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Marked by Fate #1
Breaking Curses
An eye for an eye, a curse for a curse...or the poison in her blood will consume her.
The horrific night Namika Strang’s people lost the demon war, she got in one last punch—straight to the demon leader’s face. Adam Ashton’s retaliation should have been swift and deadly. Instead, he locked her in a gilded prison below the CrowBar nightclub, stripped of the dark magic her people once used to exterminate demonkind.
Except Namika holds onto a secret. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape—if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam’s small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion.
When her one chance to escape goes terribly wrong, she is forced to accept Adam’s brand to stave off a blood curse that will turn her into a ghoul. Now connected in ways she can’t begin to understand, Namika and Adam begin the desperate search for a way to break the curse.
But their hunt leads to secrets hidden deep in her shadowy family ties. Secrets that could send her to hell as surely as the ghoul blood searing her veins…
The horrific night Namika Strang’s people lost the demon war, she got in one last punch—straight to the demon leader’s face. Adam Ashton’s retaliation should have been swift and deadly. Instead, he locked her in a gilded prison below the CrowBar nightclub, stripped of the dark magic her people once used to exterminate demonkind.
Except Namika holds onto a secret. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape—if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam’s small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion.
When her one chance to escape goes terribly wrong, she is forced to accept Adam’s brand to stave off a blood curse that will turn her into a ghoul. Now connected in ways she can’t begin to understand, Namika and Adam begin the desperate search for a way to break the curse.
But their hunt leads to secrets hidden deep in her shadowy family ties. Secrets that could send her to hell as surely as the ghoul blood searing her veins…
344 pages, ebook
Published October 31, 2025
7 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Fréchette
5 books71 followersM. A. Fréchette writes the darker side of romance.
Being an extremist, she loves both the dark aspects of life and everything sweet. All her stories are either set in Canada where she lives or in alternate worlds she made up while living within her imagination. When not writing, she thinks of the next scene or plot while enjoying video games. Although she has a fascination for monsters, with a bachelor degree in criminology, she understands there’s no need to create the paranormal; humans are capable of inflicting nightmares of their own.
Being an extremist, she loves both the dark aspects of life and everything sweet. All her stories are either set in Canada where she lives or in alternate worlds she made up while living within her imagination. When not writing, she thinks of the next scene or plot while enjoying video games. Although she has a fascination for monsters, with a bachelor degree in criminology, she understands there’s no need to create the paranormal; humans are capable of inflicting nightmares of their own.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 25, 2025
This book took a little bit to get into. I honestly gave up. But I'm really glad that I didn't. It really dives deep into the curse and the fact that Namika forms a kind of alliance with Adam so she can survive. I love how stories always push together two unlikely people and amazing things come from it.
This book has a lot of twists and turns. But it keeps you going once you really get started. The characters are so well developed and the story flows really well.
Overall I really liked this one and am looking forward to reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book has a lot of twists and turns. But it keeps you going once you really get started. The characters are so well developed and the story flows really well.
Overall I really liked this one and am looking forward to reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 3, 2025
I really like this book. Well thought through and overall a great read. The character are great and the story is well done.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 22, 2025
This took a little to get into at the start, but by half way I was hooked! Loved the way Namika and Adam forged their relationship. A lot of banter within the book always gets me. Love it. Namika was cursed and they had to hunt the person/lost soul responsible. With a good twist that was a little predictable but still a fantastic read.
October 20, 2025
Humans, Ghouls, & Demons - Oh My. I am never disappointed when I pick up a M.A. Fréchette book and this one is no exception. I was swept into a world full of magic, curses, and wars between supernatural beings and I didn't want to leave. Truly looking forward to reading the next book.
November 22, 2025
This book hooked me from the very first page and never let go. It’s a delicious blend of dark fantasy, simmering tension, and heartbreakingly human emotion. Namika is a fierce, wounded heroine whose strength shines even when everything has been taken from her, and her dynamic with Adam is nothing short of electric. Their relationship is equal parts danger, temptation, and slow-burning trust, exactly the kind of push-pull tension that keeps you reading long past bedtime.
The worldbuilding is vivid and atmospheric, from the underworld glamour of the CrowBar to the chilling curse threatening to consume Namika. Every twist tightens the stakes, and every reveal draws you deeper into the story’s dangerous magic and tangled loyalties. As Namika and Adam race to break the curse binding them together, the emotional beats land just as powerfully as the action.
It’s gripping, sensual, and full of high-stakes intrigue, perfect for readers who love morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers chemistry, and fantasy worlds with real bite. An absolute five-star read.
The worldbuilding is vivid and atmospheric, from the underworld glamour of the CrowBar to the chilling curse threatening to consume Namika. Every twist tightens the stakes, and every reveal draws you deeper into the story’s dangerous magic and tangled loyalties. As Namika and Adam race to break the curse binding them together, the emotional beats land just as powerfully as the action.
It’s gripping, sensual, and full of high-stakes intrigue, perfect for readers who love morally gray characters, enemies-to-lovers chemistry, and fantasy worlds with real bite. An absolute five-star read.
December 5, 2025
While this book took a bit to get into, once it took off, it took off! The interactions and developing relationship with Adam left me wanting more for them. The story left no room for down time, with twists and turns that you don't see coming. I look forward to the continuation of this story, to see what more awaits Namika and her journey for answers.
October 28, 2025
An eye for an eye, a curse for a curse...or the poison in her blood will consume her.
The night Namika Strang's people lost the demon war was horrific, but Namika got in the last punch – straight to the leader of the the demon's face. Adam Ashton's retaliation should have been swift and deadly. Instead, he locked her in a gilded prison below the Crow Bar Nightclub, stripped of the dark magic her people once used to exterminate demon kind.
Except Namika holds onto a secret. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape—if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam’s small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion.
When her one chance to escape goes terribly wrong, she is forced to accept Adam’s brand to stave off a blood curse that will turn her into a ghoul. Now connected in ways she can’t begin to understand, Namika and Adam begin the desperate search for a way to break the curse.
But their hunt leads to secrets hidden deep in her shadowy family ties. Secrets that could send her to hell as surely as the ghoul blood searing her veins…
Breaking Curses is the 1st book in the Marked by Fated Series by M.A. Frechette.
The demon was was brutal and the night Namika Stang's people lost was horrific, but Namika, ever the fighter, got in the last punch – and it was straight to the leader of the demon army's face.
Adam Ashton knows that his retaliation towards Namika should have been swift and deadly. But, instead he locks her in his gilded prison below the Crow Bar Nightclub, she's been stripped of all the dark magic her people once used to exterminate not only demons like Adam but also all demon kind.
What Adam doesn't know though is that Namika is holding onto a secret of her own. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape his prison if she should choose – if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam's small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion then she'll be able to get away and free herself.
Namika bides her time, waiting for the right time for her escape, but when her one chance at escape goes horribly wrong, she is finally forced to accept Adam's brand to inhibit a blood curse that will eventually turn Namika into a ghoul. Now Namika finds herself connected to Adam in ways she can't even start to understand, and now both Namika and Adam have begun the desperate search for a way to break the curse that binds Namika's life to Adam's.
But, their hunt leads them to secrets that have been hidden deep in the shadows of Namika's family tree. Secrets that could send Namika to hell as surely as the ghoul blood that is searing through her veins...
One of the strongest things that M.A. Frechette did with this story I found was how she managed to balance action, magic and the romance. She built a world where curses feel real, magic is really dangerous, and nothing appears as it seems. I found that the scenes of intense supernatural conflict, betrayals, and tension – and this wasn't just in battle, but also in the emotional politics between Namika and Adam, it all made the story so much more intense.
The dynamic between Namika and Adam is volatile: the way that Namika is defiant against Adam's dominance, Adams internal conflict between his duty and desire, and the way they are both changed by the forced proximity Adam forces upon them. This is the kind of romance that is so sexy because of the tension that is woven throughout the entire book, not just the spicy scenes themselves.
Frechette did a stunning job with the spicy moments as well, they were raw, urgent, and yes, at times they were almost savage, and yet at the same time there is still just enough tenderness left to remind us why we are rooting for Namika.
Namika's struggle was to retain her agency, and yet, even when she was stripped of all her autonomy and all of her power, it gives this story even more emotional weight in each and every interaction. And Adam, even though he was often cold, commanding, and unfeeling, at the same time we still got to see glimpses of his vulnerability, and this makes the spice and the heat between Adam and Namika more electrifying.
I loved the way that M.A. Frechette refused to retreat from the darker side of this romance for the readers who look for love stories with grit, danger, and darkness that this book delivers on.
I hope that M.A. Frechette writes Shiriki's story. I think that would be an amazing story to read.
The night Namika Strang's people lost the demon war was horrific, but Namika got in the last punch – straight to the leader of the the demon's face. Adam Ashton's retaliation should have been swift and deadly. Instead, he locked her in a gilded prison below the Crow Bar Nightclub, stripped of the dark magic her people once used to exterminate demon kind.
Except Namika holds onto a secret. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape—if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam’s small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion.
When her one chance to escape goes terribly wrong, she is forced to accept Adam’s brand to stave off a blood curse that will turn her into a ghoul. Now connected in ways she can’t begin to understand, Namika and Adam begin the desperate search for a way to break the curse.
But their hunt leads to secrets hidden deep in her shadowy family ties. Secrets that could send her to hell as surely as the ghoul blood searing her veins…
Breaking Curses is the 1st book in the Marked by Fated Series by M.A. Frechette.
The demon was was brutal and the night Namika Stang's people lost was horrific, but Namika, ever the fighter, got in the last punch – and it was straight to the leader of the demon army's face.
Adam Ashton knows that his retaliation towards Namika should have been swift and deadly. But, instead he locks her in his gilded prison below the Crow Bar Nightclub, she's been stripped of all the dark magic her people once used to exterminate not only demons like Adam but also all demon kind.
What Adam doesn't know though is that Namika is holding onto a secret of her own. She possesses the natural-born magic to escape his prison if she should choose – if she can elude the cold, predatorial gaze that sends shivers across her skin even as it sets fire to her blood. And if she can avoid being lulled by Adam's small acts of kindness, the touches and kisses that leave her head spinning with confusion then she'll be able to get away and free herself.
Namika bides her time, waiting for the right time for her escape, but when her one chance at escape goes horribly wrong, she is finally forced to accept Adam's brand to inhibit a blood curse that will eventually turn Namika into a ghoul. Now Namika finds herself connected to Adam in ways she can't even start to understand, and now both Namika and Adam have begun the desperate search for a way to break the curse that binds Namika's life to Adam's.
But, their hunt leads them to secrets that have been hidden deep in the shadows of Namika's family tree. Secrets that could send Namika to hell as surely as the ghoul blood that is searing through her veins...
One of the strongest things that M.A. Frechette did with this story I found was how she managed to balance action, magic and the romance. She built a world where curses feel real, magic is really dangerous, and nothing appears as it seems. I found that the scenes of intense supernatural conflict, betrayals, and tension – and this wasn't just in battle, but also in the emotional politics between Namika and Adam, it all made the story so much more intense.
The dynamic between Namika and Adam is volatile: the way that Namika is defiant against Adam's dominance, Adams internal conflict between his duty and desire, and the way they are both changed by the forced proximity Adam forces upon them. This is the kind of romance that is so sexy because of the tension that is woven throughout the entire book, not just the spicy scenes themselves.
Frechette did a stunning job with the spicy moments as well, they were raw, urgent, and yes, at times they were almost savage, and yet at the same time there is still just enough tenderness left to remind us why we are rooting for Namika.
Namika's struggle was to retain her agency, and yet, even when she was stripped of all her autonomy and all of her power, it gives this story even more emotional weight in each and every interaction. And Adam, even though he was often cold, commanding, and unfeeling, at the same time we still got to see glimpses of his vulnerability, and this makes the spice and the heat between Adam and Namika more electrifying.
I loved the way that M.A. Frechette refused to retreat from the darker side of this romance for the readers who look for love stories with grit, danger, and darkness that this book delivers on.
I hope that M.A. Frechette writes Shiriki's story. I think that would be an amazing story to read.
October 3, 2025
Breaking Curses opens with Namika, a fierce survivor of a demon war, hiding the pain of loss while determined to keep fighting. When she lands a punch against the demon leader in a moment of desperation, the story kicks off with high stakes—and consequences. Her captor becomes Adam Ashton, the enemy with power, secrets, and a demand for control, pulling Namika into a dark underworld she never wanted to enter.
One of the strongest things about this book is how it balances action, magic, and romance. Fréchette builds a world where curses are real, magic is dangerous, and nothing is quite what it seems. There are scenes of intense supernatural conflict, betrayals, and tension—not just in battle, but in the emotional politics between Namika and Adam. Their dynamic is combustible: her defiance against his dominance, his internal conflict between duty and desire, and the way both are changed by their forced proximity. It’s the kind of romance that’s sexy because of the tension, not just explicit scenes.
The steamy moments are well done—raw, urgent, sometimes bordering on brutal, but with just enough tenderness to remind you why you’re rooting for Namika. Her struggle to retain her agency, even when stripped of power, gives emotional weight to every interaction. Adam, though often cold and commanding, shows glimpses of vulnerability, which makes the heat more electrifying. The author doesn’t shy away from the darker side of romance, and for readers who like their love stories with grit and danger, this delivers.
One of the strongest things about this book is how it balances action, magic, and romance. Fréchette builds a world where curses are real, magic is dangerous, and nothing is quite what it seems. There are scenes of intense supernatural conflict, betrayals, and tension—not just in battle, but in the emotional politics between Namika and Adam. Their dynamic is combustible: her defiance against his dominance, his internal conflict between duty and desire, and the way both are changed by their forced proximity. It’s the kind of romance that’s sexy because of the tension, not just explicit scenes.
The steamy moments are well done—raw, urgent, sometimes bordering on brutal, but with just enough tenderness to remind you why you’re rooting for Namika. Her struggle to retain her agency, even when stripped of power, gives emotional weight to every interaction. Adam, though often cold and commanding, shows glimpses of vulnerability, which makes the heat more electrifying. The author doesn’t shy away from the darker side of romance, and for readers who like their love stories with grit and danger, this delivers.
October 4, 2025
What a pageturner this turned out to be.
From being held captive by a demon, although in a gilded cage, to trying to escape and meanwhile getting cursed, to working together with demons to reserve said curse.
So many characters, storylines and supernatural beings. But the story flows, I could see it in my mind like a movie.
You can feel our heroine's pain about her youth, her unfolding love for a demon and transforming from hunting demons to befriending them.
I would have loved more insight into Shiriki's story, I am sure that would turn out very interesting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
From being held captive by a demon, although in a gilded cage, to trying to escape and meanwhile getting cursed, to working together with demons to reserve said curse.
So many characters, storylines and supernatural beings. But the story flows, I could see it in my mind like a movie.
You can feel our heroine's pain about her youth, her unfolding love for a demon and transforming from hunting demons to befriending them.
I would have loved more insight into Shiriki's story, I am sure that would turn out very interesting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 24, 2025
This was a well written and gripping story. The Enemies to lovers arc between Namika and Adam was well done, and the looming threat caused by the ghoul infection/Curse added a nice layer of tension that kept you on your toes throughout the book. I thoroughly enjoyed this and I will be recommending it to paranormal and monster romance fans alike.
October 26, 2025
It was really helpful that I read A Demon's Love duet before diving in to this one. This one starts a enemies to lovers and it held my attention from start to finish. Reading This story was a true delight for me and I Loved It!!! I Recommend!! No spoilers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 14, 2025
This is a great dark romance. It has war, demons, and magic. There are twists and turns that keep on the edge of your seat. The curse the FMC has to endure is a unique twist. I didn't see coming. I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews