Goldilox and the Three Weres: Release Day Review: The War Priest by Ann Aguirre

The War Priest
(Ars Numina #5)
Ann Aguirre
Release: April 22, 2020
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ARC provided by the author

Dour. Dutiful. Dogged.

Personal tragedy drove Callum McRae to join the Order of Saint Casimir fifteen years ago; now he’s in charge of a hold he hasn’t lived in for years. Supplies are scarce, he has no knack for dealing with people, and the Gols are at the gates. To make matters worse, he’s also battling an attraction so powerful and forbidden that it imperils his very soul…

Canny. Cheerful. Charming.

Joss Bristow seems bright and cheerful, but she’s hiding a well of sorrow that fuels her music. She’s also prone to leaping before she looks, exactly how she ends up besieged at Burnt Amber. Though she wanted to get to know Callum better, she never imagined that falling for him could cost her life.

He’s the dark of night, and she’s the sun that shines just for him. Two wounded souls have never needed each other more, but between his holy vows and the devastation of war, the odds are stacked against them…

Review:

One of my favorite things about the Ars Numina series is the way Ann Aguirre shows a different part of its fascinating world in each book. In The War Priest, we see the bear shifter stronghold for the first time, as well as a closer look at the monks who have fought beside the shifters throughout the series. Callum, the hero, is torn between those two worlds, having joined the Order years ago but inheriting leadership of the bears upon his uncle's death earlier in the series.

The heroine Joss grew up in the cat shifter compound where book one is set, and is the cousin of its heroine Pru. She's impulsive and optimistic and the exact opposite of stoic Callum, at least on the surface. Their relationship is sort of a slow burn, in that it takes them a while to overcome the obstacles, though the attraction is there early on. Once they're together, the way they compliment each other is so satisfying.

The War Priest made for interesting pandemic reading as Joss ponders her role as an entertainer vs. those fighting on the front lines. At the same time Callum struggles with his commitment to the Order vs. his obligation to his people and his desire to be with Joss. I think both of their journeys become even more relatable than the author originally intended in the current context.

This story feels much more connected to the series plot than the previous book, The Shadow Warrior, which was kind of a side quest. I was also surprised by how happy and sunshine-y the ending of the book felt. But I realize now that I said the same thing at the end of the last book. All but one of the previous couples made an appearance. It does feel like the end of the series in sight now. (There's only one more book planned.) I can't wait to see what happens!