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A Curse of Shadows and Ice
From USA Today Bestselling Author Catharina Maura comes a Beauty and the Beast retelling featuring a cursed emperor, a princess who possesses forbidden magic, and a marriage that could save them all.
Princess Arabella of Althea is left no choice when Felix Osiris, the Shadow Emperor, threatens to overthrow her country unless she agrees to marry him.
When she learns his empire is cursed and she’s destined to set them free, they come to an agreement: help him minimize the curse’s effect on his people, and he’ll let her go.
As Felix teaches Arabella how to control her forbidden and volatile magic, her feelings for him turn from hatred to passion… and she realizes that she must break the curse, or she’ll lose him forever.
Publisher's note: this novel was previously included in the Once Upon a Broken Crown: A Fairytale Retelling Anthology under the title Broken Beauty. It has since been rewritten and retitled.
Princess Arabella of Althea is left no choice when Felix Osiris, the Shadow Emperor, threatens to overthrow her country unless she agrees to marry him.
When she learns his empire is cursed and she’s destined to set them free, they come to an agreement: help him minimize the curse’s effect on his people, and he’ll let her go.
As Felix teaches Arabella how to control her forbidden and volatile magic, her feelings for him turn from hatred to passion… and she realizes that she must break the curse, or she’ll lose him forever.
Publisher's note: this novel was previously included in the Once Upon a Broken Crown: A Fairytale Retelling Anthology under the title Broken Beauty. It has since been rewritten and retitled.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2022
1732 people are currently reading
7666 people want to read
About the author
Catharina Maura
33 books16.1k followersCatharina Maura is a USA Today and Amazon #1 bestselling author. She writes angsty, fast-paced contemporary romance novels that break your heart before they lead you to a hard-won happily ever after.
Cat lives in Hong Kong with her husband and a dozen houseplants that all have names. When she isn't daydreaming about future characters, she's exploring the world and seeking out new adventures.
You can find Cat's socials and latest updates here: https://hi.catharinamaura.com/bio
Cat lives in Hong Kong with her husband and a dozen houseplants that all have names. When she isn't daydreaming about future characters, she's exploring the world and seeking out new adventures.
You can find Cat's socials and latest updates here: https://hi.catharinamaura.com/bio
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October 23, 2025┆ ⤿ 🪞 ༝ pre-read:
A retelling of beauty and the beast??? sign me up🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️ I read the first chapters and I’m enjoying it so far. hopefully it stays like that🤞🏻
A retelling of beauty and the beast??? sign me up🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️ I read the first chapters and I’m enjoying it so far. hopefully it stays like that🤞🏻
September 24, 2022
Outstanding retelling of the beauty and the beast!!!!! I have read quite a few versions of this tale and I have never read a more brilliant twist on this story! C.A. Maura is a fabulous storyteller who had me mesmerized from the beginning to the end with beautiful word porn that just kept coming! The beast is Theon Felix Osiris shadow emperor of Eldiria and he was cursed by his dying mother a sorceress who was kidnapped by his father and made to marry him over 200 years ago to become a beast and never know true love. Felix might be covered in moving black veins and his blood poisionist to others but his turquoise eyes and touch are all fire and full of sensuality and our beautiful and magical beauty Arabella of Althea is drawn to him and his shadows from the beginning and no matter how hard she tried to fight it and him it was no use. Felix has forced her to leave her home and marry him because only she can break the curse that affects both him and the people of his kingdom. The once shy and quiet princess who was never wanted by her father the king because of her tainted blood soon learns not to fear her powers or her beast but first their will be battle of desire and wits and both will go down in flames with the relentless need for each other and together they will end this curse. When I first saw this book and read the blurb I was pulled to it immediately! I have probably over 50 books with the beauty and the beast theme on my kindle but I couldn't wait to read this one. C.A. Maura has created characters that are so unique and with a storyline that had many layers of emotion, angst and some really hot and intimate moments!! What felix did with his shadows had me so wet,wet,wet! Holy shit!! If you follow me you've seen some of the scenes I've shared!!! To say hot steamy scenes is such a understatement!😂 If I was Arabella I know i wouldn't give a shit about moving black veins either!!! Both these main characters are superb and side characters like felix's commander and strategist the beautiful Elaine are awesome! I can't wait for Elaine and Raphael story which is book 2 coming out next year. We don't know much about him other then the shadows captured him long ago. You don't have to be a beauty and the beast fan to read this book. It is a amazing enemies to lovers book that is marvelously written and enjoyable from beginning to end. This is my first book by this writer but I can for sure guarantee it won't be the last. Until next time Luv's💕💋
“You’re a monster,” I whisper, even as reluctant desire takes a hold of me. Felix chuckles and presses a kiss right between my legs, stealing my breath. “I am,” he growls. “I am a monster, but I’m yours.” Then he leans in and tastes me, his tongue parting my folds. I gasp as a foreign sensation washes over me, leaving me wanting more. My heart starts to race and throbbing heat steals my every thought.
“Beloved,” I tell her. “My feelings are awfully hurt. Belladonna won’t be sufficient to harm me. That would merely irritate me. I would’ve expected Hemlock, at the very least. Do you truly think so little of me? Perhaps I should show you the true strength of my body, so you might not underestimate me again.” Her eyes are wide, and she sucks down on her lower lip for a moment when shadowy hands slip underneath her dress, trailing up her calfs, stroking her inner thighs. “H-hemlock you would’ve tasted,” she says, her cheeks bright red. I thought she looked beautiful last night, but seeing her sitting opposite me with blatant desire in her eyes… Fates. I suppose this is an unprecedented benefit of the curse. Everything my shadow feels, I feel, and her skin is a delight. The way she trembles against my fingers, her eyes moving from my hands on the table to my eyes. “But Belladonna,” she adds, her voice trembling, “is sweet. I could’ve slipped it in your wine and you’d never have known.”
I’m going to erase every thought you have of that boy, and replace it with thoughts of me. I’m going to make you feel so good you’ll never want another. I’ll take your body, repeatedly, until you give me your heart. “I’m going to make you mine.”
True love is all-consuming and maddening. It’s selfless, yet selfish, all at once. It’s unconditional and uncontrollable.
“You’re a monster,” I whisper, even as reluctant desire takes a hold of me. Felix chuckles and presses a kiss right between my legs, stealing my breath. “I am,” he growls. “I am a monster, but I’m yours.” Then he leans in and tastes me, his tongue parting my folds. I gasp as a foreign sensation washes over me, leaving me wanting more. My heart starts to race and throbbing heat steals my every thought.
“Beloved,” I tell her. “My feelings are awfully hurt. Belladonna won’t be sufficient to harm me. That would merely irritate me. I would’ve expected Hemlock, at the very least. Do you truly think so little of me? Perhaps I should show you the true strength of my body, so you might not underestimate me again.” Her eyes are wide, and she sucks down on her lower lip for a moment when shadowy hands slip underneath her dress, trailing up her calfs, stroking her inner thighs. “H-hemlock you would’ve tasted,” she says, her cheeks bright red. I thought she looked beautiful last night, but seeing her sitting opposite me with blatant desire in her eyes… Fates. I suppose this is an unprecedented benefit of the curse. Everything my shadow feels, I feel, and her skin is a delight. The way she trembles against my fingers, her eyes moving from my hands on the table to my eyes. “But Belladonna,” she adds, her voice trembling, “is sweet. I could’ve slipped it in your wine and you’d never have known.”
I’m going to erase every thought you have of that boy, and replace it with thoughts of me. I’m going to make you feel so good you’ll never want another. I’ll take your body, repeatedly, until you give me your heart. “I’m going to make you mine.”
True love is all-consuming and maddening. It’s selfless, yet selfish, all at once. It’s unconditional and uncontrollable.
October 17, 2025
3.75 ★— What if Beauty and the Beast had a Belle with magical abilities and a hot shadow daddy instead of a furry Beast?
That’s exactly what you get in A Curse of Shadows and Ice and I ate it up.
Princess Arabella, the eldest daughter of the king of Elthea, is believed to have powers responsible for the kingdom’s misfortunes. To rid himself of the supposed curse, her father gives her away in marriage to the Shadow Emperor, a mysterious and feared ruler who believes she is the key to breaking the dark spell over his realm.
This was pure, self-indulgent escapism, and I enjoyed every moment. The story only borrows a few small touches from the classic fairytale but otherwise builds something relatively fresh. There is a sentient castle, a magical mirror, and, of course, a cursed hero turned into something dangerous, though (sadly?) not a monstrous beast this time.
It is not a groundbreaking tale AT ALL, but it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Arabella is a solid enough heroine, and her relationship with Felix unfolds naturally, moving from an uncertain, reluctant collaboration to real feelings as they learn to trust each other. Maura also delivers just the right amount of spice: steamy, fun and seamlessly woven into the story.
My only gripe was the lack of communication from the MMC in the third act. It was as predictable as it was frustrating, and I wish the resolution to the main character’s happy ever after had taken a slightly different path.
This is for anyone wanting a fantasy romance with some spice, a hot shadow daddy, and a plot you can vibe through without using too many brain cells. It’s extremely predictable, sure, but it’s also entertaining!
🎧Audiobook Note
🎙️Narration Style: Duet
The audiobook features a female narrator for Arabella and a male narrator for Felix, each voicing their own character’s lines, and it was lovely! I thought they matched their characters perfectly and made the story even more enjoyable to listen to.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
That’s exactly what you get in A Curse of Shadows and Ice and I ate it up.
Princess Arabella, the eldest daughter of the king of Elthea, is believed to have powers responsible for the kingdom’s misfortunes. To rid himself of the supposed curse, her father gives her away in marriage to the Shadow Emperor, a mysterious and feared ruler who believes she is the key to breaking the dark spell over his realm.
This was pure, self-indulgent escapism, and I enjoyed every moment. The story only borrows a few small touches from the classic fairytale but otherwise builds something relatively fresh. There is a sentient castle, a magical mirror, and, of course, a cursed hero turned into something dangerous, though (sadly?) not a monstrous beast this time.
It is not a groundbreaking tale AT ALL, but it succeeds at what it sets out to do. Arabella is a solid enough heroine, and her relationship with Felix unfolds naturally, moving from an uncertain, reluctant collaboration to real feelings as they learn to trust each other. Maura also delivers just the right amount of spice: steamy, fun and seamlessly woven into the story.
My only gripe was the lack of communication from the MMC in the third act. It was as predictable as it was frustrating, and I wish the resolution to the main character’s happy ever after had taken a slightly different path.
This is for anyone wanting a fantasy romance with some spice, a hot shadow daddy, and a plot you can vibe through without using too many brain cells. It’s extremely predictable, sure, but it’s also entertaining!
🎧Audiobook Note
🎙️Narration Style: Duet
The audiobook features a female narrator for Arabella and a male narrator for Felix, each voicing their own character’s lines, and it was lovely! I thought they matched their characters perfectly and made the story even more enjoyable to listen to.
____________
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
September 28, 2022
3.5*
This is an interesting read and a good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It started so well and had so much potential but…
It kind of got lost in the middle. It was slow and repetitive. And honestly I got a little sick of being told what he would have done to someone else.
Does she have any idea how swiftly I’d have killed anyone else in her position?
It’s what I would have done to anyone else. Anyone but her.
I’m surprised I have as much patience as I do. Had she been anyone else, I’d have done some extensive damage….
Etc….etc….etc…
I understand it’s different she’s his wife. And after so long he cares about someone. So a few times is okay but it was just too many.
My main issue was the ending. I was left with unanswered questions.
There’s a bonus scene if you sign up to the authors website. This makes things clearer but I don’t like having to sign up just to understand the end of a book.
This review sounds more negative than I intended. I actually really enjoyed it for the most part. And it’s well worth a read. If you do make sure you read the bonus scene.
This is an interesting read and a good retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It started so well and had so much potential but…
It kind of got lost in the middle. It was slow and repetitive. And honestly I got a little sick of being told what he would have done to someone else.
Does she have any idea how swiftly I’d have killed anyone else in her position?
It’s what I would have done to anyone else. Anyone but her.
I’m surprised I have as much patience as I do. Had she been anyone else, I’d have done some extensive damage….
Etc….etc….etc…
I understand it’s different she’s his wife. And after so long he cares about someone. So a few times is okay but it was just too many.
My main issue was the ending. I was left with unanswered questions.
There’s a bonus scene if you sign up to the authors website. This makes things clearer but I don’t like having to sign up just to understand the end of a book.
This review sounds more negative than I intended. I actually really enjoyed it for the most part. And it’s well worth a read. If you do make sure you read the bonus scene.
December 7, 2022
A Curse of Shadows and Ice was a very enjoyable retelling of Beauty and The Beast. I loved the connection between Arabella and Felix, their growth as individuals and then a couple was wonderful. I can't wait for book 2.
May 6, 2023
TW: Dubcon bordering Noncon
I’m not hiding this review behind spoiler tags so people can see the top line, so read at your own will. But in this day and age, it is absolutely inappropriate to not have trigger warnings for dubious consent that borders non consent.
Nowhere does this say it has any dark themes and is for 18+ but yet we have a man that forces his terrified virgin wife to stroke his dick in the bath the day after meeting her. Then PUNISHES her by performing oral sex on her while she pleads for him to stop. And then threatens to rape her, multiple times, terrifying her further. And then uses his shadows (or his actual fingers? I was confused) to finger fuck her against her will under a table.
No.
Not a big fan of body betrayal trope either. And his inner monologue about how her body clearly wants him because she’s wet, despite her pleading for him to stop, and him thinking that it’s just her “mind” that won’t give in to what she really wants. So gross.
Now, I’m all for dark romance, when I know what I am getting into. Also, when it’s written well. And this is so poorly written I’m surprised there are any five star reviews at all. There was nothing sexy about it. It wasn’t even taboo sexy. It was cringey and unbelievable, incredibly forced and I rolled my eyes every time he did or said something rapey.
ANYWAY. This is a DNF at 108 pages or 37%
I fully believe in rating DNFs or Goodreads should add it as a tracked option. Non rating reviews for a DNF do not get shown to potential readers nor does it reflect in the rating score. I use my one star reviews for DNFs and should-have-DNFs.
So. The review…
This is a fantasy novel yet there is not a single bit of worldbuilding. They just happen to have magic. We know they’re in castles and don’t have electricity or modern comforts but FUCK ME if this doesn’t read like a trashy romcom with unbelievable and silly tropes and dialogue.
I know people are into contemporary romance for the fluffiness, and I’m not knocking it per se, but don’t wrap a contemporary romance wolf with the skin of a fantasy sheep. Stay in your fucken lane please.
The two main characters are all over the place. They’re like multiple characters from all different tropes, mushed together so the author could tick a bunch of trope boxes despite them not actually working together well.
Author clearly couldn’t decide on their personalities so just gave them all the “fun” ones in a disgusting soup and stitched it all together like Frankenstein, definitely creating a monster.
The dialogue is cringey. Their internal monologue is cringey. Both are also unbelievable and take big leaps and stretches in logic. None of the MCs motivations are clear and they certainly don’t make sense, especially with their flip flopping around with their split personalities 187 different ways.
The pace was all over the place (oh look, I’m a poet). And despite this being a fantasy novel and him fucking (raping) her with his shadows, there’s nothing “fantasy” about it so far and I was over a third into the novel.
I’m also not into OW/OM drama and the fact she’s spends at least this far into the book pining over the boy she was supposed to marry. MMC holds his life over her head, threatening to kill him if she so much even thinks about the boy. Of which, she does a fucken lot. It is so tiring and boring to read.
TBH it also wasn’t written that well either. It felt like a novice writer (not even mentioning the badly written fantasy genre) and I’m really shocked to know this is the authors like 15th published book or something?!?! Are you kidding me? Where are her editors???
There was so much repetition. So many words repeated to describe something or turn of phrase repeated every few pages. How many times MMC said “if it was anyone else” whenever FMC said something sassy or told him off. It was tiresome. It was like reading a repeat of the same dialogue the same story the same pages over and over.
This was terrible. I’m mad about how much money I spent on it because of the pretty cover and promising blurb and the fucking rave reviews!!!
*angry heavy breathing*
Just to be clear, that while I DNFd, I skipped ahead to read a bit here and there to see if it gets better. It doesn’t.
There’s the ridiculous story that their literal hot seggsy times is what melts the ice on the frozen cursed country (LOL…) because it’s her desire that helps her heat things…
He yet again constantly “punishes” her by finger fucking her and performing oral sex on her, against her consent because she was thinking about the boy she left behind or said her thoughts and dreams are her own.
He constantly talks about how he wants to own her and ruin her and devour her and break her. But of course then flips to sweet and gentle like a pushover puppy because the author can’t make up her mind what his character motivations are or his personality.
And the other thing I hate in contemporary romance is the need for the author to write how the MCs never loved their ex partners. CA Maura has done this in other books and I just KNEW she’d do it here. But despite the fact that the FMC loved and pined for this boy, RIGHT UP to when she sees him again, she decides she didn’t love him, not really.
Because apparently you can only love one person in a lifetime. *eye-roll so hard I’m looking at the back of my skull*
And then it all wraps up in a neat little bow in about four pages :)
I’m not hiding this review behind spoiler tags so people can see the top line, so read at your own will. But in this day and age, it is absolutely inappropriate to not have trigger warnings for dubious consent that borders non consent.
Nowhere does this say it has any dark themes and is for 18+ but yet we have a man that forces his terrified virgin wife to stroke his dick in the bath the day after meeting her. Then PUNISHES her by performing oral sex on her while she pleads for him to stop. And then threatens to rape her, multiple times, terrifying her further. And then uses his shadows (or his actual fingers? I was confused) to finger fuck her against her will under a table.
No.
Not a big fan of body betrayal trope either. And his inner monologue about how her body clearly wants him because she’s wet, despite her pleading for him to stop, and him thinking that it’s just her “mind” that won’t give in to what she really wants. So gross.
Now, I’m all for dark romance, when I know what I am getting into. Also, when it’s written well. And this is so poorly written I’m surprised there are any five star reviews at all. There was nothing sexy about it. It wasn’t even taboo sexy. It was cringey and unbelievable, incredibly forced and I rolled my eyes every time he did or said something rapey.
ANYWAY. This is a DNF at 108 pages or 37%
I fully believe in rating DNFs or Goodreads should add it as a tracked option. Non rating reviews for a DNF do not get shown to potential readers nor does it reflect in the rating score. I use my one star reviews for DNFs and should-have-DNFs.
So. The review…
This is a fantasy novel yet there is not a single bit of worldbuilding. They just happen to have magic. We know they’re in castles and don’t have electricity or modern comforts but FUCK ME if this doesn’t read like a trashy romcom with unbelievable and silly tropes and dialogue.
I know people are into contemporary romance for the fluffiness, and I’m not knocking it per se, but don’t wrap a contemporary romance wolf with the skin of a fantasy sheep. Stay in your fucken lane please.
The two main characters are all over the place. They’re like multiple characters from all different tropes, mushed together so the author could tick a bunch of trope boxes despite them not actually working together well.
Author clearly couldn’t decide on their personalities so just gave them all the “fun” ones in a disgusting soup and stitched it all together like Frankenstein, definitely creating a monster.
The dialogue is cringey. Their internal monologue is cringey. Both are also unbelievable and take big leaps and stretches in logic. None of the MCs motivations are clear and they certainly don’t make sense, especially with their flip flopping around with their split personalities 187 different ways.
The pace was all over the place (oh look, I’m a poet). And despite this being a fantasy novel and him fucking (raping) her with his shadows, there’s nothing “fantasy” about it so far and I was over a third into the novel.
I’m also not into OW/OM drama and the fact she’s spends at least this far into the book pining over the boy she was supposed to marry. MMC holds his life over her head, threatening to kill him if she so much even thinks about the boy. Of which, she does a fucken lot. It is so tiring and boring to read.
TBH it also wasn’t written that well either. It felt like a novice writer (not even mentioning the badly written fantasy genre) and I’m really shocked to know this is the authors like 15th published book or something?!?! Are you kidding me? Where are her editors???
There was so much repetition. So many words repeated to describe something or turn of phrase repeated every few pages. How many times MMC said “if it was anyone else” whenever FMC said something sassy or told him off. It was tiresome. It was like reading a repeat of the same dialogue the same story the same pages over and over.
This was terrible. I’m mad about how much money I spent on it because of the pretty cover and promising blurb and the fucking rave reviews!!!
*angry heavy breathing*
Just to be clear, that while I DNFd, I skipped ahead to read a bit here and there to see if it gets better. It doesn’t.
There’s the ridiculous story that their literal hot seggsy times is what melts the ice on the frozen cursed country (LOL…) because it’s her desire that helps her heat things…
He yet again constantly “punishes” her by finger fucking her and performing oral sex on her, against her consent because she was thinking about the boy she left behind or said her thoughts and dreams are her own.
He constantly talks about how he wants to own her and ruin her and devour her and break her. But of course then flips to sweet and gentle like a pushover puppy because the author can’t make up her mind what his character motivations are or his personality.
And the other thing I hate in contemporary romance is the need for the author to write how the MCs never loved their ex partners. CA Maura has done this in other books and I just KNEW she’d do it here. But despite the fact that the FMC loved and pined for this boy, RIGHT UP to when she sees him again, she decides she didn’t love him, not really.
Because apparently you can only love one person in a lifetime. *eye-roll so hard I’m looking at the back of my skull*
And then it all wraps up in a neat little bow in about four pages :)
October 1, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 ARC Review
Safety gang:
- Dub con
- Arranged/forced marriage
- Virgin h / (see spoiler section for H)
- Physical abuse (not H)
- No cheating/ow drama
- OM drama (h's friend/love interest)
- HEA for couple (more HFN for story as a subplot is the premise for book 2/different couple)
Safety gang:
- Dub con
- Arranged/forced marriage
- Virgin h / (see spoiler section for H)
- Physical abuse (not H)
- No cheating/ow drama
- OM drama (h's friend/love interest)
- HEA for couple (more HFN for story as a subplot is the premise for book 2/different couple)
October 16, 2025
This book had so much more potential, I adored both the MMC & the FMC; their banter is so amuzing, and lighthearted. The storyline was simple but great the only downside is the rushed ending....
The audiobook is 🔥. The duet narration is great and made me focus more; the narrators'' voices and performance are amazing.
I will wafor it a more strong and complex book from catharina, hope she wries more romantasy 🩵💙❤️
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:13, 14, 21, 26, 30, 35, 38
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Can you tell how excited I am to receive this beautiful audiobook??? I've been a fan of Catharina Maura since forever and I literally screamed when I opened the approving email. So thank you so much Netgalley and Hachette Audio for giving me this chance 🩵🩵
The audiobook is 🔥. The duet narration is great and made me focus more; the narrators'' voices and performance are amazing.
I will wafor it a more strong and complex book from catharina, hope she wries more romantasy 🩵💙❤️
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTER:13, 14, 21, 26, 30, 35, 38
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Can you tell how excited I am to receive this beautiful audiobook??? I've been a fan of Catharina Maura since forever and I literally screamed when I opened the approving email. So thank you so much Netgalley and Hachette Audio for giving me this chance 🩵🩵
October 27, 2023
—beauty and the beast retelling.
—forced marriage, marriage of convenience.
—found family, forced proximity, power couple.
—engaging, angsty, character growth.
—KU, safe and recommended.
It’s well written and I got emotional many times, but I did get a little confused in the end. I also think the ending was a bit rushed. I just wish the thing about Felix’s mother’s curse and about her spirit was explained better.
In the whole book, Felix was my absolute fav♥️!
—forced marriage, marriage of convenience.
—found family, forced proximity, power couple.
—engaging, angsty, character growth.
—KU, safe and recommended.
It’s well written and I got emotional many times, but I did get a little confused in the end. I also think the ending was a bit rushed. I just wish the thing about Felix’s mother’s curse and about her spirit was explained better.
In the whole book, Felix was my absolute fav♥️!
October 9, 2025
fantasy-lite beauty & the beast retelling
cute & fluffy. the romance in this was really sweet and reminded me a lot of that Vanessa Hudgens movie Beastly
3.5 rounded up for goodreads
cute & fluffy. the romance in this was really sweet and reminded me a lot of that Vanessa Hudgens movie Beastly
3.5 rounded up for goodreads
September 1, 2025
3.5/5
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC e-copy! This deluxe edition title is out October 2025.
Beauty and the beast inspired fantasy about a cursed kingdom and its shadow emperor - A magical princess from another kingdom, A sentient castle, and so much more. This is the first romantasy from this romance author. I have read and loved all of her books so it was interesting to see her in this genre.
Arabella is the black sheep of her family. With a reputation for being cursed, she is kept hidden and maltreated. Her sister and her best friend - the boy she believes she will someday marry - keep her grounded. One day, the shadow emperor appears - unknown to Arabella, his seer has seen a prophecy in which she saves his kingdom from the curse that has plagued it for centuries. So with no choice, she is given to the shadow emperor to marry. Travelling to his kingdom, she wants nothing but to find her way back home to the life she knew. But as time and passion thaw the attraction and connection between Arabella and the shadow emperor Felix - an unexpected love grows. But with it, so does the curse that threatens everything and everyone. With magic, shadows, and so much more, it’s a tale that leaves you wondering if they have a happily ever after in store or not.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC e-copy! This deluxe edition title is out October 2025.
Beauty and the beast inspired fantasy about a cursed kingdom and its shadow emperor - A magical princess from another kingdom, A sentient castle, and so much more. This is the first romantasy from this romance author. I have read and loved all of her books so it was interesting to see her in this genre.
Arabella is the black sheep of her family. With a reputation for being cursed, she is kept hidden and maltreated. Her sister and her best friend - the boy she believes she will someday marry - keep her grounded. One day, the shadow emperor appears - unknown to Arabella, his seer has seen a prophecy in which she saves his kingdom from the curse that has plagued it for centuries. So with no choice, she is given to the shadow emperor to marry. Travelling to his kingdom, she wants nothing but to find her way back home to the life she knew. But as time and passion thaw the attraction and connection between Arabella and the shadow emperor Felix - an unexpected love grows. But with it, so does the curse that threatens everything and everyone. With magic, shadows, and so much more, it’s a tale that leaves you wondering if they have a happily ever after in store or not.
September 20, 2022
DNF
I did not get very far in. I live a good beauty & the beast retelling but this one is way too twisted. Dub con at best, abuse galore. Abuse is not a basis for love. Abuse is not a basis for love. Just nope. No. Wish I could scrub my brain.
I did not get very far in. I live a good beauty & the beast retelling but this one is way too twisted. Dub con at best, abuse galore. Abuse is not a basis for love. Abuse is not a basis for love. Just nope. No. Wish I could scrub my brain.
October 22, 2025
Full review to follow: Why yes I did stay up till 1am to finish this absolutely wicked shadow daddy energy beauty and the beast retelling. Can I just say .. yes .. yes … omg.. yes to changing the story to her leaving a beloved sister and childhood sweetheart to save her kingdom to an arranged married to the beast !!! What !!! This book was full of so much of what I love in romantasy, touch her and die, my wife energy (oh the sweet possessiveness) and an amazing strong FMC. Was just such an enjoyable read I did not want it to be over. Happy to know we get to go back to this world to follow another couple next !!
October 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with an ALC of this book. The audiobook will be released this Tuesday, October 28th! All opinions are my own.
Princess Arabella is forced to marry the Shadow Emperor Felix in order to keep her country in positive standing with his Empire but little does she know he needs her to fulfill a prophecy to break an age old curse upon his kingdom. When she enters his cold and desolate homeland, she begins to learn the dire straits of his people and agrees to help him try to lift the curse. Together they learn to channel her rare and powerful magic and surprisingly their evolving love into breaking down the hold the curse has on the kingdom, but will it be too late?
I am very excited to report that the audio narration is in duet style, my absolute favorite! Both female and male narrators are perfectly in sync with the tone of the story and make the listening experience enjoyable and captivating. As always, I did listen to a few chapters at varying speeds since everyone listens at different levels and from 1x to 2x, this audiobook is absolutely delightful.
Who doesn’t enjoy a spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling? This has just the right mix of nods to the original source plot points and its own spin to make it a fun new story of its own. I enjoyed both main characters, equally strong in their own right and independent throughout the story even with their growing love and connection. I like how much Arabella grows and that she tries to teach her sister good values immediately when she sees her missteps. She definitely the strong female lead we like to see.
The story is definitely very spicy, and if you like your shadows, this is definitely the book for you.
Overall, I had a good time with this and look forward to the next book.
Princess Arabella is forced to marry the Shadow Emperor Felix in order to keep her country in positive standing with his Empire but little does she know he needs her to fulfill a prophecy to break an age old curse upon his kingdom. When she enters his cold and desolate homeland, she begins to learn the dire straits of his people and agrees to help him try to lift the curse. Together they learn to channel her rare and powerful magic and surprisingly their evolving love into breaking down the hold the curse has on the kingdom, but will it be too late?
I am very excited to report that the audio narration is in duet style, my absolute favorite! Both female and male narrators are perfectly in sync with the tone of the story and make the listening experience enjoyable and captivating. As always, I did listen to a few chapters at varying speeds since everyone listens at different levels and from 1x to 2x, this audiobook is absolutely delightful.
Who doesn’t enjoy a spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling? This has just the right mix of nods to the original source plot points and its own spin to make it a fun new story of its own. I enjoyed both main characters, equally strong in their own right and independent throughout the story even with their growing love and connection. I like how much Arabella grows and that she tries to teach her sister good values immediately when she sees her missteps. She definitely the strong female lead we like to see.
The story is definitely very spicy, and if you like your shadows, this is definitely the book for you.
Overall, I had a good time with this and look forward to the next book.
March 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
It was good, loved the story. It reminded me a lot of The Shadows Between Us, my only main critique is how quick the ending of the curse was. I felt like there was no build up and it happened so fast I had to go back reread it.
I hope there’s more to the story of Elaine and Raphael 🥰
It was good, loved the story. It reminded me a lot of The Shadows Between Us, my only main critique is how quick the ending of the curse was. I felt like there was no build up and it happened so fast I had to go back reread it.
I hope there’s more to the story of Elaine and Raphael 🥰
January 30, 2023
What the hell is up with all the positive reviews?
The MMC threatens the FMC with sexual assault more than once, making comments about owning her body simply because they're married. At this point there is nothing between them. He oh-so-generously says he won't steal her innocence yet seconds later threatens to take away her ability to find pleasure with anyone but him less than 24 hours from being removed from her only home and the man/boy she loves. He forces her to touch him after she's clearly told him no several times, and then restrains her the first time they are intimate in any way (at roughly 25%) during which time she tells him she hates him... as well she should. He delays her gratification until she finally begs him to continue.
The whole situation is too icky for me. No, thanks.
The MMC threatens the FMC with sexual assault more than once, making comments about owning her body simply because they're married. At this point there is nothing between them. He oh-so-generously says he won't steal her innocence yet seconds later threatens to take away her ability to find pleasure with anyone but him less than 24 hours from being removed from her only home and the man/boy she loves. He forces her to touch him after she's clearly told him no several times, and then restrains her the first time they are intimate in any way (at roughly 25%) during which time she tells him she hates him... as well she should. He delays her gratification until she finally begs him to continue.
The whole situation is too icky for me. No, thanks.
October 21, 2025
this book had me in a choke hold from chapter 1 to the epilogue, it was SO good. right off the bat i was pleasantly surprised by the audiobook being duet style, i think that element just elevated the whole experience even more and made it really easy to be immersed into the world and story.
i very much enjoyed the duality of this book and the way catharina was able to make this book feel fresh, new and exciting while still being able to keep the magic and what everyone loves about beauty & the beast.
i found the magic in the story to be soo fun, i loved getting to watch arabella come into her powers and the joy breaking bits of the curse at a time brought them. while she never NEEDED her powers and only ever really needed to see herself the way felix did to know that she was capable of so much more than her father and kingdom led her to believe to, i loved that she got to be doubly bad ass with her new found sense of confidence AND magic. that last 10% was soooo satisfying with both at play 🙂↕️
felix “my beloved, my wife” osiris… honestly whats in those quotations is all you need to know. hot AND obsessed from the get go as he should be.
i cannot wait to see what book two brings!!
i very much enjoyed the duality of this book and the way catharina was able to make this book feel fresh, new and exciting while still being able to keep the magic and what everyone loves about beauty & the beast.
i found the magic in the story to be soo fun, i loved getting to watch arabella come into her powers and the joy breaking bits of the curse at a time brought them. while she never NEEDED her powers and only ever really needed to see herself the way felix did to know that she was capable of so much more than her father and kingdom led her to believe to, i loved that she got to be doubly bad ass with her new found sense of confidence AND magic. that last 10% was soooo satisfying with both at play 🙂↕️
felix “my beloved, my wife” osiris… honestly whats in those quotations is all you need to know. hot AND obsessed from the get go as he should be.
i cannot wait to see what book two brings!!
October 2, 2025
This was an interesting Beauty and the Beast retelling! It was a quick read with an easy to understand world building, a swoon worthy romance and I loved watching the MCs fall in love with each other.
Their dynamic was so cute and I loved seeing Felix teach Arabella how to use her powers and how he was trying so hard to be patient with her was really endearing.
The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars was the constant indecision of both the MCs, going back and forth with their relationship. Other than that, this was a very enjoyable read, and I am grateful to have received an ARC !
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the digital copy!!!
Their dynamic was so cute and I loved seeing Felix teach Arabella how to use her powers and how he was trying so hard to be patient with her was really endearing.
The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars was the constant indecision of both the MCs, going back and forth with their relationship. Other than that, this was a very enjoyable read, and I am grateful to have received an ARC !
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for the digital copy!!!
October 31, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was a refreshing retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit and loved how everything wrapped up in the end.
Also, the audiobook was fantastic! I really appreciated the duet narration, it elevated the whole experience so much.
This was a refreshing retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit and loved how everything wrapped up in the end.
Also, the audiobook was fantastic! I really appreciated the duet narration, it elevated the whole experience so much.
May 15, 2023
I was really shocked when I came to see the reviews and most of them were positive, and I feel the need to come here and explain why that’s so fucked to see.
Arabella is a girl who gets forced to marry this emperor, and even tho he separated her from her lover already, he starts saying shit like “we’re married. Your body is mine. You are mine. You’ll sleep in my bed so you wont think of anyone else”. Okay? Mind you, her ex is already locked up in prison. She knows she wont be seeing him anymore. And im not a big fan of the “your body is mine” THAT soon considering they met the day before.
TW // rape
Then he forces her to touch him, after shes said no. Multiple times. And based on reviews he does more than that (gives her oral, fingering). He claims that because shes wet, she actually is enjoying that. Even if she said NO. Thats so crazy to me.
Martial rape is rape. She did not consent. Period. You cant even argue that they didn’t need consent because they didn’t have a relationship at ALL. She does not like him. And she REFUSED.
The writing style and the pace wasn’t even good. It made me feel like I was reading a bad book on wattpad.
Dnfed at 21%
Arabella is a girl who gets forced to marry this emperor, and even tho he separated her from her lover already, he starts saying shit like “we’re married. Your body is mine. You are mine. You’ll sleep in my bed so you wont think of anyone else”. Okay? Mind you, her ex is already locked up in prison. She knows she wont be seeing him anymore. And im not a big fan of the “your body is mine” THAT soon considering they met the day before.
TW // rape
Then he forces her to touch him, after shes said no. Multiple times. And based on reviews he does more than that (gives her oral, fingering). He claims that because shes wet, she actually is enjoying that. Even if she said NO. Thats so crazy to me.
Martial rape is rape. She did not consent. Period. You cant even argue that they didn’t need consent because they didn’t have a relationship at ALL. She does not like him. And she REFUSED.
The writing style and the pace wasn’t even good. It made me feel like I was reading a bad book on wattpad.
Dnfed at 21%
April 22, 2025
Typical beauty and the beast retelling and for the first 50 pages I was hooked. But then it got a little too one dimensional with the whole he’s threatening to make her feel so much pleasure she’ll love him/break the curse.
October 22, 2025
✨🌙 Wow, what a mesmerizing retelling of Beauty and the Beast! Catharina Maura has truly outdone herself with this magical, emotional journey. Princess Arabella is such a brave and fierce heroine, wielding forbidden magic that adds an exciting edge to the story. 👑🔥
Felix, the cursed Shadow Emperor, is mysterious and captivating, and their marriage sparks a slow burn that turns into undeniable passion. ❤️🥀 The chemistry between them is so well written, making me root for their love to conquer all curses and darkness. 🌌✨
The world-building is lush and immersive, and the curse adds a layer of tension and hope that kept me hooked from start to finish. 🌿🔮 I loved how Arabella’s strength and vulnerability shine through as she fights to break the curse—and find her happily ever after. 💖🌟
If you adore enchanting fantasy romances with a dash of danger and a lot of heart, this book is a must-read! 📚💫
Felix, the cursed Shadow Emperor, is mysterious and captivating, and their marriage sparks a slow burn that turns into undeniable passion. ❤️🥀 The chemistry between them is so well written, making me root for their love to conquer all curses and darkness. 🌌✨
The world-building is lush and immersive, and the curse adds a layer of tension and hope that kept me hooked from start to finish. 🌿🔮 I loved how Arabella’s strength and vulnerability shine through as she fights to break the curse—and find her happily ever after. 💖🌟
If you adore enchanting fantasy romances with a dash of danger and a lot of heart, this book is a must-read! 📚💫
October 27, 2025
One thing about me is that I will, without fail, always gobble up a Beauty & the Beast adaptation.
A Curse of Shadows and Ice is a great vibe read. This was giving all the smutty cursed love vibes I needed without anything too heavy or hard to follow plot wise. I flew through it on the audio, which was STELLAR (seriously, proper duet with good narrators always elevates an experience for me).
I thought that this one was just the right mix of plot, romance & character work. It felt fresh more than derivative, even if the arc that we followed here (breaking his curse) was a familiar one. And there are great moments of longing and self-restraint, especially as Felix tries to let her go to protect her.
The shadow daddy vibes were as promised; though to be honest, I didn’t love the cursed visuals in the character art I saw, so in my head Felix was just Slade Ravinger. I liked his dynamic with Arabella a lot. It was a biiit more insta love than I usually like, but for some reason, it didn’t bother me as much.
Also love that while this is a standalone, there’s a nice little setup that could lead to another book in this world.
My only nit: pet names are never my favorite and they felt particularly prominent here (especially on audio).
Look: I will not die on a hill claiming that this was an amazing piece of literature. But, I definitely enjoyed listening to it. For an adaptation, it’s great. If you want easy, fun, smutty vibes where you can envision the library of your dreams—grab it!
Thank you Forever for the ARC & Hachette Audio for the ALC!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
A Curse of Shadows and Ice is a great vibe read. This was giving all the smutty cursed love vibes I needed without anything too heavy or hard to follow plot wise. I flew through it on the audio, which was STELLAR (seriously, proper duet with good narrators always elevates an experience for me).
I thought that this one was just the right mix of plot, romance & character work. It felt fresh more than derivative, even if the arc that we followed here (breaking his curse) was a familiar one. And there are great moments of longing and self-restraint, especially as Felix tries to let her go to protect her.
The shadow daddy vibes were as promised; though to be honest, I didn’t love the cursed visuals in the character art I saw, so in my head Felix was just Slade Ravinger. I liked his dynamic with Arabella a lot. It was a biiit more insta love than I usually like, but for some reason, it didn’t bother me as much.
Also love that while this is a standalone, there’s a nice little setup that could lead to another book in this world.
My only nit: pet names are never my favorite and they felt particularly prominent here (especially on audio).
Look: I will not die on a hill claiming that this was an amazing piece of literature. But, I definitely enjoyed listening to it. For an adaptation, it’s great. If you want easy, fun, smutty vibes where you can envision the library of your dreams—grab it!
Thank you Forever for the ARC & Hachette Audio for the ALC!
3.5 ⭐️ rounded 🆙
October 22, 2025
Ummm yes please a beauty and the beast retelling I’m all in! This was such a cool world built on the story of beauty and the beast and just expanded on. I loved the relationship between Felix and Arabella. I did like how they changed the fmc to not be this weak person that needed saving and made her into a super capable heroine that needs no man! And I loved how the story was wrapped up in one book and did a great job keeping me entertained! Thanks NetGalley and Hachette for giving me a chance to read this early!
October 21, 2025
Who doesn't love a Beauty and the Beast retelling done right.
Very well written like every Catharina Maura book I read.
Arabella and Felix were so perfect for each other.
The end was a little abrupt, but I like it.
Can't wait for the Elaine and Raphael's book.
The audiobook is duet style read by Alex Knox and Mollie Stark. They both did amazing job.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
Very well written like every Catharina Maura book I read.
Arabella and Felix were so perfect for each other.
The end was a little abrupt, but I like it.
Can't wait for the Elaine and Raphael's book.
The audiobook is duet style read by Alex Knox and Mollie Stark. They both did amazing job.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
February 26, 2023
3.75 stars
not the best beauty and the beast retelling i've read, but quite a good one, still.
i just missed some depth, but nevertheless, it was super entertaining and it took me only two days to finish it.
PS: Felix reminded me of Azriel (you know, from ACOTAR, who else) so much (even though Az is 100x more brooding and hot); he was basically a Shadowsinger lol.
PPS: i read the super-short bonus scene with Felix and his mother's spirit, and i honestly wish it would've stayed in the book, because it really clears some things up that made the ending feel way too rushed.
not the best beauty and the beast retelling i've read, but quite a good one, still.
i just missed some depth, but nevertheless, it was super entertaining and it took me only two days to finish it.
PS: Felix reminded me of Azriel (you know, from ACOTAR, who else) so much (even though Az is 100x more brooding and hot); he was basically a Shadowsinger lol.
PPS: i read the super-short bonus scene with Felix and his mother's spirit, and i honestly wish it would've stayed in the book, because it really clears some things up that made the ending feel way too rushed.
March 27, 2024
Book/Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Book Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TRIGGER WARNING(S): DEATH OF LOVED ONES, PHYSICAL ABUSE, DUBCON BOARDING DANGEROUSLY ON NONCON
Trope(s): Age-gap (200+ years LOL)
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Virgin FMC
Beauty and the Beast retelling
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶.5
POV: Dual, First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Part of an interconnected series: Yes
First in series: Yes
Safe or Dark: Darkish (see trigger warnings)
"That boy you like might whisper sweet words into your ear… but I, Arabella? I’ll burn down the world for you.”
Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite Disney movie (not the live-action version), and Belle is my favorite Disney princess. So, when I saw this book, I just knew I had to snatch it up! It just had to be mine!
This was a lovely retelling of a tale as old as time. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would. Going into this story, I was so hopeful, but sadly, I ended up being slightly let down. I will try to explain my thoughts about this to the best of my ability because, to be honest, I just finished this book and my brain is still trying to process what I'm feeling.
Since I can't seem to decide what I want to say in this review, I will just make you all a list (if you have read some of my other reviews, then you know I love a good list):
“I am,” he growls. “I am a monster, but I’m yours.”
- Early in the story, the Shadow Emperor, AKA Felix, AKA Theon, storms into Arabella's castle in the land of Althea and strikes up a deal with her father (the King) for her hand in marriage. At first, Arabella pushes back like crazy. She wants nothing to do with the Shadow Emperor since all she knows about him is that he's a monster. However, all of a sudden, she gives in. She just *shrugs shoulders* "Yeah, ok, fine, I'll marry the dude." I wanted more resistance. I wanted more of the fight she promised was inside her.
- The whole ten second scene of Arabella trying to run away with Nathaniel, her childhood friend who became the love of her life, did absolutely nothing for the story. It was pointless. Arabella even mentions at one point that she knew trying to escape wouldn't work but did it anyway. Not only putting her life at risk but Nathaniel's as well. It was just dumb.
“There is always a choice. You will not endear her to you if you see this through. Love cannot bloom under threat of force."
- The Shadow Emperor takes his hesitant new bride to his castle in Eldiria and is all like "You're my wife so I own your body and whatever." While he doesn't take her virginity until she fully consents around the 54% mark of the story, there is a lot of dubcon that boarders dangerously on noncon. A lot of sexual acts were placed on this idea of "This innocent girl thinks she doesn't want me, but she does because her body gets all hot and bothered by my cursed sexiness. I just need to show her all the pleasure I can bring her." Felix, baby, that is not it. It's not a good look.
- The further you get into the book the more repetitive the story becomes. We have to listen to Arabella's redundant inner monologue about whether or not she wants Felix. She just goes back and forth between possibly falling in love with him to wanting nothing to do with him. It is exhausting.
"I want her every thought, her every desire. I want her love."
- This story was riddled with grammatical errors. A lot of words were missing from or added to sentences making them unclear. Sometimes they made no sense at all. I was surprised because I know Catharina Maura (writing under the name C.A. Maura) is a well published author. The errors got very bad more towards the end of the book.
- The world building was lovely. It is made clear early on that we are not in the real world but a made up one that is fit for a fantasy story. While that it all well and good I have no idea what time period the story is set in. You get somewhat of an idea by the clothes and lack of electricity and other modern amenities, but it is never clearly laid out for us. Maybe it's a personal pet peeve of mine but it drove me bananas trying to figure it out.
“If my love for you could have broken this curse, it already would have,”
- Arabella was so stuck on her old life for almost the entirety of the book. She pined after Nathaniel incessantly and often mentioned that all she wanted was to go back home to Althea to be with her sister. That is understandable but she did it so much that it seemed like she wasn't even giving her new life and marriage an honest try. Which she promised Felix she would do.
- As Arabella and Felix's marriage progresses they come to an agreement that had a few specific terms. Which neither of them honored. If they did honor them it was few and far in between.
"I wish I could return to a time before I knew what hope felt like."
- If you are familiar with the story of Beauty and the Beast then you are well aware that Belle and the Beast fall in love. So it should be no surprise that Felix and Arabella eventually fall in love. Once Arabella is madly in love with Felix she realizes that she never romantically loved Nathaniel. She only loved him as a best friend. Arabella no longer wanted to be with him in that intimate way. Because you can only fall in love with one person your entire life, ya know?
- The first 50% of the story was promising. It kept my interest and set a good pace. Sadly, after that we hit a lull until about the 85% mark. The in between just seemed to drag on forever and nothing really happened. Once the story picked up again everything happened too quickly. The ending was rushed, and left me with so many questions. . Nothing was fully explained to us. I wonder if the author got tired of writing this particular piece and grew lazy. It all fell incredibly flat.
"True love is all-consuming and maddening. It’s selfless, yet selfish, all at once. It’s unconditional and uncontrollable."
- The magic aspect of the story threw me off a bit. Arabella grew up in Althea, where magic was banned. Due to this, she never used her powers and often tried to keep them hidden so she didn't get punished by her father. While in Eldiria, Felix trains her and helps her learn how to call upon and control her magic. We only get about four actual training sessions, but by the end of the story, Arabella is incredibly powerful, and her magic is strong enough to match (and at times overpower) Felix's. She can suddenly control her fire and the air around her without even thinking twice about it. It just didn't make sense how the change happened. It was abrupt and unexplained.
- The shadow fingers. I don't know if I'm just screwed up in the head but the shadow fingers did something for me ya'll. I loved each second we had with them. THE.SHADOW.FINGERS!
“He was wrong to assume that I value my life. I don’t.”
All in all, I didn't love or hate this book. It was an interesting take on Beauty and the Beast that had so much potential but will ultimately be forgettable.
The author did add bonus material on her website that better explains the curse and Felix's relationship with his mom. I believe the ending of the story would have been much better if this was originally included in the book. Some of you might be interested in checking that out. I just didn't have the time or the energy to do so.
I try to give very in-depth reviews and as a result they are often long winded. I truly do appreciate each and every one of you that reads them in their entirety.
Book Cover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TRIGGER WARNING(S): DEATH OF LOVED ONES, PHYSICAL ABUSE, DUBCON BOARDING DANGEROUSLY ON NONCON
Trope(s): Age-gap (200+ years LOL)
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Virgin FMC
Beauty and the Beast retelling
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶.5
POV: Dual, First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Part of an interconnected series: Yes
First in series: Yes
Safe or Dark: Darkish (see trigger warnings)
"That boy you like might whisper sweet words into your ear… but I, Arabella? I’ll burn down the world for you.”
Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite Disney movie (not the live-action version), and Belle is my favorite Disney princess. So, when I saw this book, I just knew I had to snatch it up! It just had to be mine!
This was a lovely retelling of a tale as old as time. I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would. Going into this story, I was so hopeful, but sadly, I ended up being slightly let down. I will try to explain my thoughts about this to the best of my ability because, to be honest, I just finished this book and my brain is still trying to process what I'm feeling.
Since I can't seem to decide what I want to say in this review, I will just make you all a list (if you have read some of my other reviews, then you know I love a good list):
“I am,” he growls. “I am a monster, but I’m yours.”
- Early in the story, the Shadow Emperor, AKA Felix, AKA Theon, storms into Arabella's castle in the land of Althea and strikes up a deal with her father (the King) for her hand in marriage. At first, Arabella pushes back like crazy. She wants nothing to do with the Shadow Emperor since all she knows about him is that he's a monster. However, all of a sudden, she gives in. She just *shrugs shoulders* "Yeah, ok, fine, I'll marry the dude." I wanted more resistance. I wanted more of the fight she promised was inside her.
- The whole ten second scene of Arabella trying to run away with Nathaniel, her childhood friend who became the love of her life, did absolutely nothing for the story. It was pointless. Arabella even mentions at one point that she knew trying to escape wouldn't work but did it anyway. Not only putting her life at risk but Nathaniel's as well. It was just dumb.
“There is always a choice. You will not endear her to you if you see this through. Love cannot bloom under threat of force."
- The Shadow Emperor takes his hesitant new bride to his castle in Eldiria and is all like "You're my wife so I own your body and whatever." While he doesn't take her virginity until she fully consents around the 54% mark of the story, there is a lot of dubcon that boarders dangerously on noncon. A lot of sexual acts were placed on this idea of "This innocent girl thinks she doesn't want me, but she does because her body gets all hot and bothered by my cursed sexiness. I just need to show her all the pleasure I can bring her." Felix, baby, that is not it. It's not a good look.
- The further you get into the book the more repetitive the story becomes. We have to listen to Arabella's redundant inner monologue about whether or not she wants Felix. She just goes back and forth between possibly falling in love with him to wanting nothing to do with him. It is exhausting.
"I want her every thought, her every desire. I want her love."
- This story was riddled with grammatical errors. A lot of words were missing from or added to sentences making them unclear. Sometimes they made no sense at all. I was surprised because I know Catharina Maura (writing under the name C.A. Maura) is a well published author. The errors got very bad more towards the end of the book.
- The world building was lovely. It is made clear early on that we are not in the real world but a made up one that is fit for a fantasy story. While that it all well and good I have no idea what time period the story is set in. You get somewhat of an idea by the clothes and lack of electricity and other modern amenities, but it is never clearly laid out for us. Maybe it's a personal pet peeve of mine but it drove me bananas trying to figure it out.
“If my love for you could have broken this curse, it already would have,”
- Arabella was so stuck on her old life for almost the entirety of the book. She pined after Nathaniel incessantly and often mentioned that all she wanted was to go back home to Althea to be with her sister. That is understandable but she did it so much that it seemed like she wasn't even giving her new life and marriage an honest try. Which she promised Felix she would do.
- As Arabella and Felix's marriage progresses they come to an agreement that had a few specific terms. Which neither of them honored. If they did honor them it was few and far in between.
"I wish I could return to a time before I knew what hope felt like."
- If you are familiar with the story of Beauty and the Beast then you are well aware that Belle and the Beast fall in love. So it should be no surprise that Felix and Arabella eventually fall in love. Once Arabella is madly in love with Felix she realizes that she never romantically loved Nathaniel. She only loved him as a best friend. Arabella no longer wanted to be with him in that intimate way. Because you can only fall in love with one person your entire life, ya know?
- The first 50% of the story was promising. It kept my interest and set a good pace. Sadly, after that we hit a lull until about the 85% mark. The in between just seemed to drag on forever and nothing really happened. Once the story picked up again everything happened too quickly. The ending was rushed, and left me with so many questions. . Nothing was fully explained to us. I wonder if the author got tired of writing this particular piece and grew lazy. It all fell incredibly flat.
"True love is all-consuming and maddening. It’s selfless, yet selfish, all at once. It’s unconditional and uncontrollable."
- The magic aspect of the story threw me off a bit. Arabella grew up in Althea, where magic was banned. Due to this, she never used her powers and often tried to keep them hidden so she didn't get punished by her father. While in Eldiria, Felix trains her and helps her learn how to call upon and control her magic. We only get about four actual training sessions, but by the end of the story, Arabella is incredibly powerful, and her magic is strong enough to match (and at times overpower) Felix's. She can suddenly control her fire and the air around her without even thinking twice about it. It just didn't make sense how the change happened. It was abrupt and unexplained.
- The shadow fingers. I don't know if I'm just screwed up in the head but the shadow fingers did something for me ya'll. I loved each second we had with them. THE.SHADOW.FINGERS!
“He was wrong to assume that I value my life. I don’t.”
All in all, I didn't love or hate this book. It was an interesting take on Beauty and the Beast that had so much potential but will ultimately be forgettable.
The author did add bonus material on her website that better explains the curse and Felix's relationship with his mom. I believe the ending of the story would have been much better if this was originally included in the book. Some of you might be interested in checking that out. I just didn't have the time or the energy to do so.
I try to give very in-depth reviews and as a result they are often long winded. I truly do appreciate each and every one of you that reads them in their entirety.
March 16, 2022
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.The first thing about Broken Beauty to grab my attention was the cover. However, my decision to request a copy for review was due to it being a Beauty and the Beast retelling. A wonderful time was had with this interesting take on a well-loved fairytale.
New to me, author Catharina Mauer delivered a tale which hooked me from the very first page. It’s always nice discovering a new author and Mauer did not disappoint. I would definitely read more of her work.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast introduces to Felix and Arabella. Felix is the ruler of the Kingdom Eldiria and a powerful sorcerer. Known as the Shadow Emperor. A powerful leader, feared by all. However, no-one outside his kingdom knew of his curse. A curse which forced him to live in the shadows bathed in inescapable darkness. A prophecy revealed that the key to breaking the curse lay in Arabella, princess of Althea.The ruler of the kingdom of Althea, Arabelle’s father, banned magic. Because of the ban, the people of Althea treated Arabella like a pariah because of her magical powers. Her father despised her, so it came as no surprise when he readily agreed for her to marry the Shadow Emperor. Arabella, however, will not give without a fight.
Felix and Arabella were interesting characters. At first, I feared for Arabella, recognising she was walking into the unknown. After all, Felix was rumoured to be evil. But the thing with rumours is most time they are created out of fear. After getting to know Felix, I recognised the fears were for naught. A true alpha who was caring, smart, fearless, protective, powerful and a fair leader.Despite the abuse Arabella suffered at her father’s hand, it didn’t break her. It only made her determine to forge her own part. However, with her marriage to Felix, this may be difficult. But what she saw as a fate worse than death proved to be her saving grace.The relationship which developed between the protagonists warmed my heart. Under Felix’s tutelage, she learned to harness her magic, making her more powerful than she could imagine. The story delivered moments, which made me laugh, broke my heart and had me cheering for the characters. The scene that had me cheering the most involved Arabella standing up to her father. Wow! Just priceless.
The world building fascinated me, and I enjoyed spending time in this magical world. It was interesting learning about the origin of the curse and the impact it had on both Felix and his kingdom.
Broken Beauty was a beautiful story that enthralled the reader with its magical and romantic moments. Fans of fairy tale retelling and stories set in a world where magic reigns will love what Mauer offers in Broken Beauty. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
New to me, author Catharina Mauer delivered a tale which hooked me from the very first page. It’s always nice discovering a new author and Mauer did not disappoint. I would definitely read more of her work.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast introduces to Felix and Arabella. Felix is the ruler of the Kingdom Eldiria and a powerful sorcerer. Known as the Shadow Emperor. A powerful leader, feared by all. However, no-one outside his kingdom knew of his curse. A curse which forced him to live in the shadows bathed in inescapable darkness. A prophecy revealed that the key to breaking the curse lay in Arabella, princess of Althea.The ruler of the kingdom of Althea, Arabelle’s father, banned magic. Because of the ban, the people of Althea treated Arabella like a pariah because of her magical powers. Her father despised her, so it came as no surprise when he readily agreed for her to marry the Shadow Emperor. Arabella, however, will not give without a fight.
Felix and Arabella were interesting characters. At first, I feared for Arabella, recognising she was walking into the unknown. After all, Felix was rumoured to be evil. But the thing with rumours is most time they are created out of fear. After getting to know Felix, I recognised the fears were for naught. A true alpha who was caring, smart, fearless, protective, powerful and a fair leader.Despite the abuse Arabella suffered at her father’s hand, it didn’t break her. It only made her determine to forge her own part. However, with her marriage to Felix, this may be difficult. But what she saw as a fate worse than death proved to be her saving grace.The relationship which developed between the protagonists warmed my heart. Under Felix’s tutelage, she learned to harness her magic, making her more powerful than she could imagine. The story delivered moments, which made me laugh, broke my heart and had me cheering for the characters. The scene that had me cheering the most involved Arabella standing up to her father. Wow! Just priceless.
The world building fascinated me, and I enjoyed spending time in this magical world. It was interesting learning about the origin of the curse and the impact it had on both Felix and his kingdom.
Broken Beauty was a beautiful story that enthralled the reader with its magical and romantic moments. Fans of fairy tale retelling and stories set in a world where magic reigns will love what Mauer offers in Broken Beauty. This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
March 2, 2023
I really liked this book in the middle. The beginning was okay, with the author really toeing the lines of consent/assault (glad that line wasn’t crossed tbh). Oddly enough, at some parts it really seemed to drag.
What I liked:
-Arabella heals from her first love in a very realistic way. She kind of misses him, but you can tell as she grows closer to Felix that longing changes and lessens.
-The magic. I really liked all the different types of magic, and how she actually had to practice to get better at it. She wasn’t instantly good though it does follow the cliche “she’s the most powerful and special one ever”.
-The details of the curse. The world-building is ehh, but the world the author builds around the curse is done rather well! I was impressed.
-Felix’s and Arabella’s relationship develops organically, and their relationship is really sweet. It was very much lust-driven at first, and I’m not sure what they’ll talk about now that the curse is broken, but it was nice seeing him long for her and her slowly give into it.
What I didn’t like:
-The ending could have been explained better. So many of my questions were left unanswered, but not in enough way for me to care about a sequel
-It drags on after awhile and at some parts it’s almost repetitive. (Sex fire sex fire sex fire)
-Even though a lot happens, it almost feels as if nothing really happened? She lights up some pipes, they do this kiss me/don’t kiss me, she goes away cause “darkness”/ curse breaks.
-I think the part I hated the most had to be how she handled her dads situation. I almost felt like she was letting her anger of her childhood get in the way of her judgement. Not saying that they didn’t deserve to be punished, but you’re trying to gain respect and get people not to fear magic… by making your people fear you?? It just wasn’t making sense.
Overall it was a cute retelling, but it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really like any of the characters either? Felix was okay, Elaine was okay too-but besides her backstory with Raphael we didn’t really get to know who *she* was. Arabella was only bearable when she was with Felix (hence why the middle was more enjoyable)
Sorry about the long rant, hopefully you like it more than I do! It was okay, but mostly forgettable. And the title is so similar to every fantasy novel ever it took me forever to find it because there’s like a million curses and shadows and ices and thrones.
What I liked:
-Arabella heals from her first love in a very realistic way. She kind of misses him, but you can tell as she grows closer to Felix that longing changes and lessens.
-The magic. I really liked all the different types of magic, and how she actually had to practice to get better at it. She wasn’t instantly good though it does follow the cliche “she’s the most powerful and special one ever”.
-The details of the curse. The world-building is ehh, but the world the author builds around the curse is done rather well! I was impressed.
-Felix’s and Arabella’s relationship develops organically, and their relationship is really sweet. It was very much lust-driven at first, and I’m not sure what they’ll talk about now that the curse is broken, but it was nice seeing him long for her and her slowly give into it.
What I didn’t like:
-The ending could have been explained better. So many of my questions were left unanswered, but not in enough way for me to care about a sequel
-It drags on after awhile and at some parts it’s almost repetitive. (Sex fire sex fire sex fire)
-Even though a lot happens, it almost feels as if nothing really happened? She lights up some pipes, they do this kiss me/don’t kiss me, she goes away cause “darkness”/ curse breaks.
-I think the part I hated the most had to be how she handled her dads situation. I almost felt like she was letting her anger of her childhood get in the way of her judgement. Not saying that they didn’t deserve to be punished, but you’re trying to gain respect and get people not to fear magic… by making your people fear you?? It just wasn’t making sense.
Overall it was a cute retelling, but it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really like any of the characters either? Felix was okay, Elaine was okay too-but besides her backstory with Raphael we didn’t really get to know who *she* was. Arabella was only bearable when she was with Felix (hence why the middle was more enjoyable)
Sorry about the long rant, hopefully you like it more than I do! It was okay, but mostly forgettable. And the title is so similar to every fantasy novel ever it took me forever to find it because there’s like a million curses and shadows and ices and thrones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2022
• 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 •
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: A Curse of Shadows and Ice
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: C.A. Maura
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘙 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
This is an amazing beauty and the beast retelling. I’ve read this book before when it was still published under another title and I loved it already from the first read and this new and improved version was just as good if not better. It has some extra scenes which I definitely enjoyed a lot. It still is one of my favorite retellings that I’ve read (and I have read a lot). If you like (beauty and the beast) retellings, you definitely have to read this one. It still is such an original retelling, I love all the different elements especially the magic. The story has a great build up, relationship wise, but also with the world building itself. The characters are nicely layered and the story is told in dual POV. I am in love with the heroine; I liked how strong willed she is and how her character developed through the story. I definitely recommend reading this retelling.
A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: A Curse of Shadows and Ice
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: C.A. Maura
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5
𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘙 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
This is an amazing beauty and the beast retelling. I’ve read this book before when it was still published under another title and I loved it already from the first read and this new and improved version was just as good if not better. It has some extra scenes which I definitely enjoyed a lot. It still is one of my favorite retellings that I’ve read (and I have read a lot). If you like (beauty and the beast) retellings, you definitely have to read this one. It still is such an original retelling, I love all the different elements especially the magic. The story has a great build up, relationship wise, but also with the world building itself. The characters are nicely layered and the story is told in dual POV. I am in love with the heroine; I liked how strong willed she is and how her character developed through the story. I definitely recommend reading this retelling.
A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld
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