4.5 stars Much like in the previous book, the POV character Blackthorn is attempting to help is nowhere near as interesting or sympathetic as Blackthorn and Grim. 
 One interesting aspect in both is you have two people without a lot of history fall very quickly for each other in a very naive courtly idea of romance. This is juxtaposed with the platonic Blackthorn and Grim, who have been to hell and back together, living in each other's pocket, each saving and sheltering the other through daily life in what now seems to be turning into a very slow burn between two damaged unstarry-eyed souls. 
 It was a bit slow at points considering I could not have cared less what happened to Lady Geileis, but Blackthorn and Grim themselves make every book worth reading.