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Shop nowOf Curses and Kisses
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Learn moreBookseller recommendation
“With all the elements of a perfect fairy tale, Sandhya Menon, author of When Dimple Met Rishi, has written another winner. Set in an exclusive boarding school for wealthy international students, readers are swept into a romantic drama that includes modern royalty and an ancient curse. Narrators Shiromi Arserio and Jason Carpenter bring the two main protagonists to life. As with her other books, the author avoids most of the edgier language and content issues of some popular YA books while still adding enough kissing and cursing to make it feel authentic to teen readers.”
— Becky • Rediscovered Books
Bookseller recommendation
“Delightful! A beautifully written and clever modern retelling of one of my favorite stories, Beauty and the Beast. I loved reading about prim and proper Jaya trying to tame and lull the gruff and lonely Grey. The audiobook performance was spectacular, hearing the voices of the characters really made this story come alive. Jaya's crisp British accent and Grey's gruff American accent, despite his English ancestry, gave depth to their pasts and understanding to who they are. The rest of the characters were so much fun to read about as well, as good as our brave and selfless main characters. It is a cast of vibrant and interesting people who added to Jaya and Grey’s lives.”
— Sam • Bright Side Bookshop
Bookseller recommendation
“This funny and charming story is the feel-good romance I needed right now.”
— Lydia • Owosso Books & Beans
“Fans of Menon’s frothy, contemporary rom-coms will be excited for this venture into new territory.” —Booklist
“[A] dreamy, sassy confection of a romance…Funny, extravagant, and satisfying.” —Shelf Awareness
From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.
Will the princess save the beast?
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence—until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.
Sandhya Menon is the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, Of Curses and Kisses, and many other novels that also feature lots of kissing, girl power, and swoony boys. Her books have been included in several cool places, including Today, Teen Vogue, NPR, BuzzFeed, and Seventeen. A full-time dog servant and part-time writer, she makes her home in the foggy mountains of Colorado. Visit her online at SandhyaMenon.com.
Reviews
"Narrators Shiromi Arserio and Jason Carpenter are perfectly matched in this modern-day fairy tale in which a forbidden romance blooms between aristocratic teens from rival families. Arserio portrays Princess Jaya in a controlled tone and a posh British accent that is well suited to the reserved and traditional teen. Jaya unexpectedly finds herself drawn to the quiet, brooding Grey Emerson, whose melancholy personality is enhanced by Carpenter's deep, solemn voice—complete with an American accent that is fitting for this British teen, who is living in exile due to a family curse. The budding romance takes place at an international boarding school rife with drama. Listeners will be captivated by how easily the narrators flip between the accents of the diverse student body. Together, Arserio and Carpenter bring this cursed romance to life." Expand reviewsWant the printed book?
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