When the war brings a young enemy soldier to the ruined palace Tabeya calls home, the truth about her past emerges, chasing her into the desert, where she must elude her vengeful guardian for the sake of her freedom and her forbidden love. ***** In her lonely tower, Tabeya dreams of the world beyond it. That world becomes real when she meets Humban, a young general from a rival kingdom who isn't afraid to ask the questions Tabeya can't face about herself. Those questions bring answers that lead them into the desert, away from the goddess who imprisoned Tabeya. Enraged at her escape, Tabeya's guardian hunts her and Humban relentlessly across the war-torn land, where the elements are vicious and survival isn't guaranteed. In the treacherous world where Tabeya finds herself, she must fight for her happy ending or let her past destroy her future with the man she was never meant to love. [[Word count: 150,000 - 200,000 words]] Content warning: this story contains themes of violence.

{WATTY'S 2020 WINNER & EDITOR'S PICK.} Hopeless romantic and aspiring writer Mare Atwood has fallen madly in love with her childhood correspondent. There's only one catch-she doesn't know who he is. When the beaus of Star's Crossing return from boarding school to begin the courting season, Mare is determined to uncover the identity of her writer, flout her family's intentions of orchestrating an advantageous marriage, and procure the life of writing and romance she's always sought. But as in the tales she so adores, it won't be easy. Galas, masquerades, picnics, and hunts-alongside an old friend, a former teacher, and an unlikely ally, Mare delves into an investigation that leaves her torn between three clever, deceptive, and wealthy young bachelors. If Mare can confirm which is her writer and claim his hand before the courting season ends, she'll have her wish: the love of her life, a valuable marriage, and a future of writing romance. But with the eyes of Star's Crossing upon her, a business plot forcing invisible hands, and the unwillingness of her writer to come forward-Mare's future may not end in triumph, but tragedy. Set against the gilded Victorian backdrop of coastal Connecticut and lush with pre-war luxury, fans of Jane Austen, Margaret Mitchell, and Louisa May Alcott are sure to enjoy this lighthearted, lyrical novel of young love, independence, and identity. #1 Literary #1 YA Romance #1 Victorian #1 Lyrical #8 General Fiction