He needs a kiss to stay human ... her kisses are poison.
Robert, Duke of Pondleigh, already has one curse, so what’s another one? Or two? If only these things involved fighting monsters—or even being turned into one—he’d be fine. But attempting to force him into marrying the woman who nearly killed him by cursing him to either gain a lady’s kiss each day or become a frog, simply isn’t gentlemanly. The fact the princess he’s been in love with for years won’t even answer his letters, much less see him, doesn’t help his chances of freedom.
Princess Snow has excellent reasons for going into hiding at the Cottage for Retired Enchanters deep in the New Grimmland forests, reasons like a terrible secret and an overprotective stepmother. When Robert, the duke she thought had forgotten her, shows up as a frog, he seems to think she’s his curse breaker, but Snow knows better: her kisses are poison.
With wit and clean romance, Cursed for Keeps is a mashup retelling of “The Frog Prince” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” It comes after Midnight for a Curse in the Curse Keeper, Curse Breaker series, but can be read as a standalone novel.
A retelling of the Frog Prince/Snow White where the prince turns into a frog at night and needs a kiss to turn him human. Yet, the princess is cursed that her kisses are lethal. It was a really great combination of the two fairy tales!
This is probably by far my FAVORITE book by E. J. Kitchens! I fell in love with Robert in book one and was so excited to read a book about him (and Snow😂). This story was a retelling of The Princess and the Frog and Snow White. Best retelling I’ve ever read! Totally unpredictable and very funny, I 100% recommend!
I love a good clean fairytale. It was so clever how she weaves more than one fairytale into a very believable story. It also made me laugh and I even read parts out loud to my husband because they were so funny, and made him laugh too.
I actually read this story after the other two in the series (out of order), which may have colored my view of this story. I didn't like it as much as either of the others. Robert almost seemed like a different character from the one I'd met before, and I just didn't really click with him or Snow.
This story is odd because it doesn't actually show them falling in love. Robert loved her years ago (at least the her she let him know) and considered them betrothed. Snow seemed to have hero worship/dastardly black guard whiplash, but may have loved him without wanting to admit it because she felt they couldn't marry due to her curse. Anyway, stolen letters and curses caused distance; this book tells the story of them overcoming those misunderstandings and curses in a second chance kind of romance.
The story was fairly complicated as it dealt with two fairy tales, seemed to dabble in a third, continued a fey plot thread, introduced lots of characters, revealed lots of secrets, and showcased new types of magic.
SPOILERS
While some of these things were cleverly combined in a fun and unique way (love the premise!), others felt too conveniently entwined, such as spells/poison only working on humans and pocket spells that could essentially allow a spell to be put on hold, then reapplied as desired. Though the latter made for a cool froggy fight scene.
Robert acted much younger than I expected. He seemed juvenile in some of his antics, like sliding chairs down hallways and climbing out windows in sheets while injured. I never disliked him, but was disappointed how different he was from my expectations. He'd been built up as this big, strong, cunning warrior and hero, but that was only glimpsed and hinted at here. He also seemed much more devout than previously portrayed, though I suppose that was shown mostly in his thoughts.
Snow just felt flat to me. Her curse and situation were interesting, but I didn't really think she herself was. She had a fatalistic attitude and seemingly a lot of anger. While understandable, it wasn't shown in very interesting ways - mostly just some bitter words and hiding. She had non-traditional princess skills, but other than cooking/cleaning none really came into play. (Also, as an aside, the disparaging comments regarding traditional princess hobbies in this series are really annoying).
Robert was more confused by Snow's distance, while Snow was angry and hurt. While this is understandable, it cut the tension between the two and allowed the misunderstandings to be resolved once Snow was actually willing to listen. This was both good and bad, as I don't like repeated drama cycles, but it also was kind of boring.
My favorite characters in this book were side characters: Lady Violetta, Colors, Who, Prince Dokar, and Birch. Lady Violetta and the fey prince are recurring characters, though this probably has their biggest appearance yet. The others are new, and I get the feeling may be seen again as well. Colors seems to be an enchanter lord, Who a half fey criminal hunter, and Birch a mirror cursed royal tied to winter.
Cursed for Keeps is the sequel to E.J. Kitchens' Midnight for a Curse.
This book follows Robert, the cousin to Rupert, the Beast character from the first book. Robert wishes he could be a beast. Instead he turns into a frog every night, unless he gets a kiss.
So right off the bat you can tell this is a frog prince retelling. But it's also smooshed together with Snow white. With a twist. Snow ate the apple, but now she's the one who's poisonous.
So right away I was excited for the dramatic possibilities. He needs a kiss. She literally can't.
Like the first book this installment features clever characters, who play games and exploit loopholes to subvert curses and to find true love.
The seven dwarves become seven enchanters in this version and I thought they were very cleverly written and fun characters to read about. But I am also disappointed. One of them was literally named Who, and not one Abbot and Costello bit was done. Such a wasted opportunity.
Docking one star for not using Who to his full potential.
No. Seriously, I wouldn't dock a star for that. It was the ending.
I don't want to spoil too much, but I will say this, for what was a very simple premise, this ended up being a very complex plot. Maybe too complex.
The curses had loopholes for their loopholes. It was a little hard to keep track of by the end. The amount of loopholes also killed the tension that these conflicting curses should have created.
I felt like it didn't matter how it ended, because the curses where more of an inconvenience than anything. There was this moment that felt like it should have been sacrificial, but was just kind of meh.
But the ending don't matter so much in the genre do they? You already know how it's going to end. That's why you read fairytales, It's safe and familiar. Retellings just give you a new way to enjoy a familiar tale.
I really liked the banter and the over all message of staying faithful to your promises. I loved the main characters. They are a cute couple, and honestly they deserve each other. The twists and the mash up of two fairytales made it interesting and gave the old tales new life.
*My thanks to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. My opinions are my own and are given honestly.*
I have been so excited to read this book, and I finally got to. A mash-up fairy tale retelling that combines The Frog Prince and Snow White?!?!?
I know, that might sound weird. But Kitchens makes it work!
Duke Robert has more curses than he can count… but he doesn’t mind much, except that the latest one requires him to kiss a lady every day or spend his waking hours as a frog. That wouldn’t be so bad, except that the one girl he wants to kiss seems to hate his guts. They used to be friends, until she stopped returning his letters. Doesn’t mean he stopped writing and hoping… but he can’t deny that losing her friendship stings.
Princess Snow only bears one curse: her kisses are poison. And she’s not sure she wants to kiss Duke Robert, because he abruptly stopped writing her letters right when she most needed a friend. She’s pretty sure he can’t be trusted with her heart.
If that summary doesn’t make you want to read this story, nothing will. But I’ll give it a shot.
This book is full of really fun characters. Instead of seven dwarves, you have seven semi-absentminded enchanters, which is probably my favorite thing about the book. But Snow and Robert are wonderful, and even though I wanted to shake them at times and scream, “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!” the fact that curses come with an, “I am physically incapable of talking about my curse” clause, that helped me not be as frustrated as I usually am with plots that rely on lack of communication.
This book has all the humor you would expect from such a mash-up of tales and characters. And Robert is just such a good-natured character… like… the fact that he’s cursed only bothers him because it means he can’t be out slaying monsters, and that’s so hilariously charming.
Anyway, an all-around fun read with all the depth of character and fabulous world-building and twisty-complex plots I have come to expect from Kitchens.
I’ll start with what I loved about Cursed for Keeps.
I absolutely loved the main characters. Robert was adorable and cheeky, and his loyalty to Snow was the sweetest. Snow was great too, she has a big heart, and quiet strength. I thought her trying to stay mad at Robert was fun to read.
The side characters were a lot of fun too. I loved the play on the Who’s on first bit, but the names did get confusing. Lyndon is my favorite side character and needs protected at all costs!
The romance is sweet, swoony and clean. I absolutely loved it.
I really enjoyed the world building!
I loved the faith throughout!
Things I liked: Pacing was good, flow was good! The plot is interesting, but at times got a bit confusing.
Things I didn’t love:
Same as the first book, there is a lot of confusion. It seems like random side stories and characters are sometimes just thrown in. For examples, Birch’s story. I even went back to see if I was missing a book about him.
The villains’ motivations, I don’t quite understand, but I can just chalk it up to Fae’s being crazy, so it didn’t take too much away from the book for me.
I think the author’s strong point is her characters, and I love reading character driven stories, so even if not everything made perfect sense, I still very much enjoyed Cursed for Keeps!
Content: clean, no spice – just some kisses, no swearing
What a fun read! Let me say, I read a lot of fairytale retellings. EJ Kitchens always draws me in with a unique take on a known classic! I truly enjoy how this author starts with a fairytale, but, instead of following the usual plot line, she pulls out elements and makes them her own. This mix between Snow White and The Frog Prince has it all: lovely, enjoyable characters; humorous, playful scenes and banter; curses, magic, excitement, and happily-ever-afters. Cursed for Keeps can stand alone, but if you are like me and love knowing even more backstory, I also recommend reading the previous book in the series (Midnight for a Curse).
(I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book and voluntarily chose to read and review it. All opinions are my own, and I was not required to leave a review.)
My favorite type of fairytale retelling has some aspects of the original but for the most part takes the tale and makes it original. I appreciate that Kitchens version of Snow White is exactly that. There are layers to this story with some pretty witty scenes that tie back or in some cases make fun of the original story.
Robert who is no longer cursed, or cursed as much, thinks a kiss from Princess Snow will solve his problems of turning into a frog, but unfortunately Princess Snow has her own curse she is dealing with. Add in a house full of retired enchanters and 1 dress making/ curse breaking enchantress and it's fun read.
This was an enjoyable fairytale mashup of Snow White and The Frog Prince. While the story could've used just a little bit more editing, it was fun to read. I enjoyed the eccentric enchanters that lived at the cottage Snow and Robert were visiting. They were very well developed, and each had their own quirks. I was a little disappointed that Robert didn't really spend much time as a frog since he returned to humanness every day once the stipulation was met. I would say that the story leaned more toward the Snow White tale than the Frog Prince tale. Overall, the story was very relaxing and sweet, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
I have to say I was very hesitant to read this book. I personally have a very strong opinion against the traditional snow white story. I've never liked the Seven Dwarfs or the fact that it's all about vanity and prettiness. I also despise the fact that I random print shoes only matter once or twice and I'm kissing her awake and whisking her off just not something I'm into. That being said this book took all of the old overused fairy tale tropes and put them on their heads. It was intriguing it was enjoyable and absolutely adored the two main characters. This is definitely a five-star read.
“I don’t know what’s worse—a full-time beast who won’t give up his curse or a part-time frog who has to be kissed every day.”
The fae Prince Dokar was back to his wicked interventions in the human world, stirring up enmity, hardship and curses, despite the efforts of human enchanters and enchantresses. Trying to keep a pace ahead of their wicked opponent, the characters slip between desperation and hilarity.
It’s a fun read with romance, posing Snow White with the Frog Prince in new possibilities. Loyalty, integrity and genuine friendship add depth to this tale.
When the frog prince meets Snow White, nothing is simple. While Robert is not always in frog form, receiving a kiss from his true love won't work--she can't kiss anyone without essentially killing them. Plus, misunderstandings are not in short supply. I enjoyed reading this fairytale mash-up and am eagerly awaiting the release of the next one. (While each one can be read as a stand-alone, I did find that there were some things that made more sense having read Midnight for a Curse beforehand.)
What a great book! The story took three fairytales and mixed them up to make one wonderful story. You have a Princess Snow and Prince Robert, with 7 interesting enchanters living in the cottage. There is a queen and an evil Fey that you will recognize from book 1. And when all the fairytales come to a head, you have a happy ending! If you love fairytales, romance, and a happily ever after, this is your book!
I loved the first book in this series and was super excited to find out that Kitchens planned out a sequel. I was also super enthusiastic enough to buy the paperback before the kindle version's release. It was super sweet and I loved the combination of The Frog Prince with Snow White.
Now I'm hoping for a third book because I personally want to see what happens to Birch and Lucrezia!
This is Snow White meets the frog prince. I liked a lot about it but some things were confusing like why does Prince Dokar care about Lucinda, who in the crap are all the people being referenced (there are a lot of advisors and enchanters and keeping them straight was confusing), and I didn’t quite understand the ending. Contains: mild violence and kisses.
So good for Robert to get his own story after being cursed. So much misunderstanding between him and Snow after someone interfered in their correspondence so each had felt abandoned by the other. Both cursed but thankfully those were broken by love but only after a lot of pain and trouble. Looking forward to the next book.
This mashup of The Frog Prince and Snow White was cuter than a bucketful of axolotls.
Only a kiss can break his curse. Her kisses are poison.
Robert has been betrothed to Snow since childhood, but curses have kept them apart. When they’re finally reunited, mistrust and secrets are difficult to overcome, especially when to be together is death.
This was my favorite in the series (so far). I loved the chemistry and banter between the two MC’s, plus the humor was delightful (for example, when Snow works around her curse by kissing her hand then smacking frog Robert in the head, inadvertently leaving him naked in a bush and granting him a day as a human. Classic).
The ending was satisfying and left me grinning.
Highly recommended for people who love clean fairytale retellings.
Not as raucous or funny as the first book, but lovely in a different way. It was so wonderful to see all the relationships play out and the ending was utterly satisfying. One of my new favorite authors.
The author has a very challenging writing style that makes action scenes hard to follow. There are lot going on and it's not very well explained. I still can't figure out how both of them got rid of their curses despite careful reading of the last chapters twice.
This was a truly suspenseful, exciting retelling of Snow White and The Frog Prince! I loved how the main characters were true to each other despite curses and evil villains, and I loved the happy ending with a hint of another book coming!
I am always curious to see how an author blends two fairy tales together, and this one did not disappoint! All of the twists from the original tale were absolutely incredible, and the characters were fun and engaging!
A fun mashup of fairytales: Snow White and Frog Prince
He needs a kiss. Her kisses are poison. A unique conundrum. A common enemy.
I was glad to have a story follow up on Robert's curse from the last book. His curse has changed though through the meddling of a fae prince. Will he be able to win Snow's heart when she seems to so cold and detached.
Snow has been cursed for a long time and carries a unique burden. She tried sharing her burden once, but was disappointed, so she does not trust others anymore. She has outside forces attacking her kingdom. Can she come to trust Robert enough to be vulnerable and let him help?
Robert a Duke has a curse, a frog type curse, he starts everyday as a frog until a lady kisses him. Of course the princess he loves and was going to marry hasn't written him back in a long time. In Princess Snow's defense she has her own curse issues to deal with and doesn't think she can love anyone else ever again.
This is a book that has combined The Frog Prince and Snow White together for a wicked good time. The action is non stop and the suspense is thick. I came in on this the second book and was a bit lost at first, but I don't think that had anything to do with order as I think this is as good a standalone as it is a companion. I think it was me listening (I had the audio) and getting the characters straight. The Narrator Trista Shaye does a great job with this book. I hope you give this book a chance no matter which form you prefer because it really is good and I can't wait for more.
I did a beta read for this story, and then one day when I needed a light and fun read because of whatever else had been going on, I read it again. Now, 3+ years later, I'm finally getting around to a review... so sorry if I'm not addressing specific details/names.
I really liked Robert's first attempt at finding someone to kiss him every day. Little girls are definitely great ones to ask for that. ;) But Snow's slap kisses were just as hilarious.
While the "dwarves" weren't all fully built, the two most important ones were. And while the one I'd suspected as villian was not, my suspicions of him were not entirely unfounded, based on other characteristics. And if I remembered names to give them, they'd be spoiler-y.
And I really loved the change up with the queen and her mirror, but those comments would definitely be spoilers, too.
I loved this story but will admit that it took me a few chapters to really get into. I persevered, however, and then was hooked. Mostly, I think it was hard to get into because the writing style of this series feels different than that of the author’s other books.
I am glad I read this and now and going to go back and read book one of the series, which hadn’t previously interested me. I hope for more books in this series. : )
Okay, I loved this book. This was delightful to read.
I loved being able to explore the different character perspectives and thoroughly enjoy the budding relationships. This was a fantastic addition to the fairy tale retelling genre. A really fun read. Definitely made me smile.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good fairy tale retelling.