Fast paced, and yet manages to give unexpected depth to characters separate to their well-known stories already out in the world.
I'm not 100% sure the writing style is for me - and there were some repetitive interactions between the princesses - but I'd happily recommend everyone gives it a go regardless.

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a sucker for a good fairytale retelling so I was intrigued by the premise. And it was overall a decent story. We follow Prince “charming” as he plays the hero in classic fairytales that we all know and love in a way that’s a bit edgier than the classic Disney tales.

The women in this book are the true stars of the show and all of them are so interesting and multidimensional. They each have their own talents and traits that truly make each of them feel like their own well rounded character.

The only reason I didn’t rank this book higher was because I loved the idea and just thought in execution it needed a bit more. The writing was a little stilted in places that slowed the pace of the book, I think it would have benefited from being written in first person instead of third, maybe at least for charmings sections. While it left me wanting more, if you like fairytales, bad-ass females who go after the man who wronged them, sisterhood, dragons, and twist after twist, I think you will really enjoy this book!

A likeable read with irreverant main characters that I appreciated. An interesting take on this fairytale.
It didn't really make an impression on me, however and I had to really push to get through.

Ahoy there mateys! I really wanted to like this book where Prince Charming is a thief and the princesses want revenge. Unfortunately, I did not like the writing style at all and didn't care about the characters. Tried to finish this multiple times and have to give up. Not sure how far I got but don't want to spend any more time on a book I was not enjoying. Arrr!

Firstly I’d like to thank Solaris and NetGalley for the arc 🥰😘 Thank you so so much guys!!

I wasn’t exactly sure what I was expecting when I picked up Charming but from the minute I did was was in love!! It made me laugh from start to finish!! I wasn’t expecting a fairytale/heist/revenge/comedy kind plot at all but that’s what I got and I loved it!! I loved the idea that all the Prince Charming’s that we know are the same guy who goes from one princess to another swindling them along the way!! It’s such a brilliant idea 😍😂 Every character was completely thought through and I loved them all.

I really enjoyed Charming ❤️❤️ It features so many things that make a book perfect for me - fae, princess’ and DRAGONS!! I mean, come on!! It’s a lighthearted, mischievous and unconventional fairytale but I loved it for the princesses. It might be called Charming but he’s definitely not the MC 😏❤️

If you like fairytales and all things whimsical and fancy meeting your favourite characters in a no traditional way this book is definitely for you!! 4✨

Perfectly Charming

Sometimes you finish a book, and it feels as though you’ve gone on a long journey, met lots of wonderful, unique and quirky people and when you reach the end, you laugh, then just smile.

Because the journey and the end destination were more than worth it.

‘Charming’ is that book.
Jean-Marc Charming Arundel, more generally known as Prince Charming, accompanied by his vertically challenged valet, Roland, watches as ogres sit in the ducal palace grounds.
Not his palace of course, but one surrounded by a briar hedge and eternally frozen. For fans of fairy tales, you might realise which story we start with.
Prince Charming is handsome, of course, with his tousled blonde hair. At least until he and his valet dispatch the ogres and he’s covered in pungent ogre blood. Not exactly the look needed to meeting his ‘sleeping beauty’.
It isn’t long before he’s made a promise of matrimony to the lovely Bella – after all, his career is rescuing damsels in distress and getting engaged - then done a runner with the king’s treasury. Which is pretty much the other thing he always does after a ‘rescue’.
Roland and Charming are rather like 17th century Rodney and Del Boy; doing anything to gain wealth, using wiles and words to get their way, and being rather inept following through properly on set plans. Their interactions are downright hilarious and whilst Charming thinks he’s the one with all the power and is clever, it’s pretty clear Roland is the brains behind the operation. Yet there’s a tension between them and an anger that sometimes flares in Roland’s eyes.
Bella may be one of Charming’s early victims, but it isn’t until she attends a wedding almost seven years later, that she meets two other women in particular; Doctor Rapunzel and Marie ‘Blanche’.
And their stories are strikingly similar.
So it is, that with Rapunzel as defacto leader, a plan is hatched to find the prince and recover the wealth for each of the victims.
The Fae play an important role in this book, as do other mythical creatures.
As each story threads unfolds, it’s apparent that the characters are pawns in larger plots and secrets abound. Though written with modern sensitivites, some modern dialect and definitely a modern sense of humour, there’s also a classic structure and set of plot devices within. To put it as Shakespeare has in ‘As You Like It’;
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
Some go along in a predictable fashion, but it’s women, the fairy tale ‘princesses’ who step up to proverbial mat and control their own destinies.
In many ways it reminded me of ‘The Princess Bride’ and is just as funny, with a few nods to the film thrown in.
This is cleverly plotted, very well written, delightful, a little tragic but massively funny.
In fact, in every way, it’s perfectly charming.

I absolutely adore fairytale retellings and I was super excited to receive an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley. I loved the premise, the set up got me into the story quickly and then I just lost a bit of interest. Once the princesses started interacting, their desire to find charming just didn’t really engage me or make me want to keep reading. I found the story tapered out a bit and I just wasn’t invested in the outcome. There’s a lot of potential here, and it’s a bit of fun, but maybe because I read so many fairytale adaptations it fell a little flat on comparison to a lot of excellent books in the same genre. I’d definitely go back to it another time, and would try again with another by the same author, but this didn’t live up to its potential in my opinion. I’d love to see how the author develops in their next story though, I’d read more of their work.

This was such a great new imagining of fairy tales. I loved the fresh angle and the way they explained how Prince Charming is in every fairy tale. It was interesting to see a modern take on it with three strong women looking to take him down.

The fairy tales themselves were the main event for me. Sleeping Beauty was briefly skimmed over but Snow White and Rapunzel were told in full. I really liked the Snow White one and the Snow White character was my favourite, but I found the Rapunzel one strayed a little too far from the original tale. It was basically a brand new story.

The ending was satisfying, playing into the main characters' skills and bringing it to a really satisfying conclusion.

A must read for fairy tale fans.

When the blurb said it was a mix between Shrek and John Tucker must die, I was in! This is a fun fairytale retelling where Prince Charming isn’t as charming as he says he is and our trio of princesses aren’t as helpless as we think they are. I love that the backstories are told like mini stories within a story, adding to the fairytale vibe. Also, that the princesses seem to portray stereotypical characters, Rapunzel being the smart one and Bella (sleeping beauty) being the pretty one… All that makes it a chaotic, fast-paced, and fun read that I really enjoyed.

Fairytale retellings can be hit or miss but this was a complete hit! I cannot stop talking about it (I am sure my friends are fed up now). The twist and uniqueness of this plot makes it an instant fave for me, I loved the way Charming was represented and it just felt like you were reading something fresh and exciting.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Rebellion/Solaris for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: implied abuse, violence, death, betrayal, revenge plot

“Charming” tells the story of Prince Charming (otherwise known as Jean-Marc Charming Arundel) who is everything a fairy tale hero should be- handsome, polite, brave and amazingly kind- but that’s all a lie. He is in fact a conman and accompanied by his servant Roland, he travels through kingdoms fulfilling dreams and setting himself up as their future husband, before destroying them by making off with entire treasuries, leaving the lives of women and countries ruined in his wake. This has gone on long enough, and a chance meeting at a wedding between three of his victims- Doctor Elizabeth Rapunzel, a sorceress and victim of a kidnapping witch, Marie Blanche de Neige (Snow White), a huntress who took over the running of the kingdom from her ailing father and Bella Lucia dei’ Sogni (Sleeping Beauty), the youngest of the three who has spent the last hundred years suspended in a sleeping curse- leads to the decision that it’s time that Charming needs to pay for what he’s done.

This is such an enjoyable, fast-paced fairy tale retelling with a tone that reminds me of Terry Pratchett. For all that the story seems to be focused on Charming, it’s actually a story of how these three women have pulled themselves out of their circumstances (admittedly with a little bit of help) and then gone on to make the best lives they can for themselves after Charming, while all are secretly hoping for revenge. When offered the opportunity, the three jump at the chance. As they meet other women and hear stories about what Charming has done, typically breaking hearts and stealing money, it becomes apparent that he is destroying the concept of love for all of them. Bella believes it must be a spell or a trick driving him to these actions but Marie Blanche and Elizabeth know better, though nothing can convince Bella to give up on her naïve ideals. “Charming” takes the themes of traditional fairy tales and spins them in a new fashion, connecting multiple stories together through one common thread: that of Prince Charming. I thought that this was brilliantly written, with a funny narrative voice and enough action (I especially loved the fight with the dragon) to keep me engrossed. I’d adore a sequel to this book, especially with the reveals towards the end and how it’s open-ended, but this works as a brilliant standalone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Solaris for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Charming tells the story of Prince Charming who is everything you expect him to be from the fairy tales ... but also a con man who roams the land rescuing damsels in distress and then robbing them for everything they are worth. It is also the story of some of these damsels meeting each other, banding together, and getting a bit of justice.

I really wanted to like this book. I love when fairy tales are turned on their heads and reinvented but unfortunately this one just didn't do it for me. There were some very well crafted lines but I was never able to really get hooked into the book. The first few chapters were all over the place with stories within stories and I never really cared about any of the characters or whether they were able to achieve their goals.

I'm sure there are folks out there who will enjoy this but sadly it just wasn't for me.

⭐️ ⭐️ (1.5)

The pacing is great and the prose is light and fun. It’s a bit difficult to review this book as unfortunately I just didn’t enjoy the story itself, but I’m sure others will.

It was a lot of fun, I enjoyed this con man turned prince-charming and the story kept me reading
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

thank u netgalley for the arc

I will admit, I only downloaded this because of the cute cover and the Princess Bride comp. I am a simple girl with simple weaknesses. Once I started reading, the "John Tucker Must Die" and "Shrek" comps hit me and I began doubting my decision. I am a fan of the Shrek movies, don't get me wrong, but I was doubting its influences in a novel. In finality, it was alright. I saw the vision. I was endeared.

But, in the end, it's a novel that's more endearing than engaging. It's cute. It had quirky prose and fun characters to follow, but it's not a page turner. I was not compelled.

I think a part of it might be the pacing. The first act is basically a play-by-play of the fairytales we know with new twists. It's fine. It's also the part of the book I remember the best. And during it, the girlies piece together that they were all swindled by the same man and vow revenge. I don't think the motive was strong enough for me. They didn't know what they wanted to do with him after they caught him, they were angry at being robbed, but still somewhere assumed he was a decent enough person. They were not out for blood. I might've been sleepwalking through the novel, but it seemed like preventing him from taking advantage of other girls was not a high priority. It was personal but not personal enough, to the point where I didn't care what would happen after they found the prince. I was mildly curious as to why a Prince would be stealing from princesses, but that reveal ends up being lackluster.

There desperately needed to be more of the princesses interacting in the second act, to really build their relationship before the third act breakup. It's one thing to introduce a princess in a story, and another entirely to see how she interacts with her contemporaries. This story relied on twisting and developing on the character from their tales rather than redefining them through their interactions after meeting. Which. Eh.

Another issue is that the book withholds info from the reader or actions that the main characters take so that it can be a cute little reveal later. It happens a little too often. Things would be hinted at and I just wish they'd just TELL us. Having all the work come together in the end would be more satisfying if they told us what they were doing while they were doing. Instead, we're meant to revel in their cleverness and the twists. Instead, I didn't feel that engaged in the plan going well or not because I didn't know what they're up to.

But like I said, I was endeared. I enjoyed the whimsy. I love a book that has fun with itself. It didn't hit its marks as well as I would've hoped, but it's definitely true to its comparisons. If you're not familiar with the fairytales it bases itself off, you will be lost in the sauce. Unfortunately, a few of the third act reveals are based in the mythology. I am a fairytale enjoyed, and so I was casually amused, even if I found it a bore to get through.

An easy read with an interesting take on some well known characters. The writing style of the book was one of my favourite things about it, and I really enjoyed the author's twist on characters rhat we've all likely grown up with.

This was an alright read. I was drawn to it when I saw the synopsis mentioned it being a combination of Shrek and John Tucker must die. It was a little boring cause it was pretty much reading the story of Snow White, Rapunzel and Sleeping Beauty. Since I’ve already heard the stories so many times it wasn’t grabbing my attention cause I’ve heard them before. The end was alright enough that I was able to finish. If you like fairy tales give it a shot. It might suit your tastes better than it suited mine.

Charming read like an old school Disney fairy tale with a modern twist. It was a little predictable but not in a bad way. Entertaining and fun, I would recommend this book for anyone just looking for something light and easy to read.

Fairytale retellings with Prince Charming as a villainous character and three of the charmed princesses bonding to get their revenge on him? Sounded like an ideal funny fantasy novel for me.

And then I just didn't gel with the writing style. There was the over-use of certain words, the poking fun of Prince Charming's sidekick, Roland, by using descriptions like "pre-crouched" to indicate his short stature, and the overall 'it's supposed to be Pratchett-esque but trying too hard' feeling that made me dislike the book more than I liked it.

What if the Charming Prince from all your fairytale favorites was actually just a really skilled con man? Now imagine that three of those princesses have an accidental meet up and start comparing notes…. Well what are these ladies to do? Naturally these damsels are plan a crazy revenge heist that proves they are far far from the damsel in distress their stories portrayed them as!
**Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.**