Emerald House Rising

Jena Gemcutter's life as an apprentice jeweler in the city of Piyar is dramatically altered when the mysterious Lord Morgan commissions a new ring from her father, Collas. Jena and Morgan, both magical adepts, instantly partner--as is usual for wizards. When Morgan mysteriously disappears, it is up to Jena, Lady Kestrienne, Morgan's aunt, and the magician Arikan to not only find Lord Morgan but to protect the proper succession of the Diadem Throne. Another wizard, who wants to alter the succession by ways of magic, must be stopped if the future of the land is to be kept safe and secure. The plot is standard fantasy fare, but Kerr is a good writer and manages both to create a fully detailed new world and to integrate fantasy and romance without tangling the narrative. (June)