2.5 surprisingly chaotic stars

The first book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Grimm Bargains series, this is a re-imagining of Beauty and the Beast as a dark romance with mystery/suspense and supernatural themes. Rebecca Zanetti is an auto-read author for me, and I was intrigued by the idea of this book, but it fell a bit flat for me. Not only was it lacking in world building, but it was fast moving with lots of different storylines – some important, some seemingly not, and the whole thing just felt a bit chaotic and confusing.

In a world where social media is everything, the four families who run the four most successful media companies rule all. Their platforms are powered by crystals which are in turn powered by a member of the family, and kept charged by social media interactions (I really only just wrapped my head around this by the end of the book). Alana is the power source and social media darling for her family’s empire, and her father is determined to marry her off to a competitor to bring their companies together. Enter Thorn, secretive head of a rival social media platform, who has been obsessing over Alana from afar and, after rescuing her from a threat, takes her to his home and declares that she now belongs to him.

“You don’t want me for an enemy.” I’m deadly serious but have no idea how I’m going to back that up.
“Call yourself whatever you want.” He takes my arm, his touch electric and firm. “I’m calling you mine.”

Thorn is dark and dangerous, and also seems to be the head of the mafia? That part of the story was glossed over and not really clear, but he’s a killer with a heart (targeting abusers, sexual predators, etc.). He’s also under some sort of curse tied to his media platform, and both of them are slowly dying. But in the meantime, he is claiming Alana.

“You’re with me as long as I’m alive.”
One of her eyebrows arches. “Why?”
There are many answers I can give to her, but I go with the simplest truth. “You’re my reason for breathing, and you were meant to be mine.”

I don’t really know what to say about the rest of the story, because it’s a complicated jumble of sex, mad declarations, threats, violence, betrayal, kidnappings, and lots of social media, and honestly, I was confused.

The main thing that struck me about this book was that it lacked world building. What was the significance of the gemstones? How and why are these families connected to them, how did it all work? What was with the AI, and why did each family have a special supernatural gift? Did people know? Why? How? Where did it come from? I just had so many questions and couldn’t wrap my head around how the world worked and how everybody got to where they are. I also found the whole social media thing really tedious. Alana’s status as an influencer was annoying and her constant click-bait-posting was obnoxious. But on the side, she and her friends are social crusaders? The brief mention of them helping out victims of domestic violence seemed thrown in just to show that she’s not as vapid as she initially appears.

The ‘dark romance’ felt more like mad lust and a bit of kink, than love. Though there are lots of epic declarations from Thorn, it’s pretty much instant and I felt no real build-up of romance between them. It’s sexy, for sure, and I enjoyed their banter, sexual chemistry and the moments where I felt their connection, but it was definitely lacking for me.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because you’re mine.”
“What if I wasn’t?”
“There isn’t a universe or reality where you’re not.”

Then there’s the mystery/suspense storyline surrounding Alana’s nightmares, her mysterious past, a serial killer on the loose, yet another rival social media company blackmailing Thorn into a business-marriage, a mysterious heir living a secret life, and an evil bad guy determined to take power at any cost. There’s a lot happening, and it all felt a bit overwhelming with very little to back it up. Given Zanetti’s phenomenal world building in her other series, this one just felt really odd.

But it’s an interesting concept, and now that I have my head wrapped around it a bit better, I’m curious to see what happens in future books and explore some more of the character dynamics.

Not a favourite, but it has its moments, and I was engaged enough to finish it. 2.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I did receive an ARC from NETGALLEY. I ALSO PURCHASED.
This was a little different than my normal Rebecca Zanetti story.It was well written, but it took a little longer for me to get into it.This is a very modern take on Beauty and the Beast I liked Alana and Thorn as characters. The heat factor was ok, and the concept was interesting. I just had to get used to the world they lived in it was so technical. I did enjoy the book and will check out the next in the series.

This was my first book by this author, though I've heard great things about her other books. So I'll definitely be checking this out.

This one didn't quite hit the mark for me. I will admit though, it was a little out of my comfort zone with the more contemporary fantasy. I usually don't do a lot if contemporary and that I think is what threw me front this one.

I did enjoy the twist on Beauty and the Beast. It was unique. Though, there was also a lot lacking. There were plot holes and a magic system that was a bit confusing. It almost tried to hard and some things were lost in translation.

I do love me a good dark romance and that with the Beauty and the Beast vibe is what originally drew me to this book to begin with. This, unfortunately didn't quite hit the mark for me either. Which really makes me sad. This books was one of my most anticipated even with it being outside my normal comfort zone on the contemporary setting.

I did see that a few people had similar takes on the way I felt and were big fans of past work. So this will not deter me from checking out the author ad they did state that this was not her normal wheelhouse.

One Cursed Rose is a dark romance, suspenseful thriller with fairytale ties ins and some completely original threads.

Alana Beaumont is a socialite and heir to her family’s social media company. She is savvy, but is very careful about the face she wears in public, playing the role the public wants to see. Her father wants to arrange a marriage to help save the company, and though she wants to help the company in any way she can, she isn’t happy about the match her father has chosen.

Thorn Beathach runs a rival company and is so enigmatic that no one really knows much about him. He is an unlikely hero when he rescues Alana from a would-be assassin. He quickly follows the rescue up with a kidnapping, hiding Alana while he looks into who issued the threat against her.

These two are quite opposite. While both are brilliant, she is light and optimistic, while he is dark and broody. The attraction builds as Alana stays in his home, he works to make things safe for her, and she spends time in his vast library reading up on the crystals that power so much of their world.

The fairytale tie-in is what drew me to this book in the first place and it did not disappoint. The Beauty and the Beast connections are vast, but there are also plenty of unique aspects to the story. The crystals are one such aspect and while they added to the suspense of the story, I wish more of the lore that Alana spent her time reading about and learning was shared with readers. These crystals play a huge role in why Alana and Thorn must work together and there were pieces of the lore that I wish I understood better.

This is also a very dark romance. While some of the darker aspects were not my favorite parts of the book, they are part of these characters (particularly Thorn) and I understood their presence in the story, even if I skimmed over some parts.

This was an interesting start to the Grimm Bargains series and it was interesting to pay attention to the other fairytale tie ins from the other characters and families mentioned. I look forward to seeing what else comes from this world as the series grows.

This book is basically an updated retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I enjoy how this author writes. I enjoyed the characters and how they develop.
I don't think this is a dark romance. There are some darker elements, but the book as a whole isn't a dark romance. Some plot holes in this story are annoying like the gem and how exactly they work.
This is the first book in a new series and I'm still undecided if I will continue with this series or not.

One Cursed Rose is the first book in Rebecca Zanetti’s new Grimm Bargains series. This is a dark romantic fantasy mixed with suspense and a whole lot of steam! This modern twist of Beauty and the beast was written in third person from the point of view of both the heroine, Alana Beaumont and the hero, Thorn Beathach.

What happens when the owner of the rival media empire, Malice Media, becomes obsessed with the sole heir of Aquarius Social? Will family rivalry, an unknown serial killer and an assassination attempt keep Thorn and Alana from finding their happily ever after? Read it and find out!

This was a fantastic start to this amazingly dark new series. Zanetti is a phenomenal writer whose words draw the readers in and keep us wanting more. I can’t wait to read the next book and see what characters will be used to create new twists to other classic fairy tales.

This book definitely exceeded my expectations! This was a very taboo beauty and the beast retelling with dark romance, dominance, touch her and I'll kill you, mafia-esque vibes and I loved it!

Alana is the sole heir and face of Aquarius Social and although her Father is currently at the helm, she has a lot of responsibility that is very much in the public eye. He plans an arranged marriage between Alana and the son of a rival company to gain more power but before this can go ahead, a failed assassination turns into a very successful kidnapping at anothers hand.
I really admire the thought that went into how these companies work; using minerals and crystals to energise their servers and keep the companies afloat while also giving the owners more power and longevity. I have to admit it took me a while to understand it but the moment something didn't make sense, I was pushed to read more in order to find out and put the pieces together.

My favourite character was absolutely Thorn, the good guy in disguise! The way these characters are written is just incredible, we slowly learn things about each character that made me feel so much empathy and compassion for their situation. The small net of characters made it easy to make assumptions and kept me guessing who the real bad guy was but I was still gobsmacked at the end.
Some scenes flowed really well however there was some chapters where there should have been quite a tense atmosphere but I just didn't get that, and a few chapters that could have been a bit shorter and still had the same impact. The ending I feel could have been a little longer which would have given a greater sense of danger, in my opinion it ended a little harshly and I would have loved to read just a little more and be kept on the edge of my seat.

I would absolutely reccomend this to all of my dark romance readers, the romantasy community and even some who haven't ventured into this genre yet. I think fans of Scarlett St Clair and Emmerson Hoyt would love this. This was a great read and I would love to read more!

I’ve read many of Ms. Zanetti’s books and greatly enjoyed. While I enjoy suspense, romance, and paranormal stories, this one was more difficult for me to enjoy and I struggled through parts of the story.

I didn’t quite understand the use of gems and the media posts that increased power. Nor did I understand how someone could have a virus and the potentially deadly outcomes. Maybe these details will be explored in the next book?

The romance between Thorne and Alana was up and down and a power struggle. I did not enjoy some aspects of the ‘romance’ that just involved too much violence to be sexy. I ended up skimming a bit as some seemed a bit too ‘cringy’.

Thorne is definitely an alpha and has reasons for the things he does. While his actions seem over-the-top at times, it’s also understandable based on his loses. I liked that Alana could seem like a pampered princess at times but hides her true intelligence for good reasons. The dual POV was interesting to understand more about the characters. I look forward to the second book in this series to see if some of my questions are answered and how the plot progresses.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new book.

Absolutely loved this! A dark fairytale retelling, especially a Beauty & the Beast inspired one? I devoured this.

I thought the world and the magic system was unique and interesting. I also thought the political stuff was interesting which is not something I say lightly haha. It wasn't overly complicated either which I appreciated. I cannot wait for the world to be explored more in future books.

The romance here is done wonderfully. I liked the couple's dynamic and thought the pacing was perfect. Their banter and chemistry was fantastic. Highlighted so much! I couldn't get enough of Alana and Thorn.

I really enjoyed the suspense/mystery too.

A great fairytale retelling!

Tale as old as time... In this case, the creative twist on the retelling on Beauty and the Beast kept me hooked. Do not expect singing house items busting out into song every other chapter. You will want to check the TWs for this one.

One Cursed Rose is a dark urban fantasy romance, set in a world where two rival families are competing for the power to control information on the web. The fantasy element comes into play with how the the world is powered (through crystals) unlike electricity in our world.

I also love the subtle hints with the side characters, and which story may come up next in the Grimm Bargains series.

Alana is an underestimated FMC who is quite a cunning character even though she’s an heiress to a social media empire. Thorn is your morally grey, border-lining black MMC who is moody, bossy alpha, (Beast-like), and has questionable, dare I say, spicy ways that he shows his love for Alana??

There’s so many layers to this story that I couldn’t stop turning the pages. I cannot wait to check out more in the series!

Thank you Rebecca Zanetti, NetGalley, and Kensington for the ARC!

Fascinating!

A very unique twist on Beauty and The Beast. I love the crystal aspects. Thorn and Alana have a beautiful connection and the side characters are intriguing. This book kept me engaged and the ending was nail biting intense.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

I found the pacing to be the main problem with this book, which directly contributes to the numerous plot holes in One Cursed Rose. Almost nothing in the story feels resolved, and as a reader, I found this disappointing coming from this author. While the retelling of Beauty and the Beast was well done, I couldn't fully enjoy it because so much was left unexplained.

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book and I'm uncertain if I will continue with the series. However, if you're a fan of fairy tale retellings with darker elements, it might be worth giving it a try.

*thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

I haven’t read many dark romance books, but since this is a go-to author for me I decided to give this one a try. To be clear, I do read erotic romance, romance with BDSM, and things like that, so this wasn’t way out of my scope. It’s the stalker hero thing that has never particularly appealed to me, and that was exactly what made me uncomfortable about this story.

When it comes to Thorn, over time I felt he had a reason he became obsessive over Alana even though I found it creepy in the beginning. I was a bit shocked that there was never an explanation as to how that came to be, even as I felt it started with good intentions. Okay, that seems ridiculous now that wrote that out, but it still is the impression I got. I’m used to this author giving a good backstory to her characters, that’s why I was a little befuddled that we didn’t get that here. There were also some flimsy wrap-ups to certain storylines that I can only assume will be delved into on a deeper level in future books in this series.

There is a lot to get out in this first book, and I will admit I could get confused here and there when it came to the way this world worked. The way people seemed to think there was no such thing as magic yet they all understood that certain crystals give power to certain families was strange. Yet I was also invested in the world even with my intermittent confusion. That had more to do with the characters.

Not only did I find myself rooting for Alana and Thorn to give in to each other, but I was also fascinated with Alana’s group of friends. I’m sure they’ll each get a story and I’m looking forward to that.

When it came to the “who done it” type mystery in this story, the wrap-up seemed a bit rushed to me. In some ways, it had to be. But there were some emotions that I feel may have to be dealt with still. Without giving spoilers, there are some major betrayals that happen that are almost glossed over since there is so much that has to happen in a short amount of time. Since this is an author I trust, I hope these things are dealt with in a future book.

The bottom line is this: I was invested in the overall story, I enjoyed the give and take between the main characters, the side characters are interesting, the world-building was a tad bit confusing.

One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti blends dark romance with a futuristic fantasy world where social media rules the world and it has all the power. It's a very unique and innovative Beauty and The Beast retelling with an intriguing anti hero, a sweet but fierce heroine, fast paced plot with lots of twists, sizzling hot chemistry and a heartaching ending.

The author takes us to an almost Sci fi but fantasy future where four social media company hold all the power. Aquarius. Hologrid. TimeGem Moments and the top leader, Malice Media. Each company use a separate strategy to get user interactions and that gives them power. Each company has a crystal that runs their server. And a few special persons who can charge the crystal.

For Aquarius, it's Alana Beaumont. The society's sweetheart. Malice Media's reclusive owner Thorn Beathach is obsessed with her but he is all shadows and darkness. But his hand is forced when her father plan her arranged marriage to a rival company's heir to gain power. Thorn kidnaps her after saving her from an assassination attempt and takes her away to his castle. He is dying because his Garnet has been infected by some enemy. Alana doesn't know it. She wants to escape the beast but cannot help but fall her antihero. Can she save him?

I loved the whole plot with the social media company concept with heavy dose of suspense and action. Thorn is like a saviour who isn't afraid to deliver death and devastation to the criminals. But his power is freezing and soon the virus will freeze his heart. It's such a beautiful contradiction. On one side, you see the larger than the real world, edgy, arrogant, controlling, all consuming dark anti hero. His presence is absolutely breathtaking. And on other side, you see the vulnerable broken sides. Alana is seen as this innocent and pure and beautiful princess but she has a lot of sass and fire. She should have hated Thorn and she did at the beginning. There is some pretty intense hate to love transition here. The tension could be cut with a diamond knife. Thorn can be a bit over the top possessive and protective and Alana realised no one fights for her like he does. Her own family looks at her like she is a pawn. An asset. But Thorn shows repeatedly that she is his whole world. It was scorching hot and heartaching. And the ending was so beautiful. Alana saved our broken prince.I hope to read more stories from this world.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

This was my most anticipated ARC for June & boy did it not disappoint! The absolute chokehold this book had on me! I absolutely adore Beauty & the Beast retellings, but this one was deliciously dark, devious & unique. The perfect blend of plot & spice, part mafia romance, part urban fantasy & great for those wanting to test the waters of dark romance. Thorn kinda gives off Zade Meadows vibes & he was most definitely creative. First in a series, with the way it wrapped up I’d venture to guess each book will center on one of Alana’s friends, similar to the Twisted Love series. I’m here for all of it! This is a dark romance & while I consider it to be mild it may still be triggering to some. Your mental health matters. Content warnings include kidnapping, drugging, death & violence as to be expected with a mafia themed book, domestic violence & murder.

This was a really interesting take on beauty and the beast and futuristic sort of fantasy world! Thorn definitely brought a lot of personality and was probably my favorite part!

I didn't love this book, but I did really like it. I love a Beauty and the Beast retelling. The plot was definitely interesting enough to keep me engaged. It was fairly fast paced and I read it pretty quickly because I couldn't put it down.

Things I loved:

I really liked the premise with the four main families each controlling the major social media platforms. I also really liked the FMC. She appears to be just a pretty, rich social media star who loves fashion and shopping. However, she's actually very intelligent, kind, and generous. I also loved how protective the MMC was and I liked their banter. Really loved all the mysteries woven throughout and really didn't see the twist coming at the end.

Things I didn't love:

I didn't love the whole crystal aspect, but that's mainly because I didn't really understand it. Personally, I could have used a little more information regarding this. I just wish it had been explained a little better. The other thing I didn't understand was the MMC's obsession with the FMC prior to meeting. I just would have loved a little more insight to what made him so adamant they were meant to be together and what initially caused him to love her from afar. However, that could have been purposeful.

Overall I did really like it and will probably read the next one. Also, the hardcover is beautiful with gorgeous sprayed edges and foil on the hardcover.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the beginning of a new series built around an innovative fantasy world idea, and dark romance readers will find plenty to love.

I’m more on the fringe when it comes to dark romance, but I’m a huge Rebecca Zanetti fan, so there’s no way I was missing out on this book.

The meld of magic and technology that this world is based on was brand new to me. I found the idea of social media interaction fuelling the power and influence of the four founding families very intriguing. The world building was thorough and consistent, although it took a while to make sense of how it all worked, and it was difficult at times to imagine it visually.

Thorn was menacing, paranoid, obsessed, and delightfully predictable in his actions towards Alana. I think I would’ve liked it better if Alana had embraced her own dark attraction to Thorn right from the start and used it, instead of posing some token resistance on multiple occasions and then inevitably giving in to her feelings.

I was riveted by the concept of this world, the intense feelings, and the nail-biting action. If you like your heroes possessive and brooding, then this super hot dark romance is just the thing.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rebecca Zanetti's One Cursed Rose explores the forbidden and the taboo in this modern twist on Beauty and the Beast – the first in a seductive new dark romance series set in a world where information is power, and those who control the flow of information live like gods. Key Characters: Thorn Beathach, and Alana Beaumont. This story is set in an alternative reality California where four families have all the power. Each of the families rely on various social media outlets to make them even more powerful.

For Alana Beaumont, that information is through social media. Reeling from her brother's death, she finds herself the heir to Aquarius Social. Alana is the only one in her family that is capable of charging their crystals that keep them in business. Her father devises a plan to marry her off to a competing business's family in an attempt to shore up the company. Alana is completely against this idea and has one week to find another way. After meeting with her intended from another family, Alana is drugged, and nearly kidnapped. Her savior? Thorn Beathach.

Thorn is a recluse. Thorn owns Malice Media a direct competition with Aquarius Social. As the owner of his own social media company, he's done whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and doesn't let anything get in his way. But he has a weakness and that's Alana. He's obsessed with making her his, even if that means kidnapping her in order to protect her. But, when his life is on the line thanks to an attack on crystals that his company relies on to remain on top, the enemies find themselves turning to each other to figure out how to save him. And how to solve the mystery of how Alana's brother died. Can they put aside their differences and hate to help each other come out on top?

*Thoughts* One of my issues with this book is that Thorn is literally a stalker who wants what he wants and doesn't care who gets in the way including Alana's father. Thorn is probably considered an anti hero. He’s demanding, authoritatively harsh and dominating. Killing, or fighting or ordering those things done is just in his nature. The only real positive is his relationship to his adopted brother Justice who is his right hand man in everything. The overly BDSM sections of this book reduced my rating to just okay. I literally posted that this book reminds me of Fifty Shades of Grey. The mystery behind Gast's death was suspenseful, as well as a serial killer that seems to be stalking Alana lookalikes. This is a strange world that relies on crystals, gems, diamonds, and people's emotions. I wish that the author had delved deeper into this rather than spend so much time on other things.

📚One Cursed Rose by Rebecca Zanetti📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️1/2

✨Tropes✨
🥀Obsessed MMC
🥀Beauty & the Beast retelling
🥀Dark romance
🥀Modern, Urban, Tech setting
🥀Touch her and ☠️
🥀She’s mine

✨Summary✨
Alana is the daughter and heir of one of the four ruling tech families in Silicon Valley. Due to a recent, fatal car accident, Alana is now the sole heir of Aquarius, a giant media company. On the outside, she is a beautiful, yet vapid, influencer and young socialite. However, deep down, she is incredibly intelligent, self assured, independent, and kind. In short, with Alana, there is more than meets the eye.

Billionaire and owner of Malice Media, a competing media company, Thorne Beathach, would agree. After all, he has been watching Alana for a while now and the restraint on his obsession is about to give way. When Alana’s father sets up an arranged marriage of sorts to another man from a competing tech family, Thorne realizes it’s time to step in and make his…interest…known to Alana. During an assassination attempt against Alana, Thorne makes his move and takes her back to his impenetrable palace. However, a virus that is literally freezing Thorne from the inside, out may be too strong to overcome his obsession and deep desire for Alana.

Will Thorne and Alana find their own twisted version of a happy ending, or will the virus and Alana’s own past be the couple’s undoing?

✨Critiques✨
Throne and Alana’s ‘banter’ isn’t great. It’s not the worst I’ve ever read, and it’s not particularly great either.

The first 1/3 of the book takes off and is so good. But the book begins to lag somewhere in the middle. However, it does pick up again about 3/4 of the way through and the action doesn’t stop until the end. Just stick with it, the pay off is very good and worth the slower parts.

✨Elements I Loved✨
A super specific sub-trope that I love is when the FMC knows another language without those around her realizing she knows what they’re saying. That is, until she turns around and talks back in that language. It’s just so satisfying!

🪄Standout magic features🪄
Crystals create energy for the four ruling families in this world. When the internet was first created, it drained the energy. However, with the creation of AI technology and social media, they were able to harness and strengthen the capture of crystal energy. It provides not only money, but also health and longer life. This is a very clever way to incorporate magic into modern technology.

👩🏻My Recommendation👩🏻
This book is fantastic for anyone looking for a quick, easy to read dark romance. Check to trigger warnings, obviously, but this book is something dark, yet fun to read while on vacation (like I was when I read it). There’s no other way to describe it other than, dark yet fun. It’s a unique retelling of beauty and the beast. If you enjoy dark romances, put this in your TBR, it’s worth it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC.