To Win a Dark Heart · #3

Falling for the Winged Witch

A Villainous Twist on Wild Swans and Jack and the Beanstalk

Sarah Beran

10.0 / 10
1 rating

A widowed queen trapped by her past.

A giant who just wants to be left alone.

A fowl curse that could cost them both everything.

Lindy never wanted to get married or have children—especially not seven stepsons old enough to be her brothers and a doddering royal husband. Just when it seems like things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the king suddenly dies, and her sinister reputation for casting curses means that all eyes and fingers are pointed at her. Rather than support their new mother, her stepsons seem determined to do everything they can to make her life miserable. When the youngest fills her room with water fowl as a prank, Lindy finally decides to take things into her own hands—and everything goes wrong.

Atlas lives with his head in the clouds, and he likes it that way. His ancestral home is hidden away so high in the mountains that it’s practically inaccessible. But somehow the secret has slipped, and he keeps chasing away unwanted visitors. After the latest break-in ends with his prized goose missing, Atlas is forced to do the one thing never wanted: climb down the beanstalk.

Unfortunately, the scoundrel who took his goose is now a swan, and the only way to get him to tell Atlas where she is is to help the witch who cast the curse in the first place. The nettlesome woman won’t give him the time of day, refusing to speak until the sun goes down. When she does, it’s to instruct him in the most ridiculous task he’s ever heard of.

But Atlas really wants to get his goose and go home, and if knitting is the way to achieve that, so be it. If only the task didn’t threaten to knit his heart to hers in the process…

Falling for the Winged Witch is a combined retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk and The Wild Swans, featuring tropes such as Unlikely Allies, Found Family, and Opposites Attract. It is the third book in the To Win a Dark Heart series, which retells fairy tales as old as time, but this time it’s the villain’s turn to get a happy ending.

Published
January 30, 2026
Where to find this book
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Discussions (2)

ARC Listings Available for To Win a Dark Heart Fairy Tale Series

Chelsea K739 books · 233 posts

To Win a Dark Heart is a 12 book, multi-author series with stories that mash up two fairy tales and match up their villains.

Advanced Reader Copies (ARC's) are currently available at both Booksprout and BookSirens for multiple books in this series those who are interested. 

Falling for the Mad King: A Fairy Tale Villain Mash-Up
Publication Date: Feb 20, 2026
Page Length: 202 pages
 
Booksprout ARC Link
Review by Feb 21, 2026
Review on at least 1:


  • Amazon

  • Goodreads

  • Bookbub

BookSirens ARC Link
Number of days to read: 54

Falling for the Doomed Bride: Bluebeard's Tale
Publication Date: January 23, 2026
Page Length: ?

 
Booksprout ARC Link
Review by Jan 23, 2026

Review on at least 1:


  • Amazon

  • Goodreads

  • Bookbub

Falling for the Sorcerer: A Villainous Rapunzel and Swan Lake Second Chance Romance
Publication Date: February 27, 2026
Page Length: 298 pages

BookSirens ARC Link
Number of days to read: 61

Happy reading to anyone who decides to read this series.
 
My personal recommendation (particularly if you enjoy the book a lot) is to place your review in as many places as you can and to send the author a message letting them know were you posted (including here) to let them know how much you appreciate their generosity in providing you with the opportunity to read an early copy of their book.

Edited Jan 18, 2026 02:03
Chelsea K739 books · 233 posts

Falling for the Sorcerer: A Villainous Rapunzel and Swan Lake Second Chance Romance
Publication Date: February 27, 2026
Page Length: 298 pages

Booksprout ARC Link
Review by Mar 31, 2026
Review on at least 1:


  • Amazon

  • Goodreads

  • Bookbub

  • Barnes & Noble

Falling for the Pied Piper: To Win a Dark Heart
Booksprout ARC LinkReview by Mar 21, 2026

Review on at least 1:


  • Amazon

  • Goodreads

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