Miss Kate Daltry doesn't believe in fairy tales . . . or happily ever after.
Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince . . . and decides he's anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman—a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfill his ruthless ambitions.
Gabriel likes his fiancée, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn't love her. Obviously, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him.
Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after.
Unless a prince throws away everything that makes him noble . . . Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune . . . Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.
My thoughts:
Once upon a time:
There was a woman named Kate. She was strong willed, wanted the best for her dead father's tenants and was treated like a servant.
She had a stepmother who swam in jewels and pretty dresses and a step-sister who was a silly little thing.
Then one day she was bullied to save her sister's reputation and met a prince. This prince was as princes are and they bickered and sized one another up. That is how love began.
But alas no, the prince needed to marry for money and told her so. Good old Kate did a silly thing that the reader did not approve of. Let that be a lesson to all. She threw away virtue and all. Now you dear reader tell me what else is new? But I shall tell thee. In some stories this may work, but here is another story. These two were starcrossed lovers. She knew so, he knew so. They told each other so. Still she went for a night of passion, still he seduced that which was not his to take. She should have been ruined for all but as we all also know, this is love and love always finds a way. I still say nay.
And that was the story of how Cinderella found a prince. A historical romance with a fairy-tale story. Since so many names were utterly silly and the whole story had the right fairy-tale vibe.
Conclusion:
A cute little story.
And oh how this format was wrong. So not trying it again!
Cover: Eh
Series: Fairy tales #1
Genre: Historical romance
Pages: 304
Published: 2011 by Piatkus
Source: From a great blogger :D
Really sorry to hear it wasn't your cup of tea. I quite liked it myself. Don't like your cover very much. So glad my book has another cover! :)
ReplyDeleteOh no, I did like it, it was cute :) But like always, HR and smexing is just so wrong for me
DeleteI really need to read one of her books - so far, only her memoir which I enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteI have read two so far :)
DeleteI don't like that cover, either.
ReplyDeleteTGIF! :)
TGIF!!!! :D
DeleteSorry it didn't work for you. Glad it got there.
ReplyDeleteOh you misunderstand me, I did enjoy it :) I just did not want her to hook up so quickly
DeleteYeah, that's a meh cover.
ReplyDeleteVery meh indeed
DeleteHmmm...I dunno. Your new format, I blame it for my lack of intelligent, witty response.
ReplyDeleteHaha, oh how my new format sucked ass. I tried to do it fairy-tale style but failed miserable
DeleteSounds kind of formulaic, but I'm okay with that occasionally. And of course it had to have a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteOf course :) It would not have been HR otherise
DeleteI liked your review! Put a smile on my face. Don't know if this one is for me. Perhaps if I'm in a sweet HEA mood, I will read it. :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet HEA; awww, she does get it all
DeleteGreat, honest post - thank you! I'm sorry that you didn't like this one that much though. I think I need to try out some Eloisa James books to see how I like them. :) I hope your next read is more enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteNew to your blog!
Steph @ Stepping Out of the Page
It was fun and all, I just found the smexing too fast, considering. I am always so harsh when it comes to HR :)
Deletei really like her books!! sorry this genre isn't for you, but great that you tried it out!!
ReplyDeleteIt's not the genre, it's my knowledge of the time and I just found that more should have been found out when they smex around, lol
DeleteI could barely finish this book, I listened to it on audio and it was pure torture. EJ is so hit or miss with me.
ReplyDeleteYikes, that does not sound good at all
DeleteI think I like the idea of the synopsis but I don't know if it's for me now I read your review. I think it's always a little difficult to have good tales like that. I haven't read an amazing one yet as the real are so great. but thanks for introducing me to this book.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is different and I like that. It's Cinderella meets regular HR and it works.
DeleteI don't think this book is for me but I loved your review. LOL
ReplyDeleteThanks :D
DeleteI really hated that they slept together with his fiance downstairs, still engaged to him! It completely ruined the book for me and made this my least favorite Cinderella retelling.
ReplyDeleteI just wished they had not slept together then :(
DeleteA little twist on Cinderella. Doesn't sound too bad.
ReplyDeleteAlways a good story :)
DeleteAwwww....thats too bad, if she's gone and thrown away her virtue, forget it.
ReplyDeleteLol. I really do not know why is always bother me. It's just that, nope, she would not have done so well
DeleteHmm I do like your review style, so I hope you do another one like it. Looking forward to read it myself, because, well, they always have sex before marriage.
ReplyDeleteLol, they sure do. I think it might be me growing up on Cartland where they never did anything bad before marriage ;)
DeleteThe format wasn't bad.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued at first but then I didn't really see anything different that would really draw me in to stay.
Thanks, it was silly to write though and only works with fairytale books..so bye bye format
DeleteI agree with Alexis, the format wasn't too bad.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the story seems cute.
Cute it was :) And good to hear that the format did not suck
DeleteThat was a good format! :) But I don't think I would be reading this book :(
ReplyDeleteThanks :) At least the format was fun to write
DeleteI read When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James last year and really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI picked up two more of her books at BEA last week so I'll see if I continue to enjoy her writing.
I want to read the Beauty and the beast one since that one sounds good...should check what else she got
DeleteWhile I'm not a big fan of short stories the exception to this is romance anthologies. I just really enjoy them, particularly the historical romance ones. This definitely sounds like a book I would like.
ReplyDeleteNot an anthology though, just a romance
Delete