A Curse of Gems — Brittany Fichter

After her well-intentioned sister meddled in magic, Jaelle has become the most coveted object in Terrefantome. And, to her great dismay, her only hope seems to lie in the hands of a foreign prince.Can she risk trusting this stranger if it means breaking the curse?And what will she do when that reluctant trust begins to change into something more?Jaelle knows better than to trust men. Every girl in Terrefantome knows that. But when her plan to escape her oppressive kingdom with her sister goes awry, she finds herself with an unwanted magical gift and her sister in peril. To make matters worse, Jaelle has been thrust into the company of a foreign prince on a mysterious mission. With no one else to turn to, Jaelle must choose between trusting and aiding him in his quest and receiving his help in return...or saving her sister and breaking the magic on her own.Prince Lucas of Maricanta is on the most important mission of his life. If he fails, his kingdom will be overrun by criminals of the most violent kind. When his meddling mother follows him into enemy territory, however, dragging along some poor girl that she insists is his future wife, he must alter plans to finish his mission and protect them all.Jaelle and Lucas know his mother's plan to betroth them is far-fetched. They also know, however, that in Terrefantome, playing along with the sham engagement is safer by far than the truth. But with enemies closing in on every side and their own affections getting muddled along the way, Lucas and Jaelle must choose between the futures they've sacrificed for and the love of which they've always dreamed.If you want the magic of Narnia and the romance of fairy tales, read this clean fantasy retelling of Toads and Diamonds today to escape into the Classical Kingdoms Collection, a series of clean fantasy fairy tale retellings with magical mystery, clean, passionate romance, and heroic happily-ever-afters.Author's Note: A Curse of Gems is the seventh book in The Classical Kingdoms Collection, but it can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone.