A Dangerous Bargain
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 22 Sept 2026
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- $16.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A young artist who has bargained away most of his life for divine inspiration pairs up with fellow apprentice Leonardo da Vinci to infiltrate the Medici family and find out the truth about his missing brother in this Renaissance-set young adult mystery perfect for fans of F.T. Lukens.
It’s the height of the Italian Renaissance. In the golden city of Florence, art is equal to holiness—and angels walk among us, bestowing their talents…for a price.
Seventeen-year-old artist Virgil is in trouble. To support his family, he’s bargained most of his life away to an angel—only to discover that his missing brother is in danger, and nothing but magic can rescue him. Now, with just a few months left to live, Virgil is desperate enough to try the one thing he swore he would never, ever do—team up with the infuriating, annoyingly talented, and most notorious playboy in all of Florence, the charming Leonardo da Vinci.
As the two journey through Florence’s gilded streets, luxurious cathedrals, and glorious Medici palaces, they unearth dark truths beneath the city’s facade.
Those in power will do anything to keep their deadly secrets safe, but with his feelings for Leonardo giving him new life, Virgil is determined to expose their lies before he runs out of time.
Even if it might cost him his soul.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This ambitious tale from Cotter (A Traitorous Heart), set in an alternate Renaissance Florence in which mortal artists bargain with angels, unevenly blends mystery and history to create a queer romance infused with supernatural imagery. Since his older brother's mysterious disappearance, 17-year-old apprentice painter Niccolo "Virgil" Pitti has struggled to provide for his family and settle his late father's debts with the powerful Medici bank. Desperate to expedite his art and his income, Virgil bargains with his workshop's resident angel, gaining magical gifts—such as the ability to "sense when a painting was going wrong"—in exchange for his memories or years of his life. When the angel, previously thought to be immortal, is shockingly murdered, Virgil's magic dies too—and the workshop's replacement angel, Lupa, refuses to bargain with him. Recruiting help from his rival, annoyingly talented playboy Leonardo da Vinci, Virgil endeavors to learn the reasons behind Lupa's refusal, but uncovering the truth might cost Virgil his soul. Despite occasionally too-convenient plotting, the white-cued protagonists' romantic banter charms as Leonardo encourages Virgil to believe in himself and his skills instead of relying on magic. Fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes will find much to swoon at in this sincerely narrated journey. Ages 14–up.
