One Cursed Rose has the most unique take of any Beauty and Beast retelling I've read. It's all based on computer programming, social media, and the power of different gems. The worldbuilding that went into this alone is worth the read.

I'm not a huge fan of most dark romances, but books like this are an exception. Thorn, the MMC is a self-proclaimed psychopath, but he has a good heart. He punishes bad people in inventive ways including one that will probably stay with me for weeks. He loves hard and fiercely and will do whatever it takes to protect those he cares about.

Alana, the FMC, is an absolute spitfire. She reminds me of Regina George without the bullying - beautiful, popular, and smarter than people give her credit for. She doesn't roll over when Thorn tries to strong-arm his way into her life and instead challenges him and makes him work for their relationship.

There are two reasons I didn't give this book 5 stars: the twist at the end was unexpected, which I loved, but what happened after felt rushed. The way The Surprise Bad Guy was handled just didn't sit right with me. Not enough to ruin the story, of course, but it still made me put the book down for a while. There was also a plot point that was changed partway through the book. One of the subplots is an investigation into the death of Gast, Alana's brother. In several scenes, he's described as having been drunk/drinking the night he died. There's even mention of him sobering up before driving. Later on, the same characters talk about how he was sober and hadn't drank at all that night.

These two points aside, I had a difficult time putting this book down. The banter was engaging, the action consistent without being exhausting, and the spice SPICY. I can't wait to read more Grimm Bargains!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington, for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did enjoy the semi-plot following of Beauty and the Beast, but it easily could have done without the references and still be an okay story. I liked the chemistry and tension between the main characters and definitely didn't see the twist coming. However, the whole charging of crystals and social media thing was little weird of a concept to get into. Either way, I did enjoy the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and author Rebecca Zanetti for this gifted copy in exchange for a honest review.

Ok this one is SPICY. Like, *dark* dark romantasy. Know your triggers and respect them. But it was also fun and clever and I CANNOT wait for the next book in the series.

As a fan of Beauty and the Beast retellings, I was eager to dive into Rebecca Zanetti’s dark romantic fantasy, and I was not disappointed. From the unique blend of magic and technology, where social media plays a pivotal role in shaping power dynamics, I found myself quickly engrossed in this tale of power, danger, and undeniable chemistry.

In Zanetti’s world, five influential families control the magic of gemstones, which power their servers and fuel their wealth through social media influence. The setup is intriguing and fresh. The story centers on Alana Beaumont, a seemingly superficial socialite with a penchant for designer clothes and flashy social media posts. However, beneath her curated image, Alana is a savvy woman who can wield magical stones and is no stranger to danger. After the tragic death of her brother, which she suspects wasn’t an accident, her family’s fortunes take a dive, and her father plans to marry her off to secure their financial future.

But Alana has no intention of becoming anyone’s bride. Enter Thorn Beathach, a notorious figure in this world, known for his dark reputation and the social media empire threatening to destroy Aquarius, Alana’s family’s company. When Alana’s life is suddenly threatened, Thorn swoops in—though some might call it kidnapping—and takes her to his remote lair. Thorn, a brooding “beast” with a deadly reputation, is not only hiding a cursed past but also determined to make Alana his own.

The story that unfolds is a thrilling, sexy ride filled with suspense and surprising twists. Thorn’s curse adds layers of complexity to his character, and the banter between him and Alana is both fiery and entertaining. Their chemistry is electric, and while there’s a bit of BDSM and dark moments, the romance is balanced by sweet gestures and moments of vulnerability. I found myself equally invested in the central romance and the mystery surrounding Thorn’s curse, Alana’s brother’s death, and who was behind the attempts to kidnap Alana.

The book is populated by a memorable cast of side characters, including a “Gaston”-like figure who adds an extra layer of intrigue and tension. Zanetti’s pacing is spot-on, and the world-building is rich, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the narrative.

While there are some sensitive topics and gray areas regarding consent that might be triggering for some readers, I had no trouble navigating them. If you enjoy rivals to lovers, sizzling chemistry, suspense, and a fantasy retelling with plenty of mystery and romance, this book should be on your radar. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the Grimm Bargains series.

I really wanted to love this book as I'm a beauty and the beast girlie all the way through but the MMCs control issues completely put me off. There's a thin line between protectiveness and possessiveness that booktok likes to walk and this fell on the wrong side of that line for me.

If you liked hooked (which I didn't) I do think you'd enjoy this book

ONE CURSED ROSE is a dark Beauty and the Beast inspired tale and its book 1 in the Grimm Bargains series.
This is a story of power, secrets, lies, betrayal, vengeance, obsession and love. It was an action packed, fast paced tale filled with twists and turns, undeniable chemistry and determined characters.
I loved the mystery/suspense element in the story which kept me turning the pages. I liked Alana, and was rooting for her throughout tge story. However Thorn took some getting used to.
This dark and spicy retelling was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

A dark, taboo Beauty and the Beast retelling with a very vivid cast of characters, including a morally gray MMC who is possessive and OTT? Not to mention an enemies to lovers trope? All in one GORGEOUS book? Yes, please! I really enjoyed this book and absolutely made sure to preorder the special edition as soon as I was able!

I absolutely loved this book! Anything Rebecca writes is amazing but this was next level good! I was hooked from page one until the end. I didn't want it to end because I loved the story so much.

I will never turn down reading a Grimm style fairy tale retold story. One Cursed Rose is a delightful new twist in modern times of Beauty and the Beast. Honestly, a castle with a huge library? I am there! Which room is mine? Alana Beaumont is a pawn yet she is not. There is a bigger game going on when she becomes the unwilling guest of legendary Thorn Beathach.

This story is creative and I enjoy the blend of paranormal to technology. This new series is intriguing and is starting off on the right note for me. There is a bit of "dark mafia billionaire" feel to it. This is a popular genre and plot device for romance authors. Ms. Zanetti takes this from a fresh perspective with her captivating writing voice. Her characters are relatable and interesting. Their experiences and learning more about their life helps me understand their motivation and appreciate them more. It does help that Thorn is a dashing sexy anti-hero. This is right up my alley for male characters I cannot help but adore. Yes, I have a type.

I would share more about what I like in this story but it would give away spoilers. Suffice to say that the conflict is well created and the interactions between the characters carry just the right snark for me. Recommended to romance readers who like it dark and a bit on the spicy side.

Big thanks to Rebecca Zanetti and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review.

A beauty and the beast retelling featuring social media tycoons, betrayal and magical crystals. It's and interesting concept and for the most part I enjoyed it.

I'm typically not a big social media person so it felt a little cheesy with that being the main story line.
I'm always a fan of the beauty and beast retelling though.
3.5 stars, rounded to 4.

❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
Strap yourself in for something completely different to what you have read before. It’s a world where social media is ruled by competing families and well….. social media rules everything.

In a beauty and the beast retelling our heroine is her family’s social media golden girl… that is until our hero- the head of an opposing family kidnaps her (after saving her from an assassination attempt). Our beast of a hero decides he wants to keep the beauty (but she is more than a little resistant to the idea).

RZ is one of my top favourite authors but this one fell slightly shy of the mark for me.
The premise was so different it did take me out of the book a bit, and a lot of the explanations didn’t happen until the end. Then there was the fact that this was marketed as a dark romance but didn’t really feel dark at all? I still however, want to read the next book though to see where the series goes.

While this was an interesting idea for a retelling, it felt like we were dropped in the middle of the story - how did Thorn first see Alana? Why was he drawn to her? What's the history of the four families and the crystals? There was just a lot of unanswered backstory. But, the story was unique and kept me wanting to learn more.

Information is power, and those who control it live like gods. In my world, billionaires play deadly games of insult and influence where magic is the dirtiest weapon of all. Here, even a powerful princess can be swallowed by the darkest of shadows. My name is Alana Beaumont, and due to a recent tragedy, I’m the sole heir to Aquarius Social, a family business being systematically dismantled by an unseen enemy. My father’s solution is to give me in marriage and create a coalition with a competing family, so I’m torn between my thirst for revenge and my duty. Now I just have a week to finish my hunt before the wedding. There’s nothing like an assassination attempt to cut short the best of plans—even worse is my unwanted rescue by Thorn Beathach, the Beast whose social media empire is driving Aquarius under. The richest, most ruthless of them all, he protects his realm with an iron rule: no one sees his face. When he shows himself to me, I know he’ll never let me go. Adam may think he can lock me in his castle forever, but I’m not the docile Beauty he expects. If the Beast wants to tie me up, I’m going to take pleasure from every minute of it . . .and we’ll just see who ends up shackled.

I absolutely loved this book in this brand new series! This book is being billed as a Dark Romance, and while it may have some elements of that-I didn't find it horribly dark at all. I loved Thorn and Alana and their banter back and forth. But this author always does great banter with her characters! I loved the suspense and the paranormal aspects to this story. They have a great chemistry together, and honestly just worked for each other in ways I wasn't expecting. I loved the secondary characters, which always draws me into a series because I need stories for those characters as well! I don't want to say a whole lot, because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Just know that I loved this book enough that I bought not only the ebook of it but the special edition as well because it is beautiful!

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. It didnt hook my in from the start so it was a little tedious to oush myself through.

I really enjoyed One Cursed Rose and found it to be an exciting four-star read! This dark romance is a unique, mafia-inspired spin on Beauty and the Beast, with a fresh modern twist. The suspenseful elements kept me hooked throughout, and I absolutely loved the characters, especially the dynamic between Alana and Thorn. Zanetti does a fantastic job blending forbidden desires with a gripping plot. Fans of dark romance will appreciate the intense chemistry and power play in this story. Overall, a captivating retelling that left me wanting more!

Probably my favorite Disney fairytale is Beauty and the Beast, and One Cursed Rose is a very modern (technological) take on their love story. It took me a little bit to get into the story and I wasn't totally sold on the technology, probably because I'm mostly technologically inept with some exceptions. So it took me time to get into the world and love story of Alana and Thorn. I'm sure others who are very tech savvy and love the original fairytale will likely love this retelling.

I liked the couple but it honestly took me digging deep to come to that point. I found Thorn to be a jerk at times but he also was protective of her. I also thought that for this story there were more sexual scenes than warranted, at least for my taste. But overall it was a good retelling for modern day society.

One Cursed Rose was a solid read! I found it very enjoyable as someone who loves urban fairytale retellings, stalker vibes, and spice. This was my intro to Rebecca Zanetti's writing and I'm excited to read more of work, especially since she specializes in romantic suspense!

Thank you to the author, Rebecca Zanetti, and Kensington Books for an ARC of One Cursed Rose.

First of all, I want to thank Rebecca Zanetti, Kensinton Books and NetGalley for the eARC, and this is my honest opinion.
Sorry, it will be in Italian for my fellow Italian readers that want to know more about this book.

One Cursed Rose è il primo volume di una serie, Grimm Bargains, in cui è facile immaginare che il filo conduttore sia il retelling di celebri fiabe, e come non cominciare da La Bella e la Bestia?
Ecco il primo punto che non mi ha convinto molto, ossia il mescolare un’ambientazione ai nostri giorni con elementi magici/paranormali. Per quanto mi riguarda, o l’una o gli altri, benché abitualmente sia una amante dei dark academia, dov’è questa commistione è piuttosto comune. In questo caso, però, non mi ha convinto.
Siamo nei territori tipici del dark romance, e in particolare dei mafia dark romance, dato che il protagonista maschile ne rispecchia in pieno gli stilemi. Anche dal punto di vista dello spicy, abbiamo quello che ci si aspetta tipicamente da questo tipo di libro. Probabilmente questo è un altro aspetto che ha influito sul mio giudizio complessivo: non c’è stato nulla di più di quanto mi aspettassi, mentre speravo di avere qualcosa di un po’ più memorabile…

One Cursed Rose is a spicy dark paranormal romance by Rebecca Zanetti. This is different from what her readers are use to, its still has her great suspenseful writing but the added bonus of some kinky rough steam. Which personally I had no problem with but I can see long time readers of her work to be shocked by it. With a hero who dominates his heroine, likable characters, and engaging writing, this will be a great reading choice for dark romance readers.

Great book! Not as dark as some dark romance I read, but definitely enough to keep me entertained.

I loved the paranormal aspect of the story, especially the crystal magic! The banter between Alana and Thorn was great, plus there are spankings! Yay!!

I'm going to admit that I didn't realize this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling until I saw it in another review. Oops!