The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea

Quinn’s fast-paced but predictable debut romantic fantasy and Arzantian trilogy launch follows adventure-hungry princess Margrete, who has long suffered at the hands of her abusive father, Captain Wood. When Wood arranges a political marriage between Margrete and Count Casbian, Margrete reluctantly agrees on the condition that her marriage will free her sister, Bridget, from Wood’s rule. At the dreaded ceremony, a group of warriors crash the wedding bent on revenge against Wood’s past crimes. Leading them is Bash, who kidnaps Margrete and whisks her away to Azantian, the storied “birthplace of the sea,” hoping to use her as a bargaining chip. All Magrete wants is to forge her own path in life, but as she’s held captive and learns more of the magic and mysteries of Azantian, she can’t escape her mounting feeling for Bash, who just wants to be a good king for his people. Azantian’s magic is weakening and the threat posed by Wood increases considerably, forcing Bash and Margrete to work together. Forbidden romance, whispers of hidden gods, and the mysteries of the roughest seas animate this adventure while leaving plenty of potential for future installments. Fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will be pleased. (Sept.)