How to Kill a Trilogy: A Curse For True Love by Stephanie Garber
Thesis:
A lack of foresight and understanding within your own book series could lead to its downfall. Also, the misunderstandings around ‘empowered’ female characters, how abuse should not be glorified and how it’s plagued male characters, and how plot elements are allowed to be predictable, especially when it works.
Disclaimer: If this novel series is loved by you, you can disregard everything in this post. These are my opinions as a self-published author, and I’m merely seeking to bring awareness to what became underutilized, and what was overlooked–resulting in the trilogy’s wasted potential. I’m an author that despises wasted potential, so experiencing such hits harder for me—which means I need to ramble about it.
This is also intended to be read by those familiar with the series. There are major spoilers.
I’ll go in an edit this post in the future, to add source chapters and pages. I can't right now as my copy is in storage back in Canada, and I refuse to give any more money to buy a second copy of A Curse for True Love.
Without further ado, enjoy.
Introduction:
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber—it was at one point, one of my favourite books, which a great sequel, and with one of the most highly anticipated finales.
Except, after reading A Curse for True Love, my mind was changed. A single book in the series ruined an incredible plot, did not tied up loose ends, and that ruined an otherwise incredible series.
A character identity crisis’ with Evangeline Fox and Jacks (girlboss with amnesia solves all her own problems and the useless love interest who whines), the retconned plot device Apollo who turned villain, important plot devices (the heart bites and Evangeline’s letter to herself) underutilized and forgotten, mysterious romantasy replaced by high school drama (Aurora Valor’s lame purpose and convenient explanations), and finally, how could I not mention the glaringly obvious conclusion—the retconned villain’s sudden interest in immortality, and a tree that hadn’t once been mentioned before. Suddenly, a tree is important, and it’s unrelated to what came before.
Once Upon a Broken Heart should’ve been a staple in the YA Romantasy era. Without proof, all I can speculate was a loss of interest by the author, who perhaps didn’t have full reigns on the story than her name provides and a ghost writer or editor enhanced most of the story had left before completing. Either a different writer came in or the author tried to rush it themselves.
Regardless, whoever wrote the third instalment had a grossly ignorant understanding of its own characters and story, and I’m not sure what revelation would be worse.
Overview: Once Upon a Broken Heart Series
Stephanie Garber’s Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy is a romantic, fairytale-infused fantasy set in the same enchanting universe as Caraval. The series follows Evangeline Fox, a hopeless romantic whose belief in true love pulls her into the orbit of Jacks, the dangerously charming Fate known as the Prince of Hearts.
When Evangeline makes a desperate deal with Jacks to save someone she loves, she becomes entangled in riddles, curses, and magic far older than she understands. Each book deepens the tension between destiny and desire, testing whether Evangeline can trust Jacks—or whether he’ll be the one to break her heart entirely.
Across glittering ballrooms, cursed castles, magical forests, and realms where stories come alive, the trilogy blends whimsical adventure, emotional twists, and intoxicating romance. The central mystery revolves around bargains gone wrong, ancient prophecies, and a love that might save the world… or ruin it.
Once Upon a Broken Heart
When her true love is about to marry someone else, Evangeline Fox makes a desperate bargain with Jacks, the enigmatic and deadly Prince of Hearts. The deal saves her heartbreak—but binds her to Jacks in ways she never expected. As she’s swept into a world of magic, curses, and dangerous fairy-tale glamour, Evangeline must uncover the truth behind Jacks’ intentions… and whether she can trust a Fate who never tells the whole truth.
Ballad of Never After
Evangeline searches for a way to undo an ancient curse, but every path draws her deeper into Jacks’ world—and his schemes. Magical doors, enchanted lands, and cryptic riddles lead her toward a shocking destiny she never saw coming. Romance blurs with danger as Jacks’ motives grow harder to decipher, and the line between love and manipulation becomes razor-thin.
A Curse for True Love
The cherry on top. With the consequences of past choices reshaping her fate, Evangeline struggles to reclaim her heart, her memories, and her future. Allies become strangers, enemies become saviors, and Jacks faces the one dilemma he cannot outwit: choosing between power and love. The final chapter ties together all the magic, heartbreak, and impossible choices in a finale of fairytale grandeur.
It however, did not tie everything together, and I will explain why through the main plot and character elements A Curse for True Love missed the mark on. These are all the elements that I found, personally, what were disregarded, misused and had an identity crisis within the third instalment.
Misused and Mismanaged:
The Valory Arch and the wish
Evangeline dies and Jacks was implied to use the wish to bring her back to life [End of Ballad of Never After]… but instead, he used it to go back in time, to subject Evangeline through all of the trauma and torment over again, just so he could save her—and still believes it might be better for her if he stayed away. But he doesn’t anyway, so… why are we here?
Realistically, how the first two books read, created a sense of him falling in love with her, and fighting against his purpose of using her. All he’d put her through was justified because that’s exactly what he was doing—she was a pawn, until she wasn’t. His desire for a second chance with who he believed was his true love—the one his kiss had never killed—blinds him from what he puts Evangeline through, and would’ve made his struggle for loving her, saving her and letting her go after what he’d done have greater weight—
Jacks’ True Motives
—Greater weight if he had used his wish to save Evangeline. A great sacrifice in the revelation that he’d fallen in love with her. But instead—he’d gone back in time and relived it all, subjected Evangeline to all of it all over again—and what did that accomplish?
Other than him being painted out to be a horrible love-interest. He puts Evangeline through every bit of horror again. That’s horrible! How necessary is that? So she’d fall for him again?
There is no feasible or understandable reason as to why the story took such a nose-dive. That wasn’t a plot twist, it simply made me angry as a reader.
We are supposed to read that as heroic?
Probably the biggest miss of the series. Jacks is an example of how improper male characters are written, and how YA has created this uncomfortable theme of making male leads extremely toxic, and painting them as attractive and decadent.
Jacks true motives were that the entire time he had been from the future, who’d gone back and relived every moment with Evangeline, putting her through The Valory Arch prophecy and near death encounters all over again, just to avoid her getting her throat ripped out by Chaos.
Smarter writing, in my opinion, would’ve been the easier and more sensible approach—to write his wish as bringing her back to life.
“To claim this wish would have consequences…”
Those consequences, naturally, should’ve been Evangeline’s amnesia, to which she couldn’t remember Jacks or her experiences with him anymore.
Which would then lead to his introspection on whether he should stay out of her life, believing Apollo could give her a better one.
It would’ve also created a better explanation as to why Evangeline had amnesia. Her memory-loss was a direct consequence to him using his wish to save her. His character arc would’ve come full circle following that, in his indecision towards pursuing her, and believing she was better off without him.
Evangeline’s Amnesia
Because her amnesia was a factor, a huge downfall I feel the book had was allowing her to remain the main focal point. This was where that annoying Girlboss mentality that’s been plaguing the creative world came into play. Despite not remembering anything, Evangeline seems to figure everything out all on her own, REALLY WELL. No help, and honestly, she is just pulled along by the plot, not creating it or leading it. She’s simply there, and the plot happens to her, not because of her.
Jacks should've been written to take the lead, with Evangeline’s perspective being supplements for the reader until she regains her memories.
Letter of Remembrance
The Ballad of Never After had Evangeline perfectly set up that letter for herself. It was even made note of the placement. She’d left it on the mantle of her room in the castle.
When she had amnesia, it would’ve made sense for her–when she’d been warned not to go near Jacks–the letter to herself shouldn't have been a convenient way for her to remember everything, but instead a clue for her to know that she had been involved with Jacks for a reason.
And her qualms and questions about Apollo and her missing memories should’ve driven her to seek answers, and Jacks.
I was extremely disappointed with how the letter was used. The convenient device to bring back her memories. I kid you not I was devastated and disappointed. Jacks simply had it on him, that she finds on his person, and—despite all her own words being a huge blaring warning saying DO NOT RETURN TO JACKS—she’s written to fixate on the words ‘remember’ and that brings back her memories.
It was disappointing.
Jacks, The Crybaby
To me, her amnesia should’ve been the reason Jacks became more of a focal–his perspective should’ve been used effectively. Seeing his perspective would’ve given him the chance to struggle with letting her live a normal life because he loves her, or for him to try and find a way to get her memories back. Through that trial and error, he discovers the truth of his curse and where it originated, and that there was a way to break it.
Especially because Aurora Valor was introduced into the story.
Instead, he was written into an emotional fool, that Evangeline had to chase around. His decisions for anything related to her never had a point or purpose—like him pretending to be a guard to teach her how to fight, which only led to a thirst trap scene on a bridge—then nothing comes of it. He saved her from the well, sure, but what purpose did any of that have?
His resignation to help her should’ve come when she sought him out upon finding her letter to herself. Him trying to get her to stay away. His outside view of believing Apollo could take care of her puts more pressure on his pursuit of healing her, until he learns of Apollo’s true motives.
Past, Enigmatic Figure Turned Drama Queen
As she was mentioned, Aurora Valor was hinted as the one who caused Jacks a great deal of problems. She was the one who desired him, and was eventually revealed as the one who’d cursed him to kill any girl he kissed.
I expected her to be someone who would’ve created a damning foil for Evangeline, especially whilst she had amnesia. Someone who would try to manipulate or put others in harm's way for her own gain—except, I never got a sense of that. Aurora was somewhat there, had some purpose, but mostly, created high school drama in between the forced drama of Jacks’ lackluster purpose and Evangeline’s Girlbossery despite amnesia.
Personally, I believe the revelation that she’d been the one to curse him should’ve been far greater. His anger with her would’ve been valid, and she could’ve been a great antagonist for him to deal with. She could’ve appeared, been the metaphoric doubts within his head trying to pull him away from Evangeline, and be an actual obstacle.
Her relation to Jacks would’ve made more sense as well, since she’d been introduced into the third installment.
Jacks was heavily underutilized, and should’ve played a much larger role.
Aurora would’ve acted as a foil–not simply rolling her eyes or being a ‘pick-me’.
So much wasted potential.
The Three Bites
Speaking of wasted potential.
“Don’t worry, I’m still not going to kiss you.” His lips brushed over the delicate underside of her wrist. Once. Twice. Three times. It was barely a touch, and yet there was something incredibly intimate about it. It made her think of the other stories that said his kisses might have been fatal, but they were worth dying for. Jacks’s cool mouth dragged intentionally back and forth over her racing pulse, velvety and gentle and—his sharp teeth dug into her skin.
She cried out, “You bit me!”
“Relax, pet, I didn’t draw any blood.” His eyes shone brighter as he dropped her arm.
She ran a finger over the tender skin he’d just sunk his teeth into. Three thin white scars, shaped like tiny broken hearts, lined the underside of her wrist. One for each kiss.
Once Upon a Broken Heart, Chapter Two
Three kisses. The three bites were not three favours. Evangeline would need to kiss three people of Jacks’ choosing, upon Jacks’ order. I did not view the favour in The Ballad of Never After used up the second bite, which had me believe one kiss remained after her forced kiss with Jacks.
In a Curse for True Love, Apollo rubs the third bite with the pad of his thumb, implying Jacks could use it against Evangeline.
Which meant she still had one bite leftover.
Throughout A Curse for True Love, I was waiting for the final bite to be used to kiss Jacks to break his curse and for Evangeline to regain her memories.
I even imagined it would play out as Jacks being forced to use it under Apollo’s orders, for Evangeline’s execution. A sick way for a villain to make her death be caused by the kiss from whom she loved.
Perhaps it's predictable, but as an author, predictability is fine when it works. So many times I’ve witnessed creatives try to one-up their audience, just because theories or predictions came close to the truth.
I would’ve appreciated the three bites to be for three kisses—which Jacks had implied in Chapter 2 of Book 1.
“I don’t think what you want will help you. But I do appreciate a good lost cause. I’ll stop the wedding in exchange for three kisses.” Jacks’s eyes took on an entertained gleam as they returned to her mouth.
Yet in Ballad for Never After, that’s retconned as simply ‘three ways she is bound to him.’ However, because she still had the final bite in the beginning, one that Apollo pointed out, as a reader, you expect it to be used—and it never does.
The final bite, paired with Jacks resolve of learning the truth of his curse and what could break it, and that it would restore Evangeline’s memories—that would’ve led well into the final kiss being used by Jacks, for Jacks, and in pursuit of the finale.
Something Apollo was against and trying to avoid.
I can’t claim a one-up was attempted in the third instalment, but such an obvious and skillful set-up, perfect for heart wrenching action and for the heroes to secretly have the upper hand. Jacks could’ve known at that point, his kiss could do the opposite of what he’d believed for so long—his kiss could save both himself and Evangeline, instead of kill her.
He gladly does it, acting as though he doesn’t want to and is sorry, only for it to backfire on Apollo.
All before the final defeat of Apollo.
Retconned Villain
This leads us to Apollo. Apollo was introduced to us in Book One as an uninteresting, somewhat attractive prince, without really anything about him. He was not self-righteous, or narcissistic.
As a reader, I viewed Apollo as solely a plot device. He was written as unimportant—established as a motivator and a piece of Jacks puzzle. He was there to create tension, but that was all. Established already as a decent and mildly handsome cast member, who became a puppet—We had no attachment, we didn’t need any, and suddenly, we were expected to have so much interest in him as he was reimagined as the big baddie.
To give credit where credit is due, he had seemed compelling at the beginning of Book 3–and frankly, the beginning of the book held promise for his reintroduction. His true motives under the surface were obscured, and he seemed genuinely concerned for Evangeline, especially after he’d been made a puppet and tried to kill her in Book 2.
His overprotective nature for her stemmed from his past mistakes, and he seemed like a genuine fellow.
What didn’t work was how convenient he was in explaining things. He was reanimated by… someone (forgettable best friend)… and his curse was broken by…someone (Aurora for her drama queen needs)... and he somehow had magic capable of taking away Evangeline’s memories, and he’s somehow extremely built, has a smoking bod, and extremely handsome now.
What?
Again. Evangeline’s memories should’ve been the consequence for using the wish. Apollo could’ve still been reanimated, and could’ve still found her, could’ve still been overprotective, but his manipulation should’ve come from him using her amnesia for personal gain, and to get in Jacks’ way.
Aurora broke his curse… why? Apollo wanted Jacks dead. There was no sensible motive for Aurora to use Apollo in any way that involves Jacks. Keeping Evangeline busy and getting her out of the picture, sure, but to try and hunt down Jacks and kill him?...
I don’t understand.
Not to mention his true motive that was never indicated prior. No hint, nothing as to what he really wanted Evangeline for–immortality—which again, he was just a prince that had nothing special about him. Now, suddenly, he wants immortality, and to use a mythical tree never mentioned or hinted at before- a discrepancy that we readers have to suddenly ignore.
We just have to go along with it, and be shocked by this revelation.
Forgettable Best Friend
Before I continue on to my final point, I wanted to mention a minor detail that I had completely forgotten about, upon reading A Curse for True Love. The unmemorable Crying Bride, whom Evangeline befriended, and easily just reveals herself through exposition as the one who revived and cursed Apollo to go after Evangeline in Book 2. If she thought it would help the situation or for selfish reasons—I couldn't remember for the life of me.
The Crying Bride, who I don’t even remember the name of, was poorly written and poorly reintroduced, has a sole purpose of again, conveniently explaining why Apollo was the final villain. She had cursed him to go after Evangeline—I don’t remember why—and apologized, to which Evangeline, who may or may not still have amnesia, accepted without qualms. They cried and hugged, and it was so hard to read.
She was annoying. I knew I liked her in the first book. I thought she was interesting, but how she was written was poor and amateur. Like with Aurora, she was simply forced drama that felt fit for a highschool contemporary novel, not a YA fantasy.
My final gripe was also how she was only implied for her own spinoff novel, with Chaos being her future love-interest. I was extremely disappointed upon how obvious the set-up was.
Because lo-and-behold, Stephanie Garber published a spinoff with them.
The Tree of Life
Finally, the final issue I had with A Curse for True Love. The plot device we hadn’t known of until the very, very end of the novel. Perhaps it was mentioned early by Apollo, very briefly, but otherwise, it was effectively something that was brought in, as the Valory Arch prophecy had been fulfilled.
I would’ve been fine with this if it was mentioned or implied earlier. That the Valory’s were the tenders for the Tree of Life, that Apollo, even when he was simply a pawn for Jacks, had mentioned his interest in it, or Evangeline had glimpsed clues of his interest in it.
Not once, in either Once Upon A Broken Heart or The Ballad for Never After, was the Tree of Life ever mentioned.
This, dear readers, is why I couldn’t shake the feeling the author had lost interest in finishing this novel, and pawned it off onto a ghost writer—or worse, the ghost writer who’d written most was no longer writing for the series.
This was a convenient plot device. A reason for Apollo to have an ulterior motive, even though he hadn’t before. This was someone writing an entirely different book, detached from the first two. A quick way to finish a trilogy that didn’t know how to be finished.
It’s a cherry on top of all the mismanaged, or misused qualities in this book. An author who writes the plot conveniently, no longer wanted to put effort in. Apollo’s defeat being his own narcissism, which we’d never been given hints to prior, was a huge downgrade to how he was reintroduced. Having neither Evangeline nor Jacks defeat him was lazy, and made the pathetic ending of an outside narrator saying Jacks and Evangeline lived happily ever after feel so unearned. As they walked down the street, Evangeline holding his arm, I was astonished at how dissatisfying it was.
I was so angry once I’d finished reading.
I wanted to return the book so badly out of spite for wasting my time.
Maybe that’s brutal to say, but it was Season 8 of Game of Thrones. It was unnecessary, and just a way to finish a series the author was tired of.
What I would’ve changed:
I’ve already delved into these changes, but I’ll summarize them here. First of all, I would’ve made Jacks’ wish from the Valory Arch be to bring Evangeline back to life. That wish would create the consequence of her losing her memories, and she couldn’t remember anything she’d been through with Jacks.
I would make Apollo be a puppet for Aurora, whom wanted Evangeline out of the way so she could manipulate Jacks. Apollo is freed from his curses placed on him by The Crying Bride, and is determined to keep Evangeline safe, so uses her amnesia to his advantage.
He tells her she must stay away from Jacks as he’s a danger to her. So I would make her discover her letter to herself on the mantle when she starts looking for answers. The letter doesn’t restore her memories, but reveals to her that she had been involved with Jacks, and seeks to learn the truth. Especially after there’s something concerning her about Apollo.
She seeks out Jacks, however, Jacks is resigned in giving her what she wants. You learn through his perspectives that he’s grappling with the fact his wish took her memories away, that he felt remorse and guilt for putting her through hell, and that although he wants to be selfish and get her memories back so they could be together, he also fights with the fact she might be better off without him.
Through his attempts at finding a way to regain her memories—Aurora is a constant thorn in his side, trying to manipulate him that Evangeline is better off without him, and that she and Jacks should be together, like before. Through grappling with the manipulation, he learns that her manipulations dated back to when they were all friends, and that she’d been the one to curse him. He also learns that she’s using Apollo as a pawn, and that Apollo is not as well mannered to Evangeline as he seems.
He eventually learns how to break his curse, through the same means he’d believed would kill whoever he loved, the kiss of his dearly beloved fox.
Before I continue, I'd like to mention that Jacks apparently forced Evangeline to kiss him using the bite in Ballad for Never After. I would change that to instead be used in this book, where the kiss Evangeline doesn’t want is the kiss of death.
Apollo, upon his overprotection and manipulation, believes Evangeline had connived with Jacks and is a traitor, sentences her to death through Jacks and his final kiss. The scene would be written as Jacks playing off that he doesn’t want to do it, but does, and they share their kiss, using the final bite mark up to order Evangeline to kiss him. Evangeline regains her memories, and his curse is lifted via him trading his immortality in return for her memories.
The Tree of Life would not exist—Or it could, but it should be less because Apollo wanted immortality, and more like a final consequence to opening the Valory Arch. The Valory’s regrow the Tree of Life, and would use it to take back control of the kingdom. They are truly the ones who need to be stopped—aka; Jack's selfishness led to these consequences, and they need to be taken accountable and need something for him to rectify all the shit he’d put Evangeline through. The biggest change would be to make Jacks accountable for everything he’d done up until this point, and he must be the one to fix it.
They save the day, the Valory’s are defeated as is Apollo no longer being a puppet. Apollo would truly die as he’d only been reanimated, and those who’d brought him back were defeated. A tragic character, but a well written end. The kingdom is left to rebuild itself, and establish itself in an era without fairytales and curses, as Evangeline and Jacks embark on a life-long journey of their own. A life no longer plagued by curses or prophecies, and them learning to navigate a normal life of mortals, not one of fantasy.
Conclusion:
It was disappointing.
I couldn’t return the book because I was in an awful headspace when I’d bought it, never got around to reading it until 3 months later—long after Amazon’s return policy ended. So I kept it out of spite instead, solely so I could rant about it here. To anyone who’d stumbled upon this entry, just know this was the ramblings of a frustrated author who hates reading wasted potential.
Especially the kind of author that would rewrite it in her own way if she could, but she can’t. The story and characters are so grounded in Garber’s world, it’d be such a waste of effort and time to rewrite an original story with similar elements just to remedy the wasted potential I experienced.
If you’re reading this, whether you agree or disagree, this series should’ve been a standard, and it’s once again an example of why a bestselling author should not have their title.
However, it can also be a glimmer of hope and faith to aspiring authors.
If this third installment received any praise, when it shouldn't have , your novel with proper finesse and fantastic use of its potential, could surpass any proclaimed bestseller.
Your novel can and will probably be better than this.
Everything I’ve brought up poses the question as to how one author can ruin their own story. The only way I could wrap my head around this mistake of a finale was that an author big enough to have ghost writers, hadn’t written her own story. It was just her name slapped to it, and the ghost writer who handled it was either replaced with someone who lacked the understanding of the story, or the author wrote it herself with that same lack of understanding—and I don’t know what’s worse.
Because, truly, the final book lacked its identity. It underutilized its own characters and its own plot, ruined compelling characters and had either a ghost writer as its maker without the author's awareness, or a ghost writer taking over when the author wanted to move on.
Someone associated to it disregarded this story and its characters, and gave up. I wish my initial thought of “am I reading someone's fanfiction right now,” wasn’t true when I’d first began reading it, but after experiencing such disappointment, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.