| Title | : | Glass Slippers, Ever After, and Me (Proper Romance Contemporary) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1629726079 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781629726076 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 |
| Publication | : | Published October 21, 2019 |
A modern, reimagined Cinderella story.
When aspiring author Charlotte Kingsley finally gets published, she thinks all her dreams have come true. But the trouble begins when her publicity firm reinvents her quirky online presence into a perfectly curated dream life. Gone are the days of sweatpant posts and ice cream binges with her best friend, Anders, replaced instead with beautiful clothes, orchestrated selfies, and no boyfriend. Only, that carefully curated fairy tale life is ruining her self-esteem and making her feel like a fraud.
When a bestselling author takes Charlotte under her wing—almost like a fairy godmother—she helps Charlotte see the beautiful person she already is and the worth of being authentic. But is it too late to save her relationship with Anders? The clock is quickly ticking towards midnight, and Charlotte must decide between her fairy tale life and the man she loves, before he's gone forever.
Glass Slippers, Ever After, and Me (Proper Romance Contemporary) Reviews
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I like this book more than I expect. It reminds me so much of that movie, The Devil Wears Prada. But instead of having a cruel sociopath boss, in this book is about that tempting world of famous. I am a firm believer that beware of someone who brings you gift. Because there is always that fine print which I never understand.
The moral story of this book is about being brave choosing what is right for you. What you need to be yourself. Sometimes dream comes true but beware of the side effect. In the world of being famous, money talks. When money runs out, you realize you have no one and nothing at all. I wish I can have Ander's POV. He is such a cool guy/ boyfriend. He is easy going and his takes on life is go with it. He is also have a big heart.
Overall this is a very enjoyable read during my mundane work day.
4 stars -
I love the cover of this fun, contemporary romance and the story in under the cover.
Charlotte (Lettie) wants to be a writer and after so many rejections when her dream finally comes true after she writes The Cinderella Fiction she can't believe it. She's got the agent she's longed to work with, and a publicity firm to help promote her and the book. The only problem is they're changing everything from what Charlotte wears to the furnishings in her apartment, and calling her Char. At first Charlotte accepts everything they tell her to do, but when they want her to appear "flirty and single"she questions how that would affect book sales. Her boyfriend (and best friend) Anders doesn't like the Char persona with the expensive designer clothes, and perfect hair and makeup. He misses Lettie who wore jeans and a t-shirt, her hair in a messy bun and minimal makeup.
Lettie and Anders hit a rough patch when he has his photography exhibit. The argument they have following the exhibition is so real when Anders tells Lettie "You sold you out. You let a hashtag replace your humanity. You let these people tell you that you aren't good enough without some smoke-and-mirrors nonsense... and you actually believed them. You bought into the lie that you're not good enough." I felt that argument as if someone had punched me and knocked the wind out of me.
When Anders goes to Finland to care for his ailing grandfather Lettie has a much needed conversation with Lillian (her favorite author and now mentor/friend) and realizes the ball is almost over, midnight is approaching and she's going to lose what she cares about most.
I love Julie Wright's books but it's always hard for me to put into words what I like about them. Here's my attempt. This book was so realistic--the events in it could completely happen in this day and age. We all know many social media posts are set up and people don't actually look or live like that all the time. I loved Anders--he's sweet and just the best kind of friend. The argument he and Lettie had before he left for Finland was so authentic. I loved that Lettie had a mentor in Lillian and that she followed Lillian's advice. I liked Lettie's relationship with her step-sister Kat and that she just called her her sister without putting the 'step' in there. I loved the quotes from The Cinderella Fiction that were at the beginning of each chapter. I loved that Lettie learned to be herself and people should like her for herself, not some superficial image.
This was a wonderful read and if you haven't read any books by this author you should. Her characters are real and funny. Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for allowing me to read this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in my review are my own. -
I loved the fresh approach the author takes in this fun and angsty story about a girl whose dream come true, only it's not exactly right... and it interferes with her new and unexpected dream. The narration of Charlotte's thoughts is highly entertaining, and I loved the balance of humor and depth. Anders is so sweet, and the glimpses into his struggles and vulnerabilities made him all the more real. I absolutely love the neighbor-friends-to-lovers trope, and this one was especially fun. Real world issues and concerns are dealt with in a realistic and flawed way, but the characters learn and grow and apologize and forgive- several times! They handle through new relationship arguments and disagreements in a way that felt authentic- working through pride and regret with love and compassion. It was interesting to see the many people and elements demanding and pulling at Charlotte for her time, attention, and willingness to change and/or stay the same. There are complex family dynamics from both Charlotte and Anders relatives that added depth and perspective. I especially enjoyed Charlotte's stepsister and their interactions. I couldn't put the book down as I read to see how everything would resolve- another midnight finish for me!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own) -
I've been waiting and waiting to read this book. It's been taunting me from the TBR pile for a bit, waiting for it's turn. That's a real thing- the taunting. Seriously. I've moved my TBR pile to an end table that has a door so I can close it and not see those taunting books. It helps me stick to the reading schedule. True story. But not the one you came here for.
This book was fun. Julie Wright incorporates humor and wit in her books that always has me smiling. Told in first person, Lottie's inner thoughts and desires come through loud and clear. She is a bit quirky and someone I think I would love to be friends with. I love the relationship between Lottie and her sister. Lottie is the best kind of big sister. I liked that Lettie was an author and that bit of insight into a writers mind and world.
As for Anders and Lottie, well, that is a different type of story. It's a bit of a journey with them and while they are great together, it takes work to make a relationship work- especially when lots of life changing things are going on. Things get a bit bumpy with Anders and Lettie but they sure do learn a lot about themselves and each other. It was sweet. I especially enjoyed Lottie's realization that we can add to who we think we are. We don't have to stay in the confines of one definition. As we live life and learn new things, we evolve and become more. I like that.
As always, I am happy to have another book by Julie Wright. She doesn't disappoint. Until the next one. . .
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own. -
I LOVED this book! This clean, contemporary romance had the perfect infusion of romance, wit, and wisdom. Julie made me fall in love with the characters of Charlotte (Lettie) and Anders. I enjoyed reading about Lettie and her dreams of becoming a published author. I loved how this story tiptoed along, pulling Lettie further and further into the demands of social media perfection and becoming a puppet for "what the world wants". It tugged at my heartstrings to see Lettie making tough decisions and fighting for what was right for her heart.
I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book. My husband kept asking me, "What?" and I would read him a line and he would laugh along with me. A good romantic comedy is something I'm always craving in my busy life. This book will make you smile, laugh, and ponder. Read it! I've read all of Julie Wright's Proper Romance novels and trust me when I say, you don't want to miss any of them! -
This is by far my favorite Julie Wright book yet. I really loved this book, mainly because I relate a lot to the story. There's that writer who dreams of being published, but then in order to truly be that bestselling author, you have to be a certain online persona. Welcome to the world of books, PR, marketing and social media. Oh, and try to have a personal life somewhere in there.
For writers, there are a lot of good pick me ups throughout this book that helps you focus on your craft, like being true to yourself.
To create.
To be who I am with no apologies given.
Write something for you.
Whatever you choose - if it's what you want - then it won't be wrong.
What Lettie goes through after she hires a PR firm to change her online image is basically what every person on Instagram that's trying to sell something, promote something, or become an influencer with a shipload of followers goes through every single day. This is the world of fakestagram and the lie sells.
When her new life as an author conflicts with her personal life, this is where things take a bad turn. I did not like what Anders did. I was just as mad as Lettie was. My stomach literally dropped in disappointment. I kept thinking, "How could he?" What made me even more mad is that he did not understand how this whole thing could have harmed her and everything she's worked so hard for. It's like he didn't even care.
I will say this, what she ends up doing in the end is not what I would have done. BUT I did like the way the book ended.
I highly recommend this book for writers, book reviewers, and bookstagrammers. I will warn you that if you are like me, you will fairy godmother up some ice cream for your freezer and phone in some Thai curry for dinner.
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Life doesn't always go according to plan and that's a hard life lesson that our protagonist, Charlotte (aka Lettie) learns. Lettie is tenacious and can't let go of her dream to become a published author, even though she's received many rejections. When an idea of a non-fiction life lesson book hits her over the head, she runs with it, resulting in The Cinderella Fiction, which is an instant hit. I loved how each chapter has a heading with one of the quotes from her book.
Being thrust into a new life requires many changes from Lettie and not all of them are good. The demands of a book launch and the publicity surrounding it brings a difficult element to her budding romantic relationship and once again solidifies (in my mind) that a lot of social media is contrived and staged, giving a follower a skewed idea of what real life is.
This author always delivers a fun, witty, and entertaining romance and I loved the twists and turns this modern Cinderella story took. It kept me entertained and wondering where the direction would go next, while still giving me a sweet, blossoming, and very slow growing romance.
I loved the messages of hopes and dreams, priorities, staying true to one's self, and not allowing outside influences to dictate what's truly important in life. If you love modern fairy tales with a sweet love story, this one is definitely for you.
Content: mild romance
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.* -
I loved this book so much! This one’s a contemporary romance. I loved the plot, the characters and the cute ending. It was just amazing!
I loved Charlotte. She’s an author trying to get her book published, but she just keeps getting told “no.” I loved the way she talked about her fairy godmother. It made me laugh every time! Charlotte lost her way for a little bit. When she finally got a publishing deal, she felt pushed and pulled every direction until her friends and family didn’t recognize her.
Charlotte’s neighbor Anders is pretty great too! I loved the way these two were together. They went from being friends to maybe a bit more to confused because of Charlotte’s publicist. I kind of wished to have seen a bit from Anders’ perspective. But this book worked the way it was.
I loved Charlotte’s little sister, Kat too. Their family dynamic was pretty interesting. Neither of them really loving the way Charlotte’s mom parented them. But as the book went along, things got better and relationships healed a little bit. That was fun to watch!
The ending of this book was awesome! I loved it, I wish I could tell you some of it, but that would be a huge spoiler, so I won’t. You’d better go get it so you can read it for yourself! -
This book seemed like it could be realistic to me. Charlotte "Lettie" is an aspiring author who has heard "no" too many times. She has a few hangups and a complex about her writing until she is finally told "yes"!
To me, this was a story about reinventing yourself to become who others think you should be. Lettie is an adorable person with a great personality until a publicist gets hold of her and makes her change her online personality and lifestyle. Her best friend, Anders, sees who she really is and is upset about the changes (rightfully so). They are neighbors, best friends, and eventually a couple. He loves the quirky person that she is and the fact that she can wear sweats and t-shirts with the best of them. He is not a fan of the designer clothes, make-up, or change in a nickname.
I loved the relationship between Lettie and Anders. He is the boy-next-door who watches out for her and has her back in all situations. They have issues and have to learn to transition their relationship. It is a rocky transition that leads to soul-searching and compromise. The relationship felt authentic and I loved it.
Julie Wright uses humor, great characters, and an engaging plot to create a book that is fun to read and pretty great! This is a clean book with kissing.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. -
This book is so fun! As are all of Julie's books. Lettie is a doll. She is funny, quirky, and a bit of a drama queen, in a cute way. I laughed out loud many times, especially when she blamed her fairy godmother for things she felt she needed to be doing for her. Very cute and funny. I loved the book Lettie wrote and her persistence in getting published. Everything about this book is fun. The plot is great. I love when authors write books about being an author. The characters are perfect. From Kat, to Anders, to even Lettie's mom. All of them were fantastic. I loved the progression of the book. The author does a great job of passing time, still mentioning important events, but not dwelling on details, that while important, didn't need to be drawn out. This book is written well, is very enjoyable, and I loved the ending so much.
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This book was unexpected for me. I loved the premise and the storyline, but I felt the author carried it out in such a unique way that I never quite knew what to expect. I loved that it wasn’t so predictable.
Charlotte or “Lettie” was a likeable protagonist. She definitely has her quirks but she comes through for those she cares about. Seeing all the angst she went through as an author opened my eyes up to a whole new world. Sometimes while reading I kept feeling like I was holding my breath, waiting for the train wreck to happen, because she was very human and made mistakes.
Anders was a loyal and caring friend to Lettie, and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship change over time. Even with their crazy schedules, difficult family relationships, invasive social media, and sometimes poor choices, I loved the changes that came and the growth that resulted in their love story.
This clean romance is a unique twist on the idea of happily-ever-after, and I’m curious if we’ll have a sequel (I would love a story about Kat!)
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review -
4.5 Stars
GLASS SLIPPERS, EVER AFTER, AND ME is one of those stories that readers will fall in love with by the time they've turned the last page. There's heartache, humor, and romance as the heroine tries to fit her dreams with real life and fight for her own happily ever after. Highly recommended to contemporary romance and sweet romance fans who enjoy stories with self discovery and plenty of heart!
Lettie (and how I love that nickname for Charlotte!) was such a likable and relatable character. I loved her voice from the beginning, although I did have to put up with some drama. I loved her relationship with her sister, Kat, and especially with her best friend, Anders. I don't know anyone who hasn't faced others trying to tell them who they should be and what they should do with their lives, sometimes in very hurtful or misguided ways even when good intentions are involved. I felt like Lettie's struggles with meeting others' expectations and dealing with her life being on social media was very poignant. I loved all the nuggets of wisdom at the beginning of each chapter. I didn't disagree with a single one. I loved that Lettie was a writer and trying to get published and all that it involved.
I loved the best-friends romance, which is one of my favorite tropes and was just adorable here, especially with the shocking jealousy and then Kat's intervention. The way Lettie and Anders interacted and were such fantastic friends, but a little awkward as their relationship changed... just really entertaining and sweet to watch. I was so disappointed with Lettie at points, even though I got it, but then I was so massively angry with Anders later on! Enough that I didn't know if I would be okay with him. Major heartache that even pulled some tears. Talk about all the feels in this story, guys! It's all here. Then the ending... some serious self reflection as these characters figured things out... priceless and perfect.
My only complaint would be that it did take me a little bit to really get into the story at the beginning, and some of the internal rants and descriptions were a little long in the beginning. However, once the story got going, maybe about a fourth of the way through, I was fully invested. The rest of the story, especially the last third of the book, well than more made up for the slower beginning.
In the end, was it what I wished for? I so loved this story! Lovable, fully fleshed characters with plenty of complex situations, a great family dynamic, and a romance with plenty of obstacles. More than that, this is really about a girl who is still figuring out who she wants to be, navigating life, and trying to decide if she believes in her own happily ever after. My favorite from this author yet!
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own. -
I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
At first, I started reading it and couldn't get into the story. First person narration is not my favorite. I put it aside for a few days and then started it again. This time, it got me interested and I finished it fairly quickly.
Charlotte is an interesting character. As a writer, I could relate through some of the things she was going through. After one more rejection for her latest fairy tale, she writes a non-fiction book that is actually accepted by an agent. Suddenly, her writing career takes off.
Anders is the sweetest guy. He's the downstairs neighbor and is best friends with Charlotte. From the beginning, you can see he feels more than friendship for her, but she doesn't see it until he gets engaged to his girlfriend. Then Charlotte wakes up and realizes she loves him.
I was annoying to read how easily Charlotte went along with what her publicist wanted for her and I could see the disaster coming a mile away.
Adding to their families to the mix, and all the complexities they bring, enriched the story.
The ending was perfect.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. -
I absolutely LOVE Julie Wright's books!
I jumped at the chance to read this one before it's even officially out and I am so glad I made the time for it!
I love how Julie weaves stories together and the growth the characters experience. I love that I'm connected to them almost immediately and rooting for their success. I liked the Cinderella aspect of this novel and wish the book that Charlotte wrote was real. -
This book . . . this book was so fun to read. It really takes you on a roller coaster of ride through an author's dream of what could happen beyond rejection. Of course there's a twist or a catch to that seven digit number. How Anders works into Charlotte's story and how Charlotte learns to love herself and to recognize what type of change is good for her is fantastic. I would highly recommend this book to everyone, not only for the fantastic love story, but for the underlying life lessons one can take away from this. This is definitely a must read.
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Charlotte Kingsley is beyond thrilled when her book gets published. It’s not exactly the type of book she wanted to write, but she’s getting published and that’s all that matters. Or so she thinks. Her new publicist is totally remaking Charlotte’s personna which includes keeping her distance from her best friend, Anders - just when their relationship is about to hit a new level.
As Charlotte gets swept away by her new life, she realizes she’s not as happy as she thought she should be. With a little help from a new friend, things begin to fall in place.
This is the second book I’ve read by Julie Wright and I enjoyed this one very much. It’s a “feel good” type of book that makes you both laugh and cry. The characters are realistic. I really cared what happened to Charlotte. She felt like someone who could be your best friend.
I found myself cheering for Charlotte and wanting her to get her happy ending. The book moved along at a steady pace. It's filled with humor, romance and even a bit of drama. It was the type of book that made me smile and brightened my day.
Julie Wright is definitely becoming an author I'm on the look out for.
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. -
I can't help myself...whenever I see a new book coming out by Julie Wright, I get really excited and can't wait until I can read it! I've loved how her last three books (this one included) have connected with famous people/characters. The first of the three was about Jane Austen, then Audrey Hepburn and now Cinderella.
Charlotte Kingsley is an author. She just needs her big break with a big publisher. But unfortunately no publisher wants her books. Until she writes her Cinderella nonfiction, then her life changes drastically.
Charlotte was such a fun character. She was so easy to connect with because she seems like a real down to earth, struggles and all, type of character. She has her dreams and hopes. She has her family life struggles. And she has the guy next door/best friend whom she kinda likes. All of these character aspects wove such a great story. I didn't want to put it down. I would even turn on the audio when I was driving around and my daughters were hooked. They were a little frustrated they were only getting bits and pieces of the story but don't worry, they remedied their problem by going and listening to it themselves. I love that they love reading as much as I do and we love a lot of the same books!
Just like in Cinderella's story, Charlotte has plenty of ups and downs and has to navigate it all. I loved the chapter headings. They were fabulous and great advise. Each heading is a little snippet from Charlotte's best selling book. Great advise for us all.
And, just like in Cinderella's story, we have a sweet love story. I thought it was darling. A best friends to more story. These two were far from perfect and had struggles that popped up, just like in a real relationship. I really enjoyed how the author had them work through their different struggles. And I especially loved the ending.
If you're a Cinderella fan like myself, this was a fun spin off story about the truths of life and finding your own Ever After.
Content: Clean
I received a copy from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
Happy Reading!!! -
I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. I felt that everything was kind of rushed once Charlotte got her book deal. This wasn't a gradual "Let's change your whole look" as she continued to get famous, this was right off the bat, "You look poor and we can't have that." I don't really understand the marketing behind books, but this seemed rather unauthentic nowadays. I also don't understand why she needed to come off as single for a book. I guess non-fiction books are different than fiction, but as a reader, I don't really care about an author's personal life. I thought it was a little too unrealistic to truly enjoy it.
I did, however, enjoy the building of the romance between her and Anders and her relationship with her sister, Kat. I would have liked to see more growth between her and her mother, but I guess real life doesn't have everything wrapped up in a neat bow by the end of the book. I also liked that the hot shot author turned out to be her biggest supporter and became a valuable friend. I liked that the women weren't pitted against each other even if they were writing difference genres.
This was a slow read for me, but that's because I didn't really get attached to anyone, and I wasn't interested in the whole "Let me change myself so I can get a book deal" story line. But if you're looking for a nice easy read, this is for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for the early access for an honest review. -
Romance, clean; Contemporary
Clean romantic re-imagined Cinderella story with a contemporary setting. Charlotte, and aspiring author, has had multiple, myriad rejections of her manuscripts, but supported most importantly by Anders, her best friend.
As Charlotte experiences success for a different approach to writing, the publisher makes her into something she really isn't. As the myriad, and many faceted reinventing of her moves forward on social media and in interviews, she is faced with the realization that she has lost her true self somewhere in the media and publicity frenzy. Her heart wrenches when Anders leaves and she has to decide what is the most important part of her life and her heart-home. Advice from a well-known author helps her with her decision.
Great setting, backstory, and interesting characters. Nora is a perfect fit for this story in terms of how she finds her way into and out of the steamroller of a best selling book and all the publisher machinations. Of course, Anders, her friend, is a perfect H for this. Not overwhelming the story that is also about her transformational moments and her true heart. Lovely, sweet, romantic, but also cathartic as she stays true to her heart and who she really is.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own. -
I am a bit torn as to how to rate this book. Overall, I enjoyed the story - but it didn't play out the way that I thought it would. After reading the opening - "If fairy godmothers existed there would never be an empty space in the freezer where the ice cream goes. Any responsible fairy godmother would keep that space magically stocked at all times." - I was ready for a witty and lighthearted brain candy read. This book delivers that, for the most part, but there were other sections that felt a bit heavy and dramatic to me. Yes, I know that is real life, but....
Things I liked:
1- I loved the opening of each chapter, with quotes from the protagonist's novel. They were cleverly written and set up the chapter that followed.
2- I thought that all of the characters were well written and had distinct personalities.
3- Happily-Ever-After doesn't just happen. It has to be worked on.
4- Prince Charming and Cinderella slay the dragon together and save each other.
5- Charlotte grows as a person, discovering who she is and who she wants to be. -
This book started out a little slow for me, mainly because Lettie has a tendency to take two paragraphs to say or think something that could have been said in about two sentences instead--which was consistent through the book and often quite witty but it was pretty wordy and it took some time for me to adjust to that. Partway through, though, things clicked for me and I did end up really liking the book. While on the one hand, of course you want Lettie to just tell her publisher and everyone to back off, it was also understandable that as she's finally achieving her dreaming of being published and in a sense entering a whole new world that she would feel (and cave to) the pressure they're putting on her. So, the conflict seemed realistic. I really liked Anders--he was sweet but not flawless.
Good choice for those looking for a sweet contemporary romance.
I read an ARC provided by the publisher via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#GlassSlippersEverAfterAndMe -
Every aspiring writer dreams of getting that big break and making it big in the literary world. The main character Charlotte Kingsley, writes re-imagined fairy tales and she has this exact dream and it comes true. With the "dream come true" also comes many unseen problems that she'd never thought of. Her life changes in an instant and Charlotte's not sure how to handle it all. Charlotte's world-changing book is not fiction but one of handling life in a "Non" Cinderella way. That's where the humor is in this book, in that Charlotte's life is far different from the fiction Cinderella. Between her publisher, agent, and publicist, Charlotte's boyfriend Anders doesn't even recognize her anymore. The angst is high as the couple tries to come to grips with all of the changes and whether or not their relationship can be saved. With a slow start to the novel, things pick up in the middle and finally comes to a sweet and satisfying end that truly does make you believe in fairytale endings.
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Charlotte Kingsley is trying to write fairytales and receiving a lot of rejection notices. Anders is her downstairs neighbor. She doesn’t think she wants marriage. After one rejection too many, she writes a nonfiction book called the Cinderella Fiction. It is accepted and published to rave reviews. But there is a catch, she must live up to an image of herself that is created by a public relations firm. Just as she and Anders are getting close her new image comes between them.
All well that ends well and with a romance you know they have to get together.
Truthfully, I skimmed a big portion of this book. It seemed like an awful lot of drama to me. I read the last few chapters more carefully. It’s a good book but was more drawn out than I appreciate any more. -
I enjoyed this light romance. It had a twist of Cinderella, but I wouldn't really classify it as a fairy tale retelling. The fairy tale references were fun. The beginning of the book started out slow and had a hard time keeping my attention. The middle was enjoyable. The romance resolved nicely, as good romance novels do. The external story, Charlotte's new life as a writer, wrapped up too fast for me to be fully satisfying. Thank you to Shadow Mountain and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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I really enjoyed this book! It was so funny! So many times I was sitting there reading with a huge grin on my face. So many funny lines. And I loved every quote from "The Cinderella Fiction." I also got emotional during hard times and upset for and with people. Great read that I would definitely recommend!
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I completely adored this book! I love fairy tale twists and this was SO GOOD! I loved the inspirations of the "Cinderella advice" found at the beginning of each chapter-- those were SO FUN! The story line is captivating and kept me reading long past midnight :)
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I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! Right off the bat I'll tell you my rating is a 5/5. I connected a lot with the main character Charlotte (or Lettie, or Char) because she's an introverted writer nerd!
The plot is well thought out and includes a lot of messages and themes from society today. It's a great book for looking at the undertone messages that society throws at us: is having a picture perfect life and an amazing Instagram the recipe for happiness? Is a fictional, online persona the only way to find success and love in the modern world? Is there a place for authenticity and all of life's imperfections? It's a very interesting concept. Personally I have never struggled with the negative aspects of social media that experts are telling us are causing mental health issues, but I have many friends that have and do and that is why I chose to read this book.
So, like I've been trying to say, in story format, this amazing book addresses the growing concern that social media has become so highly curated it is distorting reality and adversely affecting self-esteem. It also addresses the Fairy Godmother theme in a funny, but sincere way, first as a "where's my fairy godmother at my freezer doesn't have ice-cream," to a mentor type relationship.
Okay, so the plot is well thought out and written, and I had to calmly set the book down in several places and make the sea-lion sound and clapping hand motion that only you other fangirls will only ever truly understand. And once I put it down to take a short walk. I don't know about you guys but sometimes I get so wrapped up into the main character that I'm just like "NOOOOO DON'T DO THAT!!!" Because of course I care WAY too much about a person who isn't even real and I have to die of second hand embarrassment. It's all good, what I'm trying to tell you right now is that this book gave me the feels, and it made me really happy.
Literally every time, during various parts of the day, when my roommate walked in the room I'd be smiling like a complete idiot and she'd be like "Wow, you're really happy today." And I'd look up at her, and again, smiling like an idiot, said, "This is a really good book."
Okay, but now let's talk ROMANCE. Okay, I didn't understand why the book says "Proper Romance" on the top of it. Like, what is that? But I think the point is to say that it's wholesome romance, which it totally is. The relationship is healthy, it's funny, it's witty, it's everything a romantic relationship should be (well there is a rough patch in the relationship, but that's kind of the point, plus it's realistic). I loved the romance between Lettie and Anders so much. They're the cutest canon couple ever and I totally ship them!!! (If you didn't understand that last sentence, it's okay, it's fangirl speech, a different language.)
Overall, I really loved the messages and themes of this book and the relationships and the characters and the writing and everything!!!!
What I Didn't Like:
I know you guys are like "Wait Rachel, didn't you just say you like everything? Why is there a 'What I Didn't Like' section?"
Dang, give me a second to explain why won't you?
NOTHING! There was absolutely nothing about this book that I didn't like. And y'all should know by now that I'm always honest when it comes to books, whether or not the publishing company sent it to me. So you can trust that this is my honest to God opinion. This one, this book, was my personal definition of perfection.
Who Should Read This Book:
Everyone. It has a great message and a great romance. I do think writers (or aspiring writers) and/or nerds will love this book because they can relate to the main character a little bit more, but I think that this book is so wholesome and pure and happy I would honestly recommend it to anyone and everyone.
Christians: It is safe for your children (middle school+) to read. There is absolutely nothing inappropriate that I can remember in it. If you wanna read it first because that's your practice, then that's completely fine, but I think you'll love this book as much as I did.
