Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon Published by Simon Pulse on February 18 2020
Genres: Fiction, Retelling, Romance, Young Adult, YA
Goodreads
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 international 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.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts on the book or this review.
I love Sandhya Menon’s books so when I saw that she’s launching a new series (and one based on fairytale retellings!), I knew I’d love it. While Beauty and the Beast isn’t my favourite fairy tale (sacrilegious, I know), I loved Menon’s take on it.
Princess Jaya Rao is starting at a new elite boarding school full of international royalty and riches. Over the summer, her sister was the target of a centuries-old feud between the Raos and the Emersons. When Jaya finds out that she’ll be attending school with Grey Emerson, she decides to get her revenge by making him fall in love with her then break his heart. But as she gets closer to him, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to him. On the reverse side, Grey believes himself to be cursed by the Raos. He’s lived in isolation and sequestered himself from his friends, though that starts to change when he meets Jaya. Of Curses and Kisses is a modern retelling of a classic tale that many will surely recognize.
In terms of the retelling, I think Menon did an amazing job updating the fairy tale but also including crucial parts of it in a fun modern way. The bit about Grey believing in the curse perhaps requires a slight suspension of disbelief but I really think that readers will find Grey’s reasoning believable, even if they don’t quite agree with it.
I really liked Jaya and Grey, they both felt like real characters and I felt that they definitely had depth. They were quite cute together and I really enjoyed reading about their journey together. The one thing that I struggle with this book is the ending. As a romance reader, I know to expect a HEA (happily-ever-after) but even so, I felt that the ending wrapped up a little too neatly. I think for a series starter, the ending makes sense and I’m sure readers will enjoy seeing more of Grey and Jaya in the next books.
Overall, I really enjoyed Of Curses and Kisses. I can’t wait to read the next books in the series & see who all of the couples are!
