Curse of the Fae Prince: A Crowns of Magic Universe Novel

Crowns of Magic Universe #1

by Ashley McLeo

A standalone, steamy fae and witch romance novel.

I’m a dark artifacts hunter, but now I’m the one being hunted. After I tumble into Faerie, dark beasts begin to follow, lurking in the shadows, killing anyone in sight. The monsters are changing the kingdom into something it shouldn’t be, something wrong . They dim the very stars above and freeze the land below. At first, I want out . I want to return to my ailing mother. I want nothing to do with this land that is not mine. And yet, there’s no way out, that isn’t through the monsters, a terrifying scenario that the charming and handsome ruler of the kingdom can’t seem to fix. Actually, he seems more inclined to throw dinners, attend balls, and flirt, rather than figure out how to defeat the monsters at the gates. But when I catch him in a moment of weakness I discover I might be wrong about him. The prince does care, and he feels like he’s to blame. His secret curse is the cause of this madness. And after one shocking revelation, we realize I might be the only one to get the Spring Court out of this mess. Curse of the Fae Prince is a fantasy romance that is perfect for fans of CN Crawford and Sarah J. Maas. Previously published in the Seduced by Magic boxset.

This book is now part of the Crowns of Magic Universe which includes The Coven of Shadows and Secrets Series and The Winter Court Series.

Genres: Audiobook, Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Fae

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2023

About the author

Ashley lives in the lush and green Pacific Northwest with her husband, their dog, and the house ghost that sometimes makes appearances in her charming, old home.
When she’s not writing urban fantasy and portal fantasy novels she enjoys traveling the world, reading, kicking butt at board games (she recommends Splendor and Dominion), and frequenting taquerias.
For all the latest releases and updates, subscribe to Ashley’s newsletter, The Coven, today!

Reviews

[Lorrie (Clockworkbookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2024 Reads #463/250

[Jess K · Rating 2 out of 5]

girl needs to drink more water for how often her mouth dries out. and should probably see a doctor for how often her heart stutters and her breath hitches

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ashley McLeo started the Crowns of Magic Universe with the Coven of Shadows and Secrets, and now she's extending that Universe with her newest standalone, Curse of the Fae Prince: The Spring Court. Wasn't I surprised when I realized that not only were there appearances from the coven members (I know and love) but that this story is a Beauty and the Beast Retelling that centers on the fae with a dash of other supernaturals. It was awesome.


I wanna make it clear that CotFP is a standalone, you don't have to read Coven of Shadows and Secrets. That being said Kora was mentioned a few times and I'm so glad that I finally know her story. I connected to Kora right away she is a fire witch with a firey spirit. When she set her mind to do something she does it but she also has a big heart and an open mind. She also has the patience of a Saint because there were a few moments with the Autumn Court Princess when I would have went off on her but amazingly enough Kora kept herself in check. Kora is incredibly sympathetic to those around her.


Kora has that in common with Aiden. The Prince of the Spring Court cares deeply for his people. His comment is obvious, as well as his kind heart, his people love him. Aiden has a lot on his shoulders and could have handled the situation a little better but overall Aiden is understanding, respectful, and genuine. I like him a lot. There's an instant connection between him and Kora. They work well together, and there was a lot of mutual saving, okay Kora did most of the saving, it was fantastic.


The story was great, I finally got a look at Isila, the Spring Court to be exact. This story was fantastical and exciting. There was also a Bridgerton twist to the story because it's courting season with beautiful gowns, lush balls, and beautiful castles. A few new characters make an appearance, Prince Kieran and Princess Vanya of the Autumn Court as well as Princess Naie of Summer. I have a feeling they will be getting stories as well if not then my vote is for Kieran to at least get one. The Autumn Prince was unexpected and I have a feeling I'm gonna love his story.


Curse of the Fae Prince was a superb read. I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, I got that and more with this story. Heck, I got everything. The moments I consider key in Beauty and the Beast like the beautiful library, the attack in the forest, magic flowers, versions of Mrs. Potts and Gaston, and the enchantments. While also reminding me I was in the Coven of Shadows and Secrets world with talks of potions and dark artifacts and mentions of my favorite characters. I loved it all and I'm looking forward to more stories in the Crowns of Magic Universe, from more Coven books to the upcoming new Winter Court series.

[Claire Peach · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cheesy but sometimes… you just need that.

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the audiobook! This isn’t my usual type of story as I’m just getting into fantasy stuff, but I enjoyed it! It started off kinda slow and a little boring, but it eventually picked up and became a really interesting story! Lots of different types of creatures and magic involved. Wasn’t really much on a spicy level, maybe a 1? There were a few kissing scenes and one scene that alluded to more but not very descriptive.

[Lynzi Crouthamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book! I'm excited to read the series too.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 3.5⭐️

Fun little read, except for being partially in New Haven CT. Ew.

[Dan Creagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book to review. I upgraded it to four stars but it is 3.5 in my mind.

Slow to start but last half was interesting.

This is, generally, a YA level story about a fire witch who gets trapped in another world but with benefits. It started off somewhat slow and maybe even too simple. Around the 50% mark it picked up and I did enjoy the ending.

Having said it is YA level, I should mention it has one section that has a more explicit sex scene but it is relatively short and does contribute to the story line. It is advertised as a steamy fae and romance novel but it is fairly tame except for this one section.

Kora is the witch and she meets a beautiful (her words) stranger who ends up being part of the bigger adventure. The first half of the book is mostly about the consequences of this meeting and has a lot of awe on Kora's part dealing with the luxury of a castle and prince. Wealth, gifts, gowns, and pageantry were in play but with somewhat unclear reasons which seemed to take a while to evolve. I kept hoping it would speed up... and it finally did.

At the 57% mark, we find out that Kora has some serious skills... somewhat to the dismay of several things that got in her way. Somewhere round this part the pace picked up and I enjoyed it much more.

There were five or six main characters with one of them being one of the villains but, while the clues were a bit heavy, it was still interesting to see how it played out. While I could not identify with Kora, or any of the characters very well, it still was interesting in the end.

So... it is a slow to evolve YA-like tale with a bit (little bit) of sex thrown in. I found it hard to relate or care much until the last half.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It didn't completely fit the summary, it was close to it - but, the summary makes it seem spicier with a flippant prince than there actually is, and the monsters aren't hunting the FMC so much as they just hunt.

Other than that, I really liked the story. It was captivating and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. It is loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast, and I'm not sure how that relates to Sarah J Maas fans other than being fae and B&B inspired.

I did expect more spice than the book actually had. There was angst, mentions of getting hot and bothered, less than a handful of kissing, and one very short minorly explicit sex scene. So, if you're hoping for steam and spice - it really isn't there. If you can't read any type of on-page scenes, then...sure, I guess it's spicy for you.

Overall, I thought the story was unique. It is hard to find a retelling/inspired-by that isn't a rehashing of the same story. This was one of the very few that I've read that was truly not the same. Yes, there will be a couple of things that are used; it's how you use the ingredients together that can change a recipe.

I'll probably be falling into more books by the author now.

[Piros OlaSz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sd confess after the first 20% I was not impressed so left this book hanging.
After a year or so I scrolles thru my unfinished books (as I hate to leave sg unfinished and was nothing I was actually wanting to read) so I picked it up.
Fortunately I still remembered the story line and how happy I was to find out that this is actually a good book.
I was really not into another jig dancer fae kinda luv story and actually it is not! But if I wd be a putdown and neveragain gal I wouldnt find it out like ever…
Soooo: after a meeeeeh pub scene it turns into an interesting adventure in the cursed spring court with a B&B vibe. It has a lot of adventure (and fight: both literal and emotional) and actually ends up with a nice adventure-romance book. Its not even that much ofan insta luv that you cannot handle and a good teasing goes thru the Aiden and Kora’s interaction.
I especially loved the two princess’s character and cant wait what happens with maybe Vanya next?

All in all got a 3 (but a strong) for the very bad start and a quiet good following.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curse of the Fae Prince: The Spring Court was an incredibly interesting story that had me hooked with its vast world and magical characters! Not to mention, I am a sucker for anything and everything that includes a fairytale retelling even when it is relatively subtle. While I have not read any of the books from the extended universe, this book is a standalone and I think that is accurate as I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading the other books. That being said, I loved this book so much that I would love to check out the other stories in the same world and I hope we get more from this world as there are a lot of interesting characters I feel like we can get even more from. All in all, this was a beautiful story with a lush environment and a super cute romance. Kora and Aiden were adorable and I enjoyed seeing them get to know one another more and work together to get rid of the curse. Look forward to reading more!

[Marie Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spice: non-explicit on-page. Easily skipped over if it's not your thing.

This is about a year before Meredith joins Shadows & Secrets, but can be read without knowledge of that series.

Kora, a fire witch, is sent after an artefact in Ireland, but while on the mission she accidentally portals into the Spring Court of Isila and joins the courting season. Could happen to anyone, am I right?

She'll have to help solve the court's problems so she can collect the flower she needs to cure her mother and return home, while also dealing with jealous fae princesses and monsters that want to 🔪 her.

My only issue with this book was I didn't even know the MC's name when I started and had to read a bit before I got it. First person isn't my favorite POV and it was super hard to read at first, since I didn't know whose head I was in.

[Victoria Golby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful characters

Curse of the Fae Prince is set in the world of Coven of Shadows and Secrets, but before Seeker of Secrets. Luca sends Kora on a solo mission to find an artifact to beak a curse; so she can then get a potion to heal her mum. After traveling to Ireland for her mission she meets Aiden in a pub and is instantly drawn to him. But nothing is what is seems when she ends up trapped in the Realm of Islia.

I absolutely loved this story and could not put it down. The characters are so well written and likable (well most of them) and I loved seeing Kora and Aiden’s relationship develop. It was also great how it was connected to the other series, with small references, but very much a standalone story. I hope we might see more of Kora and Aiden in the Coven of Shadows and Secrets.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Yolanda Orme · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was better than I thought. The main character is an American witch in Ireland task to save her mother who is ill who sent on a mission and that’s all I will say I’m not gonna give any spoilers away, but it held my attention and it does have action in it It’s not what I expected, but it really isn’t but it was a good Reed. I didn’t throw it or well I never throw my books, but I didn’t turn around and say I don’t want to read this. I finished it and I was pleasantly surprised. This is the first time I’ve ever read from this author so I give it three stars. It wasn’t bad now. Someone may feel differently. And have a different opinion of this book and I understand everybody is different in their reading, but I was pleasantly for me. It was OK pretty good entertaining.

[Karin Sakacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curse of the Fae Prince follows Kora, a dark artifacts hunter and witch, and Prine Aidoneus heir of the Spring Court. The two meet while Kora is on a job in Ireland. This meeting is the catalyst for Kora ending up in the Fae realm.
I thought the book was paced really well. The different types of magic were a lot of fun to read, and I never felt confused as it transitions from one to the other. While I did enjoy the book, it was a bit predictable in parts and felt a lot like instalove, in my opinion. If you like a romantasy with little spice, I'd recommend checking it out.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kora is determined to obtain the money needed to cure her sick mother, and she will do whatever it takes. So when her coven, Shadows and Secrets, tasks her with finding an amulet to break a curse for a client, Kora accepts. She travels to Ireland and settles into a B&B before stopping at a local pub for a drink. It's there that she meets Aiden, and finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. This captivating story includes elements of vanity, action, and romance, culminating in a heartwarming HEA. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aizlynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is recommended for readers 18+ due to adult content.

This is a great extension to the world set up in the Coven of Shadows and Secrets series. Isila, basically Faerie, is talked about but not ventured to in that series. It is great to actually go there and experience one of the courts, the politics, and the magic within Isila. Kora is a fantastic fire witch with a personality to match. Aiden is sweet and gentle but also has a fierce loyalty to his people and strength to do what needs to be done. Their story is a fabulous addition to this world.

[Shirley Bostock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout as an ARC reader and am voluntarily leaving a review. I really enjoyed this book once i got my head around the fact it was a sort of prequal to The Coven of Shadows and Secrets although not really much concerned them, This was about Kora and Aiden/Aidoneus and their journey in the Faerie Spring Court and the dangers they fought to save the Kingdom from the anger of a spurned Mage, would recommend this stand alone novel.

[nat _lovestoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! ❤️

Amazing installment with a great world building, wonderful characters and a mysterious and enthralling plot! 😍
Loved Kora and Aiden instant connection, but also that they took their time to explore their feelings and that he never pressured her, always giving her a choice! 🤗🥰
Also, loved how Kora fitted in the plot, being a key player in the curse solution, solidyfing their bond and earning her place in the Spring Court! #badassgirl 💪🏻👊🏻💅🏻
Now, can't wait to read the next book in this new series/season in this fantastic Universe!... oh and I loved the cameos, hope our S&S members will make more appearances! 😍❤️

[Jill Gauger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was filled with romance, intrigue and betrayal. Kora is a fire witch from the human realm who meets Aiden while on a mission. The attraction between them is intense. When she goes to fulfill her mission she spies Aiden and believes that he is working for a rival and decides to follow him. Unknown to her is that he is from the Fae realm and she accidentally follows him to faerie. From that point on she finds herself immersed in chaos.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.

[Gijzette Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me glued to its pages from the very beginning. I wanted to learn more about our protagonists Kora and Prince Aidoneus. Would they fall in love? Would they have to fight for that love? Would they have others or other creatures get in the way. All of these questions were answered within the pages of the book. I don’t want to spoil it for you so I won’t tell you what I found out.

Ashley McLeo is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always filled with wonderful action and adventures with some romance thrown in. She does a wonderful job of character building. There is just enough backstory to make the characters believable but doesn’t detract from the story at hand. Her world building is excellent and you can imagine yourself being there right along with the protagonists.

I highly recommend this book. After you read it you should check out some of her other books especially the Coven of Shadow and Secrets series which is mentioned in this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

After showing up in previous books, finally get to see Kora front and center. The story was good and entertaining to read. Lots of danger, action, steam and surprises along the way as Kora ends up in Faerie. Of course things are not simple and trouble abounds. Cannot go wrong with a witch and Fae. Enjoyed it.

[Brenda Chavers-martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Curse of the Fae Prince

I love the world of magic.and this story was full of magic, intrigue, death, power play, and love. The main characters are a Fire Witch and a Fae Prince. They meet in Ireland and enjoy a night of dancing that ends with both in a fae kingdom facing a curse. This was an awesome story plot and kept me reading every waking moment. I love a great HEA.

[Nicki Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing short read!!!!

I love the story as a whole but I definitely want more...I hope to see the winter court and spring court team up soon and would love to hear more about the other courts! Such an amazing world our girl has built here and I am here for any more I can!!! They are all so beautifully written!!! 😍

[Nicki Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this short read!!! The connection between the main characters is so amazing and I loved the way it played out to where she was able to still be with her mom and have the love she deserves!!!

I absolutely love this world that is being built and I really hope to see more of it in the other courts and see our beloved characters intertwine more with other courts!!!

[Emzy Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story. I really enjoyed it. The world building was wonderful and very detailed. I love how organically it was folded into the story. The characters are a variety of unique strong characters. The plot was a very interesting ride to engage on. I was kept guessing towards the very end. I really enjoyed the author style of writing. I highly recommend this book and the author.

[Saundra Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so great. It's a story alluded to in other books by this author. Finally we get to read Kora's love story in full. A simple witch on a mission who stumbles into love. Great characters and world building.

[Shayay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting fae world, cool magical artifacts, and a fun adventure! I don’t fully love the royal dynamics going on; the rules and conniving, but the story is still an entertaining one. Plus, there’s some sweet romance going on! Enjoyed the read!

[Cat B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different type of reading for me so I was not quite sure how it was going to go. It was interesting, that is to be sure. Not sure I would continue in this type of reading but this one was a fairly decent story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this review

[Ordean Zora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story