Cinders just wanted to dance at the ball.
But she becomes part of a game to find a fae king's bride.
As a lowly human, Cinders has never been good enough for her noble fae family - but she can't escape them. Every dawn, the magic binding her to their manor calls her back.
When the fae king announces he'll choose a bride at the Thrice-Held Ball, Cinders is of course forbidden to attend. Even if the dancing doesn't go past dawn, her family would never allow her to be seen with them. But after she receives a pair of enchanted shoes that alter her appearance, she can't resist the chance to become someone else for a night. She'll dance in disguise for the three nights of the ball and enjoy her small stolen freedom.
She never expected to catch the fae king's eye, or for her act of rebellion to turn into something far more dangerous. Everyone wants to know who the mysterious masked lady is, and they won't rest until they find out. King Tawhiri sees her as no one ever has before, but how can she trust it's more than just enchantment at work?
Can she make it home by dawn? And does she even want to marry a winged king, anyway?
A gorgeous reimagining of the Cindarella story, set in an enchanting world full of fae, magic and romance.
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Praise for AJ Lancaster's cosy fantasies:
'A sweet and cozy romance. It made me want a faeland of my very own!'
Aliette de Bodard on How to Find a Nameless Fae
'Witty, heartfelt, romantic and utterly charming'
Stephanie Burgis on The Lord of Stariel
Autorentext
A. J. Lancaster grew up on a farm in rural Aotearoa New Zealand, and her first job was finding lost people in a corn maze. Since leaving the farm, A. J.'s activities have included a geography degree, environmental planning and editing maths exams. Now, she lives in the Manawatu and writes romantic, whimsical fantasy books while investigating how many plants you can fit in one house. Results so far suggest that the limit does not exist. In 2021, A. J. Lancaster received the Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best New Talent, New Zealand's preeminent awards for science fiction, fantasy and horror. She is best known for the Stariel novels, a series about a country estate that chooses its own ruler, beginning with The Lord of Stariel.