Archangel’s Light

The one in which Nalini Singh dedicates time to possibly mine and Ellie’s favourite character.

For fourteen books, Bluebell and Sparkle have been angels that I have looked forward to meeting with increasing yearning for an edition of the Guild Hunter series that tells their story, really delves into their centuries long kinship - guts, worts and all. Having had my head buried in sand for most of the long pandemic season, I had no idea the time had come to be gifted with these characters until I started reading Archangel’s Light. This was a pleasant surprise.

In Archangel’s Light, we meet Ah-dan before the clouds and ascend with Ee-lee-um for glimpses of the world that used to be when life was simpler -in the way it is for kids running free in flower fields while the adults try to protect them from life and themselves. As we grow with Adi and Blue, we transition through scrapes, interpretations of love, age, disappointment, time and other realities that adulting often brings without asking if you are ready.

If you usually come to the Guild Hunter series for the blood and adrenaline gore (steamy sex optional) then you may be disappointed with the lack of warring and sexing in this one; and while there is time for a spot of obligatory investigation along the way, it may not entirely whet your appetite either.

There is a penchant for things to get very repetitive in this book and you will come across a lot of bickering between two people that sometimes makes you wonder their actual age or at the very least, marvel at their emotional intelligence but should you choose to power through, the reward in this slow burn is a romance that you get to fly-on-the-wall of as the two who most needed to find each other, forgive each other and deal with their abandonment issues, finally get to hash things out in an endearing way that typifies them.

As is Nalini’s tendency, there are considered threads here deliberately loomed for a larger tapestry to come and whenever Ms Singh decides to dig through China again, these threads should hopefully be well woven and ready for full display. For now, you get to witness variations of love that is as thick in covenant as is the water of the womb that makes our Ellie hunter-born. Enjoy it while I look forward to what Suyin and her extended family have to show us when they get their time in the light.