Paladin's Strength

This is a loose sequel to Paladin's Grace, featuring another one of the handful of very broken paladins who have been left bereft and purposeless when their god died. Taken in by the god of lawyering and bureaucracy, they have managed a somewhat redeemed existence providing protection in exchange for room, board, kindness, and understanding.

The paladin and his mercenaries have been sent cross-country to track an eerie, otherworldly serial killer responsible for gruesome deaths in their city. Their paths cross with the lone free survivor of a raid on a convent, who is hoping to rescue her kidnapped sisters.

Both the paladin and the nun have deep, dark secrets, and as their friendship grows into a relationship, they each fear that their secret will destroy their fragile liaison.

I found this story to be a lot heavier on the romance elements than the previous book, so I skipped bits here and there, but the worldbuilding and the mystery are worth reading even for those who are not into the romantic aspect.

As with many of the author's stories, there is some brutality and ugliness, and a high body count -- but these are leavened with a healthy dose of kindness and hope. Recommended for those in need of a feel-good story about being accepted for one's true self.