The Cursebreaker Series 3 Books Set - A Curse So Dark and Lonely, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, A Vow So Bold and Deadly

Cursebreakers #1-3

by Brigid Kemmerer

A captivating three-book fantasy series filled with magic, danger, and romance. A Curse So Dark and Lonely introduces a modern girl drawn into a cursed kingdom, where she must break an unyielding spell to save a prince and his people. A Heart So Fierce and Broken follows a loyal guard on a perilous journey to uncover hidden truths and confront impossible choices. A Vow So Bold and Deadly brings the epic saga to a thrilling conclusion as alliances are tested, sacrifices are made, and love faces its ultimate challenge. Together, these novels deliver a spellbinding tale of courage, loyalty, and destiny.


This The Cursebreaker Series 3 Books Set

A Curse So Dark and Lonely 9781681195100
A Heart So Fierce and Broken 9781547605675
A Vow So Bold and Deadly 9781547608775

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Retellings, Romantasy, Fiction, Fairy Tales

1635 pages, Paperback

Published January 6, 2025

About the author

Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of dark and alluring romantic fantasy novels like Warrior Princess Assassin, Defy the Night, and A Curse So Dark and Lonely. A full time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her family. When she’s not writing or being a mom, you can usually find her playing board games with her loving husband, or hanging out in the gym, with her hands wrapped around a barbell.

Reviews

[Lisa M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of YA / fantasy books a good few years ago and then fell completely out of love with the genre. But around Christmas it felt like all I saw on social media and I just wanted to dive right back in. This was a great trilogy to start with - books 1 & 2 definitely better than the 3rd but still an overall very solid 4 stars. A very loose retelling of Beauty and the Beast initially, I felt like I turned the pages so quickly without even realising - some great characters. Looking forward to reading more fantasy books this year.

[mariam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is my favorite fantasy series by far, wow

[xynachlo · Rating 1 out of 5]

first book is great, second book is poorly written, third book is even worse.

The worst trilogy I’ve ever read. I would not recommend.

[Grace Cordeiro · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could give no stars, I would.

Spoilers ahead, be warned.

I am literally fuming and disgusted right now and have to dnf the series. Harper, the protagonist of the first book has been sidelined and relegated to a powerless and helpless damsel. An absolute crime when her entire character is about strength, resilience and refusing to be helpless. Rhen, the man who was traumatized and showed so much care for his people. The man who in the entire first book literally had an entire character development that included being willing TO DIE for his people and giving Harper choice after choice and anything she asked for, suddenly turns into the cruel prince? The cruel prince that Grey made a point to comment more than once that he was not? Like what is this character assassination and honest to god plot assassination?!

The complexity of having Grey be a « legitimate » heir could have been extremely compelling, instead it was flat and forced. I spent the entirety of the book needing to see this story be redeemed but it was not. In fact, the main characters we are introduced to initially in the series, are shown to have been nothing but awful for Emberfall. The people who lavished respect and thanks upon them quickly turning against them. After saving the country.

Grey, the person we learn literally had a hand in Lilith’s actions, who is the one who actually kidnaps women, who had no issues wanting to harm Harper at first, gets to remain the fun loving, great with kids, compassionate human while Harper and Rhen are punished for lying when it literally was done to help the kingdom? Harper’s actions, everything she did simply erased. Rhen, who was tortured and traumatized and made to kill his own family becomes the villain? Why is he the only person that gets to be « good »? Why do Harper and Rhen, and their story have to be vilified and destroyed to promote Grey’s?

What the bloody h e double hockey sticks is this disaster of narrative choices?

Absolutely livid and appalled. Especially after reading a summary of the third book before wasting my time to see if redemption occurs. It does not.

This may take the cake as the worst plot and storytelling I have ever encountered and that is such a disappointment because it had so much potential.

I will probably never read something by this author again. And I would definitely never recommend this series.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only read the first two book but my mom has read all of them and its been a great bonding experience to talk about with her. I can't wait to read the next book!!!!!!!!

[Lassamor Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝚒 𝚊𝚖 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚜𝚝,𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝."

I had fun reading the curse breaker trilogy being a Beauty and the beast retelling , Brigid did a great job of differentiating each of the four protagonists voices ,it’s very easy to keep track of each person’s personal story and quests,

💙A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY 💙
____\|~ I like Harper she’s so strong and independent even with her disability she dnt let anything weigh her down and I love to see disabilities being presented like that,I like Rhen character there’s something about him that I feel ppl don’t understand but I love how his character play out and yeah scary Grey was a very honest & cool character Which i love how he plays out, you gotta give it to him

💚A HEART SO FIERCE AND BROKEN 💚
____\\~ Lia mara won my heart from the start , the drama broke me in some type of way bcos well I was scared & worried for what grey is put on and for the lack of Harper and Rhen in it , so I was a bit concern that I’ll be disappointed, but I enjoyed the entire development of the characters that took place in the book which helps In understanding the actions scenes.
it very much ramped up and had some edge seat scenes , and it also brought some good twist and turns .

❤️A VOW SO BOLD AND DEADLY ❤️
______~|\ To be honest this doesn’t feel much like a final book unless Grey is the only character you ship and care about, yes I do like Grey, but he was written to be the undisputed hero to the point that all the other leading characters suffered , even Lia mara was reduced to a ruler who was just clinging on her boyfriend , Rhen and Harper deserve so much better , I wasn’t satisfy with Harper’s finale but worst is Rhen’s ,he went thru alot which he truly deserve better .Tbh they all deserve better. The final short down was cool but I it was painfully too short ,I’ll love a book 4 where Harper and Rhen find their place, peace and happiness, where Lia is more strong and well respected.

[Nooran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness!!! I don't know why this book series is not as popular as some of the other ones floating around booktok currently. It is a retelling of the story of beauty and the beast, but goes farther than that. This book is inclusive, featuring a heroine that is not what you would expect. Strong female characters, enemies to lovers, male characters with a dark past actively trying to get better....are you not hooked yet? It has all the aspects of a YA/NA novel, but bundles it all up with enough twists that it stands out amongst the rest. LOVE IT!

[Blythe]

It is amazing though personally none of the books were as good as the first.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the books but will forever be salty about not getting harper and grey

[nicolette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book was probably the most cliche YA fantasy I’ve ever read
* “Badass” female protagonist who is not like the other girls because she attacked the prince and the guard
* Handsome prince with traumatic past and dead parents
* Love triangle with guard and prince
* Female protagonist is nice to the poor which gains their support
* Ending: lost heir who is obviously the guard

I actually liked the second book more than the first book, grey and lia mara are way more likeable than rhen and harper

Third book ending: literally nothing was resolved I felt like i read nothing
I expected rhen and grey to fight over the crown or sit down and discuss who would be the most suitable or grey to yield the crown to rhen
Grey never wanted the crown that’s the whole reason he ran away in the first place so why did he accept the crown so quickly
Grey and lia mara should have ruled syhl shallow and rhen and harper emberfall it would have been more reasonable and satisfying
Lia mara had no reason to run to emberfall to find grey because by the time she arrived everything ended already so what was the point
The betrayal of ellia mase happened for no reason at all??? Like they just killed her and pretended like it never happened what was the point of bringing up an anti magic rebellion if nothing's going to happen
Harper cried too much it was annoying
Rhen and harpers fights were repetitive and boring
I did like how harper and lia mara were self aware of feelings like jealousy and anger
There wasn’t even an epilogue??
Thank god tycho didnt die tho

[P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intense and riveting

The Cursebreaker Series by Brigid Kemmerer:
*****A Curse So Dark and Lonely #1: This title says it all!
An unimaginable curse, constant setbacks and challenges, and a lack of resources. A strong will, ingenuity, and good people with a common need. Finally, taming the beast and breaking the curse. But. Much remains unresolved.

*****A Heart so Fierce and Broken #2: Riveting
An intense read! Wow. I don’t even know where to start. Two brothers, two Kingdoms, and magic. Good vs bad, choices right and wrong. Shifting priorities and great risks. Ends on a cliffhanger.

*****A Vow so Bold and Deadly #3: intense
Brothers at odds, spurred by evil magic with an agenda. Many twists and turns, fears and betrayals. Two love stories, a threatened war, and horrendous odds. So much pain and unimaginable suffering in this series… the ending left me initially unsatisfied, but in retrospect, it was the right ending.
—PTators

[Jemece Lamb allred · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so torn about this trilogy. I loved the first book. In the second book I didn’t like the turn the characters took. I feel like vilifying Rhen and making Grey this huge hero was a big mistake. Both sides made equally bad decisions. I think book 2 and 3 should have been a separate series. I feel like the Sylh Shallow crew was a mess. Lia Mara almost totally washed over the cruelty of her sister, because she loves her, and completely condemns Rhen for his actions. Double standard much. I don’t mind all the new characters added in the second book. I don’t like that they make Harper doubt her feelings and try to turn her against Rhen. I did finish all three books and felt that at the end it should have been Rhen and Harper ruling Emberfall and Grey and Lia Mara ruling Sylh Shallow. That could have redeemed it a little bit. I have so many conflicting feelings about books 2 and 3. I’ll just leave it for now because my thoughts are such a jumbled mess.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this trilogy! The writing style, characters, pacing, descriptions - everything was just right. There was overly weird names for places and people that kinda threw me off - and the 2nd book was definitely not as good as the 1st and 3rd (Rhen's actions toward Grey did not fit with his character - even if Lilith was ultimatley to blame) but overall they were great! Grey and Rhen are such great characters that Harper could have ended up with either one and I would have been happy. Jake and Noah, who get dragged into everything, end up being cool. Lia Mara was a little too wimpy and Lilith was way over the top in her torture of Rhen and Grey, so 4 stars instead of 5. (I will admit to some tears near the end of the 3rd book.) Definitely going to read the next series from this same world!

[Anuja Belani · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a very long time I found a series that was perfectly balanced in character arcs, engaging storytelling and world building. Devoured all three books in 4 days, just couldn't get enough.
For all three books the pace of the story was consistent and well balanced; the rising conflict between neighboring countries, the threat of a civil war within the kingdom and the emotional conflict amongst the main characters were extremely well handled with a proper smattering of twists and surprises. The only complain I had was that the end felt a little abrupt and sudden, especially regarding the emotional conflict. I would've liked it if there had been a one more chapters or an epilogue of some kind.
Even so, one of the best reading experiences I've had in recent memory.

[Curly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's not often that I thoroughly enjoy every book in a series but I did with this one. Loosely based off Beauty and the Beast, I thought the world building was excellent and I was very invested in all of the characters. I was hesitant at first in the later books as you read from different character view points to the first book. I wasn't sure I'd like this as much but I really did!

The only downside for me was that the apex of the third book, basically the point you are building up to for a long time, was over very quickly. Personally, I thought it needed more to it.

Altogether, I would highly recommend this series especially if you love a good Disney retelling like I do!

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

IT WAS OK... The actions taken by characters were believable for the most part. Although there was certainly the trope that the young FMC had way more confidence than she should have at that age... I will probably try Kemmerer's other books at some point but Only when I feel like I don't want a difficult read. The writing and story didn't particularly stand out for me and reminded me of many others of its ilk. I much prefer more detailed storytelling but I suspect I'm just not a big Young Adult fan.

[Raymond Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the first two-they were gripping and engaging-but the third was almost an entire recap of the first two. I held on till the end-and was glad I did. Was disappointed with the lack of story on a few of the characters (specifically Noah and Jake). They seemed to be left out of the loop and only thrown in when there needed to be a rescue. Read the first two and only the last 1/3 of the third one. You won’t miss any thing and still get the whole story.

[Mindi · Rating 1 out of 5]

RAGE. The first book was so good, although predictable. The second ruined my life. I hated Lia Mara with a fiery passion, and the way the narrator kept saying finger the way you say 'singer' during her parts, was making me gag. She was a whiny princess, yet she ends up with the best character, while Rhen turns into a total tool and gets to keep Harper?! I absolutely cannot. Everything after book 1 went completely wrong.

[Lisa Hoyt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Good

I highly recommend this series. Couldn't put down this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Story has a little of everything-witchcraft, royalty, monsters, life and death.

[Maria O'Connor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique twist on the beauty and beast type of story. The arcs of the secondary characters became more interesting than the main characters, and there was definitely a lot of fluff.
But still, an entertaining read and worth finishing the trilogy.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't finish the whole trilogy. Halfway through book 2. Don't understand why anyone has any loyalty to Rhen. So much Stockholm syndrome it's worrisome. I feel like I didn't read the same book these other reviewers did.

[Kk books · Rating 2 out of 5]

First book is great, should have left it there. The second boo was okay, I expected the third book to redeem the second one but it didn’t. I’m so upset at the ending. Makes me wish I stopped reading after book 1

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. The second book does change Rhen a bit, but that's based on how the first book ends. Probably my favorite retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Harper is not some damsel-in-distress and really takes matters into her own hands. I highly recommend it.

[Chloe Mcgrory · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star writing. Great balance of reality and fantasy. Captures your imagination and really paints a vivid picture in your minds eye. Genuinely gutted there was only three books involving these characters.

[Ekamjot K · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amaaaazing amazing series but I hate Lia Mara’s character and I wish Rhen was still king, it felt as though only Grey got good things out of this. Lia Mara doesn’t deserve grey, but I loved this beauty and the beast retelling

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 estrellas a esta saga

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this series. I wish there was a 4th book. The entire series kept me interested throughout, though I wish the romance was a little more passionate.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

really really good series!

I really enjoyed reading this series. Each book has a whole new twist and keeps you so involved with all the characters.

[brienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the first one, but the second one wasn’t the best.

Best to… not as best:
The first book
Third book
Second book

[Kairi Felsted · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most wonderful series I have ever read! This genre has been my favorite and I CAN NOT put this series down. Read it, okay? I promise you it's worth it.