"Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall, is cursed. Forced to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he can only be freed if a girl truly falls for him, and after so many failures, his kingdom and its people are barely holding on.
Harper’s life has never been easy, but she’s learned to be tough enough to survive the streets of Washington, D.C. When she is sucked into Rhen’s world, nothing is as it seems. Powerful forces are standing against Emberfall… and it will take more than a broken curse to save it from utter ruin."
In case you aren't aware A curse so dark and lonely, is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
This book is inclusive, which I enjoyed. Harper has Cerebral palsy, which effects her ability to walk, but she's able to do so with breaks.
With this book we have the classic: girl is taken by man (he doesn't look like a beast though), she hates him, feels something for him, get's taken back to help her family, then decides that she actually feels strongly for him, therefore goes back to him. BUT, does she fall in love and break the curse? Well, I'm not gonna tell you!
The book isn't a complete copy of beauty and the best, which was good. The author added in politics, a strong disabled girl and a man who wasn't completely strong.
I loved the fact that Harper did not just go "OK, I've been kidnapped, that's cool, let's just get Stockholm syndrome ad wear pretty dresses"... no, no! How did she respond to being taken? She fought and ran! Harper is strong, kind, feisty and independent. She also grows into herself whilst living with Rhen. She grows to have feelings for Rhen and protects him.
Now onto Rhen. I do not like him. He just feels sorry for himself, can hardly bother to try and make Harper fall in love with him, making him almost avoid her, completely ignores the suffering of his people and has all but given up on helping his people, until Harper comes and gives him a kick up the arse, so to speak. He becomes alive again, almost.
This is a romance book, so was it romantic? Maybe a little, but I honestly don't know how Harper ended up liking Rhen. If it was up to me Harper would end up with Grey, Rhen's friend and one of his men, but alas that wouldn't make it beauty and the beast.
So, did I like the book? Yeah, a bit. I like the characters, I love the creativity of how they need to save his people and I love the inclusiveness.
Overall I give this a solid 3/5
I wouldn't necessarily read it again, but there are two more books, so maybe I'll understand why they're together at some point? I'm hoping so.
It's well written, but it looses marks for the lack of romantic content, as I genuinely cannot understand HOW Harper ended up liking Rhen.
Have you read this? Do you agree with what's been said here, or do you like the book?
-lil
(thebookdragonreview on Instagram)
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