Preorder and Blog Post: Common by Laurie Lucking

Only one person knows of the plot against the royal family and cares enough to try to stop it—the servant girl they banished.

Leah spends her days scrubbing floors, polishing silver, and meekly curtsying to nobility. Nothing distinguishes her from the other commoners serving at the palace, except her red hair.

And her secret friendship with Rafe, the Crown Prince of Imperia.

But Leah’s safe, ordinary world begins to splinter. Rafe’s parents announce his betrothal to a foreign princess, and she unearths a plot to overthrow the royal family. When she reports it without proof, her life shatters completely when the queen banishes her for treason.

Harbored by an unusual group of nuns, Leah must secure Rafe’s safety before it’s too late. But her quest reveals a villain far more sinister than an ambitious nobleman with his eye on the throne.

Can a common maidservant summon the courage to fight for her dearest friend?

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The World of Common – Servants

In Common, Leah is the daughter of a palace seamstress and is herself a chambermaid, so not

surprisingly, she spends a lot of time with her fellow servants! I enjoyed imagining what their lives might be like when not in the presence of royalty, and while the actual tasks of rug-beating and mucking out stables are likely pretty far-removed from the experience of a modern teenager, their interactions aren’t as different as you might expect!

Maids: Chambermaids work hard sweeping, dusting, polishing silver, and undertaking a number of other tasks required to keep a large castle spotless and impressive for nobility.

Leah: Shy, dedicated, and rational, Leah would never place herself as the heroine of a fantasy adventure. But her loyal friendship for the prince and circumstances beyond her control may dictate otherwise… :)

Gretchen: Though her opposite in personality, Gretchen is one of Leah’s closest friends. Outgoing, dramatic, and a bit of a flirt, she keeps Leah’s life interesting and ensures her quiet friend has a little fun!

Therese (Ma): Leah’s ma, Therese, is one of the best seamstresses in the palace. Her kindness and generosity make her an ideal role model, but her desire to protect Leah sometimes prevents her from sharing openly with her daughter.

Stable: Leah isn’t a big fan of horses and dislikes the smell of the stables, but on occasion Gretchen manages to drag her there to visit a few certain stable hands…

Sam: Sam rarely calls Leah anything but “Red” and takes great pleasure in teasing her. His boisterous nature and over-the-top flirtations are a bit much for Leah, but his friend Ned is always entertained.

Ned: Wherever Sam goes, you’re almost guaranteed to find Ned at his side. While Ned is definitely the more subdued of the two, he’s always quick to join in his best friend’s antics.

Despite the monotony of their jobs, I did my best to put a lot of fun and interest into the servants’ personalities and conversations! To meet all these servants (and more!) and to get a better feel for their community and relationships, you’ll just have to dive into the pages of Common :)

Thank you so much for inviting me to stop by!