Falling for Fables

Trapped in a tower by the emperor who conquered her homeland, Daella yearns for an escape. But as one of the few half-orcs left in the world, she knows she'll never be free, much less find her own happily ever after. Destiny takes an unexpected turn when the emperor offers her a deal. To earn her freedom, she must journey to the mysterious Isles of Fable and track down wielders of outlawed dragon magic. Eager to seize her chance, Daella agrees. When a brutal storm tosses her ship off course, she washes up on the wrong island—right at the feet of Rivelin, a gruff but handsome elven blacksmith.

She spends her days on the road with her famous Traveling Tavern and only a dragon to keep her company. Despite longing for a deeper connection, she knows she's destined to wander the world alone. When she meets a handsome stranger on her journey to the winter festival, she finally feels she's found a kindred spirit…until he vanishes in the early morning without so much as a goodbye. Turns out, he rushed ahead to reach the festival first with his own traveling tavern, one he never mentioned.

Each year, the chasm-dwelling dwarves compete in a series of trials to find the best among them. Chocolate-loving Astrid has never bothered to enter. She'd rather tend to her garden, bake moss cakes, or search the mines for a way to break her curse which forever binds her to the mountains. But someone else puts forth her name. She has no choice but to take part, especially when she learns the champion will win the Everstone—a gemstone with enough magic to break her curse. At long last, Astrid's freedom is within reach.