Fortune of Emerald and Salt (Seas of Marecult #1)

Eighteen-year-old twin pirate captains Georgette and Elias Baine enjoy their seafaring life aboard the Siren, the ship they inherited from their parents following their deaths. The captains’ notorious reputation lands them in a tentative partnership with King Cyril Kosdel, who promises untold riches in exchange for the twins’ help retrieving stolen goods. Aided by their ocean-fearing childhood friend Absalom, the siblings learn that the King’s purportedly stolen cargo is in fact a person: sheltered teen Princess Mercy Landlight, who’s politically betrothed to the King. The Captains Baine, raised to trust only each other, are immediately wary of their new charge. As their adventures unfold and their mission and lives are jeopardized at every turn, however, the group find themselves growing closer to one another, forming meaningful and unlikely bonds both friendly and romantic. Though the plot is fast-paced, Wildrose’s immersive prose builds out persuasively characterized arcs and dynamics, making the resultant relationships feel genuine. Full of raucous humor, action-packed duels, and wry meditations on how to lead a life well lived, this swashbuckling adventure overflows with passion and romance. Main characters are coded as white. Ages 13–17. (Self-published)