"Northern Crown:
Against the Wind" by Anna Jane, summary

This book is a direct continuation of the romantic story about complex human destinies, music, and criminal mysteries. The novel was published in 2016. The text intertwines the lives of several young people who are forced to pay for the mistakes of the past and fight for their right to happiness in the present.

Plot twists and the return of the past

The story begins with the hectic days of July. Nika Karlova is dutifully preparing to marry Max. She doesn’t love her wealthy fiancé. She needs this calculated marriage (a kind of loveless arranged union) to ensure her family’s financial security. Max appears a good man to those around him. In reality, he hides many dark secrets and ties to the criminal underworld. Nika is exhausted from the constant tension. She hopes to find peace in marriage, turning a blind eye to the alarming oddities in her future husband’s behavior.

On the eve of her wedding, Nika goes to a nightclub for her bachelorette party with her friend Dasha. Inside, the bride quickly loses control of the situation. She yells at the entire club, "I want to try absinthe, let’s order some absinthe, maybe we’ll see the green fairy?!" After mixing drinks, she completely forgets the events of the previous evening. Dasha barely manages to get her reluctant friend into a taxi.

Near the apartment building, the taxi driver is unable to pull the struggling Nika out of the car. A strong man comes to the driver’s aid. He confidently lifts the drunken girl into his arms and carefully carries her to the apartment. This man turns out to be Nikita, Nika’s ex-boyfriend. Nikita has returned to the city after a long absence.

Searching for Answers and the March Archive

Nikita arrived with a clearly defined plan of action. The young man is determined to uncover the truth about the tragic death of his older brother, Mart. Nikita wants to bring those responsible to justice. To successfully complete the case, he needs access to his dead brother’s securely hidden archive. Nikita understands the risks. He’s afraid of crossing the line and becoming a murderer. Memories of his brother haunt him. Nikita spent months gathering bits of information to construct a logical chain of events leading to the tragedy.

Nikita asks his friend Tanya, Nastya’s sister, for help. She must discreetly obtain the coveted physical key to the hiding place for him. Nikita arrives at a bustling train station and calls Tanya from amidst the dense crowd of passengers. He glances around tensely, justifiably afraid of being followed by Max’s men. The whistles of arriving trains make his muscles twitch. Tanya confirms over the phone that she has intercepted the key.

Sham marriage and illusions

At the same time, Marta Karlova agrees to a crazy adventure. The talented violinist voluntarily decides to become Sasha Dionov’s fake bride. A voice inside her screams, "Oh, God, what am I doing?! Come to your senses before it’s too late, refuse!" Marta stubbornly ignores the voice of cold reason. She has long been hiding strong romantic feelings for Sasha. Sasha himself is using this secret wedding to divert the attention of the suspicious Max.

Sasha and Marta go to an upscale restaurant together to discuss the details of the deal. Sasha temporarily delegates his work duties to his friend Mikha. At the restaurant, the waiter mistakes them for a real couple and brings them coffee with a beautiful heart design as a gift. This angers Sasha, but delights Marta. Then they go to a jewelry store to choose engagement rings. Marta enjoys choosing jewelry together.

Tension on the ship and old grievances

Marta’s illusion of family happiness is shattered during a celebratory banquet on a cruise ship. The bartenders’ flamboyant show gives way to a difficult conversation. Sasha’s words hit the violinist hard. She realizes this isn’t her celebration. The winged wings that sprouted behind her quickly fall away. Tears well up in the distressed violinist’s eyes.

At that moment, Sasha’s father, physicist Vyacheslav Sergeyevich Dionov, approaches him. The men step out onto the promenade deck of the 40-meter-long boat to settle their differences. Vyacheslav Sergeyevich sternly declares that his son doesn’t deserve his congratulations. Sasha gazes thoughtfully at the river. The boy once dreamed of playing music in his own band. Now he’s mired in someone else’s criminal dealings.

Shadows of the past continue to haunt the characters. Nika accidentally crosses paths with an acquaintance, Dima Chashchin, and his friend, Olya Knyazeva. Olya recalls a conflict that occurred three years ago. Back then, Dima carelessly kissed someone else’s girl. Nikita brutally beat him for this offense. Dima grapples with the flood of memories. Outwardly, he remains a cheerful student, playing in the university’s KVN (Club of the Funny and Inventive) and the local soccer team. Internally, he has changed greatly and has stopped being close to Olya. This encounter forces all the characters to rethink their actions.

Problem solving and the finale

Max is becoming nervous about Nikita’s return. The crime boss beefs up his personal security. Sasha also finds himself drawn into this criminal enterprise. Sasha drives Marta at 60 kilometers per hour and gets into an aggressive argument with the other driver. He’s even ready to fight for his passenger’s safety.

Marta is forced to make a painful life choice. She decides to sacrifice her career ambitions to save the man she loves. For the first time in her life, she misses an important music rehearsal. Nikita uses the key he received from Tanya and ruins Max’s plans. Nika calls off her forced wedding.

At the end of the book, all conflicts are resolved happily. Marta and Sasha remain happily together. Early in the morning, the lovers lie in a wide bed, illuminated by the gentle lavender rays of the sun. Marta playfully resents the fact that Sasha didn’t let her sleep properly. He tenderly invites her to fly forward together. Marta accepts with a smile. Everything in their life is working out exactly as it was supposed to.