Keith Stuart is one of my all time favourite authors, his beautiful phrasing and well developed characters draw you in to whatever world he creates. I especially like the way he doesn’t just replicate his other books, but tries out different genres. This is a fascinating gothic tale with interwoven stories of women from different generations of the same family. It is always a true pleasure to read a book by this author.

Cammy is a teenager when her aunt dies after telling her that all the women in the family have lost or will lose their loves.
There is a curse on the family.
Then her boyfriend is involved in a hit and run and she is convinced it is her fault. She starts investigating her family through the years but will she finds the answer she wants and will it be to late?

Really enjoyed this gothic horror/mystery of cursed love in a family. Bit of a spoof but totally gripping. Sheer entertainment

I loved this author's previous books so I was very excited to get my hands on this, his latest. Even without reading the blurb, which I maybe should have done as this book is a bit of a diversion from what has gone before. But I needn't have worried as I blooming loved it just as much...
So, as I started this book, as the main character Cammy was told that there was a family curse in which the women of the family are destined to lose the one they love, I started to worry that it was going to be going down the Practical Magic route... Which, incidentally is a series that I also absolutely love... But, there the similarity ended... What I then went on to get was a delightfully spooky Gothic tale spanning the generations as Cammy, after suffering her own issues with boyfriend Ben's accident, sets out to discover more about her family history, as she believes that maybe she could be the one to break the curse...
Oh My Days! What a cracking book this turned out to be. It had all the things that are necessary for a Gothic novel. Set mostly in an old converted church, with a main character who is and has always been drawn to the darker side of life. Throw in a bunch of family secrets, both past and present, light the blue touchpaper, and away you go...
As with all his previous books, the characters contained herein are superb. Well described and all play their parts perfectly. Both the present day ones and the ones in the past, the getting to know part being done through magazine articles, letters, old journals, that kind of thing. All very effective ways of getting the necessary information into the readers' hands. With the story spanning some 150 years, each era has been meticulously recreated and all felt so very very real.
And the ending, when it came, when the whole truth was all eventually laid bare... WOW! Never saw that coming. But it was perfect, and I loved it.
All in all, a cracking book from an author I already love. And with the genre switch this time, I really can't wait to see what he delivers me for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

First time reading this author and really enjoyed it,loved the historical flashbacks and the stories and really enjoyed the writing,the more I read the more I wanted to read to find out what the outcome would be
I will definitely read more from this author

I really enjoyed this book, it had the perfect balance of spooky and realistic without going too far. I loved all the different women’s stories through the ages though sometimes it was hard to remember which was which and from which time period.
Overall, I really liked this book and read it really quickly as I wanted to know what would happen.

Love Is a Curse is the fourth novel from Keith Stuart, who also wrote the wonderful A Boy Made of Blocks, Days of Wonder and The Frequency of Us.

This book is a very different read from his previous novels – a modern gothic tale which focuses on a years old curse, disclosed on the deathbed of a beloved Aunt. Cammy writes it off as nonsense but when things soon take a tragic turn, she starts to delve deeper and deeper into her family’s past, and uncovers a lot of secrets and lies – but can the curse really exist, and more importantly – can she risk it?

There are a few obvious twists along the way and some interesting back stories, although I, like some other reviewers found some of the timeslip segments took me out of the main story, leaving it feeling a little disjointed. I could also have done with a family tree or a glossary of characters as there are quite a few of them, though I realise this could be difficult without spoilers.

All in all, a different type of book from Keith, and I’m not sure it holds quite the poignancy of his other subjects which tend to focus on a much smaller ‘cast’, but it’s still sensitively done and should be appealing to a wider audience as the paranormal/spiritual element is kept in check and doesn’t take over the story. This becomes more evident as the investigation goes on, so don’t be put off by the blurb if you are not of a mystic persuasion! A It’s a great read, spanning the years and told from several different voices, through rediscovered letters and historical accounts.

If you enjoyed Weyward, or Fyneshade, or any gothic/modern day timeslip, you’ll probably enjoy this one too.

Another great read by this Author, such a wonderful storyteller this book mixes modern day with historical flashbacks, Fantastic relatable characters. A focus on family, heartbreak, and hope, generational stories of women whose hearts were broken, exploring the possibility of a family curse.

Cammy is convinced she is cursed to never be able to love, an accident to her boyfriend, Ben, serves to prove this. Or does it? She is determined to find out the truth about her family history and of the curse . It took me a while to "get into" the book, but then I could not put it down until I discovered the truth .

I was gradually drawn right into this compelling family saga and was ultimately really invested in the story. Cammy’s family was cursed. All the women in the family knew it. They could not fall in love or else they would bring disaster for their loved ones. The curse had proved itself time and again. Cammy, very different from her perfect mother and sister, is told about the curse by her beloved aunt. When she mistakenly begins to fall in love, the curse comes true and her wonderful boyfriend has to rebuild his life after a serious accident. Cammy becomes obsessed with tracing the origins of the curse, which leads us, the readers, through generations of her family. I must admit to getting a bit confused about which generation was which, but this didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the story. It was beautifully plotted, well-written, fascinating and original.

3.5 stars.
An interesting concept and I loved how the stories interwove and changed towards the end. Felt long at times but was pleased with the ending.

I’ve really enjoyed this author’s previous work but I’m not sure if this one was really for me. I enjoyed the storytelling and the characters but the main plot arc was a little bit frustrating. It’s hard to explain without spoilers but I was a little disappointed with the supernatural aspect. Everything else was great, the author writes emotional stories really well and I love peeling back the layers.

I was recently given "Love is a curse" by Keith Stuart to review. I had only ever read "A boy made of blocks" by the author previously which I enjoyed. This book was completely differently though.


I really enjoyed the gothic and supernatural element. Cammie living in a gothic church left to her by her aunt and the belief of a curse.

I dropped 1 star because I felt there were a lot of elements and too many different stories going in within the book. I understand they all related but I don't know if it was the formatting but all of a sudden it was a different time in the book and it would confuse me (easily done to be fair). I felt this could have been a series of books or those chapters could have been shorter.

It was different to most books I have read with elements of a thriller, love story and history. Overall I enjoyed this book and give it 4 stars.

I have enjoyed Keith Stuart's previous books but this one disappointed me. I usually avoid Gothic tales, especially those that include seances. The story was simple, but complicated; a few too many characters - and flitting back and forward in the timeline isn't my favourite way of getting into a story. I enjoyed the research elements but overall it lacked something. But it won't stop me reading his next book as I do enjoy reading authors who write in different genres rather than writing series about the same character/s. With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for an e-ARC to read and review.

This is Keith Stuart’s fourth novel and what I love about his work is how unique each story is. You can see he spends a long time creating the world and characters within each story, and this is no exception.

The gothic and eerie church as the main setting for the story really adds to the supernatural elements of the story. I enjoyed finding out more about Cammy and her family, especially aunt Lorna the mysterious artist. Her great-grandparents love letters sent during World War 1 were also very poignant.

As always with Keith Stuart’s work, I highly recommend reading if you love character driven stories.

Cammie is told by her aunt that the women in their family are cursed and destined never to have a happy love life. So, she is afraid anyone who becomes close to her will suffer in some way.
So, she delves into the family history in the hope of finding out more details. An unusual kind of gothic tale peopled by strong, interesting characters.

When approaching a new novel by Keith Stuart I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected! He’s a writer who continually explores style, themes and characters – and this is true for his recent release of ‘Love is a Curse’.

The novel immediately throws us into a world where the supernatural has dominated the lives of four generations of women of the same family. For nearly a hundred and fifty years they have lived under the curse – their lives have all been touched by it, as its youngest member, fifteen-year-old Camilla Piper is soon to discover on her aunt’s deathbed. Lorna’s last words to her niece are to warn her young Cammy: ‘Just don’t fall in love!’ All the women in the family are destined to lose the ones with whom they fall in love.

Ten years later, Cammy is still unsure of what to make of the declaration. While her sister and mother are quite normal, Cammy always feels lost and like an outsider, she is a goth just like her aunt was, and she is a little-known jewellery designer.

The arts are a critical key element within the novel, especially that of Lorna who was a world-famous artist in her time working together for a while with an equally renowned digital and robotics artist.

As an adult Cammy moves into her aunt’s old place of St. Cyprian’s Church in a small village in Somerset. It is not long before an overwhelming sense of doom falls upon Cammy, a constant feeling of being watched, smelling her aunt’s favourite perfume. She also learns about the horrific fire started by a woman in the late 1800s. A pivotal event, the fire destroyed the manor House nearby, and it turns out later that the woman was related to the family.

One day, just after Cammy declares her love to her new boyfriend during a call as he is driving, Ben crashes for no reason into a tree and is severely injured.

Cammy is convinced the curse is real and she starts to accept that she may never be able to love yet she feels compelled to delve into the past to discover more.

‘Love is a Curse’ becomes a superbly crafted paranormal investigative novel with a deep dark sense of foreboding prevailing throughout. Pathetic fallacy is used to great effect throughout the novel as furious gales and thunderstorms wreak havoc around the church and countryside. The church itself almost becomes a main character in its own right, its spooky and eerie atmosphere heightening the sense of the supernatural.

To help build up the stark threatening tension and mystery the author expertly employs a variety of elaborate narrative techniques including the main first-person POV of Cammy, but also the loving and heartbreaking love letters between her great-grandparents in World War I, her grandmother’s journal revealing a shocking (for the time) love story as well as articles and paintings. The author catches the sense of each era perfectly.

As Cammy gains knowledge of each sorrow endured over the decades a sense of inevitability takes hold over her and leads Cammy to take dramatic actions.

The true tour de force of the novel is how Keith Stuart gradually, and then with increasing dramatic impetus, reveals the truth behind the curse.

Reading furiously at times I had to come up for fresh air. Here his expertise as a storyteller comes to the fore – his characters not only wind their way into our hearts, but the wisdom learned along the way becomes part of the reader’s heart and soul. It is a long time since I have underlined so many paragraphs in a book!

It is refreshing to read a book with so many resilient, strong and determined female protagonists, who experience extraordinary and life-changing events yet discover the strength to find the truth and overcome them. It is a joy to read a book where the paranormal and every day are interwoven centred on a convincing and engaging set of characters.

‘Love is a Curse’ is a hugely enjoyable fourth book by Keith Stuart and I look forward to seeing where his imagination will take him next!

Love is a Curse by Keith Stuart is a captivating modern gothic tale that weaves together mystery, suspense, and a little romance in a hugely compelling way. I spent all day reading this book, and couldn't wait to finish it.

Cammy is warned by her dying aunt that she can never 'have what other people have' - that she won't ever be able to have a successful relationship due to a generational family curse. Cammy has always been close to her aunt, and as she moves through life she starts to look into the curse for herself.

There are some excellent twists and turns that I don't want to give away, but Stuart uses old articles, diaries, letters, and journals to make all the characters' stories feel real. The book explores different kinds of love, from family to romance. Each page is super engaging, and Stuart's storytelling will keep you hooked.

If you're into gothic fiction set in the modern day or love a good story of intrigue, you must read this book.

I’ve read a number of Keith Stuart’s books and each one of them has been a delightful surprise. Love is a Curse was no exception. Perfectly plotted to keep you reading late into the night, full to bursting with unique, imperfect and very relatable characters, driven by a unique and interesting storyline tied up with family history and local legends - what more could you ask for? Loved it and will continue to look out for the next Keith Stuart book

My first encounter with Keith Stuart was “The Boy Made Of Blocks” which completely blew me away and I talked about and recommended to anyone that ever mentioned reading a book in front of me.

With that in mind, I dropped into this story, excitement a given. I was disappointed at first as it was a totally different genre and I found it slow to engage with, initially. However, I stuck with it and it grew on me and called out to be read.

It is, actually, a cracking good read, but so different from Blocks that they could have been written by two separate authors.

An enjoyable gothic horror combined with a roller coaster love story set the background for this story and Mr Stuart neatly meshes the threads together. You can’t help but engage with the characters and be interested in their histories.

Worthy of a read.