Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.

But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

A new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55987278-once-upon-a-broken-heart

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

So despite it being said you can read this as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the Caraval series before diving into Once Upon a Broken Heart for several reasons. It's set in the same world, takes place after Finale, characters from the first series are mentioned and seen, and one of the main characters was a big character in the last series. Plus, it will help better understand the world and especially the Fates. You'll appreciate it much more reading the Caraval series first! With that said, I loved this story. We are introduced to a new character, Evangeline. When Evangeline lost her last living parent, her heart was close to breaking but when she finds someone to love it is more than she could ever want. That is until the day it is announced that the love her life is to marry her stepsister. Strongly believing that her beloved is cursed, she goes to pray to the one Fate who could help her: Jacks, the Prince of Hearts. She ends up making a deal with him. A deal that will change everything. In a series of unexpected twists and turns, nothing is how she thought it would be. Then next thing she knows she is off to the North where she will meets Jacks once more. For his grand plan for her isn't quite over just yet. I love this author and this world. The constant plot twists and mysteries behind each person leaves you unable to put the book down. You want to figure out the riddles and who is telling the truth and who is lying and who is the real villain of the story. I especially love Jacks in this story because he is such a wild card. You don't know his true motives or feelings. Has he changed? Can he even be changed? Or he is stuck as he is with no hope? You want to trust him but can you actually? So much goes on in this story and it's definitely not over with a cliffhanger ending like that! I can't wait to see where this story goes.