Of princes and promises

Caterina LaValle seeks to reclaim her social status by turning an awkward frog into a prince. Caterina, Italian daughter of a millionaire, is the reigning queen of Rosetta Academy, an elite international boarding school. After a messy breakup, she is determined to prove she still has power over everything and everyone. When her ex-boyfriend brags that he's bringing a supermodel to an upcoming gala, she knows she has to do better. Cue the sweet, socially inept Rahul Chopra, a boy from India who wants nothing more than to fit in and spend time with Caterina. When she proposes he be her escort to the gala, Rahul immediately says yes. With the help of a makeover, coaching in social interactions, and magical hair gel, Rahul transforms into RC, a smooth-talking, likable, supposed crown prince fit to be seen with someone of his date's standing. As his two personas begin to collide, Rahul loses sight of what's important--including his relationship with Caterina. This modern twist on "The Frog Prince," told from the alternating third-person perspectives of Caterina and Rahul, has the classic appeal of a makeover story, focusing as it does on having confidence in your true self and being honest and vulnerable. Readers who enjoyed the first series entry, Of Curses and Kisses (2020), will enjoy this sequel, which features cameo appearances by characters they've met before. A fun read for fans of modern fairy-tale retellings. (Romance. 12-16) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 Rosetta Academy wasn't just her school, it was her palace . It was the place where Caterina LaValle ruled supreme, the queen of all she saw and surveyed. Nothing dimmed the shine on her crown, not fighting with her friends, not a bad picture in the New York Times lifestyle section (she'd gotten that photographer fired), not even a breakup with an inconsequential boy. Not usually. Winter break was the rest her soul had needed after the breakup with Alaric last year. She'd mistaken him for a prince, but he'd turned out to be decidedly amphibian. Still. It was nothing more than a setback, a minor inconvenience. She was back now, ready to rule with even more of a platinum fist--iron was such a plebeian metal--than before. She was going to walk into that brick-and-ivy structure with a sense of ownership, a sense of power, a sense of indestructability, as she never had. Her crown wasn't askew anymore. Queen Cat was back. Rosetta Academy better watch out. Excerpted from Of Princes and Promises by Sandhya Menon All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.