The Curse of the Wretched

An ancient witch with a vendetta against his kingdomAn earnest prince charged with breaking her curseFive hundred years ago, the Legendary Balfour vanquished the evil witch Ophesia, saving Genad Kingdom from her heinous curse. So when that same witch crashes the coronation and revives the evil magic, Prince Thom is charged with finishing what Balfour started. Thom is more diplomat than warrior, and if a throne room of soldiers can't kill the shadow-wielding menace, he has little hope of success. Armed with Balfour's ancient journals, Thom hopes to convince Ophesia to free his people with charm instead of steel. But his plan goes sideways when the beautiful and mysterious woman imprisons him, vowing he'll never leave her magical castle hidden in the mountains.His new captor is reclusive, but not unkind, and eventually concedes to dine with Thom every evening. Through stilted conversations about art, books, and poetry, Thom learns more about Ophesia's heart, and through it, unravels more of the mystery of what really happened on this mountain with his legendary ancestor. And saving his kingdom might just mean mending her broken heart first. The Curse of the Wretched is the first book in the Wretched Curse series, a spicy, gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling with forced proximity, hidden identities, shadow magic, and slow-burn yearning. Perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent's Daughter of No Worlds, Alix E. Harrow's The Everlasting, and Rebecca Ross's A River Enchanted.