Tides of Mutiny

Lane Garrow, 16, has lived her life disguised as captain’s boy aboard her merchant captain father’s ship, the Majesty, thanks to a cruel law passed by King Eurion of Hughen calling for the execution for piracy of any seafaring woman. Lane’s dream is to succeed her father as captain someday, while he would rather see her living safely on land with her newly wealthy mother. When Lane is blackmailed into helping 17-year-old noble Aden into securing passage aboard the Majesty, the ship is pulled into a complex web of deceit and intrigue between rival kingdoms. As the conflict spills onto the high seas, Lane must cope with an implacable foe among her crew; her growing attraction to Aden, who immediately sees through her disguise; and shocking revelations about her family’s history. Mixing pirate action with slow-burning romance, Rode (Numbers Ascending) crafts an engaging, swashbuckling tale populated with a mostly white cast. Though there is room for further exploration and development, the worldbuilding is capable; Lane makes for a relentlessly resourceful heroine, and her undeniable chemistry with Aden, as well as her tight-knit bond with her father, fuels the emotional core of this enjoyable nautical fantasy. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kelly Peterson, Rees Literary Agency. (Sept.)