Cursebreakers Books in Order

The Cursebreakers books begin as a Beauty and the Beast retelling, but they do not stay in that lane for long. A Curse So Dark and Lonely throws Harper Lacy out of modern Washington, DC, and into Emberfall, where Prince Rhen has been cursed to relive the autumn of his eighteenth year. If no one can love him and break the spell, he becomes a beast and tears through everything around him. Grey, his closest guard and companion, is the person holding the whole grim routine together.

Harper changes the rhythm of that world. She is not impressed by titles, she notices what other people ignore, and she pushes back when Rhen and Grey try to make choices for her. That grounded, stubborn energy is a big part of the series' appeal. Even with enchanted lands and old magic in the background, the characters feel like people arguing, improvising, and trying not to break under pressure.

Then the map gets larger.

In A Heart So Fierce and Broken and A Vow So Bold and Deadly, the books widen from one cursed castle into a full regional conflict. Grey's hidden claim to the throne becomes impossible to ignore. Lia Mara of Syhl Shallow emerges as one of the series' most interesting figures, a ruler who wants peace in a world that keeps rewarding violence. Magic returns. Old enemies stir. Every bond, romantic or political, gets tested.

That is why the series feels a little different from many retellings. Yes, there is romance. Yes, there is a curse, a prince, and a dangerous kingdom. But the later books lean hard into succession fights, diplomacy, rebellion, and the messy question of what makes someone fit to rule. Kemmerer also likes shifting perspective, so readers get a fuller sense of how fear and loyalty look from different sides of the conflict.

The heart of the story is not just breaking a curse, it is deciding what kind of future comes after.

Expect a blend of court fantasy, slow-burn emotional tension, and a cast that keeps surprising you. These books reward being read straight through, from A Curse So Dark and Lonely to A Vow So Bold and Deadly, because each installment builds directly on the last and changes how you see the people at the center of the war.