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Rachel Rowlands, Editor & Author
fairytale retellings

The Darkest Curse

Independently published 22 October 2022

Available in ebook and paperback

What if Rapunzel’s hair was cursed by dark magic, and she had to resist falling for a handsome bard?

Locked away from the rest of the world, Annice dreams of leading a life filled with adventure and romance, things she’s only read about in books. But her hair holds a deadly curse – it kills any other living thing it touches, and no one knows the cure. Even her attempts to cut off her cursed hair are futile in the face of dark magic. Watched over by her mother, Gothel, Annice lives a lonely and sheltered life in her tower, her only escape her beloved books and lyre.

When the dashing, well-travelled bard Cyrus passes her tower, Annice is torn between her caution and curiosity. Drawn in by his stories of adventure and the world beyond, she soon finds herself enchanted by him and yearning more fiercely for a life outside. And the forbidden relationship blooming between them becomes a closely kept secret from Gothel.

As Annice begins a fresh quest for answers about her curse, she unravels a web of deceit that will change everything she thought she knew about love and family.

The Darkest Curse is Book 1 in the Nethervale series, but the series can be read in any order. Each book can stand on its own.

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I'm so delighted that The Cat Cafè Book Club is ou I'm so delighted that The Cat Cafè Book Club is out today! This is probably my favourite plotline in the series so far... a cosy romance with a dash of mystery and small town charm. It was a challenging book to write, but I also had so much fun writing about the book club fighting to save the café! 🧡🍂

🐈‍⬛️🍂 Blurb 🍂🐈‍⬛️

Brenna has moved to the countryside looking for peace and quiet with her many black cats. But Brenna is keeping a secret she can’t share with anyone…

Matt, the cheerful barista behind the counter at Catpurrcino, runs a monthly book club for locals to bring people (and cats) together.

When Matt and Brenna both reach for the same book at the library he invites her to come to the next meeting.

Brenna is wary of letting anyone new into her life, but she can’t say no to her two favourite things combined – cats and books – or Matt’s gorgeous smile.

Just as Brenna starts to think she has finally found a haven in the warmth and friendship of the book club they are rocked by terrible news: a big developer is threatening the future of not only the café, but the whole town.

Brenna and Matt vow to do all they can to save it. As they battle against the odds, Brenna begins to let the town, and Matt, into her heart.

#rachelrowlands #thecatcafebookclub #thecatcafèbookclub
Thank you to all the lovely ARC readers who left e Thank you to all the lovely ARC readers who left early reviews for The Cat Cafè Book Club (which is out next week)! 🐈🎃 My editor sent me a roundup yesterday and these are some of my favourites... I think I need to frame the quote "the way Rachel writes cat ladies is brilliant"! Truly the best kind of compliment! 😸

#thecatcafebookclub #thecatcafèbookclub #rachelrowlands
I haven't posted about what I'm reading in my spar I haven't posted about what I'm reading in my spare time in a while... largely because writing my own books and editing other people's takes up so much of my time, so I'm a slower hobby-reader now. But I'm currently reading and loving this novel in The Bone Season series by @say_shannon! 💙 It's one of my favourite series, with such a gripping supernatural-dystopian plot and a beautiful writing style that always inspires me. Whenever I pick up a book in this series, I find it almost impossible to put down. 

Are you reading anything good this weekend? 🥰

#currentlyreadi̇ng #amreadi̇ng
I'm truly obsessed with my cat café covers designe I'm truly obsessed with my cat café covers designed by the very talented @kelley.mcmorris.art and we now have a beautifully autumnal cover for Book Club to go along with the other seasons (Book Club is out on August 20). Since we have four seasonal covers now, I thought I'd show you some of my favourite details from all the covers for the series!

Do you have a favourite little detail? ✨️🐱

#thecatcafebookclub #thecatcafèbookclub #rachelrowlands

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