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Playing the Princess #1
The Cinderella Fantasy
A princess who has lost her faith in love . . .
Lucy Linden’s prince charming (a.k.a. her fiancé) disappeared three months before the Big Day. Determined to pick up the pieces, she dives into the world of online dating. But the only men interested in a woman whose day job involves playing Cinderella leave Lucy looking for an exit strategy before the main course. And the man rushing to her rescue isn’t the solution to her problems. Jared is a walking, talking fantasy—if Lucy’s daydreams began and ended in the bedroom. No one would ever mistake South Florida’s bored billionaire bachelor for a long-term prince.
A man willing to risk everything to prove he’s her prince . . .
Jared Mitchell pushes the limits, in the boardroom and in bed. When his best friend and business partner’s little sister sends up red distress flares, he’s thrust into the role of pseudo-big brother. He’s never had a thing for Cinderella. But now he’s fighting his desire to make the princess his—even if he has to risk his empire to deliver her happy-ever-after ending.
Lucy Linden’s prince charming (a.k.a. her fiancé) disappeared three months before the Big Day. Determined to pick up the pieces, she dives into the world of online dating. But the only men interested in a woman whose day job involves playing Cinderella leave Lucy looking for an exit strategy before the main course. And the man rushing to her rescue isn’t the solution to her problems. Jared is a walking, talking fantasy—if Lucy’s daydreams began and ended in the bedroom. No one would ever mistake South Florida’s bored billionaire bachelor for a long-term prince.
A man willing to risk everything to prove he’s her prince . . .
Jared Mitchell pushes the limits, in the boardroom and in bed. When his best friend and business partner’s little sister sends up red distress flares, he’s thrust into the role of pseudo-big brother. He’s never had a thing for Cinderella. But now he’s fighting his desire to make the princess his—even if he has to risk his empire to deliver her happy-ever-after ending.
204 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2017
About the author
Sara Jane Stone
28 books580 followersSara Jane Stone lives near New York's Hudson River with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children, a lazy Burmese cat, and a very active dog. When she is not finger painting with the kids, she loves writing sexy stories, staying up past her bedtime reading red-hot romance, and chatting with her readers on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 13, 2017
3.5 - "I'm going to deliver the fairy tale..." Stars!
Sara Jane Stone, begins her new Playing the Princess series with one of my favourite tropes; Brothers Best Friend.
Its LIVE!
Amazon US – http://a.co/bhtXhsq
Amazon UK - http://amzn.eu/96ikr8W
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Sara Jane’s writing style and story-lines, she takes a standard contemporary romance trope and gives the story and characters her own unique spin. On this occasion we have three friends, all ex-Princesses at Disney World. Having now set up their own thriving princess party business, life is going well for Lucy, Emma and Nicole on the work front, not-so-much on the love front though.
"Everyone needs saving now and then…"
Lucy Linden has always believed in the fairy tale when it comes to love and romance, and up until recently thought she was on her own path to it, that is until she discovers that her fiancé is moving out of town to pursue his career and has no plans to take her with him, but a nurse he has been seeing behind her back.
"Find the magic."
In an effort to get over him and on with her life she starts dating men through online Dating Apps, all meets being undertaken at her brothers restaurant, so she has a means of escape if things go south. Her brother’s business partner and best friend Jared Mitchell happens to be there on one such occasion, and upon catching her trying to sneak out through the kitchen to get away from her latest disaster decides that he will offer her everything she is looking for in a man, and then some.
"I’ll be your unicorn."
Things then go from 0-60 in the space of a heartbeat after that, and the workaholic but adorable businessman does his utmost to become her very own Prince Charming. I have to be honest and say that I did find this part of the story a little underdeveloped and choppy, in that Lucy says/thinks one thing and does the complete opposite on a couple of occasions, and we jump from one scenario to somewhere else a little further along without much preamble. But I loved Jared, and his attempts to woo Lucy, every dating disaster that could befall this couple did and with pretty funny results.
"I’m into you. I’m lost in you…"
I liked Lucy as well, you cannot hold against a woman who knows what she wants from her man, and Lucy definitely knew. Her camaraderie with her friends and the banter between her and her brother Finn, kept things entertaining, and in general this was a sweet and easy-going read, offering up a twist on the fairy-tale, and delivering its own happily-ever-after.
"I’m going to deliver… Trust me."
Emma and Nicole are due their own books which I am looking forward too, and I am hoping against hope that Lucy’s brother Finn, becomes Prince Charming for one of them!
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
~~~
~~~
**This review will also appear on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews -
https://straightshootinbookreviews.com
Sara Jane Stone, begins her new Playing the Princess series with one of my favourite tropes; Brothers Best Friend.
Its LIVE!
Amazon US – http://a.co/bhtXhsq
Amazon UK - http://amzn.eu/96ikr8W
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Sara Jane’s writing style and story-lines, she takes a standard contemporary romance trope and gives the story and characters her own unique spin. On this occasion we have three friends, all ex-Princesses at Disney World. Having now set up their own thriving princess party business, life is going well for Lucy, Emma and Nicole on the work front, not-so-much on the love front though.
"Everyone needs saving now and then…"
Lucy Linden has always believed in the fairy tale when it comes to love and romance, and up until recently thought she was on her own path to it, that is until she discovers that her fiancé is moving out of town to pursue his career and has no plans to take her with him, but a nurse he has been seeing behind her back.
"Find the magic."
In an effort to get over him and on with her life she starts dating men through online Dating Apps, all meets being undertaken at her brothers restaurant, so she has a means of escape if things go south. Her brother’s business partner and best friend Jared Mitchell happens to be there on one such occasion, and upon catching her trying to sneak out through the kitchen to get away from her latest disaster decides that he will offer her everything she is looking for in a man, and then some.
"I’ll be your unicorn."
Things then go from 0-60 in the space of a heartbeat after that, and the workaholic but adorable businessman does his utmost to become her very own Prince Charming. I have to be honest and say that I did find this part of the story a little underdeveloped and choppy, in that Lucy says/thinks one thing and does the complete opposite on a couple of occasions, and we jump from one scenario to somewhere else a little further along without much preamble. But I loved Jared, and his attempts to woo Lucy, every dating disaster that could befall this couple did and with pretty funny results.
"I’m into you. I’m lost in you…"
I liked Lucy as well, you cannot hold against a woman who knows what she wants from her man, and Lucy definitely knew. Her camaraderie with her friends and the banter between her and her brother Finn, kept things entertaining, and in general this was a sweet and easy-going read, offering up a twist on the fairy-tale, and delivering its own happily-ever-after.
"I’m going to deliver… Trust me."
Emma and Nicole are due their own books which I am looking forward too, and I am hoping against hope that Lucy’s brother Finn, becomes Prince Charming for one of them!
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
~~~
~~~
**This review will also appear on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews -
https://straightshootinbookreviews.com
August 30, 2017
Sorry but this wasn't for me.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
August 15, 2017
3.5 Prince Charming Stars!
Cute read!
Full review to come
Cute read!
Full review to come
August 21, 2017
*3.5*
With an adorable title AND a sexy cover Sara Jane Stone's The Cinderella Fantasy is one book I simply couldn't resist. Thankfully, The Cinderella Fantasy ended up being the perfect light-hearted weekend read - romantic, sexy, and funny!
Lucy Linden has learned one thing in the past few months - never settle for a prince charming who won't make you his top priority. Lucy used to think she had her whole life figured out - she had an okay career, a great group of friends, and a fiancé who was going places in life. The problem? Her fiancé no longer wants a life with her, choosing instead to pack his bags and head East with his nurse. From this horrible misfortunate, Lucy has come up with a strict set of rules and a game plan for finding her next prince charming...the only problem? Online dating isn't making that search any easier, especially when she ends up on a date with a guy who cares more about her thigh gap then her personality. Hiding out in her brother's restaurant's kitchen after that horrible date, Lucy runs into Jared Mitchell, her brother's best friend and business partner. Jared is sexy and charming, but given his billionaire status and his womanizer ways, he's way off from Lucy's idea of a perfect man. Jared begs to differ, though, and he's willing to do anything to prove her wrong...
Lucy was without a doubt my favorite part of The Cinderella Fantasy. There was just something so likable about her, so incredibly relatable. I think what I liked the most about her character, however, was how relentless she was. Here's this girl who got her heart completely shattered only months ago, but she's already trying to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. It's truly admirable. I also loved her line of work. I found it interesting that she was a Disney princess - someone who would pose for pictures with children and perform in little shows - turned princess party planner with her 2 best, former princess fiends. It was different from the usual type of job, and it added in a fun component to the book. It was also interesting to see the opinions Lucy and her friends formed based on their jobs and parties as well as how the job brought them close together. They were three best friends no one should mess with for sure!
Jared, on the other hand, I struggled with at times. At first, I adored him. He was sweet and charming, and even though he was a womanizer in his past, it was easy to see he was trying to get as far away from that reputation as possible. His interactions with Lucy were adorable and sexy...I loved how he tried to capture her heart with juice boxes. My problems with him, however, started towards the middle. Suddenly, he became the guy who he promised he wouldn't become - the guy who put Lucy second, placing his own needs in front of hers. It bothered me, especially when Lucy was so willing to forgive him the majority of the time.
The plot in this mainly focused on Jared and Lucy's respective jobs as well as their developing relationship. As I've hinted to above, I enjoyed that Sara included their careers in this as well as the good and bad that came with them. It added a fun little side component to the book, and truly managed to balance out the romance. The relationship between Jared and Lucy was a lot of fun to watch develop. It took a lot of time and a lot of effort on Jared's part but the end result was perfect. I found it fun that Sara introduced somewhat of a mystery component to it, which I won't really comment too much on but it was fun! Thankfully, there also was a lot of good hot chemistry between Jared and Lucy.
Unfortunately, I did have two slight problems with The Cinderella Fantasy. One being the lack of character development at times. For the most part, Lucy and Jared were well developed; however, at times, I wished we had know a little more about them and their passions and desires. I felt that the third person narrative didn't always help this problem. I also wanted to know more about Lucy's two best friends, but considering they're getting their own books, I'm sure they'll be plenty of time for that in the future. I also wasn't the biggest fan of of the pacing towards the end. I felt that there was a good steady build up until the last 40 or so pages, and then suddenly, everything got insanely crazy and busy that my mind was reeling by the end and I was thinking wait what?
Even with those two slight issues, The Cinderella Fantasy is still a great romance read! Lucy and Jared's romance is sure to steam up your Kindle, and you'll be dying to know what happens in the next installment, featuring one of Lucy's roommates/business partners.
Grade: B
With an adorable title AND a sexy cover Sara Jane Stone's The Cinderella Fantasy is one book I simply couldn't resist. Thankfully, The Cinderella Fantasy ended up being the perfect light-hearted weekend read - romantic, sexy, and funny!
Lucy Linden has learned one thing in the past few months - never settle for a prince charming who won't make you his top priority. Lucy used to think she had her whole life figured out - she had an okay career, a great group of friends, and a fiancé who was going places in life. The problem? Her fiancé no longer wants a life with her, choosing instead to pack his bags and head East with his nurse. From this horrible misfortunate, Lucy has come up with a strict set of rules and a game plan for finding her next prince charming...the only problem? Online dating isn't making that search any easier, especially when she ends up on a date with a guy who cares more about her thigh gap then her personality. Hiding out in her brother's restaurant's kitchen after that horrible date, Lucy runs into Jared Mitchell, her brother's best friend and business partner. Jared is sexy and charming, but given his billionaire status and his womanizer ways, he's way off from Lucy's idea of a perfect man. Jared begs to differ, though, and he's willing to do anything to prove her wrong...
Lucy was without a doubt my favorite part of The Cinderella Fantasy. There was just something so likable about her, so incredibly relatable. I think what I liked the most about her character, however, was how relentless she was. Here's this girl who got her heart completely shattered only months ago, but she's already trying to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. It's truly admirable. I also loved her line of work. I found it interesting that she was a Disney princess - someone who would pose for pictures with children and perform in little shows - turned princess party planner with her 2 best, former princess fiends. It was different from the usual type of job, and it added in a fun component to the book. It was also interesting to see the opinions Lucy and her friends formed based on their jobs and parties as well as how the job brought them close together. They were three best friends no one should mess with for sure!
Jared, on the other hand, I struggled with at times. At first, I adored him. He was sweet and charming, and even though he was a womanizer in his past, it was easy to see he was trying to get as far away from that reputation as possible. His interactions with Lucy were adorable and sexy...I loved how he tried to capture her heart with juice boxes. My problems with him, however, started towards the middle. Suddenly, he became the guy who he promised he wouldn't become - the guy who put Lucy second, placing his own needs in front of hers. It bothered me, especially when Lucy was so willing to forgive him the majority of the time.
The plot in this mainly focused on Jared and Lucy's respective jobs as well as their developing relationship. As I've hinted to above, I enjoyed that Sara included their careers in this as well as the good and bad that came with them. It added a fun little side component to the book, and truly managed to balance out the romance. The relationship between Jared and Lucy was a lot of fun to watch develop. It took a lot of time and a lot of effort on Jared's part but the end result was perfect. I found it fun that Sara introduced somewhat of a mystery component to it, which I won't really comment too much on but it was fun! Thankfully, there also was a lot of good hot chemistry between Jared and Lucy.
Unfortunately, I did have two slight problems with The Cinderella Fantasy. One being the lack of character development at times. For the most part, Lucy and Jared were well developed; however, at times, I wished we had know a little more about them and their passions and desires. I felt that the third person narrative didn't always help this problem. I also wanted to know more about Lucy's two best friends, but considering they're getting their own books, I'm sure they'll be plenty of time for that in the future. I also wasn't the biggest fan of of the pacing towards the end. I felt that there was a good steady build up until the last 40 or so pages, and then suddenly, everything got insanely crazy and busy that my mind was reeling by the end and I was thinking wait what?
Even with those two slight issues, The Cinderella Fantasy is still a great romance read! Lucy and Jared's romance is sure to steam up your Kindle, and you'll be dying to know what happens in the next installment, featuring one of Lucy's roommates/business partners.
Grade: B
September 14, 2017
Posted on What I'm Reading
If you have read any of Sara Jane Stone books, you will realize that The Cinderella Fantasy is a little different from her previous books. I actually would think that The Cinderella Fantasy would fall under the romantic comedy. It's a fun light story, that you wouldn't normally associate with Sara Jane Stone. It was an adorable read. We have Lucy who use to be a princess at Disney, but ended her career at the Magic World, because of her fiancee. However, he decided she wasn't the girl for her. Picking up the pieces of her life she starts anew, and decides to take on the dating world with online dating. She's hoping to find her prince in a world of frogs. She doesn't realize her prince is standing in front of her.
Now Jared is a workaholic, who doesn't have time for a real relationship. However, he's willing to change that for Lucy. Now Lucy doesn't believe he's interested in her, because doesn't want to end up like a casual affair. It's actually quite clever, and little creepy, but hey he's a desperate man, and Lucy isn't going to take his interest seriously. He decides to create a fake profile.
Anyway, the story is a cute read. I thought there would have been a little more drama from another character, she might have been filler. However, Jared has to decided which is more important his business or what he has with Lucy. He had to take a hard look at himself. If you are in need of a cute read, The Cinderella Fantasy might be up your alley.
Copy provided by author.
If you have read any of Sara Jane Stone books, you will realize that The Cinderella Fantasy is a little different from her previous books. I actually would think that The Cinderella Fantasy would fall under the romantic comedy. It's a fun light story, that you wouldn't normally associate with Sara Jane Stone. It was an adorable read. We have Lucy who use to be a princess at Disney, but ended her career at the Magic World, because of her fiancee. However, he decided she wasn't the girl for her. Picking up the pieces of her life she starts anew, and decides to take on the dating world with online dating. She's hoping to find her prince in a world of frogs. She doesn't realize her prince is standing in front of her.
Now Jared is a workaholic, who doesn't have time for a real relationship. However, he's willing to change that for Lucy. Now Lucy doesn't believe he's interested in her, because doesn't want to end up like a casual affair. It's actually quite clever, and little creepy, but hey he's a desperate man, and Lucy isn't going to take his interest seriously. He decides to create a fake profile.
Anyway, the story is a cute read. I thought there would have been a little more drama from another character, she might have been filler. However, Jared has to decided which is more important his business or what he has with Lucy. He had to take a hard look at himself. If you are in need of a cute read, The Cinderella Fantasy might be up your alley.
Copy provided by author.
September 14, 2017
The Cinderella Fantasy was a quick read that sucked me right into the fantasy of happily ever after.
Lucy was a fabulous character, she was fun, feisty, but also a strong believer in the fairytale fantasy where a prince charming was waiting to give her the future she dreamed of - unfortunately it seemed like too much of a fantasy with all the duds she's been seeing. It doesn't help that her brother and his best friend slash business partner are witness to the spectacular fails of her dating life - due to her using their restaurant as her dating grounds. But when that business partner starts talking to her about those duds, things change and Lucy finds herself drawn to Jared in ways she knows better than.
Jared suddenly sees something more in Lucy, he sees someone he could give that fairytale romance to, someone who would be worth changing his past routines for - too bad she knows him well enough to not buy into his change. Jared is willing to pull out all the stops to get Lucy to see that he wants the real deal with her - glass slippers and all.
The Cinderella Fantasy was full of swoony romantic moments, a touch of laughter, and a dose of friends to lovers. I loved watching as things came together for these two, how Lucy flailed at all the dates she escaped from, how Jared worked hard at figuring out a way to get Lucy to really see him for the Prince he wanted to be.
I'm looking forward to future books from Sara Jane Stone, because this one was hands down a winning combination.
Lucy was a fabulous character, she was fun, feisty, but also a strong believer in the fairytale fantasy where a prince charming was waiting to give her the future she dreamed of - unfortunately it seemed like too much of a fantasy with all the duds she's been seeing. It doesn't help that her brother and his best friend slash business partner are witness to the spectacular fails of her dating life - due to her using their restaurant as her dating grounds. But when that business partner starts talking to her about those duds, things change and Lucy finds herself drawn to Jared in ways she knows better than.
Jared suddenly sees something more in Lucy, he sees someone he could give that fairytale romance to, someone who would be worth changing his past routines for - too bad she knows him well enough to not buy into his change. Jared is willing to pull out all the stops to get Lucy to see that he wants the real deal with her - glass slippers and all.
The Cinderella Fantasy was full of swoony romantic moments, a touch of laughter, and a dose of friends to lovers. I loved watching as things came together for these two, how Lucy flailed at all the dates she escaped from, how Jared worked hard at figuring out a way to get Lucy to really see him for the Prince he wanted to be.
I'm looking forward to future books from Sara Jane Stone, because this one was hands down a winning combination.
September 14, 2017
The Cinderella Fantasy by Sara Stone is so sweet. It is a forbidden love story. You know those stories where the heroine is the sister of the hero's best friend. I always love those. Most of the time you either love the couple as a whole or hate to see them mess up the friendship and family dynamics. Lucy and Jared are so adorable together.
Lucy has been recently heart broken and is ready to find her happily ever after. As a princess by day she knows it will be hard finding a man to take her serious and not frown upon her career.
Jared is a workaholic and womanizer. Seeing how he has now decided his best friend and business partner's little sister is possibly the woman that could change his habits, he had better be serious. If this thing blows up it could ruins his business and his friendship.
Lucy has been recently heart broken and is ready to find her happily ever after. As a princess by day she knows it will be hard finding a man to take her serious and not frown upon her career.
Jared is a workaholic and womanizer. Seeing how he has now decided his best friend and business partner's little sister is possibly the woman that could change his habits, he had better be serious. If this thing blows up it could ruins his business and his friendship.
September 1, 2017
Who doesn't love the fantasy? The princess finding her prince in a world full of negativity and doubters. Whether pint - sized or adult shaped we all hang our dreams of happily ever after on a childish fairy tale. With The Cinderella Fantasy, Ms. Stone modernizes a legendary romance into a realistic and witty walk down memory lane. Of course, no Sara Jane Stone tale would be complete without her special brand of seasoning to add spice to the canvas. Lucy and Jared are a reminder of why fantasies exists. So we never lose the ability to hope. As long as the heart is open, the mind will be also. Dreaming gives the chance for the impossible to become a reality.
August 25, 2017
***ARC Provided by the Author and Author's Pal***
3.5 Stars
This was a fun fairy tale, and you believe in happy endings as you are reading, which makes it fun.
Lucy and Jared know one another, as Jared is the best friend and business partner of Lucy's brother. I love the slightly forbidden stories, and the ones where one of the couple is a friend of an older brother, or sister, always add an element of "you had better be serious" to the story.
I enjoy Sara Jane Stone's books, and I was thrilled to get the chance to read this one. As she says in the beginning of it, she writes books that have characters within a certain trope...this is one of the fun things about her...and I love the idea of stories built around women who play, and run, a business built around being a princess, and adding the joy to the lives of children that playing dress up allows.
The romance in this was compelling, and bonus points for best use, ever, of a picnic blanket. I love that the attraction between Lucy and Jared was so strong that they are drawn to one another, even when he is playing at being someone he isn't.
Now is the part where I try to avoid the spoilers. There is a part of the book where Jared is not honest with Lucy, but it is handled well, you still like him and, most important, it doesn't go on too long. I don't mind secrets, as long as I don't feel like the characters are building a fake relationship.
There was nothing fake here and I recommend this title.
3.5 Stars
This was a fun fairy tale, and you believe in happy endings as you are reading, which makes it fun.
Lucy and Jared know one another, as Jared is the best friend and business partner of Lucy's brother. I love the slightly forbidden stories, and the ones where one of the couple is a friend of an older brother, or sister, always add an element of "you had better be serious" to the story.
I enjoy Sara Jane Stone's books, and I was thrilled to get the chance to read this one. As she says in the beginning of it, she writes books that have characters within a certain trope...this is one of the fun things about her...and I love the idea of stories built around women who play, and run, a business built around being a princess, and adding the joy to the lives of children that playing dress up allows.
The romance in this was compelling, and bonus points for best use, ever, of a picnic blanket. I love that the attraction between Lucy and Jared was so strong that they are drawn to one another, even when he is playing at being someone he isn't.
Now is the part where I try to avoid the spoilers. There is a part of the book where Jared is not honest with Lucy, but it is handled well, you still like him and, most important, it doesn't go on too long. I don't mind secrets, as long as I don't feel like the characters are building a fake relationship.
There was nothing fake here and I recommend this title.
September 10, 2017
Who doesn't dream of meeting their real life Prince Charming, Lucy does and after kissing so many frogs she finally gets her prince in disguise as her brothers best friend. This is a heartwarming story about love and learning tot trust again. I loved this story and I couldn't put it down. It was well written and I loved the characters. I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future.
September 15, 2017
I really enjoyed the fairy tale of Lucy finding her Prince Charming in Jared. Lucy grew up knowing Jared through her brother Finn. After having her heartbroken Lucy tried online dating to find her perfect match. But it was one of her princess roommates that became her matchmaker/fairy godmother. I liked all the Cinderella overtones throughout the story. I loved Finn, Lucy's brother and Jared's business partner, and I am really hoping he gets his happily ever after soon.
September 26, 2017
*I received an copy via my blog for promotional purposes only. The following are my thoughts and feels of the story.*
I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this book. It's a lighthearted, fun romance that you'll really love. The story flowed seamlessly, like, it never stalled out, it kept me very interested; awesome plot. The characters were one of a kind and I'm really digging these side characters. I highly recommend this to any lovers of romance who are looking for a quick & breezy read.
I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this book. It's a lighthearted, fun romance that you'll really love. The story flowed seamlessly, like, it never stalled out, it kept me very interested; awesome plot. The characters were one of a kind and I'm really digging these side characters. I highly recommend this to any lovers of romance who are looking for a quick & breezy read.
August 22, 2017
This is my first book by this author. I am impressed with her work, I will definitely like to read more of it. I loved watching the relationship develop between Lucy and Jared, it was a lot of fun. I also loved that their jobs were part of the story and played a huge part in their love story. It took some effort on Jared's part, but it was so worth it in the end. I highly recommend this one.
August 13, 2017
I became a fan of Ms Stone’s writing when I read her series titled A Second Shot. I was hoping this book, would be just as good. Trust me, it is.
The main characters, as well as the plot , are well developed and complex. Lucy Linden owns a company with her friends in which they offer fairytales to the children. Lucy was Cinderella in the Magic Kingdom, and that is her trademark. Even as an adult , she hopes for love and her prince charming, even though she already has suffered betrayal in the worse possible way. Jared Mitchell, is her brother’s best friend and a self-made billionaire. Without giving away the plot, they are attracted to each other, but his work interferes in what could have been they HEA. Love is not perfect and concessions will have to be made if they truly are to find their happiness.
I hope that this is the beginning of a series, since the secondary characters are just as interesting and complex.
Kudos to Ms Stone for another great book. I was gifted this copy. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
The main characters, as well as the plot , are well developed and complex. Lucy Linden owns a company with her friends in which they offer fairytales to the children. Lucy was Cinderella in the Magic Kingdom, and that is her trademark. Even as an adult , she hopes for love and her prince charming, even though she already has suffered betrayal in the worse possible way. Jared Mitchell, is her brother’s best friend and a self-made billionaire. Without giving away the plot, they are attracted to each other, but his work interferes in what could have been they HEA. Love is not perfect and concessions will have to be made if they truly are to find their happiness.
I hope that this is the beginning of a series, since the secondary characters are just as interesting and complex.
Kudos to Ms Stone for another great book. I was gifted this copy. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
August 19, 2017
Loved it! I've reviewed this book for United Indie Book Blog. This author is new to me. Lucy Linden owns a company with her friends in which they offer fairytales to children. Jared is her brother's best friend and a self-made billionaire. The characters are well developed as well as the plot. I highly recommend this book. I will go back and read some more of your books. I can't wait to see your next book.
August 15, 2017
LOVED IT! This author is new to me. Lucy Linden owns a company with her friends in which they offer fairy tales to children. Jared is her brother's best friend and a self-made billionaire. The characters are well developed as well as the plot. I highly recommend this book. I will go back and read some more of your books. I can't wait to see your next book.
October 31, 2017
review to come. The problem with pdf is I kinda forgotten about this. sorry!
September 23, 2017
The Cinderella Story by Sara Jane Stone did not disappoint. Loved it!
Lucy recently broken up from her cheating fiancé trying to find her prince charming and trying her hand at online dating. The only rule her brother Finn, and only family, has imposed is that she has the dates at his restaurant so that they can keep an eye one her in case it goes wrong. Her first attempt blows up in her face and she escapes to the kitchen and is rescued by Jared, Finn's business partner and lifelong HOT friend. He saves her from the creepy guy and she realizes he is not only hot but an awesome guy.
Jared has been in Finn and Lucy's life forever. He was there when their dad passed away and when their mom died shortly after. He is like family to them both. They also have been through a lot with Jared as well. He has struggled with his mom's alcoholism and rehab for years all while building his empire with Finn. Together they built their world from nothing to this multi billion dollar empire and put everything into it. Jared is a workaholic. Jared tries to be there for Lucy but is that enough. Can he show her he is her prince charming?
Lucy has her business with her friends Emma and Nicole as Princesses doing parties and appearances but at the end of the day she is at home and wants the fairytale life and is unsure Jared can give her that.
This is a awesome book and I can't wait for Emma's story.
Lucy recently broken up from her cheating fiancé trying to find her prince charming and trying her hand at online dating. The only rule her brother Finn, and only family, has imposed is that she has the dates at his restaurant so that they can keep an eye one her in case it goes wrong. Her first attempt blows up in her face and she escapes to the kitchen and is rescued by Jared, Finn's business partner and lifelong HOT friend. He saves her from the creepy guy and she realizes he is not only hot but an awesome guy.
Jared has been in Finn and Lucy's life forever. He was there when their dad passed away and when their mom died shortly after. He is like family to them both. They also have been through a lot with Jared as well. He has struggled with his mom's alcoholism and rehab for years all while building his empire with Finn. Together they built their world from nothing to this multi billion dollar empire and put everything into it. Jared is a workaholic. Jared tries to be there for Lucy but is that enough. Can he show her he is her prince charming?
Lucy has her business with her friends Emma and Nicole as Princesses doing parties and appearances but at the end of the day she is at home and wants the fairytale life and is unsure Jared can give her that.
This is a awesome book and I can't wait for Emma's story.
September 18, 2017
The Cinderella Fantasy is a cute and sweet (if somewhat silly at times) contemporary romance. The idea of three friends and roommates who have their own business which lets them dress up as princesses (birthday parties, hospital visits, etc.) is a unique one, and I am interested to see what is in the works for the other two "princesses" (though is one of the books going to have "Mulan" in the title? Somehow I suspect not, which is a bummer :().
Lucy's dating disasters were fun to read (thigh gap???!!!), and the temptation of her older brother's best friend/business partner makes for an entertaining troupe. I got a little aggravated with Lucy's back-and-forth over her relationship with Jared (my job is important to me but you can't work too much or else?) and still am not sure how I feel about her brother's involvement in the start of their relationship. The ending also comes about really quickly, given all of the angsty back and forth will-she-won't-she drama that came before...
Still, though, The Cinderella Fantasy was an entertaining way to pass the time. It's not going to be my favorite book from this author, but I am interested enough to see where this series will go with the other two girls.
Rating: 3 stars / C+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy's dating disasters were fun to read (thigh gap???!!!), and the temptation of her older brother's best friend/business partner makes for an entertaining troupe. I got a little aggravated with Lucy's back-and-forth over her relationship with Jared (my job is important to me but you can't work too much or else?) and still am not sure how I feel about her brother's involvement in the start of their relationship. The ending also comes about really quickly, given all of the angsty back and forth will-she-won't-she drama that came before...
Still, though, The Cinderella Fantasy was an entertaining way to pass the time. It's not going to be my favorite book from this author, but I am interested enough to see where this series will go with the other two girls.
Rating: 3 stars / C+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 14, 2017
Lucy Linden has always believed in the fairy tale when it comes to love, until her finance leaves town with a nurse he's being seeing behind her back. So she starts dating men from online dating apps at her brother's restaurant, which provides an escape route. But all of them are proving to be disasters, which her brother's best friend/business partner, Jared Mitchell happens to be witness to one of, and he decides to help her. And all of a sudden, the workaholic businessman decides to try to become her very own Prince Charming, but will she let him? This is the first time that I've read anything by Sara Jane Stone, and I could see a talented & original writing style that definitely intrigued me. She definitely pulled out my emotions, as Lucy had me wanting to shake her throughout quite a bit of the book, as she was very frustrating. with her saying one thing and doing another. However, the dating disasters that Jared & Lucy went through kept me laughing despite my frustrations. But, and this is only MY OPINION, it was a bit slow going at the beginning to get my full attention. With all of that being said, I'm excited to explore more of Ms. Stone's work, so I'll HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
September 23, 2017
Do real princesses use online dating? Lucy does. The expectations of being a Disney Princess has taught her all the restrictions while in costume. She and two friends have created their own fantasy by providing the perfect party for little girls. When out of costume she wants to find a forever man. Her dreams are of her brother's business partner, Jared. He wasn't long term. He was a wealthy playboy with different women every week.
Jared used to think of Lucy as a younger sister. Not anymore. She was what any man would want. He just wasn't the man. She needed a man who would be there for her and her alone. Not only did he play, he was never home. He'd worked hard to make his business a success. No time for ... wait a minute. Maybe... Seeing her with other men opened his eyes. Now he had to make her see him.
Her besties and partners are funny, loyal, and often mouthy. Her brother is a surprise. Their romance is the proverbial rocky road. Can they smooth it out and make a success.
The story is touching, and funny, the texting well, you'll have to read it for yourself.
This isn't your mama's fairy tale but it's a good one. Enjoy.
Jared used to think of Lucy as a younger sister. Not anymore. She was what any man would want. He just wasn't the man. She needed a man who would be there for her and her alone. Not only did he play, he was never home. He'd worked hard to make his business a success. No time for ... wait a minute. Maybe... Seeing her with other men opened his eyes. Now he had to make her see him.
Her besties and partners are funny, loyal, and often mouthy. Her brother is a surprise. Their romance is the proverbial rocky road. Can they smooth it out and make a success.
The story is touching, and funny, the texting well, you'll have to read it for yourself.
This isn't your mama's fairy tale but it's a good one. Enjoy.
September 28, 2017
I picked up THE CINDERELLA FANTASY because I was after a quick and lighthearted read, and that’s exactly what I got. I liked it enough, but after I finish this review, I will probably never think about it again.
My biggest dislikes were the excessive number of fairytale/fireworks/magic references made throughout the story, and that the ending comes up on you really fast.
My biggest likes were that Jared was upfront with Lucy’s brother about his feelings for her, and her brother was supportive of their relationship. Usually these relationships are kept hidden from the brother and it never ends well, so it was refreshing to see it play out this way and that everyone could be a grown up about it.
THE CINDERELLA FANTASY is told in dual POVs and comes with a happy ending for Jared and Lucy. It appears to be the beginning of a new series, one that sounds like it will follow Lucy and her two princess-playing best friends as they find love. If you like sibling’s-best-friend romances and novellas, THE CINDERELLA FANTASY will be right up your alley.
For more reviews, please visit our website: http://romancebetweenthesheets.com/re...
My biggest dislikes were the excessive number of fairytale/fireworks/magic references made throughout the story, and that the ending comes up on you really fast.
My biggest likes were that Jared was upfront with Lucy’s brother about his feelings for her, and her brother was supportive of their relationship. Usually these relationships are kept hidden from the brother and it never ends well, so it was refreshing to see it play out this way and that everyone could be a grown up about it.
THE CINDERELLA FANTASY is told in dual POVs and comes with a happy ending for Jared and Lucy. It appears to be the beginning of a new series, one that sounds like it will follow Lucy and her two princess-playing best friends as they find love. If you like sibling’s-best-friend romances and novellas, THE CINDERELLA FANTASY will be right up your alley.
For more reviews, please visit our website: http://romancebetweenthesheets.com/re...
September 10, 2017
Ok, this was a fun romance for me to read. I love the premise, Lucy plays Cinderella for parties and events. She started doing this at the most magical place on earth, Disney, but gave it up to follow her fiancé to another city. Well, she is then surprised when he moves north without her but takes one of the nurses he worked with. Lucy believes in the fairytale but as she keeps failing in the world of online dating, well, she’s beginning to wonder if her prince is really out there. Jared is Lucy’s brother’s best friend and business partner. He rescues her one night from an extremely bad date and realizes, Lucy grew up. He loves her quirkiness and belief in love now, can he get her to believe that he could be her prince charming? I love how determined Jared is and his creativity since Lucy is hard to convince. She knows she is attracted to him but Jared hasn’t ever shown that he wanted to settle down. There is a lot of fun, sweet and sexy moments throughout this story that just made me smile. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
September 16, 2017
Lucy's job is to play a princess. She used to be Cinderella at Disney but now she runs a successful party business with two other former princesses. After her prince left her for another woman, she has turned to the world of online dating to find her true prince. Jared is her brother's billionaire best friend and business partner. She has known him her whole life and knows that his dating history is that of a playboy. When he can't convince her to give him a chance, he creates his own profile to get her attention. What will happen when she discovers the truth?
I thought this a cool spin on a fairytale retelling. Lucy believes in fairytales and magic and wants her HEA. There were times when I got annoyed with her thinking but overall I liked her character. I liked Jared and his willingness to do whatever it took to convince Lucy that he was serious about her. The supporting characters were great too. Nicole is a bit on the man hater side and I certainly can't wait for her book to know why. I will definitely be reading more from this author and in this series.
I thought this a cool spin on a fairytale retelling. Lucy believes in fairytales and magic and wants her HEA. There were times when I got annoyed with her thinking but overall I liked her character. I liked Jared and his willingness to do whatever it took to convince Lucy that he was serious about her. The supporting characters were great too. Nicole is a bit on the man hater side and I certainly can't wait for her book to know why. I will definitely be reading more from this author and in this series.
May 30, 2019
2.5 Short review. Mixed feelings. I absolutely adore Jared, he was a great book boyfriend from the moment he was introduce to the last page, it's not hard to fall for him. Lucy on the other hand goes from being a likable character to a character that I didn't think deserve Jared. She seem more interest in having a fairy tale romance then in having a real relationship with Jared.
**Spoiler alert**
She gets mad at Jared because he didn't come up with the plan to join a online dating app to pursue her by himself but with the help of her brother. She also makes him feel guilty that he has to handle some work issues and cancel/move back their dates even though he makes up for canceling/moving their dates back. It isn't good enough for her she wants his complete attention which made her come off as immature.
**End of spoiler**
I did like her brother who I was glad wasn't written as the cliche brother who doesn't want his best friend dating his sister, I loved how supportive and helpful he was in Jared 's pursuit of dating Lucy. He's a great friend and wing-man.
**Spoiler alert**
She gets mad at Jared because he didn't come up with the plan to join a online dating app to pursue her by himself but with the help of her brother. She also makes him feel guilty that he has to handle some work issues and cancel/move back their dates even though he makes up for canceling/moving their dates back. It isn't good enough for her she wants his complete attention which made her come off as immature.
**End of spoiler**
I did like her brother who I was glad wasn't written as the cliche brother who doesn't want his best friend dating his sister, I loved how supportive and helpful he was in Jared 's pursuit of dating Lucy. He's a great friend and wing-man.
September 14, 2017
Lucy plays a princess by day and is looking for her prince charming by night. While having her brother and his best friend and business partner watch over her. Too bad his partner pushes all her buttons, since he is not even in her league.
Jared stopped thinking of Lucy as a little sister when he got a good look at her legs. She attracts him on several levels, but he does not want to mess up a good friendship with her brother by acting on that attraction. Still, he cannot help the way he feels.
This is an amazingly sexy and fun story. It puts so many elements together in a terrifically sweet package. The characters banter, the ocean views, well... let's just say if it were a movie opening weekend would blow the critics away. I loved the simple and strong characters and all that they are to one another. I cannot wait to see more with this theme. In my opinion, this is the author's best work to date.
***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
Jared stopped thinking of Lucy as a little sister when he got a good look at her legs. She attracts him on several levels, but he does not want to mess up a good friendship with her brother by acting on that attraction. Still, he cannot help the way he feels.
This is an amazingly sexy and fun story. It puts so many elements together in a terrifically sweet package. The characters banter, the ocean views, well... let's just say if it were a movie opening weekend would blow the critics away. I loved the simple and strong characters and all that they are to one another. I cannot wait to see more with this theme. In my opinion, this is the author's best work to date.
***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2017
What a delightful book. This is not your typical Cinderella
story. So forget that. This is wonderfully written but it is a
short book so my review will be to.
This is Lucy's story and she plays Cinderella for little girls to
see them smile. And this is Jarred's story too as he is her
prince or would like to be. She has been hurt in the past and
now she is trying to move on but the online dates are not so
good. That is when Jarred steps in to save her and he sees
more and is determined to get her. And when he fails the
person who helps him will surprise you. It was a shock but a
good one. They do have some obstacles just hope they can
figure out how to get past them before it is to late.
Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off here. I hope you
enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book,
please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it
when you do; they value your opinions too
story. So forget that. This is wonderfully written but it is a
short book so my review will be to.
This is Lucy's story and she plays Cinderella for little girls to
see them smile. And this is Jarred's story too as he is her
prince or would like to be. She has been hurt in the past and
now she is trying to move on but the online dates are not so
good. That is when Jarred steps in to save her and he sees
more and is determined to get her. And when he fails the
person who helps him will surprise you. It was a shock but a
good one. They do have some obstacles just hope they can
figure out how to get past them before it is to late.
Now before I ruin this for you I will leave off here. I hope you
enjoy this book as much as I did. If you do like this book,
please consider leaving a review. The Authors really like it
when you do; they value your opinions too
September 16, 2017
***I received an ARC for an honest review
Lucy is looking for her prince charming after thinking she had found him and it turns out she was wrong. Jared is her brother’s best friend and business partner. Lucy had known Jared since she was a little girl. He’s always been just a fantasy, with his good looks and quick wit and he treats her like his little sister always looking after her if her brother isn’t around. She never thought anything would ever come from it. Jared is a player, he could never be Lucy‘s Prince Charming. I love the length Jared goes to prove that Lucy is wrong.
This is a good romance with a HEA. I really enjoyed this book. I would read the others in the series. #4Wineglasses
Lucy is looking for her prince charming after thinking she had found him and it turns out she was wrong. Jared is her brother’s best friend and business partner. Lucy had known Jared since she was a little girl. He’s always been just a fantasy, with his good looks and quick wit and he treats her like his little sister always looking after her if her brother isn’t around. She never thought anything would ever come from it. Jared is a player, he could never be Lucy‘s Prince Charming. I love the length Jared goes to prove that Lucy is wrong.
This is a good romance with a HEA. I really enjoyed this book. I would read the others in the series. #4Wineglasses
September 15, 2017
I loved the premise of this story. Lucy, a Disney Princess, friends with two other princesses and they are having such a hard time finding their very own Prince Charming. Who would imagine that Lucy's prince was sort of under her own nose the whole time, in the guise of her bother's best friend and business partner. I loved Jared. He was so determined. But it wasn't all glass slippers and sweet kisses, there were some really frog moments along the way. The writing voice in truly magical. I received an advance copy of this story in exchange for this honest review.
March 7, 2019
This is supposed to be the first book in the series, but so far after 2 years, no dice.
So, I usually love SJS, but this story fell short for me. The premise was interesting, but the love story moved too fast. One minute the hero is sitting in a restaurant kitchen eating a taco, the next he's in love the with his best friend's sister that he's known since they were children. Of course he's a driven, workaholic billionaire.
I would rank this with a mediocre Harlequin. Sorry.
So, I usually love SJS, but this story fell short for me. The premise was interesting, but the love story moved too fast. One minute the hero is sitting in a restaurant kitchen eating a taco, the next he's in love the with his best friend's sister that he's known since they were children. Of course he's a driven, workaholic billionaire.
I would rank this with a mediocre Harlequin. Sorry.
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