A spellbinding tale of forbidden love and the power of words, where a girl must choose between the life written for her and the future she dares to imagine.
Garrett Curbow, author of the YA fantasy trilogy Daughter of Light, which was short-listed for the Publishers Weekly Selfies Award, will make his adult novel debut with the captivating WHISPERS OF INK AND STARLIGHT (Lake Union; April 1, 2026), a beautifully written, emotionally drawn love story told with a sprinkle of magic and great attention to detail. It’s also a coming-of-age story as the two main characters run away together from their small Southern town and personal struggles in search of freedom, adventure and self-discovery.
“After my YA fantasy books were released, readers would consistently ask if the books included romance, which they didn’t,” Curbow explains. “A fan of a good love story myself, I knew I wanted romance in my adult debut, but I wanted to write a raw, authentic relationship, not one with an automatic happy-ever-after ending. I was inspired after I read V.E. Schwab’s The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue to create this genre-defying story, and I’m excited, after 6 years of keeping it to myself, to share it.”
In a small Georgia town, Nelle’s life has been carefully scripted by her creator and captor, the reclusive author Wallace Quill. Born from ink and imagination, every breath she takes is dictated by his pen. But on a star-studded Fourth of July night, she meets James―a young man with dreams as vivid as the fireworks above them―and suddenly, the unwritten becomes possible.
As Nelle and James fall deeply in love, they embark on a breathtaking journey across Europe, each new experience a defiant stroke against the words that bind her. But freedom has a price. With every mile they travel, the ink in Nelle’s veins threatens to rewrite their story. In a world where every moment could be her last, Nelle and James must fight to write their own happily ever after―before the final page turns.
WHISPERS OF INK AND STARLIGHT is a magical and genre-bending novel that will pull you in and keep you hooked until the last page. To celebrate its release, we are hosting a virtual book tour throughout the month of April featuring these stellar influencers who will share reviews, spotlights, and giveaways. We hope you will follow along:
Wednesday, April 1 By Spencer Thomas
Thursday, April 2 Gymaholic Bookworm
Thursday, April 2 Reading on the Brink
Friday, April 3 Book Boss 12
Friday, April 3 Linda’s Book Obsession
Monday, April 6 Subakka Bookstuff
Tuesday, April 7 Lexijava
Tuesday, April 7 Geena H Reads
Wednesday, April 8 Love My Books 2020
Thursday, April 9 Life of a Book Queen
Friday, April 10 We Love Big Books And We Cannot Lie
Monday, April 13 Rebekah Reads
Monday, April 13 Sarah’s Bookish Reviews
Tuesday, April 14 Nissa the Bookworm
Wednesday, April 15 Cassie’s Book Reviews
Thursday, April 16 Danish Mustard Reads
Friday, April 17 Red Reviews 4 You
Friday, April 17 A Novel Account
Monday, April 20 Tammy Reads 62
Tuesday, April 21 Book Princess of Cali
Tuesday, April 21 My Bursting Book Bag
Wednesday, April 22 Gwendalyn Books
Wednesday, April 22 What Is That Book About
Thursday, April 23 Carol Doscher Reads
Thursday, April 23 Bookish HB
Friday, April 24 Purrfect Pages
Monday, April 27 Books and Coffee MX
Tuesday, April 28 Travelisfers
Tuesday, April 28 2 Many Books 2 Little Time
Wednesday, April 29 WBTB Book Reviews
Thursday, April 30 Reading is My Remedy
Thursday, April 30 Simply Kelina







