The Ring and the Crown

de la Cruz, Melissa. The Ring and the Crown. Book 1 of the Ring and the Crown series. 2014. 384p. ISBN 9781423157427. Available at FIC DEL on the library shelves.

The combined power of the Franco-British Empire, armed with the magic of the Merlin and his acolytes, has conquered most of the globe. The near monopoly on powerful magic wielded by the Empire has ended, however, when Prussia opened Pandora’s Box, releasing monstrous horrors on the Empire and leading to a peace treaty.

Princess Marie-Victoria is the price of this treaty for the Empire. The only daughter of Queen Eleanor the Second, she has been promised in marriage to Prince Leopold of Prussia, uniting the two Empires together. But when Aelwyn, the bastard daughter of the Merlin returns from Avalon, Marie-Victoria sees her way out. A powerful illusionist, Aelwyn will take her place so that Marie-Victoria can run away with Gill, a soldier in the Queen’s Guard and the love of her life, to America where they will settle and live simply.

Meanwhile, Prince Wolf, the younger son of the King of Prussia, is in America when he meets Ronin, a seemingly rich American girl who will be attending the Royal wedding in London. Hiding his true status, Wolf falls hard for Ronin. And Isabelle, heir to the French throne if her side had not lost the battle 500 years ago, must also go to the Royal wedding. Both Ronin and Isabelle must find a match to revive their family’s fortunes.

But with so much power and adversaries all gathering in one space, a wrong move could lead to the destruction of the Empire. With so much at stake, no one can be trusted.