I love Laura Thalassa and her writing so much, it is an absolute honour to have access to this book early. Just like the rest of her books, this did not disappoint.


The romance was beautiful, the characters were so well rounded and I just cannot fault this at all.

My only problem, and it’s not even a real problem, is that I constantly read Memnon as Manon (from ToG)😂

After reading the first two books, I desperately wanted to know more about Memnon and Roxilana’s life before the curse. This book gave so much foundation to these two and I enjoy that we will able to move forward to the third book with a deeper understanding of their characters.

Memnon’s authenticity is as heartwarming as it is tragic and he’s just so sincere in EVERYTHING he does. (Take that as you will)
Roxi seems to be dealt crappy hand after crappy hand and after reading this book, I am personally invested in watching her burn down the whole world.

My true enjoyment while reading this book came from how well the atmosphere was delivered. You can tell so much care went into the building of this ancient world.
The only complaint I have is that I wanted more details from the battle scenes. Personally, they ended too fast for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Simply put, this book was incredible.
From chapter one it is very intriguing, and from chapter two I was totally hooked. The pacing is perfect, and the relationships don't feel forced in the slightest. The magic, although a mystery for much of the book- isn't confusing to understand and I don't feel it is overused.
The Universe this story takes place in, and the timeline itself, had me in chokehold. I stayed up reading until 2am with my heart racing thinking about what would come next. I also loved the history the author tied into the story and appreciate the amount of research she did for the book.

Roxilana's childhood was pretty sad, and through her mental bond to Memnon we get to see her blossom into a woman who overcomes the past, trusts herself and owns her power.
Memnon is the epitome of both: "if he wanted to, he would" and "burn the world for her." His love, devotion, and adoration leave zero room for misunderstanding.
Their love was both sweet, and wild. He would do or give anything for her, and she would follow him anywhere. This prequel was the perfect way to get to know who they were, and how they ended up where they are.

I really enjoyed the story, i like the setting, how Roxi lived in Rome,and the ancient history.i also loved her panther Ferox and how there bond was. plenty of spice in the story.

I have to say I was ecstatic when I got the approval for this! I adore Laura Thalassa and it was her books that really brought me back into reading as an adult!

I really enjoyed reading and getting context for Roxilana and Memnon’s relationship. It was very interesting. Loved the ancient history involved.

This enlightened me to many things but also brought a couple of questions up that I’m confident will be addressed in the last book for this series. I really want to know what happened to Roxilana’s sister and what exactly Eislyn’s whole deal is.

There wasn’t much conflict in this book and plenty of spice throughout but it made sense. They’d known each other for a while before meeting and didn’t need the time for an emotional connection. That already existed.

I am so ready for the last book but also sad that it’s ending. I can’t wait to see what Laura cooks up next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom for the gifted arc!! I actually liked this so much more than the main series—I could’ve read an entire series set in this time period. I’ve always been so fascinated by the Roman Empire, so this book was an absolute DREAM!!! You can tell the author did a ton of research in order to write this book
Having read the first two books in the series, I already knew how this would end, but I was still SO invested. I absolutely loved getting Memnon’s and Roxilana’s full history, and WOW did it make this series so much more heartbreaking.
So many of the problems in this book can simply be boiled down to the greed of men. Memnon and Roxilana really could’ve had it all, but Memnon got greedy for power under Eislyn’s manipulation. Another moral of the story: listen to your damn wife!! Roxi’s intuition told her that Eislyn and Zosines were bad, but Memnon trusted them both for some reason, and everyone paid the price. Despite reading the ending of this in bespelled, my heart was hurting so much for the way everything went down and had me wishing for an alternate ending. It was so much harder to read having actually gotten to know the characters in this book.
This has made me so much more excited for the third book, and I’m DEVASTATED that I’ll have to wait until 2026 to read it.

I previously read Bewitched and Bespelled, so you know I had to jump on this prequel. I would definitely recommend reading both of those first so that this has the most impact. It was really interesting to see how young they met and get to see their progression over the years, and to see how their "separation" unfolded in more detail. I know he can be a total a$$ but I have always loved me some Memnon, and his devotion to Roxilana/Selene. He is the true definition of "burn the world for her". I am so anxious but excited to see how this series wraps up in book 3.

Laura Thalassa you did not come to play. I was hooked from the first chapter. It’s so dark and swoony, I loved the tension, and the magic system was perfection. Worth every second.

If you like morally gray love interests, high stakes, and romance that hurts so good, this one’s for you. Already counting down to the next book.

3.5/5

The Curse that Binds by Laura Thalassa is a prequel to Laura Thalassa's Bewitched series but it can be read as a standalone novel.

Although I have read books by this author before, I haven't read her Bewitched series to which this book is a prequel to. It did make me very curious about the main series since I don't know anything about it so I might have to pick those books up soon. There were things that I enjoyed about this story but there were also things that didn't work for me as much, which I will talk about below.

First up is what I enjoyed about the book. It's setting was my favorite. I really liked that the story was set in ancient times and that Roxi lived in the city of Rome during emperor Nero's reign for a while. Roxi and Memnon even meet Nero! If you know me you know that I'm a ancient history girl and so I can't help but loving that aspect. I also liked reading about the characters of Roxi and Memnon. I did enjoy their love story and how for years before they even met they heard each other's voices inside their minds. They fell for each other even before meeting. I thought that was a really lovely aspect of their relationship. And I've absolutely got to shout out Roxi's black panther 'Ferox' that she shares a bond with and rescued from gladiatorial games. I loved him so much!

Now what didn't work for me... I felt like after the first half of the book the story became a little bit too repetitive. It became a lot of battles and Roxi saving the day with her magic. And I remember this being an issue also with some of this author's previous books I've read since they were also quite repetitive with the story. I also thoguht that Roxi's magic was sometimes a little too easy and convenient. For example, she could just say "die" to her enemies and they would just kind of die. This is a over simplified example but that's basically how it went. I would've loved more explanation about her magic but I also keep in mind that I haven't read the main series so maybe there is more about it in there?

Overall, I think that people will enjoy The Curse That Binds by Laura Thalassa more if they have read the Bewitched series since I was a little lost on some aspects of it. But I also think it's a fine story that works as a standalone novel as well. It will depend from reader to reader. It had both its positives and negatives for me but with the positive being more overarching for me.

Absolutely fantastic, I was completely captivated right from the very start and didn't want it to finish. Perfectly written, perfectly paced and fantastic characters. I loved it.

Forewarning: this is a prequel for Bewitched and Bespelled! Technically you can read it before the others, but I highly recommend reading both of them before reading this one (or at least Bewitched) for the highest emotional impact.

This was the PERFECT backstory, like absolutely mindblowingly perfect. I love love LOVE the true details that went into the Roman and Sarmatian culture (amongst other ancient cultures). The plot pulled me in almost immediately, and I was gripping my kindle with an unnecessary force at the end (even though I very much knew how it was gonna end).

I loved seeing the growth and development of the characters over the course of the years, I think Roxilana is one of my favorite FMCs to date (as is Selene Bowers). She grew into her power and confidence so beautifully, in such a believable way. It didn’t feel rushed or forced, it felt very natural and realistic. Memnon’s character development was so important to see, since when we meet him in the other books he’s so seemingly cruel and mean. I think this book did him SO MUCH justice in how he became who he is and why he did.

I was afraid I wouldn’t be as drawn to their back story as I am to their story in Bewitched and Bespelled, but I think it just made me appreciate their story even more. It helped me understand them in a more up close and personal kind of way.

I highly recommend the entire series, but I do recommend reading the other two first! There’s so much more to appreciate that way, and so much more interest and intrigue. I think had I read this one first, I’d be a little bit less emotionally attached to the characters overall. Their story wouldn’t grasp me in the way that it did knowing what was at stake.

I love the story in the fisrt two books and I'm really looking forword to the story unfolding in the future. However, this one draged a little. I still liked the story and the look into Roxi's and Memnons past, but I can't wait to continue with Selene and her morally gray soulmate.

This was sooooooo good. There is nothing I don’t love that Laura Thalassa puts out. This was definitely a dark and unhinged love story but also so beautiful because of it. You learn about Menmon and Roxilana and how true their mate bond is. The emotional damage of this with the betrayal and loss is on a whole other level. The ending was amazing!!! Can’t wait to see how this series ends all together. Soooooo freaking good.

Good Gods! The Curse That Binds is probably THE best prequel I have read to date. This was everything I had hoped it would be. Seeing how Memnon and Roxilana came to fruition is so incredible. The devotion this man has for her is earth shattering. This, THIS, is what it means to burn the world for you! I was mesmerized by their connection; and the fact that it spanned their entire life is just mind blowing to see. Watching their relationship build and grow through their lives was remarkable. I also loved seeing the events unfold that led to his “sleep” and that, in the end, Roxi did everything she could to protect him despite what it cost her. It was heartbreaking and tragic, to say the least, yet so exquisite.

This book provides so much depth to the Bewitched and Bespelled world that Thalassa is magnificently crafted. The lore throughout this book just made it that much sweeter and is absolute perfection! I thoroughly fell hard into this book and devoured it in no time because I was so obsessed with their enchanting story. The relentless battle and action will leave you breathless trying to keep up. This story viscerally moved me in all the best ways getting to see the sweet, tender, and banter filled moments, as well as, battle hardened and painful moments. And I fully enjoyed the banter these two shared. Let’s not forget about all the toe curling steamy moments these two shared.

The Bewitched series is probably my most favorite series by Thalassa thus far. I cannot wait to come full circle back into Memnon and Selene’s world to see how this magnificent story wraps up.

Thank you, so very much, to Sourcebooks | Bloom Books, NetGalley and Laura Thalassa for another opportunity to read an advance digital copy in this series!

Genre & Tropes : Romantasy x Roman Empire x Ancient History x Witch x Barbarian vibes x Conquest plot x Childhood friends to lovers x Both Virgins x Spicy

Warning : This is a prequel that requires reading the other books ! In theory, you can read it without having read the other books, but in reality, it's a thousand times more interesting if you've already read the first two books !

A prequel that I was SO eagerly awaiting and that I devoured

When I found out I was going to get this book early, I was SO EXCITED !! The Bewitched series is one of my favorites, and I couldn't wait to find out how the characters met nearly 2,000 years ago ...

The whole world around the Romans and the Sarmatians was absolutely fascinating (and as a history teacher who loves Antiquity, I was thrilled reading the descriptions of the customs of the Romans, the Sarmatians, AND the mention of the Moche civilization !!).

The plot was SO gripping ! Surrounding the rise of the Sarmatians, Memnon's ambitions against the Romans, and of course all the scheming and betrayal (I SO wanted to kill a certain character !!!) Even though we already know how it ends, it makes things even more tense !

The characters !! I particularly loved Roxilana and seeing her grow and gain confidence, going from the fearful and submissive little Roman girl to a strong and self-assured queen ! And it was fascinating to see how Memnon became the cruel and manipulative sorcerer we know (special mention for the fact that BOTH characters are virgins and they have their first time together, which I found super romantic and cute !)

OK, I know this book is over 500 pages long, BUT honestly, I would have liked something longer >< I wanted more details on EVERYTHING ! About Memnon's father, about the daily life of the Sarmatians, about Nero ...
And I must admit that even though I really liked Roxi and Memnon together, I think I prefer the romance between Memnon and Selene, which I found more balanced !

In short, a prequel to a romance series that I loved and devoured !
I definitely recommend this book to fans of the series, but if you haven't read it, I highly recommend the entire series, which is absolutely addictive !!

Well, I can see why this book that was meant to be a novella turned into a huge book. This story needed to be told! The history of Memnon and Selene that we've been given nibbles of so far in the series in no way could compare to the reality of their loved experience. I love that we got to see them right from the beginning. The unique way that they met, the doubt, their forlorn existences...so many things about them that endeared them to me so much.

Selene is a girl living in a small village with her family when tragedy hits. Overnight her life is turned upside down and for years she exists as a shell of her old self. When she starts to hear a voice in her head, she doesn't believe it's real. Over time however, she befriends the voice of the boy that talks to her. Slowly, they form a bond, and a smidgen of her faith returns that maybe there's hope for a better life after all.

When Memnon and Selene finally meet, the true meaning of soulmates must come into existence. This book made me feel that no true love could exist before they found one another. Their love truly transcends time and space and had me aching such a tender ache. They embody what it is to sacrifice oneself for those you love.

Through their journey as friends, allies, lovers, and soulmates, Memnon and Selene find courage in one another. They build each other up, strengthen each others mystical powers (he's a sorcerer, she's a witch), and build a life meant to be as strong and unfailing as their love.

Tragedies strike them throughout this book, and the way they handle themselves really leads the story. Memnon's eagerness to seek revenge, greater riches, and more, more, more for the love of his life starts to cloud his judgement and decision making skills. The once keen ruler starts to lose sight of the bit picture, and the story becomes one big battle scene after the other.

I really love how action packed this book was. The world building was immaculate and the sweet, agonizing, tension-filled love that blossoms between Memnon and Selene just embedded itself into my heart even more. I can't wait for the trilogy to come to an end, only because I am desperate to read how their pasts and futures coalesce. I need them to find happiness, security, and a place to belong, and I fear that the time between this book and the next will be agony.

The Curse That Binds is everything I hoped for and more. As a prequel to Bewitched, this book beautifully fills in the missing history behind Selene’s world—especially the origins of magic, the bloodlines, and the deep-rooted curses that shape everything in Book 1. Roxilana’s journey is intense, emotional, and tragic in the best way, and her bond with Memnon adds rich layers to the lore. Knowing what’s to come made this story all the more heartbreaking and powerful. Laura Thalassa proves again why she’s the queen of dark romantasy.

I love how this adds depth to Bewitched and Bespelled. It was unique in the idea to have Roxi and Memnon's beginning, and I also liked the way it was set up.

For dying to know what happens AFTER Bespelled this was also a very interesting book to get to know Memnon more and also Roxi. The chemistry was fire.

Spicy.

And we have a fuller picture.

Can't wait to read book 3!

Alright, sooo I went into this without any background context because I haven't read the other parts of the series but I've heard such splendid things. Well, shame on me because AHHHH. This created an insane want, no a need, to read the rest of the books.

I was captivated immediately. The devotion and love between Roxi and Memnon is just... Utterly breathtaking. There were definitely some pieces I probably missed not reading the rest of the series first, but I guess that just leaves more intrigue and necessity to read it!

Devoted to the series already, or a newbie? Doesn't matter because I guarantee you'll be enthralled like I was.

A lush, intense prequel that beautifully enriches the Bewitched world while standing strong as its own story. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy brooding heroes, fierce heroines, and a touch of ancient magic.