Sinner's Isle

A spellbinding romantic fantasy about a powerful witch who will do anything to escape the remote island she’s being held captive on, including blackmail a notorious, charming pirate who washes up on shore, from debut author Angela Montoya. Rosalinda is trapped on Sinner’s Isle, an island filled with young women like her--Majestics, beautiful witches loathed by society for their dangerous magic yet revered by powerful men who want to use them.; For years, she has been kept under the watchful, calculating eye of Doña Lucia. Now eighteen, Rosa will be the prized commodity at this year’s Offering, a fiesta for the wealthy to engage in drink, damsels, and debauchery. That is why she must flee--before someone forces the vicious phantoms within her to destroy everything she touches.; Handsome, swashbuckling Mariano has long sailed the high seas as the Prince of Pirates. Then the king’s fleet attacks his father’s infamous ship, leaving him marooned on Sinner’s Isle with only an enchanted chain meant to lead him to his heart’s desire. Instead, he falls into the hands of a brazen (although) bewitching headache--Rosa. Together they must outwit each other and their enemies before the Offering ends and it’s too late to escape the perils of Sinner’s Isle.

Autorentext
Angela Montoya lives in Northern California with her family. She is the granddaughter of the celebrated activist and poet laureate Jose Montoya. When she isn’t with her partner, two children, goats, chickens, and dogs, you can find Angela co-hosting Of the Publishing Persuasion.

Klappentext

A spellbinding romantasy about a powerful teenage witch who will do anything to escape the remote island where she’s being held captive—even blackmail the notorious, charming pirate who washes up on shore.

“A dazzling debut with magic, pirates, sea monsters, and a steamy star-crossed romance.”—Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys and The Sunbearer Trials

Rosalinda is trapped on Sinner’s Isle, an island filled with young women like her—Majestics, beautiful witches loathed by society for their dangerous magic yet revered by powerful men who want to use them.

For years, she has been kept under the watchful, calculating eye of Doña Lucia. Now eighteen, Rosa will be the prized commodity at this year’s Offering, a fiesta for the wealthy to engage in drink, damsels, and debauchery. That is why she must flee—before someone forces the vicious phantoms within her to destroy everything she touches.

Handsome, swashbuckling Mariano has long sailed the high seas as the Prince of Pirates. Then the king’s fleet attacks his father’s infamous ship, leaving him marooned on Sinner’s Isle with only an enchanted chain meant to lead him to his heart’s desire. Instead, he falls into the hands of a brazen (although) bewitching headache—Rosa.

Together they must outwit each other and their enemies before the Offering ends and it’s too late to escape the perils of Sinner’s Isle.

Leseprobe
Chapter 1

Rosalinda

One Day Before the Offering

The salt-stained breeze tugged Rosalinda’s hair from its braid and whipped it about like angry serpents. She shoved the tendrils behind her ears and scowled, half expecting storm clouds to form above her head to match her darkening mood. But the sky was annoyingly blue.

Squalls never touched Sinner’s Isle, after all. Even storms shunned the Majestics. If only the young king and his court would offer the same kindness. She knew that was a foolish dream. King Sebastián had left his castle and was currently sailing through the treacherous seas. He was coming for her.

“Senorita, your braid has come undone,” Cora, a maidservant, said from within Rosa’s bedchamber. “Please, come off the balcony so I may finish getting you ready.”

Rosa ignored Cora, keeping her eyes focused on the sea. The only glimmer of freedom she’d had in her eleven years on the isle. She was eighteen now. A woman. Though considered less than one because of the power she possessed.

“Senorita?”

Rosa sighed.

In silence, she left the balcony, swept over to the vanity bench, and sat down, placing her hands on her lap. She kept perfectly still, her spine straight, her chin high. Just as she’d been taught to do since she was a little girl. But inside, in the hidden depths of her soul, she raged like a snared beast.

Cora clicked her tongue as she shuffled in front of Rosa. Cora’s wrinkled face and skin were covered with plain muslin, as were all the servants of the palace. Dona Lucia, their mistress, would not have her guests see anything on the isle but beauty, perfection, and vitality. And age, especially on a Majestic--a woman with magic coursing through her veins, blessed by the goddess Xiomara herself--was the opposite of those things, in la dona’s eyes.

“You are a mess, Senorita. And after all the work I just did.” She pinned loose strands of Rosa’s nearly black hair back into place. “Stay still, por favor.” Cora raised a single finger and brushed it over Rosa’s mouth.

A trail of ice followed her touch. It stung, but that was nothing new. Magic always found a way to hurt.

Rosa’s eyes flicked to the looking glass and watched as the soft pink of her lips turned into a deep plum. Cora’s glamour magic wasn’t extraordinary. Nothing of true value in the Kingdom of Coronado. Nothing worth paying the church a high tithe for. But perfect for a day like this.

“There you go, Senorita. As pretty as ever.” Cora patted Rosa’s cheek. “Now, I must attend to the rest of the young ladies before the king’s arrival.”

As soon as Cora left, Rosa slumped.

The door to her bedchamber creaked open, then quickly slammed shut.

“Forget something, Cora?” she asked, not bothering to raise her eyes from her lap.

“Si, my brain. Have you seen it?”

Rosa’s head snapped to the door. Juana, her dearest friend, stood panting as though she’d come running from the other side of the isle. Chest heaving, she rested her hands on her hips, her dark-brown skin glistening with sweat. She wore a soft-pink gown with gold embroidery. Her black hair was pulled into a bun with a few tight curls framing her pretty face. Irritation was etched on her features.

Rosa pinched her lips together to keep from smiling. Many of the girls under Dona Lucia’s watch happily wore the fine dresses laid out for them, but not Juana. She hated the idea of a dozen layers of skirts around her legs. She loathed face paint too, and yet, there she was with rouge on her cheeks.

“Aren’t you fetching?” Rosa teased.

Juana plucked a flower from her hair and crushed it in her palm. “They tried to shove me into a gown cut so low, I might as well have been naked.”

Rosa grinned. “I can picture it now: you, standing there on the docks, in nothing but your heeled slippers and tiara.”

“Oh, si. I’d catch the attention of the entire armada. Probably even that beastly king.” Juana tapped a finger against her chin. “On second thought, that wouldn’t be so bad. I could tell him I’ve seen his future and that he’s doomed to spend the rest of his days with his head up his culo.”

Laughter bubbled out of Rosa.

Juana paced across the room and collapsed onto a chaise longue near the balcony doors. “I had to run once the servants started chattering about using magic to elongate m…