Cold Iron Heart

"Set against the lush backdrop of 1890s New Orleans, Marr's spellbinding prequel to the Wicked Lovely urban fantasy series invites readers back into the world of the fae.  Human jeweler Thelma "Tam" Foy hides the fact that she can see the invisible world of the fae to keep herself safe from retribution. But when Tam first encounters the Dark King Irial, the faery ruler frightens and intrigues her in equal measure-and the two fall for one another rather quickly. But unbeknownst to Tam, she is the key to ending a curse on the fae Summer King, placing her at the center of an age old conflict between the Summer and Winter Courts. Irial is determined to protect her from the other faery monarchs, but his former lover and would-be successor, Niall, is just as dead set on turning her over to the Summer King. The resulting conflict delivers all the magic, intrigue, and romance that Marr's fans expect. Readers will be pleased." --Publisher's Weekly (November 2020)

"What  a delight to discover how much I loved being back in the Wicked Lovely world, discovering details about beloved characters that made me want to race back for a series reread. This is Irial's story set in 1890s New Orleans, brimming with faerie court drama and steamy romance. Can we. and should we, outrun fate? And if so, are we prepared for the consequences? I could not put it down." --Angela Mann, Kepler's Books, Menlo Park CA

"Set 100 years before the events in Wicked Lovely, Cold Iron Heart finds Irial, the king of the Dark Court, in New Orleans and entranced by a mortal. Is his interest in Thelma Foy just a passing fascination, or could it change the course of her life and the world forever? Melissa Marr masterfully rises to challenge of writing a prequel by both expanding on the mythology of the original series while telling a story that exists wholly on its own. Fans of the series will inhale this delicious glimpse into Irial's past."-- John McDougall, Murder by the Book, Houston, TX.