One Curse Rose by Rebecca Zanetti

When your kidnapper might just be the hero you needed…

I ended up reading the sequel to One Cursed Rose before diving into this first book in the Grimm Bargains series—and honestly, that shaped my experience quite a bit. One Cursed Rose leans heavily into its Beauty and the Beast retelling roots, and it’s clear from the start that this story embraces the classic fairytale with a darker, spicier twist.

The heroine, Alana Beaumont, finds herself kidnapped by Thorn Beathach and taken to his castle—a fortress surrounded by armed guards and even a moat filled with piranhas. While that sounds ominous, Thorn’s actions aren’t as villainous as they seem at first glance. He’s actually rescuing her from a seriously creepy fiancé fixated on her virginity, which adds an interesting layer to their dynamic.

In my opinion, this book delivered the kind of story ACOTAR wished it had—dark, seductive, and firmly rooted in the original tale. However, after reading the sequel first, One Cursed Rose felt like a step down in both story and quality, which is why I gave it a slightly lower rating. If this had been my introduction to the series, I would have rated it much higher.

Despite that, it’s definitely worth reading, especially for fans of fairytale retellings, mafia romance, and stories with a good balance of spice and suspense. It sets up the world and characters in a way that makes the sequel even more rewarding.

RATING: 3.5/5

SPICE: 3.5/5