Happy release day!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me

Think Charmed meets Stars Hollow! This book has the perfect mix of fantasy, romance and even some mystery in the cosy, small town of Sapphire Springs. The spice is very minimal, so I’d say this is quite a cosy paranormal romcom, which is great if you’re looking for a pallet cleanser

This is a brilliant Valentine’s Day read, but could easily be read any time of the year. I think I’ll be rereading this come Halloween!

I devoured this book very quickly, it’s a very easy, fast paced read. The writing is immersive, captivating and keeps you wanting more. I went from laughing out loud, to gasping on the next page. I’m very excited to try other books by this author

At first I thought the way the relationship between the FMC (Rune) and the MMC (Donovan) developed was way too fast to be realistic, but by the end we actually had a good explanation for why everything happened so quickly, so please don’t let that put you off!

I loved the way the relationship developed throughout the book, the twists and turns kept me on my toes and I was excited trying to unravel the mystery at hand along with the characters. I felt very involved in the storyline, and Rune’s hardships were very relatable

Please note there are some potential triggers in this book that are alluded to (such as abuse, assault), however they happen in the characters past and are not mentioned in great detail, and the tragic backstory does serve to help you understand the character much better

I’m going to end this review with one of my favourite lines - “text spreadsheets nigh!”

I really enjoyed this one. A delightful mix of romance, fantasy, and mystery that I couldn't put down. The author does a great job of weaving together and layering the story that kept me endlessly entertained and wanting more. The dynamic between Rune and Donovan was all over the place in a good way, and I love the humor behind Rune's narrative/character. Despite its February release, I think this would be a perfect Halloween read due to the witch element.

RELEASE DAY 💙

Rune Whitlock lives a quiet life in Sapphire Springs, where she’s known for her ability to see the future, though no one believes her. With a cozy cottage, a graphic designer career, and a loyal cat, she’s made peace with being an outsider. Love isn’t on the horizon… until she meets Donovan, Donovan Frost. Brilliant, brooding, and frustratingly logical, he’s the exact opposite of Rune, but their unexpected connection quickly turns into something deeper.

Then, Rune’s visions reveal a devastating truth: they are meant to be together, but their love will end in tragedy on their wedding day. To save Donovan, Rune must push him away, even if she shatters her own heart. As a dark, mystical force works against them, Rune must unravel the mystery of her curse before it's all too late.

"Cursed in Love" is a cozy paranormal romance that blends enemies-to-lovers tension with a touch of magic. The chemistry between Rune and Donovan is electric, despite their stark differences, and the slow burn of their evolving relationship is both sweet and gripping. The added layer of Rune's mysterious curse and the fate that looms over them keeps the stakes high and the pages turning. With its heartwarming moments and intriguing twist, this book is a must-read for anyone who loves a good romance with a bit of paranormal flair.

Despite not liking this story line there are some amazing moments in the book. Times when I rooted for Rune and Donovan. A part or two that made me blush. Would I read more stories from the author yea I probably would. But as for Rune and Donovan, I would probably give them a second chance because I do think they have potential. And just because it’s not for me, it doesn’t make it a bad book. I don’t think there are any bad books, just different opinions.
The world building in this story is long, extensive and much too long for me. When I first started reading it… it drove me nuts! Like Seriously, the first half of the book is backstory mixed with world building mixed with flirtation. I have a love hate relationship with the first half of the book. I started off hating the book and struggling to read because it was so slow as if I was living the days of the story. Then there were parts that were laugh out loud funny and parts that I was cheering on the characters in the scenes. And had I not enlisted to be an ARC reader I probably would have added it to my DNF list. Which is surprisingly short. I finally made it to about 50% after days of struggling with it and then **Boom** In one night I went from 50 to 75% in about 2 hours. I loved listening to the Kindle assistive reader while soaking. I’m more of an action girly so yes, the action definitely picks up.
~~~~Possible spoilers below Mainly my thoughts on characters~~~~~


*As for our main character, Rune, I struggled to sympathize with her. I can’t quite put my finger on it but I don’t like her. Throughout the book the way she narrated it and talked I couldn’t like her. For the first half of the book there were a handful of moments that made me laugh or root for her. But after that halfway mark it was almost like it was two different people and I started rooting more for her. It was as if she was a different person altogether.
*Donovan is her fated love. Sure, it’s a little steamy but I kind of liked his brother better. Donovan was uptight, arrogant, my way or the highway, and if it’s against his preconceived notion then you must be lying. I really wasn’t his biggest fan.
*Officer (can we say his name) I honestly liked him a lot better than the main male lead. Sure, he lived up to her nickname of him, but he believed in our primary character and he genuinely seemed to care for his family once we realized it.
*The Sinsters yes, yes, yes, and more yes can we say they seem the embodiment of female empowerment? But my big problem with them is they’ve known Rune her whole life and not once did they seem to catch on that she was very much like them. There would have been plenty of signs surely if they were involved as much as they are portrayed to.
*Charlotte seemed to just be there to bail her out of sticky situations. Totally a fluff character to fill in the story line, kind of like Julia as well. This is the only story I have read with Rune in it so from that perspective Julia and Charlotte were kind of just random people that really didn’t seem to add much to the plot.

I honestly loved this book so much that I devoured it in less than 24 hours!
If you like heartwarming small town paranormal romance , forbidden romance and a sprinkle of forced proximity then this is definitely the book for you.
I would say this book is pretty fast paced but easy to follow.
I fell in love with the characters from the get go and adored the banter between Rune & Donovan.
Emily’s writing is captivating, immersive and hard not to love. I can’t wait to read more of her work!

Rune is cursed to see future deaths but also have no one believe her. Being the good person she is, she's inclined to try to prevent the person from dying. This puts her in awkward positions when no one understands.

Opposites are thrown together to attract but her curse is trying to get in the way. I enjoyed the background town and character development as well as the connections Rune has.

The twists to get Donovan and Rune together were ingenious and I enjoyed the back and forth.

Adorable concept but this one unfortunately did not hit the mark me for me. Our FMC Rune has a gift of premonition that she can't control or tell anyone about that comes and goes infrequently but one day the premonitions don't stop coming. What does it mean? What's causing them to come so frequently and why does no one believe her? This book felt disconnected to me, like the first half was a completely different book than the second half and not in a good way. This caused things to never be answered fully and characters to come in to play that end up being useless and not important to the story. The instalove was also a little too much to handle. Within a second of meeting each other the characters were head over heels which made them as a whole lack any depth. I did love the premise, just wish the execution went off a little better.
2.5 stars rounded up

Cute grumpy sunshine romance with dash of magic and steam! I enjoyed reading this book and had a great time laughing lol love Rune and Donovan!

I DNFed at 50%, and here is why.

The description of the book said that it was a quirky, funny, paranormal romcom. The authors note that we state that it has darker elements. However, it is followed by " but in a funny way."

However, this is not a quirky romcom as advertised.

The magical elements are very dark and unnerving.

There are premonitions that are bloody and death filled, which were the start of my uneasiness with this book (around 20%), and at 50% summoning of spirits and them going into people.

I was also very uncomfortable with the amount of cussing and use of the word GD (5+) so far.

I did skim the upcoming chapters to see if the book remained this dark in nature, and it does ,so needless to say, this book was not for me.

4.5/5

Thank you Netgalley and Black Orchid Books/Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for my review copy. These are my thoughts:


“Sweet purple ponies”! What was this book!?
This was so much fun! Not at all what I was expecting!

Rune can see the future but she’s cursed so no one believes her. When her boss pairs her with the very handsome but reluctant Donavan, Rune will find that the not so easy life she’s had thus far, will only get harder and weirder.

This book was hilarious and a little dark. It started off as a steamy romcom and with all that could go wrong for Rune, going wrong. And then turned into a battle of opposing witch factions. The combination of action, humor and the steamy chemistry between Rune and Donavon made for a griping read.

Special mention to The Sinsters - the “mature” ladies of Sapphire Springs. They were naughty and nosy and liked their books spicy.

I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. It was a super fun read, and I really loved Rune and Donovan as leads. But it was just such a fast-paced kind of chaos, something constantly happening or changing, that there wasn’t really a moment to catch my breath as a reader. It’s the kind of book where I think it could benefit was taking one plot point out but…I have no idea which one. So maybe I’m wrong. Maybe this story is exactly what it should be.

I did really enjoy it, and I think others will too.

This was such a fun & zany witchy romcom! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their journeys. The mystery and twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and kept me up wayyyyy too late because I couldn’t put the book down. The tension between our quirky FMC Rune and our Grumpy hot nerd MMC Donovan is off the charts! I loved the hidden magic and sercrets that we unravel throughout the story. We start out with very cozy small town vibes and it ramps up a lot by the end as we figure out more about Rune & all the folks of Sapphire Springs. Donovan’s jerky cop brother ended up being a fav character of mine, I’d love to see another story with him finding love. Rune is so funny and her inner monologue had me laughing out loud throughout.

I enjoyed this book and its Charmed meets Stars Hollow vibe! With its unique magic system, twists and turns and Rune’s tragic past it had me feeling all the feels! I would love for this to be a series and have the world built upon more. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a cozy but twisty witchy romance.

Thank You NetGalley for the ARC.

Cursed in Love by Emily Colin, follows Rune Whitlock an orphaned graphic designer. When Rune is thrown into a collaborative work project with her broody data driven coworker, her life is turned upside down. Rune is prone to 'premonitions', which she has had her whole life and show her the future, and believes she is cursed as no one believes her about these.

I'm going to get straight to the point, I was really disappointed by this book. I am a lover of anything small town and witchy, gilmore girls is my favourite TV show and i looove the enemies to lovers trope - so i was really excited to read this, but unfortunately it really didn't hit the mark for me.

Firstly, I found Rune as a character to be quite immature, when it revealed she supposed to be in her thirties I was genuinely shocked. Her relationship with Donovan escalated far too quickly in my opinion, it felt very insta-love and it wasn't for me.

The whole book is set and paced weirdly in my opinion, the whole book takes place over a period of 6 days, it feels like rune is having the longest days ever with like a million things happening and that everything is done immediately. I know this is fiction, but it feels very unrealistic.

The book is marketed as 'witchy', but for the first half of the book I feel this was barely mentioned at all.

Adding in 'the monster' and Julia to her backstory seemed a bit of an interesting choice to me, I feel this was a big focal point, especially at the start of the book, but didn't really add to the story. Focussing on her being orphaned and carrying the trauma of not having a settled family experience would be enough to add to the story in my opinion.

I rated this book 2 stars on fable. I didn't hate the book, but if i didn't have it as an ARC, i may have DNF'd. I understand why others like this book, but as the witchy/paranormal romance genre is growing, there are other books that do it better. I have heard more positive things about Colin's Romantasy series, so i am keen to check this out in the future.

"Swooning for small town love & curses."

Thank you Netgallery & Black Orchid Books for an E -book ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had all the cozy. home town heart warming paranormal urban romance vibes for my little squishy heart and I loved it! The plot was ploting and I was not expecting such stakes considering it gave off such a cozy vibe. I love me some witch and coven drama and was here for it! Emily's writing style was addictive and I instantly fell for Rune and Donovan .

If you are looking for cute, cozy, witchy and swoon-worthy with a banging plot look no further!

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

I stumbled upon Cursed in Love purely by chance, and it surprised me, in a positive way. I love romance books set in small towns, specifically ones that also have that slight magical/almost paranormal touch in them.

A meddling town that is always up in Rune's business, especially after she meets ice-cold and attractive Donovan Frost, makes for some very interesting situations. The book starts off being lighthearted but midway through, it shifts into something darker, after Rune has a deadly premonition. The tonal shift does feel slightly abrupt at first, but you have to keep reading for it to make sense.

The chemistry between Rune and Donovan is there from the start and you can feel it from their first chaotic meeting. I also loved that Donovan calls her Chaos, which makes for a pretty funny and cute nickname in the context. At the same time, I did feel that the attraction between them was a little bit insta-lovey and I personally don't enjoy that trope (although the two don't actually get together till the very end).

The events of, and leading up to, the climax were high-key dramatic, reminding me of CW show finales. But reading them was also so much fun, because they were jam packed full of revelations about the magic system of this book. I don't know if this is just a standalone, but I wouldn't mind reading more books set in the town of Sapphire Springs.

Cursed in Love makes for a very run read, and worked as a palate cleanser for me between some heavy books. This would honestly be the perfect read for the spooky season!

Cursed in Love had me hooked from the first chapter. This enchanting story follows Rune, who possesses the power of premonition, as she falls head over heels for Donovan. As Rune grapples with her visions of the future, she faces the ultimate challenge: can she prevent the love of her life from meeting a tragic end?

This cute witchy rom-com is packed with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. If you're a fan of romance, comedy, and witches, Cursed in Love should be your next read. I look forward to reading more of Emily Colin’s books. I’d like to extend my gratitude to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Stars Hollow meets Charmed" in this small town story filled with funny townsfolk, milkshakes, and magic. In Sapphire Springs, Rune never fit in. She always felt like an outsider in this bubbly quirky town. As she navigates her daily life, she deals with a secret power that no one takes seriously: she has the power of premonition. She has a dark premonition about her future with Donovan when they meet. Will she be able to change their fate?

This story was moving, funny, and emotionally devastating at times. I fell in love with Rune as she desperately tried to change her fate and of those she loves. The town, the people, all kept me entertained as I fell deeper and deeper into the charms Sapphire Springs has to offer.

Cursed in love
By Emily Colin

+ Grumpy / Sunshine
+ Small Town
+ Forbidden Romance
+ Secrets & Curses
+ Witches & Magic
+ HEA

Sweet purple ponies I loved this book! It was such a cozy, quick, sweet & entertaining read. I couldn’t put it down!

Rune Whitlock has the ability to see the future, but the curse of no one believing her. Although she has always felt like an outsider, she is content in her life with her best friend and cat Valentine. All of that changes when she meets the icy Donovan Frost. He’s as beautiful as he is frustrating. When they are forced to work together on a project, they realize opposites really do attract. Rune thinks she finally may have caught a break, until her premonition shows that not only are they fated mates, their love is the cause of Donovan’s death. Rune keeps Donovan at arms length to try and protect him, but as secrets unfold and everything comes to light, she learns nothing is as simple as it seems.

I stumbled on this through NetGalley and I am so happy I did! This was such a fun and feel good read.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my voluntary and honest review!

The story gave me major Charmed vibes - lots of dramatic, witchy activity. Despite being over the top and predictable, I was still here for the ride. Overall, I wanted more depth on the main characters’ relationship but enjoyed the story nonetheless. 4/5.