I had no idea what to expect with this book, but it was full of fantasy and comedy and so many twists that I was not expecting! You follow Nona and her family as they try to break the curse put on them by a witch. It was a fun and easy read that kept me engaged the whole time.

Some parts were a little predictable, and the only other downside for me was that I felt like we never got to really know the other characters other than Nona. The story doesn't really delve much into what each person is like or how they are feeling and that would have been nice to flesh them out a bit more as I didn't really feel much for them other than Nona. Even Larry the bear felt a bit more developed than some of the main family.

Overall, though, the author made this a well written story that I personally ate up in 1 afternoon as I had to know what happened next! It gets a solid 3 stars from me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Up to half way through this I would have given a 4* rating minimum, however it felt like it lost it's momentum, and the reason for the curse felt extremely vague - even now I couldn't say exactly what the motivation was.

That said this was an enjoyable read. The story telling, characters, and description of their world was beautifully done and I would happily recommend this to any-one wanting a light fun tale.

Review posted to Goodreads and Amazon

Book Review 📚
The Curse of Nona May Taylor by Jess Hardy - 4/5 ⭐

A beautiful fantasy come fairytale story from Hardy. Wonderfully written and an easy fast paced read filled with interest.

Nona Mays journey throughout the book is delightfully heartwarming and yet sobbibingly heartbreaking at the same time. It's portrayed so beautifully that I actually fell in love with the characters. Hardy managed to captivate you as well taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride!

The book holds a tonne of description on both characters and the world around them, which pretty much gives you a visual, instantly. It was so beautifully done and I really can't wait to recommend. I loved every second of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

Thank you Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for this arc. These thoughts and opinions are my own.


In the woods of Montana, there is an elderly woman who lives with her flock of animals in an isolated cabin. Or at least, so it would seem.

When 23-year-old folk singer, Nona gets cursed by a witch as an act of vengeance, not only does she lose her singing voice but also her youth. Along with her, the curse also affects her family and manager, turning them into talking animals. 5 years pass as they become accustomed to their circumstance, when a lone hiker shows up in their woods unconscious and hurt. Due to it being Winter, the hiker must stay with Nona in her cabin until the snow melts. During this time, Nona and Charlie, the hiker, grow to get to know each other and bond. Things start to change around the cabin and around the curse. Nona is slowly getting younger, and it seems to stem from Charlie’s present...


I couldn’t have asked for a better first Netgalley arc! I really enjoyed my time with this one. Hardy did such a good job with what could have been a stereotypical Beauty and the Beast retelling and made it fun.

Nona is a character you will root for. Her family was hilarious and made such a good addition to the story that I wasn’t expecting. Charlie and Nona were sweet together and I enjoyed learning about their backstories.

I had an idea about the twist, but it didn’t take away my enjoyment at all.

* Spoiler*
The one thing I didn’t like in this book was the threesome. It’s not for me. I also found it creepy how it was brought up. I know Charlie somewhat helped set it up, but it was weird when Fritz said he wanted to either watch, listen or join them... Personally, I think that was extremely unnecessary to the story and took away from the romance between Charlie and Nona.


Overall, I think this is a great lighthearted, fun read especially during the holidays! I will most definitely check out more work from Jess K. Hardy in the future! Thanks again!

3.5 stars!


I will be posting my review on Goodreads and Storygraph now. I will make a post to my Instagram closer to the release day.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
The Curse of Nona May Taylor is a fun and fast read. Nona used to be a popular Country singer. But then she and her family and her manager got cursed by a witch. So the witch can have Nona's career. And Nona, who now looks like an 83-year-old, and her family, now looking like animals, have to live in a small cottage somewhere in the wild. But one day during the winter they find a wounded hiker. So Nona has to nurse him back to life. But deep down in her bones, she feels like she knows him. Maybe he's the missing link to break her curse and defeat the witch once and for all.
I have to say that I really loved the characters and the plot. The story is heartfelt and moving. But I don't want to spoil everything.

Nona was on her way to becoming a famous singer when a witch cursed her, turning her into an elderly lady, living in a cabin in the woods. Five years down the line, she comes across an injured hiker named Charlie, and brings him back to her cabin to nurse him back to health. When the witch told Nona that true love would break the curse, she didn't believe her, but once Charlie arrives, she seems to be getting noticeably younger. Can '83 year old' Nona get 25 year old Charlie to fall in love with her?

This story has a little bit of everything. Magic, snowy cabins, talking animals, mild spice (by my standards), close family, a few twists and turns, and true love.
It was different than anything I've read before and I found it to be lighthearted and fun, whilst still having some drama, courtesy of a witch with a grudge. In terms of spice, there was a few slightly descriptive scenes but mostly alluded to rather than on page.

This was my second book by Jess Hardy and I really look forward to reading more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for sharing an advanced copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Curse of Nona May Taylor, takes you on fairytale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with a twist. Our FMC, Nona May Taylor, was a rising star singer. Until a jealous witch put a curse on Nona and her friends and family, taking her place as a rising starlet. Nona is cursed to spend her life in a reclusive cabin in Montana, with her friends and family cursed as animals to live alongside her.

Nona actually enjoys her remote life, taking enjoyment in lifes simple pleasures, and spending time with her loved ones, even as an 83 year old. Until one day, they discover an injured hiker (Charlie, our MMC) who needs help. As Nona cares for Charlie, it becomes evident that he could be the key to breaking the curse. Nona's journey with Charlie is loving, endearing, magical and heartwarming. The books underlying themes throughout are family, love, and the power of loyalty and relationships. With plenty of magic, twists, fairytale and folklore elements running throughout, this book is an engaging and well paced read.