By: Lisa Alfano
A spare prince who longs to be free of his birthright. A future countess who refuses to conform to the world’s demands. When their worlds collide, they find themselves ensnarled in a deal as impossible to escape as a thicket of jagged briars and thorns.
In the early days, chaos and magic ravaged the world, and the people of Iosia found their loyalties torn between two kings: the Thorne and the Onyx. The defeat of the Onyx King and his magicians ushered in a new era of peace. Unified by the Thorne King, all Iosia celebrated the end of magic. Since that day, a Thorne has ruled and Iosia has enjoyed peace. Now, strange occurrences are fueling rumors of impending doom, of evil…of magic.
Leopold Thorne, the second son of King Percival Thorne, revels in his role of the Spare; content to remain in the shadows and allow his brother, Finn, to enjoy all the glory—and all the responsibilities—befitting the Heir. Leo does not desire the crown upon his head, nor does he want a wife in his bed. With his deployment with the royal navy and Finn’s nuptial celebrations approaching, Leo sets out on one final adventure of good-natured debauchery.
Lady Astrid, the future Countess of Sprusset, is a rebel refusing to bow to society’s rules, and demanding a future of independence and a life without the constraints of a husband or children. No man will force her to marry, especially her father, the Earl of Sprusset.
Faced with the prospect of losing her family’s estate, Astrid reluctantly enters into a deal with a stranger; an unruly man with no manners—a vile creature who now holds her future in his calloused grip. After an evening of drink and dice, Leo awakens with more than a hangover, discovering himself engaged to a beautiful woman who despises him.
Unwilling to accept her fate, Astrid sets out for Caelius, determined to beg the Thorne King to nullify the bargain, and comes face-to-face with her worst nightmare—the beastly Leo and the horrific realization that their deal is as impossible to escape as a thicket of jagged briars and thorns.
When an attack by a shapeshifting Sentinel leaves Leo and Astrid trapped and alone in the woods, they must call a truce if they are going to survive. But can Astrid trust a beast to save her life and set her free? Will Leo rely on the one woman who has the power to destroy not only his heart, but his kingdom?
This prequel is an introduction to the new epic young adult fantasy series: The Thorne Chronicles, set in the medieval fantasy world of Iosia, where shapeshifting Sentinels, loyal to the Crown, and Onyx magicians, banished generations ago, once again collide in Cage of Tangled Thornes: Book One of the Thorne Chronicles.
“An intriguing prequel from Lisa Alfano to launch her Thorne Chronicles series… I recommend Deal of Jagged Thornes to readers who enjoy fantasy stories with engaging characters.” Five starred review -Stephanie Chapman, Readers’ Favorite