I had a lot of fun listening to this book. The story was so fun, the characters very enjoyable, and the narrator did amazing. I didn't want to stop listen to it once I started!

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor for letting me listen to this early!

I listened to this one on audiobook, and the narration was absolutely perfect—great pacing and tone that really fit the story.

Once Charmed, Twice Cursed follows Bria, blessed with good luck before birth, and Weston, a “null” cursed with bad luck. If they touch, Bria’s luck disappears. Bria’s hand in marriage is being sold to the highest bidder, and Weston—ironically the only man not bidding—is the only one she actually wants.

This is a cozy romance and a super easy read. The main characters are likable, and their chemistry is something you can really root for. The plot is on the slower side, and not a lot of big moments happen, but it’s enjoyable all the same.

The side characters didn’t bring a lot to the story, and while the ending was a happy one, it didn’t feel quite as exciting or satisfying as I hoped. Still, I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a light, charming read with a bit of magical flair.

Thanks to NetGalley and Briar Rose Publishing for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars rounded up

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

“I love you. In the permanent, branded-on-my-soul kind of way. I love you so much that I'd gladly take just half of you over the entirety of any other man."

This was a fun, quick read that I devoured in one sitting. It was well written, sweet, romantic, and magical. I loved the main characters especially Weston. This had a lot of my favorite tropes so overall, it was a win for me. The only reason its not a 5 star is because I wanted it to be longer!

“I fell in love with you in less time than it took you to blink. Even though I knew from that first moment that I could never have you."

What to expect:
Forbidden love
Princess Bride vibes
Brother's best friend
Kidnapping (for a good reason)
Forced proximity

This was a fast paced romantasy audiobook that kept me entertained...for the most part! This story follows our main character who is blessed with luck, and is therefore coveted by the local bachelors for her ability to bring luck to those around her. However, the person that she wants to be with is a "null" or someone who is cursed with bad luck. I really enjoyed how the author used this fantastical setup to create an interesting and engaging story. While I did generally enjoy the setup and plot of this story, I did struggle with the characters, and the romance. There were some things that had me questioning the setup and tension between the two main characters. I also struggled with the main female character and her inability to stand up for herself at any point, I do typically prefer an FMC with a little more grit to her character, whereas this one is content to just let things happen around her for the majority of the story. By the end, my attention had started to wander slightly and while I generally had a good time reading this one, I don't plan to continue on with the series.
Audiobook thoughts: I did enjoy the narration of this audiobook a lot. I typically listen to my audiobooks at a higher speed and am always concerned about losing inflection and tone in the process, but this narrator did a phenomenal job, and her male voice didn't bother me at all. Thank you to Netgalley for providing the audiobook to me.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book, I feel if people liked belladonna they would love this book. I felt like it was quite predictable, especially with her having the power of luck, I did really enjoy where he saved her and he was quite illusive even though we knew it was him. Unfortunately it wasn’t for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC.

‘Once Charmed, Twice Cursed’ written by Shaylin Gandhi is about Bria Radcliffe who was charmed upon her birth by Fortuna to live an inherently lucky life; except she cannot have the man she loves.
The narration by Kimberly M. Wetherell fits the story well. The voices given to the characters are unique and distinctive which makes sure you always know who is speaking. The overall flow and pacing of the narration was good but particularly the passion of the narrator pulled me through to the end.
I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook and can recommend both although I personally prefer the audiobook.
The premise of star crossed lovers immediately caught my attention. The story itself is fun and there are moments that gave me butterflies and made me root for the main characters even more.
Although I wish the plot would’ve been more dramatic overall. It lost some of its pull around the middle and it felt like the character were practically flowing through the story. More setbacks would’ve made me feel the pain and yearning more. This also applies to the female main character. The characters are well thought out in general but I wished for Bria to go through more change because she felt hardly different to me at the end.
In the end, I rate this audiobook with three out of five stars and would recommend it to people who can’t say no to star crossed lovers and forbidden love.
Thank you Tantor Media for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Once Charmed, Twice Cursed by Shaylin Gandhi is a standalone that came out in July 2024, but I was lucky enough to receive an ALC of the audiobook coming out on April 29, 2025.

Stars: 4/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was such a delightful surprise. I requested the ALC this morning, received the approval almost immediately, then listened to the entire thing in one sitting while at work. When I read the synopsis, my first thought was how it reminded me a bit of The Princess Bride, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. I had to laugh when I saw the Amazon description said "Once Charmed, Twice Cursed is a standalone, brother's best friend romantasy, perfect for those who wished Princess Bride had been a little bit angstier and a little bit steamier."

SIGN ME UP!

Time: 7hr. 34min.
The audiobook was produced by Tantor Audio, and Kimberly M. Wetherell did such an amazing job narrating, I completely lost track of time. Her voice is both smooth when it needs to be and exciting during the action scenes. She did a great job at voicing both the male and female parts as well as differentiating between characters. She brought the right emotion to the scenes and really kept me captivated in the story from beginning to end.

About the story (with some minor early spoilers):

The story is about a girl named Bria who has been charmed with a blessing of endless good luck. Although Bria doesn't seem to see it that way. While suitors are knocking on her door asking for her hand in marriage, there is only one man she has eyes for: her brother's best friend.

Weston, however, has been cursed as a null, with never-ending bad luck that affects both him and those who get too close. While Bria and Weston's fortunes seem to cancel each other out when they are close, Weston refuses to get too close in fear of taking Bria's luck away.

Then, Bria's brother accepts a marriage proposal on her behalf from a dreadful duke. Bria begs Weston to save her, but in the end, he couldn't. While traveling to the Duke's home, their carriage is attacked by highwaymen, and Bria is kidnapped by a masked man who needs her luck to help save someone close to him.

Will this masked stranger be a vicious captor who only wants her for her luck, or will he be the escape she is looking for to get away from the duke?

Final thoughts:

I was looking for a fast-paced romantasy that had a unique story, and that is exactly what I got in Once Charmed, Twice Cursed. From beginning to end, I was captivated by this fairytale meets morally gray men adventure. Even though I flew through this book, I really did feel the love between the characters as they navigated their relationship and the challenges surrounding them. I will definitely be recommending this book to my friends.

Thank you to RBmedia for accepting my ALC request through NetGalley.

Thank you to Shaylin Gandhi, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very simple story with a lot of angst. It don't believe it's marketed as YA but it read like YA. By simple I mean it was a straightforward plot, no subplots. Very Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending. A boy and a girl want each other but the worlds says no. One day they say fuck you, world, and get together anyway. The end.

That's not to say I didn't like it. This was a lovely romance that I enjoyed listening to, though I could have done without the explicit sex. The narrator, Kimberly M. Wetherell, was excellent. Bria came across as a little airheaded, but sailing through life with fantastic luck doesn't exactly cultivate problem-solving skills, as the narrative points out. Weston was a little self-flagellating, but when you claw through life experiencing nothing but adversity and disdain, you're not likely to have much confidence, again as the narrative points out. Overall it was an intriguing premise with thoughtful execution.

This was an uncomplicated romantasy with cute banter and some steamy moments. Fantastic narrator and a plot that was definitely needed today. Would have loved some more backstory on the world building but I wanted something uncomplicated.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

La premisa me gustó mucho, pero siento que faltaron muchas cosas por explicar para que tuviera más sentido. En cuanto al romance tuvo sus momentos lindos, pero faltó profundizar un poco más en la relación, los personajes a mi parecer se leen bastante juveniles (más YA que NA). Sentí que la protagonista se pasó la mitad del libro rogándole al interés amoroso que la amara. Puedo ver porqué le gustó a otros lectores el libro, pero para mí simplemente no funcionó del todo.

3/5⭐
5/5🎧 (solo/inglés) Kimberly M. Wetherell hizo un trabajo impecable dando vida a todos los personajes con su actuación.

This is among the three, 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 6-star books I have read this year. I absolutely loved everything about this Story. I am not much into retellings but did not mind this at all. And who doesn't love the classic Romeo and Juliet. I really did have all the feelings from this book- happy, sad, frustrated, mad, ashamed, mad, happy, sad, happy. The end message is so rewarding. There is a price for everything and everyone and only you can make the right choice for you.

Thank You Netgalley, Tantor Media and Shaylin Gandhi for the ALC for my honest review. This was such a cute/fun read that I was able to finish easily in a day. The narrator, Kimberly M. Wetherell did such an amazing job with all the characters. I have never listened to a book from her and now I will seek some out. I also appreciate that this is a standalone as we all have way too many series going on our TBR's. This is not my fist book from this author, but I am excited to see more from Shaylin and will definitely check out her backlist.

I’m a huge fan of The Princess Bride, so when I saw this book marketed as The Princess Bride with more angst and steam, I had to check it out.

Unfortunately, while it wasn’t bad… it also wasn’t great.
(If I never hear the phrase “Fortuna save me” again, it’ll be too soon.)

It felt a bit repetitive, the main characters made some questionably dumb choices, and it lacked the humor and charm that made its source of inspiration so iconic. I mean, come on—Wesley’s “As you wish” is legendary for a reason.

That said, I truly believe there’s a reader for every book and a book for every reader. Just because this one didn’t quite do it for me doesn’t mean it won’t be your next favorite!

Honestly, this standalone fantasy was such a fun, easy read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC—I loved every sweet moment between Bria and Weston— their love felt wonderfully pure & the build up felt authentic. If you’re looking to dip your toes into fantasy with very mild spice, this is the perfect choice. The audiobook production was fantastic as well. Overall, a solid 4 stars ⭐️

Loved this story. Bria and Weston have opposing luck but are perfect together. This was such a creative and fun story and it still had some spice. Loved this.

This was my first ever audiobook and a fun, easy romantasy to start with. It leaned more into the romance than the fantasy, which I didn’t mind. I loved the tension between the characters, and while it didn’t leave a huge impact, it was a really enjoyable, low-effort listen. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a romantasy without tons of world-building or background info—just a fun, easy standalone read.

Once Charmed, Twice Cursed is a impressive novel that seamlessly blends romance, action, magic, and the charm of high society.

The characters are deeply relatable, making it easy to form emotional connections with them. Adding to the magic is the audiobook narrator's stellar performance, she excels at conveying the nuances of emotions throughout the story.

The plot is intricately crafted, brimming with action and heartfelt moments. It perfectly mirrors the thoughts and feelings of the well-developed characters, ensuring an engaging experience.

Although the world-building has its strengths, a deeper exploration of the characters' childhoods would have added richness to the romance, deepening its impact on the story.

This enchanting tale is an excellent choice for fans of The Rose Bargain or This Woven Kingdom. With its focus on romance, it’s particularly well-suited for readers who might not typically gravitate toward fantasy.

This was a short book and rogue was my favourite superhero so I loved this sooo much .. there was violence and romance unbelievable pining and chemistry

I was super excited for this book after being intrigued by the synopsis. It's also a standalone so a very satisfying read! Omgosh it was SO good! I had never heard of the author but I'm now in research mode. It's a refreshing take on romantasy, not a if you like x or its similar to y!
Our FMC Birdie is blessed by the Goddess Fortuna, she has incredible luck in all areas of her life and it rubs off on anyone close. Everyone, including her family see her as a possession to bring them wealth/luck! Oh boy did I hate her brother! On deciding to marry her off, every man in town comes forward with offers of wealth to him (she has no say). All except Weston, the one man she wants, who unlike Birdie is cursed by Fortuna and has the worst luck. As a null if he touches Birdie both their marks would disappear, something she desperately wants but he will do anything to avoid.
She is betroved to a terrible man, the duke, and on the way to her wedding she is kidnapped by Jack! Another null who desperately needs her help.
I can't say much more on the story as spoilers would ruin this whole thing!
The characters are are so well written, the angst is next level, the slow burn is painfully good and so 🔥. Its not a super spicy book but the spice is spicing 🥵!! There are twists and turns, I could not stop listening! It's also a medium stakes read which means whilst you are super invested and engaged you are not stressed to the hilt 🤣!
This was so refreshing and pulled me back into romantasy. I was late twice in one day as I could not press pause whilst listening to this 😂😂😂.

🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧 🎧
Narrator Kimberly M Wetherell
I really enjoyed the narrator for this book, it was well done and very engaging. The book was single POV but I found I did not really think about it much as the narrator had good range for the different characters. Sometimes I do find that an issue with one reader but not with this audio!

If you are new to romantasy and coming from contemporary this is the perfect introduction. If you are a seasoned romantasy reader like myself this is something a bit different, perfect as a palate cleanser or if you are in a slump with so many similar format books in the genre this brings something fresh.

Rating: 3.75 stars

*Once Charmed, Twice Cursed* by Shaylin Gandhi is an enjoyable and imaginative romantasy novella, perfect for readers curious about the genre but unsure where to dive in. The audiobook, which I received as an Advanced Listener Copy from NetGalley and Tantor Audio, features an exceptional narrator who vividly brings the unique world and intriguing magic system to life.

Gandhi introduces a fascinating concept—magic based entirely on luck. At birth, characters receive a Mark indicating either divine fortune or perpetual misfortune. Our heroine, Bria Radcliffe, is Charmed, and while this might seem enviable, her story cleverly explores the burdens of excessive good luck. Opposite her is Weston Wildes, her brother’s best friend, marked as a Null—someone whose touch negates luck. Naturally, sparks fly between these two, and their chemistry is genuinely compelling. Their romance, including some deliciously steamy scenes, forms the heart of the story and provides plenty of satisfying moments.

However, while I enjoyed Bria and Weston's dynamic, the novella faltered slightly by being overly explicit with its central theme—that a blessing can also serve as a curse. Gandhi hammers this point home through exaggerated cruelty from those around Bria, almost to a humorous extent. A bit more subtlety in how this message was delivered would have strengthened the narrative overall.

Still, *Once Charmed, Twice Cursed* remains engaging, fun, and accessible. It's an excellent choice for listeners looking for something quick and romantic, especially if you're new to romantasy and want a taste without diving headfirst into a complex epic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC of this audiobook!

⭐️4/5– Magical, Messy, and Totally Bingeable⭐️

This story pulled me in fast and refused to let go. It’s packed with magical mayhem, sharp banter, and the kind of romantic tension that makes you forget to check the time. The slow-burn kept me flipping pages (okay,devouring them), the world feels rich without being overwhelming, and every twist had me needing “just one more chapter” until suddenly—it was over.

Also, the narrator’s voice? Absolute perfection. Smooth, expressive, and totally addictive. Would listen to her read a grocery list.

If you’re dipping your toes into romantasy, this is a fun, fast-paced, binge-worthy place to start. I swooned and I obsessed—4 glowing stars!

~this was an ARC read (audiobook) with an honest review~