Princess of Curses & Croaks: A No-Spice, Enemies-to-Lovers Fairy Tale Retelling

The Seasons of Magic #2

by Victoria Benty

A strong-willed chambermaid. An arrogant prince. A dangerous magic between them.

After her father's death, Lyra keeps her head down in the royal palace, suppressing the strange powers she barely understands. Her father believed her simple textile magic could make her more than a servant. Lyra knows better.

Until one late night in the palace gardens, she meets Prince Thomas.

Prideful, privileged, and infuriatingly clever, Thomas embodies everything Lyra resents about the upper class she serves. Yet their late-night encounters awaken her long-buried desire to train in magic. And when the prince himself offers to teach her for a trade, Lyra can’t resist the chance to become something more.

As the secret lessons stretch into months, Lyra’s magic proves more powerful and dangerous than she expected. With a mysterious plague spreading across the kingdom and unrest brewing among noble families, Lyra is forced to choose between the life she’s always known and the prince who threatens to upend her entire world.

Will she dare to risk her heart—and the life she'd planned to settle for—to save the prince she once hated?

Pride and Prejudice meets The Frog Prince in this banter-filled, no-spice fairy tale retelling.

Genres: Fantasy

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 31, 2026

About the author

Victoria Benty is a secret princess, chocolate enthusiast, and indie fairy-tale author living in British Columbia. When she’s not writing cozy stories full of romance and magic, she’s likely wrapped in a blanket with coffee and a stack of fairy-tale retellings.

Her stories are filled with far-off kingdoms, feisty princesses, and dashing princes, exploring timeless themes of courage, self-discovery, and doing what’s right no matter the cost. Her heroines are inspired by the many dog-eared fairy tales and romances on her shelf, including authors such as Marissa Meyer, Shannon Hale, Gail Carson Levine, Brittany Fichter, and Annette K. Larsen.

Visit her website for sneak peeks at her works in progress: https://victoriabenty.wixsite.com/ind...

Follow her on social media and more: linktr.ee/victoriabenty


Note: Before getting married, she published under the name "Vicky Johnson."

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC of Princess of Curses & Croaks.

I really enjoyed the mix of Pride & Prejudice with The Frog Princess, it was a fun mix!

Victoria is phenomenal at painting a vivid story and the depth of the scenery transported me into the story.

I also enjoyed the overlapping of the timeline with the first book in the series and visiting again with Ella and her journey.

Lyra had significant growth throughout the story and I enjoyed the growth with Prince Theo.

Definitely recommend reading this no spice fairytale series. Excited for book 3!

[Stephanie Schaper · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was made for more. For this. To be a hero of the kingdom. A woman who gave up everything for love.”

First off, I would like to thank the author - for writing this book and for letting me ARC read again! I really loved the first book so I had high hopes. It’s safe to say, this book also really captured my attention - as well as my heart. Victoria’s writing is truly amazing, she’s able to paint such a vivid picture with her attention to detail and emotions. Her style really reminds me of Shannon Hale and I am very much here for it. I am a sucker for fairytale retellings and the Frog Prince is such an interesting and underutilized story. That balanced with a Pride and Prejudice vibe was just chefs kiss amazing. I really, really loved the first book but enemies to lovers is very much my type of love story. Needless to say, I read this book in under three days (and mostly while I was at work).
Lyra is a very strong woman and I found her very relatable. It can be a little overwhelming to feel this pressure to be more or to do more and to not feel like you have the right resources or guidance for what you were meant to do. I thought she had a lot of stubbornness but also a lot of drive. I was really happy to have her as a main character in this book - her magic from the first book really piqued my curiosity. I enjoyed seeing more about the magic system in book two. I was super curious in the first book about how it all worked and I am happy to have my questions answered. The magic system itself was also unique, or at least unique to me, which was refreshing.
Lyra’s romance with Thom was a slowburn as well, which I appreciated. It was nice seeing their relationship grow organically. And as much as I do not care for timeskips while reading, I feel like it was very necessary for the story and for the growth of the characters. It also gave time for another one of my favorite tropes: yearning. They had to grow apart in order to eventually grow together and it was nice seeing them both sort of slowly realize that they had misjudged the other. It was also sweet seeing the subtle ways they cared for each other. The letters? Absolute cinema.
An aspect of this book that I really enjoyed reading in particular was Lyras’s dynamic with her older sister, Kelara. I thought it was very intriguing to see a situation in which a marriage did not work out. I am unsure if it was intended but it very much made me think over Lyra’s relationship with David, for example, would they have ended up in a similar path had they married? It was interesting to see how David wasn’t necessarily an outright bad guy but was still judgemental and underestimated Lyra a bit too much. Pride and prejudice (ha) seemed to be a big theme in this book for multiple characters, not just the main two and I think this is especially seen with his character. However, Lyra was seemingly able to break the cycle and find her own happy ending and I am rooting for Kelara as well (would totally read a spin off). I think I also enjoyed this aspect as I am close with my older sister as well and I just love seeing a healthy sisterly bond alive and well in a book. And Asha was super cute, I wish she was in the book more frequently.
Lyra and Thom were such a cute couple and I truly enjoyed reading their love story. It was nice seeing Lyra’s growth throughout the book. Honestly, my main complaint is probably that this book still felt too short. I would have loved for even more detail, perhaps more of Lyra training on her own with Master Carter. More of Thom’s travels and his own training. Anything, really. Give me more of this magical world, I’d devour it.
Overall, I really loved this book! I will be tuning in for more (and rereading these books) in the future! Victoria is really becoming one of my top favorites!

[Lisa Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Princess of Curses & Croaks by Victoria Benty, which is the second book in the Seasons of Magic series. Although I didn't read the other books, I don't feel that I missed anything important. I understood and enjoyed the references to "Cinderella," which from the first book, Princess of Cinders & Secrets. Princess of Curses & Croaks is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice and "The Frog Prince." Though magic is a large part of the story as a whole, the book is about 90% Pride and Prejudice and 10% "The Frog Prince."

Lyranore is a castle chambermaid who believes she is meant for bigger and better things. She receives a proposal from her long-time boyfriend that she begrudgingly accepts, but feels he isn't good enough for her. When Prince Thomas rescues her niece from drowning, she slowly grows closer to him and starts taking magic lessons under his tutelage. During the time they spend together, she realizes that her preconceived notions of royalty being selfish and arrogant may have been unfounded.

The Pride and Prejudice spin works surprisingly well in a fairy tale setting and encompasses a larger portion of this book than "The Frog Prince." My favorite part was how the story of "Cinderella" paralleled the sister from Pride and Prejudice that Mr. Darcy sabotaged. In this book, Prince Thom claims that his brother is wasting resources by sending palace staff to travel to the home of every maiden in the kingdom to try on the glass slipper. I had never looked at it that way before!

Lyra is not the most relatable heroine, but her misplaced pride works well for a Pride and Prejudice retelling. The setting is on the darker side for a fairy tale world. It takes place in a kingdom where many of its citizens have fallen victim to a deadly plague, including Lyra's niece, whom she is determined to save. The magic system seems to be derived from genetics. Some characters are born with more mana than others, and only the wealthy can afford the education to learn how to use it.

Overall, Princess of Curses & Croaks is a unique fairy tale take on a Jane Austen classic with just a dash of "The Frog Prince" mixed in for flavor. It introduces a type of protagonist not often seen in fairy tale retellings, which rarely feature maids as heroines. The setting is fully fleshed out, and the magic system reminded me of the anime Ascendance of a Bookworm. I'd recommend this book to fans of Jane Austen and fantasy settings.

[Hadassah Buie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a free arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is a Frog Prince retelling.

Lyra had a strong sense of justice. I really loved how her interactions with David illustrated her character development to the reader. The main thing she had to overcome was her prejudice towards nobles in general.
Thomas did not irritate me as much as he irritated Lyra. He had to work on his pride. (I forgot until right now that this is also a Pride and Prejudice retelling.)

Language: No more than mentions of people swearing, nothing written out.

Violence: A character is physically abused, though not on page. A needle is injected in someone. At the climax of the story there is the typical PG level intensity you would expect.

Spiritual: Mentions of spirits and saints, as well as mentions of praying.

Sexual: Lyra's older sister's prior husband cheated on her. Mentions of married couples sharing a bed. Men looking up and down Lyra's body. Lyra sees a man while in her pajamas multiple times. The kisses lasted many more sentences than I would have liked, and I skimmed all of them.

Magic content: Yes. There are mages spells, and a cauldron mentioned. Mages can manipulate the elements among other things.

Other: There is a disease that many people are dying from, which may be hard for some readers.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. Lyra wasn't my favorite character, and I didn't find myself rooting for the main couple, but it was a fun quick read.

[Keiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to the author for the ARC!
Once again, I have to admire the artwork. I absolutely loved the little frog and the ponds featured at the beginning of every chapter, they're such charming details 🐸

Princess of Curses and Croaks takes place during the events of the first Cinders and Secrets book, with the timeline running filling in what happened during the two year time gap in Ella's story.

Actually I enjoyed learning how Lyra and David first met and how he helped her through a difficult time. That said, I didn't like the way he talked about her magic or how he unconsciously underestimated her.

One of my favorite moments was when Thom casually slipped his coat over Lyra's shoulders and simply continued the conversation as if nothing had happened. It was such a subtle gesture, but I loved it. He seems like the stereotypical arrogant prince, but he’s actually just socially awkward and genuinely wants to become a better person especially to Lyra. And the letters!! Thom completely stole my heart 💌

Overall I enjoyed Princess of Curses and Croaks. Loved the ending, Lyra stays true to herself and remains determined to pursue what she want 💕

[M. K. Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars: I really enjoyed this Frog Prince retelling that had hints of Pride and Prejudice. She's a maid, he's a prince, but they have magic in common...and even though she has a life lined up at home, she yearns for something more. One of the most unique aspects of this book was that the main character has an older sister who is separated/divorced from her husband and the sisters discuss grieving this kind of past relationship; I thought that was really interesting and carefully done, especially in a fantasy setting. I was so pleased that we got more explanation of the magic in this world, since it was more of a hint in the first book in the series. It was fascinating to get to see Lyra learn not only how to do spells, but also what magic means and how it works. Seeing letters from Thom (the prince) was fun, but I wish we got to see more of his growth arc shown on page rather than just told. Still, I think this was a strong entry in the series (I actually liked this one better than the first, which is uncommon for me) and I recommend to readers who enjoy sweet fairytale retellings or fantasies.

Thank you to the author for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

[Leann Arave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess of curses and croaks is the second book in the series and also the second book I have read in the series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book. I was not pulled into this book quite as quickly. Lyra is a chamber made in the Royal Palace. She has magical talents when it comes to fabric, but her father knew she was destined for more. Unfortunately, he passed before she was able to understand her worth. The story has a safe romance and a forbidden romance, I enjoyed the journey of finding her true love and watching her discover her talents. The story was a little slow moving for me, but overall an enjoyable read. There was good character development and an intriguing storyline. It could be read as a standalone. There are a few tie ins to book one. To get the whole experience, I would recommend reading book one. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Kary Cautivo · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

(English is my second language so I ask forgiveness for any mistakes in grammar or spelling)

I READ AN ARC COPY SENT TO ME BY THE AUTHOR

I enjoyed the book but I struggled a little bit more to connect with Lyra than with Ella from the first book. This is why the book is not a solid 5⭐ (this and that I wish the book was written in dual POV)

Is an interesting story of personal growth and overcoming obstacules, not only the ones other put before us, but also the ones that we put before ourselves.

I loathe Mrs. Calloway. What a meddlesome and unagreable woman.

I liked Thom, and as with the first book, I would've loved for this book to have been written in a dual POV so I could know what was going to his head. He's such an interesting character (and I felt he was neurodivergently coded).

I hope we'll get to know more about the Blackwoods and their schemmings in books to come... I can't wait for book 3

Thank you Victoria for writting this book

[Julia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria is by far a new favorite author. I was first introduced to her fabulous writing when I read book one of this series. Her stories are the kind that suck you in from the first page and won’t let you go until you finish the book!

I absolutely loved reading Lyra’s story and all the ways it intertwined with Princess of Cinders and Secrets. Lyra had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion, and the romance was perfectly sweet and fuzzy. But it was the plot that kept me reading as Victoria wove a wonderful mystery element into the story!!

Looking forward to reading more from Victoria. Thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your ARC team!! It was my pleasure to get a first look at this wonderful story you’ve crafted.

[Jennalee Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so precious! I liked it even better than the first book. However, you must read the first book before reading this one. Lyra and Prince Thom made such wonderful main characters. While they were enemies in the beginning, they eventually became friends. Their friendship forms through working with their magic and at the same time working on developing cures for sicknesses. I enjoyed this retelling of Frog Prince because Lyra reacted the same way that I would have with slimy frogs. She didn’t enjoy the feel of frogs either. 😆 This was a completely clean book, but included intense feelings of innocent love. 💕

[Lily Daisy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the story is inspired by The Princess and the Frog, the author did a wonderful job of making it her own unique tale. I hardly noticed the connection until we reached the part with the frog, which was a pleasant surprise. I really admire the FMC's independence and her straightforward attitude—it's so refreshing! The author's creativity in shaping the FMC truly shines, and I loved every bit of it.Victoria BentyVictoria Benty

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of tension, adventure, and laugh-out-loud puns! I loved the whole thing! I even got my husband interested in whatever it was that I was reading because I kept laughing out loud (and it was even funny after explaining the joke)! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book by this author! I received an ARC copy and this is my review.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series..I highly recommend reading Cinderella's story first.
I found the story interesting and engaging. It felt a little long to me in some parts and some of the choices that the main character made didn't make sense to me. However once I got past the slow moments it did get intense. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Shannon Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story, which overlapped with the timeline of the first book in this series. I admit that I wasn't quite as invested in these characters as I was with Ella and Theodore, but the writing was just as strong and the story progressed well. Victoria is a great storyteller 🩷

[Dorothy Zander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. It took me a bit to get into the story but by the end I couldn't put it down. Definitely worth persevering with this one. I felt like it put female ambition into a very positive light which I really love 💕.

[Anayah Navarrete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! The storyline is captivating, and the characters are so well developed. Thank you for providing me with the advance reader copy (ARC). It was a fantastic experience, and I can't wait to share my thoughts with others!

[Michelle Pomeroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is certainly a different twist on the Frog Prince fairytale. While the second book in a series, it also stands alone.
This is a clean read and the editing is decent. I received an ARC from the author. I was not required to write a review but chose to do so and the opinions stated are my own.

[Lise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a concurrent story to the first in the series, a Cinderella Retelling, where I'm more of a linear reader. It's also billed as a Frog Prince Retelling but it's more 90% Pride and Prejudice (which I'm not a fan of) and 10% ribbit wizardry. So even though this one missed the mark a bit for me, I'm still a huge fan of the author and her writing, and I'm definitely on board for the next in the series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.