Once Upon a Time

by Demelza Carlton

Published 5 January 2021

A sword-wielding Cinderella. An enchanting Beauty. A villain who might not be so bad after all…

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children…

Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales…for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Enchant: Beauty and the Beast Retold

A beastly prince. An enchanting beauty. Only love can break the spell.

Once upon a time…

The wicked King Thorn forced the enchantress Zuleika to cast a terrible curse. She fled his court to travel the world, helping those who need her magic most. Until a search for her merchant father's lost ships leads her to an enchanted island, where Prince Vardan, the island's ruler, is afflicted by the most powerful curse Zuleika has ever encountered. She's not sure she can reverse the spell, but she's determined to try. After all, a prince who fights pirates can't be all bad…no matter how beastly his appearance.

Together, can the enchanting beauty and the beastly prince break the spell?

Dance: Cinderella Retold

A dutiful daughter. A prince forced to find a bride. If the shoe fits…

Once upon a time…

When the Emperor’s army comes recruiting, Mai signs up, seeing it as the perfect escape from her stepmother and a lifetime of drudgery. Armed with her mother’s armour and a pair of magic shoes, Mai marches off to war…only to find herself sharing a tent with the General’s arrogant nephew, Prince Yi.

The best swordsman in the Empire, Prince Yi wants to make war, not love, but the Emperor insists this will be Yi’s last campaign before he must marry. Prince Yi has never met his match…until now.

Can one woman win the war and the prince’s heart?

Fly: Goose Girl Retold

Two princesses. One prince. And the war has just begun.

Once upon a time…

Princess Ava was sent to a neighbouring kingdom as a lady-in-waiting to her sister, their future queen. Until a runaway horse, a case of amnesia and a cold-hearted king conspire to bring her to the prince's attention.

Now the prince believes Ava is his bride, and her sister is just a serving maid. One thing is certain: the prince must marry one of the princesses, or there will be war.

But when all's fair in love and war…who will win the battle for the prince's heart?


Once Upon a Princess

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

Twelve raven princes. A mermaid who longs to be human. A mysterious sleeping princess. And a fairy godmother who fights dragons...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...

Four twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Revel: Twelve Dancing Princesses Retold

Twelve princesses. One wounded soldier. A mystery that must be solved.

Once upon a time...

Princess Bianca is sent with her sisters to the summer palace, a place no maiden has ever returned from. While her sisters seem perfectly happy, she has only one desire: escape.

Vasco, a wounded soldier on his way home from war, stumbles across the summer palace and sets out to solve the mystery no man has managed to yet. If only they let him live long enough...

Can the fair maiden and the wounded soldier uncover the sinister secret before it's too late?

Silence: Little Mermaid Retold

A little mermaid. A prince to save. Only silence can break the spell.

Once upon a time...

The mermaid Margareta saved Prince Erik from a shipwreck. Wanting to see the prince again, Margareta strikes a bargain with the Master of Beacon Isle. If she saves his sons from a terrible curse, he will reunite her with Prince Erik. All she has to do is stay silent until the curse is broken.

Silence is a virtue...until Prince Erik arrives early, searching for the mermaid who saved his life.

Can two hearts speak louder than words?

Awaken: Sleeping Beauty Retold

A sleeping beauty. A kingdom frozen in time. Only one can save them all.

Once upon a time...

Lord Siward intended to go hunting, but when he stumbles upon a ruined castle and accidentally wakes the mysterious maiden sleeping inside, he knows his holiday is over.

With the kingdom in trouble, Siward should be protecting the realm, but every time Rosamond looks at him, he gets lost in the girl's green eyes. Who is the mysterious beauty, and why does he feel she holds the key to the kingdom's deliverance?

Fall: Scheherazade Retold

Dragon vs fairy godmother - who will win?

When young fairy godmother Zoraida finds herself fighting a losing battle with a dragon to save her godson, she's forced to use her magic to flee.

Only to find herself in the middle of a freezing blizzard.

Rescued by a traveller, she faces a new challenge: can they survive the storm to see Christmas morning?


Once Upon a Crown

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

A maiden dying for adventure. A princess who refuses to be a prize. And a big bad wolf who might not be so bad after all...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...

Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set contains:

Embellish: Brave Little Tailor Retold

A maiden dying for adventure. A prince on a perilous quest. Monsters that must be slain.

Once upon a time...

After losing a battle with a dragon, George is desperate to salvage his reputation. Only he can't do it alone - he needs an assistant.

Royal tailor Melitta longs for adventure, so when she hears of a job opening for an apprentice hero, she jumps at the chance. Slaying monsters must be more exciting than sewing.

Can the unlikely pair still succeed at their quest - or will they fall for each other instead?

Appease: Princess and the Pea Retold

A princess who refuses to be a prize. A prince's promise. Perhaps dragons aren't so bad after all.

Once upon a time...

Promised as a prize to any hero who can slay the dragon, Princess Sativa flees the palace in search of the prince she was betrothed to as a child. But there are many miles between her and the boy who has become a king.

Can a lone princess cross the sea and convince the king she's the princess of his dreams?

Blow: Three Little Pigs Retold

Three sisters. An absent prince who promised to protect them. And the wolf is at the door...

Once upon a time...

When war breaks out, Rudolf promises Portia and her sisters he will protect them. But his father falls in battle, and Rudolf is forced to return home to command his father's armies.

Shifting alliances turn Portia and her family from friends to sworn enemies. To win the war, Rudolf must conquer her home, and risk losing her forever.

When the wolf is at the door, who will win - love or war?


Once Upon a Genie

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

An enslaved enchantress. A pretend prince. And a djinn who wants nothing more than to be free...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...

Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Return: Hansel and Gretel Retold

An unlikely duo. A wicked witch. Whatever it takes to find their way home.

Once upon a time...

Rhona is certain her stepmother wants to kill her and her sisters, and she'll stop at nothing to do it. Leaving them in the woods alone, drugging their food and drink...is nothing safe?

Bitter at his brother's betrothal, Grieve is banished to Rum Island as a squire to Rhona's father. Grieve thought he had enough trouble with Rhona's stepmother and the threat of war with Alba, until a witch takes Grieve and Rhona prisoner.

Can Rhona and Grieve survive long enough to find their happily ever after?

Wish: Aladdin Retold

A sultan's daughter. A pretend prince. Can a genie make all their wishes come true?

Once upon a time...

When Princess Maram and street rat Aladdin meet in the marketplace, sparks fly, and Aladdin swears to move heaven and earth in order to make the lovely courtesan his wife.

He steals a magic lamp with a genie inside, thinking all his troubles are over...only to find they have barely begun.

Can Aladdin win the princess's hand without losing his head?

Melt: Snow Queen Retold

An enslaved enchantress. A magic mirror. Whose match will be made next?

Once upon a time...

When Queen Briska is accused of treason, she flees to the mountains, building an icy wall around her broken heart. But she cannot flee her punishment - she is forced to help other couples find love. A tough task, when the man she loves is dead.

Amani knew his life was over the moment he was enslaved to a magic lamp. But when a strange twist of fate frees him from the lamp just as he discovers the woman he loves still lives, Amani sets out to find her, and free her, too.

Will the power of love be enough to melt two frozen hearts?


Once Upon a Spell

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

An assassin princess. A witch who vows vengeance. And three curses that must be broken...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...

Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Spin: Rumpelstiltskin Retold

A miller's daughter. A cursed knight. The power of a name.

Once upon a time...

Molina has one desire: to see her inventions spread throughout the kingdom. When Prince Lubos offers to take her to the capital as his bride, she jumps at the chance.

But impressing the king may take more than a simple spinning wheel. To marry Prince Lubos, she will need to work a miracle.

Molina enters into a desperate bargain with a mysterious man who turns all he touches into gold. A man with a tragic tale of his own, all tied up in his family name.

The future hangs in the balance, but will either of them live to see it?

Kiss: Frog Prince Retold

A desert princess. A cursed prince. Can a kiss break the spell?

Once upon a time...

When Anahita picks up a pet frog on her way to marry a distant sheikh, she laughs at his claim to be a prince under a curse that can only be broken by a kiss.

Until he transforms into a man in her tent.

With one man in her bed as she's preparing to marry another, what's a desert princess to do?

Hunt: Red Riding Hood Retold

A witch's vow. A knight's quest. A wolf hunting to kill.

Once upon a time...

Six years ago, Rosa lost her family to a wolf attack during the coldest winter in living memory. But now the wolf is back, as bloodthirsty as ever, and she vows vengeance.

Work is hard to find in the dead of winter, and Sir Chase welcomes the chance to slay wolves if it means he'll have a warm bed and food for the winter. He never counted on having to compete with a woman for his prize.

When the wolf proves more than one hunter alone can handle, can the unlikely pair join forces to defeat the menace?


Once Upon a Fable

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

Three bears. Two princesses. And a shoemaker cursed with elves...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Reflect: Snow White Retold

A princess in danger. A heroic huntsman. A reflection revealing too much truth.

Once upon a time...

Princess Guinevere and her brother, Prince Xylander, flee the mad king's court in search of a marriage alliance with another kingdom.

But when Guinevere's new husband falls ill and his only heir goes missing, Guinevere and Xylander must save the suddenly hostile kingdom or face exile...and their father's wrath.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...whose will be the worst fate of all?

Roar: Goldilocks Retold

Three bears. Two enemies. One winter that will change everything.

Once upon a time...

Ursula thought her biggest worry was hiding her magic powers long enough to catch a husband, until Lord Vauquelin invades and slaughters her whole family. When she emerges from hiding, she finds she's snowed in with a wounded enemy soldier, in a valley full of bears.

Can a girl who can't even make porridge survive until spring?

Cobble: Elves and the Shoemaker Retold

Three siblings. Two shoemakers. One curse that could change everything.

Once upon a time...

All Alba ever wanted was to be the royal shoemaker, like her father. But her despicable brothers have a very different future planned for her.When a good deed backfires, leaving her cursed for her brothers' crimes while the real culprits walk free, Alba will be forced to fight for her freedom, or face losing her dream forever.

Can Alba and her new allies bring the true villains to justice?


Once Upon a Dream

by Demelza Carlton

Published 14 April 2021

An assassin who sees the future. A maiden on a crusade. And an enchanted horse that topples cities...

Once upon a time, before the Brothers Grimm, when fairytales were romantic fantasies for entertaining adults and frightening children...

Three twisted tales inspired by the classic fairytales...for adults who still love reading fairytales, though they're a little darker now, making that happily ever after so much sweeter.

This box set includes:

Float: Enchanted Horse Retold

A brave knight. A lady beset by suitors. An enchanted horse that topples cities.

Once upon a time...

Disgraced knight Sir Godfrey would do anything to regain his honour. So when the famed Trojan Horse appears at court, Sir Godfrey volunteers to lead a crusade on the magical beast.

Lady Penelope is sick of life at a convent, waiting for her father to decide who she shall marry. So when a knight appears in the convent garden with a magic horse, she jumps at the chance to escape.

The enchanted horse may have ended one war, but with Penelope missing, it may be about to start another.

Can a knight and his lady stop history repeating?

Steal: Forty Thieves Retold

A shrewd servant. A penniless young woodcutter. A priceless stolen treasure.

Once upon a time...

Melisende joins a crusade, her head full of glory and victory, only to flee from her first battle. Forced to hide as a housemaid while the enemy army occupies the city she'd hoped to save, she despairs of ever finding her way home.

Mithra plans to settle down with the girl of his dreams, but when the war spills into his city, all dreams of the future are shattered. When he finds a Crusader maiden in the woods and they stumble across a priceless treasure, he thinks his luck might have turned...until he discovers the penalty of stealing from the Forty Thieves.

Can Melisende and Mithra save his family from the Forty Thieves?

Call: Pied Piper Retold

A sole survivor. A desperate mother. An impossible quest.

Once upon a time...

Zoticus the assassin has killed more people than he can count, but when he is the sole survivor in a town wiped out by plague, he vows to stop the scourge before more innocent lives are lost.

But what use is one man against a deadly disease?