Lyndsey Hall's Blog, page 2

The Fair Chronicles Omnibus is here!

If you’re looking for something magical and romantic to read this festive period, I’ve got good news: The Fair Chronicles Omnibus is finally here!

You can get it in ebook or on Kindle Unlimited and start reading straight away, or order a paperback to binge read in a few days time, or even as a last minute gift for a friend or loved one.

Find The Fair Chronicles on Amazon

Blurb

When Aria is dragged through the Veil into the Fair Realm by a handsome, silver-eyed boy and his band of fairy soldiers, she discovers she is the legendary Fair Queen, the subject of a prophecy that promises to bring an end to the centuries-long conflict between the Five Kingdoms.

With terrifying creatures on their heels, and a tyrannical king who will stop at nothing to prevent the prophecy from coming true, Aria will have to rely on her wits if she’s to escape the Fair Realm with her life.

But can she resist the charms of her dark and mysterious captor, or will the fae prince steal her heart?
This gripping omnibus combines all three books in The Fair Chronicles trilogy in one volume:
The Fair Queen
The Solitary King
The Fair War

Enjoy this completed series omnibus filled with mythical creatures, elemental magic, a morally grey fae prince and a strong but soft heroine, and have a fabulous rest of December!

Love Lyndsey

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Release day: The Winter Prince by Constance Lopez

The twelfth and final Once Upon a Prince book is here! To close out this fantastic fairy tale retelling series, it’s The Winter Prince: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling by Constance Lopez!

This shapeshifting, tricksy fae twist on the classic fairy tale is a swoon-worthy romantic adventure!

The Winter Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A beastly prince. A cursed land. One last hope.

Breaking his bargain with another fae has earned Revi, Prince of the Winter Court, a terrible curse: he lives as a beast and must watch his people suffer under a withering blight. The only cure? A heart freely given.

When a human patrol steals one of Revi’s magical roses, a sliver of opportunity strikes. He agrees to spare their lives in return for a woman who must live in his castle for a year and a day. But could such a beauty learn to love a beast like him?

Although Kienna was warned of conniving fae before her arrival at the Winter Court, the Winter Prince, while beastly, is not the monster she expected. Her dreams plague her—or more specifically, the enigmatic silvery man who walks them does. She’s determined to find him in the waking world and free him from his imprisonment.

Her dream prince begs her not to trust her eyes. But… can she trust her heart?

The Winter Prince , a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is book 12 of  Once Upon A Prince , a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

This one sounds like an absolutely tropetastic romantasy dream and I am here for it! I actually got to chat to the lovely Constance in the run up to release day, keep reading to find out about her writing journey, where she finds inspiration and what you can expect to see next from her…

Hi Constance! Thank you so much for chatting with me, it’s been a dream working with you on Once Upon a Prince! Tell us a little bit about yourself to begin with.

I’m from Texas, born and raised! I am married and we have two charming wildlings whom I homeschool! I love reading, sewing, and hiking when I’m not writing.

Wildlings, I love that – my five year old son is definitely one of those!  When did you start writing and what inspired you?  

I started writing as a teenager when I realized that authors were real people, which meant I could write a story just like I loved reading. Granted, those stories were awful messy things, but I loved making stories and characters.

I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t realise writing books was a job real people could do until much later! Hehe. What’s your favourite genre?

FANTASY. Always! I grew up on Lord of the Rings, and I have always preferred fantasy to every other genre (though I also read classics, historical fiction, and contemporary romcoms). I love of a lot of romance tropes, but one of my favorite tropes in ANY story is fish out of water. It makes for so many fun moments!

I love a fish out of water story! And there are so many ways to do it in fantasy, the possibilities are endless! Tell us about your first novel, Of Stormlarks and Silence.

My first book is a connected standalone, which means it’s part of a series (The Kasmian Chronicles) where every book has a happy ending/no cliffs, and follows different characters from the world. Of Stormlarks and Silence is book one, and it’s about a princess-turned-assassin set on revenge and reclaiming her kingdom–until she meets the kind prince who throws a wrench in her plans.

I’ve heard so many good things about this book, and it’s waiting on my TBR shelf, I can’t wait to dive in! Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Any and everywhere! Sometimes it’s a conversation with a friend (this is what prompted my take on Beauty and the Beast in The Winter Prince), sometimes it’s other books or movies. 

I’m so glad that conversation sparked your idea for The Winter Prince and the decision to organise the OUAP series, give my thanks to your friend! Do you consider yourself a plotter, pantser or plantser?

Plotter! Maybe Plantser. I make the plan, and if it deviates, I adjust it as I go. But I need SOME sort of framework or I just flounder.

I’m exactly the same, I like to have a road map even if I take a few detours on the way to my destination. What are you working on next?  

I just plotted out book 3 in my Kasmian Chronicles! It’s got enemies to lovers, a morally grey hero, and lots of cute animal companions.

That sounds right up my alley! I can’t wait to read the entire series, animal companions are just the best. Before I let you get back to your writing, what’s one piece of advice you’d give to any aspiring authors reading this?  

Be consistent! Even if you only write a sentence a day, the consistency of showing up every day is what will finish your story, not big inspired bursts followed by months of not working on it.

Okay, I feel both called out and inspired, haha! Thank you for speaking with me Constance, I’m so grateful to you and Alora for everything you’ve done to make Once Upon a Prince such a huge success, and I’m looking forward to reading everything you write in the future! Where can we keep in touch with you and find out more about your books?

You can go to my website, follow me on Instagram or Facebook, or join my NL!  

Website:   https://www.constancelopez.com/ 

Newsletter signup:  https://www.constancelopez.com/newsletter 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/constancelopezauthor/ 

Facebook page/group:   https://www.facebook.com/constancelopezauthor 

If you haven’t read The Winter Prince, or Constance’s debut series The Kasmian Chronicles, go and grab them now!

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Awakened Prince by Alora Carter

The eleventh and penultimate Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s The Awakened Prince: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling by Alora Carter!

Ever wondered what the prince was doing while the princess was sleeping? Find out in this gorgeous, magical retelling!

The Awakened Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A betrothed prince. A mysterious maiden. A secret that could destroy the kingdom.

After failing in every attempt to prove his worth, Killian’s betrothal contract seems to be the only reason his father tolerates him. Uniting the kingdoms will save their struggling lands, but the princess he is supposed to marry has been in hiding from a wicked fairy for almost 18 years—or she’s missing for good. Desperate to escape the chaos of the court and his father’s suffocating expectations, Killian trespasses into the Forbidden Forest. There he stumbles into more than he bargains for: magic and mystery and a beautiful woman who embodies both.

As a Guardian of the Forest, Raela’s duties are clear: honor the sentient elements, foster the life of the forest, and protect them all from the danger of fairy circles. Yet, she finds herself aching for more. After the first man she has ever seen stumbles into her meadow, she begins to wonder questions that she should have had answers to all along: Where are her parents? What are her aunties hiding? And is there more out there for her after all?

When the fairy returns for revenge, Killian must overcome his fears and fight for his father, his throne, and the woman he loves. He cannot afford to fail now, or he will lose them all.

The Awakened Prince, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, is book 11 of Once Upon A Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

This one sounds so deliciously swoony and romantic, and it has so many of my favourite tropes. Enchanted forest and he falls first AND animal companions? Yes, yes and big yes!!

I can’t wait to read this one as soon as my paperback copy arrives. Have you read it yet? What did you think? Is it as dreamy as it sounds?

Now then book buddies, there’s only one book left in the Once Upon a Prince series, a gorgeous Beauty and the Beast retelling to cap off this incredible group of fantasy fairy tales. If you haven’t grabbed copies of any of the OUAP books yet, now’s the perfect time with Christmas around the corner! Imagine curling up under a blanket for 2 weeks with 12 short fairytale novels to binge read? The actual dream, right?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Crownless Prince by Selina R. Gonzalez

The tenth Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s The Crownless Prince: A Maid Maleen Retelling by Selina R. Gonzalez!

Never heard of Maid Maleen? It’s about to become your favourite fairy tale!

The Crownless Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A dreamer prince. A princess out of his reach. A second chance to keep their promises.

Four years ago, Prince Marcus was imprisoned in a tower with only his servant-bodyguard for company. His crime? Falling in love with the daughter of his father’s rival.

After the spell keeping them trapped breaks, the prince and servant escape to discover that the war Marcus wished to avoid already came and claimed the lives of his family. Penniless, homeless, and the target of an assassin sent by the father of the woman he hoped to marry, the erstwhile prince sets out to reassure himself that his beloved is alive and well.

But Princess Adriana is about to wed a wealthy lord, and when a brokenhearted Marcus and his friend accept jobs as servants, they find themselves in the last place they should be—serving Adriana’s betrothed in the castle of a king who wants Marcus dead.

Yet the princess may still have feelings for him and her betrothed is more cruel than charming. With his life and love at stake and only days until the wedding, Marcus will find his resolve to achieve his dreams tested.

The Crownless Prince , a gender-swapped retelling of  Maid Maleen , is book 10 of Once Upon a Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

This standalone story is set in the world of Selina R. Gonzalez’s The Miraveld Chronicles, about two hundred years prior to that series.

I’ll admit, I’ve never heard of the Maid Maleen fairy talen, so I’m really excited to get my hands on this one and discover what it’s all about. And knowing it’s set in the same world as Gonzalez’s other series, The Miraveld Chronicles, means there’s more stories to sink my teeth into after I finish! I love that.

I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of the other books in the OUAP series so far, and what did you think? Which has been your favourite? And what did you love about it?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Silent Prince by C.J. Brightley

The ninth Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s The Silent Prince: A Little Mermaid Retelling by C.J. Brightley!

Or should I say Little Merman? This one is a gender-swapped retelling!

The Silent Prince on Amazon

Blurb: A voiceless prince. A desperate princess. A sham romance that turns heart-breakingly real.

When cocky Mer prince Kaerius impulsively saves the human princess from drowning, he doesn’t expect to fall in love with her. Yet her human fragility is so unexpectedly sweet that he is soon head over tails. So he bargains his voice to the Lord of the Deep for a chance to court her on land. He’s confident that he can win her affection–he’s irresistible, after all.

But he is a fish out of water in the human world. He didn’t expect it to be so difficult to make Marin appreciate his charms. Her father is ailing, her kingdom is threatened from multiple directions, and she must choose from among several foreign suitors to keep her people free. Thinking Kaerius no more than a mute stranger, she asks him to pose as her suitor to give her leverage with the foreign lords vying for her hand. But not all of them are so easily deterred, and they won’t take no for an answer.

Kaerius will have to show the princess that his love is not just an act, but how can he win her, much less save her, without a word?

The Silent Prince, a gender-swapped retelling of The Little Mermaid, is book 9 of Once Upon A Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

Little Mermaid is one of my favourite Disney movies, and the new live action version was great! But the original will always have my heart. Although I did love the new songs they added, especially Scuttle’s one!

I’m excited to see how C.J. worked the gender swap, and how our sea swimming prince fairs on dry land with no voice and only his good looks to help him!

I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of the other books in the OUAP series so far, and what did you think? Which has been your favourite? And what did you love about it?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Shoeless Prince by Jacque Stevens

The eighth Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s The Shoeless Prince: A Puss in Boots Retelling by Jacque Stevens!

Take a peek at this adorable rags-to-riches, double fairytale romance!

The Shoeless Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A shoeless son of a miller. A high-fashion tabby. An adventure far more than they bargained for.

Leo is not a normal cat.

Archie Miller might be a dreamer, but he’s seen the complex mousetraps the stray barn cat builds, and he knows he’s right. When his late father wills him the “magic cat” as his only inheritance, Archie is ready to prove it, making a deal with the supposed faerie to gain his fortune.

But the ornery brown tabby has plans of his own. And when Archie ends up entangled with a shapeshifting ogre and a reckless royal beauty, it seems he has unleashed more magical mayhem than he can handle.

Can the shoeless son of a miller romance a princess, become the hero his kingdom needs, and fit into a very fancy pair of hunting boots? Or will all his dreams become a toe-pinching nightmare?

The Shoeless Prince, a retelling of Puss in Boots, is book 8 of Once Upon A Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince and his flaws, growth, and happily ever after.

I beta read this one and LOVED it, it’s so charming and cosy, but with a really interesting mystery and vivid characters. I hope you all love it as much as I did!

I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of the other books in the OUAP series so far, and what did you think? Which has been your favourite? And what did you love about it?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Silver Prince by Lyndsey Hall

The seventh Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s my turn! Today is release day for my novel, The Silver Prince: A Twelve Dancing Princesses Retelling!

Are you ready for a gripping whodunnit with a sweet, star-crossed romance?

The Silver Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A soldier who conjures shadows.
A princess cursed to dance.
A mystery none can solve.

The people of the Silver Isle are brutes. Savages who live in darkness for half the year. They are not to be trusted, or so Princess Isadora has been raised to believe. As Crown Princess of the Golden Isle, she is the shining light of her kingdom. But Issy is hiding a dark curse that cannot be broken. And all who attempt it end up dead…

Anders is a son of the Silver Isle, a soldier afflicted with shadow magic. This alone carries a death sentence when he steps off a ship into the port capital of the Golden Isle and finds himself in the dungeons beneath the Gilded Palace.

Now his life hangs in the balance. Can he solve the mystery of the curse and earn his freedom? Or is he doomed either way?

In the glittering, royal city of Orovía, danger doesn’t lurk in the shadows, it hides in the light. Can a Golden Princess and a Silver Prince work together to uncover the truth before it’s too late? And will their fragile alliance be enough to unite their rival kingdoms?

The Silver Prince, a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling, is book 7 of Once Upon a Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

I had so much fun writing this culture clash, enemies to lovers mystery, with meddlesome gods and more red herrings than my local chippy. Just kidding, the chippy is very well stocked. But there are definitely a fair few tricks, twists and misdirections in The Silver Prince!

I’ve been so lucky and privileged to be involved in this series, I’ve learned so much from these incredible writers and women, and we’ve become a real force to be reckoned with, knocking each release out of the park and dominating the new release and bestsellers lists each week. I’m so proud of this team!

There are five more fabulous fairytale retellings to come, and I couldn’t be more excited to read them all and watch this series continue to succeed. I’m so grateful to every single reader, reviewer, supporter and friend for helping us to make these books so popular and successful!

I’d love to hear if you’ve read TSP or any of the other books in the OUAP series, what did you think? Which has been your favourite so far? And what did you love about it?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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A Book Lover’s Best Christmas Ever 2023!

If you haven’t heard of Jennifer Kropf’s huge annual giveaway, A Book Lover’s Best Christmas Ever, then thank me later, because you’re about to learn about the coolest bunch of prizes you’ve ever seen!

Keep reading to find out more and what you could win, or go straight to Jen’s website for the entry rules and all that important gubbins.

A Booklover’s Best Christmas Ever

According to the lovely Jen’s website:

12 Months of Christmas

A Booklovers Best Christmas Ever 2023 has begun!

What is the “A Booklover’s Best Christmas Ever” contest? It’s a huge sweepstakes where I’ll fill a large box with full-sized books and bookish gifts (one for every month of the year) and at Christmas time, I’ll draw a name and mail the filled box of presents to one lucky booklover to put beneath their Christmas tree.

After the winner is announced, I’ll wrap each gift, then haul the box off to the post office so that one winner gets loads of book-themed presents on Christmas morning and has the best Christmas ever.

And the best part: I’m so happy to announce that this contest is open internationally!

Ready to learn about all the amazing prizes Jen’s giving away this Christmas? Click through the slides to see what you could win:

How awesome does that sound? Go over to Jen’s website now to enter and be in with a chance of winning ALL of these incredible bookish prizes!!

May the odds be ever in your favour.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Poisoned Prince by Kristin J. Dawson

The sixth Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s the fabulous Kristin J. Dawson and The Poisoned Prince: A Snow White Retelling!

Who’s up for a friends to forbidden lovers romance?

The Poisoned Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A royal huntsman. An illegitimate daughter. And one heart — delivered on a silver platter.

Max is training to become the royal huntsman, a respected position his lineage has held for generations. Between his mother’s noble family and his father’s prominent appointment, he has no end of invitations and offers of friendship. But, he much prefers bantering with the intriguing Snow White every morning in the kitchens.

Orphaned Snow is an unremarkable palace servant of questionable origins. With the ability to sense moods at a single glance, Snow won’t risk feeling Max’s emotions and ruining their unlikely friendship. Besides, as soon as she scrapes together enough coin, she must journey to find out what happened to her mother.

When the king winds up dead, the best friends are thrown apart. Between Snow’s bloodline and her fae-gifted ability, she tip-toes on a blade’s edge. The kingdom devolves into chaos under the queen’s rule—and Snow is a threat to be eliminated.

The longer Max juggles the plotting traitors, lies, and unstable queen, the more he realizes he must choose between his family and Snow, the woman he’s grown to love. And it’s painfully clear that he can’t save both.

The key to saving the kingdom may lie in Snow’s unraveling of her past, but her heart lies in the hands of the queen’s huntsman.

The Poisoned Prince  is a best friends to forbidden romance retelling of Snow White and is book 6 of  Once Upon A Prince , a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

How awesome does that sound? I was lucky enough to chat to the author, Kristin, in the run up to release day. Read on to see what we chatted about and find out more about her books…

Hi Kristin! I’m so excited for The Poisoned Prince, I’ve always loved Snow White but I don’t think I’ve read a retelling yet. For anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I live in the Pacific Northwest, which I feel is almost like its own little country. We are surrounded by high desert to the east, so we are a bit isolated from the rest of the US. It takes a long time to drive to major cities outside the I-5 corridor. The benefit is we are surrounded by beautiful mountains, and we’re near the rugged coast. People in the PNW enjoy nature.

That sounds sort of fantastic! Where I live in the UK we’re just a short drive to the Peak District, and there are so many national parks and beautiful slices of countryside a stone’s throw away – including Sherwood Forest! You sound like you’re surrounded by the best source of inspiration for writing. What got you started?

In the sixth grade, we were assigned to write a short story. I often wrote science fiction or portal fantasy as a child, and I included pictures (which is hilarious because I’m not an artist). I was getting a failing grade in English because I didn’t turn my short story in. Well, I did eventually, but it was a massive world story, and it was nearly novelette-length. And that pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the writer I am at my *core*.

Sixth grade you sounds like a legend, I wish I could have met her! So you started out writing portal fantasy (one of my favourite genres) and sci-fi, but what do you prefer to read?

When I discovered The Giver, I was smitten. I had always been an Anne of Green Gables girl before that, but then I discovered YA dystopian. And I’ve been chasing that high ever since.

I feel like we all went through that phase of being obsessed with YA dystopian, whether it was The Giver, Divergent, The Hunger Games (a personal fave) or one of the other absolutely brilliant dystopian teen novels that came out in the 90s and 00s that us into the genre. What are you working on right now?

I’m currently working with a group of authors on a fairytale retelling series (Once Upon a Prince). Each book is independent of the others, and each is set in its own world. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the positive reaction to the series. I think people are resonating with the familiar tropes and comforted knowing they’ll get a happily ever after.

I’m so glad Once Upon a Prince seems to have captured to hearts of our readers! The response has been incredible so far, and we’re only halfway through! Where do you usually get the inspiration from for your stories?

I get a lot of my inspiration from reading history or even watching documentaries. It’s true what they say (whoever “they” are): truth is stranger than fiction.

It’s so true, I get a lot of inspiration from podcasts, real life can be absolutely crazy. So many true stories are that bizarre that if they were fiction readers would think they were completely unbelievable! Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser, or somewhere in between?

I am a plotter. I tried branching out and doing a pantser story, and … it ground to a halt pretty quickly. I wanted to challenge myself to try to see where a story/character would take me. Now it’s on pause, and I’m trying to plot it, which is much more difficult to do retrospectively. NEVER AGAIN!

Gah, I know your pain, I’m definitely a plotter too, pantsing just winds up going in circles for me. So what are you planning to write next? What can readers look forward to?

Right now, I am focused on the fairytale. But I’m excited to get started on my elven/fae series again. I have a duology that I’m working on that I’m hoping to publish in 2024!

Ooh that sounds right up my street, I can’t wait to read it. Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

For anyone who wants to become a writer, my best advice is to read. The reason is that you’ll figure out what you love. Make a list of the things that excite you about stories, and then use those in what you write. You’ll love the process more, and your readers will love it, too.

Brilliant advice! Okay, where can we keep in touch with you and find out about all your upcoming releases?

If you like funny or thoughtful bookish memes, follow me on Facebook at @KristinJLiterary

If you like book reviews and bookish news, follow me on IG at @KristinJDawson (I put lots of fun stuff in IG stories, too)

If you like epic worlds and unique magic, follow me on Amazon or subscribe to my newsletter to get alerts when I publish new books!

How lovely is Kristin? I can’t believe we’re halfway through the series now, it’s absolutely flown since the first book released. There’s six more Once Upon a Prince books to go, have you preordered them all?

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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Release day: The Midnight Prince by Angie Grigaliunas

The fifth Once Upon a Prince book is here, and it’s the lovely Angie Grigaliunas and The Midnight Prince: A Cinderella Retelling!

Ready for this second chance, grumpy/sunshine romance?

The Midnight Prince on Amazon

Blurb:A bitter prince. A rejected servant. A revelation that could change everything.

When Prince Kirran of the autumn fey returns home from war, all he wants is food, drink, and sleep. But with his older brothers dead, he’s now the only heir — and he needs a wife. As soon as possible. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except that he’s not over the girl who shattered his heart seven years ago.

Half-human Alia avoids her noble stepfamily by living among the fey king’s servants. Her life of anonymity serves her well and helps her forget how Kirran betrayed her — that is, until they’re thrust back into each other’s lives.

Their hostile reunion leaves both reeling — until they realize their memories of their breakup don’t match, and neither is lying.

With mere days before Kirran has to choose a bride, they must put aside their hurts and fight to uncover the truth.

And in the process, maybe, just maybe, they’ll find a second chance to fight for each other.

The Midnight Prince , a retelling of Cinderella, is book 5 of  Once Upon A Prince , a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

I’m really excited for this one, I love a Cinderella retelling and the tropes in this one are *chef’s kiss*. Can you believe that next week we’ll be halfway through our releases? I can’t believe how quickly it’s going! But I’m looking forward to having all 12 paperbacks on my shelf.

Happy reading, friends.

Lyndsey

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