Paladin

(Copy provided by NetGalley.)

From Goodreads:
"Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam of Haywood is the most promising Paladin trainee in the kingdom of Thule… and knows it. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one.

But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Disguised as a boy, Sam leaves home behind to fight demons-—the most dangerous monsters in Thule—-alongside the kingdom’s elite warriors. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her–yet–but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing.

Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Whether he can be trusted is anyone’s guess, including his.

As demons wreak havoc across the land, rebellion stirs in the West, led by a rival faction of warriors.

A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life–or just her heart?"

~~~~~

Ahhh. Paladin hits almost all the right notes for me. We have the independent female, the brilliant fighter, the redeemable unwanted outcast, all working together and learning to like each other. They all have their own struggles, they all have believable interactions with the villain (whom I predicted from about the fifth chapter or so, but I was surprised by how she/he "done it"), and the writing got out of the way and let the story unfold.

The action was good, and while the plot was somewhat predictable, it was very satisfying. I liked how Sam was learning to be accepted for her skills and gaining confidence in herself. I would LOVE to see her balance both sides--the warrior and the lady--in the next book. Braeden made for a sympathetic outcast, especially because he didn't whine and let the stupid people get him down. Tristan was a good warrior/mentor, pushing his mentees without being cruel. The characterization was consistent and realistic. It's too easy with these kinds of books to stray into the cartoon-y overly muscled hero and the swooning female, but Paladin doesn't do that. And the ending really worked for me. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

Gentle Reader Alert: There is some well-described violence in this book, as all the main characters have to slaughter demons on a regular basis. It's not lingered over, but it's not glossed over either. Some of the characters are rather frank about sex, but there isn't any in the book.