In her first novel for adults, D.L. Soria (Fire with Fire) enchants readers with Thief Liar Lady, a clever fairytale retelling that asks, What if Cinderella was a grifter and spy? The bones of the story are familiar: Lady Aislinn Vincent is raised by her social-climbing stepmother after her father, a minor noble, dies. Ash is made beautiful with the help of magic, and enraptures the prince of Solis at a ball, earning herself a place in the palace as his fiancée.
Soria's princess is no hapless girl, however. Ash's stepmother raised her to be an excellent pretender, so good she can use her wiles and a bit of the magic powder called lustre to ensnare a nobleman. Then she'll secure marriages for her stepsisters, who don't have noble blood, and the status and wealth her stepmother craves. Ash has other ideas. Guided by her Elorian maternal grandmother, Ash is determined to use this opportunity to sway negotiations between Solis and the Elorians they conquered more than 20 years earlier. Now Ash must use every skill and tool she possesses to manage the demands of her stepmother, the expectations of her fiancé's family, and the needs of the Elorian people. When she begins to fall for Lord Verance, the Elorian "hostage prince," Ash finally begins to consider what she wants.
Thief Liar Lady is witty, subversive, and packed with schemes and danger, driven by a compelling heroine trapped between duty and desire. Those who like a side of subterfuge with their romance will enjoy falling for this con artist. --Suzanne Krohn, librarian