Book picks similar to
The Queen's Training by Noelle Riches


fantasy
romance
duty-over-love
300-399-pgs

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea


Katherine Quinn - 2021
    A king hellbent on saving his mysterious island home. And a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.Forced to marry the wealthy Count Casbian by her power-hungry father, Margrete turns to the gods, praying for a life free from the men who wish to rule her. Across the sea, a ruthless immortal answers…Planning to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash, a devilishly handsome king, kidnaps Margrete on the day of her nuptials. Bringing her to his home, the mystical island of Azantian, it isn't long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves.Drawn to the spirited woman he's sworn to hate, Bash cannot stay away from Margrete and the passion she ignites within him. When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.The first book of this exciting fantasy trilogy is perfect for readers who love high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steamy romance. Fans of Danielle L. Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom, and Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses will be enthralled.

Wings of Fury


Emily R. King - 2021
    Among his possessions: women, imprisoned and fated to serve. The strong-minded Althea Lambros controls her own fate and lives to honor her dying mother’s plea to protect her two sisters at all costs. Althea’s journey toward crushing the tyranny has begun. It is a destiny foretold by the Fates. And she is following their visions.On the southern isle of Crete, hidden among mortal women who have fled the Titans, is the Boy God, son of Cronus and believed dead. He shares Althea’s destiny to vanquish the Almighty—fate willing. Because Cronus has caught wind of the plot. He’s amassing his own forces against Althea’s righteous rebellion and all those who will no longer surrender or run. There will be war. If she’s to survive to write their history, the indomitable Althea must soar higher than any god.

Gaia's Secret


Barbara Kloss - 2011
    Two Worlds. One Love.Eighteen-year old Daria Jones feels trapped in the cow-strewn suburbs of Fresno, California. And with a father so overprotective he's installed video and thermal surveillance down the street, she doesn't get out much. Until the night he disappears. Following the trail of notes he's left behind, Daria gathers three things: a dark force is hunting her, her father's fled to another world on a cryptic mission, and the only one left to trust is her ex-best friend, Alexander Anderson. The more she learns about her father's absence, the more she realizes she must go to this other world to find him. And Alexander is the only one who knows how to get there. Amidst a world of diabolical creatures, ancient magic, and bizarrely intuitive vegetation, Daria must find her father before the dark force finds her. But the truth of who she really is could be her greatest enemy of all.[Second Edition published February 2, 2015]Perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Falling Kingdoms, and the Lunar Chronicles.

The Elven Spymaster's Thief


Elisa Rae - 2022
    Well, everyone except Avril. She manages to avoid all elves. Then one day, her master orders her to steal a dagger from the very elf she wishes to evade most, the elven spymaster of Eldarlan. Bound by her indenture, she has no choice but to obey. She plans a swift sneak-and-grab mission, but things go awry.Illeron knows more than any elf should. The gathering, analyzing, and disseminating of information consumes his life to the point his brother suggests he needs a distraction. So, when a human woman breaks into his study to steal his dagger, he seizes the opportunity and offers her a bargain she can’t refuse. And a fate he never imagined.The Elven Spymaster’s Thief is a light, fantasy romance novella full of banter, flirting, and fun romantic moments. It features an opposites-attract romance between a human girl and a smoldering elf lord with a bit of a culture clash thrown in for fun.

Men In Control: The Smith Brothers Series Box Set


Brenda Ford - 2019
    6 HOT Men who know how to take control.Affairs, cougars, scandals… the Smith brothers have it all. None of them have a straight forward love life…even the ones that think they do.Escape into their whirlwind romance as the Smith Brothers promise to entertain you all day and night.  Stories included in the box set: The Perfect Boss She’s innocent…My assistant…And way younger. I’m the last man she should be with. At the same time, though…  I’m the only man who’d do anything for her.She’s supposed to be mine. I’m way too obsessed to let her go. Especially now that she’s pregnant.  I’ll do whatever it takes to claim my family.  Tempt Me Forever “A rock band drummer dating a billionaire!” That in itself sounds like a joke. And also like an unattainable fantasy. But as luck would have it.. Our two worlds collide. It causes an explosion… and a ton of drama. And now, he’s down on one knee. Do you think I should say yes? Rock Hard Freya Brown…She is simply perfect…I thought I’ve found my love…Only to realize that I messed up again,But I’m too obsessed to let her go,And I’ll do everything to make her mine But this girl just doesn’t know it yet! Blind In Love I know it’s forbidden…her daughter is elder to me.I know it’s dangerous…her ex is a stalker.And yet, I’m falling for my teacher!But looks like destiny doesn’t want us to be together.I am forced to move out to New York,  It’s been four long years, and I am back – to claim what’s mine.  But would she still be waiting for me?  Head Over Heels Falling in love with the girl next door was never the plan!But she’s tempting, alluring, exciting and I can’t stop myself from being drawn in to her dangerous world.The deeper I sink, the harder it will be to get out, Yet, I can’t stop myself from falling. Head over heels in love with her. Ellie will create an explosion in my life, I just know it. But love makes you do some pretty crazy things, right? And I’m going to win her back. No matter what it takes! Unexpected Baby I hate her…I’ve always hated her, And it will never change.

Menage a Trois


Kathleen Hope - 2016
    18+ OVER 1,000 DOWNLOADS!!! READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED! “Who is he?” “Marco,” I gasped. “On your knees,” Charles growled. I knelt and he pushed me forward. I felt him slide into me and groaned as he began to move. Marco laid his violin on top of the piano and walked over to where Charles was pounding against me. I watched him unfasten his pants as the orchestra continued to play the almost frantic tempo. My mouth went dry at the sight of him. He and Charles had the same build but Marco was taller. My gaze fastened on the part of him straining for attention. I’d been right. He was large and thick. Slowly, he approached us and knelt in front of me. “Worship the Lord of Song,” Charles said from behind me. I glanced at him briefly before taking Marco into my... ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK AND AUDIO BOOK! DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY RIGHT NOW!!!

The Iron Butterfly


Chanda Hahn - 2012
    Their leader has chosen Thalia as the test subject for a torture device of untold power, designed to change and twist her into something that is neither human nor Denai.Escaping, Thalia finds an unwilling warrior to protect her and an unlikely Denai to befriend her. After finding a home at the Citadel as a servant, Thalia’s worst nightmare comes to life and she begins to show signs of power. Scared and unable to control her gifts, she tries to hide her past to fit in among the Denai. But the Septori want their latest test subject back and will stop at nothing to retrieve her, dead or alive.

The Business of Love


Kerri Keberly - 2019
    Late for his annual performance review, Cupid finds himself up the River Styx without a paddle when his boss threatens to fire him. Luckily, he sweet talks his way into a second chance, but his last shot comes with an impossible deadline.He’s got six months to turn mortal enemies into lovers or he loses his immortality—and his one true love's heart—forever.No problem for the god of love, right? Well…Liz Johnson thinks love at first sight is a bunch of crap. Then she meets her new coworker, Leo Simmons, and her theory totally hits the fan... and splatters everywhere. Even worse, Leo thinks he’s God’s gift. When he turns on the charm because she won’t give him the time of day, she’ll be damned if her resolve crumbles to hell.The kicker? Neither knows Cupid is posing as their new boss. Or that he’s using every matchmaking trick in the book to stop fate from taking his wings—and their lives. Will Cupid hit his mark? Find out in this hilarious modern twist on the mythology you know and love.

Fate's Fables


T. Rae Mitchell - 2013
    Now she must write to stay alive. Mysteriously cast into the ancient Book of Fables, Fate can hardly tell what's real and what's not. She’s trapped inside a magical world of darkly spun fairy tales. While Fate loves adventures, she prefers reading about them while munching on chocolate. Unfortunately, there’s no closing the book on this very real cast of frightening sorceresses, faeries and creatures of legend.And then there's Finn McKeen. The golden-haired Scottish boy who looks like he stepped straight from her journal of secret daydreams. Entranced by this achingly familiar stranger, who’s as inexplicably drawn to Fate as she is to him, they run the gauntlet of this menacing storybook realm, changing each fable’s dreadful ending into a happily-ever-after with the unpredictable power of the Words of Making. But Fate soon learns that while some words make dreams come true, others create nightmares. Can she survive long enough to write her own happy ending, or will she spell her doom?Brimming with fierce magic, breath-taking action and a heart-wrenching romance, FATE’S FABLES, is perfect for readers of Brigid Kemmerer, Sarah J. Maas and Holly Black.Includes the thrilling bonus prequel, Chaos In The Keep, (available in this Special Edition version only).

Heart of a Witch


Rebecca L. Garcia - 2021
    Until now.Hidden in a kingdom that hates witches, I’m forced to hide what I am. With my sister working in a secret dark magic club, and our family’s shop gaining unwanted attention, things couldn’t be worse when the notorious witch hunter, Damian Shaw, comes to town.When my sister shows up dead, and my family’s name is called into question, we’re forced to adopt new aliases and leave the home we cherished. As I watch my life fall apart, I vow to destroy the hunter responsible, but his punishment would not be swift. Death was too easy.Redforest is a quaint town, with a church, pretty shops, and like any good town, a dark past. When my family and I move in, I set my sights on the Shaw family, quickly learning everything I can about them. Damian’s son, Elijah, is the hunter’s greatest pride. His heir. His confidante. The only family he trusts.I come up with a plan. I am going to shatter every good thing in Damian’s life, ending with his son. My goal: make Elijah Shaw fall in love with me, twist him into the very thing his father hates, then kill him.With my heart challenged, the attraction growing, I find myself trapped in a deadly game. In a twist of fate, Elijah might just end up being the death of me.Embraced by Darkness is a collection of standalone books set in the same world without an overarching plot, which means you can start with any books in the series and pick and choose which ones you want to read. This collection of novels follows different couples as they go from enemies to friends to lovers, while facing dangerous obstacles in a world split between humans, shifters, witches and gods, set in two kingdoms that separate them.

Fable


Adrienne Young - 2020
    It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during an unforgiving storm. The next day her father abandoned her on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. To survive she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal of getting off the island, finding her father, and demanding her rightful place beside him and his crew. To do so Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the Narrows to her father. But her father’s rivalries and the dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied since she last saw him, and Fable soon finds that West isn't who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the treacherous storms that haunt the Narrows if they're going to stay alive. Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure.A newer edition of ISBN 9781250254368 can be found here.

The Queen's Assassin


Melissa de la Cruz - 2020
    No one alive can best him in brawn or brains, which is why he's the Guild's most dangerous member and the Queen's one and only assassin. He's also bound to the Queen by an impossible vow--to find the missing Deian Scrolls, the fount of all magical history and knowledge, stolen years ago by a nefarious sect called the Aphrasians.Shadow has been training all her life to follow in the footsteps of her mother and aunts--to become skilled enough to join the ranks of the Guild. Though magic has been forbidden since the Aphrasian uprising, Shadow has been learning to control her powers in secret, hoping that one day she'll become an assassin as feared and revered as Caledon Holt.When a surprise attack brings Shadow and Cal together, they're forced to team up as assassin and apprentice to hunt down a new sinister threat to Renovia. But as Cal and Shadow grow closer, they'll uncover a shocking web of lies and secrets that may destroy everything they hold dear. With war on the horizon and true love at risk, they'll stop at nothing to protect each other and their kingdom in this stunning first novel in the Queen's Secret series.Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Red Queen, this is the first novel in a sweeping YA fantasy-romance duet about a deadly assassin, his mysterious apprentice, and the country they are sworn to protect from #1 NYT bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

The Last Namsara


Kristen Ciccarelli - 2017
    But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

The Kiss of Deception


Mary E. Pearson - 2014
    As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love. The Kiss of Deception is the first audiobook in Mary E. Pearson's Remnant Chronicles

Blood Heir


Amélie Wen Zhao - 2019
    Their varied gifts to control the world around them are deemed unnatural--even dangerous. And Anastacya Mikhailov, the crown princess, is one of the most terrifying Affinites.Ana's ability to control blood has long been kept secret, but when her father, the emperor, is murdered, she is the only suspect. Now, to save her own life, Ana must find her father's killer. But the Cyrilia beyond the palace walls is one where corruption rules and a greater conspiracy is at work--one that threatens the very balance of Ana's world.There is only one person corrupt enough to help Ana get to the conspiracy's core: Ramson Quicktongue. Ramson is a cunning crime lord with sinister plans--though he might have met his match in Ana. Because in this story, the princess might be the most dangerous player of all.