The Forest and the Sea: A Cinderella Retelling By Tracy Zumwalt
Publication date: November 12, 2024
Buy Link: Amazon
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult
Summary:
Reynette is desperate to escape the servitude of her step family at Laudermann Manor and the lustful desires of the loathsome, Sir Bjorn.
Lord Ehrhart seeks to please his father and their subjects by securing a future wife and future Duchess of Badenberg.
Will a chance meeting in the woods lead them to find their hope and future within each other’s arms?
The people of Badenberg are preparing to celebrate the anticipated, Midsummer Festival.
In the worn hallways of Laudermann Manor, a young servant girl longs for freedom and love. Bound by duty to her cruel step family, she yearns to attend the festival and meet a kind, brave suitor who will seek her floral wreath and therefore, declare his intent to pursue her.
Her hope takes a turn when her wreath is sought by a mysterious, yet somehow familiar man.
Meanwhile, Lord Ehrhart, son of the Duke, is under growing pressure to find a bride. Trusting his future to the Duke’s advisor, Ehrhart agrees to a series of balls to seek the next Duchess of Badenberg.
But, behind the festivities and beautiful floral decor, a dangerous scheme unfolds— the Duke’s brother and his ruthless son, Sir Bjorn, conspire to seize the Duke’s position, putting love, power and loyalty to the ultimate test.
Help arrives through an unexpected ally as Reynette and Ehrhart seek to unravel the web of deceit and hidden motives.
Extravagant balls are thrown, secrets are revealed, and murderous plots are uncovered in thisreimagining of the Cinderella story.
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EXCERPT:
His father and Badenberg needed him to find a suitable wife. Ludwig’s solution was to host the two balls and hope Ehrhart found a wife among the wealthy and titled of Badenberg. But, though Ehrhart had agreed to such a plan, he couldn’t help but feel he’d find a wife on his own terms. Would that be Beatrice? He stared down at his hands loosely wrapped around the reins.
Beatrice was certainly a plausible solution to his problem, but could she be a woman he’d love for the rest of his life? She appeared interested in him and his attention, but did he truly know her intentions? He had meant what he’d told his sisters, he was interested in more than just a pretty face.
Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the trees, followed by another and another. Then he heard a piercing crack to his left. Ehrhart peered up just in time to watch a tree fall along the path. The jarring movement and sound caused Storm to rear.
