Order of swans

When Kaley's dissertation on fairy and folk tales is rejected by her advisor, she is heartbroken. Unsure of what to do next, she agrees to accompany her friend Jobi on a visit to his home on the islands of Bellis. Upon arriving, Kaley meets a handsome man named Tanek, who has a mystical connection with swans. It soon becomes apparent to Kaley that Bellis is vastly different from her home state of Kansas. Kaley meets the king and, along with Tanek, is tasked with bringing the king's son Nessa back home. Nessa is to marry Princess Aradella, a plan that will unite the ruling families of Bellis. A second man, Sojee, joins their group as a bodyguard for Kaley. As the three search for the prince, they encounter fairy tales come to life and magical creatures and also that each of them has secrets they want to hide from the others. In book one in the Blue Swan duology, best-selling Deveraux combines fantasy, sf, and romance. Though the world building is murky and the dialogue can be clunky, Deveraux's many fans will be thrilled.

Bestseller Deveraux (My Heart Will Find You) ventures into romantasy in this unconventional adventure--with mixed results. Kaley Arens is at loose ends after a setback in her PhD studies in folklore and decides to travel with her friend Jobi to his homeland. She believes they're traveling to a distant island, but Jobi is actually from another planet, Bellis. Jobi, a seer, believes Kaley is destined for great things on his home world, but for now, she joins an attractive swan herdsman, Tanek, and a powerful warrior, Sojee, to search for the king's son across a dangerous and fantastical island populated almost entirely by men. Bellis's particular blend of spacefaring technology, fairy tale magic, and preindustrial society is unexpected, but it also raises more questions than the novel cares to answer. The hints of romance are unlikely to satisfy Deveraux devotees, while fantasy fans may find the sketchy worldbuilding frustrating. The quest narrative keeps the pages flying, however, and there's plenty of exciting setup for future installments. It's a rocky first foray, but there's real potential here. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media Group. (Jan.)