Cakes and Ale - A Fair Kingdom, #2

A reckless princess might get a second chance with her childhood sweetheart, but first, she must figure out who wants her dead. As the son of the most infamous aristocrat in the kingdom, Leopold has always wanted to prove himself and with the opportunity to travel north and secure a vital contract on behalf of the King, he has his chance. But after the Crown Princess, his once-beloved friend but now near-stranger, makes a spectacle of herself at the annual ball, Leopold is tasked with keeping an eye on the dissolute royal.
With a royal decree that will compromise her future power and a kingdom that prefers her brother, Princess Jaqueline has few people she can trust. Then, after yet another scandal, the infuriated King orders her to join the delegation heading north. With the only boy she ever loved. The world outside of the Palace walls is filled with blood-cults and highwaymen, but no one could anticipate the dangers and betrayals Jaqueline and Leopold will face, or what they will risk for love.
This is the second novel in a linked series and can be read as a standalone. Warning: Contains florid cursing and some mild sexual situation.