Cornerstone

Raid a dragon's hoard for her dowry? It seemed like a good idea at the time... Madelena isn't in love with her friend Armando, but his marriage proposal offers the security she needs. She sympathizes with him-his father insists Armando must either find a bride or join the army. Armando would rather become a husband than a soldier, but his ugly face has scared away all other eligible ladies despite his family's wealth. Although she harbors only friendship for Armando, Madelena agrees to marry him on one condition: she insists on acquiring a dowry worthy of his family's noble standing in the land of Costa Nueva. But as a humble stablemaid, Madelena has no idea how to find such wealth. That's when the talking burro Terco mentions he's heard how to find a dragon's treasure. Javier, Armando's younger brother, has loved Madelena in silence for years. When he learns of their impending marriage, he offers to help her find the treasure, even though succeeding may cost him the chance to spend his future with her. Together, they face a dangerous wilderness, a charming bandit, and a dragon's lair, forcing Javier to confront his feelings and Madelena to re-evaluate her heart. A Noble Companion is a New Adult non-magical Christian fantasy retelling of The Ugly Duckling, book #6 in The Cornerstone Series. Each book can be read as a standalone. Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved westerns all her life. She says they're where her imagination feels most at home. A Christian wife and mother, Rachel homeschools her children. In her spare time, she writes a newspaper column on Old West history for the Prairie Times. Her book "My Rock and My Refuge" was the 2023 WILLA Literary Award Finalist in Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction and the 2023 PenCraft Awards second place winner for Christian Historical Fiction. Her book "Cloaked" was a finalist for the 2018 Peacemaker Awards for Best Western YA/Children's Fiction.

To help her miserable sister, Princess Liesel must survive the elements, danger…and her grumpy guard. Princess Liesel's older sister, Verena, hasn't smiled in years. Desperate to improve her low spirits, the king declares that the man who can make Verena laugh will earn her hand in marriage. But his plan seems doomed to failure from the start. Each unsuccessful attempt only makes Verena more despondent, and a set of mysterious masked suitors raises suspicions about a plot by an enemy prince. When Liesel discovers her sister still harbors feelings for a guard who was sent away years before, she embarks on a desperate quest to find him, both for the sake of Verena's future happiness and their kingdom's safety. As increasingly dangerous challenges hinder Liesel's journey, she begins to wonder if they're more than coincidence. Will she and her travel companions even make it to Verena's former guard, let alone convince him to return with them? With each impediment drawing her closer to her own surly knight, more than just her sister's happily-ever-after may be hanging in the balance. A Noble Purpose is a New Adult Christian fantasy Hans, Who Made the Princess Laugh retelling and is Book #1 in the Cornerstone Series. Each book can be read as a standalone. Laurie Lucking has always loved diving into imaginary worlds through books, but didn't start writing her own stories until she left her career as an attorney to become a stay-at-home mom. After growing up in Wisconsin, she hopped the border into Minnesota to attend St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota Law School, and she continues to make Minnesota her home with her husband and two young sons. When she gets a break from playing super heroes and driving wind-up cars, Laurie enjoys reading, singing, connecting with other moms, and writing young adult fantasy, always with a central love story to satisfy her inner romantic. Visit www.laurielucking.com to find out more.