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The Four Kingdoms #2.2
The Coronation Ball
Hanna knows all about hard work. For years she’s labored to complete her apprenticeship and become a pastry chef. Driven from her home once before, she’s willing to endure whatever it takes to keep her position in the palace kitchens of Northhelm.
But when she finally has a chance for all her dreams to come true, everything goes wrong. In danger of losing both her future as a pastry chef, and the man she’s loved for years, Hanna will have to decide if she’s ready to fight for herself, as well as for Stefan.
The Coronation Ball is a novelette of approximately 15,000 words that follows Hans’s sister after she flees Rangmere to build a life in Northhelm.
If you enjoy clean romance, adventure and intrigue, then try the books in The Four Kingdoms series now! Each book can be read as a standalone story, however, for greatest enjoyment, they should be read in order.The Four Kingdoms Reading
The Princess A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea (Book One)The Princess A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (Book Two)The Coronation A Four Kingdoms Cinderella NoveletteHappily Ever A Reimagining of Snow White and Rose Red (Novella)The Princess A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin (Book Three)A Midwinter's A Retelling of The Frog Prince (Novella)The Princess A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (Book Four)The Princess A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (Book Five)
But when she finally has a chance for all her dreams to come true, everything goes wrong. In danger of losing both her future as a pastry chef, and the man she’s loved for years, Hanna will have to decide if she’s ready to fight for herself, as well as for Stefan.
The Coronation Ball is a novelette of approximately 15,000 words that follows Hans’s sister after she flees Rangmere to build a life in Northhelm.
If you enjoy clean romance, adventure and intrigue, then try the books in The Four Kingdoms series now! Each book can be read as a standalone story, however, for greatest enjoyment, they should be read in order.The Four Kingdoms Reading
The Princess A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea (Book One)The Princess A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (Book Two)The Coronation A Four Kingdoms Cinderella NoveletteHappily Ever A Reimagining of Snow White and Rose Red (Novella)The Princess A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin (Book Three)A Midwinter's A Retelling of The Frog Prince (Novella)The Princess A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (Book Four)The Princess A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (Book Five)
70 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 30, 2020
366 people are currently reading
1820 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Cellier
126 books2,771 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
March 21, 2025
4 stars ✨
I’m always good for a Cinderella retelling—and this one had a hidden Prince which just made me giddy over what I knew was going to happen. 😁 This was quite short and a bit rushed, but it was only 60 pages, so I tried to brace myself going in for that. (It mostly worked, in case you were wondering.) Overall super cute and a fun little read.
Main Content:
As the classic story goes, our Cinderella character is helped by a fairy godmother.
There’s a mean girl/bully that causes a lot of trouble for Hanna (she’s jealous of her) and also plans to drug someone with a potion to forget Hanna; A couple mentions of curse (said but not written out).
An almost kiss & two kisses (two or three sentences in details each); Touches, Dancing, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); A guy tried to detain Hanna from the ball so she fights back and that includes kicking him between the legs.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
I’m always good for a Cinderella retelling—and this one had a hidden Prince which just made me giddy over what I knew was going to happen. 😁 This was quite short and a bit rushed, but it was only 60 pages, so I tried to brace myself going in for that. (It mostly worked, in case you were wondering.) Overall super cute and a fun little read.
Main Content:
As the classic story goes, our Cinderella character is helped by a fairy godmother.
There’s a mean girl/bully that causes a lot of trouble for Hanna (she’s jealous of her) and also plans to drug someone with a potion to forget Hanna; A couple mentions of curse (said but not written out).
An almost kiss & two kisses (two or three sentences in details each); Touches, Dancing, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); A guy tried to detain Hanna from the ball so she fights back and that includes kicking him between the legs.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
September 25, 2024
This book was just the sweetest!! I love retellings of any sort, and my inner fairytale-fangirl squealed at all the Cinderella-ness of this story.
August 6, 2024
LOOOOVED🩵✨
Cinderella is my favorite princess so I was already looking forward to Melanie’s twist on it:)
I loved reading Hanna’s story. I enjoyed the baking part, that was really fun! It had me smiling and then also had me ready to go after Brianna and defend Hanna🤣
The dancing scene between Hanna and Stefan*squeals*
I adored them and their story! It was honestly almost on Max and Alyssa level.
I just love how the characters and things going on in the world connect and it makes me excited to continue the series! Onto Sarah and Evelyn’s novella I go!!
Cinderella is my favorite princess so I was already looking forward to Melanie’s twist on it:)
I loved reading Hanna’s story. I enjoyed the baking part, that was really fun! It had me smiling and then also had me ready to go after Brianna and defend Hanna🤣
The dancing scene between Hanna and Stefan*squeals*
I adored them and their story! It was honestly almost on Max and Alyssa level.
I just love how the characters and things going on in the world connect and it makes me excited to continue the series! Onto Sarah and Evelyn’s novella I go!!
July 20, 2020
I finally got around to reading this one! I waited until after I re-listened to the Princess Fugitive so that I would have those characters fresh in my mind reading this one.
It is cute and short, yet I still was rooting for the romance the entire time! Hanna is a great character, and the author managed to pack a lot into a short story!
It is cute and short, yet I still was rooting for the romance the entire time! Hanna is a great character, and the author managed to pack a lot into a short story!
July 22, 2022
Aaah, I absolutely LOVE the Cinderella vibes in this novelette!!!!! They were. So. Good!!! And the characters, Hanna and Stefan, I fell in love with immediately!!!! (Seriously, I think I love them as much as Max and Alyssa from the first book in this series, The Princess Companion.) Eeek, this story was so awesome!!! It is one of the BEST Cinderella retellings in my opinion! I recommend one hundred percent!😉
Language:
Clean. There was a use of “stupid” as well as saying “stifle a curse” at one point. There was also a mention of one person hating another.
Magic Content:
A potion and a fairy godmother.
Romance: Clean. Two kisses and one almost kiss.
Language:
Clean. There was a use of “stupid” as well as saying “stifle a curse” at one point. There was also a mention of one person hating another.
Magic Content:
A potion and a fairy godmother.
Romance: Clean. Two kisses and one almost kiss.
July 28, 2024
This was a super fun Cinderella retelling. It’s perfect for when you want to read a book in one sitting.
December 17, 2021
I was like ten pages in when I thought, "I don't see how she can get out of this! I really can't...It's one of those impossible situations where she's utterly cornered!" and then everything unfolded and it not only worked out, but it made perfect sense! It takes a lot to accomplish such a feat within 64 pages and shows just how talented Melanie Cellier is.
I'm usually the reader that can guess what's going to happen (and even sometimes the dialogue) and get it right. But Melanie Celliers is one of the few authors that sweep me away and leaves me with baited breath and without a clue what's going to happen next!
I'm usually the reader that can guess what's going to happen (and even sometimes the dialogue) and get it right. But Melanie Celliers is one of the few authors that sweep me away and leaves me with baited breath and without a clue what's going to happen next!
April 30, 2020
I've only read The Princess Companion, not The Princess Fugitive, so not sure how much of this one was set up on Princess Fugitive. So I won't be reviewing that aspect or commenting on the few spots I was slightly confused. There are definitely Princess Fugitive spoilers in this book though, so don't read this book if you care about those
Overall, this was a darling book!!! Sweet and a fun retelling of a familar story. I like the liberties she took while also staying true to the original. I called both twists, but didn't really care that I'd called them, they were still well executed
Overall a fun read and I'm excited to dive into more of Melanie Cellier's other stories ❤️
Overall, this was a darling book!!! Sweet and a fun retelling of a familar story. I like the liberties she took while also staying true to the original. I called both twists, but didn't really care that I'd called them, they were still well executed
Overall a fun read and I'm excited to dive into more of Melanie Cellier's other stories ❤️
April 18, 2025
This was such a precious little story! Really sweet (pun intended).
July 16, 2025
I’m not a huge fan of the Cinderella plot line, but this novella was still well written.
February 17, 2021
This is a short and literally sweet Cinderella retelling.
I like how straightforward this is. I also love it that instead of animals as helpers, they used real people. The people around Hanna were so nice to her that it seemed like she had a good support system. It reminds me that in reality, there are also good people in the world. :)
It's so cute how things turned up for her. I also want to taste her pastries! I had to look for something sweet to eat while reading this. You should, too! ☺️
I like how straightforward this is. I also love it that instead of animals as helpers, they used real people. The people around Hanna were so nice to her that it seemed like she had a good support system. It reminds me that in reality, there are also good people in the world. :)
It's so cute how things turned up for her. I also want to taste her pastries! I had to look for something sweet to eat while reading this. You should, too! ☺️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2020
The older I get, the more I appreciate the story of Cinderella and the underlying themes. I love how Cinderella never has to let go of her kindness and understanding, how she never turns to hatred or evil. And I love how it's a story about a girl finally taking charge of her own life and standing up for herself and her unique qualities.
And Melanie Cellier has managed to capture the soul and essence of the story in this novelette. It's a brief story, and yet she not only gave us a good impression of the characters, how they care about each other, who they are and what they fight for. But she also managed to transform the elements of the well known fairytale into fitting moments for this couple and their story.
Of course, the story is quite predictable. Since it's so short and has to capture all those key moments, it's quite easy to see what will happen and how it will happen. But that didn't lesses the story at all. There were a few moments where I was really touched and felt the tears burning in my eyes. And I had this huge and happy smile on my face when I finished.
I hope that Melanie Cellier will write loads and loads of other fairytale inspired stories. They're perfect to brighten a long and stressful day.
And Melanie Cellier has managed to capture the soul and essence of the story in this novelette. It's a brief story, and yet she not only gave us a good impression of the characters, how they care about each other, who they are and what they fight for. But she also managed to transform the elements of the well known fairytale into fitting moments for this couple and their story.
Of course, the story is quite predictable. Since it's so short and has to capture all those key moments, it's quite easy to see what will happen and how it will happen. But that didn't lesses the story at all. There were a few moments where I was really touched and felt the tears burning in my eyes. And I had this huge and happy smile on my face when I finished.
I hope that Melanie Cellier will write loads and loads of other fairytale inspired stories. They're perfect to brighten a long and stressful day.
July 27, 2020
Gosh, that was cute. That may have been my favorite installment of the series so far. Mostly because none of these books have actually made me that mad before. But man. Brianna’s a serious [use your imagination and insert colorful word of your choice here].
Also, I really, really liked Hanna as a protagonist. And I wish I could have gotten more from her. Because she was just so sweet. And right from the beginning, I wanted everything to go right for her. Then Brianna stepped in. That [insert same word as before].
So, yeah. I’d give it 4 stars. Cuz it was cute. And I was happy by the end of it. Yay.
—Elliana Maselli
Friday, 24th of July, 2020
Also, I really, really liked Hanna as a protagonist. And I wish I could have gotten more from her. Because she was just so sweet. And right from the beginning, I wanted everything to go right for her. Then Brianna stepped in. That [insert same word as before].
So, yeah. I’d give it 4 stars. Cuz it was cute. And I was happy by the end of it. Yay.
—Elliana Maselli
Friday, 24th of July, 2020
January 2, 2025
One of my favorite Cinderella retellings ever!!! Hanna was a doll and Stephen was cute! It was a short novella and yet it didn’t feel rushed at all. I wish I saw more of Stephen but I really didn’t mind. And the cooking creations were 😋. I only regret not reading this in order but oh well! 😁
November 18, 2020
Really short & she's more forgiving than I would be.
December 18, 2022
Szkoda, że to było takie króciutkie. Gdyby to była normalna książka, to z pewnością byłaby bardzo ciekawa 👌🏽
April 14, 2025
To be fair, it’s hard to fully capture a well done character in less than 60 pages but it was a pretty choppy read. I think there were just too many plot points for such a little book.
October 27, 2025
Okay, Lesilee… you were right. 🥰 They’re adorable.
August 19, 2024
My favorite quote from the story was,
“When had I decided I was willing to sacrifice myself so completely for the sake of peace? It had happened so gradually, I wasn’t sure I could say.”
“When had I decided I was willing to sacrifice myself so completely for the sake of peace? It had happened so gradually, I wasn’t sure I could say.”
February 2, 2020
A fun, short retelling. Really liked this.
May 11, 2020
Absolutely adorable little addition to the series! Short and sweet. Only took an hour to read, but was so worth it. I loved Hanna's short, The Pasty Chef, and this was a totally justifiable expansion. Plus, Steffan stole my heart a little! That dress, those shoes, and that food! Loved it all! The ending was super cute and, I actually didn't even think about it so enjoyed the surprise twist, even though I probably should have figured it out on my own! XD
July 7, 2024
A cute, short novelette about Hanna after her banishment from Rangmere.
June 19, 2024
That was so sweet! But way too short. I'm a very fast reader, and finished this book in less than a day. In one afternoon, to be exact.
The "hidden royalty" trope was so much fun, and I LOVED it!! I wish this book could've been WAY longer!! I didn't even know that this series has two novella/novelettes that I missed, so I was SOO excited when I saw them!!
Honestly, this is the best Cinderella retelling I've ever read. It also used the best friends to lovers trope...
Which I also LOVE. I appreciated that this was in first person, and when Stefan proposes...
*happy sigh*
I do feel cheated because this was only 15k words, but who cares? I like Cinderella retelings in general, but this one was perfect.
CW: One kiss, an almost kiss, embrace, Hannah kicks Justin and fights to get away from him, (he doesn't mean her any harm, just didn't want her to get in double if she goes to the dance)
The "hidden royalty" trope was so much fun, and I LOVED it!! I wish this book could've been WAY longer!! I didn't even know that this series has two novella/novelettes that I missed, so I was SOO excited when I saw them!!
Honestly, this is the best Cinderella retelling I've ever read. It also used the best friends to lovers trope...
Which I also LOVE. I appreciated that this was in first person, and when Stefan proposes...
*happy sigh*
I do feel cheated because this was only 15k words, but who cares? I like Cinderella retelings in general, but this one was perfect.
CW: One kiss, an almost kiss, embrace, Hannah kicks Justin and fights to get away from him, (he doesn't mean her any harm, just didn't want her to get in double if she goes to the dance)
January 22, 2026
This was exactly the push I needed to get back to working on my Cinderella short story (which has turned out to be not so short)! I am honestly super impressed at how complete this story was, and I might have to come back to it later for more inspiration! This tied in with the rest of the series so well, and I loved how the fairy tale fit in so neatly. And finally, if I were to steal only one of the many beautiful gowns off of the cover of a fairy tale book for myself, it would probably have to be this one!
March 10, 2020
Cute
I really appreciate Melanie's creativity when it comes to retelling these classic tales. I am always waiting for the next thing to come.
I really appreciate Melanie's creativity when it comes to retelling these classic tales. I am always waiting for the next thing to come.
July 19, 2021
3.5. Once again, I wish this little novella was a full book!
April 13, 2022
4.5☆
I really enjoyed reading this one! I liked the main character and her love interest. This was a sweet, cute and quick read :)
I really enjoyed reading this one! I liked the main character and her love interest. This was a sweet, cute and quick read :)
November 9, 2022
Another cute Cinderella retelling. The personalities of the two MCs are quite adorable.
January 17, 2023
Really good novelette! I wanted more for sure!
June 25, 2024
2.5 Stars 🌟
This was not bad it just wasn't... my cup of tea? I'm learning that I just dislike Cinderella retailing.
This was not bad it just wasn't... my cup of tea? I'm learning that I just dislike Cinderella retailing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews