The Cradled Common Series by Nicci Harris

Adore.Pleasure.Provide.A thousand years of climate change, genetic testing, and war destroyed civilisation as it was.From the remains came the age of The Trade and The Crown. In return for resources, security, and a meaningful purpose, citizens accepted a life of service to the new world.The land became The Cradle, and humankind was henceforth known as the Cradled Common.Young Aster is no different. If selected, she'll be the King's Silk Girl... moreAdore.Pleasure.Provide.A thousand years of climate change, genetic testing, and war destroyed civilisation as it was.From the remains came the age of The Trade and The Crown. In return for resources, security, and a meaningful purpose, citizens accepted a life of service to the new world.The land became The Cradle, and humankind was henceforth known as the Cradled Common.Young Aster is no different. If selected, she'll be the King's Silk Girl. A common human bred to adore and pleasure him, and to provide The Cradle with healthy babies for the Trade.That is her meaningful purpose.But the King is more monster than man. The heir of the genetically enhanced breed, he was designed to survive and rule this new world.King Rome has a heart as black as his giant pet eagle's wings, and a singular obsession—to reign.That stands until one day Aster puts her tiny human hand in his...But "love is not a virtue in The Cradle", because nothing could be more dangerous to the regime than having its merciless King fall in love with a common girl Born For Silk. less

"I'm on the run from The Trade with a baby that is technically their property, and the man helping me escape is a seven-foot-one rogue devoid of compassion who turns out to be the beast of my nightmares." ~ Dahlia is a Lace Girl. Her role is the first mental health initiative of The Trade, successfully halving depression in The Cradle. Accompany. Relieve. Soothe. That is her Meaningful Purpose... more"I'm on the run from The Trade with a baby that is technically their property, and the man helping me escape is a seven-foot-one rogue devoid of compassion who turns out to be the beast of my nightmares." ~ Dahlia is a Lace Girl. Her role is the first mental health initiative of The Trade, successfully halving depression in The Cradle. Accompany. Relieve. Soothe. That is her Meaningful Purpose. She is content and protected until her life changes forever when her best friend dies giving birth, leaving her caught in a civil war with two things: A baby who belongs to the regime and the name of a man who can help them escape. Lagos the Rogue is a seven-foot-one, grumpy brute who grunts rather than speaks, kills without remorse, and finds her innocence infuriating. But, he also guards her like a rabid dog, is inked from neck to toe, the strongest, most imposing man she has ever seen, and... He is brutally beautiful. She can't deny his magnetic pull until she discovers he is precisely the danger she is desperately trying to escape. * For readers who would enjoy a spicy Red Riding Hood meets Divergent, with the barren, wild backdrop of Dune by Frank Herbert. Born For Lace is a romance-driven adult sci-fi novel set in a dark dystopian society. less

“Take no man. Bear no children. I am The Queen of The Cradle.” In the dystopian land of The Cradle, ten-year-old Tuscany begins her reign. Crowned as Queen and Mother, she endures harsh medical treatments designed to carve a living deity worthy of the people's reverence. Nurture. Inspire. Endure. That is her Meaningful Purpose. But Tuscany is more human than previous queens, becoming trapped in a cycle of mental instability, memory loss, and age regression... more“Take no man. Bear no children. I am The Queen of The Cradle.” In the dystopian land of The Cradle, ten-year-old Tuscany begins her reign. Crowned as Queen and Mother, she endures harsh medical treatments designed to carve a living deity worthy of the people's reverence. Nurture. Inspire. Endure. That is her Meaningful Purpose. But Tuscany is more human than previous queens, becoming trapped in a cycle of mental instability, memory loss, and age regression. Before she fades away, her father is killed, and her beloved brother takes the throne, granting her a Guardian to protect, guide, and sacrifice himself for her. Kong the Unbreakable is a seven-foot-tall Guardian with a stoic demeanour and a heart torn between loyalty and honour. As he stands watch at her door, night after night, he quietly falls in love with the girl hidden behind it, the one too afraid to step outside and be strong. When Tuscany finally leads a campaign into the desert with Kong at her side, she tastes freedom for the first time. With each step away from her gilded cage, the closer she becomes to her stoic Guardian, and the fiercer her vows and her heart battle within her. In The Cradle, love is not the goal; it is the rebellion. * ⚠Warning: The Cradled Common is a series of interconnecting-standalones. Born For Marble can be read as a standalone, but will be best enjoyed after reading Born For Silk—Tuscany's brother's story. less