The Rose Bargain

Teenage Ivy wasn’t supposed to be the family breadwinner; that was her older sister Lydia’s job. But Lydia hasn’t been the same since the night she briefly vanished, an unexplained incident Ivy is certain was caused by the mysterious bargain Lydia made with faerie Queen Moryen, something all girls must do when they come of age in Ivy’s alternate Victorian London home. Shadowed by her sister’s tarnished reputation, it’s up to Ivy to find a wealthy husband and save her family from ruin. When Queen Moryen announces that the prince is seeking a bride, Ivy enters the competition to win his hand, but she isn’t the only debutante desperate for the match. Now Ivy must use her wits and form unlikely alliances if she hopes to survive this dangerous game. A simmering romantic plot is sharpened by searing comparisons of girlhood and war—a Maypole dance is a blood sport and readying for a ball is preparing for battle. Smith (The Witch Hunt) delves beyond familiar palace intrigue and mystical romance to explore themes of classism, complex family dynamics, gender disparity, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood in this compelling fantasy. Major characters cue as white. Ages 13–up. Agent: Hillary Jacobson, CAA. (Feb.)