I’m always a sucker for fairytale retellings, and this next one is a delightful and gender swapped retelling of Cinderella. Not only is it set in space, but it has a twist that I don’t think most readers will see coming because I certainly didn’t. The author takes a beloved fairytale and turns it into a unique and fun retelling that I won’t forget. Add this to your TBR, especially if you love sci-fi retellings of fairy tales, or if you just love space in general!
In Rogue Princess, Princess Delia is in a pickle. In order to save her kingdom, she must choose a husband. However, she secretly dreams of falling in love, and in trying to find a better way to save her kingdom, she runs off…with a stowaway in tow. Aidan on the other hand, was only trying to make it away from the palace with a few trinkets stowed away, all so he can get off the planet. He didn’t count on butting heads with a runaway princess! Sparks will fly between the two as they uncover a plot to overthrow everything Delia has been working toward, and it will be a race against time to stop them. Will they survive long enough to save the planet, and fall in love?
This story started off a little slowly for me, but then built into a fantastic climax and resolution. I loved Delia, she has such a fierce personality that understands she has a duty to her people, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to do her best to find a different way. That same personality trait is what gets her into trouble time after time in this story, and I’m definitely here for it. I also loved her sister Shania. She’s hilarious, and I her commentary on the physical attributes of the princes was a delight to read. She helped liven up Delia when she had more serious moments, and I loved the sisterly bond that they shared.
Of all of the characters, the one I truly loved the most was Aidan. He’s a softy, but he’s full of wit. He’s quick as a whip, and his way of getting out of tricky situations is as fascinating as Delia’s way of getting into them. I loved the interactions that he had with Delia using the mechanical bird. They were both comical, and incredibly sweet. I honestly was not expecting the depth to his character, and when you read this book (because you definitely should), you’ll find out why.
As I mentioned, it started off a little slow for me, but it quickly builds into a story that has you on the edge of your seat. While the story is set in space, there wasn’t a lot travelling to other places. I was a little disappointed in this, mainly because I felt there was a great opportunity to cultivate a larger world. However, the story makes up for it in the lore that makes up Delia’s planet. I loved how the mythos of the world really shaped how the monarchy kept up with certain traditions, like their hair. I can’t say too much without spoiling things, but it makes some of the sacrifices that happen in this book more meaningful.
While there is a bit of insta-love in this story, I do appreciate that there are moments that also build up the romance. The relationship between Delia and Aidan is based on mutual trust and respect, but it’s the sacrifices that they make for each other that truly cemented this for me. There’s also another relationship in the book that I wish we had gotten to see a little more, but only because I would have loved to get to know those characters a little better.
If there’s anything I wish I’d seen a little more, it would be more world building and development of some of the side characters. I wanted to immerse myself in Delia’s world, and while the lore certainly helped, I couldn’t quite picture the world she was living in. I didn’t have that trouble on Aidan’s end though. There were also a couple of side characters I would have loved to get to know a little better. However, I just feel like that means we need another story in this world *wink, wink*.
This story is an 7/10 for me. I loved reading it, but I definitely needed a little more world building and character development. However, it’s a solid read if you love retellings, and fairy tales.
Rogue Princess is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers as of January 21st 2020.
Will you be picking up Rogue Princess? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A princess fleeing an arranged marriage teams up with a snarky commoner to foil a rebel plot in B. R. Myers’ Rogue Princess, a gender-swapped sci-fi YA retelling of Cinderella.
Princess Delia knows her duty: She must choose a prince to marry in order to secure an alliance and save her failing planet. Yet she secretly dreams of true love, and feels there must be a better way. Determined to chart her own course, she steals a spaceship to avoid the marriage, only to discover a handsome stowaway.
All Aidan wanted was to “borrow” a few palace trinkets to help him get off the planet. Okay, so maybe escaping on a royal ship wasn’t the smartest plan, but he never expected to be kidnapped by a runaway princess!
Sparks fly as this headstrong princess and clever thief battle wits, but everything changes when they inadvertently uncover a rebel conspiracy that could destroy their planet forever.
