Gentlest of Wild Things
A stunning fantasy romance, inspired by Greek mythology.
‘A dazzlingly imaginative sapphic reimagining of the Cupid and Psyche story’ The Guardian
On the island of Zakynthos, nothing is more powerful than Desire—love itself, bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a power-hungry descendent of the god Eros.
Eirene and her beloved twin sister, Phoebe, have always managed to escape Desire’s thrall. Until Leandros’ wife dies mysteriously and he sets his sights on Phoebe. Determined to keep her sister safe, Eirene strikes a bargain with Leandros: if she can complete the four elaborate tasks he sets her, he will find another bride. But it soon becomes clear that the tasks are part of something bigger; something related to Desire and Lamia, the strange, neglected daughter Leandros keeps locked away.
Lamia knows her father hides her for her own protection, though as she and Eirene grow closer, she finds herself longing for the outside world. But the price of freedom is high, and with something deadly—something hungry—stalking the night, that price must be paid in blood . . .
Sarah Underwood grew up by the sea in Devon, England. A data scientist by training,she is a graduate of Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge and is now studying for her PHD at the University of Oxford. Sarah has been writing for as long as she can remember and has always been drawn to stories of myth and magic. Lies We Sing to the Sea, her debut novel, was an instant NYT bestseller. Gentlest of Wild Things is her second novel.