellyfish woman through my epic and satisfying sobs.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and it didn't disappoint. It was one of very few books that I have to just sit in silence for an hour or two after it's done. I'm just sad I read it so fast and now I'll have to patiently wait for her next book. Which is hard because I'm too much like Robbie.
Reynolds has the uncanny ability to illuminate what it means to draw strength from an empty well. How trauma and hopelessness can become shame and how women both wear and transcend those feelings over and over in our lives. This book examines grief, religious trauma, and family exile in more depth than Priestess. (Note: these are interconnected-stand-alones and you can enjoy Pilgrimess without reading Priestess).
Robbie's story is raw, violent and unsettling. There is an enemy here philosophically and there is a literal villain (who feels a little too real these days). Hers is also a story of love and healing. Romantic love that curls your toes, sure. But also rebuilding a found family, a safety net, a real community, and healing through love that way. Her gentle and caring addition of a varied cast of character gave the story gorgeous queer representation. The balance is delicate and the pacing made me sit in discomfort and grief just as much as in excitement or anticipation. Another author would have turned this story into trauma dumping but Reynolds' characters are so authentic you just feel with them and then you get to grow with them too.
The love story is very different than in Priestess. Which makes sense, Eddie (the heroine in that book) is very different than Robbie. A part of me felt something was missing in the romance. I wanted to know him more. Get to know the scouts better. But, I think the story flows in the way Robbie does. Shes's got a foot in the water before she can feel the cold. (I did enjoy the spice, I would give it 2 peppers). It makes the book feel more like fantasy with a romantic subplot but we get our HEA! Like Priestess, like Illuminator, if you can read the whole epilogue without ugly crying at how beautiful it is, I would be amazed. I could barely see the words jellyfish woman through my epic and satisfying sobs.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and it didn't disappoint. It was one of very few books that I have to just sit in silence for an hour or two after it's done. I'm just sad I read it so fast and now I'll have to patiently wait for her next book. Which is hard because I'm too much like Robbie.
April 29, 2026
I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is book 2 in the Gods of Tintar series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book in the series and I was able to follow the story easily. Pilgeimess is a gritty, fast-paced fantasy that blends rebellion, found family, and slow-burn romance into a compelling journey—one that mostly delivers, even if it stumbles slightly along the way.
At the heart of the story is Robbie Finch, a fiercely capable yet emotionally guarded protagonist leading a band of lady criminals through a harsh, theocratic regime. The premise alone is irresistible: a group of outlaws disguising themselves as devout pilgrims to infiltrate an enemy city and rescue a loved one. Reynolds leans into this setup well, creating a tense, high-stakes road narrative filled with danger, pursuit, and simmering internal conflicts.
The standout element here is the found family dynamic. Robbie’s crew feels lived-in and authentic, with sharp dialogue and a sense of loyalty forged through shared hardship. Their interactions provide both emotional weight and moments of levity that balance the darker themes of oppression and survival.
The romance thread—particularly the reappearance of an old flame and the introduction of a mysterious man shadowing Robbie—adds intrigue, though it occasionally slows the pacing. That said, the tension between desire and distrust is handled with nuance, and Robbie’s reluctance to open herself up feels true to her character.
Where the book shines most is in Robbie’s internal journey. Her struggle to reconcile with her past and rediscover her identity—and her magic—is compelling, even if some revelations feel a bit rushed toward the end. The magic system itself is intriguing, though not always fully explored, leaving you wanting just a bit more depth.
If there’s a drawback, it’s that the plot can feel crowded at times, juggling multiple antagonists, emotional arcs, and worldbuilding elements. Not all of them get equal attention, and a few threads could have been tightened for greater impact.
Still, Pilgrimess is an engaging, character-driven fantasy with strong feminist undertones, a memorable cast, and a heroine worth rooting for. It’s a solid 4-star read that will especially appeal to fans of rebellious women, morally gray characters, and stories about reclaiming power in oppressive worlds.
This is book 2 in the Gods of Tintar series, it can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book in the series and I was able to follow the story easily. Pilgeimess is a gritty, fast-paced fantasy that blends rebellion, found family, and slow-burn romance into a compelling journey—one that mostly delivers, even if it stumbles slightly along the way.
At the heart of the story is Robbie Finch, a fiercely capable yet emotionally guarded protagonist leading a band of lady criminals through a harsh, theocratic regime. The premise alone is irresistible: a group of outlaws disguising themselves as devout pilgrims to infiltrate an enemy city and rescue a loved one. Reynolds leans into this setup well, creating a tense, high-stakes road narrative filled with danger, pursuit, and simmering internal conflicts.
The standout element here is the found family dynamic. Robbie’s crew feels lived-in and authentic, with sharp dialogue and a sense of loyalty forged through shared hardship. Their interactions provide both emotional weight and moments of levity that balance the darker themes of oppression and survival.
The romance thread—particularly the reappearance of an old flame and the introduction of a mysterious man shadowing Robbie—adds intrigue, though it occasionally slows the pacing. That said, the tension between desire and distrust is handled with nuance, and Robbie’s reluctance to open herself up feels true to her character.
Where the book shines most is in Robbie’s internal journey. Her struggle to reconcile with her past and rediscover her identity—and her magic—is compelling, even if some revelations feel a bit rushed toward the end. The magic system itself is intriguing, though not always fully explored, leaving you wanting just a bit more depth.
If there’s a drawback, it’s that the plot can feel crowded at times, juggling multiple antagonists, emotional arcs, and worldbuilding elements. Not all of them get equal attention, and a few threads could have been tightened for greater impact.
Still, Pilgrimess is an engaging, character-driven fantasy with strong feminist undertones, a memorable cast, and a heroine worth rooting for. It’s a solid 4-star read that will especially appeal to fans of rebellious women, morally gray characters, and stories about reclaiming power in oppressive worlds.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book really made my religious trauma felt seen. Make sure you read the trigger warnings, because protecting your mental health is important.
Robbie is a 40 year old woman that lives on the outskirts of town in the woods. There are flashbacks to different times in her life, to tell her story and the story of others. Like any woman that dares to question a man or even just want to know why the rules are the rules, she is punished for it from a young age. The patriarchy will NOT tolerate being questioned. She has lived a life with the priest plotting and waiting to take her down. Even though she cares for the women of her town, she does grow weary. She misses those gone before her, and tired of always having to be looking over her shoulder
Thane, a dukes’s son, has stepped in and advocated for her over the years as his sister-in-law. However, he travels and cannot always be there. Which is perfect for the leaders in the church. The memory of her mentor’s fate is never far from her mind, and watching Robbie walk the line between being fearless and white, hot fear is a reminder of all of this.
More trouble is brewing besides the church leaders going after women and children that do not follow the list of rules. Now, a war threatens their town, but they do have the option to go the safety of another town, but is that what a woman that loves the land she lives on wants to do? In the mix of it all, an old flame is making eyes, and a new mysterious man is watching her and asking questions. Robbie also must worry about those that she cares for. Is she the only one that can protect them? How will she draw on her beliefs and strengths to fight against all of the obstacles facing her?
This book was good! Kara Reynolds really does a fantastic job of weaving the story together. The found family Robbie builds just fills me with so much happiness, and the banter is spot on. There is some low spice and a slow burn yearning that leads to full spicy scenes. The LGBTQIA+ rep and the danger from towns with one religion but others know love is love really hit home. The ending an authors note hit my heart so hard. I highly recommend this book. Pre-order now, and the Pilgrimess releases on April 26, 2026.
I want to thank Kara and her team for the opportunity to read the ARC. My thoughts and review are my own.
Robbie is a 40 year old woman that lives on the outskirts of town in the woods. There are flashbacks to different times in her life, to tell her story and the story of others. Like any woman that dares to question a man or even just want to know why the rules are the rules, she is punished for it from a young age. The patriarchy will NOT tolerate being questioned. She has lived a life with the priest plotting and waiting to take her down. Even though she cares for the women of her town, she does grow weary. She misses those gone before her, and tired of always having to be looking over her shoulder
Thane, a dukes’s son, has stepped in and advocated for her over the years as his sister-in-law. However, he travels and cannot always be there. Which is perfect for the leaders in the church. The memory of her mentor’s fate is never far from her mind, and watching Robbie walk the line between being fearless and white, hot fear is a reminder of all of this.
More trouble is brewing besides the church leaders going after women and children that do not follow the list of rules. Now, a war threatens their town, but they do have the option to go the safety of another town, but is that what a woman that loves the land she lives on wants to do? In the mix of it all, an old flame is making eyes, and a new mysterious man is watching her and asking questions. Robbie also must worry about those that she cares for. Is she the only one that can protect them? How will she draw on her beliefs and strengths to fight against all of the obstacles facing her?
This book was good! Kara Reynolds really does a fantastic job of weaving the story together. The found family Robbie builds just fills me with so much happiness, and the banter is spot on. There is some low spice and a slow burn yearning that leads to full spicy scenes. The LGBTQIA+ rep and the danger from towns with one religion but others know love is love really hit home. The ending an authors note hit my heart so hard. I highly recommend this book. Pre-order now, and the Pilgrimess releases on April 26, 2026.
I want to thank Kara and her team for the opportunity to read the ARC. My thoughts and review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My Rating: ★★★★½
Pilgrimess by Pilgrimess, written by Kara Reynolds, is a richly layered fantasy that blends rebellion, found family, and slow-burning romantic tension against the backdrop of a deeply oppressive, theocratic world. With its pilgrimage-turned-rescue-mission premise, the story weaves together danger, identity, and emotional rediscovery in a way that feels both immersive and character-driven.
Where this novel truly shines is in its exploration of resilience and connection. Robbie Finch and her band of lady criminals bring a fierce, chaotic, and loyal energy to the narrative, making the found family dynamic one of the book’s strongest elements. Their journey is not just physical but deeply emotional, as past wounds, loyalties, and identities are continuously tested. The rekindling of an old flame alongside the introduction of a mysterious new suitor adds a compelling romantic tension that enhances rather than overshadows the plot.
The pacing strikes a solid balance between action and introspection. Moments of danger and pursuit are interwoven with quieter, more reflective beats where Robbie is forced to confront her past and her power. While the world building and overarching lore hint at a broader story still unfolding, it never feels overwhelming; instead, it leaves you wanting more.
Because of this balance between external stakes and internal growth, the reading experience feels both engaging and emotionally satisfying. Themes of identity, power, and healing are handled with care, particularly within the context of religious oppression and personal autonomy. The inclusion of spice adds another layer of intensity, complementing the emotional arcs rather than distracting from them.
I would strongly recommend Pilgrimess to readers who enjoy found family dynamics, rebellious heroines, pilgrimage-style journeys, and fantasy with romantic undertones and emotional depth. Those drawn to stories of resistance against oppressive systems and layered character relationships will likely find this especially compelling.
Overall, this is a gripping and emotionally resonant read that combines tension, heart, and a touch of magic; leaving a lasting impression and a strong desire to continue the series...needless to say Priestess and Illuminator are definitely calling.
Pilgrimess by Pilgrimess, written by Kara Reynolds, is a richly layered fantasy that blends rebellion, found family, and slow-burning romantic tension against the backdrop of a deeply oppressive, theocratic world. With its pilgrimage-turned-rescue-mission premise, the story weaves together danger, identity, and emotional rediscovery in a way that feels both immersive and character-driven.
Where this novel truly shines is in its exploration of resilience and connection. Robbie Finch and her band of lady criminals bring a fierce, chaotic, and loyal energy to the narrative, making the found family dynamic one of the book’s strongest elements. Their journey is not just physical but deeply emotional, as past wounds, loyalties, and identities are continuously tested. The rekindling of an old flame alongside the introduction of a mysterious new suitor adds a compelling romantic tension that enhances rather than overshadows the plot.
The pacing strikes a solid balance between action and introspection. Moments of danger and pursuit are interwoven with quieter, more reflective beats where Robbie is forced to confront her past and her power. While the world building and overarching lore hint at a broader story still unfolding, it never feels overwhelming; instead, it leaves you wanting more.
Because of this balance between external stakes and internal growth, the reading experience feels both engaging and emotionally satisfying. Themes of identity, power, and healing are handled with care, particularly within the context of religious oppression and personal autonomy. The inclusion of spice adds another layer of intensity, complementing the emotional arcs rather than distracting from them.
I would strongly recommend Pilgrimess to readers who enjoy found family dynamics, rebellious heroines, pilgrimage-style journeys, and fantasy with romantic undertones and emotional depth. Those drawn to stories of resistance against oppressive systems and layered character relationships will likely find this especially compelling.
Overall, this is a gripping and emotionally resonant read that combines tension, heart, and a touch of magic; leaving a lasting impression and a strong desire to continue the series...needless to say Priestess and Illuminator are definitely calling.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is not your typical romantasy full of spice with a side of fast-paced world-building. Nothing about Kara’s books is typical, and that is exactly why you need to read them. Yesterday.
If you read Priestess, you may be tempted to dismiss it early on due to some close similarities at the beginning: the same concept of a female assembly (who found each other while surviving traumatic lives) being forced to leave their home and find love along the journey. I even remember thinking, “Gods, the same stolen glances from a cart?”
HOWEVER, dear gentle reader and grateful past me, you must stick with it, for the differences are beautiful.
The first thing I enjoyed was the fact that Robbie (Pilgrimess’s FMC) lives under the tyranny that Eddie (Priestess’s FMC) escaped. Eddie’s past trauma is mainly shown through snippets involving her ex-husband, but with Robbie, we get to experience the horrors of an inquisitive girl growing up in a system designed to force women down. We see her childhood doubts, her teenage heartbreaks, and her early-adulthood hope—and how she suffers under and fights the system along the way. It not only fleshes out adult Robbie wonderfully, but it also gives you better insight into the hell Eddie escaped.
Eddie is the lucky one who managed to escape. Robbie is the unlucky one who stayed behind and was forced to risk her life for a living, looking after the women of her village. Eddie was level-headed and armed with wit. Robbie is a reckless saint armed with passion and balls of steel. Her village doesn’t deserve her.
I may have spent almost the entire book thinking that I liked Alric better, but after finishing it, Reed won my heart too.
But enough comparison between the two. Because if you haven’t read either, you must. These are books about female resilience, about sisterhood, and about how family is forged by love. They’re about how love comes in many forms—just like fear and control. They’re a manifesto against religions that thrive on hating and shaming half the population.
Like Priestess, Pilgrimess will heal parts of your soul you didn’t even know needed healing. So go get your copy. (You’re welcome.)
If you read Priestess, you may be tempted to dismiss it early on due to some close similarities at the beginning: the same concept of a female assembly (who found each other while surviving traumatic lives) being forced to leave their home and find love along the journey. I even remember thinking, “Gods, the same stolen glances from a cart?”
HOWEVER, dear gentle reader and grateful past me, you must stick with it, for the differences are beautiful.
The first thing I enjoyed was the fact that Robbie (Pilgrimess’s FMC) lives under the tyranny that Eddie (Priestess’s FMC) escaped. Eddie’s past trauma is mainly shown through snippets involving her ex-husband, but with Robbie, we get to experience the horrors of an inquisitive girl growing up in a system designed to force women down. We see her childhood doubts, her teenage heartbreaks, and her early-adulthood hope—and how she suffers under and fights the system along the way. It not only fleshes out adult Robbie wonderfully, but it also gives you better insight into the hell Eddie escaped.
Eddie is the lucky one who managed to escape. Robbie is the unlucky one who stayed behind and was forced to risk her life for a living, looking after the women of her village. Eddie was level-headed and armed with wit. Robbie is a reckless saint armed with passion and balls of steel. Her village doesn’t deserve her.
I may have spent almost the entire book thinking that I liked Alric better, but after finishing it, Reed won my heart too.
But enough comparison between the two. Because if you haven’t read either, you must. These are books about female resilience, about sisterhood, and about how family is forged by love. They’re about how love comes in many forms—just like fear and control. They’re a manifesto against religions that thrive on hating and shaming half the population.
Like Priestess, Pilgrimess will heal parts of your soul you didn’t even know needed healing. So go get your copy. (You’re welcome.)
February 27, 2026
Thank you for the eArc from the author! Kara has easily become an insta-read for me, as her books always seem to awaken a deep-seated appreciation for being a woman and having community and friendship, and this book did not disappoint. Take strong heed of the trigger warnings, though. Although they are presented and handled in an extremely sensitive manner, I did find portions of this book to be very difficult to read - even parts I have no direct experience with (such as Robbie's religious trauma).
Difficult parts aside, the book is a fantastic deep dive into a woman's struggle to maintain her independence and fortitude in a community bent on controlling and destroying women. I enjoyed the pace of the book, how it bounced between the past and the present, describing Robbie's physical journey to a new land as well as her journey into adulthood - traumas and heartache included. As with all other books by this author, reading about the FMC and her band of women's experiences always stokes a feminist fire within me, spurred on by the lengths these women must go - their secret communications and dealings with each other, hidden movements within the patriarchy - to keep one another safe.
Pros:
- Beautifully written and thoughtful, with a fully developed set of characters, relationships, and a magic system.
- The MMC. We love a supportive man who says the wildest, most poetic things out of desire.
- I cried all the tears at multiple points in this book; it was like going to therapy for trauma I didn't even have. Robbie's perseverance was palpable.
Cons:
- Not quite a con, but I was surprised that the destination of the penitent's journey wasn't a larger part of the book. I kept wondering when they were going to reach their new town, but looking back at the goal of the book, this was paced appropriately.
A fantastic book that I'm sure I'll be thinking about for weeks to come, and I will eagerly await the next installment in this series to ignite new fires and bring fresh tears.
Difficult parts aside, the book is a fantastic deep dive into a woman's struggle to maintain her independence and fortitude in a community bent on controlling and destroying women. I enjoyed the pace of the book, how it bounced between the past and the present, describing Robbie's physical journey to a new land as well as her journey into adulthood - traumas and heartache included. As with all other books by this author, reading about the FMC and her band of women's experiences always stokes a feminist fire within me, spurred on by the lengths these women must go - their secret communications and dealings with each other, hidden movements within the patriarchy - to keep one another safe.
Pros:
- Beautifully written and thoughtful, with a fully developed set of characters, relationships, and a magic system.
- The MMC. We love a supportive man who says the wildest, most poetic things out of desire.
- I cried all the tears at multiple points in this book; it was like going to therapy for trauma I didn't even have. Robbie's perseverance was palpable.
Cons:
- Not quite a con, but I was surprised that the destination of the penitent's journey wasn't a larger part of the book. I kept wondering when they were going to reach their new town, but looking back at the goal of the book, this was paced appropriately.
A fantastic book that I'm sure I'll be thinking about for weeks to come, and I will eagerly await the next installment in this series to ignite new fires and bring fresh tears.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I consider Priestess my top read of 2025, so I was very excited and lucky to receive an ARC of Pilgrimess from the author.
First, this is a five star read. It is as good as, or even better than, Priestess. No one writes women like Kara Reynolds writes women and it is a joy to read.
Pilgrimess is a character-driven story of Robbie and her struggle to find love and acceptance in a world that fundamentally does not accept her. She does this with wisdom, grit, and love despite repeated heartbreak and rejection.
The secondary characters are well-developed with their own stories and personalities. The bonds and relationships are developed beautifully. Like Priestess, Pilgrimess feels like a love letter to sisterhood and the power of found family.
The romance and MMC’s character feel less developed, though this seems fitting because it is Robbie’s story and Reed’s role is secondary. I felt their relationship development was too focused on lust throughout the majority of the book, but eventually you see that this was a conscious choice by the author and makes sense in the end.
Themes around aging and sexuality were discussed beautifully and spoke to me in a personal way (I am 40 just like Robbie), while themes around oppression, reproductive rights, and women’s agency feel more relevant than ever for the wider world. The author presents these themes in an obvious but not heavy-handed way.
The author’s style is emotional but not dramatic. Her writing is generally unassuming but communicates a great deal of tenderness. The book reads like it was written by someone who truly loves the characters and wants the reader to love them too. The book can be heartbreaking at times, but the writing always communicates this with affection and compassion.
The plot and world-building are less fleshed-out than the characters, but not necessarily to the story’s detriment. I would, however, love to see the author grow more in this direction as she continues to write.
Overall, this is just a great book.
First, this is a five star read. It is as good as, or even better than, Priestess. No one writes women like Kara Reynolds writes women and it is a joy to read.
Pilgrimess is a character-driven story of Robbie and her struggle to find love and acceptance in a world that fundamentally does not accept her. She does this with wisdom, grit, and love despite repeated heartbreak and rejection.
The secondary characters are well-developed with their own stories and personalities. The bonds and relationships are developed beautifully. Like Priestess, Pilgrimess feels like a love letter to sisterhood and the power of found family.
The romance and MMC’s character feel less developed, though this seems fitting because it is Robbie’s story and Reed’s role is secondary. I felt their relationship development was too focused on lust throughout the majority of the book, but eventually you see that this was a conscious choice by the author and makes sense in the end.
Themes around aging and sexuality were discussed beautifully and spoke to me in a personal way (I am 40 just like Robbie), while themes around oppression, reproductive rights, and women’s agency feel more relevant than ever for the wider world. The author presents these themes in an obvious but not heavy-handed way.
The author’s style is emotional but not dramatic. Her writing is generally unassuming but communicates a great deal of tenderness. The book reads like it was written by someone who truly loves the characters and wants the reader to love them too. The book can be heartbreaking at times, but the writing always communicates this with affection and compassion.
The plot and world-building are less fleshed-out than the characters, but not necessarily to the story’s detriment. I would, however, love to see the author grow more in this direction as she continues to write.
Overall, this is just a great book.
May 3, 2026
Robbie Finch is considered the outsider of her town, Sheridan, the wild woman who lives near the Nyossa woods. The town of Sheridan believes in The Book of Rodwin, and this book teaches that men are above all women and children. Women should be subservient, not speak out of turn, and all things regarding childbirth are in "the hands of Rodwin." Robbie is the embodiment of all that the Book of Rodwin is against (and I absolutely love her for that).
After reading Priestess and Illuminator, Pilgrimess feels like coming home. Kara's writing is so unique that it's a breath of fresh air. Some parts were slow, but I enjoyed that we got Robbie's whole story from childhood to the present day. The slow parts could be due to this being a standalone, and I have already read the previous books, so take that with a grain of salt. The yearning between Robbie and is so good. Their relationship overall is really sweet and tender. I think the action we do get towards the end felt like there was so much going on, but also no one was able to accomplish anything. But I think it got the job done, so I wouldn't dwell on it too much since the story isn't action-heavy.
Priestess felt more like a romantasy where Pilgrimess feels more like a fantasy with a romance subplot. We get a happy ending, but this story is about Robbie and the women she has met along the way. The friendship and companionship between Robbie and her friends warm my heart. She goes from not really having friends and realizing she's relying too much on her first husband, Avery, to having 4 ladies who are willing to go on a pilgrimage to rescue her niece.
Pilgrimess is thick and is considered a standalone, so you do not have to read Priestess or its companion novel Illuminator to understand the whole story. It does deal with some heavy topics like religious trauma, abortion, and miscarriage, just to name a few. Please check the content warnings before starting.
Thank you to Kara for allowing me to advance review. I adore this story and this group of folks.
After reading Priestess and Illuminator, Pilgrimess feels like coming home. Kara's writing is so unique that it's a breath of fresh air. Some parts were slow, but I enjoyed that we got Robbie's whole story from childhood to the present day. The slow parts could be due to this being a standalone, and I have already read the previous books, so take that with a grain of salt. The yearning between Robbie and is so good. Their relationship overall is really sweet and tender. I think the action we do get towards the end felt like there was so much going on, but also no one was able to accomplish anything. But I think it got the job done, so I wouldn't dwell on it too much since the story isn't action-heavy.
Priestess felt more like a romantasy where Pilgrimess feels more like a fantasy with a romance subplot. We get a happy ending, but this story is about Robbie and the women she has met along the way. The friendship and companionship between Robbie and her friends warm my heart. She goes from not really having friends and realizing she's relying too much on her first husband, Avery, to having 4 ladies who are willing to go on a pilgrimage to rescue her niece.
Pilgrimess is thick and is considered a standalone, so you do not have to read Priestess or its companion novel Illuminator to understand the whole story. It does deal with some heavy topics like religious trauma, abortion, and miscarriage, just to name a few. Please check the content warnings before starting.
Thank you to Kara for allowing me to advance review. I adore this story and this group of folks.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Witches have sacred texts of their own and one of mine says, ‘There will always be some fierce woman angry at the way of kings.'
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Pilgrimess. Priestess was one of my favorite reads last year and also one that I was aggressively pushy about telling people to read. So when I saw there was another book in this universe and ARC requests were open, I hit that request form so fast.
Robbie and her role in her village, publicly hated but secretly essential to the women, was so well done. I enjoyed going back and forth between the past and present, as always I have a soft spot for a quest/journey story framing, and similar to Priestess I appreciate how honest and compassionate the story is about women and their experiences in a world biased and stacked against them. Robbie as a woman of 40 and all her life experiences brought a lot of depth, and once again the deep love between female friendships made the relationships and interactions shine. Everything felt genuine and realistic and I think truly makes this stand out where other stories feel more surface level or forced.
Then he asked, ragged and anguished, “Why don’t you like me?”
And I am weak for a devotedly obsessed man with an attitude and who has deep loving friendships. I am physically, spiritually, and emotionally unwell after reading his letter. The only minor quirk: the necklines of this man's clothing hate to see his hands coming, they must be stretched and exhausted by how many times we were told his fingers were looped into his collar.
I laughed, I cried, I raged, I stressed, I gagged a little, while reading this. Once again, this world feels fresh and unique, the themes and story that the author wanted to tell were deftly woven together, and I didn't want to stop. So so happy to have had a chance to read this, and cannot wait for others to pick this up as well.
April 10, 2026
I absolutely loved everything about this book. If I could give it 10 stars I definitely would.
There are so many different themes this book touches on that women and men today still deal with. Not only did it have immersive world building but deep developed characters that felt relatable. I became emotionally invested in the story early on. I laughed with the characters, cried with them, and felt the rage they did.
You follow Robbie as she navigates living in a highly religious town where women are looked down upon and viewed as lesser than men. Despite how hard she tries to follow the religious rules she cannot tame the fire within her. This book touches heavily on the problems within religion and how far some are willing to go to enforce their beliefs.
Robbie is also an older FMC (around 40). So not only do you get to see her fighting against religious oppression but you get to see her lead a resistance movement, navigate through the complexities of being an older woman (sexuality, lived experience, and aging), and there’s magic!
Found family is a huge element and was wonderfully portrayed. Sometimes the people you meet along your journey become your true family. I adored Ilsit, Jade, Fox, and Tessa. Each with their own unique story intertwining them to Robbie. You can feel how strongly each of them cares for the other even if they might bicker and fight. I grew to love the group of bandits each with just as much depth as the other characters.
In the beginning I found my self wanting more back story to each of the characters lives and I was pleasantly surprised the author included it! But not just as flash backs. We got to travel back with the characters to witness exactly what they went through. Which added so much to the story and helped further their character development.
The twists in this book were MAJOR. You will be gripping your seat once you piece together certain things or once they are revealed.
There is so much to unpack from this book. I’m sure I’m forgetting something. Overall I HIGHLY recommend this book for people who love fantasy, fighting patriarchy, and feminine rage.
Some of the themes that made this book relatable to today’s world are
- religious trauma and how far people will go to enforce their beliefs.
- women not being able to be authentic due to fear of judgement or punishment.
- men’s poor behavior being justified in the name of religion.
- controversial views on abortion
Please read the trigger warning before reading!
There are so many different themes this book touches on that women and men today still deal with. Not only did it have immersive world building but deep developed characters that felt relatable. I became emotionally invested in the story early on. I laughed with the characters, cried with them, and felt the rage they did.
You follow Robbie as she navigates living in a highly religious town where women are looked down upon and viewed as lesser than men. Despite how hard she tries to follow the religious rules she cannot tame the fire within her. This book touches heavily on the problems within religion and how far some are willing to go to enforce their beliefs.
Robbie is also an older FMC (around 40). So not only do you get to see her fighting against religious oppression but you get to see her lead a resistance movement, navigate through the complexities of being an older woman (sexuality, lived experience, and aging), and there’s magic!
Found family is a huge element and was wonderfully portrayed. Sometimes the people you meet along your journey become your true family. I adored Ilsit, Jade, Fox, and Tessa. Each with their own unique story intertwining them to Robbie. You can feel how strongly each of them cares for the other even if they might bicker and fight. I grew to love the group of bandits each with just as much depth as the other characters.
In the beginning I found my self wanting more back story to each of the characters lives and I was pleasantly surprised the author included it! But not just as flash backs. We got to travel back with the characters to witness exactly what they went through. Which added so much to the story and helped further their character development.
The twists in this book were MAJOR. You will be gripping your seat once you piece together certain things or once they are revealed.
There is so much to unpack from this book. I’m sure I’m forgetting something. Overall I HIGHLY recommend this book for people who love fantasy, fighting patriarchy, and feminine rage.
Some of the themes that made this book relatable to today’s world are
- religious trauma and how far people will go to enforce their beliefs.
- women not being able to be authentic due to fear of judgement or punishment.
- men’s poor behavior being justified in the name of religion.
- controversial views on abortion
Please read the trigger warning before reading!
April 17, 2026
ARC Review! Thank you so so much, Kara!
There are some books you enjoy… and then there are books that consume you.
This story was quiet at first, and then suddenly, it’s everywhere, burning through every expectation you thought you had.
But this isn’t just a romance.
This is:
a confrontation of religious misogyny
a story that actively fights the patriarchy
protection of women’s health
a celebration of female friendship and found family
quiet, meaningful LGBTQ+ and disability representation
“There will always be some fierce woman angry at the way of kings.”
Yes. And this book honors her.
The structure of this story? Brilliant.
We get three different tellings of love in this FMC’s life- her first love, her husband, and the love she never saw coming. Each one feels distinct. And the way those timelines weave together in a then and now narrative? Magnificent.
Add in magic, gods, animal companions, and a world that feels both grounded and quietly enchanted, and it just works.
A slow, aching, perfectly executed slow burn with tension that had me clinging to every interaction. The banter? Sharp. Intentional. Fun. And when the romance finally gives in… it gets spicy🌶️🌶️ but it never overshadows the emotional depth. It earns every moment.
And a moment for the FMC…
“You were more wild than the wild around you.”
She is fierce, messy, and real. She refuses to shrink herself to make others comfortable.
“…because for so many others you were a star in a dismal sky”
She’s someone so many of us never get to truly be, but all wish we could be.
The ending.
I sobbed. Immediately DM’d Kara.
It delivers a true HEA. One that feels earned, not given.
“For I did like the idea of romance… but not with a man who thought it was his life’s mission to correct and condemn me.”
If that line alone doesn’t tell you what kind of story this is… I don’t know what will.
Read this for the slow burn.
Stay for the message.
Prepare to feel everything.
There are some books you enjoy… and then there are books that consume you.
This story was quiet at first, and then suddenly, it’s everywhere, burning through every expectation you thought you had.
But this isn’t just a romance.
This is:
a confrontation of religious misogyny
a story that actively fights the patriarchy
protection of women’s health
a celebration of female friendship and found family
quiet, meaningful LGBTQ+ and disability representation
“There will always be some fierce woman angry at the way of kings.”
Yes. And this book honors her.
The structure of this story? Brilliant.
We get three different tellings of love in this FMC’s life- her first love, her husband, and the love she never saw coming. Each one feels distinct. And the way those timelines weave together in a then and now narrative? Magnificent.
Add in magic, gods, animal companions, and a world that feels both grounded and quietly enchanted, and it just works.
A slow, aching, perfectly executed slow burn with tension that had me clinging to every interaction. The banter? Sharp. Intentional. Fun. And when the romance finally gives in… it gets spicy🌶️🌶️ but it never overshadows the emotional depth. It earns every moment.
And a moment for the FMC…
“You were more wild than the wild around you.”
She is fierce, messy, and real. She refuses to shrink herself to make others comfortable.
“…because for so many others you were a star in a dismal sky”
She’s someone so many of us never get to truly be, but all wish we could be.
The ending.
I sobbed. Immediately DM’d Kara.
It delivers a true HEA. One that feels earned, not given.
“For I did like the idea of romance… but not with a man who thought it was his life’s mission to correct and condemn me.”
If that line alone doesn’t tell you what kind of story this is… I don’t know what will.
Read this for the slow burn.
Stay for the message.
Prepare to feel everything.
April 30, 2026
6 stars-Must read-will forever recommend. OHMYGODDESS Kara Reynolds @karaneedstoread did it again. I am crying and elated and inspired and healed. I feel seen by a story and am so impressed. I didn’t know how badly I needed to read Pilgrimess (I mean…. I knew because I love Kara Reynold’s writing but the story and the subject matter touched my heart and healed some wounds). This story is about a strong young girl who could never just accept religious rule without asking why? Who knew she could never fit into the “box” her world and the adults in it told her she must submit to. As an adult herself, she uses earth magic and dedicates her work to helping heal women and giving them autonomy over their bodies. And for it, she’s called a witch and a heretic and forced to be isolated, hide her true self, and run for her life while still trying to save her loved ones. The themes in this book are so important and so clear and so beautifully woven into a story that is completely captivating.
The friendships, relationship dynamics and found family in Pilgrimess are SOOOO beautiful, intentional, emotionally intelligent, complex, inclusive and touching. I loved every one of the characters (except of course the villains who we can deliciously despise so well)
The love, romance, yearning, slow burn and spice is PERFECTION! So well written. So satisfying and still leaving the reader wanting more and needing to know what happens next (just one more chapter!!!)
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better THE TWIST at the end that I totally did not see coming was soooo brilliant! (Don’t worry no spoilers here. You’ll have to read and see!)
The ending and the authors note had me in tears. So beautiful
Kara- Thanks for writing this story. Thanks for being brave and vulnerable and genuine and you! You’re making a difference and touching so many of our lives. You’re a real-life hero.
The friendships, relationship dynamics and found family in Pilgrimess are SOOOO beautiful, intentional, emotionally intelligent, complex, inclusive and touching. I loved every one of the characters (except of course the villains who we can deliciously despise so well)
The love, romance, yearning, slow burn and spice is PERFECTION! So well written. So satisfying and still leaving the reader wanting more and needing to know what happens next (just one more chapter!!!)
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better THE TWIST at the end that I totally did not see coming was soooo brilliant! (Don’t worry no spoilers here. You’ll have to read and see!)
The ending and the authors note had me in tears. So beautiful
Kara- Thanks for writing this story. Thanks for being brave and vulnerable and genuine and you! You’re making a difference and touching so many of our lives. You’re a real-life hero.
May 5, 2026
Wow wow wow!!!
This is a book that demands to be read and rightfully so. In a world that is aiming to crush those most vulnerable this book was the inspiration and a ray of hope.
I don’t even know what to say or where to start because this story was so powerful. Our FMC Robbie demands to be heard and for readers to bear witness to her journey and her story.
The themes in this story are powerful and raw. Ranging from religious trauma, the patriarchy and feminine rage- this book really delves deep and never lets up.
Robbie has always been a “rebellious woman” and that has always landed her in trouble. She constantly is finding her place in a world that often tries to tell her and other woman that there isn’t room for them that their job is to remain silent and obedient. And Robbie says to hell with that time and time again.
Robbie pushes the boundaries and takes those who are also thrown out and left vulnerable under her wing and really acts a protector all while continuing to be true to herself.
The story here compels one to reflect on what society expects of woman of those deemed other and forces us to face what we can do about it. It doesn’t say it has to be large acts of rebellion, even small acts of dissent are powerful themselves.
This can be seen throughout Robbie’s life- as simple as questioning authority and the norms to as much as supporting woman to protect their bodies and giving them a choice.
All the side characters were exceptional and beautiful and each demonstrates a strength to carry on even when the rest of life is pushing for you to submit.
Now the side love story between Robbie and her salt man-Reed- was a nice subplot to the entire book that didn’t derail the importance of her choice. Robbie picked how she wanted her romantic relationships to look and Reed accepted whatever Robbie gave- whatever space she made for him.
Everyone must read this!!
Thank you to Kara Reynolds for the opportunity to arc read this book!
This is a book that demands to be read and rightfully so. In a world that is aiming to crush those most vulnerable this book was the inspiration and a ray of hope.
I don’t even know what to say or where to start because this story was so powerful. Our FMC Robbie demands to be heard and for readers to bear witness to her journey and her story.
The themes in this story are powerful and raw. Ranging from religious trauma, the patriarchy and feminine rage- this book really delves deep and never lets up.
Robbie has always been a “rebellious woman” and that has always landed her in trouble. She constantly is finding her place in a world that often tries to tell her and other woman that there isn’t room for them that their job is to remain silent and obedient. And Robbie says to hell with that time and time again.
Robbie pushes the boundaries and takes those who are also thrown out and left vulnerable under her wing and really acts a protector all while continuing to be true to herself.
The story here compels one to reflect on what society expects of woman of those deemed other and forces us to face what we can do about it. It doesn’t say it has to be large acts of rebellion, even small acts of dissent are powerful themselves.
This can be seen throughout Robbie’s life- as simple as questioning authority and the norms to as much as supporting woman to protect their bodies and giving them a choice.
All the side characters were exceptional and beautiful and each demonstrates a strength to carry on even when the rest of life is pushing for you to submit.
Now the side love story between Robbie and her salt man-Reed- was a nice subplot to the entire book that didn’t derail the importance of her choice. Robbie picked how she wanted her romantic relationships to look and Reed accepted whatever Robbie gave- whatever space she made for him.
Everyone must read this!!
Thank you to Kara Reynolds for the opportunity to arc read this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I honestly want to just scream at the top of my lungs for people to READ THIS SERIES.
The power of sisterhood shines through the pages in each novel/novella. I LOVED Robbie’s story. Her flashback chapters….like all of the characters are so fleshed out and well developed.
These characters. Where do I even begin?
-Thane. I felt for you, I really did. You are a good man who was surrounded by some awful people.
-Magda. You were such an amazing foundation for the girls. The chapters I read with you teaching the girls…I just wanted to be on that little farm as well. Digging my hands into Mother Earth and soaking up all the lessons.
-Avery. AVERY. A V E R Y. You were in my top five characters for this one. The banter….the chemistry….the love and affection for your woman. Be still my heart.
-Reed. THE PERFECT MMC. I love how it all connected to the first book. Ugh. His whole personality….new book boyfriend. Don’t even get me started about THE letter and book 😍
And let’s not forget the ladies. Every single one of them made this story. The representation in this book….its just so flawless. I love when I’m reading a book and there is representation and it doesn’t feel forced. Like the author needs to have a checklist (do I have a POC character, a queer character, straight, trans, disabled…you get my drift) and tick all the boxes. I think it takes true talent to let a story unfold naturally and let it be beautiful with the diversity of the characters.
I am so happy that I was able to get an ARC of this book (it’s my first time). I’m not a seasoned reviewer or influencer at all…I just write how I feel after I finish a book. This book is raw and beautiful…I was so sad to finish it and close the door on Robbie and her friends and family’s story.
The power of sisterhood shines through the pages in each novel/novella. I LOVED Robbie’s story. Her flashback chapters….like all of the characters are so fleshed out and well developed.
These characters. Where do I even begin?
-Thane. I felt for you, I really did. You are a good man who was surrounded by some awful people.
-Magda. You were such an amazing foundation for the girls. The chapters I read with you teaching the girls…I just wanted to be on that little farm as well. Digging my hands into Mother Earth and soaking up all the lessons.
-Avery. AVERY. A V E R Y. You were in my top five characters for this one. The banter….the chemistry….the love and affection for your woman. Be still my heart.
-Reed. THE PERFECT MMC. I love how it all connected to the first book. Ugh. His whole personality….new book boyfriend. Don’t even get me started about THE letter and book 😍
And let’s not forget the ladies. Every single one of them made this story. The representation in this book….its just so flawless. I love when I’m reading a book and there is representation and it doesn’t feel forced. Like the author needs to have a checklist (do I have a POC character, a queer character, straight, trans, disabled…you get my drift) and tick all the boxes. I think it takes true talent to let a story unfold naturally and let it be beautiful with the diversity of the characters.
I am so happy that I was able to get an ARC of this book (it’s my first time). I’m not a seasoned reviewer or influencer at all…I just write how I feel after I finish a book. This book is raw and beautiful…I was so sad to finish it and close the door on Robbie and her friends and family’s story.
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