Emily McIntire presents a haunting and tantalizing retelling of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in this bestselling dark fairy tale.
He embodies righteousness. She embodies sin.
Father Cade Frédéric is a man of the cloth, raised in the alleys of Paris and committed to a life of devotion. Yet, beneath his veneer of piety lurks a dark presence, a malaise that thrives on shadows and preys on the forsaken. When he is assigned to serve as priest in Festivalé, Vermont—a town marked by both architectural beauty and pervasive despair—the darkness within him stirs, urging him to purge the community of its perceived evils.
Amaya Paquette is Festivalé’s enigmatic beauty, a woman shrouded in mystery. By day, she tends to her younger brother, but by night, she assumes the guise of Esmeralda, captivating audiences with her dance while harboring secrets. Though she yearns for love, she recoils from intimacy, haunted by past betrayals.
When Father Cade encounters Amaya, he becomes entranced, convinced she wields sorcery to entice him. Obsessed, he finds himself consumed by thoughts of her, unable to eat, breathe, or focus on anything but her presence.
Temptation proves to be a formidable adversary.
Amaya becomes his weakness, prompting him to resolve to be her downfall… even if it means sacrificing the woman he may come to love.
