If the shoe fits, wear it.
If it doesn’t, make it.Laure is a teenage street urchin just trying to get away. Where the rest of the world sees an enchanting love story, Laure sees royal incompetence and an opportunity to exploit it. She’ll have wealth and a way out of a life she detests, if she can only manage to pay off a would-be cloth merchant, outrun the angry bandits, hoodwink the royal family, and survive to tell the tale.
(Goodreads)
Release Date: April 3, 2018
This is not Cinderella’s story. While Cinderella was busy discovering magic, stealing a prince’s heart and dealing with a conniving step family, the rest of the kingdom was going about its daily business. In surviving life, the only way she thinks she can, Laure stumbles into the Prince’s search for his mysterious beauty and devises a clever plan to hoist herself out of a life of desperation. But things rarely go as expected…
Oh my goodness, Chauncey had my chuckling while I read this story. Laure is one fierce heroine. She’s had more than her share of bad luck and thinks the world owes her now. People are not nice, rich people deserve to be robbed and the nobility are a bunch of idiots. How this hard and disaffected young lady befriends an altruistic young man named Luc is a sweet story. Laure’s transformation is believably shown and enchanting to witness.
The adventure of this story is captivating. I thought I knew what to expect, but I really didn’t. Chauncey takes his readers on an action-packed adventure. The bandits, the palace intrigue and the King all make you wonder, what could possibly happen next?! I was totally gripped by the story and needed to know what happens next. The pacing is spot on.
The setting is ideal for this story. Éclatant and all its varied social class structures are well-portrayed. The kingdom of Galamonte is convincingly used to describe what life in a war-ravaged region might be like. The journeys through the country roads and woods are brought to life thanks to the author’s descriptive skills.
Some things I liked:
- Laure is a worthy heroine. She’s slightly unlikeable at the beginning but really wins you over. I love that.
- The grit. People fight, they fall, they get dirty, they sweat, they stink. One day’s injury does not disappear overnight.
- Luc is just an absolute darling.
- The royal family is wonderfully dysfunctional.
- The action/ fight scenes are well described.
- Cinderella is not the focus of this story.
- The book cover is so pretty.
Would have liked it even more if:
- There was a little more detail on the story between Laure and her father.
This is a light-hearted story that builds on the original fairy tale. There are moments where the action or issues are more realistic and intense but overall, it’s meant to make you smile.
I give this book 4.5/5 Espresso Shots.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
About Chauncey
Chauncey Rogers was born in Arizona, and since then has hopped back and forth between the mid-western and western United States. He married in 2012 while attending school in Utah. His favorite movie since he was three is Jurassic Park, and he wishes very badly that Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster were real, though he doesn’t believe in them as much as he used to.
You can follow him on his blog: Chauncey Rogers to see what else he has been up to.
Spot on review Nina! I loved this as well, although I would have liked a little more about Laure and her father as well.😊
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Thanks Kim! It was reading time well spent 😉
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🙂
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Great review! I’m new to your blog but the way you laid it out was awesome. I especially love that you rate in expresso shots! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this book.
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Thanks so much!
I could do with some of those shots for real right about now! 😉
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What a great review, Nina! Will have to check it out for sure. 🙂 — MRS N
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I hope you get a chance to do so! Have a lovely day.
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Excellent review Nina! If you liked this you have to check out Chauncey’s other books. Home to Roost is amazing! Very different. This one was for his daughter 🙂
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Thanks.
Yes, he mentioned that to me. He knows I’m not a horror fan so was quick to point that out. Lol.
Will investigate Home to Roost.
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So was the prince a brother of Cinderella’s prince or part of the kingdom?
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The prince I talked about in the review is the Prince we would think of from the original story.
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This sounds really interesting! Do you know when the book comes out? It sounds like something I’d love to read 😀
Great review!
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Release Date: April 3, 2018
Soon! 😉
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Oh, damn!
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😄
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Awesome review 🙂 Makes me want to read the book myself. Sounds almost like Bollywood movie with bandits and all;)
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Hahahahaha…. I can almost picture it too 😄
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Amazing Review, Nina! I was crazy about this book! I gobbled it up in one sitting. Thanks for sharing such an awesome review with us!😁❤📚
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It is pretty great 😍😃
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Awesomeness!
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I can’t wait to read this one, Nina! Your review is wonderful and gets me even more excited! ❤
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Hope you really enjoy it to!!!
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Wow that does sound good! I love reading take-offs of other well known stories:)
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Yup. I hope you do get a chance to check it out.
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Thanks, Nina! I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
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Thank you for a delightful read.
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This sounds like it was so well done! And I love the fact that this had grit and that Laure was a worthy heroine. Great review!
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Thanks.
It was definitely well put together! 🙂
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Great review!! This book sounds awesome 🙂 adding it to my TBR!
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I hope you enjoy as much as I did 🙂
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Great review, I enjoyed it as well was a good book.
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It was! 😄
Wishing Chauncey well for his release.
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Great review. I enjoyed this one, too. And I saw a new photo of Chauncey, thanks.
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Yes! I saw that one on Goodreads and thought it would be nice to use a different one of him. We should tell him to issue us a new one for his blog tour 😄
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Great review. I really liked this book as well.
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Fun read for sure.
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