Lauren D.M. Smith
A fierce and beautiful warrior.
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A man of secrets and shadows.
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Only together can they stop the awakening horror.
Rumors of monsters and dark magic are circulating through the court, but Terrwyn is little concerned. Her superb sword skills are all she needs to protect the princess Aricia—and as chief bodyguard, the princess's safety is Terrwyn's only mission.
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Too late, she realizes her mistake: a stranger cloaked in darkness snatches the princess before Terrwyn can react.
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When a handsome stranger emerges from the shadows to save her life, Terrwyn has little choice but to allow him to accompany her. Zelek, shrouded in secrecy and on a mission of his own, has special skills that Terrwyn needs.
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Together the warrior and the shadow-whisperer forge a plan to rescue the princess, and find themselves plummeting not only headlong into evil, but into the depths of passion and love.
Grand Prize Winner of Harlequin's 2015 So You Think You Can Write contest
Debut author Lauren D.M. Smith delivers an epic fantasy romance in this soaring tale of a kickass warrior and the emperor she's honor-bound to defend
The bride candidates have been summoned. Their numbers are many, yet only one is an Amazzi warrior. Only one would give her life to protect him.
Evony of Aureline, warrior of her people, has no intention of becoming a hideous old man's bride. Though her people have sworn their loyalty to the legendary emperor Galen, Evony knows little of courts and intrigue. It's simply not her world.
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Yet it's on the palace training grounds where Evony's archery skills gain her the respect of soldiers and legates alike. The emperor himself takes notice of the beautiful, ruthless warrior. In turn, the young, steely eyed Galen is nothing at all what Evony expected.
This man could very well conquer her heart. But does he feel the same?
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As the rivalry among the remaining bride candidates intensifies and the plot for the throne unfolds, Evony must make a grave choice: fulfill her destiny and protect her people or follow her heart and pursue true love.
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Either way, the honor of the Amazzi people and the future of the empire now rests with Evony of Aureline. For she is the Emperor's Arrow.
December 2016
Winner of Harlequin's SYTYCW Contest 2015
As the youngest sister of the current Sultan, Eliska has been raised in the harem. But she's been trained not to be a bride, though she has had instruction in the womanly arts, but rather as a spy. To protect her brother and the rest of the family, she must pretend to be someone else entirely in order to keep their lands safe.
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Tariq is a fixer, with a well deserved reputation in the criminal underworld for being the go-to person for any kind of problem that needs solving and the willingness to do anything to solve his clients problems. Hired to find a boy taken by slavers, he's reminded strongly of his own past and dedicates himself to the search. As his investigation continues, he keeps running into the same pretty girl who attacked him, apologized, and then paid him off all in the same night.
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Neither can deny that the other is interesting and as their mutual goals begin to converge, a kind of alliance springs up between them. But Tariq is a criminal and Eliska a princess, and whatever else might be growing between them, it might not be enough to overcome their barriers and secrets. If they even manage to keep themselves alive dark magic, plots, and corruption.
NaNoWriMo 2015
Ever since her family was kidnapped, Azara, a woman of fire mage stock, has survived with a warrior’s will and the hope of one day finding them. Whispers of their fate have finally led her to the Empire, where her brother and sister are now prized possessions of His Celestial Majesty’s court. Unable to immediately negotiate their freedom, Azara reluctantly agrees to the Emperor’s suggestion: accompany his devoted magus Jin across their rival’s border in search of other fire mages while her siblings remain in the Emperor’s hands.
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Posing as married tea merchants, Azara and Jin's masquerade begins. For a fierce young woman devoted to a heartening cause, and a man beholden to his duties, it’s an uneasy alliance—but one that quickly turns passionate.
It's also a dangerous proposition, for although the attraction between Jin and Azara is real, both the Emperor and Azara have ulterior motives. It's only when Azara explores her unique powers and puts her faith in Jin that their fight for family—and for their very destiny—can succeed.
October 2017
