The Prince from a Cruel Summer

Curse of the Fae #3

by Anya J. Cosgrove, Amanda Dolan (Narrator), Anthony Palmini (Narrator)

Summer love cuts to the bone.

I didn't choose to attend the Royal Academy, an elite school full of vicious Fae. I never wished for an arranged marriage to a nasty Shadow prince. I especially never wanted to meet Aidan Summers—the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on—the one who broke my heart beyond repair.

He was the fire to my ice. Our relationship was forbidden, and the fallout almost cost me my life.

A century later, I have it all—money, fame, power—but none of it matters. I'm still his. And when I receive an invitation to sing at his wedding, I can't resist the flames.

Has he really forgotten about me? Or does he want to destroy what's left of my soul?

This steamy, full-length, romantasy novel is part of an interconnected series with a story arc spanning multiple books. Each book features a different romance and a new couple and can be listened to in any order.

Join Elizabeth Snow down memory lane as she attends her ex's wedding and awakens the ghosts of a past long gone. For mature listeners.

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Romance, Romantasy, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Forced Proximity

Audible Audio

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

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Reviews

[Gabriella C. ☽◯☾]

Story: 3.5★
Performances: 4.25★

[pages_that_burn]

This was a definite step up from the previous book. The pacing was stronger, the emotional connection between the MCs hit harder, and the history between the characters even in the past wasn't too much. I'm excited to see how everything comes together.

4 🌟
2 🌶

Enemies to Lovers / Second Chance Romance / Badass Heroine / Forced Proximity

[Misty Tignor]

Favorite book in the series so far. I enjoyed the Flashback and twist of the lord of the tides. Such a great way to build a character

[Amzette]

Bravo Anya!!! I absolutely loved this book! I think this one may be my favorite of the series so far!
I love how you brought us from present day back to a century ago! You tackled the timelines like a champ! It was also great to see characters from the previous books and you totally surprised me near the end of the book.
I loved the characters and really despised a couple as well! This book and this series are definitely ones that I’ll want to read again! I loved the relationship that Aidan and Beth had. I love that Ezra and Elios were such great friends to Beth, even though she was a “moth”, a common fae. I also love how much Willow loved and took her in. This book has a lot going on and Anya handled it very well and kept me very much intrigued with the storyline!
I received a free ARC from Anya Cosgrove and all the opinions are my own. I volunteered to write this review! Thank you for letting me be a part of your team!

As always my fellow Goodreader’s, Happy Reading and/or Listening!📚🎧💜

[Ashleigh Fernandez]

4.5 ⭐️ This has been my favourite from the series so far. I picked it up in the attempt to overcome a small reading slump and it was definitely successful.

I thoroughly enjoyed the majority of the book being set in the past and delving into other characters from the first two books, namely the Lightbringer brothers.

I enjoyed the academy trope as it gave it more of a fun element at times. There were so many unexpected twists and turns that I was genuinely excited to pick the book up every evening (even switched to audiobook while doing chores).

The pacing was great and overall a super enjoyable read, raising many questions and expectations for future books. I look forward to reading on.

[Jennifer]

This book exceeded my expectations in every way. I liked the first book in the series, I thought the second was even better. Somehow, this one blew them both away. It was heart-wrenching, beautiful, and sometimes tragic. And I hated putting it down because I couldn’t fathom how they would get to an ending that even resembled happy. The plot of the world continues to build around the characters, and I look forward to finding out what happens next.

[Rachel Fallin]

“When you sang, I wanted to tear my heart out and lay it down at your feet.”
The yearning is unmatched. My heart was sore after reading the immense love the MMC has for the FMC. It brings tears to my eyes and has set a new standard for yearning in my eyes 💘
Anya J Cosgrove - you are an underrated author and deserve wide praise for how your write about love.

[Thalia Powell]

Another brilliant installment

I thought this book might be like the others but it really wasn't! I really enjoyed the characters development and the start crossed lovers story play out. It was a bittersweet ending but I can't wait to see how they all band together (hopefully) to deal with the latest problem!

[Victoria Wilson]

Because of the marriage plans Beth's father has arranged for her, she now has the opportunity to attend the Royal Academy. All she has to do is make it through the deadly labyrinth trials in one piece before the timer runs out. She never expected to be captivated by the beautiful fae male running the last trial. And she never imagined he would turn out to the be none other than the Summer Court Prince - Aidan Summers.

Their chemistry was intense and irresistible but the relationship was forbidden. They were fire and ice, royalty and common fae. Bound by responsibility and by an unwanted arranged marriage to another. Theirs was a love for the ages but with a drastic fallout that tore them apart.

A century later with money and fame in the New World, when Beth receives the invitation to sing at his wedding she can't resist the chance to find closure. Even after all that time she can't forget the love she's continued to hold for Aidan. She can't help but wonder if he has forgotten her or if he still feels something for her.

I don't want to spoil their journey for you, but oh what a journey it is. Love and longing, heartbreak and betrayal, secrets and lies, danger and intensity. A love that the heart can't forget no mater what stands in their way. I loved the combination of experiencing their past and present times and how their story connects to others we've already met in the series. This was a rollercoaster of emotions. I think Beth and Aidan have officially beat out Damian and Nell as my favorite couple of the series so far. I can't wait for the next book.

🔥🔥🔥

[Moonburst]

Elizabeth Snow couldn't refuse her entrance to the Royal Academy or her betrothal to the offensive Prince Zeke. The academy is full of treacherous royalty and political maneuvering, but Beth just wants to make her way through so that her family can have a better life. Complicating her life is the overwhelming connection between her and the Crown Prince of the Summerlands, Aiden. Now, decades after Aiden broke her heart, resulting in her subsequent exile, Beth is invited to sing at Aiden's wedding. Can Beth find closure from the heartbreak in her past?

The Prince from a Cruel Summer is a heartbreaking tale of star-crossed lovers kept apart by status and politics. The story jumps between the past and present creating a whirlwind of angst and romance as it highlights the unfair consequences of the consolidation of power. A powerfully poignant read that will wrench your heart.

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

[G Domingo]

2nd chance

I'm really not a fan of "Then" and "Now" chapters and this book further confirms it. I get why it was needed-we had to see how their love developed and how everything unfolded, but honestly, I skimmed most of those parts. I would have loved it if we saw more scenes of them in the present. I wish more time were spent developing their love story as they currently are and not just focusing on their past love that's been done for a century. It doesn't dimininsh how much I enjoyed the previous book though, so I will be jumping into the next one, for sure.

[Tay]

This is the third book in the Curse of the Fae series. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. I am not a fan of second chance romance and I hate when it switches back and forth between the past and present in these types of stories. This book spent majority of the story in the past and hardly anytime with the main characters in the present.

I did enjoy reading about characters like Elio and Damien when they were younger. That was my favorite aspect of the story.

I’m just not a fan of the only black character of the book just being called a black woman. There was no description of her skin tone, but everyone else gets to be described by the color and shade of their skin. It comes off lazy. The author has sentences like: “The black woman is wearing….” Or “The black woman’s attention shifts to Lori…” None of the other characters are described as a white man or white woman. Meanwhile, other characters have descriptors such as pale, tan, and brown. Yes, one character is described as having “radiant brown skin,” but the only black character in the story is reduced to just “black woman.” I saw this in Book 2, when she mentioned the Spring Queen as a black woman, but I ignored it since I thought it was included to delineated between her and Lori, since is Lori supposed to be of Indian descent. Also, as the only black woman so far in series, her style of dress is described as ostentatious and if I remember correctly from the previous book, she wears flamboyant wigs. I didn’t like it. Especially, as the only black person in the whole series.

Lastly, the whole thing with Willow was ridiculous. I was not a fan! I won’t be continuing the series, however, for me despite it being a second chance romance - I give it a 2.75 - 3.

[Tippy.Ann]

So, again, this series needs a summary of the previous books! Or it needs to be series like ToG. While each couple is different, the main background plot is the same across all the books. And the characters from the other books also bleed in and you have to remember who they are! So these are technically not standalones, since the last two ended in a cliffhangers. Yes, the couple resolve their relationship issues but they’re on the precipice of war. A good example of a standalone in an interconnected world is The Kings of Eden by Jaimie Applegate Hunter. If I have to read all the spoiler reviews of the prior book to remember the overall plot, the series is NOT a standalone.

This book was actually a really great read! It had yearning, mystery memory loss, forbidden love & flashbacks.




SPOILERS START HERE:

Aiden’s sister Willow is the main bad, she is a lesbian & was forced to marry Aiden’s best friend Ezra (who is missing in the present). His last known location was him helping Beth escape to the human world 100 years ago when Ethan (his dad) had found out that her and Aiden planned on marrying in secret. The story was that Willow committed suicide and he disappeared. When book two ended, Seth had left to find his brother who was helping Willow. She wants to take revenge on all the royals who forced her to marry. Ezra is a playboy but has a good heart and even told her she could have a mistress if that made her happy. And Willow and him were friends so I don’t think she would have killed him.

[Avis]

This is the third book in the series. It, as the other books, is a standalone, and this one can be read in any order. I was blown away with the well thought out, intense suspense, twists and romantic story line.
The story is about the Prince of the Summer Court , Aiden , in his earlier days in the academy and then later on in his life. I loved the second chance for his love for Beth. He falls first. I loved all of the ways he tried to get Beth to realize his love for her was true love. (Something unheard of with the Fae)
Beth is a moth, a common Fae, who happens to get a chance at attending the academy. How her tuition was paid for was interesting. She has secrets even she did not know. Her moth to his flame. Fire and Ice.
We also get a glimpse of the younger Kings and Princes/ Princess in the series.
I loved the "hints" at the beginning of the story of what would come later on.
I loved the nicknames of the MCs. Songbird and Wonder boy and how they got the names.
I am in awe of this book. The ending to me in a way is HEA/HFN because even though they did get their HEA I believe we will hear more from them as they fight the rebellion.
I received a free copy of this book via Bookfunnel and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kianna K]

4.5⭐️

This is such a comfort series for me at this point. I've loved every single book and I look forward to the next one each and every time.

Each of these books have very different vibes, especially this one which felt very different than the last two, because so much of it was written in the past (pre-dating the last two) which was at first confusing. But after a while, it made sense why it was written that way, and I enjoyed seeing the characters I now know back when they were young and in school, and seeing how the friendships formed.

SMALL SPOILERS:
Aidan is such a great MMC - so good at showing Beth how he feels despite all the other pressures. At one point, he loses his memory, and I felt like the path to getting it back was way too simplified, but at least he did. I wonder how different things could have been if Beth had told her closest friend her big secret.

As always, the ending has an unexpected twist. I did not expect The Lord of the Tides to be who it was, and I was shocked. Then I went back and read a conversation that happened on the boat and didn't even realize what it was foreshadowing! There are a lot of characters to keep track of but if you start at the beginning, it's worth it. I can't wait for the next book!!

[Jennifer Pierson]

Beth is considered a commoner in the fae world, however, her magic is strong which led to her being contracted to royalty if she was able to pass the dangerous entrance test in order to go to the elite academy. There's a lot against her that's for sure, but while she's doing her she comes across Aiden, who is struck with feelings for her from the jump, so he's helping her finish. They have sparks in spades that's for sure, but it's a big no no for her to be running around with him, however, those sparks won't be denied for anything. That's their past meeting but there's also the present day when they're not together & they find themselves face to face again with all the feelings coming back to the surface. There are a ton of twists coming in hot with all the intrigue of this world so I was kept guessing cover to cover with the final twist blowing my mind. I loved every minute of this story and certainly cannot wait to visit this world again (hopefully very soon) so I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Adrianna Heaney-velu]

“The Prince from a Cruel Summer,” by Anya J. Cosgrove

What I liked:

-It gave the same vibes as the last one
-I liked the academy magic school trope
-The way the characters were written, they had both lightness to them and also darkness to their characters, which made it feel like the entire book wasn’t all the same thing but constantly changing.
-Loved the romance and tension- with the forbidden romance and the twists and turns with that in the second half of the book.
-The plot! So, the first half was a standard magic school type plot, and everything fit that mold, but I wasn’t expecting the second half to be completely different from that. It made me happy that the book wasn’t in one place the entire time.

I really like this series; it gives me everything I look for in a fantasy fae romance book and isn’t too heavy on just romance or just plot but a really good combo of both. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Forbidden Romance
-He Falls First
-Second Chance
-Royal Academy
-Magic
-Hidden Identity
-Fae

Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.

[Megan]

Probably my least favorite of this series so far. I am very much not a fan of the insta-love. As much as I enjoy the "he falls first" trope, this is a bit extreme. And the FMC is a bit of a dunderhead. The MMC tells her constantly that he loves her and wants her and she just doesn't believe him, even though he's a fae and therefore CANNOT LIE. She turns him away repeatedly, and then taunts him in public about "not getting what you want when you think you want it" and "not wanting something once you get what you want." She pushes him away because he's too high up the fae food chain, yet pursues an engagement with a lesser fae prince who isn't destined to inherit a throne.

Also, the author continues to use some odd writing quirks, as she has through the previous two books. For instance, what is with the hiccuping? The amount of times that characters hiccup during laughing, crying, or just speaking is not normal. It only happens to the female characters though. Some kind of emotional regurgitation going on? I don't know. But nobody hiccups (a single time) that often.

[Angels]

Beth's father arranges a marriage for her that she strongly opposes, prompting her to seize the opportunity to attend the Royal Academy. To her surprise, she becomes captivated by the fae male overseeing the final trial, who is revealed to be Aidan Summers, the Prince of the Summer Court.

Their intense and forbidden chemistry, as well as their contrasting backgrounds as royalty and common fae, create a tumultuous relationship. Despite their deep love, they are torn apart by responsibilities and Beth's arranged marriage to another. Their journey is filled with love, heartbreak, betrayals, blackmail, longing, secrets, and danger, showcasing a love that transcends time and obstacles. The narrative seamlessly weaves between their past and present, intertwining their story with other characters from the series.

The unexpected ending, filled with revelations of secrets and betrayals, was a pleasant surprise that left us awed.

The emotional rollercoaster of their relationship solidifies Beth and Aidan as one of our favorite couples. We eagerly anticipate the next installment.

[Elisa Lanzer]

Best Book in Series So Far!

4.5 ⭐️ 2🌶️

By far the best book in the series, The Prince from a Cruel Summer follows Aidan the Crown Prince of the Summerlands and his relationship with Elizabeth Snow. However, their love is of the forbidden type especially after Elizabeth learns a secret about her mother's identity and heritage. After tragic events she ends up in exile in the new world after they are found out. But as a famous singer in the new world an invitation to sing at a fae wedding causes an old passion to reignite. Meanwhile, the rebels who have being plaguing this world in the previous two books start make their stand changing the course of faerie forever.

The character building in this novel of both the main characters and side characters was excellently done, adding depth to both new characters and old friends. It was also nice to see an expansion of the world building, getting to see more locations in the world, as well as gaining a better grip on the society our characters live in.

[MEF]

I do like a faerie world adventure and a forbidden romance where the girl seems to hold the reins is a strong draw too.
A time lapse of 100 years between painful parting and reunion is a long one! But faerie timelines are different….
Sometimes I struggled to make sense of unknown events during that time that impinged on present day politics, this is Book 3 but a first for me, some events I guessed. Others were a neat surprise.
Whilst faeries are supposed to be opposed to change and bound by tradition the conversations are modern in style (to my view). So are the familiar sexual encounter descriptions.
I skim read occasionally and whilst the story doesn’t feature much magic, the characters held my interest and took me with them to the end.
I particularly liked the clever reveal on Beth.

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

[Lena]

A tale of forbidden love. Anya strikes again with The Prince from a Cruel Summer, the third installment of the Curse of the Fae series.

I was lucky to have been given the opportunity to read the e-ARC of this book. As always, Anya did not disappoint!

The book is a standalone in an interconnected series. We see characters from the other books making appearances, but one does not need to read the other two in order to catch up. But I highly recommend reading the other books in the series! (They're just SO good!) Anya crafts magic with her world building and characters, and you don't want to miss out on that!

We have memory loss, forbidden love, magic, second chance, and much more! The last couple of chapters had me at the edge of my seat! That was some twist!! It was a truly enjoyable and quick read! 💜

[Alex M.]

I’ve read too many amazing fantasy books to rate this higher than 2 stars. I am just in awe of how all over the place these books are. They’re entertaining but they kinda don’t make sense. At the end there’s always some random twist that leaves you saying “….okay…” rather than “omg!” Almost like the author remembered last minute to make a twist rather than just give them the happily ever after. It’s reaching … the twists usually involve a character mentioned through the book but not enough to give them more than basic context and background which makes it feel so random. It feels like there’s multiple story lines and they don’t flow well enough. It was a read I could listen to and ignore, and if I missed something on the audio book, it didn’t leave me wondering anything at all cause it’s all so unimportant.

[Alicia]

With every book I read by Anya Cosgrove, I become more engrossed in the world she creates. The combination of strong, intricate plotting, colourful, interesting characters and the magnetism of magic. The start of the book entices with its modern setting and revelations, before we are sent back to discover how she has got to this place in her life.
Elizabeth Snow has been thrown into a world which looks down on her lowly status as a 'moth' in the magical world, but they should not underestimate her. Aiden is immediately attracted to her, but life in the Academy and this world is complicated. Change is coming...
Exciting, intense and immerdive, I have loved this. We do have a definite HFN in the sense that upheavals are threatening. I can't wait to see what happens next. 💖💖💖💖💖

[K.J. Sweeney]

I love this series. As is often the case, it's been a while since I last read the previous two books and I was worried that I might be a bit lost as to what was going on. It wasn't long though before I was in the thick of this book and loving every second.
Unlike the previous books, this story mostly takes place in the past, when Aidan and Beth were teenagers. I loved seeing both their past which had led them to where they are today and what they are currently facing. They worked so well together and I loved following their story.
The only down side to this book is that now I've finished it I'm desperate to read the next and find out what's going to happen. I'm going to have to wait for that though...

[Brittany Biggs]

I’ve been loving this series- especially on audio.

I love how each one is interconnected so we get to revisit characters with each story.

This is a second-chance romance for Elizabeth Snow and the Winter Fae Prince. It alternates between their time in a college-like academy and the present day which is 100 years later.
The story focuses on the romance and the academy is just the setting/ not a huge part of the plot.

There is also a political/rebellion plot that’s been happening more on the side but really takes a huge turn in this installment.

Some tropes/ high lights:
• He falls first
• forbidden love
• second-chance romance
• diverse characters
• memory loss
• a lot of horny day dreaming
• he teaches her to swim

[Cheryl]

The Prince from a Cruel Summer by Anya J. Cosgrove is the immersive story of Aiden and Beth. She is slated to wed another, but has to pass the test for entrance to the Academy. Aiden is one of the Guardians controlling the test. If she fails, it could mean her demise.

This epic story spans over a hundred years. There is a constant back and forth between the past and the present. Much of it intense and deep. You have to read carefully and pay attention to keep up!! It’s a wonderfully delightful story of the ages…an exciting fantasy romance! Sooo much happening and so many villains, betrayals, rescues, and a whole horde of magical elements!! Great read!!

[Nicole Yatsushiro ( AquariaReads_ )]

I absolutely loved this book — I’m a complete sucker for the forbidden love and arranged marriage trope, and this story delivered it beautifully. The dual timeline, moving seamlessly between the past at the Royal Academy and the present day, gives the romance and the characters so much more depth. It shows the weight of Beth and Aidan’s history and how choices still echo a century later. The mix of angst, passion, and political intrigue kept me hooked from start to finish, and the writing made the emotions hit even harder.

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

[Deolain]

Wow, just wow.
I couldn't stop reading, and when I did, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
The mystery, the past, and present scenes that's written so well. It kept me guessing what would happen, and every time, I turned out wrong 😅.

The longing and tension are so good. The execution of questions you gather during the book are answered some briefly mention but everything came together very nicely.

This is by far the best book of the series, in my opinion. I loved both characters and came to love Esra, too, even though in book 2, he seemed like a total ass. And the twist at the end 🤌 didn't see it coming at all.

I hope the next book is even better, please don't disappoint.

[Priscilla]

Aiden, the golden child set to take the Summer throne, while Elizabeth "Beth" a moth of no royalty.blood caught his attention during her trials for the academy. This had a lot of heart break and fae politics. I had to reference the previous books for some characters involved as there are a lot flashbacks. The plot becomes more twisted when there is a big reveal. There is still much to be explained in the plot but at least Aiden and Beth gets their HEA in this story.

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