Can I resist a retelling?
Arc provided by Pocket Books through Netgalley
Release Date : September 23 rd
Reasons why I loved this book:
Bookish main characters who agree on the vital importance of reading!
Brownyn goes as far as to affirm that she would rather own a library "subscription", than to be a princess...which is a very sensible statement for her to make!
Because how one finds the time to read with all those people looking at you, I have no idea!
A rakish prince of a somewhat modern kingdom who is determined in living his life the way he wants to, without having anyone telling him otherwise. Thankfully for Aleksey he has three brothers, and one of them is the oldest, so....he may continue partying. ;)
I am kidding. He's not as irresponsible as he would like people to think so _ as all reformable rakes do.
He likes small fluffy dogs, so that's some serious bonus points for him...
He's not overly attached to the latest fashion style...
And of course, the most important of all: He likes to read!
He has however an asinine thinking moment _the most flagrant one _ but that ends up being thwarted by our heroine's big ears and correct *GPS* positioning. (lol)
She totally eavesdrop the conversation :)
Bronwyn has a somewhat Cinderella life: She has two stepsisters....but they all love one another.
She has a stepmother _not evil or wicked _ who is determined that her daughters should marry well.
Truth be told, she is more worried about the two younger daughters, but only because Bronwyn has made perfectly clear that she is rather happy with her life. Also, she is twenty four years old, so she is practically on the shelf!
Now imagine what will happen when this Mama bear discovers that there is a prince in the vicinities ...
"A prince? Well he must marry your sister!" (not this phrasing, but you know what I mean)
Unfortunately for the scheming Mother, her beautiful daughter is far from interested in the Prince...
The prince is much more interested in her plainer older daughter...who in turns is also quite infatuated with the prince!
As you can see, this could turn out problematic...fortunately for us, the author didn't chose the melodramatic path so things work out in a mostly sane way...
Of course there is people climbing castle trellis, and things like that...
Secret Marriages...
Naked princes...
Naked princes with glasses...
o_O
Normally with Cinderella retellings, the Cinderella is the most beautiful girl in the setting.
Not in this one.
I liked that Bronwyn isn't "the fairest of them all", and that Aleksey couldn't care less about it.
As he mentions repeatedly: beauty isn't enough.
More cookie points for this.
Another great thing about this story, is that it has a pretty good dynamic, and we never get tired of reading about the couple _or couples _ in the book; mainly because there is a vast number of secondary characters, that keep things vastly interesting.
Take Aleksey's grandmother for instance: their interactions are insanely amusing, even when she's vexing him repeatedly!
The woman is a dragon, and she is determined in seeing him married...whether he wants to, or not.
Bottom line: A pretty good romance that kept me up almost all night long, with an irresistible couple, and quite a number of meddling family members...to keep things interesting enough.
I can't wait to read more about this family!
Apparently one of the other brothers already has his own book, in a different series, so I am looking forward to attacking it...
I also can't wait to see what their grandmother has in store, for the rest of her stubborn grandsons! ;)
Buy "The Prince Who Loved Me"
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