The Ugly Stepsister

Van Dyke puts an imaginative spin on “Cinderella” in her second Reimagined Fairy Tales romance (after Second Star to the Left), which takes place after the traditional tale’s happy ever after. Soon after Cinderella’s royal marriage, the ruthless, newly crowned monarch banishes her stepmother and stepsisters, Anna and Charlotte, for falsified crimes against her. And shortly after that, her husband the king is declared dead. Anna is determined to get into the palace to dethrone Cinderella, who, with the help of her fairy godmother, has bewitched the kingdom. While hiding in the forest and posing as a young man named Ansel for her safety, Anna comes across a band of like-minded rebels. Among them is a handsome huntsman who introduces himself as Will—and whose true identity is an even bigger surprise to Anna than hers ends up being to him. Van Dyke keeps readers guessing with a clever, twisty plot that proves stories are always filtered through the point of view of their tellers. The hero and heroine make a swoon-worthy pair, and supporting characters add color, especially rebel Mina and her brothers. This adult fairy tale will captivate fans of fantasy romance. (Sept.)