Of all the fairytales, Beauty and the Beast is my favorite. Of Curses and Kisses is the first of a trilogy of contemporary retellings. In this version Princess Jaya Rao is trying to protect her sister from the Emerson clan. When she gets the opportunity to exact her revenge in the form of Grey Emerson, she can't help but to take it. All she has to do is make him fall in love with her. But like all fairytales they can't help but feel drawn to each other. Along the way they learn that there was something there that wasn’t there before, and neither of them are what they show to the world. This story is full of the soft romantic vibes that one wants in a retelling. The character development feels natural, as does the growing romance between Jaya and Grey. This book was an emotional ride but a fun read nonetheless. -Victoria
Description
“Fans of Menon’s frothy, contemporary rom-coms will be excited for this venture into new territory.” —Booklist “[A] dreamy, sassy confection of a romance…Funny, extravagant, and satisfying.” —Shelf Awareness
From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.
Will the princess save the beast?
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.
About the Author
Sandhya Menon is the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, Of Curses and Kisses, and many other novels that also feature lots of kissing, girl power, and swoony boys. Her books have been included in several cool places, including Today, Teen Vogue, NPR, BuzzFeed, and Seventeen. A full-time dog servant and part-time writer, she makes her home in the foggy mountains of Colorado. Visit her online at SandhyaMenon.com.
