Damsels in Distress

Desperately Ever After #2

by Laura Kenyon

One part Sex and the City. Two parts Desperate Housewives. Three parts Brothers Grimm.

The Desperately Ever After series takes a whimsical look at our most beloved fairy tale princesses several years after true love’s kiss. With laughter, wine, and a new take on old-fashioned chivalry, these friends see each other through life’s trials one secret at a time. Set in a fictional realm based on New York City, the books sprinkle fiction with elements of fantasy and encourage readers to rethink everything they know about happy endings.

After watching her fairy tale go up in flames, Belle is finally starting over. With a baby on the way, a business to run, and a new love interest she just can’t shake, things are finally looking up. That is, until she learns her independence might revive broken curses the world over. Could “happily ever after” really mean staying with her unfaithful husband? Or will Belle and her steadfast friends find another way?

Meanwhile, Dawn still longs for the life she had three centuries earlier—before her sleeping curse ended in two kids, an unfamiliar era, and a husband she barely knows. So when the childhood sweetheart she believed to be dead resurfaces, she must suddenly choose between the past she once wanted and the present she never knew she did.

As both women struggle between love and obligation—between what's right for the world and what's right for the heart—they fail to see a great danger brewing in the capital. One that could change everything forever.

With the wit of authors like Jennifer Weiner, the vision of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, and the imagination of Gregory Maguire's Wicked, Damsels in Distress picks up where the original tales left off—and twists them every “witch” way.

Genres: Fantasy, Chick Lit, Fairy Tale Retellings, Romance, Magic

312 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2014

About the author

Like so many women today, I grew up on Disney films and fairy tales. But as wonderful as these were at the time, they always left me wondering what came next. How did Cinderella feel ten years down the road, when her iconic ball gown no longer fit and she had four kids, royal duties up the wahzoo, and a husband who was hardly ever around? How long did it take Beast to return to his old ways when he no longer needed Beauty to break the curse?

My debut novel, Desperately Ever After, takes our most beloved fairy tale princesses, makes them the best of friends, and imagines what happened when the wedding bells stopped ringing. At its core, it’s about honesty and friendship, and how one can never work without the other.

In addition to writing books, I am a freelance journalist and blogger, and enjoy traveling, hiking, and playing with my 92-pound, ridiculously energetic, four-year-old puppy.

I also love connecting with readers on my blog (laurakenyon.com), Twitter (@laura_kenyon), and Facebook (laurakenyonwrites).

Visit my Amazon author page here: www.amazon.com/author/laurakenyon

Happy reading!

Reviews

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damsels in Distress is a follow up to Desperately Ever After, taking off not long after the end of it's predecessor.

In the world of Marestam, our fav fairy tale princesses are reigning royalty in five kingdoms that resemble a New York like alternative world. Where the Desperately closely followed Cindy, Rapunzel, Penelope, and Belle, Damsels stays close to Belle's continued issue of pregenant and separated from Donner (Beast) while managing a B&B with Rapunzel, as well as giving us more time with Snow White, and diving into Dawn's issues between her old flame from before the curse, and learning who her husband really is.

Perhaps because Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories, I find myself rooting for both paths for Belle. I would love to see her with Donner as a truly changed man where they dote on each other, with much more equal partnerships, but I also want her to be truly independent and in charge of her own path.

We hardly see much of Cindy, only through email, and Snow has definitely started playing a bigger role, but Penny's issues and desires to get further from under her mother-in-law seemed to barely progress.

Dawn and Snow White were much more in the spotlight this time around, and it was pleasant to understand Dawn's bitterness and even though her story isn't over and I'm rooting for her, it was kinda of relieving that she got called out and this part of her story leaves her eyes open, well... sort of, but basically realizes the harm she has done as well. My heart goes out to Snow! I am hoping she is a key player in the next one!

[Kristy Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damsels in Distress, the second book in the Desperately Ever After Series has a darker tone than its prequel. According to Belle, “The world offers nothing but pain…It offers the chance to become half of what you are now. You’re better off going home and keeping your hope and spirit intact. The world is an evil, scary place” (70). If the fairy tale curse is in fact true, it’s no wonder why Belle is wrapped in a melancholy cloak. Should Belle heed Ruby’s warning and return to her beastly husband Donner or should she continue on as an expectant single mother slash inn owner?
Meanwhile Snow White and her husband are under fire for accidentally offering magic brownies to their guests, Penelopea is considering opening up a law practice, Cinderella and her husband are MIA, Rapunzel is in a “real” relationship with Ethan, and Dawn is falling in love with a man who isn’t her husband.
And last but not least, the King of Gossip, Perrin Hildebrand, continues to write witty, raw, and incredibly entertaining gossip columns for The Marestam Mirror. I would love to find out who exactly Perrin Heldebrand is, as it’s a pen name. Is it one of the princesses pretending to be male? Or one of the prince’s? Or is it a character we haven’t met yet?
The ending of Damsels in Distress literally caused my jaw to drop and I’m anxiously waiting for book three!

[Emma Star Crossed Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from the Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Thank you to Laura for sending me a copy of this book. I have loved fairy-tales since I was a young girl and I adored the first book in this series so when Laura offered me the second book I had to say yes. Unfortunately due to my humongous TBR pile I hadn't had time to read it and with the third book out shortly I decided to move it up the list.

I am struggling to write this review. Not because this book wasn't good because it was amazing and I don't want this review to disappoint.

We begin this book shortly after the first. The book mainly focuses on Belle but does include the other girls stories. I won't say any more than that as I do not want to ruin the story for those that have not read the first book.

Laura's writing captures you immediately and keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole thing.

I can't wait to dive into the conclusion of this story.

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really got me hooked! And what a cliffhanger... Seriously, who would have thought that I'd turn out to be such a sucker for modern variations of classic fairy tales?! In other words, is the next one coming out already?

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight. Laura Kenyon is brilliant at making these Princesses come to life. 5 stars

[MBenzz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gotta say, I thought Book 2 was a little better than Book 1, which rarely happens! Belle, while still possessing some doormat qualities, really seemed to come into her own, and it's nice to see Rapunzel grow up a bit. Cinderella and Aaron are completely MIA in this book, which was a bummer, but I enjoyed the story overall!

It does end on quite the cliffhanger, but I already had Book 3 downloaded, so I started it immediately after. This is definitely a fluffy no-thinking-required kind of series, which is exactly what I was looking for right now, and I'm enjoying it thus far!

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. So many plot twists! So much drama! This series is as addictive as reality television. A fun romp through a grown up version of fairytales. This one left off at a bit of a cliffhanger, so I'll be onto the next one to find out what happens.

[Jennifer Ingraham · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very good sequel. It follows Princess Belle and Donner, and also brings more light to Sleeping Beauty (Dawn). I am very anxious to read the third installment, but I have to wait until they bring it back on Amazon.

[Theresa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait for it - you'll be surprised

Drama, romance, friendship, damsels in distress - but not the fairytale distress we've come to know. A good story. Looking forward to book three.

[Cora Tower · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the storyline, however there are some obvious spelling and grammatical errors that were a bit annoying.

[Monique Snyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great sequel to Desperately Ever After. Not quite as funny, but there are moments that still had me snickering. The intrigue, however, is amped up to 11. Love it!

[Mary Sperduti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just love this series. It's fun, entertaining and a great fast read.

[Tess Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, but was a little more difficult to follow the characters than the first book. Wasn’t as engaging, but not bad. I look forward to seeing how the series wraps up in book three.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The world offers nothing but pain,” she said, surprising herself with her own words. “It offers the chance to become half of what you are now. You’re better off going home and keeping your hope and spirit intact. The world is an evil, scary place.”

Damsels in Distress started off where Desperately Ever After ended, with Belle and Rapunzel opening their inn with the possibility of the curses coming back. This second installment also brought to the forefront Dawn aka Sleeping Beauty and Snow. We got a lot less of Cinder, Penelopea, and Rapunzel in this one, which was a little disappointing, but Belle was still the lead and she was my favorite so I was okay with the change. In this book, Belle was faced with the decision of whether or not to go back to Donner and having to run an inn with constant problems. Dawn was in a loveless marriage with Hunter, the prince who woke her up from her 300 year old sleep while Snow was trying to adopt a child with her husband even while they were constantly met with criticism for how they live in the woods.

Belle’s story was still my favorite. Her character was just awesome and I loved how strong she was. I hated how the fate of everyone seemed to rest on her shoulders though. The girl was just trying to find her own fairy tale ending and was just constantly hounded by Ruby, a fairy. Luckily, Belle had Rapunzel who continued to be a rock star and defend Belle without fail. Love their friendship.

Dawn and Snow had bigger parts in this one and I was actually okay with it. Dawn’s story was definitely a sad one. I always thought Sleeping Beauty was a great fairy tale but seeing it done this way did make sense. I mean who would want to be awakened by a stranger and then basically forced to marry him. It definitely didn’t romanticize the story like the Disney version and I liked that. Dawn, however, did some things that were questionable, but at times you couldn’t help but be sad for her and all the time she lost while asleep. It will be interesting to see how her story ends in the next and last installment especially since this book ended with her happily ever after in question.

Snow was definitely an interesting character with living in the woods and being all about nature and eating natural food. The news always painted her and her husband in a negative light with their lifestyle. You couldn’t help but want the best for them especially since they were one of the few couples who were actually happy together.

As with Desperately Ever After, Damsels in Distress brought about new developments in the end that made you want the next book right now! I was on the edge of my seat and then it just ended! Luckily, I was prepared this time. That doesn’t mean I was happy about it, I was just more accepting of it this time. It definitely made me excited for how it will end. And I really hope everything works out for everyone. I really want my fairy tale princesses to get their happily ever after.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura Kenyon has hit her stride with this, the second in her Desperately Ever After series. The first book was fun, but suffered a little because of its sheer scope and ambition: lots of characters to introduce, lots of backstory to fill in and at least four plots that got more-or-less equal billing. But now Rapunzel is loved-up and can support Belle without having worries of her own, Penelopea’s dance to the music of the mother-in-law from hell are a source of horror when the girls get together rather than a separate story, and Aaron and Cinderella are out of touch—rather too much so, it would seem.

That leaves the focus on Belle’s fight to keep her newly-found and hard-won independence and Dawn’s infatuation with the mysterious and rich Liam who, as the summary gives away, it turns out she has known for centuries. Belle also has a handsome stranger to deal with. Gray is literally fearless and jolly useful as a result of the skills he has learnt in travelling the world in search of it. But there is the small matter of the return of curses once broken which, according to the going-to-seed fairy Ruby Welles, will be the consequence of Belle’s split from Donner. Snow and Belle are both torn between old and new loves, marriage and freedom, and worried about the effects of their actions on huge numbers of other people as well as those close to them. That their stories counterpoint each other in this way wasn’t something I was conscious of as I read it, but may well have helped this section of the saga feel more coherent than the first. Even Dawn’s desperation for a child, which at first seems like a sub-plot, a story of its own, becomes important in several ways by the end of the book.

And that end is abrupt, leaving a lot of cliff-hangers and questions. Snow makes her choice between Davin and Hunter but it is not at all clear how this, probably the only problem that has been resolved, will turn out. While this means that I’ll be looking out for the release of book three (Skipping Midnight), I did feel just a little cheated. There’s enough information in Damsels in Distress for you to make sense of what goes on if you’ve not read Desperately Ever After, so it did feel unfinished without some proper endings of its own.

In spite of that, I did enjoy it. The characters are becoming far more rounded, further from the vacuous princess stereotype, and their relationships are continuing to develop as they go through their various crises. The political and financial machinations which are touched on in this book promise some serious conflict for the final instalment and do a lot more than cars and mobile phones to bring the fairy tales into their version of the modern world. But there is still magic in Marestam and long may it flourish.

Reviewed by Catherine This review was originally posted on Girls Love To Read

[Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on: http://addictivechicklit.blogspot.com...

Damsels in Distress is the second book of the Desperately Ever After Series. I loved the first book (you can read my review here: http://addictivechicklit.blogspot.com...) and I had great expectations for this one. But do not worry! Laura Kenyon doesn't disappoint at all. DiD has the same flirty and witty style and keeps the same spark from its predecessor.

Our beloved princesses are back with more drama, love triangles, fertility problems, new love interests and a lot more laughs. I was a bit worried that one of my favourite characters from the first book, Cinderella, was away on her second honeymoon. However, as the book focuses more on Dawn and Snow's stories and troubles, you don't miss Cindy that much! These girls are a great gang and I love how they stick together.

After a great debut novel, Laura brings her magic back to continue with her fun, adventure-packed tale that will leave you wanting more for sure. Something big is going to happen in thoses kingdoms in the next and last installment of the series and I cannot wait to know what! I have been thinking for some days now, how our beloved girls will overcome all the trouble going on on their lifes and kingdoms and when you are still thinking about the book after finishing it, that's a sign that it totally captured you. If you still haven't started this fabulous series, I don't know what you are waiting for! Bring the magic and get lost in this special version of NY.

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so great! Just as good as the first one, and I stayed up late AGAIN to finish it! Belle has finally learned to stand on her own two feet, but fairy godmother Ruby says she threatens all happy endings unless she goes back to her (in my opinion) emotionally abusive husband. Dawn feels neglected in her marriage and is tempted to seek love elsewhere. These are the two main stories. Snow is trying to move forward with adoption. Cindy and Aaron are off on a second honeymoon and Rapunzel is still ga-ga for her new man.

Again, a wonderful story. I loved seeing Belle become more independent and wrestle with opening herself up to new love or going back to Donner for the sake of her child. I loved Dawn's story and the unique, somewhat surprising turn it took (but I thought it was so well-done and the right choice). She starts seeing things the way they really are and loses some delusions. There were less main stories to focus on with this book and that was nice- we got to delve deeper into the two main characters.

I also love the moral dilemmas this series brings up- women who struggle to make the right choice and wonder what the right choice is. Personal happiness versus the fate of the world, etc. Though they are fun chick lit, they do make you wonder about real-life issues.

I will warn you-this book has you panting like Beast (Belle's dog) for the next story, as a lot remains unresolved and new issues are brought up at the very end!! I anxiously await the third and final book.

[Jonita · Rating 5 out of 5]

DAMSELS IN DISTRESS picks up where DESPERATELY EVER AFTER, the first book in the series, leaves off. Belle is pregnant with Donner's child but she is unwilling to go back to him after he cheated on her. Instead she is content to try to run her new B&B on her own. Snow wants nothing more than to be a mother herself but is being disappointed at every turn. Cinderella is on her long-awaited second honeymoon and Rapunzel is coming to terms with the fact that she may, indeed, have found true love at last. Even Dawn is rekindling an old romance and unsure if she should be faithful to her husband or to follow her heart. All of the princesses are conflicted and unsure which path they should take.

When a force larger than them all threatens to take all of their crowns, the women must band together and fight the evil which lurks in the shadows.

What a thoroughly enjoyable book! I loved the modern fairy tale aspect of Belle, Rapunzel, Dawn, Snow White and Cinderella's stories and I couldn't put this modern fairy tale down. I loved it from beginning to end, and can't wait to see how each woman's story turns out. Will Belle make the right decision? Will Dawn be forgiven? Where is Cin? Will Snow have a truly happy ending? All these questions and more follow me as I finish book two of the series, and I can't wait to delve in to book three.

Well-written, intriguing, and fun, I can't wait to see where this series leads me. With one more book left in the series I was left wanting more, and I definitely can't wait to find out how the series ends!

[Alissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Desperately Ever After series by Laura Kenyon. This book continues the stories of Belle, Dawn (Sleeping Beauty), and Snow White as they navigate their ‘happily ever afters’ years after they’ve had them. Belle’s pregnancy is advancing quickly – a little too quickly. She’s not ready to make a decision about co-parenting with Donner, and the warning from Ruby (Cinderella’s fairy godmother) on the possibility of ruining everyone else’s happy endings if she leaves Donner still makes her nervous. Dawn is trapped in what she feels is a loveless marriage with two children. She doesn’t understand her husband, and she barely had any time to get to know him before they married years ago. When she meets a handsome stranger who reminds her of all the things from her past, she’s tempted to try to create a new happy ending, but can she? Meanwhile, Snow White is living happily in the forest with her husband, but something is missing from their lives. Left infertile from the poisoned apple she ate, Snow desperately wants children, and they make the decision to try to adopt. As with the first book, this book moves quickly and doesn’t leave the reader with many lulls. I will say that the plot gets much more dramatic than the first book. This book seemed to lose some of the fun that was intermixed with the serious topics in the first book. That said, I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for the third and final book in the series.

[Maryline M's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was first published at M's Bookshelf - http://mssbookshelf.blogspot.be

I LOVE THIS SERIES! I was so in love with the first book in the series, Desperately Ever After, and couldn't shut up about it. So saying that I was looking forward to reading "book II" is an understatement.
I loved returning to these characters and getting lost again in this "real" fairy tale world. Damsels In Distress is a little less fabulous Martini's and a little more 'Desperate Housewives' of Marestam, with our favourite ladies facing political, marital and dynastic problems, as well as a magical curse that might change their happily ever afters for good.
Although the articles in The Marestam Mirror were less frequent, they still made me laugh and they gave it that contemporary, NY socialite vibe. Absolutely brilliant.
Although these leading ladies are royal fairy tale princesses, Laura Kenyon managed to make them not only easy to relate to, but highly lovable as well. Damsels In Distress feels like catching up with old friends.
The Desperately Ever After series is a wonderfully sarcastic, romantic and heartwarming tale about love and friendship with witty conversations, juicy cliches and a healthy dose of humor.

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Damsels in Distress, the second book in the Desperately Ever After series by Laura Kenyon.

This is a wonderful retelling of our favorite fairy tale princesses and their continued lives after their 'happily ever after' is written.
Very contemporary and modern-day situations plague the women, cheating husbands, failed pregnancies, love triangles and otherwise less than perfect lives.
I love how fresh the writing is and how real this women 'feel'. Several times had to remind myself that I was reading about fairytale characters while thinking of them like they could be personalities we'd follow on twitter today. Good job to the author for keeping it real!

I have been blown away so far by this series, considering I bought the first book in this series on a whim, not expecting much really. I can not wait to read more!
Would recommend to my reader friends who like retellings. Read the first book in the series first though ;)

[Mari Pequenos Retalhos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book, and the only reason it doesn't get five stars from me is because, quite honestly, it is the second book in the series and left a lot of things to be solved in the next book. It's a pet peeve of mine when the author does that. I am not saying that, when the story will continue in a sequel, it can't leave some points unanswered, but I think some authors can balance it better than how it was here.
But the story itself is very good, I really enjoyed how each one of the queens/princesses are presented to the reader and feel like real, modern women and how each is a character of their own, with different views of society and of the world, and yet here they are, being friends, protecting each other. Their struggles are also very well developed and you find yourself cheering for them, which is always a lovely feeling.
I'll definitely read the final book, because I care for these characters and I am genuinely curious about the ending of this story.

[Nadhia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely taken by surprise after I read the first book. I didn't expect much from the first one, just judging it by it's description, but man oh man, the story was amazing. So amazing that I read the second book and fell even more in love. Laura Kenyon, with her magical writing. I was completely taken by surprise after I read the first book. I didn't expect much from the first one, just judging it by it's description, but man oh man, the story was amazing. So amazing that I read the second book and fell even more in love. Laura Kenyon, with her magical writing, takes famous fairy tale princesses and writes about what happens after the fairy tales end. Not exactly what you'd expect. Reality and a potential restoration of old curses and a hidden villain rear their heads in this second book. I cannot wait to read the next book in the serious. Laura Kenyon has gained a new fan!

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's done it again. Laura Kenyon has produced a second helping of our favorite fairytale princesses coping with all the stresses of the modern world (with a little magic thrown in). In Damsels in Distress, there are three main strands--- Belle continues to battle with Donner, who is acting beastly once again. Snow needs to decide if maintaining her alternate lifestyle choices is too costly. Dawn wonders if she is going through the motions, when dreams of the past wake her up and shake up her world. Rapunzel is still full of sass and independence and Penny and Cindy are there to support their friends. Kenyon brings several interesting and attractive male characters to heat up the combined kingdoms. I highly recommend this sequel to Desperately Ever After.

[kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

damsels in distress

i had read both books and i would definitely recommend to read these. a very refreshing read to break from the regular books i normally read. i just wish they were a bit longer. i don't want to spoil it for anyone else but the last chapter drove me nuts, and then it was the end. i can't wait to read to the third book. i love all the characters even though ruby kind of got on my nerves. but its all good. excellent writing and it flowed beautifully. i finished it in a couple of hours, i hope there will be more books even though its says the third is the last of the series.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is cute in a gossipy kind of way. It continues the story of a group of princesses set in modern times. This book continues the story of the princesses and focuses mostly on Belle and Dawn. There is lots of action and a ton of plot twists and misunderstandings to keep things interesting. The book ended in an awkward place, but that is mostly to tempt readers to check out the next book in this series.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate saying this because I very much liked the first and was looking forward to this (and will read any others Im sure) but this book saddened me. It was a good story I suppose but as a mom I didnt care for it. Belle giving up her baby, and things about Dawns situation. Things involving children are a little bothersome for me. Other than that Id say it was a good story.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

2015 BookRiot #ReadHarder Challenge, TASK # A book that is a retelling of a classic story (fairytale, Shakespearian play, etc.. )

Yes, think "Sex in the City" mashed up with after 'Happily Ever After...' and/or the television series: "Once". It was a cute story of what happens after or the reality that not all that is coined happy is as happily as imagined.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

....after investing in Laura's first novel of the series, I wanted to see where the Princesses were heading and, quite pleasantly surprised, I think this book better and stronger then the first....but, now I have to wait for the third........