His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. This felt very much like a Little Mermaid retelling and I loved it for that.“A frothy confection of sea-foam, young love, and derring-do.” -NPRįrom the New York Times bestselling author of So This Is Ever After, a young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean. This puts a large target on Tal’s back-so much so that he is kidnapped.Īthlen is a complex and fun character as well and the two are so adorable together. Magic is very frowned upon in this world since Tal’s grandfather destroyed many other kingdoms with magic and killed a lot of different creatures. There is one catch, however, and it is that Tal can use magic. He wants to listen to his people and do whatever he can to ease their suffering.

Tal is a kind character who wants to help. Heartbroken, he tries to distract himself-until he runs into him on land. Athlen jumped off the boat and Tal believes he is dead. This books was so cute and charming! Tal is sailing around the kingdom as his coming-of-age tour and saves a young man by the name of Athlen.

Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom.

But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming-and secretive-as ever. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean. Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen.

In deeper waters book