From bestselling dark folklore and fantasy author A. B. Poranek comes a lush reimaging of Grimm's "Cinderella" with a dark parallel faerie world that influences – and plays havoc – with our own.

Wisteria - "Wish" - an aspiring painter, catches the attention of the king's brother and finds herself swept up in a high-profile competition at the palace to select the next royal portrait artist. As Wish progresses through the increasingly difficult artistic challenges set for the finalists - with the unreliable assistance of a mischievous faerie named Sylph - she grows helplessly, dangerously close to the disreputable prince who brought her there.

But few in the Kingdom of Lore know that the king's brother is literally untouchable because a twisted faerie enchantment ensures that anyone who lays a hand on him dies. And meanwhile, at home, Wish's faerie friends start to go missing.

Wish must navigate dangerous royal court politics, an increasingly untenable situation at home, a dark history that’s been hidden for too long, and her own irrepressible feelings for the reticent prince. With the dreamlike atmosphere of Once Upon a Broken Heart and the eerie fairy magic of The Cruel Prince, this story explores what it means to create, and love – and asks readers how far they would be willing to go in pursuit of perfection.

© A. B. Poranek 2027 (P) Penguin Audio 2027