Of Princes and Promises by Sandhya Menon | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the second installment in a brand-new series set an elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on fairy tales, this one a delightful, romantic twist on The Frog Prince.
Caterina LaValle is determined to show she’s still the queen of St. Rosetta’s Academy. Sure, her crown may be slightly askew after her ex-boyfriend, Alaric, cheated on her, but she’s a LaValle. She’ll find a way to march right back in there, her hands clutching the strings to the whole puppet show. This time, she’s going to be untouchable.
Rahul Chopra knows that moment he shared with Caterina LaValle at the winter formal meant something. Surely she feels it, too. He’s a little uncertain how someone like him (socially inept to a point way past “adorkable”) could fit into her world, but he’s loved Caterina for years. He knows they’ll find a way.
When Caterina finds out Alaric is taking a supermodel to the upcoming gala, she knows she cannot arrive without the perfect date. But the thought of taking another superficial St. R’s boy exhausts her. The solution? Sweet-but-clueless Rahul Chopra and a mysterious pot of hair gel with the power to alter the wearer into whatever his heart desires.
When Rahul tries it, he transforms instantly into RC—debonair, handsome, and charming. But transformation comes with a price: As Rahul enjoys his new social standing, the line between his two personas begins to blur. Will he give up everything, including Caterina, to remain RC? Or will this unlikely pair find their way back to each other?

I just love reading books by Sandhya Menon. I feel lucky in that this year there’s two books out from her – one that is adult contemporary romance under a pen name and the second St. Rosetta’s Academy book. Of Princes And Promises is a retelling of The Frog Prince but with a slight twist. Menon’s St. Rosetta’s Academy is quite different from her Dimple And Rishi series. These books are also contemporary but with a slight touch of fantasy. Really, just one fantasy element. Also, the main characters are wealthy and from very powerful families — unlike the regular every day characters in the Dimple and Rishi books.

Of Princes And Promises follows Caterina LaValle and Rahul Chopra. Caterina is essentially Queen Bee of St. Rosetta’s Academy. However, after an ugly public break up with Alaric Konig, her Queen Bee status may be in jeopardy. Caterina needs to replace Alaric and fast, however, none of the guys at her school in her social circle will do. Enter Rahul. Rahul is socially awkward but he has potential. So, Caterina makes him over into the perfect date. He uses this magical hair gel that turns him into RC, who is cool and confident. Although this is going to age me a lot, but it kind of reminds me of how Steve Urkel turns into Stefan. Only Rahul is less creepy and weird than Steve Urkel.

As you may have guessed, there’s chemistry between Caterina and Rahul. It’s not just when Rahul is RC of course. Caterina is attracted to him because he is thoughtful, kind, and smart. He’s a genuinely good guy and so different from the types of guys that she normally dates. However, Rahul thinks that he’s not good enough as himself for Caterina and feels like he needs to be RC for her.

What I liked about Menon’s Of Princes And Promises was the character development of Rahul and Caterina. Rahul learns to be more confident and self assured. Caterina learns to be vulnerable. It’s quite sweet. I do wish that this book had been a little bit more fast paced. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of a side plot with an additional villain character. However, the way Caterina responds was unexpected and I liked that it wasn’t predictable in that aspect. If you already like the St. Rosetta’s Academy series, I think that you’ll enjoy Of Princes And Promises by Sandhya Menon. I know that I’ll be back for book three.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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