Rosaline's Curse by Katharine Campbell

Rosaline's Curse by Katharine Campbell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The intriguing yet endearing 'Sleeping Beauty' tale of a cursed 13th-century princess who awakens in 2017.

It was a fantastic discovery: the perfectly preserved body of a Kaltish princess was found in the crumbling ruin of a high tower. Mark Reid, an anthropology student on the site, was excited to be among the first group of scientists called to investigate the find. He was quite surprised to see that she looked almost as if she'd fallen asleep and was yet to awaken, and he couldn't resist the urge to reach out and lightly touch her cheek. Imagine his shock when she opened her eyes and sat up, suddenly very much alive!

Cursed by an immortal being she'd angered during her own time. Princess Rosaline had been 'asleep' for almost 800 years. But rather than shock and fear at awakening in 2017, Rosaline was ecstatic! Before her 'big sleep,' she'd been facing an arranged marriage she desperately wanted to avoid, and now she was free! But before she could even leave the tower grounds, her hated fiancé arrived, also still very much alive and still determined to change her mind and go through with the wedding!

Together Mark and Rosaline must try to undo what she did in the past that originally put her in this mess, all while being chased by two immortals: one with romantic intentions, the other intent on murder!

Rosaline's Curse was fun and fast, and full of action. Rosaline is brave and fearless in pursuing her goal of breaking the curse. Mark is smart and nerdy, pretty much a regular guy, yet sweetly vulnerable. Their nemeses, the immortal twins, Julyan and Acacia, are entertaining yet deadly. The premise hooked me, and the fast pace of the plot kept me glued to the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Rosaline's determined progress in understanding her new surroundings. I liked that the author made her a quick study in learning the new language because her dialogue, especially later on with Mark, had some very amusing lines. In addition, I liked that the university set her up with Agnes and a place to stay after her release from the hospital rather than under lock and key somewhere to be studied.

The story moves from the UK to Austria and beyond. The background changes to some interesting locations: university grounds, mountains, a monastery, a channel crossing, and crypts and tunnels belowground. The author's descriptions were vivid and gave me a good clear picture of these places and the shivers a couple of times, too.

With its great premise, relatable and likable characters, international settings, and fun dialogue, I recommend ROSALINE'S CURSE to readers who would enjoy a modern take on what came after Sleeping Beauty awoke.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author.


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