There is nothing like an MMC who is so down for the FMC that they talk their struggles through a mindlink. I feel like I can’t say much because you have to read the books to get the full experience. But this was the perfect background prequel we needed.

This book hooked me with its dark, atmospheric world and slow-burn, emotionally charged relationship. The tension, magic, and high stakes kept me turning the pages, even through a few slower moments. Twists landed well, and the characters felt layered and real. A solid 4 stars immersive, romantic, and addictive.

Memnon and Roxilana are one of my top Romantasy couples. I absolutely loved getting the prequel to their story! Memnon is pure protective, possessive MMC perfection. Roxilana is her usual feisty, confident self. The love these two have for each other is just unmatched! I cannot wait for the next book of their story! Thank you Bloom for the early copy to read and review!

Can we just say all the yesses?
I'm a long term Laura fan, and once again I am not let down!!
I loved getting this back story and learning more about these characters.

Laura has such a beautiful way of building her fantasy world and this was no exception! I loved the romance and characters throughout this one. I am so excited to read more from her.

loved this one! such an epic tale of fated mates. gripping, emotional, incredible world building and romance. the ending twist left me gasping!

Thank you to Bloom Books for the eARC and physical ARC.

I got a little bit of Roxi and Memnon’s story in Bewitched and Bespelled, but getting the full story explains so much.

The story is a little slow at the beginning, before Roxi and Memnon meet in person. These two soulmates are psychically linked since childhood, but it’s not until Roxi is 18 that Memnon comes for her (his queen😍). But once they are together, their relationship continues to grow and I’m not gonna lie, the spice is spicing.

We already know what’s gonna happen (from the flashbacks in Bespelled!) so it feels a bit like I’m uncomfortably on the edge of a cliff, waiting for bad things to happen. Despite the range of emotions I felt (yeah, I cried), it just made me more and more excited for the next in the series.

I read this third, and I would recommend reading it either 2nd or 3rd in the series, rather than 1st - even though it is a prequel. Knowing the information in The Curse That Binds would have blown some of the mystery and reveals in Bewitched.

Given we’ve spent 2 books with Selene & Memnon, and gotten some pieces of their past already, I was both curious about Roxilana’s story and wondering how much I actually cared to know. While parts of this did feel a little long, overall I really appreciated the extra context of both Roxilana and Memnon. Taken altogether with the previous books, theirs is one of my favorite, best written relationships of the year.

This is essentially Roxilana’s story - from childhood to death - and fills out the mentions throughout the past few books in vivid detail. From the murder of her family as a child, growing into a teenager in Rome, and how she first connected with Memnon - mind to mind. How she starts as resilient but (very) naive, and grows into a battle weary queen.

It also gives some very necessary context on where Memnon is morally when we meet him. I love that he’s always adoring of Roxilana, even when that adoration gets twisted or misguided. At his best he is the perfect man. Unlike many “morally gray” MMCs though, he really feels like he might go off the deep end in the next book.

It was so satisfying to finally see how Roxilana and Memnon first met and fell in love. After hearing so much about their legendary bond in the main series, getting to witness it unfold from the beginning added so much emotional weight. The way their relationship builds, from mystery to obsession to something deeply intimate.... was everything I hoped for.
Roxilana and Memnon’s chemistry is seriously off the chart!!
I'm a huge fan of Laura Thalassa’s books, and she continues to deliver.

This book was everything I could have hoped for from a prequel. You get the most important backstory and even though you know what's coming the story makes it so much more painful and worth the read! Everyone needs to read this ❤️

This book would be perfect as a standalone since it is the prequel to the series! I really enjoyed learning about Roxilana and Memnon’s history. I actually really liked this one more than I liked the other books in the series, oddly enough.

The set up was amazing, the plot was amazing, not a lot about this book WASN’T absolutely amazing.

This series has convinced me to read literally every single book Laura puts out because I am simply obsessed. Her writing style and just the way she tells the story is incredible.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

Absolutely loved this! I did find the beginning slower to start but I really enjoyed learning about the backstory, particularly learning about Memnon prior to his humanity slowly being drained from him. I found at times I wanted more from the story arc, just because I don't feel like anything was groundbreaking in terms of discovering anything new. Overall really enjoyed however! An easy, sexy, and fun romantasy.

An incredible prequel to satisfy our need for more Memnon, and a better understanding of the enigmatic MMC and his past.

I didn’t actually realise this was a prequel when I picked it up, and I haven’t read the main series yet but It totally worked. I’m sure there will be a few references I missed, but I never felt lost or confused
Will definitely pick the rest of the series up

Laura, my poor heart!!!! Okay so I knew this book was going to destroy me emotionally- Laura is an expert at that- but she left NO CRUMBS. I am so in love with these characters that I was a distressed, crying mess by the end of this book. IYKYK. My heart physically hurt but it also swooned, did happy dances and everything in between. I'm so thankful she wrote this prequel, I know it will make the next one so much more potent. Okay, bye--- need to go reread the 1st two again!

"The Curse That Binds" is a dark, emotional, and utterly addictive installment that delivers all the angsty tension and slow-burn intensity fans expect from Laura Thalassa. Her signature blend of gritty fantasy, romance, and morally gray characters shines through once again. While some pacing lulls and familiar tropes crop up, the emotional payoff and world-building make it a satisfying and immersive read. A solid addition for fans of tortured love stories and high-stakes magic.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. As someone who has loved the first 2 books in this series, I was so excited to read the prequel when it was announced she was writing a Novella for it. Fast forward to now, and that Novella ended up a full-length novel, and while it did have its good parts I just feel like it fell slightly shy of being great. Roxi and Memnon's origin story was so intriguing in Bewitched and Bespelled however, I think it would have still done better as a novella since as a full length novel it felt like it dragged on a lot and so much of it could have been cut out or shortened in the extended descriptions and scenes that did not add anything to the story and felt like they were just there to make the story longer.

This is a breathtaking prequel to the Bewitched series that completely drew me in. Roxilana and Memnon’s story is a timeless, soul-deep romance filled with magic, destiny, and heartbreak. Watching Roxi grow from a naive girl to a powerful queen was inspiring, and Memnon’s transformation from gentle to ruthless felt both tragic and inevitable. Even knowing how it would end, I was captivated by the emotional journey and rich world-building. Some parts dragged slightly, but the payoff was worth it. This book gave me a deeper appreciation for the main series, adding so much meaning to Selene’s story. Whether you're new to the series or a longtime fan, this is a must-read.

I absolutely loved this. I was so happy that Laura wrote a prequel for this series and that we got a little glimpse into Roxi and Memnon's past. These are some of my favourite characters and I have yet to be disappointed by this story.

The historical elements of this were really interesting. It was really cool to see an author draw inspiration from an ancient civilization we don't hear much about in general let alone in a novel. It gave the story so many different avenues for entertaining plot points and Laura definitely delivered on using them. This was easily one of my favourite settings/inspirations I've ever read.

I've loved the romance plot line of this series from the first book, so it's no surprise that I loved seeing the true beginning of it. Memnon is the kind of obsessed and devoted male lead I read romance for. Everything he does is for her, and while sometimes it might be a little extreme and very violent, his insane methods of protecting her are a big part of why I liked him so much. Roxi really needed someone to have her back and give her some confidence, and he was just perfect for that.

Overall, this book was exciting, entertaining and the right amount of spicy. I'm devastated that we're nearing the end of this series but I'm already counting down the days until the next release. Thank you for the opportunity to read this one!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books for this Copy!

When I requested this book, I didn't realize that it was a prequel to a series that I have not read yet, but since it is a prequel I went ahead and gave it a shot as the first book in the series. Honestly, I think that was totally fine, I am sure there are easter eggs and little things that I missed, but I still feel like it is completely okay to read this book first if you haven't completed the other two books in the series. I will definitely be jumping straight into Bewitched soon, already have it loaded on my kindle because this was such a fun story.
I am definitely interested to see where the series goes, and I absolutely love Memnon and Roxilana as a couple.