The Curse of the Wretched

Wretched Curse #1

by S. Usher Evans

An ancient witch with a vendetta against his kingdom
An earnest prince charged with breaking her curseFive hundred years ago, the Legendary Balfour vanquished the evil witch Ophesia, saving Genad Kingdom from her heinous curse. So when that same witch crashes his father's coronation and revives the curse, Prince Thom is charged with finishing what Balfour started.

Thom is more diplomat than warrior, and if a throne room of soldiers can't kill the shadow wielding menace, he has little hope of success. Armed with Balfour's ancient journals, Thom hopes to convince Ophesia to free his people with charm instead of steel. But his plan goes sideways when the beautiful and mysterious woman imprisons him, vowing he'll never leave her magical castle hidden in the mountains.

Thom's new prison is much friendlier than he'd expected, with a quartet of enchanted housewares at his beck and call. As Thom learns more about his mysterious captor, he discovers Ophesia's not just an evil witch, but a woman who sacrificed everything for the man she loved once upon a time. And saving his kingdom might just mean mending her broken heart first.

The Curse of the Wretched is the first book in the Wretched Curse series, a spicy, gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling with forced proximity, hidden identities, shadow magic, and slow burn yearning. Perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent's Daughter of No Worlds, Alix E. Harrow's The Everlasting, and Rebecca Ross's A River Enchanted. This is the first fantasy romance from award-winning cozy fantasy and young adult author S. Usher Evans.

Praise for The Curse of the Wretched

★★★★★ "The twist here is not that it's gender swapped, but the introduction of shadow magic. And not JUST shadow magic, but a little twist on mirror magic as well! How fun, right?" - BFT Reviews

★★★★★ "There is very little I like more than a good fairytale retelling or Beauty and the Beast. To get both of these in one book, gender swapped? Amazing." - Kate, Goodreads Reviewer

★★★★★ "This retelling with its gender swap and fresh backstory and book-loving friends to…well no spoilers but you know…had me hooked from the first chapter. Now I must wait impatiently for the next book. I love having a good series to look forward to." - Lacey, Goodreads Reviewer

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Audiobook, Romantasy, Slow Burn

394 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 8, 2026

About the author

S. Usher Evans is an author, blogger, and witty banter aficionado. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she left the sleepy town behind for the fast-paced world of Washington, D.C.. There, she somehow landed jobs with BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic Television before finally settling into a "real job" as an IT consultant. After a quarter life crisis at age 27, she decided consulting was for the birds and rekindled a childhood passion for writing novels. She sold everything she owned and moved back to Pensacola, where she currently resides with her two dogs, Zoe and Mr. Biscuit.

Reviews

[Chels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever though "man, I'd love a Beauty and the Beast retelling but gender swapped and much sexier?" Boy, do I have great news for you!

I love a good fairy tale retelling with a twist. The twist here is not that it's gender swapped, but the introduction of shadow magic. And not JUST shadow magic, but a little twist on mirror magic as well! How fun, right? Probably not super fun for the characters, but I was having fun I promise.

I think the strong point for this book is all the characters. You have the adorable bff, the evil witch, the talking objects, the ex lover (to put it nicely) all on top of our two MCs. I loved all the relationships between everyone and I'm really looking forward to how they progress at the series goes on.

If the term "shadow mommy" has ever popped up in your head as something you want to read about, then this is a good option for you.

Disclaimer: I am blessed to be on this author's ARC team so I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this book early.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a massive Disney adult with a huge appreciation for a fantastic fairytale retelling, Beauty and the Beast has always held a truly special place in my heart. Because of that, I was absolutely all-in for The Curse of the Wretched by S. Usher Evans, and the brilliant gender-swapped twist made it the absolute perfect take on a classic. Getting a fresh, suspenseful reimagining of one of my favorite stories—complete with a mentally tortured but incredibly sexy "Shadow Mommy" who is also a deeply relatable bookworm—was sheer perfection. I was so incredibly thrilled to receive a copy of this book, and this one had me completely hooked from the very first chapter.

The story starts with an ancient legend and an ominous warning. Five hundred years after a legendary hero supposedly vanquished her, the shadow-wielding witch Ophesia reappears with a vendetta to curse the kingdom. The earnest Crown Prince Thom is tasked with finishing what his ancestor started and saving both his kingdom and his friend. Armed with ancient journals, he travels to her dangerous manor, only for Ophesia to imprison him. However, his reclusive new captor is far from unkind, eventually conceding to dine with Thom every evening. Through their stilted conversations about art, books, and poetry, Thom begins to unravel the mystery of what really happened on that mountain centuries ago, realizing that saving his kingdom might just mean mending her broken heart first.

Thom and Ophesia’s world is far too easy to get sucked into, making it almost impossible to try and savor the story by reading slower. The forced proximity, hidden identities, shadow magic, and delicious slow-burn yearning make this first installment of the Wretched Curse series an absolute must-read. The characters are completely delightful, particularly Jamie—and honestly, the next book needs way more Jamie, please! There was even a fantastic cameo that made my heart so happy. It all wraps up with a cliffhanger that left me wanting more as soon as humanly possible, and I am already waiting impatiently to see where this journey goes next.

To top it all off, the audiobook narration is brilliantly done. Performed in a flawless duet by Juniper West and Sam Brooks, they capture the emotion, tension, and magic of the characters beautifully. I cannot recommend this book enough—in fact, I haven’t been able to stop talking about it since I finished it. If you love a unique, fresh, and spicy fairytale reimagining, you do not want to miss this one!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lyno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before I start, I'd like to thank S.Usher Evans for approving my ARC request. As this is my first ARC book, I'm incredibly grateful and thankful that The Curse of the Wretched gets to be my first ARC read.

I've been in a reading slump lately, especially when it comes to fantasy books, but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly this book captured my full attention (and I have a very short attention span).

There are a lot of things I loved about The Curse of the Wretched that I'd like to point out:

1. Great pacing.
As the first book in the Wretched Curse series, it's important to establish the characters, their relationships, and the overall tone of the story. The author did this incredibly well without making the book feel slow or overwhelming.

2. Enjoyable characters.
I'd like to thank the author for not making the FMC a damsel in distress, especially considering the situation she's in. I know some romantasy authors love doing that. The FMC is incredibly strong, both mentally and physically, and so courageous. There were moments when I genuinely felt for her because of everything she went through. The whole abandonment aspect gets me every time.

I'm also so glad the MMC was understanding throughout her ordeal and was willing to fight for her. Their dynamic gave me major golden retriever x black cat energy, which I absolutely loved.

3. Amazing writing.
There are several moments where the FMC reminisces about the past, but I was never confused about whether I was reading a scene from the past or present. The transitions were handled so smoothly, making it easy to follow the timeline.

4. The FMC is secretly a book girlie like us?
Hello???
Honestly, that was the moment that completely sealed the deal for me. It was such a wholesome and adorable detail, especially because it was so unexpected given the image she projects. I was ridiculously happy reading the scene where the MMC gives her extra coins so she can buy the books she actually loves instead of the random ones people choose for her. Just because he knows how happy it makes her.

Best scene in the book, in my opinion.

I'd definitely classify this as a slow-burn romance since the relationship only really starts developing toward the end, but it was absolutely worth the wait.

Book: The Curse of the Wretched
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a huge thank you to High Gravity Productions and author S. Usher Evans for providing me with the ALC of The Curse of the Wretched!

This audiobook delivered exactly what I want from fantasy audio—and honestly, I have zero complaints. Five stars for both the story and narration. Narrated in duet by Juniper West and Sam Brooks, the performances brought so much life and emotion to these characters.

This is a gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling—but make it adult, darker, and much spicier.

We have Thom, the prince, who grew up under an absolutely awful father and has a younger brother who’s following a little too closely in those footsteps. Thankfully, he also has the kind of loyal best friend everyone wishes they had. Then there’s Ophesia—the witch responsible for cursing the prince’s kingdom… or is she? Because nothing in this story is quite what it seems.

This is a spoiler-free review, so I’ll keep things vague, but this story gives us everything fantasy romance lovers want:

✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Slow burn with delicious yearning
✨ Truths, secrets, and shocking reveals
✨ Shadow magic and magical mirrors with unexpected twists
✨ The cursed becoming the savior
✨ Enchanted house companions that completely stole scenes

What I loved most was how deeply connected these characters become in the most chaotic, heartbreaking, and sometimes downright diabolical ways. Their relationships add so much depth to the story.

"You're mine in every way possible."

And when that slow burn FINALLY started paying off? Absolutely worth the wait. This book definitely delivers on the spice and steam.

Chapter 43 had me clapping. Go Ella!!

And that ending? I need answers immediately because now I’m ridiculously curious about where this story goes next.
If you love fantasy retellings with romance, magic, yearning, and spice—you’re going to eat this up.

[Lb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thom with the help of his trusted friend (who is also his secretary), his friend's fiance and his great great great great (you get the idea) Grandpa Balfour's journal's finds the entrance to the witches mountain home... only once he gets there things are not as they seem.

Thom knows that he can't defeat the witch as is but maybe he can talk her into lifting the curse on the lands once and for all, she can be reasonable right?

Now trapped with the evil witch Thom being the guy he is decides to make the most of it and get to know (or try to) his captor better... she is stand offish and short tempered at first but over the course of their time together more of her story comes out and we learn she has reasons for keeping her distance... along with reasons for everything that she does.

The pacing was a bit slow at times with the action picking up towards the end. This is a slow burn and our couple getting to know each other throughout the book feels natural the spark between the two is there... one of them just needs to make the first move!

I really enjoyed this gender reversed Beauty and the Beast retelling it had enough of the original elements which we all love (including the enchanted items) but with enough twists to make it an enchanting tale all on it's own. That ending... I need the next book now!!

I got this ALC copy from High Gravity ALC and I think the narrators did a great job with this story I stayed up way too late wanting to know what happened next.

Book blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...

*High Gravity ALC *Romantasy *Beauty & The Beast retelling (Gender swapped)

*reverse Age Gap *reverse grumpy/sunshine *Shadow magic *Mirror magic *Slow Burn

*Curses *Family drama *Cliffhanger *Cinnamon Roll MMC *enemies to lovers

*enchanted friends

[Elizabeth Roth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Curse of the Wretched by S. Usher Evans is a unique, gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast-inspired fantasy romance featuring shadow magic, animated household objects, magic mirrors, witches, princes, and curses. While I wasn't a fan of the cliffhanger ending (that's a personal preference), I am incredibly excited to see where the series goes next.
The world-building and character development were both very well done. Thom, the crown prince, is sent by his cruel father and younger brother on what they know is a suicide mission: find the witch Ophesia and kill her to break the curse plaguing their kingdom. Their true motivation is to remove Thom from the line of succession so his brother can become crown prince.
Once Thom arrives at Ophesia's mysterious manor, he finds himself trapped there. Although Ophesia is definitely the grumpy half of this grumpy/sunshine pairing, the two gradually form a connection through their shared appreciation of art and poetry. As the story unfolds, Thom uncovers long-buried secrets about his family and the kingdom's past. I can't say much more without venturing into spoiler territory, but the revelations kept me invested from beginning to end.
The audiobook narration was brilliant. Performed in duet by Juniper West and Sam Brooks, both narrators did an exceptional job capturing the tension, danger, mystery, and distinct personalities of the characters. Their performances added another layer of immersion to an already engaging story.
Overall, The Curse of the Wretched offers a fresh and imaginative take on a classic fairytale, blending romance, mystery, and fantasy into a compelling read that left me eager for the next installment.
Thank you to High Gravity Productions and author S. Usher Evans for providing me with an ALC of The Curse of the Wretched!

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first beauty and the beast retelling, and I loved that it was reversed which gave a little something different to the story. I listened to the audio which is duet narration by Juniper West and Sam Brooks. The two of them did fantastic and really brought so much life to these characters and the story!

We have Thom, the prince who is a total cinnamon roll and is trying to do what is best for his kingdom, but his father and brother are absolutely awful and really just want him out of the picture. Then we have Ophesia, and she is the dark witch that is responsible for cursing the kingdom. When Thom is sent to hunt her down to break the curse, he gets trapped and we go on a journey.

I can't give too much away, or it will spoil the story, but I loved how the relationship built and how connected the characters became. I love how our FMC was the grumpy one and I also loved the edition of the other characters that definitely helped bring the beauty and the beast component to life.

We have a slow burn, enemies to loves, secrets, shadow magic, enchanted companions, and a little bit of action. My only complaint is that I wish that we would have had a little bit more action to help the pacing be a little bit faster, but I still really enjoyed the story and all of the development. That ending? Ugh! I have lots of questions and need the second book immediately!

Huge thank you to High Gravity Productions and the author for the early copy to listen to!

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of an ancient witch and a prince tasked with breaking a centuries-old curse, and the story offered an interesting blend of fantasy, romance, and emotional healing.
What I enjoyed most was the gradual unraveling of Ophesia’s past. As Thom learns that the infamous witch may not be the villain history remembers, the story explores themes of sacrifice, grief, forgiveness, and second chances. Their relationship develops at a steady pace, allowing both characters room to grow and challenge their assumptions about one another.
The enchanted castle and magical elements created a charming atmosphere, and I especially enjoyed the whimsical housewares that added warmth and personality to the story. While the pacing occasionally felt a bit slow in the middle, the emotional payoff and character development kept me invested.
As for the audiobook, Juniper West and Sam Brooks did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. Both narrators captured the emotional depth of the story, with Juniper West portraying Ophesia’s vulnerability and strength beautifully, while Sam Brooks conveyed Thom’s earnest and compassionate nature with ease. Their performances added another layer of depth to an already engaging fantasy romance.
This was an enjoyable start to the Wretched Curse series and a solid fantasy romance for readers who enjoy slow-burn relationships, forced proximity, hidden truths, and fairy tale retellings with a fresh twist.

[Ashley LeBaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

****ARC REVIEW****

First, I’d like to thank the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. As always, these are my honest opinions.

Overall, this was a pretty good read, but it wasn’t quite what I expected. If you’re hoping for action or fight scenes, you won’t find much here until the very end of the book. Because of that, the pacing felt extremely slow at times.

Much of the story consists of Thom trying to get answers while the FMC refuses to give them, along with the two of them spending a lot of time reading, researching, and talking. While there are mysteries surrounding the characters and their circumstances, I found myself wishing there was more happening throughout the plot.

That said, I really enjoyed the relationship development. Their connection grows naturally through patience, understanding, and spending time together rather than instant attraction. Thom is an absolute golden retriever MMC, and he was easily one of my favorite parts of the story.

In the end, I liked the book, but the slow pacing kept it from being a great read for me. The character interactions and romance were sweet, but readers looking for a more action-driven story may find themselves wanting a bit more.

[Amanda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught me by surprise and I'm so glad that I got to listen to it. It's a fantastic retelling with a slight twist. It's Beauty and the Beast but with the roles swapped. An incredible well thought out, well written narrative. The twists and turns were very well placed. And the audio narration was brilliant. It was flawlessly narrated by Juniper West and Sam Brooks. They captured perfectly all the emotion and tension in this book. These two narrators were easy to listen to and had me drawn into the book from beginning to end. I couldn't get enough of listening to this audiobook. It's so, so good. I cannot wait for the next part of the story, especially after the way this one ended. I highly suggest grabbing a copy of this. It's definitely a must listen in my opinion. Thanks so much to High gravity Productions and the author for a copy of this. All thoughts are my own and freely expressed.

[Mari Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beauty and the beast retelling is one of my favorite retellings ever!

To add to this book being my favorite childhood story retelling, the roles were also switched, so their ideal characteristics and personalities were reversed. I definitely loved this idea! Thus, the mmc is a golden retriever while the fmc is an intimidating witch.

I love all the genres and tropes implemented, such as romantasy, he falls first, she imprisons him, and so much more. I especially loved the main character's relationship with each other; over time they eventually learned to find comfort and warmth in the other's presence and developed emotional healing.

The romance was perfectly captured from the slow-burn, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and intense yearning! The adventure and mystery was a great addition and kept me flipping the page! I loved everything about this book and would definitely recommend for disney lovers!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is very little I like more than a good fairytale retelling or Beauty and the Beast. To get both of these in one book, gender swapped? Amazing. With a mentally tortured but sexy Shadow Mommy who is also a very relatable bookworm? Perfection. This story was so fun to read, the characters were delightful (particularly Jamie; the next book Needs More Jamie please), & had a cliffhanger that left me wanting more asap. There was even a cameo that made my heart so happy 💚 I tried my best to savor it & read slower, but it was far too easy to get sucked into Thom & Ella’s world & not want to leave. I cannot recommend this book enough (tbh, I haven’t been able to stop talking about it since I finished it), & am looking forward to seeing where the story goes next 🖤

Disclaimer: I am on the author’s arc team & was lucky enough to get the chance to read a copy early 🥰

[Samantha Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Evans has written an amazing novel here! This is a twisted retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but it is not just a rehash. The story is fresh, susepnseful, and interesting. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Ophesia is a fascinating character with many secrets. Thom is a great guy who just wants to save his kingdom and his friend.
As someone who has read all of Bev, Lillie, and PJ books by Ms. Evans, this was a darker, more suspenseful tale. It is still full of hope, though, so it will still resonate with fans of those stories.
I truly enjoyed the journey!
(I obtained my copy of this book at a book festival.)

[Lacey Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so thrilled to have been given an advanced copy of this book to read. Beauty and the Beast has been my favorite fairy tale since the animated Disney movie came out when I was four. I have since read retellings and been so disappointed. But not this time! No, this retelling with its gender swap and fresh backstory and book-loving friends to…well no spoilers but you know…had me hooked from the first chapter. Now I must wait impatiently for the next book. I love having a good series to look forward to ❤️

[Audury Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beauty and the beast retelling is amazing! She is the beast and it hits way better than other retelling. I would rate this more as a 4.5 only because the beginning kinda messes me up. There was a couple small parts that I think had very tiny plot holes but nothing major and it very quickly draws you in wanting more. I seriously loved this retelling especially as I went in blind and knew nothing about this book so it was a welcome surprise what this book was. I am now extremely eager to read more by this author ✍️

[Enjoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I would first like to thank the author for allowing me an ALC of this book***

I really enjoyed this ALC and it is a solid 4⭐️ Audiobook! The voice actress and actor were great (I listened in 1.5 speed) and made the performance very enjoyable!

If you are looking for a magical fairytale retelling with a new twist, then you should
check out this book.

This book was easy to digest, organically developed slower burn romance with forced proximity and some interesting twists. For me, it was was a good time and is a great vibes read.

I can’t wait to see where this story goes!

[Martha Steigerwald]

I received this as an ALC from High Gravity Production.

I just want to say I haven't been a high Fantasy book person. But listening to this book was easy to follow. I really got into it.

This is a reverse Beauty and the Beast fairy tail. Instead of a Beast it is an evil witch Ophelia. She keeps Thom in her Magical Castle hidden deep in the Mountains. He is hoping to free his people with his kindness instead of meanness. Her castle is full of friendly houseware pieces. He became friends with footstool, who is trying to help him save his people.

[Jennifer Wycech · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced Proximity
He Falls First...and hard
She Imprisons Him
Golden Retriever Prince
Shadow Mommy

Duet narration - Sam Brooks & Juniper West
Fantastic performance. Both of these narrators were wonderful to listen to.

A gender spin on beauty and the beast that I enjoyed very much. The writing was easy to follow and well done. I loved that the narration is duet style giving the book a more immersive feel. The storyline is slow burn romantasy, not a ton of action scenes but the characters were captivating.

Overall, a good spin and retelling of beauty and the beast. I enjoyed it.

[Optimisticbooknerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

This was such a good reading experience for me, I absolutely love anything to do with beauty and the beast and this one is just roles reversed! The romance? epic the story? Will keep you on your toes wanting to know everything.

Tropes:
Shadow mommy 🖤
he falls first
golden retriever prince
she'd burn the world for him
forced proximity
she imprisons him
and last but definitely not least!
inspired by Tortured Poets @taylorswift

comes out September 9th 2026 and its probably my favourite of the year 🎀❤️

[April Caseltine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get to listen to this audiobook. I felt like I was pulled into a mix of all the fairytales. Beauty and the beast (reversed), Rapunzel, and the evil witch gave me Ursala vibes and I have NO idea why! This book has adventure and romance and such wonderfully descriptive world building! I cannot wait to hear what comes next!

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's giving Beauty and the Beast vibes but she's the beast in a way. Also get the Prince Charming. It's like a mesh of popular fairy tales.
It does end on a cliffhanger that has me automatically wanting to get the next book.
I listened to the audio version and the narrators did a great job.

[Michelle Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Curse of the Wretched is the first book in the Wretched Curse series. Please read all content warnings and beware of the cliffhanger. We meet an evil witch, the crown prince of Genad, his father, brother and the beautiful host Ella. Thom goes to solve the issue of the curse and ends up as a captive. What happens? Sit back, relax and get ready for a wild ride.
Juniper West was absolutely magnificent as kind, sweet, beautiful, caring, intelligent Ella and malicious Ophesia. Her voice for Bowl was delightful-so playful. All of her hurt, pain, uncertainty, vulnerability, strength, intelligence and love was clearly evident in her voice. Sam Brooks was spectacular as kind, gentle, loving, caring Thom and the evil duo of his dad and brother. These two talented voice actors brought this story to life masterfully. I highly recommend listening to this fabulous audiobook.
Thanks to the author and High Gravity Productions for this ALC.
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Story 5 stars Narration 5 stars

[Sarah Swisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait for the second book to come out.

[Kassie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so good! Love the gender swapped beauty and the beast take, I cannot believe it ended where it did! How am I supposed to wait!?!