Thistles & Thorns

When a forgotten princess rises from the shadows, her love could heal a broken kingdom—or burn it to ash.

In a world where the fae have been erased from history and their treaties deliberately destroyed, one woman's escape into the legendary Wildwoods awakens something ancient, terrible, and achingly beautiful. This is a story of forbidden love, political intrigue, and the cost of truth in a kingdom built on lies. Perfect for readers who crave atmospheric horror, slowburn sapphic romance, and fairytales with teeth.

 

 

 

Lady Adeline Winterpel has perfected the art of being the ideal noblewoman: refined, elegant, obedient. But beneath the silk and propriety burns a restless spirit that yearns for something more than a loveless political marriage. When scandal gives her the excuse she needs, Adeline flees into the forbidden Wildwoods, where the trees whisper secrets and reality bends.

There, in a crumbling castle that shouldn't exist, she discovers Matilde, a half-fae princess who has survived in hiding for generations, the last remnant of a royal bloodline that was systematically erased from history. As Adeline and Matilde's connection deepens into something neither can deny, they uncover the truth of a broken treaty, a stolen throne, and a kingdom built on betrayal.

But the fae have not forgotten. And they're coming to reclaim what was taken.

Thistles & Thorns is a dark fairytale fantasy that blends gothic atmosphere with political intrigue, sapphic romance with visceral horror. It's Crimson Peak meets Beauty and the Beast. This is the first book in the Wildwoods duology, setting the stage for a confrontation that will reshape the kingdom—or destroy it entirely.

 

What makes it unique: This isn't a story about defeating evil. It's about confronting the consequences of historical violence, about choosing between justice and vengeance, and about love that refuses to be hidden even when the world demands silence. The romance is a true slowburn (they don't kiss until chapter 21) allowing the relationship to develop with the weight and complexity it deserves.

 

 

 

At twenty years old, Adeline has mastered the performance of aristocratic perfection—the graceful curtsy, the measured smile, the art of saying nothing while appearing engaged. But beneath the wavy brown hair pinned just so and the hazel eyes that reflect candlelight at tedious dinner parties, she harbours a fierce intelligence and a hunger for something real. When her betrothal to a philandering nobleman becomes unbearable, she makes a choice that changes everything: she runs.

Adeline's journey is one of self-discovery and radicalization; from a girl playing at rebellion to a woman willing to stand against a kingdom for the sake of truth and the person she loves.

 

Silver-haired and ethereal, with lavender eyes that have witnessed centuries of solitude, Matilde appears to be in her early twenties but carries the weight of generations. She is the daughter of King Richard Wilder III and his half-fae consort Lydia, a union that was both a political alliance and a genuine love story. When her family was slaughtered and her bloodline erased from history, Matilde survived through a combination of fae magic, loyal servants bound by ancient compulsions, and sheer stubborn will.

Calm and composed to the point of seeming untouchable, Matilde has spent lifetimes perfecting the art of emotional distance. But Adeline's arrival cracks that careful facade, revealing the lonely, grieving woman beneath. Matilde must choose between the safety of obscurity and the dangerous possibility of reclaiming her birthright.

 

 

 

I’m a Manitoba-based author with a passion for storytelling that shines a light on mental illness, self-worth, and discovering your identity. Growing up in the prairies, I found inspiration in the quiet magic of open skies and golden fields, and after a reluctant move to Alberta in high school, I returned home as soon as I could—this time with my husband by my side. 

 

When not writing, I can be found experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, or immersing myself in the world of LARP. I also have a deep love for animals and dream of having a furry companion someday. Above all, I believe in making the world a kinder, brighter place—one story at a time. 

 

 

 

Help bring Wildwoods: Book One to readers who crave dark fairytales, sapphic romance, and stories that understand that sometimes the most radical act is refusing to hide who you love.