This series absolutely blindsided me. I went in expecting something that was probably not for me, heavy on romance and steam, and stayed because I laughed, got attached, and somehow ended up caring very deeply.
What makes The Saint of Steel books work so well for me is the romance is never empty or glossy. Yes, it is central, but it is firmly rooted in character, trauma, and emotional baggage. These are not young, perfect people stumbling into love because the plot demands it. They are bruised, anxious, awkward, and deeply human. The relationships grow slowly out of trust, shared danger, mutual respect, and a lot of self doubt, which makes them feel earned rather than inevitable.
Humour is the secret glue holding everything together. The dialogue is sharp, dry, and often wonderfully absurd. Small, seemingly throwaway lines made me grin again and again, and the timing is impeccable. Even moments that could easily tip into angst are softened by wit and warmth. The humour never undercuts the pain, but it makes it bearable, for the characters and for the reader.
One thing I really appreciated across the series is how seriously emotional scars are taken. Trauma does not magically disappear once romance enters the picture. Fear, guilt, insecurity, and past losses remain present, shaping how the characters see themselves and each other. At the same time, the books never wallow in misery. There is kindness here, patience, and the quiet hope that broken people can still build something good together.
I also loved how much space these books give to characters who are so often sidelined. Older protagonists with aching joints and lived experience. Bigger bodies that are not played for jokes or treated as flaws to be fixed. People who are competent, brave, and active, without pretending that age, fear, or trauma are irrelevant. Seeing characters like this at the centre of the story felt genuinely refreshing and oddly comforting.
The world itself is another reason the series works so well. There is murder, political scheming, assassinations, court trials, and plenty of danger, but the overall atmosphere remains cosy in the best possible way. Dark and bloody things happen, yet the tone never becomes hopeless or cruel. There is a sense of community, dry competence, and stubborn decency running underneath it all. This blend of cute, funny, comforting, and genuinely grim is something I now strongly associate with Kingfisher. Cosy dark is exactly the right description.
Each book shifts focus to a different relationship, which keeps the series feeling fresh while still familiar. The world expands naturally, showing more cultures, species, and social structures, without losing the intimate, character focused lens. By the third book, it felt like coming home to people I already trusted, and I was simply happy to spend more time in their company.
The Saint of Steel series is warm, weird, funny, romantic, and surprisingly thoughtful. It is proof that romance heavy fantasy can still be smart, character driven, and emotionally grounded. These books made me laugh, wince, and quietly root for people who are doing their best with the mess they carry. Sometimes the books you never meant to pick up turn out to be exactly the ones you want to stay with a little longer.
