The woman with the heart of gold
Nineteen-year-old Sera lives a simple life on Isle Piscantur. She serves the Dahvaene estate, running the day-to-day affairs of the household, overseeing the orchard harvest, and handling the produce stall at the market. Sera answers to the mistress, Rae'lin, who spends her days caring for her bedridden husband and ill son.
The stranger with the perfect smile
When Dankin arrives on the island, shipwrecked and looking for work, Sera takes a chance on the mysterious stranger. Despite the warnings in her head, she grows fond of Dankin, and she learns there is much more beneath the surface...
Perfect for fans of all ages, The Unexpected Queen is high fantasy, great for fans of fairytales (Beauty & the Beast, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and more), romance, and adventure. Don't let the cozy cover deceive you. Dive into The Unexpected Queen, and you might just be surprised what you find inside!
This is a YA fantasy romance, but it does take on some mature content, including violence, abuse, off-page miscarriage, and more. Please consider this before reading.
I like books that have the elusive quality of lulling you into the story. You can’t explain it with logic. The inexplicable pull is just there, and you fall under its spell. “The Unexpected Queen” by A.R. Kaufer had this quality for me. Once I started reading it, it felt as if gently rocking waves carried me away into the ocean and held me, swaying me gently.
I was mesmerised by Sera’s daily routine, and soon, I felt like I fell into her life’s pace, working at the stall at the market selling the unique fruit she had created and caring for the people who seemingly didn’t deserve her dedication.
When Sera sees Dankin for the first time, she has no idea that her established – even if unhappy – life is about to change forever. Moreover, in a way, she couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams – or nightmares.
I appreciated that the characters didn’t always act in ways that would make readers like them or sympathise with them. I also liked that nineteen-year-old Sera didn’t behave like a mature woman. Her feelings and decisions were the ones of a young girl, fresh and naïve even though her life had taught her a few tough lessons. She made rushed decisions but was also capable of forgiveness. She fought against the choices that were forced on her but adapted to the consequences when she saw the good side of what happened to her.
The relationship between Sera and Dankin is a knot of controversies and sharp edges. And that is what makes it special.
The fantasy setting and elements were especially exciting since I have never read anything like this before. Well, except the picture book I loved as a child made for little fans of a legendary Disney animation movie. I won’t say anything about the plot since it would be impossible to evade spoilers. I did enjoy the ‘I didn’t expect that’ effect and don’t want to spoil the surprise for other readers.
