In this sequel to A Strange and Stubborn Endurance, newlyweds Cae and Vel are still trying to get to know one another (and recover from the horrific events of the first book) when Cae is suddenly named as heir to his grandmother's title and attendant holdings. Cae is NOT excited about this, as he's more suited to swinging a sword than dealing with politics. Vel has more talent at politics, but given that he's a foreigner from a land that's scandalized by his same-sex marriage, he's more than a little hesitant to step in. Anyway, not long after Cae's grandmother's announcement, the pair is summoned to the monarch's court, which again, was not something Cae was looking forward to, and the fact that they were followed on their journey by a series of "accidents" doesn't make it any more comfortable.
In an afterword, the author explains that All the Hidden Paths isn't just a continuation of Cae and Vel's story — it's also an exploration of what happens after someone comes out. Because as they explain, and as Vel experiences throughout the book, there's a lot of internal struggle, self-doubt, and revelation that occurs both before and after that initial external announcement, and Meadows does an excellent job of illustrating that here. There were a few times in the book where I felt like all of their issues could be resolved if Cae and Vel just talked to one another honestly (which is one of my pet peeves in romance), but in general, this was an excellent addition to this romance/fantasy series. I hope to read more of Cae and Vel's story!
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