Sword Catcher

Clare trades the Shadowhunter world for something grander and more complex. Castellane feels lived-in — a Mediterranean-inspired city with pleasure houses, crime lords, persecuted magic users, and a royal court rotting from within. The dual POV between Kel (the expendable body double) and Lin (the Ashkari physician barred from practicing real medicine) weaves together slowly but devastatingly. This is a world-building feast with romance as the slow-drip promise. Patience required — the first 250 pages are setup — but the payoff is immense.