Cursed King: A Contemporary Beauty and the Beast Retelling Romance (Once Upon Ever After) by Julie Saman

When my sick father wanders into the off-limits palace where the widowed king of Messalina lives with his three children, I know we're in trouble. Locked away since the tragic death of his wife, the whispers of an ancient royal curse are more alive than ever. And when my father is taken prisoner and I accidentally break a priceless statue, I learn first hand that the rumors of the callous beast king with his gorgeous face and frosty disposition are true. Especially when he gives me an ultimatum: become the nanny for his children or my father goes to prison. It isn't until I move into the palace that I see there's life in the walls, passion lurking beneath smoldering glances and forbidden moments, and endless love for three beautiful children--the king's one soft spot. The longer I stay, the more in love I fall with the children and the man who does all he can to keep his distance. Until one night he shatters my innocence and shows me exactly what it means to be owned by the king. But this is no fairy tale, and no matter how we feel, we can never be together. Read more