Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I love, love this book! I hope the next book is a direct continuation of this book because I need more.

I have been completely obsessed with this unique paranormal, urban romance series since I fell into it only a year ago. And this newest release was the slow burn perfection I've been waiting for since book 1.

This edition to the Guild Hunter world is definitely less romance heavy and more about the emotional journey both Illium and Aodhan go through - both separately and together. I absolutely loved the way that Nalini Singh explored grief and it's impact of who you are not only alone, but who you are around others and those you love.

This had the slowest slow burn romance and I was 100% ready to burst by the time they got together. There were so many long glances, brushes of the hand, and emotional outbursts that had my heart in my throat. These characters are my absolute favorite of the series and this HEA was everything I wanted for them.

I know that there is 1 more book contracted for this series but I'm holding out hope for even more. I don't think I'll ever be ready to let this world/series go.

Trigger warnings for torture, PTSD, depression, mental illness, grief, and (graphic) murder

I've been waiting years for Illium and Aodhan's story and I really loved the past flashbacks/present day structure depicting the development of their relationship, as well as the fact that Nalini Singh finally actually went there. The only thing about this book that I didn't love is that there isn't a sex scene between the heroes to physically consummate their 500 YEAR slow burn romance at the end, particularly given that every single other novel in this series does have an explicit sex scene where the hero and heroine sleep together. It left me with the impression, intentional or not, that the author was trying to hedge her bets and not completely alienate the readers who hate the idea of a sexual and romantic relationship between these characters, and saw them as just best friends and/or brothers for many years--but in this year 2021, not showing the gay sex on page *when all the heterosexual sex in the series previously has been* just read like a cop-out to me, and I hated that. Especially because I felt like the book 100% delivered on every other level! So I'm giving this 4.5 stars rounded up.

3.25 stars. I love the Guild Hunter series. And I love both Illium and Aodhan and had no problem with them falling further in love. While there was a ton of love and them working out their issues, this felt very much like an interlude/middle of the series novel. Likely Nalini is laying groundwork for future stories that will make this a stronger section of the overall narrative, but I wanted a little more than this. Just a little more. China is very much a mess. And Lijuan is hopefully truly gone for good.

So it took me longer to pick this series up than it should have, which means I binge read all of them pretty quickly, which maybe influences my review. I absolutely loved this book- it was completely unexpected, a little bit of a pivot, and I’m sure will make some readers angry. I think it shows a lot of guys for Singh to to this direction, and speaks a lot to her being in a place where she can make characters into who she wants. 100% here for this, the series, and the new directions. Grab this when you can!

THE ANGST!!!!

Nalini Singh, you killed me with angst! This book has been one I have eagerly anticipated for yet also never thought I would get. But let me confirm right now- Yes, they DO end up together. but the angst to get there was intense. Unfortunately, there wasn't any spice for our beloved Sparkle and Bluebell. But honestly, I respect Nalini Singh for not pushing herself and the characters. (Not everyone has been reading Drarry or other mslash for over ten years...)

Onto the actual plot- I loved the blending of flashback and modern-day. I felt it gave a great foundation and background for their shared history. The setting and writing were classic Nalini Singh which is always enjoyable. The only reason that it is 4 instead of 5 stars is that it did feel a little repetitive. There was a point that I was wondering-"didn't we just do this?" I refuse to give spoilers so that is as much as I'll say except it didn't detract from the story at all.

Overall I can't suggest this book, series, or author enough. I have never been disappointed and this book upholds that standard.

This was such an absolutely fabulous read. Singh has really pulled out all of the stops with this one, as it is heart-wrenching, emotional, and just so full of love. She seamlessly displays how easy it is for an amazing friendship to turn into something else just as wonderful, and how it was always going to end up this way in the end. Also, the clever way she juxtaposed the past with the present, only more firmly cemented how these two main characters were always meant to be together.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy romance series, but this is book #14 of the Guild Hunter series. You may be a bit lost if you start with this book. However, Singh fans will not be disappointed. While this book does start out a bit slow, and does suffer from the main characters not communicating for awhile, it really picks up steam about a third of the way in, and I just could not put this book down after that. It really is incredibly well written, and it has just the right amount of dark aspects of this series thrown in to keep the secondary plot line just as interesting as the main one.

If I could give this book more stars I could. It really is absolutely lovely.

A quintessential slow burn friends to lovers story is elevated to the sublime by Singh. The beautiful unfurling of a deepening love between two emotionally wounded warrior angels is only heightened by the interspersed danger they face in a ravaged land and by the poignant glimpses of their childhood and traumas. Illium and Aodhan's love may actually be greater, deeper, and more devoted than Raphael and Elena's - something I didn't think Singh could possibly pull off.

Illium and Aodhan. Best friends, partners in mischief for centuries. Aodhan kidnapping and recovery changed the rhythm of their relationship. And his healing will change it again.
Aodhan has served as second to the new archangel of China, Suyin, for over a year and she offers him the position permanently. Sent to China to assist Suyin, Illium and Aodhan are given the chance to rebuild, explore and strengthen their relationship. All in a land that has been decimated and while helping those around them rebuild too.

Why I started this book: I eagerly await all of Singh's releases and so I jumped at the chance of reading an ARC.

Why I finished it: Trust in Singh was the only thing that brought me thru. She's woven subtle hints of horror through out this love story, which is not my favorite... by China on the road to recovery doesn't have a smooth path, and there are pockets of evil lingering from Lijuan. Singh is a master of showcasing and explaining her characters' emotional arches. This book was a masterpiece in weaving the healing, loyalty and bravery necessary to jump from friends to lovers in addition to dealing with uncertainty and growing horror of newly discovered evil. The book also jumps between "today" and "yesterday" as Singh guides the reader thru the steps and scenes that are the foundation of Illium and Aodhan relationship. <spoiler>This book is all about the emotions of the relationship and stops with heavy kissing and a HEA.</spoiler>

This story was a LONG time coming. For years Aodhan's back story had been hinted at and now it is finally revealed. We get more of Illium's as well. I was disappointed that there wasn't more of a romance angle to this one like there was in previous installments. Otherwise this would have been a 5-star read for me. I did like the new addition to the over-arcing story in terms of Lijuan and wonder if that will be the new rising conflict for the series? Either way, great installment to a much loved series.

WOW, that's all I can say about this book. Wait, I can say more! I've loved Nalini's books from the beginning but I'm always impressed with how she continually takes on new challenges, moves in different directions from the expected, and helps us understand her characters histories and motivations. As someone who waited avidly for this particular book, I was not disappointed. Only Nalini could create a love that was so deep, it transcended time and even the couple's own histories. I wanted more because I love these characters so much. I loved the level of heat in this book, it was more about the intimacy created from the friends to lovers trope than getting into the sack - we know that will happen but what brought Illium and Aodhon to this point.

This was a lovely book that I will cherish for a long time to come.

ARCHANGEL’S LIGHT was the perfect story for llium and Aodhan, no doubt about it.

llium and Aodha always had this epic friendship, spanning hundreds of years, enduring hardship, but never wavering or becoming less. They are each other’s rock. Each other’s heart. Through many glimpses into the past the author shows how they grew up together, learned, played and relied on each other. One is not complete without the other, and it’s palpable throughout this book.

Their story, their romance is a slow burn, and rather tame for anyone who enjoys MM romances. But it doesn’t take away from the feelings that come alive on these pages.

llium and Aodha, both had some growing up to do. Neither knew where they stood after the last couple books, and it showed by the tension between them. It’s a healthy tension, a storm that brought revelations, and feelings to the forefront. And ultimately a healing for both of them.

I loved llium and Aodha as best of friends, and now as the beginning of something more. It just fits. Fits the story and their characters. How can there be an llium without Aodha next to him? It’s how they started out, and it’s how they go into he future. A future we hopefully read more about in books to come.

In all of this, ARCHANGEL’S LIGHT was incredibly satisfying – if not as sexy, hot and steamy as I hoped for – lol.

But I’m sure that anyone who loves this series, will fall in love with their epic friendship and their journey to something more.

Illium and Aodhan are two of my favorite characters, so it was absolutely lovely getting a book centered around them. We get to see their past and present in this book. And we last left them with a bump in their friendship. As they reforge their relationship, it forges a little different. It's a great friends to lovers story. It's also urban fantasy, so just be aware the matter these two angels are investigating is very dark and a bit gruesome.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for sending me this earc!

This is probably going to be one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever had to write.

Everytime you have two characters who have an such history as Illium and Aodhan have, you know their story would be your favotire and I feel like all of us has been waiting for so long to see where it’s going to end. So when the cover came out, my first reaction was “Oh, it’s gorgeous” but also “I really hope it doesn’t mean what i think it means”

All throught the series, I loved these two so much because they have Friendship that we don’t get to see often enough in the book anymore. Friendship that can survive anything. And at the beginning of this book, somehow I still held out the hope that it won’t turn into a romance.

Sadly it did. You know how many times the word friends/friendship is mentioned in this book? 256.( Look it up) and the more we learned about both Illium’s and Aodhan’s past, which was one of my favorite part of this story, the more I thought: “ This should be a story of two friends, best friends, who spent their whole life together, leaning on each other at every point. It’s time for them to find their own feet and see where standing on their own will take them”

Not at any point of this book did I want either of them to find a romantic relationship! I wanted them to learn who they are after all this time.

Illium, a boy who spent his whole life taking care of people: His Mother, Aodhan and basically everyone else. Did I want him to go to China and get his best friend back? Absolutely. Because I don't think he would be able to grow with that whole in him. But I wanted an free Illium trying to figure out what we will do with all the power in him.

And Aodhan, a boy who went through hell and needed to find his way back to himself. One of the parts I loved was when Aodhan realized that he was never on his own so, him going to China was a huge step. And I wanted MORE of THAT. You tell me that a year in the life of an angel is a minute. Even for a young Angel, it’s still a very small period of time. But you couldn’t give Aodhan more time?

Forget for a second that I never thought of them as anything but soul brothers (yes, I am making that a thing) in the previous books, in this book the “romance” bullshit doesn’t come in until 90% into the story and in those 90% there was maybe one or two moments that felt a little more than friendly.

So yes, I am mad that we didn’t get a book these two deserve. The book that all of the readers need to read. A Book about FRIENDSHIP that can never be broken, no matter where the story takes them. I felt like turning these friends into lovers kind of lowered their relationship didn’t raise it.

Don’t even get me started on the fact that Suyin was completely used as a backgroud for this story. Did we suddenly forget that she’s a brand new archangel who needs to rebuild her last aunt completely destroyed????? She literally has the biggest job in front of her and all she was in this book is a step stool.

Overall, this book could have been everything but the last 10% just broke my heart.

Nalini Singh is a master at her craft and only gets better with each book. Archangel's Light is a stunningly beautiful and exquisitely heartbreaking novel. The masterful darkness of a broken stronghold and the past itself is the perfect backdrop to a connection so strong, that the extraordinary love between two men shines beyond who they thought they can be. I loved this book with every ounce of my soul and cannot wait to see what Nalini brings us next.

Group Review at SmexyBooks. Review will be posted the week of release date.

Angela: I remember a couple of years ago when Bluebell and Sparkle started having their spats and disagreements and there seemed to be something afoot with their relationship. Like this author was setting something up for later in the series for them to have this big, wonderful romance and I can tell you right now I was HERE FOR IT. Every review after that ended with Bluebell + Sparkle 4eva. Every new book seemed to have more foreshadowing and it got me even more excited. Then came the announcement of Archangel’s Light and the cover was released…

…big shouts of excitement and glee. Yes, yes! Thank you!

But honestly, I had no idea what I really wanted this book to look and feel like. I wasn’t sure how this author would choose to tell their story. But I shouldn’t have worried, Ms. Singh does this couple justice, with an alternating timeline storytelling style that takes readers back to special moments in their long history together, while also bringing them back together in the present day. And I Ioved it.

Melinda: I was right there with Angela and her feeling of something just a little different with their relationship among Raphael’s Seven. It seemed to me that every mention of Aodhan and Illium came with a caveat that there was a special bond, that was more than friendship. And every single book, at every single mention of the two of them I would highlight those mentions like…, is this just me reading into them!? I got the chance to speak to Nalini in 2019 for an interview and she, of course, sidestepped the question like any good author would but did say that she got more questions about this pairing than any other, in any series so I knew I wasn’t alone!

I had faith that she would do their romance justice because my motto is ‘In Nalini I trust’ but I truly loved this book. I think readers who’ve been waiting and hoping for this pairing will be delighted and so will ones who are more hesitant and unsure of what to expect with their romance.

Melanie: I have the unique experience of coming to this series much later than Melinda and Angela. I basically binged the first 12 books over the course of 6 months starting in September of 2019 and ending in February of 2020. And in doing that, it was very apparent to me how beautifully Nalini laid the groundwork for the pairing in this book. I remember messaging Melinda repeatedly, asking her, “tell me Sparkle and Bluebell are endgame!!” The best she had to offer was that I was not alone in wishing for this and every single book I read, I would be on the lookout for Sparkle and Bluebell scenes, convinced that Nalini was teasing and torturing us, and yet, I had hope because, like Melinda, “in Nalini I trust.”

Archangel’s Light is the payoff for that trust, the long-awaited book about two best friends, who over the course of about half a millennium, have survived untold tragedies and heartbreak and loss, and throughout it all, faithfully had each other’s backs, sometimes literally, always figuratively. In this, the 14th book of this epic series, she finally goes where so many of her fans have been fervently wishing for. When the cover and blurb were announced, all 3 of us were excited beyond belief, and I’m thrilled to report that this book not just lived up to, but exceeded every expectation.

Angela: I have so many quotes highlighted, but I think this is my favorite and encompasses this couple and their centuries long connection:

“He is the deep, boundless ocean to your tumultuous storm,” his mother had said to Illium once, her smile wide. “He anchors you and you take him flying.”

When the book opens Aodhan is still in China with the new Archangel, helping her clean up the mess left by Lijuan. He is serving as her second, but Raphael, knowing that he is considering staying in that position, sends the man who Aodhan trusts more than any other in the world to help him. (devious, devious Raphael).

Then the story goes back in time to little Blue and little Ado, to how they met. Readers will finally see their instant connection. These were my favorite parts of the book, seeing this couple establish their relationship, watching them be there for each other, witnessing the hurt, the pain, the triumphs. Bright, energetic Bluebell and quiet, artistic Sparkle. I’ve said it before, this type of storytelling style really works for me, it keeps me on my toes and deeply engaged. I read this book in one day and have zero regrets.

Melinda: The reason I think this book and their story in particular worked so well is how Nalini chose to tell it. We get their story in alternating timelines, between the present with Suyin, the Archangel they’re helping, and in different glimpses of their past. This was particularly masterful because the world of Guild Hunters is always violent and rather horrific in areas, and this book is no different. In cleaning up after Lijuan we get to see the disaster she left her area in, and of course, uncover new horrors. So by alternating timelines, we get to have some space from some of the…more sickening discoveries.

And in the timeline of the past, we get those beautiful touchstones of Illium and Aodhan’s relationship. What I loved is that not all of these points in time were even particularly meaningful, some were just brief glimpses of either the two of them together or conversations they had regarding the other. Archangel’s Light felt like the ultimate culmination of their relationship, slowly peeling back, layer by layer, the decades of hurt and misunderstanding between the two friends and how they’ve reached this point. Nalini’s masterful care with this led to the slowest of burns in this book.

“Sometimes, Aodhan said at last, I feel like I’m pretending to be the person that you want me to be.”

Melanie: The alternating timeline was a beautiful device, giving us glimpses of yesterday, which takes us to the past, and today, which brings us to the present. Under this device, we get to see snapshots of Illium and Aodhan as they were but also what happened to make them who they are now and how their relationship grew and then faltered. From the very first moment they meet, the key facets of their personalities are made clear, from Illium’s gregarious, never-met-a-stranger nature, to Aodhan’s more reserved, wary manners.

Also helpful in telling this story is the fact that we don’t get shortchanged by the POVs either. We get inside both Aodhan and Illium’s thoughts, their desires and fears and anger towards each other explained to the reader with great clarity. And while they’re definitely off balance when this book reunites them in China, their long-lasting friendship at a great turning point, these are two angels who have always seen each other for exactly who they are, scars and all.

“To know a person’s bad habits along with their good ones? To see them at their worst and at their best? To fight and play with them through all the seasons of this life? And to still wake up every morning happy to see their face? This is love.”

While the above quote doesn’t come from either Aodhan or Illium, it is a perfect encapsulation of them and the progression of their relationship, one that is rooted in deep friendship and has slowly, over half a millennium, grown to mean so much more.

Angela- Alongside this romance is the main series plot of a world healing after the terrible violence of war between an evil Archangel and the rest of Cadre. There are still so many unknown variables and a new Archangel of China has ascended to rebuild and lead her territory. Aodhan is acting as her temporary Second and Illium has been sent by Raphael to assist.

Lijuan might be gone, but she has left some nasty surprises behind. I think readers will be caught off guard by the introduction of a new character and what he might mean for the plot arc going forward. I know I was.

As Illium and Aodhan are working together to support Suyin, helping her establish a new court, and weeding out the remaining danger in the area, they are also coming back together slowly. At first so polite, still so hurt over past perceived slights and misunderstandings about behavior, exhibiting small jealousies, then moving on to arguments and eventually heart-to-heart talks. Through it all readers can feel their chemistry and dedication to each other. I liked the contrast of a broken territory reestablishing itself into something new and better with this couple doing the same.

There might not be a lot of heat in this book, but there is a heck of a lot of heart.

Melinda: Okay, just to talk about the overall series arc of cleanup of Suyin’s territory for a second, the descriptions in this book reminded me of just how vivid Nalini can be with horror and gore. Which is another reason why her thrillers worked so well! The ghost of Lijuan was felt throughout this book, although since this is paranormal I should emphasize this ghost is metaphorical lol. I didn’t think I could be surprised with some of the actions Lijuan had taken but of course, I was shocked at some of their discoveries.

And the lack of heat is so interesting to me because as this romance is the ultimate slow burn and it’s built up over the last 14 books and half a millennium we’re all basically ready to burst! Instead what we get is this trickle of memories, sweet gestures, and meaningful glances – all interspersed with their fights and hurt feelings. And that sounds like a negative thing! But somehow it just all comes together to make the sweetest HFN for them and leave us wanting more.

Melanie: Oof, Lijuan truly is the gift that won’t stop giving (gifts that NOBODY wants). The little surprises she’s left behind are horrifying and one of them is a major reveal that will no doubt cause major ripple effects in the coming books. It’s interesting to note that usually these books contain a lot of graphic violence and are really dark. But this book, in particular, the violence all stems from things that happen in the past that reveal themselves to us (and in some cases to Aodhan and Illium) long after they actually happened.

We finally get answers to what happened to Aodhan that caused him to retreat for so long. And let me warn you, it’s dark and brutal and heartbreaking and the brilliance of Nalini means it’s handled in a way that is sensitive to both the characters and to the readers. I don’t want to give too much away but just be aware, this book may not have present-day violence but it still does go to some very, very dark places.

That being said, it absolutely makes sense that Aodhan and Illium don’t just jump into the physical aspect of their relationship. After all, it took them half a millennium to grow into who they are and also into their feelings and accept that their bond is much deeper than a long abiding friendship. So, it stands to reason that they would take their time developing this new facet of their relationship, especially given Aodhan’s backstory. (Though, please, Nalini, don’t make US wait half a millennium for this next step to happen – we’re mere mortals and don’t have that kind of time, thanks!). They’re both nervous about this huge step they’re taking that will fundamentally change their relationship but Illium puts it best.

“I’m still fucking petrified we’ll screw this up. But I’d rather screw things up with you than get it right with anyone else.”

In parsing the relationship out in this way (truly over the course of the whole series really), Nalini has given us a romance that is tender and sweet, poignant and at times, painful, and ultimately, more than worth the wait.

Angela: All in all, this book is EXACTLY what I hoped for when I found out all my wishes had come true and these two would be getting their own romance. Another reason why Nalini Singh remains at the very top of my auto-buy list, she just dazzles me with every new release. Archangel’s Light is so well done, all at once moving the series plot arc forward, while taking readers on a journey through the past and building a believable romance between two beloved characters in the present. I am so happy with Bluebell and Sparkle’s HFN, but I also can not wait to see them again. Thank you.

P.S. I’m ready for the next step in this couple’s relationship. BRING ON THE FIRE!

Final Grade- A