The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, 2)

“Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to. They are dreams that want to escape the night. They are treasure with wings. They are wild, feral, reckless things that need to be constantly chased, or they will certainly run away.” OMG- I think this book has me more tangled up in my emotions the second time around - I felt everything and it feels almost so hard to express in words. *Broken Sobs* You know how many times the middle book in a trilogy doesn't hold up to the first? Make no mistake about it, this book is even better than the first and I wanted to bring back all these feelings in anticipation for book 3. I won't go into too much in order to avoid spoilers and my review on book 1 covers most of how I feel about this series- it's so unbelievably phenomenal. "You're good at this," she murmured. "Do you often travel with girls who've been flayed?" This earned her a soft laugh. "No." Then quietly, as he ran a cloth along her lower back, just below the dip in her waist, "Would you be jealous if I did?" I'm not a jealous person was what Evangeline intended to say, but instead the words "Of course" came out. Jacks laughed, louder this time. Embarrassment surged through her. "That's not what I meant to say." "It's all right. I'd probably kill another man if I found him with you like this." Jacks's hands pressed harder as they went to her shoulders and, one by one, ripped off the sleeves of her dress so that what remained of the gown completely fell away. She made a sound somewhere between a squeal and a gasp. "Was that really necessary?" "No, but everyone should have their clothes ripped off at some point." In this book, I swear SG breaks you open and just pulls out your emotions. I felt them all, love, fear, anxiety, anger, angst, and pain. Just know that this book is everything MORE than book one. Ugh I love it so much. I'm oh so happy that at the strike of midnight I will have book 3 in my greedy little hands. He looked at her lips, and the most tortured expression she'd ever seen crossed his face. When Jacks wanted something, it was with an intensity that could break worlds and build kingdoms. That was the energy pouring off him now, as if he wanted to destroy her and make her his queen all at once. And it was oh so tempting to let him. Magic crackled in the sliver of space between them. Golden and electric and alive. It felt like the end of a fairytale, when one kiss had more power than a thousand wars or a hundred spells. Evangeline imagined drawing closer, pressing her lips to Jacks's and spending eternity lost in one neverending kiss. oh... maybe one...

I loved this book so much. The plot really picks up with Eva and Jacks searching for the stones, though in my opinion they found them too easily. The book made it seem like it would be difficult to find the stones, yet it didn't seem all that difficult before they had all four. I feel like Jacks and Eva get closer in this book and Jacks reveals a little more of himself. We get introduced to vampires in this book, which I thought was fun! The ending was unbelievable and has me so impatient for October. Two things that kind of drove me nuts was the 3rd person narration. I'm not a huge fan of it so it kind of took me out of the book sometimes. I feel like a reader gets a better connection to the character when books are written in 1st person, but that's just my opinion. Next, Eva didn't seem to grow at all. She's still very naïve and acts almost like a little girl. She's 17, but considering everything she's been through you'd think she'd be a little more mature. So many times I wanted her to call Jacks out on stuff, but she just gave him the benefit of the doubt and believed whatever he said. It reminded me of a young girl with a crush on an older guy. I also didn't understand her loyalty to Apollo because they literally do not know each other. I understand wanting to help him, but she spoke about him like he was actually her husband and they were going to live happily ever after. It was just weird.

Came in great, new condition. Book 1 was good, Book 2 is REALLY good. Hopefully some of you take advantage of the sales like I did to get these in hardcover. - read by account owners daughter (my dad does not read these)

Another “used like new” purchase in perfect condition! And again this is amazing book the second in series. Discovering the used like new option for some of these books is awesome! I feel like it should be illegal to get such good books in such great shape for so cheap.

This one pulled me in even more than the first. The story feels deeper, more emotional, and honestly a little more intense. The connection between the characters just keeps building, and it’s impossible not to get invested. It still has that whimsical, fairytale feel, but there’s more tension and heartbreak woven in. I found myself thinking about it even after I finished. Definitely one of those books that leaves you wanting more.

The Ballad of Never After starts where Once Upon a Broken Heart left off. Evangeline is angry with Jacks for betraying her. He cursed Apollo in a suspended sleep and had Evangeline framed for murdering him. Jacks is trying to get Evangeline to open the Valory Arch which is said to hold either the greatest treasure or the most terrible monster of the Valors who were the first royals of the Magnificent North. Evangeline has sworn she won't open the arch no matter what, and now partnering with Jacks is also completely out of the question. Yet, Jacks is always there. He's constantly saving Evangeline from danger and near-death experiences. Then another curse that affects Apollo and Evangeline happens. Time is running out for Apollo to wake before the next heir to the throne takes over. And now, Evangeline is in even more danger as she's being hunted by the curse of the Archer and the Fox. Jacks is her best hope at survival, and it turns out that opening the Valory Arch is the best option for removing the curses upon Evangeline and Apollo. So they begin their search in earnest to find the four missing stones needed to open the arch. The Ballad of Never After is the perfect kind of torture. The wishy-washy back and forth of whether or not Jacks actually has feelings for Evangeline drove the story for me. She is coming to terms with her own emotions. And even though Evangeline would not have said she was in love with Apollo, it seemed like she wanted him well because that was just the right thing to do and because he was innocent in all the curses. Evangeline and Jacks grow so much closer as the story progresses. And it was pretty clear which direction things were headed in. And I was all for it. Speaking of wishy-washy, I loved the inclusion of the story curse. It was mentioned and played upon in the previous book, but The Ballad of Never After, out of the three books in the series, used this plot device the most. It led to feelings of uncertainty because you couldn't even trust the information that Evangeline was getting from any source. Pretty smart if you ask me. Jessica from A GREAT read had warned me that the cliffhanger from The Ballad of Never After was pretty brutal and that I would want to have book 3, A Curse for True Love, to dive straight into. I thought I was prepared. I was so not prepared for that ending. Oh, the heartbreak. I would truly have hated that cliffhanger if I'd had to wait a year before getting into the next book. And I'm so thankful I could dive right into the next part of the story. As a matter of fact, I literally did. I finished this book and immediately picked up the next book. Like not even minutes to breathe or process. Favorite quotes: -"Since I met you, my first love was turned to stone, I was turned to stone, then I was turned into a fugitive, multiple people have tried to murder me, and you poisoned my husband--" -And when Liana reached the last page of every story, she never said, The end. Instead, she always turned to Evangeline and asked, What do you suppose happens next? They live happily ever after, Evangeline usually proclaimed. Most characters, she believed, deserved it after all they'd been through. Her mother, however, felt differently. She believed most characters would stay happy for now, but not forever. Then she'd point out things that would certainly work to wreak havoc in their future--the apprentice to the villain who was still alive, the evil stepsister who'd been forgiven but was still out there somewhere waiting to attack once more, the wish that had come true but wasn't quite paid for, the seed that had been planted but had yet to grow. -Jacks often told Evangeline that heroes didn't get happy endings, but in that moment, Evangeline wasn't looking for happiness. She just wanted a break. -"Ballads never end happily, everyone knows that." -But sometimes reason was no match for feeling. -Evanegline's hope had always burned brighter than her fear. -Winning at love was less about succeeding in a battle and more about continuing to fight, to choose the person you loved as one you were willing to die for, over and over. -Evangeline wanted to give love and be loved and feel love at just the sight of someone. -But it was so hard. All of it hurt. It hurt to want him. It hurt to be rejected by him. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to cry. It hurt even more when she tried not to cry. -"If you do this, Time will take something equally valuable from you." [...] "There is nothing of equal value to me." So many of these quotes are just basic human emotions that anyone can relate to. Reason outweighed by feelings, hope burning bright, winning at love, just wanting to love and be loved, hurting in all the ways. The Ballad of Never After was so juicy. It was a wishy-washy, "I don't know what to believe", book with all the best parts of the series if you ask me. Book 2 in a trilogy can sometimes be a dud. The buildup of book 1 has it ranked higher, and the conclusion of book 3 ranks it higher, and then book 2 is often the dud that carries the story between these two points. But The Ballad of Never After is easily my favorite in this series. I'm giving it 4.5 Stars. Have you read The Ballad of Never After? What did you think? Let me know!

This was my favorite book in this series and in this universe! "The Ballad of Never After" is a captivating sequel that expands on the enchanting world introduced previously. The character development is particularly strong, showcasing the growth of familiar faces while introducing new, intriguing characters. The blend of romance, adventure, and fantasy elements keeps readers engaged, and the plot twists are fun. Fans of the series will appreciate the deeper exploration of its themes, making it a standout in this universe. By far my favorite! Overall, it's a must-read for those who enjoyed the earlier books

The seller send it fast, I received it before the deadline that was given by Amazon. The book came in good condition. I was looking for the Barnes & Nobles edition which I never could get my hands on outside of the U.S. at a decent price. This is one of my favorite books and I am thrilled to have it in my possession now. :)

What an absolute ride! The Ballad of Never After completely surpasses the first book in intensity, angst, and heartbreak. The chemistry between Evangeline and Jacks is electric, messy, and deeply flawed, triggering every relationship anxiety in the best way possible. It is a dark fairytale where you want to scream at the characters for their choices, yet you desperately root for them anyway. If you want a book that will make you feel everything with maximum force, this is it!

<3v <3 <3

came abit damaged

Somehow this book is even better than the first. The drama and angst is next level, the plot is endlessly intriguing, and just when you think you have one part worked out another piece shows up to blow all of your theories out of the water. Straight on to the next one!!

This book left me in a dilemma. Ever get that hollow feeling inside your heart when you finish a great books? This is whar this books gave me. This book delivered absolute bangers of plot twists after plot twists. 6/5. It broke my scale😆