Member Reviews
ONE CURSED ROSE is a dark Beauty and the Beast inspired tale and its book 1 in the Grimm Bargains series.
This is a story of power, secrets, lies, betrayal, vengeance, obsession and love. It was an action packed, fast paced tale filled with twists and turns, undeniable chemistry and determined characters.
I loved the mystery/suspense element in the story which kept me turning the pages. I liked Alana, and was rooting for her throughout tge story. However Thorn took some getting used to.
This dark and spicy retelling was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.
A dark, taboo Beauty and the Beast retelling with a very vivid cast of characters, including a morally gray MMC who is possessive and OTT? Not to mention an enemies to lovers trope? All in one GORGEOUS book? Yes, please! I really enjoyed this book and absolutely made sure to preorder the special edition as soon as I was able!
I absolutely loved this book! Anything Rebecca writes is amazing but this was next level good! I was hooked from page one until the end. I didn't want it to end because I loved the story so much.
I will never turn down reading a Grimm style fairy tale retold story. One Cursed Rose is a delightful new twist in modern times of Beauty and the Beast. Honestly, a castle with a huge library? I am there! Which room is mine? Alana Beaumont is a pawn yet she is not. There is a bigger game going on when she becomes the unwilling guest of legendary Thorn Beathach.
This story is creative and I enjoy the blend of paranormal to technology. This new series is intriguing and is starting off on the right note for me. There is a bit of "dark mafia billionaire" feel to it. This is a popular genre and plot device for romance authors. Ms. Zanetti takes this from a fresh perspective with her captivating writing voice. Her characters are relatable and interesting. Their experiences and learning more about their life helps me understand their motivation and appreciate them more. It does help that Thorn is a dashing sexy anti-hero. This is right up my alley for male characters I cannot help but adore. Yes, I have a type.
I would share more about what I like in this story but it would give away spoilers. Suffice to say that the conflict is well created and the interactions between the characters carry just the right snark for me. Recommended to romance readers who like it dark and a bit on the spicy side.
Big thanks to Rebecca Zanetti and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review.
A beauty and the beast retelling featuring social media tycoons, betrayal and magical crystals. It's and interesting concept and for the most part I enjoyed it.
I'm typically not a big social media person so it felt a little cheesy with that being the main story line.
I'm always a fan of the beauty and beast retelling though.
3.5 stars, rounded to 4.
❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
Strap yourself in for something completely different to what you have read before. It’s a world where social media is ruled by competing families and well….. social media rules everything.
In a beauty and the beast retelling our heroine is her family’s social media golden girl… that is until our hero- the head of an opposing family kidnaps her (after saving her from an assassination attempt). Our beast of a hero decides he wants to keep the beauty (but she is more than a little resistant to the idea).
RZ is one of my top favourite authors but this one fell slightly shy of the mark for me.
The premise was so different it did take me out of the book a bit, and a lot of the explanations didn’t happen until the end. Then there was the fact that this was marketed as a dark romance but didn’t really feel dark at all? I still however, want to read the next book though to see where the series goes.
While this was an interesting idea for a retelling, it felt like we were dropped in the middle of the story - how did Thorn first see Alana? Why was he drawn to her? What's the history of the four families and the crystals? There was just a lot of unanswered backstory. But, the story was unique and kept me wanting to learn more.
Information is power, and those who control it live like gods. In my world, billionaires play deadly games of insult and influence where magic is the dirtiest weapon of all. Here, even a powerful princess can be swallowed by the darkest of shadows. My name is Alana Beaumont, and due to a recent tragedy, I’m the sole heir to Aquarius Social, a family business being systematically dismantled by an unseen enemy. My father’s solution is to give me in marriage and create a coalition with a competing family, so I’m torn between my thirst for revenge and my duty. Now I just have a week to finish my hunt before the wedding. There’s nothing like an assassination attempt to cut short the best of plans—even worse is my unwanted rescue by Thorn Beathach, the Beast whose social media empire is driving Aquarius under. The richest, most ruthless of them all, he protects his realm with an iron rule: no one sees his face. When he shows himself to me, I know he’ll never let me go. Adam may think he can lock me in his castle forever, but I’m not the docile Beauty he expects. If the Beast wants to tie me up, I’m going to take pleasure from every minute of it . . .and we’ll just see who ends up shackled.
I absolutely loved this book in this brand new series! This book is being billed as a Dark Romance, and while it may have some elements of that-I didn't find it horribly dark at all. I loved Thorn and Alana and their banter back and forth. But this author always does great banter with her characters! I loved the suspense and the paranormal aspects to this story. They have a great chemistry together, and honestly just worked for each other in ways I wasn't expecting. I loved the secondary characters, which always draws me into a series because I need stories for those characters as well! I don't want to say a whole lot, because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Just know that I loved this book enough that I bought not only the ebook of it but the special edition as well because it is beautiful!
This was unfortunately a DNF for me. It didnt hook my in from the start so it was a little tedious to oush myself through.
I really enjoyed One Cursed Rose and found it to be an exciting four-star read! This dark romance is a unique, mafia-inspired spin on Beauty and the Beast, with a fresh modern twist. The suspenseful elements kept me hooked throughout, and I absolutely loved the characters, especially the dynamic between Alana and Thorn. Zanetti does a fantastic job blending forbidden desires with a gripping plot. Fans of dark romance will appreciate the intense chemistry and power play in this story. Overall, a captivating retelling that left me wanting more!
Probably my favorite Disney fairytale is Beauty and the Beast, and One Cursed Rose is a very modern (technological) take on their love story. It took me a little bit to get into the story and I wasn't totally sold on the technology, probably because I'm mostly technologically inept with some exceptions. So it took me time to get into the world and love story of Alana and Thorn. I'm sure others who are very tech savvy and love the original fairytale will likely love this retelling.
I liked the couple but it honestly took me digging deep to come to that point. I found Thorn to be a jerk at times but he also was protective of her. I also thought that for this story there were more sexual scenes than warranted, at least for my taste. But overall it was a good retelling for modern day society.
One Cursed Rose was a solid read! I found it very enjoyable as someone who loves urban fairytale retellings, stalker vibes, and spice. This was my intro to Rebecca Zanetti's writing and I'm excited to read more of work, especially since she specializes in romantic suspense!
Thank you to the author, Rebecca Zanetti, and Kensington Books for an ARC of One Cursed Rose.
First of all, I want to thank Rebecca Zanetti, Kensinton Books and NetGalley for the eARC, and this is my honest opinion.
Sorry, it will be in Italian for my fellow Italian readers that want to know more about this book.
One Cursed Rose è il primo volume di una serie, Grimm Bargains, in cui è facile immaginare che il filo conduttore sia il retelling di celebri fiabe, e come non cominciare da La Bella e la Bestia?
Ecco il primo punto che non mi ha convinto molto, ossia il mescolare un’ambientazione ai nostri giorni con elementi magici/paranormali. Per quanto mi riguarda, o l’una o gli altri, benché abitualmente sia una amante dei dark academia, dov’è questa commistione è piuttosto comune. In questo caso, però, non mi ha convinto.
Siamo nei territori tipici del dark romance, e in particolare dei mafia dark romance, dato che il protagonista maschile ne rispecchia in pieno gli stilemi. Anche dal punto di vista dello spicy, abbiamo quello che ci si aspetta tipicamente da questo tipo di libro. Probabilmente questo è un altro aspetto che ha influito sul mio giudizio complessivo: non c’è stato nulla di più di quanto mi aspettassi, mentre speravo di avere qualcosa di un po’ più memorabile…
One Cursed Rose is a spicy dark paranormal romance by Rebecca Zanetti. This is different from what her readers are use to, its still has her great suspenseful writing but the added bonus of some kinky rough steam. Which personally I had no problem with but I can see long time readers of her work to be shocked by it. With a hero who dominates his heroine, likable characters, and engaging writing, this will be a great reading choice for dark romance readers.
Great book! Not as dark as some dark romance I read, but definitely enough to keep me entertained.
I loved the paranormal aspect of the story, especially the crystal magic! The banter between Alana and Thorn was great, plus there are spankings! Yay!!
I'm going to admit that I didn't realize this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I saw it in another review. Oops!
One Cursed Rose is now my favorite interpretation of the beauty and the beast story. Rebecca Zanetti gets all my praise, returning this childhood classic into a dark and steamy romance.
Alana Beaumont is the soul air to the Aquarius Social. Due to recent tragedy, she has lost both her mother and her brother. Putting her in a position she didn’t expect to be in. In a world where magic and tech fall hand-in-hand and families are gauging for power Ana’s father feels the best solution is to put her in a marriage with one of the competing families to try to keep their empire from falling apart
Thorn Beathach oh malice media and as one of Alana family's direct competitors. Thorn is dark and mysterious, never being seen in public. Thorn is like that mafia boss that his name commands respect and delivers fear. He's elusive and dangerous. When he uncovers a plot against Alana‘s life, he puts his own plan in place to make this beauty his own.
One Cursed Rose is phenomenal. I’m not 100% sure what I was expecting when I went into this read but what I got was a thrilling story that kept me turning the pages. Alana is a beauty but yet strong and independent. Thorn is one of those guys that you hate to love and love to hate. Beneath his dominating layers is someone that is programmed to protect and has a ton of compassion. Rebecca Zanetti’s take on Beauty and the Beast is brilliant. I love this magical aspect of the gemstones. I love the dynamic between Thorn and Alana. They fit their rules perfectly. I don’t think the Crim brothers really thought about happily ever after when crafting our stories, but Mrs. Zanetti gave us a fantastic dark romance.
3.25/5 stars! This is the first book in the Grimm Bargain's series by author Rebecca Zanetti. This is a PNR and didn't quite live up to my expectations by this author. Rebecca writes amazing crime thrillers, but I didn't feel the same energy in this story. There were too many plot points and things didn't line up concisely. I think I will stick to her crime books.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.
4.25 star rating. I'm usually not the biggest urban fantasy lover but I adored One Cursed Rose!
This book is very heavy on the spice.
Would I recommend? Yes.
Would I re-read? Possibly.
Would I purchase a copy on my own? Yes and I have. I had actually preordered this book before being sent the ARC because I adored the rose stenciled sprayed edges.
This was a very unique Beauty and The Beast retelling. It was unlike any retelling I have previously read and I had a lot of fun with it.
Thorne is hot, hot, and hot! If you like overly obsessed, who-did-this-to-you, and possessive men, then boy is Thorne an MMC for you.
I loved how sassy and witty Alana was and how she would try with all of her might to stand her ground with Thorne, only to be shot down seconds later.
The twist at the end? Truthfully did not see it coming and it had me continually turning the page.
I cannot wait for the second book in the series. Bring on Rosalie!
I am so excited about this new series from Rebecca Zanetti! This is the first book in the series and it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling.
Thorn and Alana are rivals in the social media world and Thorn is obsessed with Alana. This story was just so good and I couldn’t get enough. I loved the chemistry the two had and how they built their feelings slowly.
There was also a mystery aspect to the novel that I loved as well. There were several twists and turns along the way and they really added to the story.
I certainly look forward to the next book in the series and I can’t wish to see what’s in store!
Alana Beaumont is the sole heir to Aquarius Social, which is the family social media business. In order to create an alliance with a competing family, Alana's father offers her hand in marriage to Cal Sokolov. After being saved from an assassination attempt, Alana finds herself in the presence of Thorn Beathach, the Beast whose social media empire is driving Aquarius Social under. Will she run to Cal to seal the deal or will she find herself shackled to the Beast?
This modern-day dark romance is a Beauty and the Beast retelling that involves gangs, magic, and is packed full of suspense. I enjoyed it so much! It had a good amount of mystery/suspense, while also giving the readers that bit of spice we craved. This is perfect for readers who enjoyed the original Beauty and the Beast story, but are looking for a little bit more sex and violence in their story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion. I have also purchased a physical copy of this book and the audiobook to enhance my reading experience.