Review: Falling for the Doomed Bride

Falling for the Doomed Bride by C.K. Beggan is the second of many ARCs I received from the villainous multi-author series, To Win a Dark Heart, which will be the primary focus of my blog posts over the next few months. The book contains a crossover of "Sleeping Beauty" and "Bluebeard," though it uses these stories as background dressing for the main plot, which reads like an adaptation of Pirates of the Caribbean. I personally have never understood the appeal of glorifying medieval seafaring criminals, but fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies will likely enjoy it. Both protagonists are presented on the morally gray side of the spectrum rather than misunderstood, which is perfectly acceptable for a villainous retelling, though not always the most relatable choice.

Although neither "Sleeping Beauty" nor "Bluebeard" took place on a ship, this book makes it work by making these fairy tales the building blocks for a seafaring adventure, requiring readers to be familiar with both before diving into this new story. The book begins when Sofie, the sorceress famous for cursing a baby princess with a sleeping spell, is conned into marrying a pirate named Jax to help him break the curse that has killed all the brides who came before her. Although this is far from the best way to begin a marriage, Sofie tried to make the best of it by assessing the curse and determining if it is within her power to break it. Jax is happy with his new bride, who was trained by a prestigious magic academy and may be the first one powerful enough to defeat the wicked spirit that cursed him.

Although Bluebeard was not presented as a pirate in his fairy tale, it always sounded like a pirate name, so it was clever for the author to take the story in that direction, given the dark nature of his tale. The book addresses many common tropes in pirate lore, including cursed treasure, sirens, greed, a thirst for adventure, and the pursuit of immortality. Pirate fans will feel right at home with this book and may relate to its fierce and morally gray protagonists. The cursed spirit known as The Bride was an interesting villain that added a sense of mysticism and intrigue to the book, motivating Jax to want to end the curse before more of his brides' lives were taken.

Because of the nature of this story, I found the characters difficult to relate to or root for. Sofie explains why she cursed a baby princess fairy early on, but she seems to have little remorse for it until the end of the book. Jax makes it clear many times that the pursuit of treasure is more important to him than the lives of his brides, most of whom he forces to marry against their will, thanks to the powers of a siren whose allegiance to him is not explained. Though the story pushes for Jax and Sofie to be together, they seem like a poor match, and both are left with more potential for personal growth outside of their relationship. Considering that this series is about romance between fairy tale villains, these are things that may be par for the course.

Falling for the Doomed Bride is a swashbuckling blend of pirate lore and fairy tale elements, with a morally gray romance that fits perfectly into the To Win a Dark Heart series. While the protagonists' questionable morals and lack of relatability might not be for everyone, fans of pirate-themed stories and villainous retellings will likely enjoy C.K. Beggan's take on Bluebeard's tale. The book's unique world-building and intriguing villain add depth to the narrative, making it a compelling read for those who appreciate complex characters and high-seas adventure. Stay tuned to The Princess Blog for more reviews from this series in the coming weeks