BOOK REVIEW: The Ballad of Never After {Once Upon A Broken Heart, Book 2} by Stephanie Garber

"She used to think love was like a house. Once it was built, a person got to live in it forever. But now she wondered if love was more like a war with new foes constantly appearing and battles creeping up. Winning at love was less about succeeding in a battle and more about continuing to fight, to choose the person you loved as the one you were willing to die for, over and over."
I didn't think it was possible to love this series more; yet here I am, having just closed the pages of Stephanie Garber's The Ballad of Never After, further enchanted by the world, by the characters, by the trilogy as a whole. Y'all, I don't typically get swoony over books, but this one...I could not put down. The magic, the mystery, the heartbreak was immense, and I am still recovering from it. True story.

Evangeline Fox is done with Jacks, aka, the Prince of Hearts. Once before she made the error of trusting him, only to be double-crossed and lied to; therefore, the best course of action now is to simply ignore him. But alas, that is easier said than done, as betrayal is bad, yes; but a new curse has entered the chat, and Jacks is the only one who can help Evangeline unravel it.

While the last curse that plagued Evangeline was one of love; the new curse that has been placed upon her is quite a bit different...in fact, it's murderous. With Jacks' assistance, it is deemed necessary for Evangeline to do precisely what she has been avoiding for dear life...open the Valory Arch. Though she's hesitant to do so, she is aware that it's her only hope for a shot at true love {not to mention survival}; thus, she agrees to the task, and begins her quest to unearth the four magical stones needed to fulfill her duty - that of youth, truth, luck, and mirth.

The only thing known of the stones is that they are all hidden somewhere within the Magnificent North - enshrouded in riddle, glamour, and intriguing soiree. But not all is magnificent in the north. Though places like the Hollow and Merrywood are charming habitations; others, such as Slaughterwood Castle, are heavy on horror, and light on loveliness. Nevertheless, Evangeline has Jacks by her side; and, though she's wont to admit it, she's at her happiest in his company. But as we've learned about Evangeline over the course of the past two books, a happy ending seems unlikely to be a part of her world; and just as she feels as if true love and happiness is within reach, the rug is firmly pulled out from under her in a way that will send her and Jacks into an unexpected spiral that they may be unable to recover from.

That cliffhanger! Usually, I like a little breathing room following the read of a truly enchanting story to fully digest the new revelations; but the placement of the cliffhanger to close this tome has left me grappling for the finale, A Curse for True Love, as I absolutely must know what happens to Jacks and Evangeline.

Never have I ever felt so strongly that two fictional characters must be each others endgame; but I cannot bare the thought of the two of them not ending up together. I am positively in love with Jacks, and he and Evangeline have such a brilliant relationship, what with the banter and the flirtiness and the fact that they genuinely care for each other {despite the fact that they pretend that they don't}. They are literal goals, and I feel empty not knowing how their story ends. A Curse for True Love, here I come!



Star Rating: *****


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