This 18,000 word novella is story 1.5 in the ROSE OF VALERIA series.
In the aftermath of AWAKENED, Rose recounts the summer she fell in love with Prince Halen. After appropriating a hostage from other bandits, Rose's village hopes to collect a ransom on their new prisoner. The only problem is that he won't tell them who he is. The elders put the young nobleman to work, and as Halen earns the respect of the village he also pursues a skeptical Rose, who can't make sense of her feelings about the handsome southerner. As trust and romance bloom, Rose and Halen's love ignites... Until the village's banditry and Halen's true identity threaten their dreams of the future.
Experience the love that inspired a century of devotion in ABLOOM: THE SUMMER BEFORE THE CURSE
