Crown of Coral and Pearl

Written by Mara Rutherford

Narrated by Amanda Dolan

For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful maidens from the ocean village of Varenia. But though every girl longs to be chosen as the next princess, the cost of becoming royalty is higher than any of them could ever imagine. Nor once dreamed of seeing the wondrous wealth and beauty of Ilara, the kingdom that's ruled her village for as long as anyone can remember. But when a childhood accident left her with a permanent scar, it became clear that her identical twin sister, Zadie, would likely be chosen to marry the Crown Prince-while Nor remained behind, unable to ever set foot on land. Then Zadie is gravely injured, and Nor is sent to Ilara in her place. To Nor's dismay, her future husband, Prince Ceren, is as forbidding and cold as his home-a castle carved into a mountain and devoid of sunlight. And as she grows closer to Ceren's brother, the charming Prince Talin, Nor uncovers startling truths about a failing royal bloodline, a murdered queen.and a plot to destroy the home she was once so eager to leave. In order to save her people, Nor must learn to negotiate the treacherous protocols of a court where lies reign and obsession rules. But discovering her own formidable strength may be the one move that costs her everything: the crown, Varenia and Zadie.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980043102

Mara Rutherford

Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. Originally from California, Mara has since lived all over the world along with her Marine-turned-diplomat husband. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara holds a Master's degree in Cultural Studies from the University of London. 

Reviews for Crown of Coral and Pearl

[acargile-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Crown of Coral and Pearl is a 2021 Lone Star novel. It's the first in a series.Zadie and Nor, identical twins, feel destined to marry royalty. The people of Varenia have sent one daughter to marry the prince of Ilara for centuries. The girl is never seen again, but it must be wonderful to live on land, have food, be treated like royalty, and see more of the world! In Varenia, the people live difficult lives. They have no land--they live on stilted houses above the ocean. They had no fresh water and must sell the pearls they dive for and the fish they catch to buy water and food. There are now fewer pearls and the water has been overfished. They are hungry and the people of Ilara pay less than market value for the pearls. The people of Varenia are going hungry. This agreement between Ilara, their mother country, and Varenia, should provide more stability by having someone advocate for them. The committee selects the most beautiful girl in Varenia for the marriage. The people expect their girls to do everything to remain beautiful--be careful of the sun, which is difficult when you live on the water, and stay completely unblemished. No one is more beautiful than Zadie and Nor except Nor has a small scar from an accident that distinguishes them. Her mother blames her for failing to keep herself unharmed, but Nor is strong and capable and probably keeps the family from starving. She can hold her breath for a really long time while diving for pearls and can handle herself if a crisis arises. Nor possesses capabilities beyond most. She's strong and capable and heals really fast. Everyone knows Zadie will be selected, but Zadie loves their best friend. When Zadie experiences a life-threatening event, Nor is sent in Zadie's place as Zadie.Nor desires the world. She wants to see what's out there but would never take anything from Zadie. She agrees to go in Zadie's place. There are many surprises --from the truth about the women who marry into the royal family-- to what is happening with the pearls-- to what's going on politically between Ilara and her neighboring countries, as well as the royal family itself.I'll be honest. The book was fairly interesting, but the end was super rushed. The book went into warp speed and it was over. I looked up to see if this was a series because I couldn't tell. The book could have ended. It also could have a sequel to deal with the loose ends. I never felt the romance was true; in fact, I don't trust anyone. Am I taking all that's said by the characters and believing it? I feel there must be more--more depth, more cleverness, more something. It's a nice distraction for an afternoon.

[pardamustang · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A Crown of Coral & Pearl by Mara Rutherford is a darkly magical tale about the bonds of sisterhood, and the depths one can fall into obsession. In Varenia, girl children are raised to be beautiful. It becomes their sole focus (and soul focus too). Once a generation, one Varenian woman is chosen to be the bride of the Ilarean prince, a tradition heralding back centuries, when a princess named Ilara was drowned with her forbidden lover. The Varenians have made their home over the fabled location of the wreckage, living in stilted houses and traveling by boat. It's time again for the Choosing, and twins Nor and Zadie are taking part, having been primed for this day their whole lives. Zadie is the favoured to be chosen, and when the day comes, she is indeed picked. But this is not the life she wants. In a bid to stay with the one she truly loves, Zadie takes drastic measures that leave her scarred and nearly kill her. Nor is sent in her place, being her identical twin and all, with an ointment to hide the tiny scar on her face. This is a good thing The Ilarean court, and the cold and cruel Prince Ceren would have crushed Zadie's gentle spirit. Nor, on the other hand, quickly realises things are not at all what they seem here in Ilara, and begins to take steps to help her people. This was a wonderful read! I really enjoyed the depth to Varenia, and even to Ilara. Both cultures were equally fascinating to my anthropologist's soul. I resonated with all of the main characters. Yes, even Ceren. He may be cruel and cold, but you learn exactly why, and it's heartbreaking. All that lost potential turned to obsession. Zadie and Nor are raised to attain a prize neither really want. It's their mother's obsession, after she was denied the crown in her generation's Choosing. In her mind, Nor's tiny scar, the lasting reminder of her love for Zadie, makes Nor the imperfect, lesser daughter. My heart bled for her when this was fully confirmed after Zadie's 'accident'. It's made her as strong and adaptable as the fathomless ocean itself. Zadie, too, has her own kind of strength. It took courage to do what she did, to take a stand for what she wanted. Talin was my favourite character though, by far! He's witty, and kind, and I love that he sees Nor for who she is, and isn't bothered by the tiny scar that so defined her Varenian life. Nor and Zadie's mother took me longer to accept. She proved her true priorities after Zadie's accident. The Varenian culture shaped her as much as it shaped her daughters, and she's chosen to hold fast to bitterness. That she believed Nor hurt Zadie in order to go to Ilara flabbergasted me. It's harsh to learn your parent only ever saw you as a means to an end. Overall, a highly recommended read!***Many thanks to the Netgalley & Harlequin TEEN/ Inkyard Press for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. Reviewed for FFBC Blog Tours

[stacyatufi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the idea of CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL when I read the blurb and had no trouble getting into the story. The storyline in book one of the Crown of Coral and Pearl series was unique. I really enjoyed the village that Nor lived in and I enjoyed learning about their days there. The bond between the sisters was strong and beautiful to watch. The land portion of the storyline wasn't my favorite location wise, but the pace did pick up some and a lot of danger was introduced. I felt like the romance between Talin and Nor fell short. I wanted more development between the two. Their connection at first was really strong, but felt like there was more development between Nor and Ceren and that kinda sucks as he was the bad guy.The ending didn't do much for me. Not a lot about it surprised me, it added more questions to other things I was waiting for answers too and just didn't feel like a smooth wrap up. Although I didn't totally fall in love with CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL I would still read more. I will be on the lookout for book two.* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.