Aurelia

An impressive debut, equal parts commercial appeal and literary prowess. Princess Aurelia is next in line to rule the kingdom of Tyralt, but she would rather be one of the common folk, free to learn and roam and . . . not marry the next tyrannical prince that comes courting. Naturally, the king wants Aurelia to marry for political power. Aurelia wants to marry for love. And someone in the kingdom wants her . . . dead. Assigned to investigate and protect Aurelia is Robert, the son of the king’s former royal spy and one of Aurelia’s oldest friends. As Aurelia and Robert slowly uncover clues as to who is threatening her, their friendship turns to romance. With everything possible on the line—her life, her kingdom, her heart—Aurelia is forced to take matters into her own hands, no matter the cost.

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Beth says 4.5 Stars...
First of all, this cover is beautiful! It inspired an episode of pretty cover oohing. Thankfully the book lived up to the cover. I really enjoyed Aurelia's character. She was fierce and driven, qualities that I love. She had to come to terms with her role in the kingdom and where her loyalties lie. I thought that her relationships with the rest of her family members were fascinating, but my favorite was her relationship with Robert. Robert was, simply put, great. He had an amazing depth of character, and was interesting to read about. I definitely enjoyed the intrigue aspect of the plot, and felt that it kept things interesting. I must say that I thought I had it figured out, but was totally wrong. I love it when that happens! Osterlund was able to create a world that was both familiar from history, yet different at the same time. It wasn't so far removed that it became inaccessible, but it was different enough to be fresh. I think that Osterlund is an author that I look forward to reading more of in the future. I really enjoyed this book and found it to be engaging and interesting.