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Series Guide

Once Upon a Broken Heart Reading Order

By Stephanie Garber · 3 main books · Complete trilogy · Companion follow-up

Use this Once Upon a Broken Heart books in order guide to read the trilogy in the right order and place The Mirror of Infinite Endings after the main story.

Start with: Once Upon a Broken Heart

Complete🌶️🌶️Fairytale RomanceCurses and FateRomantic Fantasy

About this series

For first-time readers, publication order is the best reading order. If you want the fullest Stephanie Garber world context, read Caraval first; if you mainly want Evangeline and Jacks, start here.

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. The Mirror of Infinite Endings is best read afterward as a companion follow-up.

If you are new to Once Upon a Broken Heart, start with Once Upon a Broken Heart and continue through the main trilogy in publication order. The Mirror of Infinite Endings can be read afterward as a companion follow-up in the same world.

Fairytale RomanceCurses and FateRomantic Fantasy

Best first read: publication order.

Quick answer: read Once Upon a Broken Heart first, then The Ballad of Never After, then A Curse for True Love. The Mirror of Infinite Endings is best read afterward as a companion follow-up.

Once Upon a Broken Heart Reading Order

1
Once Upon a Broken Heart
2021
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2
The Ballad of Never After
2022
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3
A Curse for True Love
2023
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4
The Mirror of Infinite Endings
CompanionOptional
2026
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Once Upon a Broken Heart Reader Decisions

The trilogy is complete and low spice, with its strongest appeal in fairytale atmosphere, curses, and romantic tension.

Main trilogy first

Read Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse for True Love in order.

Companion follow-up

The Mirror of Infinite Endings is best read after the core trilogy as a companion follow-up, not as a replacement for the main path.

Low spice

Expect high romantic tension and fairytale magic rather than explicit adult-romantasy heat.

See the OUABH spice guide →

Should You Read Caraval Before Once Upon a Broken Heart?

You can start with Once Upon a Broken Heart without reading Caraval first.

The simplest answer is this: if you want the fullest Stephanie Garber world experience, read the Caraval trilogy first. If you mainly want Evangeline and Jacks's story, you can begin with Once Upon a Broken Heart.

For the full earlier series path, see Caraval books in order.

Where Does The Mirror of Infinite Endings Fit?

The Mirror of Infinite Endings is best treated as a companion follow-up after the main Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy.

First-time readers should read Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse for True Love before moving on to The Mirror of Infinite Endings. It is a later companion entry, not a replacement for the trilogy.

Is Once Upon a Broken Heart Complete?

Yes, the main Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy is complete in three books: Once Upon a Broken Heart, The Ballad of Never After, and A Curse for True Love.

The Mirror of Infinite Endings adds a companion follow-up in the same world, but the main trilogy already has a full ending.

Who should read this series?

Readers who want fairytale fantasy romance.
Readers who enjoy curses, fate, and magical bargains.
Caraval readers who want a connected follow-up world.

Who might want to skip it?

Readers looking mainly for high-spice adult romantasy.
Readers who prefer darker or more violent fantasy romance.
Readers who dislike whimsical fairytale-style storytelling.

New to this series? Start here

Once Upon a Broken Heart

Best first entry point for Once Upon a Broken Heart. Read this before the rest of the series.

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Series at a glance

Main books

🌶️🌶️

Spice

Complete trilogy

Status

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.

What comes after A Curse for True Love?

After the core trilogy, continue with The Mirror of Infinite Endings as a companion follow-up in the same world.

Is Once Upon a Broken Heart complete?

The main Once Upon a Broken Heart trilogy is complete in three books. A companion follow-up, The Mirror of Infinite Endings, is positioned as a Volume 4 companion in the same world.

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?

It is best treated as a companion or Volume 4 follow-up after the main trilogy, not a replacement for the original three-book path.

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.

Who should start with Once Upon a Broken Heart?

This series is a strong fit for readers who want fairytale fantasy, romantic tension, curses, fate-driven storytelling, and a more whimsical romantasy tone.