What happens when you've been cursed to live as an 80-year-old and all your family animals with the witch who cursed you now living your life.

Can the young hiker who fell and is being nursed back to heath by Nona help esp. when it seems only true love can break the curse.

This was giving Beauty & The Beast except Nona isn't evil, the witch who cursed her is. With family secrets, magic and the snowy mountain setting this is a great winter read.

Thank you NetGalley & Pinkity Publishing for the ARC.

**Updated**

When a jealous witch steals not only her youth but her whole life, Nona May Taylor is left to flee to a secluded cabin in the mountains. The witch also curses her family members by turning them into animals. The only thing that can break the witch’s spell is true love.

The Curse of Nona May Taylor is loosely based on Beauty and the Beast but it is very much its own story. This paranormal romance is so different from any of the author’s other work that I wasn’t sure what to expect but it’s wildly compelling and unique. This book was bananas, in the best possible way, from start to finish.

I’ve read most, if not all, of Jess K. Hardy’s contemporary and sci-fi romance books. I would love to see her write more fantasy in the future whether they are fairytale retellings or not.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

without trying to give the story away, this book just had everything. So heart-warmingly fantastic. I just adored it.

This one was a bit disappointing as I'd thought that it'll be something similar to Howl's Moving Castle or a reverse Beauty and the Beast. And while it did have some of those elements it also had some unnecessary drama and the threesome part.

I love humor and romance genres on their own, but when you combine them into one book????

I’ll definitely be reading the book.

That’s exactly what I did with this book. When I read the blurb I knew I had to request an eARC because it sounded like the kind of book I would enjoy.

And enjoy is what I definitely did! You should give this book a chance as well, I recommend it.

Love, magic, witches and family what more could you ask for in a book? I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end!

3.75

I'm not sure what I expected going into this, but I was NOT expecting such beautiful world building. This was cute, steamy and downright quirky. I could not love our main character more. It was such a refreshing retelling that was a perfect by-the-fire type of read.

Set as a Beauty and the Beast re-telling (though I did think it more Beauty and the Beast-adjacent), it is whimsical, romantic and a lovely read. It had me giggling as well as swooning. This is the perfect cosy and modern fantasy to cosy up with while the weather is still cold and blustery.

3.5 ⭐️

This fairytale retelling was completely unexpected for me. I am so grateful I was give the opportunity to read it.

The story was both engaging & well paced from the very beginning for me. The author paints a very pretty picture of Nona in the woods with her loved ones. And I can’t believe I am going to say this because usually I am all about spice in a book but this book didn’t need it. In fact at times it felt a little forced for me and made me take my rating down.

I was given an ARC copy and my opinions are my own.

looking for a fun book with a touch of magic this is for you! it’s a slightly bonkers concept (think along lines of beauty and the beast) but really enjoyable

Nona May Taylor, a 23 year old folk singer with her whole life ahead of her. Until a jealous witch cursed her into old age and her family along with her so she could steal her life and her career. Only true love could break the curse and give Nona and her family their lives back.

This is a very interesting twist on Beauty and the Beast. I had a great time reading this. I was completely invested in the story. This book had me laughing out loud and almost crying in parts. I have never felt so much love for a ferret before. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing, and Jess K Harding for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WHAT AN ADORABLE STORY! I have read a few books by this author, and I've loved every single one - this was no exception. Nona is cursed. Like literally. In another life, Nona May Taylor was a folk singer who kissed the wrong boy. But someone else wanted that boy - a witch who cursed Nona and her family. Nona is old, like really really old, and her family is, well, you'll just have to read to see what happens with her family. After a few years of living out in the middle of nowhere, Nona and are family are resigned to their fate. A fate the witch claims can be changed if Nona finds true love.

After finding an adorable hiker injured on a trail, Nona and her family nurses him back to health. Nona thought the true love caveat was a joke, but with Charlie at the cabin now, things are changing. And Charlie seems to see the real Nona, not just the old lady who presents as Nona.

This is a sweet, steamy retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and I couldn't love it more. Well, there was one part I kinda thought was weird, but haha I can't say I'm surprised it happened. Charlie is an absolute doll, and his love for Nona was so sweet. This story was full of secrets and twists, and laugh outloud moments. I'm a huge fan of banter, and this on is chock full of it!

This was a cute, quirky read! A super fun premise, a reverse Beauty and the Beast with a twist. The plot had lots of depth and all sorts of twists and turns throughout. The menagerie of animals, the unexpected spice, and the idea that love really does conquer all really brought the book together.

"The Curse of Nona May Taylor" was a very interesting and creative story - I can't say I've read anything quite like it before! Think kind of "Benjamin Button"-ish crossed with "50 First Dates" with a little "Animal Farm" and "His Dark Materials" dusted on top. The story was clever and interesting and I didn't want to put the book down - I devoured it in about two days, is all!

In addition to the world building, which was stellar and arguably the best part about the book, I was particularly impressed with the dialogue. It was natural and and appropriate to the ages and types of characters involved. I liked protagonist/heroine (h) of the story very much, as well as her mother and the other members of her family. I was less impressed with the character of the manager and with the hero (H) but they were a good fit for the story.

That being said, I struggled with the bedroom scene and with the h's feelings for her manager. I try to be open-minded, but [SPOILER ALERT AHEAD! Skip to the next paragraph if you don't want to know...] I guess I am old-fashioned enough to just not enjoy reading about threesomes. However, I do think it was handled about as well as something like that could be.

The ending was satisfying and overall, it was a very good book except for that one little glitch - it's the only thing that kept me from giving this book a full five star rating. I rate the individual elements as follows:

heroine - 5 stars
Hero - 3 stars
Supporting characters - 4 stars
Pacing - 5 stars
Plot - 5 stars
World-building - 5 stars
Dialogue - 5 stars
Originality - 5 stars
Spelling/grammar - 5 stars
Romance/sex scenes - 1 star
Average - 4 stars out of 5

I would definitely read more books by this author, if they are as creative and interesting as this one was!

A fairy tale retelling loosely based on Beauty and the Beast. I was hesitant, as that's not really my cup of tea, but luckily, it's a fresh twist on that tale, so if you're a die-hard B&B lover, you might not enjoy this.

The family dynamics and relationships are fantastic. Because of their strength, I was moved to tears many times by the depth of emotion. The real villain was a caricature, which was disappointing. The person we think is the villain for much of the story is more well-rounded as a character, but it's a little flimsy.

The climax and big confrontation is confusing, and the object of power doesn't feel powerful to the events, and in general, that was the least enjoyable part of the story, because it didn't feel real the way the beginning of the story did, even with the talking animals in the real world.

Definitely enjoyable, good laughs and lots of heart. I think this just needs some tightening up around the mystery/conflict. 3.5 stars

Sweet and festive, a nice novel. Entertaining and well plotted.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

4.5/5 ⭐
2.0/5 🌶️

The Curse of Nona May Taylor was everything I was hoping for from a gender bent Beauty and the Beast fairy tale retelling. While Nona didn't imprison Charlie, she was trapped in the woods with her family turned from human (into the most adorable woodland/farm creatures!)

I loved the lessons of love and family Jess put into this story. Nona and her family went through some trials when they were first cursed, but eventually they learned that all they really needed were each other to be happy. They were all so sweet, I loved all of these characters so much.

I was really unsure how the old lady and young guy thing was gonna work out without being weird... But it truly worked out so perfectly! These two were definitely meant to be *swoon*

I hope Jess does some more paranormal stories, especially more fairy tale retellings. I'm excited for more of her work.

This really was a silly goofy time but still lovable. It was so light and a quick read. The plot had a lot going on but really easy to follow. Who doesn’t love talking animals?

4.5 stars!

Nona May was once a country music star, but an evil witch has placed her and the people in her inner circle, in a cabin in the middle of the forest, Beauty and the Beast style. The witch took Nona's career, and turned Nona into an elderly lady. Her family and close friend have been turned into farm animals...who can talk! The only thing that can break the curse is for Nona to find true love...as an 83 year-old. But one day they discover a young, handsome hiker in the woods. As Nona nurses him back to health, she senses a connection that's undeniable. And...her wrinkles are softening and some of her hair is turning brown again! Could this connection with Charlie be love? And can it break the curse? What happens is more than one ever might expect. GET READY FOR A WILD RIDE!!

So, part of the beauty of this book is not knowing what's going to happen, so I'll review this the best way I can, by sharing my personal reactions while reading this book. I was shocked to my core, encountering twists and turns I'd never seen coming. I was swept away by this BEAUTIFUL writing. At certain points it was freaky, but then it got FREAKY, if you get what I'm saying...and it was a little uncomfortable for me, which is why I didn't give it a full five stars. But it was endearing, engrossing, and utterly enthralling. I couldn't wait to see what would happen. I had "WTF" moments and "OMG" moments. And the pages can barely contain the love of every sort that makes up this incredible fairy tale retelling.

If any of this speaks to you, I would encourage you to read this book! It was the most fun I've had as a reader in a while. A journey. A wild ride. An epic adventure!

Trigger warnings: hunting, shooting animals, preparing animals for eating (none of these is described in great detail, but it's in there), deaths of parents, animals (off page)

I'd like to thank Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a Beauty and the Beast retelling and it simply wasn’t. The curse was similar but the execution of the story was all its own. I enjoyed the way the story progressed, the detail and tidiness of the ending, and the fact that I truly couldn’t guess what was going to happen at any point. This was an entertaining and interesting winter read, thank you Netgalley.