A Cursed Son is a whimsical twist on the romance a young woman can find in following her dreams. Literally.
This novel is a great, almost cosy fantasy story set in a low-stakes, high-swoon environment. While I can’t say that I understand who the ‘Cursed Son’ is or exactly why she’s supposed to be ‘not like other girls’, those threads are clearly being set up for the next novels in the series. I wouldn’t exactly call it enemies-to-lovers, but it does have the witty banter of a twenty-something, head-strong, intelligent woman being confronted with someone Actually Being Nice To Her for the first time in her life. That is worth the whip-lash of feelings, the distrust, and the emotional confusion for the new world of fae she is drawn into.
If you are all-in for the romance and the idea that your dream partner can and does exist somewhere in the world, you’re going to love this. If you need a plot-heavy story or epic world building, manage your expectations. You will get them eventually, but this first book is beautifully written, delightful slow-burn into fantasy romance.
For the audiobook format, the narrator is perfect. Voice and tone are all easy to follow, even up to 2x speed. Her inflections bring life to the character, and though there is interpersonal drama, it is spoken with heart, not melodramatics. I would be excited to listen to other books narrated by Caitlin Kelly after listening to this piece.