Thank you NetGalley for the ALC of this audio.

This was a cute story with a YA feel to it and some steamy scenes. It gave me cozy cottage vibes and I liked the two main characters. It wraps up nicely and the plot was interesting enough to keep my attention.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. The narration was amazing. The story felt too much like a ya novel in the sense that it felt very easy and a little repetitive like I thought I heard the same line three times something like "but it was Weston!! 😱" I will say this book is not bad. It was an entertaining, short read, but it felt too easy. And the sex scenes felt out of place because it reads so much like YA.
If you were trying to do a rich fantasy like you have to explain all the marks which I have so many questions about.
I think that this is a very light fantasy with hidden identities. It was entertaining, Don't get me wrong it just didn't itch the scratch that I needed it to when I read a romance fantasy.
3/5

3⭐️⭐️⭐️(book) |
4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (audiobook)

This book gave me all the forbidden feels with its brother’s best friend, friends-to-lovers, romantasy mix. It's definitely more romance-forward, with fantasy as a soft backdrop. A light, slow-burn read for in between heavier books.

While I enjoyed the story, I found myself wishing for more world-building, more depth in the plot, and more of those beautiful, stolen moments that were mentioned but not fully explored. I wanted to feel their connection more deeply and see the tension build with even more intensity.

That said, the audiobook absolutely elevated the experience. The narration was full of emotion, vulnerable, honest, and immersive. It pulled me in and kept me there. Easily one of the best narrations I’ve listened to in a while.

Favorite quotes:

> "There's no way you don't realize I’ve been horribly, wretchedly, agonizingly in love with you since the day we met."
"Together but apart."
"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."
"I’d choose half of you, too,” he says. “I’d choose your little toe, even, over any other woman."

A fast-paced, emotional read for romance lovers who enjoy slow burns with just a hint of magic.

This story gave me huge Princess Bride vibes—in the best way! I really enjoyed the unique lore surrounding the goddess Fortuna, especially the dynamic between blessings and curses. The plot was engaging, and the characters felt realistic and well-developed. I do wish Bria had been a bit less timid, though that’s more of a personal preference than a flaw. Overall, it was a fun and satisfying read with a happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Once Charmed Twice Cursed is an adorable forbidden love story with humbling life lessons. Bria, was blessed with fortune, but sometimes having everything can be the biggest tragedy. Expectations from the people around you and their greed can make life no longer yours to enjoy.

Bria and Weston, two sides of the same coin, may be one of my new favorite book couples. Loving someone for who they are and not for what you can gain from them.

Subtle spice that makes this a good read for any older teen/young adult.

📖 Name of the Book: Once Charmed, Twice Cursed
👤 Author: Shaylin Gandhi
🗣 Narrator: Kimberly M. Wetherell
📖 Genre: Romance with a touch of fantasy
⭐ Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
🌶 Spice Rating: 🌶🌶/5
💭 My Thoughts:
Overall, this is a sweet, emotional romance with just enough magic to add a little sparkle. Highly recommend for fans of character-driven stories and anyone looking for an easy listen!

🫶 Thank you to Shaylin Gandhi and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

What I Loved:
One of my absolute favorite moments was the cabin scene (if you know, you know!). The chemistry and tension there were on point, and it was so satisfying to see Weston finally start letting his guard down. By the end, both hers and Weston's character growth really stood out—they became people I genuinely rooted for. Also, major points to Weston for not being your stereotypical “emotionally stunted” hero. I loved seeing a love interest who’s allowed to show real feelings and vulnerability.

What Didn’t Quite Hit:
My only wish was that Bria’s growth would have started sooner. She took a while to come into her own, and while the payoff is great, an earlier shift would’ve made her arc even stronger.

Romance & Tropes
Romance takes center stage here, with friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and “touch her and die” all done really well. The “brother’s best friend” angle didn’t fully land for me, but it didn’t ruin the vibe. The fantasy elements are pretty light—think a sprinkle of magic, not a full fantasy world. That didn’t bother me, but it might not be what hardcore fantasy fans are looking for.

🔊 Narrator Review:
Kimberly M. Wetherell’s narration is spot on for this story. Her pace and tone make it really easy to get lost in the book—she’s expressive without being over the top or distracting. While there’s not a ton of difference in the voices for each character, I still had no problem knowing who was speaking. The narration definitely enhanced the experience and kept me engaged from start to finish.

This book had its moments, but certain aspects felt unnecessarily overcomplicated. It leaned heavily on overly descriptive language, with nearly every scene padded by elaborate paragraphs. While I appreciate vivid imagery in fantasy, these details often overwhelmed the story, making it harder to stay engaged with the core events.

What I Enjoyed: ♥️ The exploration of societal differences—this was handled in an intriguing way. ♥️ The forbidden love trope, which brought an emotional depth I always appreciate.

The concept of people being charmed yet cursed stood out as fresh and compelling. The pacing was smooth and made for an effortless read, but the execution left much to be desired.

This book has all the ingredients for greatness, but it didn’t quite deliver the magic it set out to create.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my review!

First, this story is just such a well written “short read”. Sometimes when a book is on the shorter side, it seems like it’s difficult for the writer to have enough time to world build and make you love the characters too. This story did not have that problem; she managed to make me love Bria and Weston almost right away. Further, the slow burn spice was written perfectly. I was kicking my feet listening to it. Since I read the story via audiobook, I will also say I loved the narrator. Sometimes when there’s just one narrator, it can be odd hearing them narrate both female and male voices. The narrator for this one did it so well, and it never sounded forced or cheesy. Loved everything about this book.

Two people with opposite curses, one with fortune (charmed) and one with misfortune can never touch or their lives will change forever. Bria, who is charmed, has become an object: something to be used by everyone who enters her life in an attempt to get a piece of her good fortune. The result? Her life being dictated by her fortune and what it can do for her family. Weston, with his misfortune, is Bria’s brother’s best friend. The opposites attract, brother’s best friend, and forbidden romance make you absolutely devour this book, leaving you wanting more. Weston goes out of his way to save Bria, despite what the fates have given the two of them. Absolute must read for any romantasy lover!

Initially this book grabbed my attention and I enjoyed the premise.
The story takes a strange turn in my opinion and the middle book seems to be the same conversation between the FMC and the MMC happening over and over.
It improves towards the end and is a quick read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to listen to this ARC.

This was a cute little romance, not much happened tbh, but the magical tattoos and love story was nice. Brother's best friend trope done well. The only thing is I wish the identity of Jack was held a little longer to build up the shock of who he was.

This gave me HUGE Princess Bride vibes! I enjoyed the unique lore surrounding the goddess Fortuna and her blessings vs curses. The story was engaging and the characters felt realistic. I wish Bria had been less timid, but that's more personal preference than anything. Overall a fun story with a HEA.

The narration was solo and the narrator did an excellent job of representing each character. They kept the story moving along smoothly and made it more entertaining.

The story had potential with its magical setup and cursed intrigue, but I honestly found the main character a bit insufferable—she always seemed to be waiting around to be rescued instead of taking charge. It got frustrating fast.

BUT what totally saved this for me was the narrator, Kimberly M. Wetherell. She brought so much personality and emotion to the performance that I ended up sticking with it just to hear how she handled each scene. Her narration gave the characters more life than the writing did at times.

So if you’re curious about the story, I’d say go for the audiobook. Kimberly really elevates the whole experience.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.**

I enjoyed this book - it's light hearted and predictable enough to allow for it to be really flown through without having to pay too much attention to the details. There's not much world building in it and the magic system isn't incredibly detailed. But if you're into paranormal romance, star crossed lovers, and a bit of spice... but not too much spice so that it's overwhelming... then this book will be great for you!

This review is for the audiobook version of this title. The narrator was spectacular and really contributed to a good flow in the story and her voices for other characterswere great. While I found the plot for this book to be a bit predictable at times, there were definitely parts that had me hanging on to the edge of my seat! I'm a sucker for the forbidden love and brothers best friend tropes and this definitely delivers.

⭐ Rating: 2.75 – 3 out of 5 stars

Once Charmed, Twice Cursed is a standalone fantasy romance that centers around Bria, a woman marked by the goddess of fortune. Her blessing brings wealth, health, and prosperity not just to her—but to everyone around her. After 99 suitors and plenty of pressure from her brother to marry well and maintain their family's status, Bria is really only waiting for one proposal: from Weston, her brother’s best friend.

But Weston carries the mark of a Null—his life is plagued with misfortune, and he’s the only one whose touch can cancel Bria’s charm, just as she can nullify his curse. Their connection is deep but forbidden, and things take a turn when Bria is kidnapped en route to marry a Duke. What follows is a fantasy story with romance at its core.

The book has fun tropes romance readers will recognize and enjoy—touch aversion, forbidden love, best friend’s sister—but as a standalone fantasy, it felt a bit underbaked. There’s minimal world-building, a very light magic system, and surface-level character development. The plot mostly seems to exist to serve the romantic and steamy moments, which may work for some readers but left me wanting more depth. The pacing was also uneven, and the timeline was a bit murky.

Overall, it’s a light, predictable read with a fun premise that could appeal to fans of fantasy romance who are more about vibes and tropes than fully fleshed-out worlds.


**Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.**

Ate this up in one sitting. A fun stand-alone romantasy read, brothers best friend, a masked stranger, and mutual pining. She’s a charm, he’s a null and if they touch each other they could lose their magic. She’s betrothed to a ruthless man she doesn’t love, and on the night of her wedding she’s kidnapped by a masked stranger -much to her luck.

This was so fun to read. I saw the twist coming immediately but it didn’t take away from the adventure. I did not like the brother at all, his greed really got the best of him and I wanted to throw him against the wall at times. The parents coming in at the end didn’t seem necessary but I’ll overlook it. Although Bria frustrated me at first, leaving her fate in the hands of her luck, towards the end she really grew into her own. The lining between Weston and Bria kept me on my toes. The concept of those gifted with luck- “charm”, and the unlucky- “null” was a new plot I haven’t encountered and it read really unique in this world. It also added suspense to the whole slow burn & pining but if they touch it could ruin their lives. You bet I was fully sat begging them to touch lol. The romance was a steady climb and the one spicy scene was PIPING HOT. I would have liked a little more world building but regardless, this was fun and I’d read it again.

Audiobook: 4⭐️
Book: 3⭐️

Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review the audiobook of Once Charmed, Twice Cursed—narrated by the incredibly talented Kimberly M. Wetherell.

Let me just say: the audiobook is where this story truly shines! Kimberly’s narration brings so much personality and warmth to the world of Bria and Weston. She made it super easy to get swept up in the story, and I found myself smiling at the way she brought the characters to life—especially the push and pull between a lucky charm and a Null. Their dynamic? Pure magic (and a little bit of chaos)!

As for the book itself, I enjoyed the forbidden love element and the emotional depth of Bria and Weston’s journey. The tension of not being able to touch—because his Null powers would cancel her luck—added a unique layer of angst and intensity. I was especially drawn to Bria’s arc of self-discovery, learning to embrace who she is with or without the magic.

Oh, and the spice? Just enough to keep things steamy without taking over the story—chef’s kiss!

If you’re into paranormal romance with a twist, a bit of star-crossed love, and some self-empowerment along the way, definitely give this audiobook a listen. You won’t regret it!

I loved the fresh concept of them being marked. In a few spots it was predictable, but there was a twist I really liked that kept me on my toes. Overall it was a really well written cute novel. I enjoyed the story as well as the narrator.

Okay, wow. If you’re into stories that punch you in the gut, make you yell at your headphones, and then leave you gasping for more, this is it.

Bria Radcliffe is the definition of “blessed with a curse.” Charmed by the goddess of fortune since birth, she’s got all the luck — but at what cost? Every man in town wants a piece of her, yet the one guy she wants, Weston Wildes, is keeping his distance because of his Null mark. But here’s the thing: Bria doesn’t just want Weston… she wants freedom. Freedom from this damn Mark that’s ruining her life.

When I tell you I was hooked from the first chapter… I mean it. The tension? Thick enough to cut with a knife. The chemistry between Bria and Weston? Explosive. The moment the masked highwayman swoops in? Oh, hell yes. This book goes from 0 to 100 real quick, and I couldn’t put it down. The stakes are high, the emotions are high, and don’t even get me started on the twists.

And the narration? Get out of here with how good it was. The voice acting had me feeling every single moment. The sarcasm, the desperation, the passion — it was like the narrator knew what I needed to hear.

Bria is no damsel in distress, but damn, her journey will leave you breathless. It’s a messy, glorious ride of self-discovery, forbidden love, and a quest for a normal life — if she can only figure out how to break the damn curse.

5 stars. This book? It doesn’t just live in your head, it haunts you. If you’re not listening to this audiobook, you’re missing out on something wild.