by Judy I. Lin
First published 2024
Xue performs nightly at the House of Flowing Water, bound by indenture after her uncle's death in a bandit raid. The gifted qin player remembers little of her childhood and faces a lifetime of servitude entertaining nobles who mock her lowly origins. When the mysterious Duke Meng requests a private garden performance, he offers an unexpected bargain: serve one year as his manor musician and earn her freedom. The awkward young nobleman seems different from typical aristocrats, but after they survive an attack by a monstrous creature, Xue learns his true identity. He rules as the Duke of Dreams in the Celestial Realm, where demonic beasts threaten the stability of all Six Realms. The duke needs Xue to recover buried memories that might prevent an approaching war. Yet unlocking her forgotten past makes Xue a target for every monster and deity across the realms. Her survival depends on remembering who she really is.
Genres: romance, historical-fiction, fantasy, historical-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: House of Flowing Water, Celestial Realm, Six Realms
Period: ancient
416 pages · Hardcover · Titan