Rider (Kiss Me in New York, 2017) does it again—another quick and merry read for rom-com lovers.
Two bickering young people roam the City of Love together.
Serena Fuentes, a Latinx Columbia student, did not come to Paris to find love. But the family becomes a solo expedition after her mother has to attend a conference in London and her older sister, Lara, working as an au pair in Paris, ditches her to go to Madrid with her new boyfriend. Serena had everything mapped out—she and her sister were going to visit and photograph all the places their parents went during their honeymoon to create a scrapbook of memories for their 25th anniversary. Instead she ends up touring the city with Jean-Luc, a half-French, half-American friend of Lara’s boyfriend and a currently uninspired photography student. Believing that this loud American girl is his best shot at saving his school project, Jean-Luc follows Serena around, trying to convince her to abandon her itinerary and see his idea of a more authentic Paris—much to her annoyance. There is an undeniable sweetness to this story’s predictability and unoriginality. Serena and Jean-Luc are verbally sparring one minute, then bonding over familial challenges the next. Comedic hijinks are balanced with moments of emotional struggle and realization, keeping this story lighthearted and assuring readers that their perfect match might be found in unexpected places.
Rider (Kiss Me in New York, 2017) does it again—another quick and merry read for rom-com lovers. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-867-2
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess.
A transformation comedy from a debut author who seems to be aiming to become the next Louise Rennison.
Harriet Manners has all the markings of a geek. Loves learning and discovering facts? Check. Can't contain her enthusiasm for what she finds interesting? Check. Mocked by her schoolmates? Check. At least she has best friend Nat to help her face Alexa, the ringleader of the bullies, and escape Toby, Harriet's annoying stalker. In a sequence that sacrifices logic for humor, Harriet and Nat attend a fashion expo, where Nat hopes to be scouted as a model—but it is Harriet that is spotted. Tired of being branded a geek and feeling like she's lost her friendship with Nat, Harriet lets herself be drawn into the world of high-fashion modeling. Gorgeous male model Nick is the only bright side, because becoming a model can’t change who Harriet is underneath. In a clichéd conclusion, Harriet will learn that the only viable choice is to be true to yourself and to be honest with the people who love you just for who you are. The wacky humor and subtle girl-empowerment message of the Brit-chick-lit genre are on full display here, yet it just feels overdone and unoriginal.
Choppy writing and stereotyped characters combine for a fluffy mess. (Chick lit. 12-16)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-233357-5
Page Count: 384
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales.
How did Cinderella’s stepmother come to be so wicked?
She may have been self-focused, but at least she wasn’t always so cruel. Lady Tremaine, mother of two spoiled daughters, is a lonely widow hoping for a bit of happiness. Unfortunately, when Sir Richard appears at her friend’s house party, she’s swept off her feet and fails to heed the frantic warnings of her dedicated, elderly lady’s maid. Had she ever bothered to read the book of fairy tales her late husband purchased years before, she might have recognized the perils of assuming the role of stepmother. Entranced by Sir Richard, she agrees to a hasty marriage and a move to the Many Kingdoms, where he reverts to his true, domineering nature and she and her daughters become virtual prisoners in his home. Although the Odd Sisters—clever, manipulative witches—try to intervene on her behalf, it seems her fate is already written; she becomes as cruel and demented as the story described. However, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and her sister, Nanny, have plans to rescue Lady Tremaine’s daughters as they develop much-needed, rehabilitative insights into the family’s dynamics. Mostly told from the Lady’s shallow, self-centered perspective, this is an entertaining retelling of the Disney “Cinderella” story from a different viewpoint, with references to the rest of the series woven throughout. Characters follow a White default.
For princess fans and lovers of fairy tales. (Fiction. 12-16)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-368-02528-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
