The River's Daughter (Jaraan) by Punita Rice

The River’s Daughter A dark romantic fantasy of forbidden love, feminine rebellion, and river magic—rooted in South Asian folklore. She let the river take her fully, blue markings blooming beneath her skin as ancient waters whispered of memory and change. There was no ribbon in her hair now—only loose strands, wild in the breeze… In the town of Jaraan, women are bound by stillness: trained to be silent, obedient, and contained. Nineteen-year-old Sahira Raazaan has always been the perfect Covenant daughter. Silent. Still. Her future arranged, her desires contained. She's betrothed to the town's golden boy, expected to fulfill the life laid out for her. But when she meets the gaze of a forbidden stranger, a river-marked musician from the Mehr’an people, something ancient stirs. Water moves at her touch. Blue markings bloom beneath her skin. The river begins to speak to her. Sahira begins to unravel the truth about her mother’s disappearance, and about the long-suppressed power hidden in her own blood. With her marriage ceremony fast approaching and her family’s honor on the line, Sahira must choose: the life she was raised for, or the truth buried in her blood. The river’s pull, and the stranger’s touch, promise a freedom she never dared imagine. Read more