A Dangerous Bargain

A Dangerous Bargain is a masterpiece, all gilded deals and dark truths hidden beneath holy brushstrokes. At its heart is an achingly tender romance between two rival artists whose witty banter and fierce chemistry will leave readers enthralled. In this richly imagined world where artists sell their souls for a drop of divine talent, Erin Cotter reminds us of the inherent humanity of art—and the power in letting beauty shine through flaws.

Rendered with Cotter’s signature emotive flair and careful research, A Dangerous Bargain unfolds into an exquisite—and deadly—race against time. A splendid historical mystery.

Erin Cotter has given us a modern fairytale that will take your breath away. A family drama intersects with a metaphysical hunt, in which twisting bargains go bad (and then good) in the flicker of a painter's brush. You think you know what's coming from every Florentine alley of this book, and I promise you it is never what you expect.

Art requires talent, but in the blessed city-state of Renaissance-era Florence all the best artists amplify their talents through bargains with angels housed in their masters’ workshops, swapping memories and sometimes years of their lives for minute skills that will give them an edge. Virgil, the remaining breadwinner of a semi-disgraced merchant family, has not been sparing with his bargains since the disappearance of his older brother Niccolo. But when his master’s workshop angel is slain, Virgil loses all the benefits from his bargains and has to start from scratch with a new angel. His attention is suddenly torn from his art, though, when he finds out that Niccolo might still be alive. Other secrets about Florence then rush to the surface, leaving Virgil and fellow apprentice Leonardo da Vinci in far deeper than they ever expected to be. Despite the sheer amount of magic and conspiracy in Virgil’s Florence, there is a heavy reliance on true-to-history details, creating atmosphere that removes the necessity for extensive exposition. Consequently, the writing style is loose and approachable, and the pacing is quick. The focus is on action rather than moral complexity, with a side of light romance between Virgil and Leonardo, and the Medici family falls firmly in the love-to-hate-them variety of villainy. All characters are ethnically Mediterranean; Leonardo and Virgil are both cued as neurodivergent. VERDICT A solid historical selection for libraries with action-loving teens who don’t mind a little kissing along the way.

This ambitious tale from Cotter (A Traitorous Heart), set in an alternate Renaissance Florence in which mortal artists bargain with angels, unevenly blends mystery and history to create a queer romance infused with supernatural imagery. Since his older brother’s mysterious disappearance, 17-year-old apprentice painter Niccolo “Virgil” Pitti has struggled to provide for his family and settle his late father’s debts with the powerful Medici bank. Desperate to expedite his art and his income, Virgil bargains with his workshop’s resident angel, gaining magical gifts—such as the ability to “sense when a painting was going wrong”—in exchange for his memories or years of his life. When the angel, previously thought to be immortal, is shockingly murdered, Virgil’s magic dies too—and the workshop’s replacement angel, Lupa, refuses to bargain with him. Recruiting help from his rival, annoyingly talented playboy Leonardo da Vinci, Virgil endeavors to learn the reasons behind Lupa’s refusal, but uncovering the truth might cost Virgil his soul. Despite occasionally too-convenient plotting, the white-cued protagonists’ romantic banter charms as Leonardo encourages Virgil to believe in himself and his skills instead of relying on magic. Fans of enemies-to-lovers tropes will find much to swoon at in this sincerely narrated journey. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kari Sutherland, KT Literary. (Sept.)