The Rose Bargain

London, 1848—For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: her family’s social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy’s marriage prospects are nonexistent. When the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram’s hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain cannot fix, a crown certainly could. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram’s brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother’s heart for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen’s increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there is more at stake than just a wedding. All faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.

Smith's YA fantasy centres on a bargain from the fae queen to secure a high society girl for her son. Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen. High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste. Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her. At the centre of this contest is a plot that could destroy everything.

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen. High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste. But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin…and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her. Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

London, 1848—For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire. As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: her family’s social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy’s marriage prospects are nonexistent. When the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram’s hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain cannot fix, a crown certainly could. Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram’s brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother’s heart for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen’s increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there is more at stake than just a wedding. All faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.