Stay for a Spell

by Amy Coombe

A joyful, cosy fantasy romance for anyone who's ever wished they could live in a bookshop.One curse, seven princes, and a bookshop that you’ll never want to leave…

Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar longs to build a life of her own making. During a royal visit to the cosy town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she finds her heart’s desire.

More than a little thrilled, she hires a new assistant, teenage goth Sasha, and settles into life among the stacks. Despite the infuriatingly handsome pirate, Bash, who keeps showing up at the shop with his good looks and his own curse to figure out, Tandy’s new life might just make her happy.

There are just seven, minor, problems. With her royal duties unfulfilled, the frantic King and Queen send the seven princes of the realms to bestow upon Tandy a kiss, each one hoping to break the curse.

After all, what more could a princess want, than a prince?

A whimsical, heart-warming fantasy romance for fans of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels, Legends and Lattes and The Princess Bride.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Cozy Fantasy, Cozy, Romantasy, Fiction, Adult

384 pages, Hardcover

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

Born and raised in California, Amy is an award-winning writer, editor and publisher. She has lived all over the United States and is now based in London, where she uses her degrees in Law and Modern History to do neither of those things. She’s an avid reader, a licensed mudlarker, an enthusiastic fossil-hunter, a fledgling birder, and a font of useless trivia.

Reviews

[Ricarda]

It's called a curse in this book, but I personally would love to be trapped in a cozy little bookshop with my tentacle cat and the hot pirate who is afraid of water. But it's not like the main character Tanadelle de Courcy is too mad about her situation either. As a princess, it's her job to travel across the country and represent the royal family on public occasions. She's bored to death by shaking hands, cutting ribbons and smiling bright all day, and the nightmarish smalltalk at the never-ending banquets she's attending in every town is really testing her patience too. So getting cursed in a small bookshop is actually a welcome change of pace for her. While she's there she might as well put a little work into the shop and so Tandy begins to tidy up the messy shelves and starts to think about ways to actually sell some books and make the shop more popular in town. Of course she is also looking for a way to break her curse, favorably without having to kiss all the seven princes of the land. It was such a fun cozy story to me, very pleasant to read. Tandy could have easily come across as a spoiled brat, but I found her to be pretty relatable. She's forced to live a life as a public figure and her future holds no place for her own wishes. She more or less just accepted this for herself and only when she is forced into a break, she begins to realize what she actually wants from life. Her character was well developed in my opinion. The side characters not so much, though. Sasha, the moody teen dragon girl, was nice, but I had no particular feelings about Bash, the pirate who is cursed to be afraid of water. I'm glad that the romance was more in the background of the story, but I would have been fine without it too. Tandy and Bash's relationship progresses very slowly and it's mostly just banter and speaking in riddles without really any substance. It wasn't cringy or anything, but I surely wasn't swooning either. I was more into the cozy bookshop side of things. It was exactly how I like my cozy fantasy. I just love it when characters work on something and they get more comfortable in their own skin while they're at it. The bookshop slowly turned into a home and there even was cozy household and gardening magic. The tentacle cat could have been more prominent for my liking, but it was overall a sweet read for me. The humorous tone was great too. The story does have some issues with being repetitive and I think that it could have been way shorter than it was. Especially the resolution was going on for way too long and it was also a bit stupid to be honest. Naturally, the setting reminded me of Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree and his books are always on the shorter side. A shorter page count would have probably solved some of the issues I had with this story, but overall I can't complain too much. It's a nice cozy read that made me happy, and what else could I possibly want from a book?

Huge thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperVoyager for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[✨Julie✨]

✩ 4.5 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ Cursed Princess x Barn Pirate
➼ Tethered to a Bookstore
➼ Found Family
➼ Seven Princes hoping to Break the Curse
➼ A Search for Her Heart’s Desire
➼ Ella Enchanted vibes
➼ Cozy Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Lottie Bourne
➼ First Person POV

I almost DNF’d this book at the very beginning, but I’m glad I stuck it out because I ended up loving this! Something about it reminded me a lot of Ella Enchanted and it had just the perfect cozy vibes! I was thinking about rounding down, but my feelings about this book are just so warm and fuzzy that I had to give it the full 5 stars! I would absolutely love to see this made into a movie! The 7 princes made me think of the siblings in the movie Stardust. All of these princes are living of course 🙃, but I think the right director could have a lot of fun with them! If you like cozy fantasy and small magics, considering picking this one up! Such an adorable cover too! 🤗

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Okay wait… getting into this and it’s actually reminding most of Ella Enchanted! I might need to do a rewatch when I finish! 😍

Pre-read: It’s giving Rapunzel/Princess and the Pea in a bookshop and I am here for it. 🙌🏻

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[Maeghan 🦋]

4.25✨
This was SO GOOD! Princess Tandy was accidentally cursed in a bookshop, and now she has to stay there with a tentaculed-cat, while spending time with a pirate cursed to be afraid of water & rearrange the shop that is hers for the time being… (A dream, am I right?)
I honestly really loved this story and I will reread it. I LOVED the fmc!! She was everything.
The second one will follow Honeyrose in her adventures and I’m excited for it. I recommend this for lovers of cozy fantasy.

I would REALLY LOVE to read a sapphic romance with Calla because the kissing scene with her had me on my knees. So I hope she’ll be the third book.

—-•pre read
I’m slumping pretty bad but the cat on this cover is calling my name

[Stephanie]

*4.5 stars*

This is an absolutely charming fairy tale for adults, starring a busy (and lonely) working princess who should be on the road nonstop but sneaks away for a moment of joy to explore a cozy bookshop - and then finds herself cursed (cursed!) to stay there, taking over as its new proprietess, surrounded by fabulous books and unable to go back to her duties. WHAT a shame!

Needless to say, she is *far* less distressed by this news than her royal parents, who immediately start sending a stream of royal princes to attempt to break the curse through kisses and true love - but the only person stirring her heart in that particular direction is the also-cursed pirate who keeps wandering into her shop for flirtation and mild robbery.

The world-building is extremely thin, but honestly, quibbling over that seems unfair because it is so very much beside the point of the whole story. It reminded me in a very good way of M.M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess, and I enjoyed it a lot. I also REALLY hope there will be a sequel starring the princess's supremely competent assistant!

[Lauryn Smith]

*3.75

Tanadelle is a princess who accidentally gets cursed and is now trapped inside a bookshop. Her parents send the seven princes of the land to break the curse with true love’s kiss. Chaos, of course, ensues.

The characters were fun. Tandy was relatable, Sasha the goth draconae was funny, and Bash the sailor was an endearing kleptomaniac.

I do wish we got more details into the magic of the world and how it worked, but I think that’s just the epic fantasy reader in me.
There were a few scenes that I didn’t really care for; The random blurting out of the f-word felt very weird and took me out of the story (especially with the fact that that was practically the only instance of cursing in the book), the scene where a character gets a little too drunk and decides to go in the rain was a bit hard to read, there was a very suggestive romantic scene near the end that I didn’t care for, and then one of the princes being a princess was a bit weird as well.

I did still enjoy this book a lot, and I stayed up a little too late finishing it. Definitely one of the better cozy fantasies that I’ve read. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

[Gigi]

I wanted to love this so badly because the idea of a princess being cursed to live in a bookshop sounded absolutely elite. Like… that’s not a curse, that’s literally THE dream. The whole atmosphere was soft and comforting, which I know a lot of cozy fantasy readers will enjoy.

But I can’t lie, I was a little bored. This is very low stakes fantasy, and while I usually love a cozy read, this one almost felt too cozy. Every chapter kind of blended into the next and not much really happened until the last part of the book. By the time things finally started picking up, I was already mentally checked out.

The characters also didn’t fully work for me. The side characters, especially the teenagers, felt oddly written, and the love interest did absolutely nothing for me. I kept wishing the characters had more depth, especially the pirate, because he felt really underdeveloped for someone who could’ve been so interesting.

That said, I can still see why this works for other readers. If you love cozy, low-stakes fantasy and want something easy and comforting, this might still end up being your kind of read.

[Jan farnworth]

There’s something special about a book that feels like stepping into a place you wish existed, and Stay for a Spellby Amy Coombe absolutely delivers that kind of magic.

From the very first chapter, I was pulled into the quiet charm of Little Pepperidge and its slightly ramshackle, very enchanted bookshop. Our main character, Princess Tanadelle (Tandy), finds herself stuck there thanks to a curse that won’t let her leave until she figures out her heart’s true desire. And honestly? Being trapped in a magical bookshop doesn’t sound like the worst fate.

What I loved most about Stay for a Spell is how gentle it feels. This isn’t a high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat fantasy. It’s soft. Cozy. Intentional. The kind of story that slows you down in the best way. The bookshop itself feels alive, full of warmth and little quirks that make you want to curl up there with a cup of tea and never leave.

Tandy’s journey is really at the heart of everything. Watching her step away from royal expectations and start figuring out who she actually is felt both relatable and quietly empowering. It’s less about big dramatic moments and more about small, meaningful realizations, and I appreciated that so much.

And then there’s the romance. It builds slowly, naturally, and with just the right amount of tension and sweetness. Nothing feels rushed, which makes it all the more satisfying. Plus, there’s a slightly roguish edge to the love interest that adds just enough spark without taking away from the cozy tone.

I also have to mention the found family element, because it’s so well done. The side characters bring so much life and comfort to the story, and by the end, they genuinely feel like a little community you don’t want to say goodbye to.

If I had one small critique, it’s that the pacing might feel a bit too slow for readers who prefer action-heavy plots. But for me, that softness is exactly what made it work. It’s a story you settle into, not rush through.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of book you read when you want to feel warm, safe, and just a little bit enchanted. It’s about finding yourself, choosing your own path, and discovering that sometimes the life you didn’t plan is the one that fits you best.

A perfect cozy fantasy for anyone who loves bookshops, soft romance, and stories that feel like home.

[Carissa]

This was utterly delightful. ✨

A princess cursed to stay in a bookshop until she finds her hearts desire, followed by a variety of princes attempting to break the curse. Wonderful banter ✅ Amusing and faithful sidekicks ✅ adorable animal friends ✅ I knew within the first few pages I was going to love it and I did. I’m so sad I finished it. Can’t wait to see what’s next from Coombe 💚✨

[Fifi’s Bookshelf]

Oh how I loved this little book! It’s like Legends and Lattes, but fairytale edition! This has the same feel of all the cozy fantasy novels out there, but with fairytale kingdoms, royals, and a princess as the main character. Which automatically means it’s better than any other cozy fantasy out there, period!

This book is for fairytale lovers, and book lovers, all wrapped up in a cozy fantasy shell. I mean, it’s a cozy fairytale about a princess who is OBSESSED with books, spends every ounce of her free time reading, and gets cursed to never be able to leave a bookshop in a quaint little countryside town with rolling hills and sheep, hundreds of miles from the capital kingdom. Is this a dream come true?

I read a lot of fairytales and I have never read a book like this. The majority of fairytales I read are self published on KU (because that’s the majority of what’s out there for this genre, and you rarely see fairytales published by a publishing company, even an indie one) so this in itself is different for that. But the feel is completely different from any other fairytale I’ve ever read! It definitely mimics the vibe of The Spellshop and Legends and Lattes, but again, WAY BETTER because it takes place in a fairytale world and is about a princess.

The only remotely comparable books I can think of are Gail Carson Levine’s books, namely The Princess Tales books (WHO REMEMBERS THOSE) with the very whimsical, tongue in cheek style of writing. Regardless, this isn’t a style of fairytale you come across often at all. And that in itself makes this special.

I only gave it 4 stars because it does start to get a bit boring midway and uneventful, but to be honest, almost every “cozy fantasy” kind of does that. The point is to be a cozy, uneventful (for the most part) and safe read. Overall I LOVED the worldbuilding and I want more.

This book is whimsical. It’s cozy. It’s not a retelling but it feels like a fairytale, not a fantasy (therefore it is 100% a fairytale in my eyes). I loved the worldbuilding and the little details dropped, even though I wish there was a map and more about the world. And I want more books! One about the princess’ sister next? Or royalty in the other kingdoms? I NEED MORE!

Stand out read of 2026 for sure!

[Avada Kaddavra]

Ich liebte dieses Hörbuch! Das war mir auch direkt nach den ersten Minuten klar. Dieses Hörbuch, das Yesim wieder mal so unfassbar gut vorgelesen hat, ist der absolute Inbegriff von Coziness. Es gibt eine sanfte und eine noch sanftere Liebesgeschichte, liebenswerte Charaktere, etwas Magie und so viele zauberhafte Momente zwischen den Figuren - ich wollte am liebsten die ganze Zeit nur hören🥰 und damit meine ich nicht nur die Momente zwischen FMC und MMC, sondern auch mit den Nebencharakteren. Die launische Teenagerin, die langsam auftaut und ihr eigenes Happy End sucht. Die sieben Prinzen, von denen die meisten liebenswerte, wenn auch sehr unterhaltsame Trottel sind.
Ich mochte diesen Funken Fantasy in der Story. Gerade genug um die Handlung noch schöner zu machen.
Das ganze Buch, die Handlung, die Figuren, alles ist wunderbar unkompliziert und dabei herrlich unterhaltsam.

Highlights:
LGBTQ+
Kein Spice
Slowburn

Ganz klare Hörempfehlung!!❤️❤️

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile]]

A cute fantasy about an introverted, overly people-pleasing princess who gets cursed to stay in a bookstore until she figures out her heart's desire.

I really liked Tandy. I liked the rest of the characters, too. They might have been a bit one-dimensional, but they worked well with that they were given. The romance was soft and slow, filled with subtle yearning instead of white-hot angst, and the world-building was also gentle and didn't take itself too seriously. I was pleased with how queer normative the world seemed to be, too. It was a delightful surprise.

Anywho, the book was cute and it was fun and all about Tandy figuring out how to stand up for herself.

Did it ever really examine its own odd capitalist streak? Sure, Tandy was proud to turn a profit and balance her books and whatnot, but also...did she have to? She's a princess! She's richer than any single person in town, so her raising the prices of her merch to fit with demand didn't really sit well with me. It felt odd in this cozy setting.

Overall, though, it was a very cozy fantasy.

[Aamna Qureshi]

I loved this!!! so cozy and comforting!!

official blurb:

"Coombe has created an utterly enchanting world and cozy story set against the backdrop of a lovely bookshop and adorable village. Readers will root for Tandy to discover her heart’s desire and find the courage to seize it; as well as root for her banterful romance with a charming pirate. Stay for a Spell is ridiculously fun!"

[Astrid Willow]

Giggling, squealing, kicking my feet! This was the cutest, coziest book EVERRRR! I laughed so much i gave myself an asthma attack! 15/10

[Cups and Thoughts]

thank youuu harper collins for the physical copy 🤍

this book feels like tea and cookies. kitty snuggles. warm blankets. hot chocolate on a sunny autumn day.

full of love and heart and cozy moments. very very low stakes (pretty much no stakes at all), which can feel pretty shallow but it’s a fun read nonetheless. we get some emotional depth to the main character tandelle, which is awesome to see — but then we get an influx of all these new amazing characters and you want to get to know them better, but there is no capacity within the story for them to shine in such a short amount of time 😆

very very cute concept and a lovely story overall. i just think the 7 princes were a bit unnecessary. also there was WAY too much “he says” and “she says” after every. single. dialogue. it made me go crazy listening to the audiobook (despite the narrator being lovely) that i had to switch to the physical book 🤣

[Jasmine C]

2.5*
As expected - cute and cosy.

Stay for a Spell tells the story of book loving, people pleasing princess, Tandy, who accidentally becomes cursed to remain within a book shop until she can find what her heart desires. Her family send what they assume will be the remedy to the curse - a prince’s kiss. Along the way she befriends a cursed pirate and some local teens who end up transforming the shop for her.
To me it was quite obvious what her heart desired but Tandy doesn’t realise.

The book gave me similar vibes to “The Spellshop” as it was the same level of cute but I felt like there was less happening in this story. Although the romance doesn’t dominate the story, I just didn’t really feel any chemistry or tension between pirate Bash and Tandy.

All the way through I felt like I wanted more from the story and more from the characters. Opportunities to dive into the magic system, the characters, the friendships, the romance, the town and the family dynamic felt like they were missed. Everything was just touched upon. Nevertheless, this was an easy and relaxed read that most could enjoy.

Thank you Harper Collins UK and Amy Coombe for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Magdalena (magdal21)]

To be completely honest I wasn’t impressed by this book, but I’m not going to totally bash it since it clearly sets out to be a cozy fantasy and sticks to that vibe. It’s definitely one of those super low stakes, very gentle cozy reads, but for me it just felt too dull overall. Every chapter kind of blended into the next and nothing really changed in a way that held my attention. Things only started to pick up maybe around the last 10% of the book, but by then it felt a bit too late to make the whole experience worth it. I also wish the characters had been developed more, especially the pirate, who felt pretty flat and underwritten.

Anyways, I’ve read quite a bit in this subgenre and maybe I’ve just hit the point where the really heavy cozy stuff isn’t for me anymore. That said, if you’re after something even softer and lower stakes than Legends and Lattes and you’re in the mood for a very easy, comforting read, this might still work for you.

[Megan]

1.75⭐️ this felt like such a chore to read. Nothing was really happening, it was the same thing every chapter and it just went on and on.. the characters were cringy and over the top, the romance was boringgg and I ended up skimming the last few chapters just to get it over with. Maybe it was too YA for me? I don’t know, but I do know that I didn’t enjoy it.

[Elizabeth]

dnfing about 20% in. I really was enjoying the fairytale-esque writing (reminded me of Ella Enchanted) until the Hot Guy walked in and the book became every other stupid romance with instant attraction.

[Nicole Alycia]

4.5/5 rounded up!

Tandy is tired of her royal duties… all she wants in life is to be able to curl up with her books and read. While shopping for new books Tandy accidentally gets cursed and now she can’t leave the bookstore until she unlocks her hearts desire.

I honestly had so much fun reading this one! I laughed out loud, I smiled and got excited, I got exasperated over the lack of feelings being spoken of. It had everything you could hope for in a cozy fantasy romance! Oh and it had books and a bookstore and a bookstore cat! Need I really say more?

If you’re a fan of cozy fantasy then I’d highly recommend checking this one out!

[Tina ♥ Bookaholic]

Der Einstieg in „Cursed for Good“ von Amy Coombe hat mir wirklich richtig gut gefallen. Schon auf den ersten Seiten kommt dieser lockere, witzige Unterton der Autorin durch, vor allem durch Prinzessin Tandy und ihre Gedanken. Ich musste immer wieder schmunzeln und war dadurch sofort in der Geschichte drin.
Auch die Welt fand ich unglaublich zauberhaft beschrieben. Allen voran natürlich die schnuckelige Buchhandlung. Sie hat nicht nur Tandy verzaubert, sondern auch mich. Zwar nicht so sehr, dass ich komplett darin versunken bin und sie nicht mehr verlassen konnte, aber doch genug, dass ich immer weiterlesen wollte. Vor allem, sobald der besagte Pirat auftaucht und Tandy sich nicht nur mit ihm, sondern auch mit einer wehmütigen Teenager-Gehilfin und immer mehr auftauchenden Prinzen auseinandersetzen muss.^^

Den Piraten Bash mochte ich von Anfang an, obwohl er überhaupt nicht durchschaubar war. Genauso ging es mir mit Tandy, die ich sofort sympathisch fand. Und Sasha, die junge Gehilfin, war einfach herrlich lustig. Genauso wie die Prinzen, die unterschiedlicher kaum hätten sein können und trotzdem alle eines gemeinsam hatten: Sie waren herrlich skurril.
Ich finde wirklich, Amy Coombe punktet vor allem mit ihrem Humor. Sie schafft es, eine ohnehin schon witzige Situation noch absurder werden zu lassen. Dadurch war das Buch einfach eine richtig schöne Geschichte für zwischendurch – zauberhaft, verträumt, magisch und vor allem nicht zu ernst. Und genau das wollte es, glaube ich, auch gar nicht sein und durch die Danksagung weiß ich, dass die Autorin dieses Buch in einer schwierigen Phase ihres Lebens geschrieben hat, in der sie genau diese absurde Leichtigkeit gebraucht hat. ❤

Leider hat die Handlung für mich nach ungefähr der ersten Hälfte immer mehr nachgelassen. Irgendwann wurde sie einfach zu repetitiv. Es taucht immer wieder ein neuer Prinz auf, der Tandy küssen soll, während sie selbst weiterhin in der Buchhandlung festhängt und diese nicht verlassen kann. Dadurch hatte ich irgendwann das Gefühl, dass sich die Geschichte ein bisschen im Kreis dreht.

Mein größtes Problem war allerdings Bash. Denn obwohl Tandy immer wieder versucht, mehr über ihn herauszufinden und die beiden viele Szenen miteinander haben, weicht er ihren Fragen ständig aus. Immer dann, wenn es endlich etwas persönlicher wird, blockt er ab. Und genau dadurch fiel es mir irgendwann schwer, die Liebesgeschichte zwischen den beiden wirklich nachzuempfinden. Wie sollen wir Bash näherkommen, wenn er weder Tandy noch uns Leser wirklich an sich heranlässt?
Das hat für mich leider nicht nur der Romance geschadet, sondern auch Bash selbst einiges an Sympathie genommen.

Erst ganz am Ende passiert dann plötzlich unglaublich viel auf einmal. Der erste Kuss, die erste gemeinsame Nacht, ein klärendes Gespräch mit ihren Eltern, eines mit Bash – und plötzlich ist alles geklärt und das Buch endet im Happy End.
Mir ging das ehrlich gesagt etwas zu schnell. Während sich die Mitte teilweise gezogen hat, wurde das Ende regelrecht abgearbeitet. Dadurch blieb ich am Schluss irgendwie etwas überrumpelt und auch ein bisschen unzufrieden zurück.
Dabei finde ich die Grundidee wirklich toll und der Anfang war für mich richtig stark. Aber leider hat das Buch danach immer weiter abgebaut. Schade.

[Mariia Booklover]

Це було неймовірно затишне фентезі! Уявіть собі прокляття, яке полягає у тому, що ти не можеш вийти з книгарні... Для мене це звучить як мрія! Тож буду відвертою, більшу частину історії я заздрила Танді - харизматичній принцесі, які окрім такого класного прокляття ще дістався кіт із щупальцями і пірат який не терпить води.
Чудова історія, яка заслуговує на 5 зірок!

[Holly]

I was at the Beverly Farms Bookstore in Beverly Massachusetts on Independent Bookstore day.. and i just kept finding books I wanted. My husband, who had his back turned to me for 30 seconds, spun around to ask me a question and found me with a huge stack of books in my hand and me saying "I have to get out of here"

Stay for a Spell was a book that was included in that stack of books. I had not heard of this book before, but the cover called me. I took a look at the inside cover (unsual for me) and discovered that this book was exactly what I was seeking. The premise of the books was silly, low stakes, and cozy and thats all I ever want.

I think this might be in my top three books of 2026. I really enjoyed this book. There is a mix of magic and mundane- from the real feeling of burnout to the magical creatures that float around. There is comfort in the books and redesigning of the shop. Its not quite a found family, but is found friendship. It was very adorable in so many ways.

I liked the slow romance to this book as well. It is clear to everyone but to Tandy that love is in the air. She has to go through the motions for many, duty based reasons but she also finds herself among the shelves.

[Diana]

I love discovering books I hadn’t heard of before, and even more, I love when I end up loving them.

This book was exactly that. Cursed to live in a bookstore? Where can I get one of those?

The story was so much fun and perfect for those that consider bookstores a second home (me included). The things that happen are absolutely ridiculous, and I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud. It’s the perfect cozy, funny, comfortable fantasy, and I’m so glad I stumbled upon it.

[Mela]

I knew I was going to love this book from the premise but it blew me away!

In this story we follow Princess Tandy as she’s cursed to never leave a bookshop again. With the help of an angsty teenager they get to shop back to running again and turn it into a cozy space for the rest of the town. Her parents decide then to send her the seven princes of the realms to try and save her with a kiss. Will it work? Or will the annoying pirate that keeps stealing stuff be the key to solve the curse?

I really loved the atmosphere and the setting so much. Tandy was an incredible MC to follow. And I also love the rest of the characters as well from Sasha, to Bash and all the seven princes. Some of the plot twists and revelations were so bizzarre they had me cackling at the kindle and then tear up when I read the acknowledgments. From that ending, I cannot wait to get more books in this series and to find out more about Honey in the next one? (potentially?)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacee]

This book had me at "cursed to be in a bookshop."

I loved Tandy. She's so good and loyal and desperately knows she's unhappy with what she's doing with her life. There are a several wonderful secondary characters and of course, a love interest (hello, Barn Pirate), but this is firmly Tandy's story.

Plot wise, it's the loviest of meanderings as we read Tandy figuring out the life she wants while making real friends and learning to flirt. The so-called conflict was an open and honest conversation where everyone took turns talking and listening. And while I wanted something a bit more at the end (seriously, a future take would have been amazing), I loved this slice of time.

Overall, this was the coziest and fluffiest book ever. I can't wait to read it again.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[M. Stevenson]

A charming and warmhearted fairy tale for anyone who’s ever thought a bookshop feels like home. Stay for a Spell is a potpourri of cozy fantasy elements—princes and pirates, a magical cat, found family, and of course a delightful bookshop—that will enchant readers looking for a gentle place to land.

[RoXXie | The Art of Reading]

Verflucht zum Wohlfühlen, verdammt zum Plätschern

Mit Cozy Fantasy und mir ist das bisher so eine Sache gewesen. Ich habe mich von diesem Genre eher ferngehalten, weil ich schon im Vorfeld die Befürchtung hatte, dass mir die Geschichten oftmals zu seicht sein könnten. Trotzdem wollte ich dem Ganzen endlich einmal eine faire Chance geben. Im Rahmen der NetGalleyChallenge fiel meine Wahl deshalb auf Cursed for Good von Amy Coombe. Die Grundidee mit einer verfluchten Prinzessin, einem Buchladen, Drachen, Prinzen und einem ziemlich attraktiven Piraten klang schließlich nach einer unterhaltsamen Mischung. 

 

Und ja, seicht war es tatsächlich. Das allein wäre allerdings gar nicht unbedingt mein größtes Problem gewesen.



 

Cursed for Good ♦ Amy Coombe – Eine ARC Rezension

Meinung 

Eine charmante Idee mit sehr viel Albernheit  

Die Ausgangssituation mochte ich zunächst durchaus: Prinzessin Tandy wird dazu verflucht, in einem Buchladen zu leben, bis sich ihr wahrer Herzenswunsch erfüllt. Was für andere vielleicht wie eine Strafe klingt, ist für die bücherliebende Prinzessin zunächst beinahe das Paradies. Keine endlosen königlichen Verpflichtungen, dafür Bücher, Bücher und noch mehr Bücher.

Natürlich kann das nicht so bleiben. Da wären unter anderem eine jugendliche Shopassistentin mit Drachenflügeln (die zwar im Klappentext, aber nie im Buch erwähnt werden und sie damit auch nie auch nur ein einziges Regal umstößt 🤦🏼‍♀️), der Pirat Bash und schließlich sieben Prinzen, die von Tandys Eltern, dem Königspaar, losgeschickt werden, um ihre Tochter vom Fluch zu erlösen.

Das alles hätte herrlich skurril sein können. Für meinen persönlichen Geschmack rutschte die Geschichte jedoch viel zu häufig von charmant-skurril zu schlichtweg albern ab. Dazu kommt, dass die Handlung über weite Strecken sehr durchschaubar ist. Große Überraschungen sollte man hier definitiv nicht erwarten. Vielleicht gehört genau das zum Wohlfühlfaktor von Cozy Fantasy, doch mir fehlten Spannung, Tiefe und das Gefühl, unbedingt wissen zu wollen, wie es weitergeht.

Stattdessen plätscherte die Handlung für mich über weite Strecken einfach vor sich hin. 

Tandy blieb für mich erstaunlich blass  

Auch mit den Figuren hatte ich meine Schwierigkeiten. Gerade Tandy hätte als buchvernarrte Prinzessin eigentlich beste Voraussetzungen gehabt, mich für sich einzunehmen. Doch leider blieb sie für mich ebenso flach wie ein Großteil der Nebenfiguren. 

Viele Charaktere scheinen hauptsächlich dafür da zu sein, bestimmte Rollen innerhalb der Geschichte auszufüllen, ohne darüber hinaus wirklich Persönlichkeit oder Tiefe zu entwickeln. Auch einige Dialoge wirkten auf mich ziemlich sinnfrei aufgesetzt und trugen weder zur Handlung noch zur Charakterentwicklung sonderlich viel bei.
 

Erschwerend kam für mich die Ich-Perspektive hinzu. Diese Erzählweise ist grundsätzlich nicht mein Favorit, und wenn ich dann ausgerechnet mit der erzählenden Figur nicht richtig warm werde, entsteht schnell eine gewisse Distanz zur gesamten Geschichte. 

Die große Ausnahme war für mich Bash. Ausgerechnet der bücherstehlende Pirat brachte für mich am meisten Persönlichkeit und Tiefe mit. Hinter seiner lockeren Fassade steckt deutlich mehr, und gerade sein Fluch sorgte dafür, dass ich bei ihm das Gefühl hatte, dass seine Figur noch einiges zu erzählen hätte. Vielleicht hätte mir das Buch sogar besser gefallen, wenn wir gelegentlich seine Perspektive bekommen hätten. 

Und dann wäre da noch der Titel …  

Ein kleines Rätsel bleibt für mich außerdem die Entscheidung, Stay for a Spell für den deutschen Markt in Cursed for Good umzubenennen. 

Ganz abgesehen davon, dass ich neue englische Titel speziell für den deutschen Buchmarkt ohnehin ziemlich sinnfrei finde, ergibt der Originaltitel für mich im Zusammenhang mit der Geschichte sogar deutlich mehr Sinn. Stay for a Spell spielt wunderbar mit Tandys Fluch und ihrem unfreiwilligen Aufenthalt im Buchladen. Warum daraus für die deutsche Ausgabe ein anderer englischer Titel werden musste, erschließt sich mir nicht wirklich.

Cozy Fantasy und ich werden wohl keine besten Freunde

Cursed for Good ist keineswegs ein schlechtes Buch. Es ist eine nette, leichte Fantasygeschichte, die genau das liefern dürfte, was Leser*innen suchen, die es kuschelig, humorvoll, romantisch und möglichst konfliktarm mögen. Gerade deshalb möchte ich dem Buch auch nicht vorwerfen, dass es etwas sein möchte, das schlicht nicht meinem bevorzugten Lesegeschmack entspricht. 

Für mich persönlich war es jedoch einfach zu seicht, zu albern und zu vorhersehbar. Mir fehlten stärkere Charaktere, gehaltvollere Dialoge und vor allem mehr Spannung. Eine gemütliche Geschichte darf für mich gerne cozy sein, aber sie sollte trotzdem ein wenig Feuer unter dem Kessel haben. 

Das Ende rund um Tandy und Bash bleibt zudem relativ offen, was mir aber auch irgendwie gefallen hat. Dass die beiden zusammengehören, steht außer Frage, während Bashs Fluch noch genügend Stoff für eine mögliche Fortsetzung liefern würde. Sollte tatsächlich ein weiterer Band erscheinen, der sich stärker damit beschäftigt, werde ich diesen vermutlich trotzdem eher nicht lesen.  

Fazit 

★★★½

Mein Ausflug in die Cozy Fantasy war damit zwar nicht völlig erfolglos, aber Cursed for Good hat meine bisherigen Vorbehalte gegenüber dem Genre auch nicht unbedingt aus dem Weg räumen können. Für gemütliche Lesestunden sicherlich eine süße Geschichte, für meinen persönlichen Geschmack fehlte ihr jedoch an zu vielen Stellen die nötige Tiefe.

3,5 Sterne für eine charmante Grundidee, einen interessanten Piraten und jede Menge Cozy-Vibes, die mir am Ende leider ein bisschen zu cozy waren.

Through NetGalley I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This review was first published at The Art of Reading.

[Scolardy]

“Cursed For Good” von Amy Coombe ist eine Cosy Romantasy über eine Prinzessin, deren niemals endende Agenda durch einen Besuch in einer Buchhaltung unterbrochen wird, der ihr Leben für immer verändert…

Hach, war das schön! Wir haben ja festgestellt, dass zu viel Cosy schnell langweilig wird, aber so eins pro Monat ist perfekt. Wenn Ihr also überlegt, was Euer nächstes Cosy Buch des Monats werden sollte, dann kann ich „Cursed For Good“ nur wärmstens empfehlen.

Es hat die perfekte Länge. Genau dann, wenn es langsam eintönig wird, ist es auch schon vorbei.

Die Romance findet eher zwischen den Zeilen statt. Für Hardcore-Romance-Fans ist das natürlich eher ein Kritikpunkt, wenn Ihr aber so übersättigt von Romance seid wie ich, dann werdet Ihr es lieben. Allerdings stimme ich der gängigen Kritik zu, dass der Funke zwischen den Liebenden auf dem Papier irgendwie nie so ganz überspringt. Sie sind süß zusammen und ich wünsche ihnen alles Glück der Welt, aber ihre Interaktionen sind mir zu lange zu oberflächlich.

Trotzdem freue ich mich, dass der Fokus mehr auf der grummeligen Teenager-Dame lag, die den Buchladen als ihre Zuflucht auserkoren hat. Ich glaube, dass sich jeder Bücherwurm in dieser Bücherdrakonin wiederfinden kann.

Generell spielt Coombe mit so vielen Stereotypen. Nehmen wir die 7 Kronprinzen als Beispiel: ein Prinz entpuppt sich als Prinzessin, denn „Kronprinz“ ist hier einfach der geschlechtlose Titel für denjenigen, der den Thron erbt. Netter Twist. Auch machen diese Prinzen (exklusive der einen Prinzessin) sich zunächst zum Affen, entpuppen sich dann aber doch als ganz unterschiedliche nicht-toxische Männertypen.

Es finden sich allerlei Referenzen zu bekannten Märchen, deren Symbolik hier ein wenig ad absurdum geführt wird. Queerness gehört in dieser Welt einfach dazu.

Alles in allem ist „Cursed For Good“ einfach eine wunderschöne, entspannte Geschichte. Das Hörbuch, gelesen von Yesim Meisheit, ist mindestens ebenso empfehlenswert. Es ist das perfekte Buch zum Abschalten und glücklich sein. 4,5 Sterne.

[Mike]

This book about a princess trapped in a bookshop (the horror!) was extremely fun. It was cute and had me laughing out loud more than once.

Our protagonist is the Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar, better known as Tandy. She is on a procession about the countryside, engaging in weighty royal duties such as cutting ribbons and kissing babies, when she experiences that worst of all possible things - she’s read the last of the books she has with her. Luckily they soon pass a bookshop. Unfortunately, while in the bookshop, the proprietress dies, leaving Tandy the owner of the bookshop and magically unable to leave until she “achieves her heart’s desire.”

Obviously Tandy is absolutely bemoaning the *terrible fate* of being trapped in a bookshop, which comes with a magical, tentacle-having cat, a moody goth draconic teenager, and a distractingly sexy pirate who’s got his own curse that makes him afraid of large bodies of water. Once word of this reaches her parents they start sending what is *obviously* every princess’s “heart’s desire” - a prince. Prince after prince comes to the bookshop, ready to lay Love’s First Kiss on her.

They’re about as successful as you would expect.

Very little of the shape of this story *surprised* me - it’s the book version of a romcom. But, just like with Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts & Richard Gere, you’re not really supposed to be in suspense on who is going to end up with who. This is a tropey story done very well, and I enjoyed every minute. The princes, each their own version of hapless, were hilarious. Moody goth teenagers are always funny to me, but make them draconic and it’s somehow funnier. I had several strangers ask me about the book I was reading because there were moments I was literally finding it difficult to breathe for laughing.

A fantastic debut, and I’m looking forward to whatever else the author comes out with.

My blog.

[Jana]

Eine Prinzessin. Ein Pirat. Und ein verfluchter Buchladen.
Der Titel sagt eigentlich schon alles. Eine überlastete Prinzessin macht bei ihren Staatsbesuchen kurz Halt in einer Buchhandlung und fängt dabei einen Fluch ein. Sie kann den Laden nicht verlassen, bis sie ihren Herzenswunsch erfüllt.
Und jeder weiß: Ein Fluch kann durch einen Prinzen weggeküsst werden.
Oder nicht? Tandy möchte vielleicht lieber von einem Piraten erobert werden.
Überhaupt macht es ihr zunehmend Spaß, den Laden zu renovieren, Zaubersprüche zu erlernen und eigene Entscheidungen zu treffen.
Zum ersten Mal stellt sich die Frage: Was möchte Tandy.

Es ist ein süßer YA, mit gemütlicher Atmosphäre. Die Protagonistin findet ein Zuhause und das Buch zeichnet sich durch Humor aus.
Es ist vorhersehbar und bedient sich den typischen Vorstellungen von Märchenfiguren. Aber gerade daran fand ich Interesse.
Perfekt für einen Tag mit Steckrübentee (Wahlweise Kräutertee) und ich habe bisschen Lust mein Bücherregal umzuräumen.

Danke an netgalley.