In the early days of Iosia, chaos and magic ravaged the kingdom, but the first Thorne King and his revered Sentinels—shifters blessed by the gods with the ability to transform between human and animal form—defeated the Onyx King and his evil magicians. With magic extinguished, and the Onyx magicians banished to the desolate region of Valdisia, all of Iosia enjoyed peace and prosperity under the rule of the House of Thorne for generations.
Leopold Thorne revels in his role of the Spare prince; content to remain in the shadows, without a crown upon his head or a wife in his bed. With his military deployment approaching, Leo sets out on one final adventure of good-natured debauchery with his best friends and stumbles into a nightmare with the potential to ruin his future. In the Andorian town of Lower Sprusset, Leo learns of strange occurrences happening in the fields and fueling rumors of impending doom—igniting fear within the people. The air within tavern of Lower Sprusset is thick with the whispers of the unthinkable… “Onyx magic has returned…the Thorne King is in danger.”
Lady Astrid, the only child of Lord Athol, the Earl of Lower Sprusset. As the future Countess of Sprusset, Astrid refuses to bow to society's claustrophobic rules and has no intention of relinquishing her independence to a husband or children. Faced with the prospect of losing her family's estate courtesy of her father’s gambling debts, Astrid reluctantly enters into a deal with a stranger—a vile creature, who now holds her future in his calloused grip—a deal as impossible to escape as a thicket of jagged briars and thorns.
When tragedy strikes the Kingdom, Leo and Astrid’s paths cross once more. An unexpected attack by a Sentinel leaves them trapped—together, injured, and lost—in the deepest part of the eerie Gidot Wood. Leo and Astrid must set aside their animosity, and call a truce, if they hope to survive.
Can Astrid set aside her pride and trust a beast to save her life and set her free? Will Leo allow himself to rely on the one woman who has the power to destroy not only his heart, but his kingdom?
This YA fantasy romance is a prequel novel to the Thorne Chronicles: a new, epic young adult fantasy series featuring strong female characters. DEAL OF JAGGED THORNES occurs almost two decades before CAGE OF TANGLED THORNES: THORNE CHRONICLES BOOK ONE (Release Date: July 25, 2023-Preorder Now).
