THE PRINCESS AND THE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

A charmingly cheesy fairy-tale romance.

With no legal means of inheriting the family estate after her dear father’s passing, a young woman disguises herself as a man. The newly minted Count Camembert moves to the capital city, Fondue, with trusted servant Feta and tries to keep a low profile. About to go bonkers from boredom, Cam attends a “no-furs” ball hosted by activist Crown Princess Brie. The two immediately collide and bond over fashion. Brie later invites Cam to a private brunch with friends (including delicious cheesy sandwiches) to launch a more targeted cruelty-free fashion event. The two are soon smitten with one another, but Cam knows she can’t get too attached. Eventually, truths come out and more than one heart goes on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. This story is such a joy—a spectacular, feel-good, comfy romance. Olive-skinned Cam, with her flowing black locks, is suave—but also, in Brie’s own words, “an airhead with the attention span of a worm.” In other words, she’s adorable. Brie, with her curly blond bob and pale, rosy skin, is conscientious and beautiful, and she will capture readers’ hearts as quickly as she does Cam’s. Plenty of roses and sparkles à la shōjo or yuri manga and cute, exaggerated facial expressions make the watercolor-style images endearing. The setting is an interesting mix of clothes and architecture that evoke the 18th century along with some modern technology and colloquialisms that add to the humor.

So cute.