I found this short book beautiful and thought provoking. It has a lovely atmosphere and at the end the hero opts for a quiet life in the woods as their reward!
https://www.waterstones.com/book/when-winter-weighs-heavy/madeleine-reed/9781914913150
The people of the Great She-Bear celebrate community and generosity, so after two decades under a tyrant king, they are restless and angry. All they need is a leader, anointed in accordance with the Ursulaic Laws. Unfortunately, the Great Bear is hibernating and her chosen representative is in the middle of a huge crisis of faith. In this exciting story of justice, faith and power, sovereigns are judged by their subjects and the normal, not the noble, forge the future.
Our Simple Life 