The Curse and the Silver Rose

Fairytales Forever #1

by Evie Finn

Curses are made to broken. But then, so are hearts.

Amelie must give herself over to an infamously savage lord to save her family. As much as she's always wished for grand adventure, this wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Armed with a magical sword, she sets off on horseback in the dead of night for his castle.

Davron is scarred by a curse and a decade of isolation. Although he terrifies Amelie at first, they soon begin to discover what lies beneath the armor they've each built around their hearts. As sparks fly between the unlikely pair, the vengeful dark sorceress who cursed Davron’s bloodline closes in, intent on destroying them both.

In the fight of her life, Amelie must join with Davron to solve the mystery of the curse, or lose more than she ever imagined.

A steamy retelling of classic Beauty and the Beast, The Curse and the Silver Rose is the first book in the Fairytales Forever trilogy of interconnected standalones. Escape to an enchanting world where magic is real, romance is thrilling, and fantasy comes true.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Retellings, Fiction, Magic, Beauty and The Beast

310 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2024

About the author

Evie believes in magic, especially the powerful magic of escaping to another realm via a book. When she's not writing or reading, she explores the world outside, eats good food, and cuddles her beloved cat.

Reviews

[Faye Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Curse and the Silver Rose is the first book in the Fairytales Forever trilogy, a series of reimagined fairytales with spice. This first book is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Amelie is the young woman promised to the beast, Davron, by her two brothers.

I liked the story in this book - it wasn't just a straight retelling of the story, and it added something new. I liked the two magical items involved in the story - the silver rose sword and the rose-gold clamshell, and I enjoyed how they were used in the story. The enchantments in the Castle were interesting too and I liked how they were utilised.

I had a slight issue with the pacing, although this could be down to the fact that I'm personally not a fan of either insta-love or a third act breakup, both of which occur here. So what I see as pacing issues might just be related to the use of these tropes. For example, when Amelie and Davron start to talk, things move very fast (emotionally and physically), to the point that I categorised it as insta-love. This is followed by a really good action scene, which is fast-paced and exciting, and then there's the third act breakup.

For me, this really slowed down the pace of the book. There's quite a few chapters during this separation where not much happens so the change in pace definitely stood out for me. If the book had been longer, maybe this could have been addressed by increasing the time spent in the castle getting to know each other before the romance accelerated which might have created more balance overall. But I come into this review as an enemies-to-lovers slow-burn obsessive, so that might be a me-issue. I know that not every romance has to be slow burn and enemies-to-lovers and therefore there's nothing actually wrong with a quick romance! It's just not my personal favourite.

I've gone with 4 stars for The Curse and the Silver Rose because I enjoyed the story, and I wouldn't want to mark it down just because the tropes in this book weren't ones that hit the most for me. Just because I love a slow burn romance with no third act breakup doesn't mean that someone else won't completely adore this take on the classic fairytale and give it the easiest 5 stars. I plan to continue reading this series and can't wait to see the new twists on these well-known fairytales!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from BookSirens, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Curse and the Silver Rose By Evie Finn

Fairytales Forever Book One

Release date: March, 14th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

"The Curse and the Silver Rose" follows Amelie as she ventures into the domain of a notoriously fierce lord to save her family, armed with a magical sword. Initially terrified by Davron's imposing presence and cursed demeanor, Amelie discovers a connection with him as they uncover each other's past traumas. However, their budding romance is threatened by a vengeful sorceress intent on their destruction.

Together, they must unravel the mystery of Davron's curse to save themselves.

This steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast offers a captivating blend of romance, Spice, magic, and adventure in the first installment of the Fairytales Forever trilogy.

The series kicks off with a promising start, offering a compelling blend of action and romance. With its interesting spin on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale, readers are treated to an intriguing narrative that balances spice and adventure.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelie has always wished for an adventure, but to be promised to an infamous lord wasn't quite what she had in mind. But to save her family she rides off to the lord's castle, armed with only a magic sword.

A retelling of The Beauty and the Beast, and it had me already at the dedication:

"For the girls who were disappointed when the big scary beast turned into a pretty blond guy."

I've read some books after reading Fourth Wing - good ones at that - but none of them could really engage me to the fullest, and I didn't feel the same urge to pick them up. Until I started The Curse and the Silver Rose. It was suggested to me by BookSirens, and I requested an ARC simply because it was a retelling of The Beauty and the Beast (okay, and the gorgeous cover!), so it was a slight gamble. A gamble that worked, because I truly love Evie Finn's take on the story!

With the risk of not remembering the original correctly anymore (I've read several retellings of this), I think that Finn has kept all the major parts, like the library.

“You have a library?” she exclaimed. “A whole library?”
“You said you missed your books.”
Davron sidled up to Amelie, watching her reaction closely.
Her face broke into an astonished smile, spinning around to take it all in. “This is the best thing I have ever seen!”
“Good. It’s yours.”

This scene always makes me happy! Something that Finn has added, and that's certainly not in all retellings, are really steamy s*x scenes. Might sound like it doesn't fit, but in the way the author does it, it actually suits our characters. I read this book in two evenings, and I was almost grumpy for not having more time with Amelie and Davron! Highly recommended!

* I received an ARC through BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this story. It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast in the classic way. It's well written and engaging. The characters have depth and personalities that are multifaceted and enjoyable to read. Theres a good spice scene here or there, but its not the only focus of this story. I laughed a few times and rooted for them to realize thier feelings- theyre always so blind to thier feelings!. So i was in the story- which definitely indicates that for me the writing was drawing me into the world built. The food descriptions are oddly detailed- I think the author may be a foodie, lol- that's not a complaint, just something that stood out to me. I always enjoy retellings, but this one is exceptionally well done! I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone that enjoys Beauty & Beast retellings-I look forward to more from this author.

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely fairytale that made me want more. I truly love the characters and the story line, especially cause beauty and the beast is my all time favorite. It made me gitty and excited. I wish there was more of the spice. The tension made me want so much. Thank you so much for letting me enjoy the adventure!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Stolen moments, by their very nature, could not endure.”

“The Curse and the Silver Rose,” by Evie Finn

Amelie’s brothers’ bad behavior causes them to make a deal with a beast, to marry their oldest sister, Amelie. She ran to the beast to save her family with only two magical weapons as protection. Davron is inflicted with a curse, a curse he has because of a witch that killed his entire family.

This book is a great retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Evie Finn dedication page at the beginning of the book “For the girls who were disappointed when the big scary beast turned into a pretty blond guy.” And that is so fitting for the entire book. The “beastness” of the MMC is not really the vocal point because he is in human form from most of the book and the beast aspect is that he’s scarred and has some physical differences and mostly how he acts. The FMC is not some damsel in distress in the book, she is adventurous, and brave is allowed to learn to defend herself and be the hero. I loved it. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Beauty and Beast Retelling
-Magic
-Grumpy X Sunshine
-Arranged Marriage

Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It reminded me of 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 (the Léa Seydoux 𝘓𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘢 𝘣𝘦̂𝘵𝘦 version to be precise) meets 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗔 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 if it had aired on HBO. This lovely retelling was really sweet with a nice dash of spice! I’m honestly not sure if I’ve read a retelling of any fairytale that was able to stick so close to the original story but at the same time make it completely original and new. I found the background story on the curse heartbreaking but was also surprised at the direction the curse went in terms of the “Beast’s” physical appearance. I really enjoyed that unique take on things and can’t wait to see what book two in the series has in store for a new set of characters! Check this book out if you’re a fan of:

🏰Classic Fairytales with a grown up twist
🎹Grumpy, cursed men that fall head over heels
📚Beautiful, softhearted maidens that will do anything for love
⚔️teaching little girls to sword fight
💔a sort of misunderstood villain (sorta 🤷🏼‍♀️)
🌹 Happily Ever After

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this reimagining of Beauty and the Beast! There was enough of the original story to feel cozy with the familiarity of it, and enough that was new and different to keep me engaged and interested.

I loved that the HEA did not entail the MMC becoming a visually “perfect” specimen with blonde hair and blue eyes. I was here for the tattoos and scars and, well, you know. In fact, there was very little admiring/worshipping of the socially acceptable physical ideal, which was nice.

I wish we’d learned the details of Davron’s backstory earlier in the book, because it added so much more depth to his character once we did get those details.

I wish we’d had more time with Levissina at the end of the book, because I was intrigued by the final turn in her character’s development - I do have the novella to read, though, so I’m hoping that gives me more of her character the way I’d like to get to know her.

I was also really hoping for one more spicy scene in the last 30% of the book, because the spice was 🔥.

All of that aside, this book took me on an entertaining adventure, had a good balance of characters to keep my interest, and let me relive beauty and the beast in an adult way.

Also, Trésor is the star of this story, and I’ll die on that hill. Trésor forever.

**I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review of my own accord.** Many thanks to BookSirens, Sirenstone Press, and Evie Finn for the ARC.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - This was an enjoyable beauty & the beast retelling with unique elements that made it both similar to the fairy tale we all know and love while adding its own memorable twists. I would have liked a little bit more development in the relationship between our two main characters, more grumpy/sunshine dialogues and interactions, more buildup and tension. Without that, their relationship felt a little rushed and too simple for me to be fully invested. But overall I liked this and look forward to reading the next book in the series!

*Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy of this book. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Andrea Luker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt a bit rushed but great for a pallet cleanser between series.

[Midnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5☆

[taya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly I would to thank both Book Sirens and the author for providing me with a free arc e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Curse and the Silver Rose is a retelling of one of my favourite stories - Beauty and The Beast, as soon as I found this out, I was so so excited and I don’t feel like I was let down either. This isn’t a complete copy and paste of a retelling, it does have a few new intriguing elements and objects that I feel add to the story and almost gives it that grown up quality.

Most of the pacing I absolutely love and I feel that the more spicy scenes of this story was handled amazingly and in fitting with the story, however there a few chapters later on in the book where our fmc is reunited with her family and I personally like these chapters could have been condensed and that the space that those took could have been spent building the relationship between our two protagonists and adding tension; both romantically and just simply getting to know one another, rather than it feeling that their love was very fast and instant.

I also loved the use of magic of this book as it added qualities that I feel enhanced the story even more!

All in all I did enjoy this book and I felt that it was quite a quick read; I just wish there was more of a slow burn aspect to our characters relationship becuase I feel that sort of tension would have just given it that extra edge and out the cherry on top!

[Mahira_.16 · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 40%
It was...okay, I mean nothing new... just the same old beauty and the beast again...
but I wanted more and i dnf'd after the MMC saved the fmc from the dark one and suddenly the fmc wants to be physical with the mmc which felt too fast paced and forced...it made me irritated...so...

[Kristin Oropeza · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Curse and the Silver Rose" by Evie Finn is a steamy retelling of the beloved classic, “Beauty and the Beast.” I appreciated that this wasn’t just that story on repeat but rather had unique elements of its own that made for a very interesting retelling. (I love retellings of stories I grew up on as a kid and was excited to dive into this new take on one of my favorites!)

The story follows Amelie as she is essentially bartered by her older brothers to save their own skin and subsequently finds herself at the door of the feared lord in their region. Davron has led a life of isolation, living with a curse that he sees no end to. Much like the original tale, readers see Amelie begin to warm to the “beast,” despite his scars and grumpiness. She learns, much like her predecessor, that there is more than meets the eye with her devilish lord.

The pacing was decent and the characters were fairly developed. I was rooting for Amelie and Davron and their happily ever after by the end. I would have liked to read more about Levissina, the enchantress that curses Davron and this story’s appointed villain. I think her backstory would make a very interesting novella and complement this novel nicely.

The spice was good - I did appreciate that it didn’t completely overwhelm this retelling (which sometimes happens with these types of stories). The story remained center focused and the spice was perfectly sprinkled throughout, albeit on the light side.

Evie Finn has spun a world with her fairytale writing that has intrigued me to read the next book in the series - a retelling of the Little Mermaid (another favorite of mine!) If it’s anything like this first in the series, I am sure it won’t disappoint.

[Thank you to BookSirens for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.]

[Nocturne Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars overall
1/5 spice

For the most part, I quite enjoyed this book. I love fairytale retellings, so I was very excited for this one, especially since it’s a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It was fun picking out the bits that coincided with the original tale and noticing all the unique features this book provides.

I typically try to refrain from having spoilers in my reviews, but for an honest review of this book, I feel it necessary to include a few, how I felt about them, and how it impacted my overall rating of the book. If you do not wish to have anything spoiled, please skip the rest of my review.

****spoilers below****

Perhaps it was my own fault for misunderstanding the description of the book, but I absolutely went into this expecting a paranormal/monster romance, so I was quite a bit disappointed! I also feel the dedication is slightly misleading in that regard. Make no mistake if you’re like me: this is definitely not a monster romance. The “Beast”, Davron, is just a man who has been malformed and scarred by the curse.

While I enjoyed the characters, I had a tough time connecting to them. They just fell a little flat to me. That’s not to say that I didn’t like reading and witnessing Amelie and Davron falling for one another, but I personally just didn’t see much dimension in the characters.

There is also a third act breakup, and while I can see how it was integral to this particular story, I HATE third act breakups, even if it ‘makes sense’ to the story. This definitely knocked my rating down.

Overall, I did enjoy the book, and I definitely plan to read any future ones in the series. There were just certain aspects that I did not enjoy. I did receive a copy of this book from BookSirens, and this is my honest review.

[The Bookish Babble · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must-read! It's not every day that you come across a book that draws you in, makes you feel connected to the characters, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'm usually not a fan of retellings, but this one proved me wrong. From the very first page, I was hooked. Evie Finn, the author, did an amazing job of describing every little detail, making it easy for me to picture everything in my mind. Although I hoped for a steamier romance scene, the author gave just enough to leave me wanting more—for example, my favorite scene in this book. "Spiderweb tattoos started from each of his knuckles, extending across his whole hand, and she traced them with the tip of her finger. She rotated his hand by the wrist, and he let her. His palm exposed, she ran her fingertips over his thumb with deliberate care, then each of his fingers in turn." I highly recommend this book to everyone and can't wait to read the prequel and the second book. Thank you, Evie, for creating such a wonderful world to explore. Trust me, you won't regret reading this book! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dawn 🫶 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

"The Curse and the Silver Rose" by Evie Finn transports readers to a world where adventure, magic, and romance intertwine seamlessly. Set against the backdrop of a timeless tale, this novel takes the classic Beauty and the Beast story and infuses it with fresh twists and turns, creating a captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

At the heart of the story is Amelie Desrosiers, a young woman yearning for the kind of adventure she has only ever read about in books. When her family is faced with dire circumstances, Amelie finds herself thrust into a perilous journey that leads her to the doorstep of the enigmatic Davron Nikolaou, a man bound by both a mysterious curse and a decade of isolation. As their paths converge, sparks fly between them, setting the stage for a romance that is as thrilling as it is unexpected.

Thank you Booksirens & Evie Finn for the ARC.
This review has been left voluntarily.

[Sienna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fun and easy read. I definitely enjoyed it. The writing style was really up my alley. I can't really explain what it is but as soon as I started reading I went oh yeah! I'm going to like this!

I think I'm slowly discovering that I'm not a retelling fan. I desired a fresher take on Beauty and the Beast -at least at the start - but that could definitely just be me.

The smut was good quality! People who are a little bit more freaky than me will love it, I'm sure. I just wished for a deeper development of the relationship between the FMC and MMC before we got to the smut, especially some more sexual tension.

Overall, this was a good read. definitely worth your time and I believe it would make a beautiful palette cleanser.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather Kruczek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down one of my favorite Beauty & the Beast retellings that I've read thus far. It was a beautiful and engaging story of unconditional love, with a bit of spice. What a wonderful take on a classic fairytale. I struggled to put this down and do other activities in the past week. I loved both Amelie and Davron from the beginning, and further reading their story only made me love them both more. Despite being a "beast," Davron has a wonderful heart and has been through so much. The love and desire Davron has for Amelie is the kind you dream of. Although you want to dislike the villain, the Dark One, you can't help but feel bad for her and her loss of humanity in her search for vengeance. The only thing I wished for was an extended epilogue so I could see more of the characters and their future. I hope to read a mention of them in the rest of the trilogy!

[Piros OlaSz · Rating 4 out of 5]

As you may realized Im a retellings fan and one of my favs is the B&B story!

And I tought I read them all but of course not!

This was absolutely a gem and a twisted in that. Happy that its not about steam as some B&B tend to go but has enough but it has story! And what a new perspective (at least for me) it is! I liked the brothers and the whole gloomy castle part. I liked it that Devron (our beast) perspective we got. And while a lot changed, I liked that some not.

I found the end a bit slow to get there than a bit quickly over (I I may just didnt get my fill of B&B ;) ) but overall good read that makes you feel! Luved it!

Thanks for BookSirens for singing me in as I received an advance review copy for free thru them, and I am leaving this review happily and voluntarily.

[Lea Gesser · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse and the Silver Rose/Evie Finn. I really couldn't put this book down. Of course everyone knows the story of Beauty and the Beast, but believe me, this is something different. Who wouldn't hope that the Beast would remain the Beast? Well me personally, but whatever. This book was just right, a castle, a prince Davron, a princess Amelie and Curse and of course that evil witch. And yet it was a surprising new look. Despite the well-known story, it is still exciting and full of surprises. Beautiful book. Really recommends the book. And make sure you choose a place where you can read undisturbed. I didn't know this author yet, but I am very curious about her other books. Hats off.

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse of the Silver Rose by Evie Finn is an utterly belting retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I adore a good rework of a classic fairy tale and this is absolutely my jam

This is the first book I have read from Evie Finn and if I had a hat on I would take it off as it is a fantastic read! Have a long glass of cold mil at hand as this version gets just a little bit spicy and it works! The best part is how Evie is utterly empowered and not just a damsel in distress. She turns her misfortune into a win and what a win!

Absolutely recommend

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janette Gellar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse and the Silver Rose is a Beauty and the Beast retelling but that doesn't mean that Evie Finn didn't put her own spin on the plot. The set up is Beauty and the Beast like. Amelie has two brothers that offend the Beast who demands their sister in recompense but the rest of the story is all Evie and it's all amazing! I'm glad that this is book 1 in a larger series each story retelling a different classic children's tale and my TBR list just got bigger.  

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rohayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by saying that I love fairytale retellings especially Beauty and the Beast. So while reading this I was both looking forward to it and also being critical.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but it felt a little too much like instant-love to me, the getting-to-know-each-other part was very small before they liked each other. I enjoyed the sibling relationships and wished we saw more of that! I especially want to know more about the younger sister's love story!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Natassja Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great retelling. The world is well constructed, so descriptive, i want to drink the wines, and try the lavender crème brûlée.Well written and easy to read, the flow of story was natural. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a twist on the old stories without either feeling choppy or being too Disney.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this wasn't my favorite beauty and the beast retelling, it did have some twists i personally enjoyed that haven't been done before in a retelling. I feel like this could've been better if it had been a tad bit longer of a book but besides the length, it was kinda average. The romance between the two characters didn't exactly have me sold either tbh

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

[nerdy.bibliomaniac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairy tale retellings are amongst my favourite types of books to read. I don’t recall how I stumbled upon this one on KU but I am glad I did. I enjoyed the characters and the authors take on the Beauty and the Beast classic, Davron was an enticing hero and Amelie was of course selfless in her efforts to keep her family safe…unbeknownst to her finding her inner strength and her own HEA. I look forward to reading the other books in this series soon.

[Trisha Zandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young woman is traded to a beast to be married to him by her brothers. This is a Beauty and the Beast re-telling and the best one I've ever read! I loved this book and it was my favorite of the series!

If you love:
-Fairy Tale Retellings (Beauty and the Beast)
-Forced Proximity
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-Curses
-Sorcery
-Magical Objects
-LOTS OF SPICE
-Cardan's tail

then you will love this book :D

[Crystal Nachbaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beauty and the beast retelling and even though those are becoming common here lately I liked this story. While the author stayed with the basic storyline of the story she gave it a nice twist in her own way and it came together beautifully. There's grumpiness, there's magic, there's sacrifices and of course love. There's a bit of darkness, humor and a bit of spice in the mix as well.

[Carol Demmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story. This was beauty and the beast. Amelie goes to Castle Grange in order to save her family. She finds Darvon, the beast, living alone in the enchanted castle. He has a curse that forces him not to leave his estate. This story is a different take on the fairytale and I enjoyed reading it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.