---
product_id: 106049703
title: "A Curse So Dark and Lonely (The Cursebreaker Series)"
price: "€ 27.44"
currency: EUR
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reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/106049703-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely-the-cursebreaker-series
store_origin: HR
region: Croatia
---

# A Curse So Dark and Lonely (The Cursebreaker Series)

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## Description

A New York Times bestseller! " Has everything you'd want in a retelling of a classic fairy tale." - Jodi Picoult In a lush, contemporary fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Brigid Kemmerer gives readers another compulsively readable romance perfect for fans of Marissa Meyer. Fall in love, break the curse. It once seemed so easy to Prince Rhen, the heir to Emberfall. Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope. Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother barely holding their family together while constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, she learned to be tough enough to survive. But when she tries to save someone else on the streets of Washington, DC, she's instead somehow sucked into Rhen's cursed world. Break the curse, save the kingdom. A prince? A monster? A curse? Harper doesn't know where she is or what to believe. But as she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what's at stake. And as Rhen realizes Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Review: Such a carefully crafted book! - A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY was so enjoyable from start to finish! I've been struggling with some YA reads lately so I was afraid that like many others I've read recently that this would fall into a pit of tropes, but this book soared beyond my expectations! Right off the bat, I loved the tone of the book and I think the crossover/connection between the modern world in Washington DC and the fantasy world of Emberfall really made a difference. The readers are able to get a unique twist on this fantasy concept with a modern voice from Harper and that old-world, medieval-type feel from Rhen. You may have heard that A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY is a Beauty and the Beast adaptation and I thought that was done brilliantly! Concepts are taking from the classic fairy tale but still given their own twist. Not every piece of Beauty and the Beast was made to fit this novel and A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY also goes along its own paths, not needing to stick to the concept 100%. What I loved even more was seeing the book's originality lead back to the fairy tale adaptation without realizing we were on that road and I was so impressed seeing things circle back around to the adaption in their own way. I've read a lot of retellings over the years and some stories stick too religiously to the original work so I was really happy to see how expertly the author's original concepts were woven in with the inspiration from Beauty and the Beast. The characters here were just wonderful and they really made this story what it is in so many ways. Harper is strong and fierce but the way that Brigid Kemmerer chose to craft this character was really special. There are so many badass YA heroines out there that get too cocky or are just magically perfect, but Harper felt more like a real person to me than most of those other leading ladies. I loved that Brigid Kemmerer included Harper's cerebral palsy and how it was portrayed as the way that Harper was born and not as a disadvantage or weakness. It was also great to see Harper grow into her boldness, from being a little sheltered by her brother to being thrown into this fantasy world and having to make a name for herself, quite literally. She didn't change in personality but merely let that side of her grow in the proper atmosphere and situation. The reader was able to see that potential in Harper and with her situation in Emberfall and the other people by which she was surrounded, Harper was able to really grow into her confidence and it really felt so natural. Rhen was another fantastic character in so many ways. Harper originally felt that he was a cocky prince but really he had so many levels that unfolded as the book progressed. Readers learn of his remorse for everything that's happened to the kingdom and how much he really took it all to heart. Rhen's challenge in the book seemed to be with his emotions and feelings, having to trust in his heart and let go of some of his overthinking. Being forced to repeat so many scenarios due to his curse, he essentially has ages to plan without growing older and somewhat replaying the opportunity to fall in love to break the curse, he employs different strategies, none of which work, of course, because love can't be won by strategy. Harper and Grey, Rhen's commander, help Rhen learn how to trust his heart and not feel so forced to fall in love. He has to let go before he can really latch on. One of my favorite things about the book was the romance, which doesn't happen often these days. So many people get excited over big love scenes, passionate kisses, and fiery romances. I was all about this gorgeous slow burn romance that took its time and really established those deep emotions! It's not quite a hate-to-love situation but since neither Harper nor Rhen trust each other (naturally), there's quite a spark of mistrust and Harper's brashness also leads to a few spats that have these two at odds in the beginning. I really loved that as well because it's so much more rewarding seeing the two soften towards each other and really piques that curiosity if the two can manage to fall in love. That's the whole point of the book so you assume it's coming and yet there's still the question if that really is what will happen and how they'll both come to believe it. It's so expertly crafted and those quiet, stolen moments were absolutely everything in this book! I love those moments more than anything in books and I think they're some of the most special scenes to read. Finally, there's the fact that this book delivers something of its own with a few unique twists that I did not see coming! I loved the set up for the next book and reading something like this actually made me glad that it's a series whereas usually I'm wishing for more stand-alones. I do think that this book could have been made into a stand-alone if that's what the author had wanted and it would have been beautiful, but I'm also glad that I get to keep reading about these characters, this world, and this beautiful writing for a little bit longer!
Review: I was so wrapped up in this story... - 4.5 stars — This was the kind of book that gave me tummy tingles from nerves and anxiety and had me growling in frustration and racing to the bathroom yelling “Dammit, I have to pee!” to my husband because my bladder interrupted my reading time. I think that speaks for itself. 😛 I loved Harper. She was fierce, bold, if somewhat impulsive and reckless. I didn’t mind that she made those missteps, because *I* would make those missteps when presented with a foreign world with completely different rules of living. I think, in the end, that Rhen (and Grey) really appreciated the unique and unfiltered perspective she brought, because she was unencumbered by traditions. I found the dichotomy of being so fierce with her soft heart and lack of stomach for violence to be intriguing. She is faced with this crazy situation, and she is threatened, and sometimes she’s jumping in headfirst attacking, and other times she cannot watch someone with ill intent be killed. It was…odd. It both worked and didn’t work for me. I think if she hadn’t been so attacking at times, I would have understood it more. And I did understand it to an extent, just…something. I did love how we got to see a strong disabled character, who had to deal with those limitations, but it was just a small part of her story, it wasn’t her whole story. Basically it was a perfect diversity story. Rhen was hard to love at first. I felt for his despair and pain, but I also boggled at his inability to see the truth of the entire situation. That he hadn’t even considered the logistics of finding someone to love, it was all just a means to an end. He was an interesting character in that way, because it was hard to like all of him at the beginning. But I think that made his growth and transformation that much more satisfying. It made me connect with him when he started to fall for Harper. It was so hard to see him develop hope only for Lilith to come in and destroy it. Sometimes I wanted him to defeat that better, to give people a bit more credit, to grow just that teensy bit more. And then there’s Grey. I loved him as a character, and I loved how he provided a counterbalance to Rhen. He was fiercely loyal, and incredibly frightening in his abilities. I definitely want to know more about him. I loved the almost friendship he had with Rhen, and I loved the friendship that he formed with Harper, and how he supported her. The romance had amazing parts, and had lacking parts. I loved the way they slowly got to know one another, and trust one another, and I appreciated that so much. And I definitely felt some chemistry between them. But at the same time, I was never quite certain if it was supposed to be a love triangle, or if I was misreading things. I wish it had been slightly more clear one way or the other. The ambiguity didn’t work for me. I, personally, am not a love triangle fan, but I could have tolerated it if I’d known if it was present. I know that sounds weird, but the middle ground was just unsatisfying. Even at the end there were these moments where Harper, Rhen and Grey each individually had these thoughts and memories, and I’m not entirely sure what point that was supposed to be driving home. Maybe I’m just too dense. I like things clear, at least by the end. And even setting aside the weird love triangle that was or wasn’t, the ending with Harper and Rhen wasn’t entirely satisfying for me. I’m not sure if we’ll get more in the next book, but I don’t think so. So I was a bit bummed. I wanted that literary romance ending where I’m gushing, you know? The secondary characters were fantastic. I loved the relationships that Harper developed with Freya and Zo — they made me so happy. I’m conflicted about her brother, Jake, and Noah. I didn’t really like how that turned out…but not sure if that will get more resolution in future books. So yeah…I had a lot of semi-critical things to say, but even despite all that, I was just so wrapped up and enjoying myself that I still can’t help but rate this high. Don’t try to figure me out, I can’t even figure me out.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #277,970 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #46 in Teen & Young Adult Fairy Tale & Folklore Adaptations #69 in Teen & Young Adult Friendship Fiction #356 in Teen & Young Adult Epic Fantasy |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 9,752 Reviews |

## Images

![A Curse So Dark and Lonely (The Cursebreaker Series) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81f4+vQ7oKL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Such a carefully crafted book!
*by B***Y on February 21, 2019*

A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY was so enjoyable from start to finish! I've been struggling with some YA reads lately so I was afraid that like many others I've read recently that this would fall into a pit of tropes, but this book soared beyond my expectations! Right off the bat, I loved the tone of the book and I think the crossover/connection between the modern world in Washington DC and the fantasy world of Emberfall really made a difference. The readers are able to get a unique twist on this fantasy concept with a modern voice from Harper and that old-world, medieval-type feel from Rhen. You may have heard that A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY is a Beauty and the Beast adaptation and I thought that was done brilliantly! Concepts are taking from the classic fairy tale but still given their own twist. Not every piece of Beauty and the Beast was made to fit this novel and A CURSE SO DARK AND LONELY also goes along its own paths, not needing to stick to the concept 100%. What I loved even more was seeing the book's originality lead back to the fairy tale adaptation without realizing we were on that road and I was so impressed seeing things circle back around to the adaption in their own way. I've read a lot of retellings over the years and some stories stick too religiously to the original work so I was really happy to see how expertly the author's original concepts were woven in with the inspiration from Beauty and the Beast. The characters here were just wonderful and they really made this story what it is in so many ways. Harper is strong and fierce but the way that Brigid Kemmerer chose to craft this character was really special. There are so many badass YA heroines out there that get too cocky or are just magically perfect, but Harper felt more like a real person to me than most of those other leading ladies. I loved that Brigid Kemmerer included Harper's cerebral palsy and how it was portrayed as the way that Harper was born and not as a disadvantage or weakness. It was also great to see Harper grow into her boldness, from being a little sheltered by her brother to being thrown into this fantasy world and having to make a name for herself, quite literally. She didn't change in personality but merely let that side of her grow in the proper atmosphere and situation. The reader was able to see that potential in Harper and with her situation in Emberfall and the other people by which she was surrounded, Harper was able to really grow into her confidence and it really felt so natural. Rhen was another fantastic character in so many ways. Harper originally felt that he was a cocky prince but really he had so many levels that unfolded as the book progressed. Readers learn of his remorse for everything that's happened to the kingdom and how much he really took it all to heart. Rhen's challenge in the book seemed to be with his emotions and feelings, having to trust in his heart and let go of some of his overthinking. Being forced to repeat so many scenarios due to his curse, he essentially has ages to plan without growing older and somewhat replaying the opportunity to fall in love to break the curse, he employs different strategies, none of which work, of course, because love can't be won by strategy. Harper and Grey, Rhen's commander, help Rhen learn how to trust his heart and not feel so forced to fall in love. He has to let go before he can really latch on. One of my favorite things about the book was the romance, which doesn't happen often these days. So many people get excited over big love scenes, passionate kisses, and fiery romances. I was all about this gorgeous slow burn romance that took its time and really established those deep emotions! It's not quite a hate-to-love situation but since neither Harper nor Rhen trust each other (naturally), there's quite a spark of mistrust and Harper's brashness also leads to a few spats that have these two at odds in the beginning. I really loved that as well because it's so much more rewarding seeing the two soften towards each other and really piques that curiosity if the two can manage to fall in love. That's the whole point of the book so you assume it's coming and yet there's still the question if that really is what will happen and how they'll both come to believe it. It's so expertly crafted and those quiet, stolen moments were absolutely everything in this book! I love those moments more than anything in books and I think they're some of the most special scenes to read. Finally, there's the fact that this book delivers something of its own with a few unique twists that I did not see coming! I loved the set up for the next book and reading something like this actually made me glad that it's a series whereas usually I'm wishing for more stand-alones. I do think that this book could have been made into a stand-alone if that's what the author had wanted and it would have been beautiful, but I'm also glad that I get to keep reading about these characters, this world, and this beautiful writing for a little bit longer!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was so wrapped up in this story...
*by L***S on January 11, 2020*

4.5 stars — This was the kind of book that gave me tummy tingles from nerves and anxiety and had me growling in frustration and racing to the bathroom yelling “Dammit, I have to pee!” to my husband because my bladder interrupted my reading time. I think that speaks for itself. 😛 I loved Harper. She was fierce, bold, if somewhat impulsive and reckless. I didn’t mind that she made those missteps, because *I* would make those missteps when presented with a foreign world with completely different rules of living. I think, in the end, that Rhen (and Grey) really appreciated the unique and unfiltered perspective she brought, because she was unencumbered by traditions. I found the dichotomy of being so fierce with her soft heart and lack of stomach for violence to be intriguing. She is faced with this crazy situation, and she is threatened, and sometimes she’s jumping in headfirst attacking, and other times she cannot watch someone with ill intent be killed. It was…odd. It both worked and didn’t work for me. I think if she hadn’t been so attacking at times, I would have understood it more. And I did understand it to an extent, just…something. I did love how we got to see a strong disabled character, who had to deal with those limitations, but it was just a small part of her story, it wasn’t her whole story. Basically it was a perfect diversity story. Rhen was hard to love at first. I felt for his despair and pain, but I also boggled at his inability to see the truth of the entire situation. That he hadn’t even considered the logistics of finding someone to love, it was all just a means to an end. He was an interesting character in that way, because it was hard to like all of him at the beginning. But I think that made his growth and transformation that much more satisfying. It made me connect with him when he started to fall for Harper. It was so hard to see him develop hope only for Lilith to come in and destroy it. Sometimes I wanted him to defeat that better, to give people a bit more credit, to grow just that teensy bit more. And then there’s Grey. I loved him as a character, and I loved how he provided a counterbalance to Rhen. He was fiercely loyal, and incredibly frightening in his abilities. I definitely want to know more about him. I loved the almost friendship he had with Rhen, and I loved the friendship that he formed with Harper, and how he supported her. The romance had amazing parts, and had lacking parts. I loved the way they slowly got to know one another, and trust one another, and I appreciated that so much. And I definitely felt some chemistry between them. But at the same time, I was never quite certain if it was supposed to be a love triangle, or if I was misreading things. I wish it had been slightly more clear one way or the other. The ambiguity didn’t work for me. I, personally, am not a love triangle fan, but I could have tolerated it if I’d known if it was present. I know that sounds weird, but the middle ground was just unsatisfying. Even at the end there were these moments where Harper, Rhen and Grey each individually had these thoughts and memories, and I’m not entirely sure what point that was supposed to be driving home. Maybe I’m just too dense. I like things clear, at least by the end. And even setting aside the weird love triangle that was or wasn’t, the ending with Harper and Rhen wasn’t entirely satisfying for me. I’m not sure if we’ll get more in the next book, but I don’t think so. So I was a bit bummed. I wanted that literary romance ending where I’m gushing, you know? The secondary characters were fantastic. I loved the relationships that Harper developed with Freya and Zo — they made me so happy. I’m conflicted about her brother, Jake, and Noah. I didn’t really like how that turned out…but not sure if that will get more resolution in future books. So yeah…I had a lot of semi-critical things to say, but even despite all that, I was just so wrapped up and enjoying myself that I still can’t help but rate this high. Don’t try to figure me out, I can’t even figure me out.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An enchanting, lovely story that I never wanted to end!
*by J***R on June 18, 2019*

So I've been excited about A Curse So Dark and Lonely for a while now. Partly because I'm always down for a b&tb retelling, but also because fantasy and Brigid and also ahaha that synopsis omg. But when this beautiful book finally made its way into my hands, it took me a little while to pick it up. Because man, I was intimidated. I've had multiple friends sing this one praises. And while that's a vote of confidence, that is also PRESSURE. I do not do well reading under pressure. But I finally got up the nerve to read this book and my friends--I am ready to join the club in singing A Curse So Dark and Lonely praises because it deserves ALL OF THEM. There are so many things that were done well in this novel, I'm sure I'm going to forget something but I'll walk you through the highlights: - The Characters. Each and every one. They were fleshed out so skillfully. Rhen--both his past, arrogant self and his current, remorseful one. The contradiction between the two. His growth in that time, and then throughout the course of this book itself. Harper--her strength that she always and but only came to realize and harness when put in an out-of-this-world situation. Her cleverness. Her kindness. Her general badassery. And Grey--loyal to no end. Kind. Fierce, but soft when needed. When it matters. Oh, and the most lethal guy in the room. - The Friendships. Okay this was probably what had me most head over heels for this book. Harper and Grey and their beautiful friendship is kind of what I live for now? Their playing cards and him teaching her to throw knives and her trying to stab him and him being like "hey maybe hold it this way for better defense." I'm trash for this. Then there is Grey and Rhen which has layers. They have their past and they have their present and they're connected and close and I am a huge 100% fan. - The Slow Burn. I spend my life searching for well done slow burn romances and ring-a-ding-ding here is one right here thanks to Brigid Kemmerer. Rhen and Harper have so much going on. Honestly, it SHOULD take them time to figure out their feelings for each other, the way things are so intertwined with the state of the kingdom. But when they had their moments...my eyes were GLUED to the page. I devoured those moments. They were beautiful. - The Retelling. This take on Beauty & the Beast was honestly stunning. It's easy for retellings to read in a way that can be kind of stale, at least in part, but this one felt unique and fresh and even when I saw it hitting the beats in the old tale it also had enough originality that I wondered what would come next. Mostly because this isn't JUST a retelling. It's a retelling within another, larger story. And I loved it. - The Execution. When I love a book I either read the whole thing straight through in barely a day or I take my time and read it s l o w l y. This one fell into the second category because I was so enchanted I needed to savor the story. The words. The characters. The world. It was all so well written, I never wanted to let go. It took me about a week to read this book, and it still felt like it passed in the blink of an eye. I miss it already. Overall, A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a stunning retelling. Well constructed characters, fleshed out relationships, and so much more made this one that I didn't want to end. And you BET I'm gonna be over here snatching up that sequel the first moment I can. In the meantime, if you haven't given this one a shot yet--you really should. This is one that's not to be missed.

## Frequently Bought Together

- A Curse So Dark and Lonely (The Cursebreaker Series)
- A Heart So Fierce and Broken (The Cursebreaker Series)
- A Vow So Bold and Deadly (The Cursebreaker Series)

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*Product available on Desertcart Croatia*
*Store origin: HR*
*Last updated: 2026-06-19*