About the Book:
Title: Once Upon a Forbidden Desire: Fairy Tales and Other Stories
Publication Date: Sept. 13, 2022
Publisher: Harriet Moore
Synopsis: When it comes to true love, rules are meant to be broken …
Dark forests and locked doors, poisoned apples and forbidden lovers … Bold heroines and swoon-worthy heroes break all the rules in this enchanting anthology of the fairy tales you thought you knew.
Once Upon A Forbidden Desire features 20 enticing fairy tale retellings by a diverse selection of fantasy romance authors. From sweet true love’s kisses to sizzling passion, from the streets of Seattle to enchanted forests, and from poor scullery maids to a winged Prince Charming …
If you enjoy spellbinding romance, enthralling new worlds, and stories with a taste of the forbidden, these happily ever afters will leave you spellbound. Give in to the temptation and grab your copy of Once Upon A Forbidden Desire now.
With a foreword by Grace Draven and Jeffe Kennedy, this limited edition anthology celebrates the variety of the fantasy romance genre. It contains stories ranging from sweet to steamy and is recommended for an adult audience.
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My Review:
Once Upon a Forbidden desire is a great collection of fairy tale retellings. From Cinderella to Rapunzel to Beauty and the Beast, the collection includes 20 stories from 20 different authors, and the romances are of varying heat levels from sweet to steamy. There are so many great stories, and I loved reading pieces not only from some of my favorites but also by some new-to-me authors. My favorites in the collection are Blood Dance, Heartfall, and Into the Bargain
Blood Dance by Vela Roth is Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling set in the Hesperine world. The story follows a widowed woman in her 30’s who has tried for years to protect and care for her sisters. All the time, she’s been in love with a Hesperine who feels the same way. This is a swoon-worthy read as the pair finally admits and gives into their long-held feelings for each other. Heartfall by Lisette Marshall is a unique take on the Rapunzel story, and it’s pretty steamy! Into the Bargain by Colleen Cowley is set in the Clandestine Magic world, and it’s a wonderful Rumpelstiltskin retelling. If you like the grumpy-sunshine trope, you’ll love this story.
All of the retellings are immersive, quick reads, and the romances are wonderful. I would definitely recommend the book if you like fairy tale retellings, romantasy, or shorter stories with a variety of spice levels. I received an advanced copy, and all thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romances!!!
- The variety..
I have this on pre-order. I’m so excited about it now I’ve read your review!
Nice! It’s definitely a good mix. I hope you enjoy it, Louise!