Of the Curse or the Crown

The Veridian Empire #2

by V.B. Lacey

Princess Diaries 2 meets King Midas in this swoon-worthy forbidden romance fantasy standalone.

An heir. An Empress. A Queen.

As a former rebel leader, Clarissa Aris is no stranger to power. She’s ready to reclaim the throne of the Veridian Empire and is eager to guide her people out of a past of violence and into a better future.

But when a mysterious king unexpectedly asks for her hand in marriage to restore peace between their two lands, she chooses to accept. Clarissa travels to meet him in Mysthelm, a realm they had been cut off from for centuries, and is thrust into a foreign kingdom with secrets around every corner, a betrothed she isn’t sure she can trust, and brewing tension with his handsome best friend and advisor.

Clarissa’s search for answers uncovers the truth behind a deadly blight sweeping Mysthelm and a centuries-old curse threatening to destroy the people she’s come to care for. When she learns her magic may be the only cure, she’s determined to both rescue this kingdom from danger and keep the Veridian Empire safe from meddling forces.

Time is running out. Which will fall the curse or the crown?

Of the Curse or the Crown is the second book in a series of interconnected dark fantasy standalones. This book includes a summary of book one, In the Wake of the Wicked , for those who have not read it. While it is advised to read book one first, it’s not necessary. Of the Curse or the Crown follows a newly appointed Empress who chooses to unite with a feuding kingdom in a marriage of convenience. She finds herself thrown into a world of curses, secrets, and meddling Fates while battling feelings for her betrothed’s best friend. Perfect for lovers of Princess Diaries, Greek mythology, and The Plated Prisoner series, this book is full of plot twists, lovable side characters, unique magic, witty banter, and no spice forbidden love romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Fiction, Young Adult, Clean Romance, Magic

538 pages, Paperback

Published July 24, 2025

About the author

V.B. Lacey is an office manager by day and an avid reader-turned-writer by night. She grew up on stories of magic, love, and sarcasm, and equips her writing with all three. She lives in Texas with her supportive husband and two rambunctious dogs. When she’s not writing about morally grey characters and far-off kingdoms, you can find her reading (mostly fantasy and contemporary romance), playing board games, or spending time with friends.

Follow on Instagram: @vblacey.books

Reviews

[Kaila Johnson (Diaz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the Curse or the Crown by V.B. Lacey
(Veridian Empire #2 – interconnected standalone)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Romance:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🫑🖤

I finished this book with my heart stretched too full and my fingers already itching for the next one. V.B. Lacey has delivered a lush, emotionally loaded story that wrecked me in all the ways we readers love to be ruined by a book.

And that epilogue, ma’am? Rude.

Clarissa Aris is the kind of heroine you feel. She is a storm of strength, vulnerability, duty, and longing. Watching her walk the razor’s edge between empire and identity, power and heart, was both gutting and empowering. She’s wild in spirit but bound by expectation, and the more the story unfolds, the more you ache with her, hope with her, and fight with her.

The world is vivid, dangerous, and dripping in political tension. Lacey weaves romance, intrigue, and high-stakes secrets together so seamlessly that you don’t realize how deep you’ve fallen until it’s too late. And the romance? Slow burn, forbidden, and charged with the kind of intensity that simmers under every interaction. No spice necessary. This is emotional intimacy at its finest. Bell pepper readers, this is so your jam.

This book doesn’t just immerse you. In truth, it consumes you. What I absolutely adore about the way VB Lacey writes is that she has a way of engaging all five senses. And with her plot turns that will have you whispering “no way” into the pages at 2AM, it’s the kind of story that lingers long after you close the cover. The twists at the end of the book had me in thinking “Say sike right now!” But she really did that and then left us to pick our own jaws up off the floor.

5 glowing stars. Add it to your TBR, preorder it, build a shrine—I don’t care how you get it, just read it. This one’s going to leave a mark. And seriously, having to wait for book three is just rude lol

[A Novel Encounter · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Read

Rating - 4.5

This book had me sold at Princess Diaries 2 vibes! It touched the nostalgic side of me seeing hints of the movie shining throughout the story.

I would recommend also if you like forbidden lovers, a little enemies to lovers, love triangle/slowburn/arranged marriage.

As a standalone book, I felt it was written really well. I was able to read this and also get a brief understanding of what previously happened in the wake of the wicked as I haven’t read this yet.

I really felt a connection to both Clarissa and Thorne, and at points brought tears to my eyes as I truly felt their emotions and struggles throughout and I think most of the character building was done really well, having said that maybe a little more of the romantic moments thrown in between those two would've been an extra treat 😏 I loved the bond shown between Thorne and Marigold I feel like V's very good with showing characters bonds and emotions well.

At a point, the pace did feel it had slowed toward the middle, but then when it kicked back in, it got right back into action. It was really refreshing to read a book where I wasn't able to guess the ending too, oh the twists!

I think all in all this was a great read, and I'd easily read it again. Maybe the pace could have been a little quicker in places and maybe see a bit more romance between Thorne/Clarissa, but that's my personal preference, and only because I loved those two characters together!

I love how it has been left open for a Book Three.

Thank you so much for such a great story!

I'm really excited to see Nox's story next!! He sounds like a heartbreaker 💔

[Lexi Rachelle Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

PRINCESS DIARIES 2 & KING MIDAS MASH UP?!!

The most ✨perfect✨ combination I have ever read and I already want to start a reread.

I truly was not prepared for how much I was going to fall in love with Clarissa and Thorne. They're quite literally my new roman empire. It's been over a month since I finished the book and I still think about them almost daily. The TENSION. The YEARNING. It's a no spice romance and you don't even notice because that's how good the chemistry is between them.

I'm so happy it was written in dual POV because you were able to get to really get to know both characters. Plus being inside Thorne's head when Clarissa would interact with his daughter?! Cue the waterworks. It's not often we see the single dad trope in fantasy and I AM HERE FOR IT. I was already obsessed with Thorne but then throw in him being sweet with his daughter and I was absolutely melting for this man.

The best part about standalones is there isn't a cliffhanger and they got their HEA! However, it did set up the next standalone book and I seriously can't wait! I've been excited for this character's book since they were introduced in book 1🙌🏻🥰

Perfect if you love...
✨standalone romantasy
✨princess diaries 2 meets king midas
✨arranged marriage
✨political intrigue
✨mysterious curse
✨forbidden love
✨single dad

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy to review!

[Jenny Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
ARC Review

V.B. Lacey has done it again with Of the Curse or the Crown—a swoon-worthy follow up to “In the Wake of the Wicked” that proves she’s an absolute force in the romantasy genre. While I adore Rose and Leo in book one, the chemistry between Rissa and Thorne? Off. The. Charts. Their banter, the tension, the slow-burn romance… it had my heart fluttering.

Rissa is everything you want in a FMC—strong, brave, endlessly compassionate—even when the world doubts her. She never stops fighting for what’s right, even when the cost feels impossibly high. And Thorne? Be still my heart. The softest, most loyal single dad with a quiet strength that makes you fall hard. His love for his daughter and the way his feelings for Rissa unfolded? Chef’s kiss.

The plot is packed with twists, and the pacing kept me hooked from start to finish. And that ending? Let’s just say I’m more than ready for a fiery redhead and a moody dragon for book 3!

[Maddie B · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! it was an honor to arc read and be back in VB Lacey's writing, I love the world building, the characters, the way scenes are described, absolutely everything about the way that this story is told. Of the Curse or the Crown is the second book in a set of interconnected standalones so you don't have to read any other books prior to this one! For full emotional impact, I recommend reading In the Wake of the Wicked first which I absolutely loved as well. This book follows Rissa and Thorne and is Princess Diaries 2 x King Midas themed which was so well done. I was rooting for Thorissa the whole book and the banter and yearning were perfection. I made a LOT of highlights in this book and had quite a few reactions, some I predicted and others I did not see coming. I loved getting to reconnect with characters from ITWOTW and get to know Rissa more, the older sister with the weight of the world on her shoulders and feels like she has to be perfect, if that gives you any idea of the type of person she is. But Rissa is also deeply caring and I could tell where her morals were the whole book, even when she made decisions that could have benefited her, she did what was best for her people, which I really admire. Thorne is a single dad (girl dad!) and he is such a good father. I feel like this was a really unique situation that I haven't seen very often but I really enjoyed the dynamic and Marigold is just the CUTEST little girl. OTCOTC has mental health rep, swooning (like a LOT), a curse (who could have guessed!), top tier banter (I'm talking referring to Rissa as a "wet, feral cat"), and sooooo much more. Here are some of my favorite highlights:
‘Remember that goodness is not found in beauty, child, but in the heart.’
If mercy made me passive or weak, then so be it. Clarissa Aris, the weakest empress of the Veridian Empire.
“Careful, Lord Reaux. My bark may be bad, but her bite is worse.” And with that, she strode ahead of me toward my carriage, her shoulders straight and head high.
I may have...[grown] up on scraps and daggers and secrets, but, Fates, did I love pretty things.
My brow furrowed. “Because if people are suffering, and nothing is being done to end it, it becomes the responsibility of those with power—those with a voice—to do something about it. It doesn’t matter if that voice is Veridian or Mysthelm.”
I would never claim to know everything about being a good leader, but having some sort of relationship with those who followed you was high on my list.
But she was able to turn it off like flicking out a candle. At the drop of a hat, she could stand regal. Strong.
Strong emotions like this made me unstable. They made me dangerous. And when I couldn’t control them, they became my weakness. My magic may have healed my injuries over the years, but the bruises and scars still lined my body beneath the surface. The sting of rejection still pierced my skin.
Everyone has moments that are hard to face, even the strongest of us.”
“I don’t know what’s happened to you to make you think you’re not ‘enough’ of anything. I barely know you, and I can already see how you’ve given all of yourself, not only to your own people, but to a kingdom you’ve spent barely a few days in. A lesser person wouldn’t even consider doing what you’re doing. You’re strong for everybody else in your life, Clarissa Aris.”
Firm but gentle. Strong but controlled. I repeated my mantra as I took it, soft leather against smooth skin.
“You two will be the death of me.” “Then what a way to go,” I responded.
My gaze swept over the guards and the crowd beyond, now shouting and moving forward to get a better look at the bonfire. It was chaos, voices blending with the crackling of fire and shuffling of feet on grass and straw. “They wanted to watch me burn,” I said, straightening my shoulders. “So let them.”
I want you to be happy, but there’s no magic spell I can say to make it all turn out the way we want. We have to make our own happiness with what we’re given.”
But up until eight and a half months ago, I was more used to dirty leggings and daggers than gowns and slippers.
“I suppose I was. But thankfully, I figured out who I wanted to be.” We reached the door of my hut and turned to face each other. “And who is that?” I looked down at Marigold. “A father. A romantic,” I said teasingly, then my eyes met Clarissa’s and my voice softened. “A better man.”
“As have you, you quirky old bat,” Thalira shot back.

I have many more (541 highlights and 292 notes to be exact) but I will leave you with these, come join us in the Veridian Empire! I promise it will be an adventure.

[Stacey | read.with.stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

4.5 ⭐️

Vanessa does it again! I really enjoyed this one. This book follows Clarissa, the sister of the MMC from book 1.

This book is described as Princess Diaries 2 x King Midas. The plot had me hooked right from the start (and I mean literally right from the prologue). Clarissa is such an awesome and strong FMC. This book has forbidden love, a single dad, meddling Fates, and an interesting curse. This is a no spice romance, but man, it does not need it! Vanessa delivers with the tension and the MMC is swoon worthy.

The Veridian Empire series is going to be a series of interconnected standalones, and while you certainly don’t need to read “In the Wake of the Wicked” first, I would suggest you do because 1) it’s awesome and 2) it will just give you that extra layer of connection to some of the characters.

I cannot wait for book 3! Thank you so much Vanessa for the gifted e-book and for allowing me to read your book early!

[Alexiani G · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

“Remember that goodness is not found in beauty, child, but in the heart”

To start and convey how much I liked this book I need you to know that I started this book at night and was able to read until chapter 7, then I stopped and proceeded to read the ENTIRE book the next day and this book is 542 pages on kindle so yeah, it was -and is- that good.

When I started again the next day, I was shocked that by midday I had already read 50% of this book. I was like “what??!! Where did this book go??” and this doesn’t mean we don’t get depth in this story because it’s usually the romance books that have a simpler plot that make me read fast with no problem, this reading was possible because of the amazing writing style Vanessa has. I was able to connect with this new nation, these new characters, this story and its problems and understand the layers it has with no issues whatsoever because of her and I thank you Vanessa, for this wonderful book.

I like to write long reviews so stick with me or go to the part of the review that interests you<3

Writing style – sequel – Standalone – Details

As I said, Vanessa is a genius. She weaved all these next topics: characters, plot, world building, stories within stories, action, pain, treason and more, in a way that didn’t feel made. Let me explain, there are moments when I read books and think “ok, this is here because we’ll probably need this later” and here she weaved everything together in a way you can’t have one thing without the other and they don’t feel out of place. I know the story of In the Wake of the Wicked (book 1) so I think it’s very necessary to read and ENJOY that book before you read this one BUT if you don’t want to, you can easily read the extraordinary recap Vanessa did at the beginning of this book and enjoy and understand everything that happens here with no problem. (but I do urge you to read book one lol) so it works as a perfect sequel of course but it also stands on its own. I loved how this book builds layers in its own story that keep you at the edge of your seat and at the same time leaves you wanting for more (yes book 3 I am speaking about you) so yes, details matter.

Plot:

At first I was wondering how long it would take for my two main characters to meet, thinking that what happens before that doesn’t matter as much because some books, sadly, don’t do a good job of hooking you while you wait for what the synopsis of the book says so, color me shocked when I starting this book and I was all in, I didn’t care Clarissa and Thorne were not together, I enjoyed every single second.

Also, I appreciated the complexity of the problems Clarissa was facing, it wasn’t just the marriage to a king she doesn’t know, it was the issues within her own council, her fears presented as PTSD of what happened to her, the threats to her life by another person in power, then Clarissa finding out she not only has to carry the weight of the people of her nation but of the people of this new nation she starts to care about because, yes, that’s in her nature, all of this while she has an internal fight of acceptance. And let’s not forget the fact that she starts to fall for her betrothed’s best friend -I’ll talk about Thorne in a sec-. Also, remember we also have a mysterious curse that is killing some things here and there so yeah, layers that make you connect with this book in seconds.
Nothing in this story feels out of place, nothing feels unnecessary and that makes this story extraordinary.

Characters:

Where do I even begin? I was surprised at how fast I felt for these characters. I felt hatred for some of them from the very first moment. I fell in love with Thorne instantly, I don’t know why but his personality made me realize I was expecting something different out of him and realizing he was way better than the usual and stereotype “grumpy” we get in many books right now made me happy. In a way, because of his physical appearance I pictured him like this commanding, grumpy man that speaks only when necessary and with a gruff voice but, reading in the first few chapters how he cared about his best friend -King Galen that is betrothed to Clarissa- then his daughter, then his mother, then to read about him messing with Clarissa to then see a deeper part of him, I was not expecting that much depth and color out of him and it was a pleasant surprise. So, in other words, I totally love him.

I was also happy to get more characters other than Clarisssa, Thorne and Galen. I would have honestly liked more of Thorne’s daughter BUT that’s jus me being selfish lol.

She looked at me for a second, then propped her hand on her hip. “You know I’m not a fox, right?”

I enjoyed the surprise with characters we had here and I loved to get to know the people that live in this new nation and their interactions with Clarissa. It gave the story a touch of realism that make us care far more than the usual bubble we get in some books.

And of course, I loved Clarissa. The way this book explores her relationship with her mother, her love for her brother and friends, the love and burden/privilege she feels for her people. Her PTSD, her bravery in the face of every single obstacle she faced here, because let me tell you she was brave to face a whole nation of people that don’t think very kindly of her, brave enough to face a king that doesn’t deserve what he has, brave to love in the face of uncertainty -not only Thorne but the people around her- she is portrayed as a person that actually cares, she’s not a queen because of the title, she’s a queen by heart and I loved that. Also, I was really into the way Vanessa created the relationship between Thorne and Clarissa, it felt like insta love but not resting on the physical aspect, of course they liked each other that way but they fell for the other because their personalities were what they needed in that moment and those things hooked them from the very start and the way it grew made me extremely happy. Their moments together were numbered but each one of them was so worth it.

I’d let this man, this soft-hearted, idealistic, romantic man cloaked under the cocky mask of his youth worm his way into my heart. Him and his daughter both. I’d lied to myself for days that it was mere attraction, that it was far too quick to feel anything meaningful.
World building:

This story starts with a greedy king that made some really awful decisions that made life for all of his descendants very difficult and the way I was HOOKED was impressive. I wanted revenge, answers and justice within two minutes of reading the prologue of this book. And so, from there the story grows. I was so happy to be presented to this new kingdom/nation step by step, I was not overwhelmed by the world building nor by the way the layers of this story were presented, I understood everything that was going on from the very start and that made the reading experience so much better.

To be honest, I would have liked a different way to break the tension or “solve” the problem at the end. Yes, I was satisfied but we had so much tension that when the problem was solved, I was left expecting more. Not a fight because that would have felt out of place for this plot but maybe something else to what we had. This was my only -very small- issue with the book because the rest of it was perfect.

It feels so good to find an author that writes in a way that is professional, passionate, pristine, pure, a writer that has intriguing stories and delivers them without the need to add unnecessary content or tropes to the story and I pray it continues.

Again, thank you so much Vanessa for the opportunity to have this ARC and for writing this amazing story. I can’t wait to know more on you know who lol

“And here you come, beauty and grace and strength all bottled into this fiery, stubborn woman, and I wanted. I wanted your resolve and conviction. I wanted your heart of gold, your ability to give such light and magic to the world. I wanted you.”

---------

I just finished this book and let me tell you, it did not disappoint!! It's wonderful to have swoon worthy characters with complex stories and a problem that either pulls them together or apart. Go pre-order this book and give it a shot (I recommend to read book 1 fist, it's sooooo good)

Also, I can't believe I read this in a day (pretty much because I started in the evening of one day, read about 5 or 6 chapters and then finished the rest the next day)

This is an ARC, this wonderful book will release in July 24th😍

Rtc!!!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Of the Curse or the Crown (The Veridian Empire, book 2)

“𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮.”

Of the Curse or the Crown is the second standalone in The Veridian Empire series and can be read on its own or after book 1.

Clarissa, former rebel leader, is now temporarily Empress of the Veridian Empire. With the empire still healing from years of divide and mistrust, she seeks to earn the respect of the courts and ensure long lasting peace.

Thorne is the King of Mysthelm’s best friend and advisor. When he meets the king’s new betrothed, he can’t help but feel drawn to her. Beyond duty and expectation, it seems the fates have much in store for them.

Tropes:
👑Princess Diaries 2 meets King Midas
🚫Forbidden love
🦊Shifters
🙋🏻Single dad
💫Fantasy standalone
🫑No spice romance
🐾Animal companion
❤️‍🩹Anxiety and trauma rep
🪨They’re stuck in a cave
🏛️Greek mythology vibes

Rissa is brave and selfless but is still mending pieces of herself. I loved seeing how Thorne innately recognizes exactly what she needs. There’s a tenderness and intensity in the way their romance unfolds. She ignites something within him while he wars with his head and his heart. Their chemistry sizzles and the banter was so much fun. Both are willing to give and sacrifice for the greater good, even if it’s at their expense. Will duty bring them together or tear them apart?

In Of the Curse or the Crown, the author thoughtfully touches on duty, grief, and trauma while weaving an emotionally-stirring dark fantasy with a forbidden romance and suspenseful dēadly intrigue. I am eager for the next standalone!

Thank you to the author for the ARC opportunity. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[bia.reads.fantasy · Rating 5 out of 5]

V.B. Lacey does it again!! When I tell you I devoured this book and left no crumbs. From the very beginning, I was completely hooked. V.B. Lacey has this way of grabbing your attention from the jump. I was a HUGE fan of In the Wake of the Wicked, the first installment of The Veridian Empire series, and could not wait to dive into this world again.

Things I loved:
♡a secret curse
♡arranged marriage
♡smart, selfless, strong FMC, who is afraid to be vulnerable and show her feelings
♡loyal, selfless, some would say romantic 😉 MMC who isn't afraid of her emotions and helps her during panic attacks
♡single dad
♡forbidden romance
♡YEARN👏🏻ING👏🏻
♡BAN👏🏻TER👏🏻
♡so many twists and turns
♡cameos from ITWOTW 🌹🐒

Again, my favorite part of these books is the amazing mental health representation. As someone who suffers from panic attacks, I loved how accurately they were described. The anxieties and struggles that each character goes through were perfectly thought out and expressed in a way that made me feel their struggles.

Of the Curse of the Crown was another 6⭐️ read for me from V.B. Lacey. I can't wait to tab and annotate during my reread of this truly wonderful book.

[Sarah Ohnsman · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIRST - I’m so happy to be chosen as an ARC reader. But what I love even more is that was totally worth it!!

Second - this gets a 4.5 from me because it was just so FUN! Now I’m not saying ITWOTW was poorly written by any means, but I do have to say that I enjoyed the writing in this one more. You can really tell Vanessa was in the freakin GROOVE with this. While technically you don’t need to read ITWOTW first, it’s definitely for the best to make sure you read it (hello…. inner circle???)

Our talented author frequently says to think of Princess Diaries when describing, and she’s not wrong. My thoughts!

- ❗️❗️ Kindreds Curse Saga (Heat specifically) and Onyx Storm vibes 👀
- the definition of a witty FMC and MMC
- funny banter & quick remarks
- plot driven with vivid scene setting
- Vanessa may the the queen at building up good swoon worthy tension and then taking it away FAST (giving me whiplash over here but I’m foaming at the mouth)

And excitedly… our FMC and MMC and characters are of a normal age!

Third - can I have book 3 NOW?!?

[Meg (fantasybook.adventurer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Of the Curse or the Crown✨

Author: VB Lacey
Release: July 24, 2025
Series: book 2 in The Viridian Empire

Wow! Lacey knows so well how to represent mental health/support and she does so again in this second installment of her newest series of interconnected Standalones. This whole beauty was such a great portrayal of not being afraid to be vulnerable & finding those people you can be you with, safe with, and allow them to care for you. To know when to release control and let go; let yourself be loved as you deserve. The vulnerability IS a strength and admitting weakness is too. So well done.

Along with that is lots of forbidden love, yearning and chaos! We follow a dual POV with our MCs, Clarissa and single dad, Lord Thorne. We follow our new Empress, Clarissa, as she embarks on a journey to solidify her position and keep war at bay. As she ventures to a land where there is no magic and a betrothal to a king she’s never met, Clarissa finds much more than she was lead to believe in her letter. A cursed king; a dying land; a hurting people; a love she cannot have; and an evil that lurks closer than she ever imagined.

There’s so much yearning and comfort in this book, it was delightful. While Lacey is a “no spice” author, that does not mean her her romance, banter, and tension is lacking. Not at all! We’ve got unique magics, found family, high stakes, plot twists, court intrigue, and a strong female presence who is both soft and strong. Just a good time!

Tropes you may find in OTCOTC are arranged marriage, forbidden love, he comforts her, mental health rep, tension & yearning, single dad, slow burn, no spice, forced proximity, plot twists, political intrigue, and a HEA.

Thank you once again, sweet Lacey, for letting me be an arc reader for you!

[Lezane Wilkens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, absolutely a 4.5⭐️ book

It included elements of magic, the world building was next level and the slow-burn romance was one point. I enjoyed the banter so much that I couldn’t put it down.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the FMC and the MMC and was refreshing to have a different love interest than the normal trope.

I thoroughly enjoyed this dynamic as it is very different from most romantasies out there.

I didn’t see the final twist coming and that very curious how the next book will unfold. I also enjoyed the dual POV.

This was an ARC read and I would like to thank the author for sending me this copy. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the 3rd book in the series.

[Linda Roach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa, I LOVED Of The Curse Or The Crown! Your writing had me hooked straight away and with the whimsical fairytale vibes the story immediately allowed me to drift away into a beautiful fantasy world with magic and shifters and hot men 💁🏻‍♀️ It was everything I want in a romantasy 🥰

The way you have been able to craft a female main character as perfect as Clarissa 🥹 I just want to be her. She is kind and fierce and funny with a violent streak that reminds me of myself when I’m angered 😝 but Clarissa also refreshingly real despite being an empress. She is equal parts feminine rage, with the strength and tenacity to lead an empire but tempered impeccably with the softer desires to find love and to be loved. Despite her hard life, she still wants to believe in love! I really enjoyed the mental health rep with her panic attacks and anxiety. I could totally relate.

Thorne was also such a well written MMC. He’s a bad boy with a cocky grin and knows he’s handsome and starts out with an ego big enough to make my eyes roll. However he’s a man with layers and once Clarissa starts getting underneath his skin and looks for the man underneath the facade, Thorne becomes more swoon-worthy every moment.

This book is dual POV and it was perfect to capture the toe curling yearning between both Clarissa and Thorne (Thorissa 😍). Clarissa is meant to be marrying King Galen so any feelings between Thorne and Clarissa is forbidden. Forbidden love is one of my favourite tropes! So each stolen moment, each sneaky look, each brushing of their pinkies had me screaming and falling more in love with them. The early moments when the attraction was undeniable and each thought the other was awful 😂 The banter between the two at the start of the story had me giggling and smiling. It really did remind me of The Princess Diaries 2 and keen readers will notice a few Easter eggs from the movie.

Galen definitely gave me some King Midas vibes. He was an interesting juxtaposition to Thorne and despite them being similar rogues and ladies men in their youth, it was refreshing to see how much Thorne had changed. Also thanks to Thorne my single daddy kink is unlocked 🔥 It was a winning look on Thorne because he was so sweet with his daughter.

This book will have you hooked and you won’t want to put it down because you’ll be so caught up in the banter and yearning and the magic and curses! Vanessa just has that beautiful way of describing things that makes reading a pleasure.

Some of my favourite quotes:
Even as wet as a feral cat, this woman was beautiful. Beautiful things often had a way of taking control of my lips before my mind could catch up. Most women found it charming. Obviously not this one.

“Men who think they own every room they walk into. Who hide behind lies and are used to charming their way into anything they want with a nice smile and pretty words.” “You think I have a nice smile?” A quiet growl escaped me as I pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers.

“From the moment I saw you, I knew I couldn’t have you. But I wanted you anyway. I wanted to be a better man because of you. For my daughter, for my kingdom, and for myself.”

Who is strong for you?

You’ll love this book if you enjoy:

👑 Princess Diaries 2 meets King Midas vibes
❤️ heart wrenching forbidden love
❤️‍🔥 no spice but swoon worthy romance
🫶🏼 single dad (and he's HOT)
🦊 she's a fox shifter
🪄 mysterious curse & meddling Fates
⛰️ they're stuck in a cave...
🙂‍↔️ mental health rep
🤭 witty banter

Thank you to Vanessa for the privilege of reading this eARC and this is my honest review.

[Maddy Freitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ This book is embedded in my soul ✨

If I had infinite time, I would've devoured this thiqq boy in one sitting. Of the Curse or the Crown was so good that I already know I’ll be rereading it. I was lucky enough to ARC read book one—In the Wake of the Wicked—which was an easy 5 stars, but book two was even better. I LOVED that this was a Princess Diaries reimagining and that our FMC was such a badass who was introduced in book 1 ang got to shine in her own story! This is labeled as young adult/new adult, but I am a seasoned fantasy and romantasy reader who is 27 and I adored this. It did not feel young, and our FMC is actually my age which is refreshing. This is an interconnected series, but honestly, it reads so well on its own. Some characters from book 1 make an appearance, but even if you didn't read it, I don't think you'd feel lost or like you're missing anything. I really appreciated the little recap at the start (because let’s be real, even a 5-star read gets fuzzy after a year 😅).

Rissa, our FMC, stole my heart. She’s strong, kind to a fault, and just such a badass. In book 1 she literally started a rebellion and was like a rebel leader who was just tough as nails. In this, she is a full-fledged ruler who is waiting to be crowned. As she learns court politics and stops being a fighter and the one leading an underground cause, she has to find her own voice to help her people and show an enemy kingdom that she is not an enemy, but someone who is there to help them and make peace even if her heart wants someone other than King Galen, her arranged marriage. I adored all the subtle nods to The Princess Diaries enough that I paused reading just to rewatch the movies before diving back in. We get "Shut up", and "pears are our specialty" which was fantastic.

Now let’s talk about Galen… I hated him. Truly Chaol Westfall levels of rage. He was the worst, and Rissa was far too generous with her grace. He was a whiny little poop who was nothing but a spoiled boy who cowered in fear and refused to rule his people because of his fear of the curse he has. But Thorne? 🥀😏 I am obsessed. I love him. Every word he said to Rissa and all of their stolen moments are what made this story embed into my soul. I was hanging on by a thread watching the way this man loved his daughter, protected his friend even though he knew he was a poor ruler, defending the woman he loved, and fought to make his home accept the enemy and trust her. His presence made the book even more unputdownable. Also, with this being a no-spice romantasy, I just have to say that it didn't need it at all, and the pacing of everything was perfect. The connection between the two mains was so well done and believable. This was genuinely such an amazing romantasy series! I loved the way the magic and lack of magic worked between the two kingdoms, and I was invested the whole time to see wat would come of the curse.

I’m so grateful to VB Lacey for letting me be an ARC reader again and for letting me join the Street Team. This series is something special, and Of the Curse or the Crown delivered 🏰🦊👑

[Montana - Libraryofanadhder · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5

Thank you so much Vanessa for the ARC!

I very much enjoyed this book, I love that this series is a bunch of standalones all set in the same universe that can be read in any order. That being said, I do still recommend reading In the Wake of the Wicked before you read this book, but it’s not a must.

I really loved a lot of the political aspects of this book, with Clarissa trying her best to get to know this new kingdom, I just love the kind of Empress she was in this book. Her kindness and willingness to help those she doesn’t even know really shined in this book. I was getting so mad at how everyone was treating her!

I loved that this book gave us dual POV with Thorne and Clarissa, I honestly loved Thorne’s POV so much!

This man PINES! The slow burn of this book was so so good and the romance made my chest ache, it was so touching. This is actually the first book I’ve read where the MMC has a child! And honestly I loved it so much, I thought that every aspect of it was so well done and so so sweet.

The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because the beginning was a little hard for me to get into at first, I think it had a lot to do with Rose and Clarissa being very different and I just felt like I connected with Rose’s character a lot more. Clarissa is still a great character and I loved seeing her work through her trauma, but I just felt like resonated a lot more with Rose’s character in the previous book.

I don’t want to give too much away about this book, but it was a great read and I highly recommend it! I may add more to this review later once I process more of my thoughts.

[Anna (Annas_privatebookstore) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review

It’s hard to know where to begin when a book sweeps you off your feet the way this one did. Of the Curse or the Crown by V.B. Lacey completely captured my heart and imagination. Although it’s the second book in the Veridian Empire series, it can easily be read as a standalone—and trust me, once you start, you won't want to put it down.

The romance in this book is simply breathtaking. It's the kind of slow-burn, emotionally rich connection that keeps you turning pages late into the night. But what truly makes this book shine is how seamlessly the romance blends with a compelling, twist-filled plot. Just when you think you know where the story is going, V.B. Lacey throws in another twist that leaves you stunned—and hooked.

Lacey’s writing is beautiful and immersive, filled with vivid descriptions and complex characters that feel achingly real. Every page is a joy to read, every word carefully chosen. I found myself once again completely absorbed in her world, not wanting the story to end.

This book easily earns a full 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Honestly, how could I give it anything less? It’s a story that lingers long after the final page, and it has only deepened my admiration for V.B. Lacey’s incredible talent. If you love fantasy, romance, and a plot that keeps you guessing, this book is a must-read.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the Curse or the Crown

Fantastic! I loved this second installment featuring Clarissa! This story pulled me in from the start and each moment kept me hooked until the very end. I loved this new world that was explored and of course some new people as well.

The story had a great balance of magic, romance, duty, drama, high stakes, and fun moments. I enjoyed exploring the various territories as well. The world building was awesome.

Clarissa was a fierce and dutiful woman who gave everything she was for those around her. I loved her heart and her selflessness.

Thorne was loyal and protective. I enjoyed his loyalty to his friends and family and most of all to his daughter. I really loved to see that relationship.

Clarissa and Thorne stole my heart and the emotional journey they underwent had my heart racing. I loved their banter and the way they connected and leaned on one another.

If you enjoy strong females, royalty, forbidden romance thing Tristan and Isolde vibes, no spice, banter, single father protector MMC, fierce empress FMC, curses, fates, forced proximity, mental health rep, duty vs love, hurt/comfort, and more then check this one out.

[Jodie Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first a massive thank you to the author for allowing me to ARC read this before the official release! I am forever grateful to every author who allows me the privilege of ARC reading for them.
Clarissa Aris, a young ‘empress-to-be’ is your typical strong independent woman tasked with the duty of caring for people. After the emperor dies and she is thrust into her new role, she has to decide whether to follow her head or her heart. Should she go after what she truly desires for her own heart and finally get a love she deserves, or follow her head and do what she believes to be her duty, for her people?

Of The Curse Or The Crown is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year and I was so invested in it from the get go. This book has a touch of everything I love in a book, the yearning, the enemies to lovers, the slow burn, the forbidden love. UGH it was just perfect 🤌🏼

The first thing I noticed about this book was the top tier quick and witty banter going on between Clarissa and Thorne from the second they meet. The back and forth mocking and winding each other up really gave me a giggle and it made it so much easier and more fun to read. So many books now are so serious that I find authors forget to include a bit of humour in there, which I loved about this book. That, and the character, relationship and world building were some of the best aspects in my opinion. Lacey has done a beautiful job at really making you feel like you’re involved in the story, almost like you’re part of it, watching it all unfold, and at no point did I even feel the slightest bit bored or like the story wasn’t going anywhere. The relationship between Thorne and Marigold in particular felt so wholesome and sweet, and so genuine 🥰
OTCOTC had so many plot twists and so much going on that it really keeps the reader invested (or it did for me, anyway) and every time you think you have an idea of what’s going on, there’s another twist! I feel fantasy stories are getting quite predictable, every trope and idea has already been played out a million times, but this one really kept me on my toes! The only thing I managed to predict was Azura. The second she was introduced I could tell something was off, but even when all was revealed there was still parts of it that had my jaw dropping in shock!
And oh my GOSH THE ENDING?! So. Many. PLOT TWISTS!! Every time I thought I had it figured out, the author threw in yet another curve ball, and especially finding out about Devora?! My mind was reeling! I didn’t suspect her AT ALL🤩

This book truly makes you feel all kinds of emotions and I am so here for it, and it had me constantly holding my breath in anticipation and honestly, the only negative thing I have to say about it (which isn’t even negative?!) is that the author describes a snake to be poisonous, which is incorrect (it’s venomous!) but that’s just the zookeeper in me picking at tiny details 😂

I think there could be more mentions of the fates, but I’m intrigued to see if we find out more about them soon 👀 they very much reminded me of the crones from my favourite ever game, the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Whether that was intentional or not, it was very well done and if it was intentional then it makes me love this book even more!!

Overall this book truly was incredible and I am once again so very grateful to the author, and I’m super impressed. I will 100% be recommending this book to everyone! ✨

[Amber | Mermaid_mama_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ VB Lacey does it again 🙌. I loved this one and still can’t get over the delicious tension, witty banter, swoony, and emotion-filled moments in this book! The chemistry between Clarissa and Thorne was 👩‍🍳💋 and add in the forbidden love trope?! Gahhh it was so good.

One of my favorite things about VB Lacey’s writing is how much she makes me feel for her characters. When they hurt, I hurt…When they joke and laugh, I laugh…When they have a private moment behind a waterfall and are finally ready to face their feelings for each other and things start to get steamy, I ….. 🥵 oh wait 🤣. Lol

This dark fantasy romance series is no-spice, but full of delicious slow burn tension and emotional moments that are palpable.

She’s in an arranged marriage with his best friend and the marriage has to go through in order to break a mysterious curse that is plaguing their land…😩

I highly recommend this book if you love:
🦊 she’s a shifter x he’s a single dad human
💔 forbidden love
🩸 curses and meddling Fates
🔥 slow burn tension with no-spice
🖤 anxiety/panic rep

[Hyciera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, it was such a comforting read while still keeping me on the edge of my seat. I loved that we already met Clarissa in book 1 but get to see a new side of her character. She's brave even when in doubt and the most selfless. Thorne is an all green-flag MMC, the kind that makes you melt, eyes full of hearts in a cartoon. The yearning... slow-burn is effective, their interactions are both emotional and very funny. Loved learning more about the magic. I am very excited for book 3, thank you so much for the ARC ❤️

[Kelsey Laffen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ ARC review - overall I enjoyed this story. This is the first book I have read by the author despite this being the second book in the series but since it was a stand alone I thought I would give it a shot. The plot was fun and a nice change of pace from other fantasy romance books I have read. Refreshing to read about someone who already is a ruler and they are working on being a good ruler vs another rebellion to take out an evil king (I realize that was the first book). There were a lot of fun moments and I found it easy to get sucked into the story.

I did have trouble with the amount of over explanation and exposition of backstories and the reason characters felt the way they do. It felt like a lot of time was dedicated to explaining things and even having a bunch of stuff repeated just because a feeling was brought up once again. It just seemed to be a lot.

I also feel as if the character Galen wasn’t exactly fleshed out. I wasn’t what I was supposed to be feeling for him. At times I grew frustrated with the way Clarissa and Thorne spoke of him because it seemed exaggerated from what I saw when the character was around. I admit I struggled about 3/4 of the way through the book and thought of DNF.

However I am glad I stuck around cause events that lead to the ending drew me back in. I am even intrigued by the next book so might have to go back and read the first one before the third one is released.

[Nia Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. I LOVED this book! I liked the first one a lot but this one was even better in my opinion.

A few thoughts:

- I loved that it had a recap of the last book at the beginning. I NEED more authors to start doing that!!! It makes it so I wouldn’t have to reread an entire series for a new book! What a game changer!
- I definitely recommend that you read book 1 first. She says that it’s a standalone, but I disagree. Yes, it does follow a different main character. But there are so many details from the first book that I think are helpful here.
- loved the no spice romance. It was very well done.
- The plot was great. Character development was fantastic.
- I absolutely love Rissa and was so glad to read her story. She is strong and kind and cares so deeply.

I will 100% be reading this again.

Also, I cannot wait for book 3! I need more!!!!!!

I did receive an ARC (and feel so honored and grateful) but these are 100% my own thoughts. This book is so worth it. I will be purchasing my own copy.

[Kelsey B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, V. B. Lacey, for the eARC (my first!)!

This was a great installment in the Veridian Empire universe.

It started off a little slow, but once the action got going, it REALLY sped up and pulled me in!

While I did prefer the first book of the series (In the Wake of the Wicked) over this one, it was a solid book with a swoon-worthy love story. V. B. Lacey kept me guessing about a few of the plot twists, and I loved the emotional depth between Clarissa and Thorne. I truly can’t wait for book 3!

[Clara (bookish_clara) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐

V.B Lacey has again written such a beautiful and emotional standalone story in an interconnected world and I absolutely loved every second of being with these characters and their story.The way the yearning and angst is written is probably my favourite part. This is a book of forbidden love and a yearning that hurts the way it is written completely gripes you and you are just waiting for the moment they finally give in.

The worldbuilding is exquisite and the plot development from start to finish is amazing. As always VB Lacey writes such relatable characters that are scarred yet also so strong and characters who don't believe that they are deserving of the love they find, the banter is always written so well and I loved every second of the emotional journey that these characters take you on. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read and review before publication. All opinions are my own.

[Betsy And The Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

👑🦊I wanted to do a quick edit and add two of my favorite moments in the book that I saved.

👑🦊Fave Quotes
“You—you’re falling for me?”

His shoulders dropped
with his next exhale.“How could I not?”

“How did this happen?” I breathed out, more to myself than him.

“Trust me, I didn’t plan for any of it.”

I leaned back until my spine hit the damp rock wall behind me. “I don’t know what we are supposed to do.”
“Nothing, Empress,” he said quickly. “This is for me to bear, and only me. It has nothing to do with you. I would never do anything to jeopardize the plans you have.”

I glanced at him with wide eyes. “You think this has nothing to do with me?”

“I only mean that—“

“You think I’m not falling for you too?”

“You are?”
“Clarissa…”

“Yes,” I said, voice trembling “I think I’m falling for you too.” He dropped his forehead to mine, a tremor going through his body. “And I don’t know how to stop.”

“Then we fall together,” he murmured, pressing his thumb into my pulse as he brought his lips to mine.

👑🦊I’d had enough of these people treating Clarissa like Vermin when she had done nothing but help them. Nothing but try and earn their approval, when they should be the ones begging for hers.
“Kneel,” I commanded, still gripping his wrist.
“Excuse me?” He sputtered
I stepped closer to him and lowered my voice. “You’ve always been a despicable man, Penworth. You don’t deserve to touch the ground she walks on. I said kneel, and beg that she doesn’t wipe you from this kingdom like the rightful empress she is.”


👑Ok this is a tough one. This is book 2 in The Veridian Empire series an interconnected stand alone fantasy series. I loved book 1 so much I just loved the world the different types of magic and the different Providences.

🦊This one just fell flat for me. It felt less like fantasy and leaned more towards a fairytale like story in my opinion. Especially since Clarissa or Rissa is arranged to be married to the king of an empire that doesn’t have magic and we spend pretty much the whole book there where she meets the people of the empire and discovers a curse that is taking over their land.

👑This book is described as The Princess Diaries 2 meets King Midas and that is exactly what it is. I love the Princess Diaries movies but I did feel like this was too close to the movie. Especially since there were scenes that happen in the book that was in the movie. There was also similar names, it very much felt like a Princess Diaries fanfic with a King Midas twist. There was also a cheating trope in here kinda. She is engaged to this King and falling in love with his best friend who happens to be a Lord.

🦊I will say over all while this wasn’t as big of a hit with me as the first book in the series I absolutely still loved her writing! The way these two main character yearn for each other and try to stay away but can’t help it she wrote that so well! I was eating up all of the scenes Rissa and Thorn had together. I also loved that he was a single dad as that is one of my favorite tropes. I just prefer my forbidden romance to be more like a Romeo and Juliet.

👑I still loved her writing in this one and want to read the next book in the series cause it’s about Nox who is a Dragonshifter and I have been intrigued by him since the first book.
I plan to go back and read her first Duology because I loved her writing so much.

[rhi | mybookrhiviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!

"𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓪, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷'𝓽 𝓰𝓸 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓸𝓸𝓶 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓸𝓯 𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽. 𝓗𝓮'𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓜𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓶."
"𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓘'𝓶 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓔𝓶𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝓶𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓮. 𝓘'𝓶 𝓭𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓼𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓼."

Thank you V. B. Lacey for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a captivating, exhilarating YA romantasy by the incredible V.B. Lacey! It is the second book in "The Veridian Empire” series. Currently, there are two books in this series, but at the end of this book it mentions a third being added to the series! This book is expected to release on July 24th, 2025!

➼ single dad
➼ rebel leader turned empress
➼ fox shifter
➼ forced proximity
➼ forbidden love
➼ hopeless romantic
➼ mysterious curse
➼ meddling fates
➼ political marriage

Trigger warning(s): animal abuse, violence, death

Of the Curse or the Crown was very easy to read, and was extremely fascinating navigating new lands that the Veridian's haven't seen in centuries. Lacey's writing flows well, is well-organized, and gives effective visuals! As a visual reader, I could imagine the most beautiful and exquisite views described in the book. I really would love to live there! This book also has an incredible storyline that truly sucks you in, as it runs for over 500 pages which I blew through.

Clarissa Aris, better known as Rissa, is a bad@$$ fox shifter heroine! I loved her so much in the first book, being the daring, fearless baddie that she is. She truly is best fit for the job of empress and she genuinely cares about those who reside in her kingdom, or those who don't as well. I mean heck, she went out of her way multiple times to save those from Mysthelm. She genuinely is a great FMC and I love how she was portrayed throughout this book!

Thorne Reaux is a strong, courageous hero. I feel like most fantasy heroes you read about nowadays are morally grey, but Thorne here is a complete hopeless romance which we love! I'm going to be so honest, when I was reading the first book in this series I had really high hopes for Nox and Rissa to get together, all because of a line that said "Rissa would approve" and I was like NOX AND RISSA??!??!?!?!? BUT! I am so happy it wasn't Nox's book, cause Thorne is THE BEST hero for Rissa! He was so understanding, respectful and is truly a great leader for Mysthelm!

Book boyfriend? YES! We love a man who's a hopeless romantic!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🌶️

[Jayme Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Rissa is the FMC and she is everything I wish I was. She's kind, strong, and quite brave. She is guarded because she is not without insecurities or flaws. She agrees to marrying the king of a realm that her realm has not had contact with in centuries (after a war) hoping to unite the two and establish an alliance. Once she arrives, there are signs that all may not be as it seems and not everyone is open to her being there.

Thorne is on the security detail for the king and happens to also be the king's best friend. He wears a snarky confidence as his shield to protect himself from the world. He only takes down his shield for his daughter, Marigold. He is someone that loves with his whole heart and is cares deeply for those close to him.

The way Thorne interacts with Rissa throughout the book and the relationship and trust that they build feels like it could be real. He is thoughtful, patient... and the way grounds Rissa when she needs it is lovely. Their relationship does build quickly but with the way they lean into one another and build trust just felt right to me.

This book is dual POV and is done so well.
As the second book in an interconnected stand alone series... I highly recommend reading book 1 first. You'll be familiar with the world, the characters, the magic... Reading In the Wake of the Wicked first enhanced my experience. BUT you absolutely could dive into this and be just fine. The best part of an interconnected stand alone series is the satisfaction of a story tied up into a bow at the end.

You have assassination attempts, betrayal, secrets, hand clenching, forbidden romance... as well as a host of emotional moments that will just melt your heart. I have a lot of highlights for the feels. haha.

I just had a really good time reading this book and cannot wait to read book 3.

[Rebecca Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

Oh, this was absolute perfection.

From the second I saw the summary of princess diaries 2 meets king midas, I knew I needed to read this book and I was not disappointed.

Rissa is once again a supreme badass. She's still in her probabation period for empress but she's taking no prisoners (well actually she is but still). She's an excellent balance for strength and emotion.

As someone with anxiety, the portrayal of it through rissa felt extremely accurate to me. The panic attacks were brilliantly written and the way she found help through it was perfect. The way that eventually some people learn her triggers and can stop it before it starts. It was beautiful 🥲

Galen has just the right amount of nice to make you pity him but not quite forget he is on occasion a tool. Thorne just gives major chris pine in princess diaries energy from the second he's introduced. The he's aggravating me but it's sexy as hell energy. I love him, he has made the book boyfriend list.

Then we meet Marigold, and every scene She's in is just edged with cuteness. Everybody loves Marigold, if you don't read the book again.

Of course, we get some cameos from book 1. I am overwhelmingly excited for book 3 as a fan of a certain individual (IYKYK)

Plotwise, i loved the princess diaries' references we even get the maids and some lines from the movie . I enjoyed getting to see a new kingdom, and all the world building was brilliantly done. The nature of the curse in this one was so interesting. Plus, the drama with the assassinations added to the stakes, and I do love the sentinels trying to sniff out betrayal.

Everybody should read the book immediately. As i said, I'm very excited for book 3 and i'm honoured to be part of the street team, so I'm hoping the torture of the wait won't be too long.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars.

The vibes:
- arranged marriage
- slow burn
- Love triangle
- Light fantasy
- Closed door

My thoughts:
If you want a book that almost gives the energy of a Princess Diaries 2 fanfic, you should try this one. The author says they are similar, and in some ways I almost felt like it was too similar and wanted Of the Curse or the Crown to stand more on its own footing. With some of the names, the quotes / lines, scenes, and a similar overall plot, it felt very much like it was following a Princess Diaries 2 map.

It felt like new directions in the plot were introduced every chapter, and I struggled to stay focused on the overall plot. Also, I read In the Wake of the Wicked and felt like I retained the events from that book plus there’s a recap before Of the Curse or the Crown begins, and I still felt confused about Clarissa’s ptsd moments/memories and struggled to remember the event that caused them.

Overall, I had a hard time with the pacing. Seeing Clarissa in a relationship with a man who is not the MMC for almost the entire book was tough for me. I wanted to see Clarissa and Thorne together on page, and I wanted to see their dynamics not in a secret relationship.

I think this book will work for a lot of people. I don’t think it was a poor quality book (which would receive lower than 3 stars for me); I just think this specific story didn’t connect with me. And I didn’t fully know it wasn’t a great fit until I reached the final conclusion and wrap up.

I still love VB’s writing (I’ve loved all of her previous books so much) and plan to read anything she writes in the future.

Note- closed door.
Release date: July 24, 2025

Thank you so much to VB Lacey for the gifted copy.

[WhippedStitchReads (J.A.Y) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 5⭐
No spice

Wow the banter was PEAK. Omg, Like I am in love with them both. The flirtation, the yearning. JUST UGH. And guess what. THERE'S NO SPICE BUT THERE MIGHT AS WELL SHOULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE THE WAY THEY JUST EYE-FUCK EACH OTHER IS BEAUTIFUL.

I liked In the Wake of the Wicked, I loved Of the Curse or the Crown. We didn't get too much world building this time as we did in book 1 as we got more character depth and character driven plot. The ending, I wasn't really expecting it to turn out the way it did? Like wow it was interesting, but also a lot of talking back and forth of what was going on. That might be my only real con.

Last note: Princess Diaries references. I forking loved it and cackled when it showed up. I absolutely loveeee it.

Summary: 8 months has passed since the events of In the Wake of the Wicked, and Clarissa is now the rightful Empress of the Veridian Empire.....or so everyone thinks. Clarissa, under the probabtion period before ascending the thrown, struggles to re-unite the 6 provinces and has to push through to make changes better for the kingdom. To top it off? An arranged marriaged with Mysthelm Kingom. but before the nuptials to take places, the King of Mysthelm has invited Clarissa on a tour to see the his kingdom and get approvals of their people.

Nothing sounds wonder than that right? Little did Clarissa knows there is a blight among the lands of Mysthelm and now she must uncover the truths and lies behind it.

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read the eARC! I had such a good time and can't wait for book 3. This review is my true and honest thoughts