The Kiss of Deception

Lia is a young princess doomed to an arranged marriage with an unknown prince in another kingdom, their union an instrument of a needed alliance. On the day of her wedding, Lia flees with a trusted friend, Pauline, traveling until they reach a seaside town where Lia assumes a life as a barmaid at a local inn, reveling in her newfound anonymity. After two handsome young men, Rafe and Kaden, arrive at the inn, Lia is taken with both, and they with her; readers, unlike Lia, know that one is an assassin sent to kill her, the other, the prince she jilted. Pearson (the Jenna Fox Chronicles) is off to an extraordinary start with her fantasy series, the Remnant Chronicles, creating an alluring world and romance that’s ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore and Megan Whalen Turner. Peppered with excerpts from sacred texts and traditional songs, the novel has a formidable heroine at its core, who is as quick with a knife as she is to laugh or cry. Pearson maintains the mystery of Rafe and Kaden’s identities, pulling readers through this masterfully crafted story. Ages 14–up. (July)