The Ballad of Never After - Stephanie Garber (#Review)

Date of Reading: 22/05/2024

Author: Stephanie Garber

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Rating: 5/5

About the book:

Not every love is meant to be.

After Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, betrays her, Evangeline Fox swears she'll never trust him again. Now that she’s discovered her own magic, Evangeline believes she can use it to restore the chance at happily ever after that Jacks stole away.

But when a new terrifying curse is revealed, Evangeline finds herself entering into a tenuous partnership with the Prince of Hearts again. Only this time, the rules have changed. Jacks isn’t the only force Evangeline needs to be wary of. In fact, he might be the only one she can trust, despite her desire to despise him.

Instead of a love spell wreaking havoc on Evangeline’s life, a murderous spell has been cast. To break it, Evangeline and Jacks will have to do battle with old friends, new foes, and a magic that plays with heads and hearts. Evangeline has always trusted her heart, but this time she’s not sure she can...

Review:

           I am really glad that I waited for the conclusion of this series, otherwise the waiting would have been excruciating. What an agonising cliffhanger!!! How can you make your readers go through such torture, Garber?

         'The Ballad of Never After'  picks up right where the first book left off, with Apollo in a vegetative state and Evangeline reeling from Jacks' betrayal. If you, like me, craved more chapters with Jacks, you are in luck. They are practically together most of the time and the chemistry is off the charts. We haven't got any spicy scenes, but Garber sure knows how to tantalise us with many close-door, emotionally charged encounters. 

       As frenemies, Jacks and Evangeline evolve together neither one sure about the other's feelings. We delve deeper into Jack's mysterious past and some shocking secrets await you on the way. And that ending. . . didn't see that coming. There was no way I could take a breather before jumping into the next one. You might be wondering how I can write this review so calmly. Well, I finished the last book and I can assure you Garber doesn't disappoint.

Meet the author:

Stephanie Garber is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and the Caraval trilogy. Her books have been translated into thirty languages.