By now, every reader worthy of their bookmarks should have heard of the Prince of Hearts. Making his appearance in Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series, he lives in our heads rent-free, taunting us with his deadly kisses and dimples he does not deserve.
Every OUABH fan loves Jacks’ snarky comments. If you too have a soft spot for romance quotes, browse through our blog and find your favorites in a wide variety from Sarah J. Mass, to Pride and Prejudice, and The Song of Achilles.
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In Garber’s whimsical world, where reality is a fairy tale, and magic is in the air, a young girl begins her quest for true love, with a paradoxical start; she makes a bargain with the most dangerous Fate. Her lover is getting married to her step-sister, and Evangeline will do anything to stop the wedding. Is her heart strong enough to survive Jacks’ tricks? Well, if we know a thing about heroes and villains, it’s that they certainly belong together.
You have three whole books in the OUABH series to explore the dynamic of true love, beginning Evangeline’s journey with Once Upon a Broken Heart, moving on to The Ballad of Never After, and concluding with A Curse for True Love. In this young-adult, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance series, plot twists, betrayal, heartbreak, and unconditional love are the right ingredients for a delicious treat—or in other words, Jacks.
Let’s analyze the mischievous, self-righteous, and enigmatic characters in Once Upon a Broken Heart, and get a glimpse of its unique world-building. Beware of spoilers, and proceed carefully if you are not the type of reader who likes getting little hints before devouring the book pages.
Before we continue, make sure you check out Once Upon a Broken Heart Summary, or our Blog to find more book reviews of our favorite romance picks.
Evangeline grows up believing that she is made of magic. Always being around fairy tales, her biggest dream is to find her special happy ending; a love so strong and unique, like her parents’ happy marriage. When she loses both of them, she finds comfort in her father’s Curiosity Shop, and her sweetheart’s embrace.
However, she is far from getting her happily ever after, as Luc suddenly proposes to her step-sister, Marisol. Confident that Luc is her one true love, she seeks the assistance of the Prince of Hearts to stop the wedding. The risk of trusting Jacks is nothing compared to her love for Luc, and when the Fate proposes a deal to her, Evangeline does not stop to think of the consequences. She promises Jacks three kisses, in time and place of his choosing.
Evangeline is the epitome of the self-righteous, sacrificial hero. She clings to hope, and places her fate in the hands of destiny to fulfil her greatest mission; find true love. She is stubborn, brave, and altruistic, always putting others’ needs before her own. A great example of this is her capacity for forgiveness. Even though Marisol has stolen away her lover, Evangeline still considers her step-sister to be a victim after Jacks breaks her wedding with Luc. She lets her tag along to the Magnificent North, where Evangeline is invited to Nocte Neverending, a sequence of events to celebrate the Prince’s quest for a wife. Too good to be true, right? Who would not want to be under the Prince’s radar on these nights?
Naturally, Evangeline believes she has a shot, but things get sticky when Jacks seeks her in the North to collect her debt to him. After a certain series of events, kisses, curses, and declarations of love, Evangeline finds herself betrayed by everyone. Marisol practices magic to undermine Evangeline, and Jacks has his secret agenda. Having no one to trust but herself, Evangeline must uncover Jack’s grand ploy.
When she hears about a prophecy that calls for a strawberry blond-haired girl to be the key to open an Arch that hides dangerous things inside, she realizes how Jacks has been using her to fulfil his evil agenda. She must make sure to never open the so-called Valory Arch for him.
Evangeline’s journey is not one of self-discovery or strengthening her inner-power. She will come to understand that fate does not control everything, and there’s more than one ending to a story. The possibility of infinite endings will liberate her, and in the end, she will be able to choose her own destiny, defying all odds, and paying the price that comes with magic.
If you love to read about heroes like Evangeline, caught in a romance of similar tropes, then go through this list we made with our Top Romantasy Picks to find more cursed heroes and their adventures.
Jacks is one of the greatest villains ever discussed on BookTok. He is morally gray, and does not hesitate to admit it. He is an egomaniac, a narcissistic, and notorious Fate, who will see his plans through using any means necessary. His motivation is shady, but his charm is unmatched. His aura is alluring, and with the fear of danger he creates, this man is irresistible. It all fits with his power to control people’s emotions, making them his puppets.
Villain or anti-hero? The truth is, the more we learn about the Fates, the more we understand that they are all tragic figures. The price the Fates had to pay to control all this magical power was to always seek the only thing they can never have. For a better picture of the magic system, read Caraval—this is our last warning! In Jacks’ case, he is always in search of his one true love. He is cursed with deadly kisses that kill any girl who comes in touch with his lips, until he encounters the girl who will survive it.
Betrayal, mind games, and manipulation are his bread and butter, but we shall admit to the tragedy of his situation. We can even relate a little. He is a traumatized man chasing after love, losing his morality on the way. What’s new?
Do you love the tragic anti-hero vibes of Rhysand, Kai Azer or Aaron Warner? Fill your TBR list with one of the titles in 20 Books to Read After Powerless, and Books Like ACOTAR.
Scared of making lists? Find out How to Start Your Book Collection, by following simple tricks just for you!
Prince Apollo is the handsome royal who finds himself caught in the middle of powerful enchantments. His transformation from an unattainable prince to a key figure whose fate is interwoven with Evangeline’s journey, makes the romantic dynamic more intriguing.
He is presented as an arrogant, pompous prince, who thrives on exposure and likes showing his wealth. All too soon, though, he falls under a love spell, and sticks to Evangeline’s side like a puppy. His outrageous declarations of love, gifts, and balls to celebrate their upcoming union, make us cringe rather than kick our feet and giggle. To make a long story short, Apollo is enchanted by Jacks to love Evangeline in his attempt to manipulate her. So we cannot tell much about Apollo’s personality, at least not in the first book. In A Curse for True Love, we engage more with his character—infuriating, we might add.
The love-triangle dynamic his presence offers, only makes Evangeline’s forbidden feelings for Jacks grow. So, the prince is not completely useless. On the contrary, he will adopt the role of the villain—the classic, evil, unforgiving one—who will threaten the love and redemption of the main couple.
How do you like analyzing the personalities of your favorite heroes and villains? Find more similar content for our beloved Folk of the Air in The Cruel Prince Characters.
When Lala first approaches Evangeline in Nocte Neverending, a mysterious aura and dangerous secrets follow her otherwise perfect figure. She is one of the girls who are claiming Apollo’s attention, and she feels desperate to become his wife. Paradoxically, when Apollo declares his intentions for Evangeline, Lala does not react the way Evangeline expected. She starts to think that Lala may be different from Marisol, and seeks a friendship with Evangeline without ulterior motives. Especially when Lala warns her about Jacks’ bad intentions, Evangeline knows they are on the same page.
However, Evangeline’s trust will be challenged once more, as she finds out that Lala is a Fate that works with Jacks to poison Apollo. She is not quick to judge Lala, though, as she learns of her tragic story as the Cursed Bride. Lala will always seek for marriage, but then she will abandon her groom at the altar. That is why she has a massive collection of wedding dresses, and it has become her hobby to sew wedding dresses.
Truth is that Lala helps Evangeline more than she undermines her, so the connection and the respect between the two females is significant.
Luc enters Evangeline’s life at a very sensitive moment; her father’s death. Evangeline is devastated and holds on to Luc’s love and company like her life depends on it. Luc’s intentions for her are not clear from the start, since we get Evangeline’s point of view mostly, and we follow Luc through her love-sick eyes. He is so not worth it!
He is rich, arrogant, and keeps his relationship with Evangeline a secret. Also, when he is surrounded by friends, his demeanor around her changes. Hm, sounds a lot like a red flag, doesn’t it? Then, he falls under Marisol’s love spell, causing Evangeline’s complete heartbreak, devastation and desperation to take him back. Well, he is the motivation that drives her to Jacks and the actual plot unravels, but soon it shows that Luc and Evangeline did not share the magic of true love.
He escapes after Jacks breaks the wedding, and a wolf mulls his face, stopping him from running to Evangeline’s rescue. Note that Evangeline changed her mind and sacrificed herself to free them from Jacks’ spell. And what did Luc do? He cried over his ruined face and asked for the help of vampires to restore his beauty. Vain and dangerous boy.
She may pass as an innocent, shy girl with mommy-issues, but her resolve is stronger than you can imagine. With her mother constantly reprimanding her for her lacking in appearance compared to Evangeline, Marisol finds an escape in magic. She learns about spells, and succeeds in creating a love potion for Luc. When her plan is destroyed by Jacks, and Luc runs away, she is left with nothing but her innocent act. She has Evangeline fooled, and she accompanies her to the Magnificent North in the hope that she will heal and find her happy ending.
The difference between her and Evangeline is that Marisol won’t let fate manage her life. She has a library of spell books to help her create the ideal life for herself. Also, Marisol intends to have what Evangeline wants. That has always been her goal. To outdo the ethereal Evangeline.
Yep, there are Vampires in the Magnificent North, but it is all explained well, be patient! The ritual of becoming a vampire is quite interesting, but nothing unique. It is okay since this hidden part of the world does not affect the story much. Chaos is Jacks’ friend—of course—and they both work on opening the Valory Arch. He wants to get rid of the helmet that he is cursed to wear forever, due to his uncontrollable thirst. It is said that he is the first-ever vampire, and spread chaos and bloodshed. Inside the Valory Arch, he will find the way to remove his helmet.
He intends to protect Evangeline at all costs, since she is the key to opening the Arch. He has many secrets, but he seems willing to help Evangeline figure out the truth behind everything. He narrates the story of the magical stones that will open the Arch along with Evangeline’s blood. She will dreadfully realize it is not his first attempt to open the Arch with a key like her.
He is dangerous and powerful. No one can mess with him, not even Jacks.
Tiberius is Apollo’s younger brother. His enigmatic figure creates an uneasy atmosphere around him, as we anticipate his arrival in Nocte Neverending. Apollo hints at his brother’s difficult character, and the fact that the two prefer to be separated for a long time, says a lot about their relationship. Naturally, Evangeline—with her savior syndrome—tries to bring them closer, but she is taken aback when Tiberius threatens her. He does not trust her, and Evangeline justifies his actions as those of a protective, loving little brother.
Tiberius may care for Apollo, but he has his own secret agenda. He is a member of a secret council who are sworn to protect the Valory Arch and make sure it stays closed. They believe that what lurks inside is deadly. Evangeline being the key to the Arch makes her Tiberius’ number one target.
Surely, by the end of Once Upon a Broken Heart, you all come out confused, and intrigued. Evangeline is betrayed by everyone, Jacks’ betrayal being the most hurtful one. Apollo’s life is compromised, and her presence in the castle causes bad rumors to spread around the North. Who will save her when the world comes for her? She certainly cannot trust Jacks anymore, but what if she played his game, and manipulated him into doing what she needed? She needs to find what Jacks is seeking in the Valory Arch and use it against him. It won’t be that difficult, right? She is the key after all, and Jacks needs her alive. Well, he has to work for it.
The twists and the mistrust lead to a self-developing plot, where the characters constantly challenge each other, swear to never work together again, but their fates intertwine. Everyone’s but Evangeline’s motive remains a secret to her, and the suspense of revealing the truth and the reason behind everyone’s actions creates some delicious drama. Jacks won’t apologize, or change his way of doing things. If you want the monster, you must learn to love it. There is a long way to go, both for Evangeline and Jacks, but that is the beauty of a slow-burn romance.
Evangeline won’t stop searching for her one true love, but if she is not willing to trust her heart completely, she may lose him forever. Which is more important: finding your true love, or getting your happily ever after?
All great romances have their twists and turns, but once you join crewfiction, and subscribe to our Tea & Cakes Newsletter, we promise you the magic will enter your inbox every week with the most bookish content you can expect.
It is essential that you read the Caraval trilogy first. There are characters like Donatella that play an important role in shaping Jacks’ plans on OUABH. Also, following the adventures of Scarlett, Donatella and Legend will show you the way magic works in this world, and how the Fates were born—significant intel to figure Jacks out. Did we mention that Jacks is caught in a love triangle in the world of Caraval?
Jacks’ true love is the Fox from the Ballad of the Archer and the Fox. As the Archer, he was cursed to chase down his love and kill her. Well, he always calls Evangeline “Little Fox” so this suggests a lot. The last thing we remain to see is if his kiss will kill her.
Jacks does not kiss Evangeline in Once Upon a Broken Heart. Not on the lips, at least. There are some heated moments when they come close and Jacks teases her—sucking her neck—but no real kiss. Remember that his kisses are deadly, and only his one true love can survive them. We promise there will be more to come in the next book!
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
