Core path
Read the three-book trilogy in order.
Home / Series / Once Upon a Broken Heart
Series Guide
Once Upon a Broken Heart Books in Order
By Stephanie Garber · 3 main books · Complete trilogy · Companion follow-up
This guide shows the three-book core trilogy order and where the companion follow-up fits.
Start with: Once Upon a Broken Heart
Complete🌶️🌶️Fairytale RomanceCurses and FateRomantic Fantasy
About this series
Once Upon a Broken Heart is Stephanie Garber’s complete three-book fairytale-romance trilogy, followed by a companion volume in the same story world. Read the trilogy in publication order, then place The Mirror of Infinite Endings after A Curse for True Love.
Quick Answer
Read Once Upon a Broken Heart first, then The Ballad of Never After, then A Curse for True Love. The main trilogy is complete, and Caraval is optional before starting. The Mirror of Infinite Endings comes after the trilogy as a companion follow-up.
Caraval is optional before starting Once Upon a Broken Heart, but adds fuller context for the shared world.
Fairytale RomanceCurses and FateRomantic Fantasy
Publication order is the clearest first-read path.
Read more about this series
Caraval is optional before starting Once Upon a Broken Heart, but adds fuller context for the shared world.
Fairytale RomanceCurses and FateRomantic Fantasy
Publication order is the clearest first-read path.
Once Upon a Broken Heart Reading Order
Main trilogy
- 1
Once Upon a Broken Heart
2021
- 2
The Ballad of Never After
2022
- 3
A Curse for True Love
2023
Companion follow-up
The Mirror of Infinite Endings
CompanionOptional2026
Once Upon a Broken Heart Reader Decisions
A quick guide to the core path, optional context, and spice level.
Optional follow-up
Read The Mirror of Infinite Endings after the trilogy.
Shared-world context
Caraval is optional, not required.
Spice
Low spice with strong romantic tension.
Should You Read Caraval Before Once Upon a Broken Heart?
No. You can start directly with Once Upon a Broken Heart. Reading Caraval books in order first adds context for the shared world and overlapping characters, but it is optional. For the full author path, see Stephanie Garber books in order.
Where Does The Mirror of Infinite Endings Fit in the Reading Order?
Read The Mirror of Infinite Endings after A Curse for True Love as a companion follow-up; it is not core Book 4.
Is Once Upon a Broken Heart Complete?
Yes. The main Once Upon a Broken Heart story is complete as a three-book trilogy. The Mirror of Infinite Endings is a companion follow-up, not an additional core installment required to complete it.
Who should read this series?
- Readers who want fairytale fantasy romance.
- Readers who enjoy curses and fate.
- Readers drawn to romantic tension.
- Readers who enjoy shared-world fantasy.
Who might want to skip it?
- Readers looking mainly for high-spice adult romantasy.
- Readers who want adult explicit romantasy.
New to this series? Start here
Once Upon a Broken Heart
Start with Once Upon a Broken Heart, the first book in the trilogy.
Buy first book on BookshopSeries at a glance
3
Main books
🌶️🌶️
Spice
Complete trilogy
Status
3
Tropes
Best for: fairytale romantasy readers
Start with: Once Upon a Broken Heart
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct Once Upon a Broken Heart reading order?
Read Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse for True Love. After that, read The Mirror of Infinite Endings as a companion follow-up.
What book comes after Once Upon a Broken Heart?
The next book is The Ballad of Never After, followed by A Curse for True Love.
Is Once Upon a Broken Heart complete?
Yes. The main Once Upon a Broken Heart story is complete as a three-book trilogy.
Do I need to read Caraval before Once Upon a Broken Heart?
No, you can start with Once Upon a Broken Heart, but reading Caraval first gives more context for the shared world and some overlapping story elements.
Is The Mirror of Infinite Endings book 4?
No. The Mirror of Infinite Endings is a companion follow-up after the trilogy, not a fourth core book.
Is Once Upon a Broken Heart romantasy?
Yes. It is commonly read as fairytale romantasy or fantasy romance, with curses, fate, magic, and a central romantic arc.
Is Once Upon a Broken Heart spicy?
It is generally low spice compared with adult high-spice romantasy, with more focus on romantic tension and fairytale atmosphere.