Stephanie Garber Books in Order: Caraval & Once Upon a Broken Heart Guide
Author of lush, immersive fantasy romance known for magical settings that feel like living fever dreams and morally ambiguous love interests. Best known for Caraval and the Once Upon a Broken Heart series.
About Stephanie Garber
Stephanie Garber writes fantasy that prioritizes atmosphere and immersion above all else — her worlds operate by dreamlike rules, her settings are impossible to pin to any precise historical moment, and her prose reads like a fairy tale told by someone who knows how fairy tales actually end. Caraval arrived as one of the most atmospheric fantasy debuts of the 2010s: a magical competition where nothing is real and everything might kill you, set against the kind of visual richness that makes readers feel they've stepped into something they've half-dreamed before.
The Once Upon a Broken Heart series marks a tonal shift toward darker, more morally complex romance — Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, is the kind of love interest who is genuinely dangerous, genuinely interested in the protagonist for reasons that are not straightforwardly good, and whose arc across three books is one of the more patient slow burns in contemporary fantasy romance. Both series are set in the same world and reward reading in publication order for the full mythology. For readers who love fantasy that feels like a fever dream they never want to wake from, Garber is essential.
Where to Start: Caraval vs. Once Upon a Broken Heart
Start with Caraval (Book 1). It introduces the world, the mythology, and Jacks — who becomes the romantic lead of the second series. Caraval has a satisfying near-standalone ending, so you can stop there or continue. Once Upon a Broken Heart is richer if you've read the Caraval trilogy first, but can technically be read independently. Both series are low-to-medium heat with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and slow-burn tension.
Stephanie Garber Books in Order
Caraval Series
The best entry point to Garber's world — dreamy, twisty, and impossible to put down.
- 1
Caraval
Caraval, Book 1
Two sisters enter a legendary magical game where nothing is quite what it seems and the prize is anything they desire. Dreamy, twisty, and impossible to put down.
Note: Start here — works as a near-standalone with a satisfying ending.
- 2
Legendary
Caraval, Book 2
Told from the perspective of Scarlett's sister Donatella, set during the events of the second Caraval game. Reveals the deeper mythology behind the game and its master.
- 3
Finale
Caraval, Book 3
Both sisters' stories converge in a finale that raises the stakes to world-ending levels and delivers on the series' romantic promises.
Once Upon a Broken Heart Series
Set in the same world as Caraval — best read after the Caraval trilogy.
- 1
Once Upon a Broken Heart
Once Upon a Broken Heart, Book 1
A girl makes a deal with the Prince of Hearts — a fallen saint who collects on debts in devastating ways. Set in the same world as Caraval with richer mythology and a darker romance.
- 2
The Ballad of Never After
Once Upon a Broken Heart, Book 2
The story of Jacks and Evangeline deepens as the price of their bargain becomes clear.
- 3
A Curse for True Love
Once Upon a Broken Heart, Book 3
The trilogy concludes with revelations about Jacks' true nature and the fate that has been written for both of them.