Fun, camp, charming and super cosy - this is the story of Prince Charming retold with him as the villain and Princesses in the starring role. An easy to read, comforting tale, but lacked any substance for me.

I was really excited by the description of this book, but it didn't quite tick all the boxes I wanted it to! The premise was very Brother's Grimm, but definitely funnier. A cute read, but I think it could have been a little shorter or maybe just leaned a little less on the fractured fairytale bit.

I want DreamWorks making a movie on this book right now ! Fun and fast paced,I could easily depict Shrek and the donkey living in the same univer of the Prince Charming and my girls-this trio of really smart and funny women who decides to take revenge on him ! I highly recommend this book, specially if you're in a reading slump.

⭐⭐⭐.25/5 Stars

Thankyou to NetGalley, Jade Linwood and Rebellion, Solaris for an e-copy ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a charming (😉) fairy tale retelling where Prince Charming is really a scoundrel that after rescuing the maiden from a situation and getting a proposal out of the way runs away in the middle of the night with part of their Royal Treasure. When three of the women meet up at a wedding they join forces to get revenge on the Prince and their treasures back.

The writing is good, if a little YA. The characters were well fleshed out and it was interesting seeing each of their separate interactions with the prince, I just didn't really like any of them.

I would recommend this book to teenagers for them to dip their toes into the fantasy genre.

Jean-March Charming Arundel, known to all as Prince Charming, is brave and handsome but also a conman. He travels to different kingdoms, saving princesses & maidens, securing promises of matrimony and the whatnot, then loots their treasure. Three of his victims, Lady Bella Lucia, sorceress Doctor Emilia Rapunzel and Princess Marie Blanche de Beige decide to work together. Eager for revenge they hatch a plan. A plan that involves a heist.

With the rhythm of a familiar fairy tale and descriptions that tickle all the senses while also presenting a quirky disposition, this story is utterly charming (pun intended). The action is well-written, worthy of "oohs" and "aahs" and gasps. I really liked the witty dialogue and the tongue-in-cheek nature of the narrative.

There are nods to beloved fairy tales, told with a twist in their own inventive manner, as we get generous helpings of the future revenge seekers' stories.

If you like a lot of details about how the world looks and feels, you will be immensely happy. For me, there are parts where the narrative gets too wordy for its own good. It is a slow burner but might be a little too slow in sections, especially during the first part of the book. And I do wish some things could have been seen from Charming's point of view. But the book really takes off with the revenge plan which is beautifully clever and intricate. There is more to the story than expected.

The lesson of this story is that you have to save yourself. It is about female empowerment and getting your power back, justice and validation. A surprising, whimsical and fun, adventurous romp of a fairy tale.

This was a fun twist on fairytales! I was immediately interested when I heard that this was a combination of Shrek, The Princess Bride and John Tucker Must Die. I enjoyed the overall story but the characters just felt a bit flat to me. Overall, I did have fun reading this one and I think anyone who likes fairytale retellings and heists will enjoy this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Solaris for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

This was a fast, fun, cosy fantasy read with an interesting take on well known fairytales.
Prince Charming and his friend Roland (I love Roland, I would want a book just about him!) embark on quests to save as many princesses as possible and loot their treasury, but after a chance meeting at a wedding, three of the princesses group together to seek revenge.
It’s a very interesting plot, Roland provides a lot of the humour, and I enjoyed the backstories of how the princesses came to their peril. We get a few different POVs within the book, but I found that all the women’s narratives sounded so similar it was hard to distinguish between them at times. They all had different personalities and backstories, but at times I had to skip back because I had missed a character change as they wove together in the same voice.
I liked the plot twist at the end, and how it resolved. It reads as though it will have a sequel which I would be happy to read.
Overall, it’s a low stakes fairytale that’s an easy read and has cosy vibes. I’d recommend giving it a try if you like things like Legends and Lattes, Shrek, and Rom-coms about women standing up for themselves when men treat them like dirt!

When I read the blurb for this book i thought it was a fun concept however this was somewhat ruined by the writing style that I just could not get on with.
The chapters start with vast descriptions of the scene followed by long sections of dialogue that make it feel more like a script than a book. Unfortunately due to this I could not finish the book.

I received an ARC from Rebellion, Solaris and Netgalley. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Spoof, Twisted Fairy Tales, Fairy Tales Retelling
Spice: No spice—lots of laughs

This book is hilarious!

I did not see the twists coming.

Sure, I knew going in that Charming was a con. And that the princesses wanted revenge. But, oooh, what that ends up looking like and how it works out is so different than what I expected.

I smiled through the entire story. This has that quirky sense of humor in books written by Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams. I just can't imagine people not enjoying the fun of having classic fairy tales turned inside out and upside down.

The characters are charming, I mean: delightful! There's some feminism in the book with that go get 'em attitude. But even more than that, I think the book's theme could be "respecting others"—but it doesn't need a deep dive into themes. It's just so much fun to go on this crazy adventure of spies, lies, damsels, princes, a dragon, and the Mostly Donkey.

Let's just say, I need more fantasies that are funny! PLEASE!

Go ahead and put it in your cart—I recommend this book!

Happy reading!

That was a pretty darn adorable ARC. If you’re looking for a cute light page turner this would be a great choice and if you like fairytale retellings at all you’ll probably love it! I chuckled frequently reading this book.

Sadly, this one was not my cup of tea. Charming really fell flat for me. I didn't think there was enough character development, and the writing felt stilted and odd to me. I just couldn't get into it. The premise sounded sooo good, so I'm disappointed I didn't enjoy it more.

Charming by Jade Linwood is a refreshing new take on some familiar and well loved stories which has its own spin on characters like Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel , Snow White and of course the titular Prince Charming. We first meet Charming and his servant/companion Roland as they are on their way to rescue a princess, Bella was cursed to sleep for a hundred years by a disgruntled fairy but it was foretold that she would be awoken by her true love , and Charming is here to set her free , along with as much of the Kingdom's treasury that he can steal . It turns out that Prince Charming is anything but, in fact he is a con man who has spent years wandering the world, rescuing princesses and robbing them blind before disappearing as quickly as he arrived. At yet another Royal Wedding Bella meets an enchantress, Doctor Emilia Rapunzel , and a fellow princess Marie Blanche de Neige, and as she tells them her story, they in turn reveal their own stories of treachery and heartbreak , never suspecting that the same man is responsible until a fellow guest overhears and confirms that Charming has been doing this for years. These three women are not going to let him get away with it however and so they embark on a quest to track him down , make him explain himself and hopefully recover some of their stolen treasures.
This was a really fun and inventive take on some familiar stories, well written with a lot of wit and humour , in fact at times I was a little reminded of the tone of Terry Pratchett while reading. The back story of each Princess felt familiar yet new at the same time, and while I liked all of them I thought Doctor Rapunzel's was the most interesting and had the most depth. The road trip aspect of the book was fun and I enjoyed having chapters from Charming's perspective as well as that of the princesses. Speaking of the princesses, I loved how their characters were shown to grow over the course of the book, they were able to use their gifts and skills and learn from each other so that they ended up stronger because of their friendship.
This book is escapism pure and simple, it will take readers back to their childhood in the best possible way while still giving them something new to enjoy.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

What a fun read! 

This was described as The Princess Bride meets Shrek and then has a rendezvous with John Tucker Must Die and I can absolutely see why. 



Charming follows Prince Charming who is a crook , swindler and all round crappy human who travels from kingdom to Kingdom with long suffering companion Roland - fulfilling “prophecies” then scarpering before fulfilling their duties with the Kingdoms riches in tow! 



what he didn’t bank on… 



Was three of his marks have a chance meeting and start comparing stories, enter


Bella Lucia- a sword wielding not so sleepy force. 

Marie Blanche - who can control forest critters and not just limited to the prey, she’s got predators in her back pocket. 

Dr Emilia Rapunzel - not a medical doctor but has more than a handle on the Arcane.
These three are anything but damsels in distress and a plan is hatched to bring Prince Charming to his knees and they make a formidable team!

This was written in such a “charming” way it’s definitely got those cozy fantasy vibes, lots of humour and I know I use this a lot but it was so much fun.

I love these women!!!

Definitely a book “For all those princesses who realised they could rescue themselves.”
Please make this in to a series- I gave this one 4 stars.

A humorous twist to traditional western fairytales and the eponymous Prince Charming with what I consider to be a feminist spin regards to the moral of the tale. Charming centres around the character Charming who is not the suave prince rescuing damsels in distress and falling in love with them and 3 of the damsels who are rescued who learn at a wedding how they had been swindled by the same guy and begin a plot on how to get back at him. Contrary to how it first may seem the 3 protagonist women are not weak damsels and use their natural talents and skills to give Charming his comeuppance whilst growing as strong willed characters who ultimately realise that they were stronger than they had once thought, and that they can choose who they want to be.

I would say if you enjoy the realm of Angela Carter's retold tales but want something more light hearted and amusing this book is the perfect summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rebellion for the chance to read this ARC.

Very charming and funny indeed!

I went into Charming by Jade Linwood only knowing that this was a humorous riff on classical fairy tales and that there have been favourable comparisons with Terry Pratchett - sounds very promising, right? And I have not been disappointed whatsoever!

The plot centers around three ladies who are all tricked out of a lot of money in some way or other by a certain Prince Charming. When they get talking at a wedding and compare notes they realize that they have been fooled by the same guy and start plotting how to get back at him. The three are protagonists from very well known fairy tales but here they all come with a twist. Dr. Rapunzel is an accomplished scientist in her own right, Marie Blanche de Neige (Snow White) can communicate with animals and Lady Bella (the sleeping beauty) is gifted with a grace that makes her a natural talent at social skills and diplomacy.
They are no damsels in distress at all and together they make good use of their wits and skills to get back at the prince. This is not just a tale of revenge, however, but rather one of justice and also personal growth, for during their quest to catch the ever elusive Charming they are also facing their past and ask themselves some serious questions about who they are and who they want to be.

The characters are really well drawn here and by no means veering into caricaturesque as can easily be the case especially with humorous books. I was truly invested in all three of them finding closure and a perspective going forward and also liked the resolution with the prince. There are also some unexpected twists that provided some additional tension.

This book is a funny one, in the best way possible. The humour enhances the narrative and is smart and witty instead of banging you over the head with some cheap laughs. It is less absurd and satirical than Pratchett so I'm not sure those comparisons do Linwood a great favour, but in any case it was just the right mix of funny and serious for me to enjoy this book immensely. I'm definitely buying whatever she writes next, that is for sure.

Highly recommended!!!

I have received an advance review copy via NetGalley from the publisher and voluntarily provide my honest opinion. Thank you very much!

‘He’ll pick your pocket while he’s stealing your heart…’

Prince Charming may be devilishly handsome and impossibly charming, battling dragons and breaking curses, but he’s also a lying, deceitful thief.

With the help of his servant, Roland, he frees women from their curses, proposes marriage and promises them the world, then makes off in the dead of night with half of their treasuries, moving from town to town and leaving a trail of innocent victims in his wake.

Unfortunately, when three of these women have a chance meeting at a wedding - the cynical Marie Blanche de Neige, the sorceress Doctor Emilia Rapunzel and the long-slumbering beauty Bella Lucia dei’ Sogni – they decide to put a stop to Charming’s trickery and reclaim what is theirs…

✨My thoughts:

This book was a lot funnier than I thought it would be! It was refreshing to read a fairytale retelling where women were the heroes who saved themselves in the end and there were so many nods to various stories and fairytales throughout that I really enjoyed. Jade Linwood’s writing is gorgeous, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!

Charming is out on July 8th - a huge thank you to @netgalley and the publishers for this e-arc!

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

What a fun, unique and...charming ride!
This book reminded me of Shrek 2 in the best way possible - the core concept of fairytale princesses teaming up against a villain Charming is just genius. The ending was, perhaps, a bit too quick for my liking, but it didn't take away from the overall positive experience of reading this story.
If you're a fan of cozy fantasy and fairytales with a twist, don't sleep on Charming by Jade Linwood!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy in exchange of an honest review.

Imagine if the Prince Charming in all the fairy tales you’ve ever known was they same guy. And a scam artist.

In this story Prince Charming meets Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel (along with a few other notable characters) and in turn saves then steals from each.

The ladies learn of each other’s experiences and decide to work together to track Prince Charming down for a bit of restitution and revenge.

Marie Blanche (Snow White) was an incredible character!

Rounded up 2.5 stars

This book had all the promise of a great read and I loved the idea of it after reading the blurb, Prince charming as a conman and the Princesses seeking revenge, however it fell a little flat for me.

I did enjoy this book at first but with the telling of each princesses run in with charming it became repetitive and I became less intrigued by their stories and the overall revenge plot. I don't think we had enough time with each character to be fully invested in each of their motivations. The jumps between the stories, the princesses revenge and charming were a little abrupt at times and the ending wrapped up a bit quick and there wasn't a real resolution.

I did like the twist of Roland and some of the banter but overall not for me.