What do you think?
Rate this book
The Unlucky Prince
*See all of the books in the Once Upon a Prince Series HERE.*
A sacrifice to duty. Magic gone awry. And a prince with the worst luck on the continent.
Prince Ari has always struggled to find his place in his own kingdom…maybe because he spent half his childhood trapped in a swan’s body. His mother thinks he should find a wife and settle down, but far from being subdued by his past brush with magic, he’s convinced life has more adventure for him yet. That belief takes him to the neighboring kingdom—their former enemies who are now their allies.
Princess Violet expects nothing from the foreign prince’s visit, except maybe a last chance for some lighthearted fun. After all, she still has a few days before carrying out her secret plan to sacrifice her heart for the sake of the kingdom. Prince Ari will be leaving soon, so where’s the harm in a bit of flirtation?
Except neither of them have any idea of the forces working against their plans, both from inside the castle and from within their own hearts. And that’s before Ari falls afoul of the worst luck imaginable. As it turns out, being cursed to be a frog is even worse than being a swan.
Ari’s apparent absence only clears the way for darker plots, but fortunately amphibians see things humans don’t. It will take both a determined princess and a more-than-usually resourceful frog to uncover what’s really going on before it’s too late—both for Violet’s heart and the future of the kingdom.
The Unlucky Prince, a retelling of The Frog Prince, is book 1 of Once Upon A Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone novella features a swoony prince and his flaws, growth, and happily ever after.
This novella is set in the world of The Kingdom Tales, a completed series of six clean fairy tale retellings by Deborah Grace White. The Unlucky Prince takes place four years after the end of the series, but can be enjoyed without any prior reading.
A sacrifice to duty. Magic gone awry. And a prince with the worst luck on the continent.
Prince Ari has always struggled to find his place in his own kingdom…maybe because he spent half his childhood trapped in a swan’s body. His mother thinks he should find a wife and settle down, but far from being subdued by his past brush with magic, he’s convinced life has more adventure for him yet. That belief takes him to the neighboring kingdom—their former enemies who are now their allies.
Princess Violet expects nothing from the foreign prince’s visit, except maybe a last chance for some lighthearted fun. After all, she still has a few days before carrying out her secret plan to sacrifice her heart for the sake of the kingdom. Prince Ari will be leaving soon, so where’s the harm in a bit of flirtation?
Except neither of them have any idea of the forces working against their plans, both from inside the castle and from within their own hearts. And that’s before Ari falls afoul of the worst luck imaginable. As it turns out, being cursed to be a frog is even worse than being a swan.
Ari’s apparent absence only clears the way for darker plots, but fortunately amphibians see things humans don’t. It will take both a determined princess and a more-than-usually resourceful frog to uncover what’s really going on before it’s too late—both for Violet’s heart and the future of the kingdom.
The Unlucky Prince, a retelling of The Frog Prince, is book 1 of Once Upon A Prince, a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone novella features a swoony prince and his flaws, growth, and happily ever after.
This novella is set in the world of The Kingdom Tales, a completed series of six clean fairy tale retellings by Deborah Grace White. The Unlucky Prince takes place four years after the end of the series, but can be enjoyed without any prior reading.
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2023
316 people are currently reading
878 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Grace White
44 books362 followersDeborah Grace White was more or less born reading. She grew up on a wide range of books, from classic literature to light-hearted romps. Her love of fantasy was inevitable from the time her father read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to her and her siblings when she was four years old.
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
January 20, 2024
3.5/4 stars, personally! (still debating, but it was really cute!)
First things first: I absolutely adore the names of the royal family Entolia: King Basil and his sisters, Zinnia, Lilac, Violet, Daisy, Briar, Jasmine, Magnolia, Cassia, Dahlia, Holly, Joy, and Wisteria. I will admit that as a gardener I have more than a few of these in my favorites names list to potentially be used one day, hahaha!
This book connects to other books by this author: Kingdom of Feathers & Kingdom of Dance. Because his sister's story is one of those, I imagine that’s where it was explained how he and his brothers were turned into swans? I wasn’t clear on any details of that besides it was a curse? That and it being hinted that Violet was going to make a huge sacrifice for her family, but not being told the details of both of those things until much later did bug me a bit because I wanted to know! Once her plan was revealed, I actually said “oh no” because I knew it couldn’t end well.
With Violet being one of twelve princesses, the other connecting story must be a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses; I will definitely be finding that one and reading it due to my love of the Barbie version of that story!
The villains were a bit obvious, but that made it more satisfying to see them caught, I suppose. I did really like how it all came together, though.
Violet is very lively and I liked her for it. I do think it was a stretch for her to think the frog pet she was keeping was a spy (it felt like a way to keep the plot moving and finish it off). That said, I did like Ari’s frog parts. They were well-written? I put a question mark because it was strangely well-written; as if the author really tried her hardest to imagine what it would be like as a human in a frog’s body and succeed quite well.
I almost skipped this book because I’ve never really been big into the Frog Prince story, but I’m glad I didn’t because it was a really enjoyable read! It was chill at times but had its cute moments too. I liked both main characters and the writing style was great for a fairytale retelling. It was just overall really fun and cute!
Main Content:
Magic and curses are a common topic with both main characters having been under curses before, Ari being under an enchantment/compulsion, & also he is placed under an accidental curse in this book as well (his feelings and noticing of the magic is described in detailed); Ari still feels awkward being a human again after being cursed as a swan for six years (& others feel awkward discussing it with him which hasn’t helped him acclimating back into being a human);
Some use magic for good, others for evil/wrong, and a couple others use it to show off (the latter which backfires); Enchanters are those who have the ability to use magic and it’s looked upon as a good thing (some even having titles because of their help in a war); The “compulsion magic” makes others not be able to be in control of their own body & do what the curse-caster wants them to do; Talking dragons & mentions of them; Mentions magic students & curses; Mentions of luck & being unlucky/lucky; A few mentions of a talisman.
No major language, instead words like “stars above”, “how in dragon’s flame”, and “stupid” and such are used; A bit of sarcasm & eye rolling.
Violet has a nightmares of her curse (forever dancing and not being in control of her own body); Ari is attacked by a bird (in frog form) & many humans nearly squish or kill him; Mentions of wars, deaths, fighting, enemies, & prejudices between countries; Mentions of kidnappings & threats; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a child potentially drowning; A couple mentions of ale & drinking.
When in his frog form, Violet attempts to get the frog (not knowing it’s Ari) to sleep in her bedroom, but he doesn’t (later he goes into her bedroom with a chivalrous intent to help with something); Ari watches Violet’s sleeping face and feels guilty, so he hops away; Violet flirts with Ari even though she thinks that nothing can come from it; Touches, Embraces, Nearness, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Flirting & Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed).
A forehead kiss and a semi-detailed kiss (last 3-4 sentences in length); Seeing a couple kiss & embrace (it’s said that the girl threw herself at the guy, barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a king’s brother being “a little…loose” and sneaking women into the castle; Mentions of kisses, kissing, a potential almost kiss, & a kiss from a princess breaking a curse; A couple mentions of jealousy; A maid comments on it apparently being a princess’s right to have more than “one man on the hook”.
First things first: I absolutely adore the names of the royal family Entolia: King Basil and his sisters, Zinnia, Lilac, Violet, Daisy, Briar, Jasmine, Magnolia, Cassia, Dahlia, Holly, Joy, and Wisteria. I will admit that as a gardener I have more than a few of these in my favorites names list to potentially be used one day, hahaha!
This book connects to other books by this author: Kingdom of Feathers & Kingdom of Dance. Because his sister's story is one of those, I imagine that’s where it was explained how he and his brothers were turned into swans? I wasn’t clear on any details of that besides it was a curse? That and it being hinted that Violet was going to make a huge sacrifice for her family, but not being told the details of both of those things until much later did bug me a bit because I wanted to know! Once her plan was revealed, I actually said “oh no” because I knew it couldn’t end well.
With Violet being one of twelve princesses, the other connecting story must be a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses; I will definitely be finding that one and reading it due to my love of the Barbie version of that story!
The villains were a bit obvious, but that made it more satisfying to see them caught, I suppose. I did really like how it all came together, though.
Violet is very lively and I liked her for it. I do think it was a stretch for her to think the frog pet she was keeping was a spy (it felt like a way to keep the plot moving and finish it off). That said, I did like Ari’s frog parts. They were well-written? I put a question mark because it was strangely well-written; as if the author really tried her hardest to imagine what it would be like as a human in a frog’s body and succeed quite well.
I almost skipped this book because I’ve never really been big into the Frog Prince story, but I’m glad I didn’t because it was a really enjoyable read! It was chill at times but had its cute moments too. I liked both main characters and the writing style was great for a fairytale retelling. It was just overall really fun and cute!
Main Content:
Magic and curses are a common topic with both main characters having been under curses before, Ari being under an enchantment/compulsion, & also he is placed under an accidental curse in this book as well (his feelings and noticing of the magic is described in detailed); Ari still feels awkward being a human again after being cursed as a swan for six years (& others feel awkward discussing it with him which hasn’t helped him acclimating back into being a human);
Some use magic for good, others for evil/wrong, and a couple others use it to show off (the latter which backfires); Enchanters are those who have the ability to use magic and it’s looked upon as a good thing (some even having titles because of their help in a war); The “compulsion magic” makes others not be able to be in control of their own body & do what the curse-caster wants them to do; Talking dragons & mentions of them; Mentions magic students & curses; Mentions of luck & being unlucky/lucky; A few mentions of a talisman.
No major language, instead words like “stars above”, “how in dragon’s flame”, and “stupid” and such are used; A bit of sarcasm & eye rolling.
Violet has a nightmares of her curse (forever dancing and not being in control of her own body); Ari is attacked by a bird (in frog form) & many humans nearly squish or kill him; Mentions of wars, deaths, fighting, enemies, & prejudices between countries; Mentions of kidnappings & threats; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a child potentially drowning; A couple mentions of ale & drinking.
When in his frog form, Violet attempts to get the frog (not knowing it’s Ari) to sleep in her bedroom, but he doesn’t (later he goes into her bedroom with a chivalrous intent to help with something); Ari watches Violet’s sleeping face and feels guilty, so he hops away; Violet flirts with Ari even though she thinks that nothing can come from it; Touches, Embraces, Nearness, & Butterflies (barely-above-not-detailed); Flirting & Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed).
A forehead kiss and a semi-detailed kiss (last 3-4 sentences in length); Seeing a couple kiss & embrace (it’s said that the girl threw herself at the guy, barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a king’s brother being “a little…loose” and sneaking women into the castle; Mentions of kisses, kissing, a potential almost kiss, & a kiss from a princess breaking a curse; A couple mentions of jealousy; A maid comments on it apparently being a princess’s right to have more than “one man on the hook”.
Read
July 3, 2024I'm in a real "short, sweet novella" mood so I decided to try another of the Once Upon a Prince retellings, this time from the lovely Deborah Grace White! This one was a gem. The witty banter had me laughing out loud, and my inner legal nerd was so pleased by the subplot about geopolitics and trade disputes. I loved that there were realistic consequences of the war in the backstory. Plus! Poncy dragons, a heroine with unusual and interesting character flaws, a big happy family, and a male lead who manages to be both a frog and a perfect gentleman (I had no idea how badly I needed to read a story about an earnest young frog failing to deal with his crush asking him if he wants to sleep in her bed). And, the kiss at the end that turns him back into a prince is just the BEST.
It's been a while since I read Deborah Grace White 's debut novel and I always meant to catch up on her more recent works. I'm so pleased I did! Smart, sweet, and thoroughly enjoyable.
It's been a while since I read Deborah Grace White 's debut novel and I always meant to catch up on her more recent works. I'm so pleased I did! Smart, sweet, and thoroughly enjoyable.
August 5, 2024
⁀➷ 2.25 ★ ´ˎ˗
truly could not bring myself to care about these characters who lack personalities and therefore cannot bring myself to write a proper review. this book really said: go girl, give us nothing!
truly could not bring myself to care about these characters who lack personalities and therefore cannot bring myself to write a proper review. this book really said: go girl, give us nothing!
October 9, 2023
this was utterly delightful I had so much fun 😂 definitely one of the most unique Frog Prince retellings I've read, and I love the way the curse was ultimately broken! (no spoilers 😉) yes, the romance is rather insta-lovey, but I don't mind that trope when it's done well, and I loved both these characters so much! can't wait to read more of the releases from this series, it's off to a great start! 👏
Read
October 5, 2023A humorous and fairly lighthearted retelling with some anticipated reveals and a couple unexpected twists. I think breaking the frog curse was my favorite part, for reasons that would be spoilers, lol.
October 13, 2023
So adorable!
I was so excited to discover that this book features siblings who didn't get happy endings yet in this author's previous The Kingdom Tales series. But don't worry, if you haven't read that series yet (though you should because it is a lovely fairy tale retelling series), this book can standalone. It is just WAY better if you've read the previous series.
Ari was fun as a side character in Kingdom of Feathers, but he is extra fun as the leading prince in this one! Violet made a great leading lady for him, and it was great to get a glimpse of their kingdoms a few years after the ending of the final book of the series.
The beginning was cute, but this book really got going once Ari got turned into a frog. Then it was SO much fun!
I can't say much more without giving more spoilers. Just read it!
I was so excited to discover that this book features siblings who didn't get happy endings yet in this author's previous The Kingdom Tales series. But don't worry, if you haven't read that series yet (though you should because it is a lovely fairy tale retelling series), this book can standalone. It is just WAY better if you've read the previous series.
Ari was fun as a side character in Kingdom of Feathers, but he is extra fun as the leading prince in this one! Violet made a great leading lady for him, and it was great to get a glimpse of their kingdoms a few years after the ending of the final book of the series.
The beginning was cute, but this book really got going once Ari got turned into a frog. Then it was SO much fun!
I can't say much more without giving more spoilers. Just read it!
July 9, 2025
It was kinda cute but def not for me.
October 1, 2023
4.5 stars!
Very sweet story of the classic frog prince story. I loved the sweet chemistry of the main characters, and the unexpected twist. Definitely recommend! 🐸❤️
Very sweet story of the classic frog prince story. I loved the sweet chemistry of the main characters, and the unexpected twist. Definitely recommend! 🐸❤️
August 29, 2023
A 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
What I enjoyed about this story most was the characters. So many great voices; such a wonderful wry sense of humor; lovely banter. I loved the sibling and family dynamics. And it was interesting to see so many tails twisted together with backstories involving "The Six Swans" and "12 Dancing Princesses."
Part of what I enjoyed most from this author was that she paused to ask legitimate questions and explore the reaches and dynamics of her world and the magic and curses in it. Questions that many authors don't slow down to consider, much less explore on page in a way that benefits the growth of both the characters and the story lines.
For me the romance was a little too much insta-love, which is never my trope. But if you enjoy meet-cutes, sassy banter, and embarrassing sibling stories, it'll still be a fun but entirely wild ride.
I will say that the ending and the reveal of the villain and his motives did feel a little rushed for me and the exploration of that could have been more developed throughout the stories and conversations. It generally leans on the fact that the two countries have been at war for years, but I think if we saw that explored more in meaningful ways not only for the MCs but for the people around them, it would help the villain's motives stand out more clearly. Because there's a lot of not fully excavated potential involved in the emotional and political strands of the climax.
I received a free copy of this book from the authors and all opinions within are my own.
What I enjoyed about this story most was the characters. So many great voices; such a wonderful wry sense of humor; lovely banter. I loved the sibling and family dynamics. And it was interesting to see so many tails twisted together with backstories involving "The Six Swans" and "12 Dancing Princesses."
Part of what I enjoyed most from this author was that she paused to ask legitimate questions and explore the reaches and dynamics of her world and the magic and curses in it. Questions that many authors don't slow down to consider, much less explore on page in a way that benefits the growth of both the characters and the story lines.
For me the romance was a little too much insta-love, which is never my trope. But if you enjoy meet-cutes, sassy banter, and embarrassing sibling stories, it'll still be a fun but entirely wild ride.
I will say that the ending and the reveal of the villain and his motives did feel a little rushed for me and the exploration of that could have been more developed throughout the stories and conversations. It generally leans on the fact that the two countries have been at war for years, but I think if we saw that explored more in meaningful ways not only for the MCs but for the people around them, it would help the villain's motives stand out more clearly. Because there's a lot of not fully excavated potential involved in the emotional and political strands of the climax.
I received a free copy of this book from the authors and all opinions within are my own.
March 31, 2025
Stopped this one on page 59, mainly because I just wasn't into it. 😭😂
It wasn't bad, but everything felt kind of like I was missing stuff. 🤷♀️
After reading some reviews, that makes sense, as apparently, this is connected to some of the author's other series.
The rest of it was alright, but once the prince got turned into a frog, I just didn't feel like reading more of it... 😅
Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime later, but for now I'm putting it down.
It wasn't bad, but everything felt kind of like I was missing stuff. 🤷♀️
After reading some reviews, that makes sense, as apparently, this is connected to some of the author's other series.
The rest of it was alright, but once the prince got turned into a frog, I just didn't feel like reading more of it... 😅
Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime later, but for now I'm putting it down.
January 3, 2025
I wished it was longer! I really enjoyed the characters. The world was very well thought out. I forgot this was even a Frog Prince story by the time the frog showed up because I was so invested in Ari and Violet’s romance.
September 30, 2023
Loved it!
This is a great retelling, and I loved seeing beloved characters again! It can be read as a standalone, but I enjoyed the connections between this story and Deborah Grace White’s fairytale retelling series. I’m looking forward to reading more books in the Once Upon a Prince series!
This is a great retelling, and I loved seeing beloved characters again! It can be read as a standalone, but I enjoyed the connections between this story and Deborah Grace White’s fairytale retelling series. I’m looking forward to reading more books in the Once Upon a Prince series!
September 13, 2023
This was a LOT of fun. Though, admittedly, i think the ending was a little less climactic than i was hoping for, everything else was absolutely wonderful. I laughed out loud and smiled a ton while reading this. The interactions between the MC's are really enjoyable and cute, and I really loved both of them. Then, when the inevitable happens and one of them is turned into a frog, it just gets even better!
Funny and heart warming.
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: none
Sexual content: none, though it includes a passionate (though without spicy details) kiss.
*I received a free review copy from the author. This does not influence my rating or opinion of the book.
Funny and heart warming.
Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: none
Sexual content: none, though it includes a passionate (though without spicy details) kiss.
*I received a free review copy from the author. This does not influence my rating or opinion of the book.
August 24, 2023
Such a fun retelling! Rtc closer to publication~
June 5, 2024
I don't really have any thoughts on this one. It was okay.
October 15, 2024
A slow-building Frog Prince retelling.
Ari, a former swan, is a younger brother visiting his sister, the queen, when he meets and falls for Violet, one of the 12 (or was it 13) princesses at the stately dinner. Violet has schemes of her own to help her brother, the king and then there’s the mystery of the golden ball.
The beginning of the story was a slow build with an infodump of backstory, e.g. the royal dinner was a mashup of intros to what seems like the author's other fairytale retellings. Too much, too early. It did get interesting at page 23 with Prince Ari meeting mischievous Violet and it was their mild banter that kept me reading. The prince turning into a frog happened mid-book, so if you love Frog Prince retellings, persevere until the middle. I loved Ari spying on people at the castle and seeing to Violet’s needs when everyone else was ignoring her. I loved what the author did with the golden ball and how that as well as the traditional “throw the frog against the wall” from the original tale was weaved into the story. Overall, an interesting read.
Recommended for lovers of clean and sweet YA/NA Frog Prince retellings.
Ari, a former swan, is a younger brother visiting his sister, the queen, when he meets and falls for Violet, one of the 12 (or was it 13) princesses at the stately dinner. Violet has schemes of her own to help her brother, the king and then there’s the mystery of the golden ball.
The beginning of the story was a slow build with an infodump of backstory, e.g. the royal dinner was a mashup of intros to what seems like the author's other fairytale retellings. Too much, too early. It did get interesting at page 23 with Prince Ari meeting mischievous Violet and it was their mild banter that kept me reading. The prince turning into a frog happened mid-book, so if you love Frog Prince retellings, persevere until the middle. I loved Ari spying on people at the castle and seeing to Violet’s needs when everyone else was ignoring her. I loved what the author did with the golden ball and how that as well as the traditional “throw the frog against the wall” from the original tale was weaved into the story. Overall, an interesting read.
Recommended for lovers of clean and sweet YA/NA Frog Prince retellings.
October 30, 2023
Loved it!
No one can tell me that novellas are not long enough to have a good plot, decent character development, and a satisfactory finish because this book had them all. I have read other short stories that were very poorly written and this is not one!
This was a cute little retelling of The Frog Prince and I enjoyed that we got to know the prince before his unfortunate incident. Seeing the main characters' relationship grow was sweet with a touch of humor.
One thing I appreciated about this book was that the issue was not dropped on us all of a sudden (like some other shorter stories) but was slowly brought up throughout the book. This helped the conclusion make sense without needing to officially resolve every problem.
While this book could potentially be read as a stand-alone, there are so many references to other stories that I wouldn't recommend it.
All in all it was a cute and clean romantic fairytale retelling.
No one can tell me that novellas are not long enough to have a good plot, decent character development, and a satisfactory finish because this book had them all. I have read other short stories that were very poorly written and this is not one!
This was a cute little retelling of The Frog Prince and I enjoyed that we got to know the prince before his unfortunate incident. Seeing the main characters' relationship grow was sweet with a touch of humor.
One thing I appreciated about this book was that the issue was not dropped on us all of a sudden (like some other shorter stories) but was slowly brought up throughout the book. This helped the conclusion make sense without needing to officially resolve every problem.
While this book could potentially be read as a stand-alone, there are so many references to other stories that I wouldn't recommend it.
All in all it was a cute and clean romantic fairytale retelling.
June 12, 2024
Enjoyable
This was a cute retelling of the Frog Prince. I loved the characters and the story was engaging. It was fun to have a mashup of a couple of other fairy tales in the mix. I am interested in reading the other books in this series.
This was a cute retelling of the Frog Prince. I loved the characters and the story was engaging. It was fun to have a mashup of a couple of other fairy tales in the mix. I am interested in reading the other books in this series.
August 28, 2023
The Unlucky Prince by Deborah Grace White is the second ARC I've received from the Once Upon a Prince series, an anthology of fairy tale adaptations by different authors from the princes' perspectives. While The Crownless Prince was a creative gender-bent retelling of "Maid Maleen," this book is a basic retelling of "The Frog Prince" with no frills attached. It makes sense that the author chose to go this route since reversing the genders to have the princess turn into a frog would make the story focus more on her like in the Disney version, and it's something that has been done before. For such a short length, this book is somewhat slow and unimaginative, which was surprising coming from Deborah Grace White, who is usually a master worldbuilder. There were some references to her other books, including the dragon Rekavidur, a recurring character in most of her stories. The main character, Ari, is a minor character from Kingdom of Feathers, her retelling of "The Wild Swans" which I have not read. People who are not familiar with her other books may not have much to take away from this one, which is a shame since it is meant to be a standalone.
Prince Ari thinks all of his troubles have ended when the curse on himself and his brothers is broken thanks to the efforts of his sister, Wren, allowing them to live their lives as normal people again instead of as swans. He's out of the fire and into the frying pan when he visits a foreign kingdom, winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and gets himself turned into a frog! Just before this new curse, he falls for one of the kingdom's princesses, Violet. The inconvenient timing of his disappearance makes her think that she scared him away by coming on too strongly with her affections. He tries his best to comfort her in his new form, but the lack of ability to communicate as a frog makes it difficult to explain that he needs a kiss to break the spell. Meanwhile, Violet has problems of her own when she proposes a marriage alliance to a powerful merchant to end the trade issues with their kingdom despite the fact that she is actually in love with Ari.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the sincerity of the characters. Violet genuinely wants to help her kingdom and to let Ari know how she feels about him. Ari is far from your average brave hero and instead does everything in his power to make Violet happy and communicate with her as much as he can in his frog form. His clumsiness and lack of fortune add an element of humor to the book, especially considering the bizarre circumstances that lead to his froggy transformation. The villains have a somewhat interesting backstory, but the book does not spend a great deal of time exploring it. The way that Ari manages to break his curse at the end is also pretty amusing and adds an unexpected twist to an otherwise familiar story.
For people who are already familiar with the books of Deborah Grace White and her sister, Melanie Cellier, this book has very little new content to offer. It is a bare-bones retelling of a well-known story with a clever princess who must unravel a political scandal to protect her family and her kingdom. Even though the series is called Once Upon a Prince, the book places just as much focus on Violet as it does on Ari. Since their roles are the same as in the fairy tale, it seems like the author did not fully understand the assignment. Despite being a quick read, the pacing is on the slower side. It isn't until halfway through the book that Ari is transformed into a frog, and there is very little that happens prior to that. The romance, while believable, has very little buildup. Violet proposes to Ari practically on the spot and later worries that she came off too strong. While it's nice to see characters who know what they want, their candor with each other leaves little room for a payoff at the end of the book.
The Unlucky Prince offers readers a straightforward and no-frills retelling of the classic "Frog Prince" story. While it may lack the imaginative world-building that Deborah Grace White is known for, the book still showcases the sincerity of its characters, particularly in the heartfelt portrayal of Violet's dedication to her kingdom and Ari's determination to please her. The book's slower pacing and minimalistic approach to the retelling may leave readers craving more depth and intrigue, but the sweet and humorous moments, along with an unexpected twist at the end, provide an enjoyable reading experience for fans of fairy tale adaptations. My next ARC to review from this series will be The Golden Prince by Alice Ivinya, so stay tuned.
Prince Ari thinks all of his troubles have ended when the curse on himself and his brothers is broken thanks to the efforts of his sister, Wren, allowing them to live their lives as normal people again instead of as swans. He's out of the fire and into the frying pan when he visits a foreign kingdom, winds up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and gets himself turned into a frog! Just before this new curse, he falls for one of the kingdom's princesses, Violet. The inconvenient timing of his disappearance makes her think that she scared him away by coming on too strongly with her affections. He tries his best to comfort her in his new form, but the lack of ability to communicate as a frog makes it difficult to explain that he needs a kiss to break the spell. Meanwhile, Violet has problems of her own when she proposes a marriage alliance to a powerful merchant to end the trade issues with their kingdom despite the fact that she is actually in love with Ari.
What I enjoyed the most about this book was the sincerity of the characters. Violet genuinely wants to help her kingdom and to let Ari know how she feels about him. Ari is far from your average brave hero and instead does everything in his power to make Violet happy and communicate with her as much as he can in his frog form. His clumsiness and lack of fortune add an element of humor to the book, especially considering the bizarre circumstances that lead to his froggy transformation. The villains have a somewhat interesting backstory, but the book does not spend a great deal of time exploring it. The way that Ari manages to break his curse at the end is also pretty amusing and adds an unexpected twist to an otherwise familiar story.
For people who are already familiar with the books of Deborah Grace White and her sister, Melanie Cellier, this book has very little new content to offer. It is a bare-bones retelling of a well-known story with a clever princess who must unravel a political scandal to protect her family and her kingdom. Even though the series is called Once Upon a Prince, the book places just as much focus on Violet as it does on Ari. Since their roles are the same as in the fairy tale, it seems like the author did not fully understand the assignment. Despite being a quick read, the pacing is on the slower side. It isn't until halfway through the book that Ari is transformed into a frog, and there is very little that happens prior to that. The romance, while believable, has very little buildup. Violet proposes to Ari practically on the spot and later worries that she came off too strong. While it's nice to see characters who know what they want, their candor with each other leaves little room for a payoff at the end of the book.
The Unlucky Prince offers readers a straightforward and no-frills retelling of the classic "Frog Prince" story. While it may lack the imaginative world-building that Deborah Grace White is known for, the book still showcases the sincerity of its characters, particularly in the heartfelt portrayal of Violet's dedication to her kingdom and Ari's determination to please her. The book's slower pacing and minimalistic approach to the retelling may leave readers craving more depth and intrigue, but the sweet and humorous moments, along with an unexpected twist at the end, provide an enjoyable reading experience for fans of fairy tale adaptations. My next ARC to review from this series will be The Golden Prince by Alice Ivinya, so stay tuned.
December 11, 2025
I loved returning to the land of Solstice in this delightful book! It's such a fun book and I loved reading it so much! It had rather low stakes, and the fairytale retelling was very interesting.
August 29, 2023
I was blessed and given this story as an ARC. Here is my honest review:
The Unlucky Prince by: Deborah Grace White
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A sacrifice to duty. Magic gone awry. And a prince with the worst luck on the continent. This is a frog Prince retelling.
_____________________
Ok. This book was the cutest thing I have ever read! Oh gosh, the whole book was one big cinnamon roll!!
First off, like I said, the main characters were all so likable! Of course there were a couple of characters that weren’t so nice. There has to be a bad guy or two right? But for the most part the character’s were great and with the best names! I won’t give the names away here though sorry.
The setting, was in and around the castle in the city of Tola which was beautifully described. Both the castle and surrounding grounds were on a cliff by the sea with beach access. The author gave just enough detail that I could picture the scenes perfectly.
I’m not sure which part was my favorite. It was either when the Prince was a frog or when the family was all gathered together in a very untraditional manner, for royals, while dining! I loved them both!
The author did a great job surprising me with the outcome of the events leading to the capture of the villains! I thought it was very well done.
Of course I loved the HEA! 🤔 Is that a spoiler?? Anyway it was a great read and I highly recommend this book! It was adorable!
This story is part of a multi author series called Once Upon a Prince.
👑
#OnceUponAPrinceSeries
#onceuponaprince #ouap #multiauthorseries #fairytaleretellings #cleanromance #cleanfantasy #Swoonyromance #cleanromantasy #cleanfantasyromance #coverreveal #romanticfantasy #coverlove #thecrownlessprince #bookcommunity #bookobsessed #bookstagram #bookshelves #booksleeves #bookdragon #bookishlove #bookmarks #bookworm #booknerd
#bookish #reader #books #readmorebooks
The Unlucky Prince by: Deborah Grace White
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A sacrifice to duty. Magic gone awry. And a prince with the worst luck on the continent. This is a frog Prince retelling.
_____________________
Ok. This book was the cutest thing I have ever read! Oh gosh, the whole book was one big cinnamon roll!!
First off, like I said, the main characters were all so likable! Of course there were a couple of characters that weren’t so nice. There has to be a bad guy or two right? But for the most part the character’s were great and with the best names! I won’t give the names away here though sorry.
The setting, was in and around the castle in the city of Tola which was beautifully described. Both the castle and surrounding grounds were on a cliff by the sea with beach access. The author gave just enough detail that I could picture the scenes perfectly.
I’m not sure which part was my favorite. It was either when the Prince was a frog or when the family was all gathered together in a very untraditional manner, for royals, while dining! I loved them both!
The author did a great job surprising me with the outcome of the events leading to the capture of the villains! I thought it was very well done.
Of course I loved the HEA! 🤔 Is that a spoiler?? Anyway it was a great read and I highly recommend this book! It was adorable!
This story is part of a multi author series called Once Upon a Prince.
👑
#OnceUponAPrinceSeries
#onceuponaprince #ouap #multiauthorseries #fairytaleretellings #cleanromance #cleanfantasy #Swoonyromance #cleanromantasy #cleanfantasyromance #coverreveal #romanticfantasy #coverlove #thecrownlessprince #bookcommunity #bookobsessed #bookstagram #bookshelves #booksleeves #bookdragon #bookishlove #bookmarks #bookworm #booknerd
#bookish #reader #books #readmorebooks
October 14, 2023
My love for the tale of the Frog Prince started with a song. It was rekindled after a friend of mine rewrote the story with me as the princess and an actor I had a crush on as the prince. I'm therefore always extra excited when I encounter a retelling of this tale. After all. It feels a little like MY tale. So, I was really looking forward to dive into this one.
I've never read a book by this author before, although I have one on my shelves already, but I absolutely loved this tale! Despite the fact that it's not even a very long tale, there is so much awesomeness in this book! There is politics, there is betrayal, there's some romance, there is some danger and of course there is a little bit of magic.
All the famous elements of the original tale are there. The golden ball, the prince being turned into a frog, the wall throwing, the kissing, the sharing a meal and sleeping in the bed. And yet most of these elements are present in a slightly different and therefore really surprising way. And that means that the story might be slightly unpredictable while it's still filled with twists and turns.
I also really loved Ari and Violet. Violet is the kind of princess I'd wanna be. She is willing to do what's best for her kingdom, but she's also looking for ways to find some freedom and to enjoy herself. And Ari is the kind of prince I'd really wanna find. Playful and with a longing for adventure, but also smart, observing and not afraid to do what has to be done.
I can't wait to read more books by this author and I can't wait to get to know the other princes in this series!
I've never read a book by this author before, although I have one on my shelves already, but I absolutely loved this tale! Despite the fact that it's not even a very long tale, there is so much awesomeness in this book! There is politics, there is betrayal, there's some romance, there is some danger and of course there is a little bit of magic.
All the famous elements of the original tale are there. The golden ball, the prince being turned into a frog, the wall throwing, the kissing, the sharing a meal and sleeping in the bed. And yet most of these elements are present in a slightly different and therefore really surprising way. And that means that the story might be slightly unpredictable while it's still filled with twists and turns.
I also really loved Ari and Violet. Violet is the kind of princess I'd wanna be. She is willing to do what's best for her kingdom, but she's also looking for ways to find some freedom and to enjoy herself. And Ari is the kind of prince I'd really wanna find. Playful and with a longing for adventure, but also smart, observing and not afraid to do what has to be done.
I can't wait to read more books by this author and I can't wait to get to know the other princes in this series!
September 15, 2023
As the first book I've read by Deborah Grace White, The Unlucky Prince has convinced me that I should probably read everything she's written ASAP. Those who have already read Deborah's books will appreciate how many Easter eggs she left connecting this book to previous stories. (Prince Ari used to be a goose, and Princess Violet is one of twelve sisters. Both have survived curses. Take your best guesses.)
Princess Violet is so much fun. She is impulsive and determined to live in the moment, while simultaneously willing to make hard decisions to help her brother and serve their kingdom. Prince Ari just wants an adventure--he doesn't care what adventure--and is caught up in several that he didn't expect as he is just passing through town. I love them both. I love the frog. I love the chaos of all the sisters and the children and very few people in this story having any kind of verbal filter. It was charming and engaging, and I read it in an afternoon.
I received an ARC from the delightful people who masterminded the Once Upon a Prince multi-author series and have reviewed it willingly because the contents of the book demanded a review.
Princess Violet is so much fun. She is impulsive and determined to live in the moment, while simultaneously willing to make hard decisions to help her brother and serve their kingdom. Prince Ari just wants an adventure--he doesn't care what adventure--and is caught up in several that he didn't expect as he is just passing through town. I love them both. I love the frog. I love the chaos of all the sisters and the children and very few people in this story having any kind of verbal filter. It was charming and engaging, and I read it in an afternoon.
I received an ARC from the delightful people who masterminded the Once Upon a Prince multi-author series and have reviewed it willingly because the contents of the book demanded a review.
August 27, 2023
I’m always curious to see how different authors approach the problem of animal transformations—especially with the Frog Prince where traditionally the bestowal of a kiss is the way to break the spell. What grown woman would want to kiss a frog??
This is such an excellent retelling of the Frog Prince, and the fact that the prince is one of the brothers from White’s Wild Swans story is such a clever and entertaining addition. It was so fun to revisit the kingdoms and people of The Kingdom Tales. Ari and Violet were an engaging pair, and I greatly enjoyed watching the progression of their relationship.
I absolutely LOVE how White handled the kiss aspect of the story (probably my favorite plot twist of them all).
This is a wonderful start to the Once Upon a Prince series!
This is such an excellent retelling of the Frog Prince, and the fact that the prince is one of the brothers from White’s Wild Swans story is such a clever and entertaining addition. It was so fun to revisit the kingdoms and people of The Kingdom Tales. Ari and Violet were an engaging pair, and I greatly enjoyed watching the progression of their relationship.
I absolutely LOVE how White handled the kiss aspect of the story (probably my favorite plot twist of them all).
This is a wonderful start to the Once Upon a Prince series!
December 12, 2023
This retelling was very entertaining and light hearted.
Although there were some serious moments in the book I enjoyed the funny moments of Ari being a frog, of Violet and Ari flirting, and the adventures Ari the Frog and Violet went on.
The addition of the political intrigue with Violet made the storyline really interesting. I loved the solution to being made a frog that Ari realized, and I loved that the family and all their craziness.
This book is definitely a fun and light read, a perfect YA fairytale retelling with sweet moments, some depth, and a wonderful happily ever after.
💋One sweet kiss
⚠️The kingdom is dealing with the grief and aftermath of war
Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy.
Although there were some serious moments in the book I enjoyed the funny moments of Ari being a frog, of Violet and Ari flirting, and the adventures Ari the Frog and Violet went on.
The addition of the political intrigue with Violet made the storyline really interesting. I loved the solution to being made a frog that Ari realized, and I loved that the family and all their craziness.
This book is definitely a fun and light read, a perfect YA fairytale retelling with sweet moments, some depth, and a wonderful happily ever after.
💋One sweet kiss
⚠️The kingdom is dealing with the grief and aftermath of war
Thank you to the author for the advanced reader copy.
December 19, 2023
Reader’s Notes:
– this is part of a series, but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Ari & Violet’s points of view
– this is connected to Deborah’s The Kingdom Tales series, but you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one – I haven’t gotten to these yet myself! (Ari was in Kingdom of Feathers & Violet was in Kingdom of Dance)
Review:
I’ve been meaning to read one of Deborah Grace White’s forever and I finally did by picking up this Frog Prince retelling! (I am so excited to read more from her after this!) I loved that Deborah told us a little bit about what both of our main characters went through in her Kingdom Chronicles series and how it translated to their current situations. I honestly hadn’t really thought about how the cursed characters in fairy tale retellings coped post curse-breaking and if they had any lingering effects from having been under their curses until I read this and found out what Ari & Violet were dealing with. I really enjoyed Violet’s family’s dynamic with all the siblings and their kids at the same table. I loved how much they all clearly loved each other, even though they also got on each other’s nerves about various things. And not only that, but it felt like a realistic big family dynamic which is awesome (I would know having 12 other siblings myself XD)! I also really loved the twist on a pivotal moment that Deborah put on this tale that’s a little different than I’ve typically seen!
Summary:
Prince Ari feels adrift and has a desire to find a new path for himself, so he makes plans to join a group planning on going around the desert. But before he embarks on this journey, Ari makes time to visit the neighboring kingdom where his sister now resides. He expected to spend most of his time with Wren and his niece and nephew more than anyone, but instead finds himself intrigued by one of the many princesses, Violet. Just when Ari thinks that maybe the new path he desired isn’t what he originally thought, an unfortunate mistake lands him under a curse. A curse that transforms him into a frog…
Violet wants to help take some of the burden off of her brother by helping him with just one of his many tasks that he’s in charge of as king. She knows though that this particular task is a thorn in his side that needs a more permanent fix. One that Violet might be able to provide if her brother and sisters don’t catch wind of it. With her plan in place in her mind, Violet knows that her time of freedom is coming to an end and wants to make the most of the time she has left. With Prince Ari visiting, Violet finds herself flirting with something that she never thought she’d have for herself due to her position. And with that, Violet is beginning to wonder if she should continue with the plan she’s hiding from her family or pursue a love much truer…
– this is part of a series, but meant to be read as a stand-alone
– this is told from Ari & Violet’s points of view
– this is connected to Deborah’s The Kingdom Tales series, but you don’t have to have read them to enjoy this one – I haven’t gotten to these yet myself! (Ari was in Kingdom of Feathers & Violet was in Kingdom of Dance)
Review:
I’ve been meaning to read one of Deborah Grace White’s forever and I finally did by picking up this Frog Prince retelling! (I am so excited to read more from her after this!) I loved that Deborah told us a little bit about what both of our main characters went through in her Kingdom Chronicles series and how it translated to their current situations. I honestly hadn’t really thought about how the cursed characters in fairy tale retellings coped post curse-breaking and if they had any lingering effects from having been under their curses until I read this and found out what Ari & Violet were dealing with. I really enjoyed Violet’s family’s dynamic with all the siblings and their kids at the same table. I loved how much they all clearly loved each other, even though they also got on each other’s nerves about various things. And not only that, but it felt like a realistic big family dynamic which is awesome (I would know having 12 other siblings myself XD)! I also really loved the twist on a pivotal moment that Deborah put on this tale that’s a little different than I’ve typically seen!
Summary:
Prince Ari feels adrift and has a desire to find a new path for himself, so he makes plans to join a group planning on going around the desert. But before he embarks on this journey, Ari makes time to visit the neighboring kingdom where his sister now resides. He expected to spend most of his time with Wren and his niece and nephew more than anyone, but instead finds himself intrigued by one of the many princesses, Violet. Just when Ari thinks that maybe the new path he desired isn’t what he originally thought, an unfortunate mistake lands him under a curse. A curse that transforms him into a frog…
Violet wants to help take some of the burden off of her brother by helping him with just one of his many tasks that he’s in charge of as king. She knows though that this particular task is a thorn in his side that needs a more permanent fix. One that Violet might be able to provide if her brother and sisters don’t catch wind of it. With her plan in place in her mind, Violet knows that her time of freedom is coming to an end and wants to make the most of the time she has left. With Prince Ari visiting, Violet finds herself flirting with something that she never thought she’d have for herself due to her position. And with that, Violet is beginning to wonder if she should continue with the plan she’s hiding from her family or pursue a love much truer…
April 16, 2024
I tried. Even though I bought this book (only $0.99 - but still), I could not bring myself to finish it. There is so much I couldn't overlook, and the fact that it took me a couple months to get 1/3 of the way through a book that's less than 200 pages should tell you something. First, the author references two other fairy tales in this retelling (the prince was one of the brothers cursed to be swans and the princess was cursed as one of the 12 dancing princesses), but they're not the one she's supposed to be re-imagining. Like I said, this book is only 195 pages, I made it almost 1/3 of the way through, and she still hadn't gotten to the fairy tale she was supposed to be adapting - The Princess and the Frog. There was no sign of it anywhere. Plus, she had to throw in an inhibition in the form of a potential political marriage between the princess and the son of a merchant who was causing trouble for the kingdom. How one earth are you going to resolve all of that with so few pages?
I also couldn't have cared less about the characters. They are dry, two-dimensional, and unrelatable. There is a lot of exposition that is used in an attempt to garner the reader's affection, but as with all exposition, it fails.
Furthermore, the only reason I know the prince is supposed to be dark skinned is because of the front cover. There is nothing to indicate a difference in culture, and it makes no sense that the same continent (neighboring countries, no less) would have a white royal family and a black royal family. If you're going to write about people with different ethnic backgrounds, make it believable. This is why I loved the Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford: I felt like I'd been transported to 17th-century Japan. The Ranger's Apprentice series, which is a middle-grade fantasy, is also superior in this way. All the cultures in that series were inspired by real cultures: British, Celtic, Scandinavian, Middle-Eastern, Japanese, and others. And each time the reader travelled with the main character to these countries, a cultural shift was felt. And yes, there were beautiful cross-cultural relationships and marriages.
I love fantasy, and I love cute, clean romance, but I will not enjoy the book within these genres if it's not well-written with a sense of realism.
Thankfully, each book in this series is written by a different author, so I'm hoping the next will be better.
I also couldn't have cared less about the characters. They are dry, two-dimensional, and unrelatable. There is a lot of exposition that is used in an attempt to garner the reader's affection, but as with all exposition, it fails.
Furthermore, the only reason I know the prince is supposed to be dark skinned is because of the front cover. There is nothing to indicate a difference in culture, and it makes no sense that the same continent (neighboring countries, no less) would have a white royal family and a black royal family. If you're going to write about people with different ethnic backgrounds, make it believable. This is why I loved the Young Samurai series by Chris Bradford: I felt like I'd been transported to 17th-century Japan. The Ranger's Apprentice series, which is a middle-grade fantasy, is also superior in this way. All the cultures in that series were inspired by real cultures: British, Celtic, Scandinavian, Middle-Eastern, Japanese, and others. And each time the reader travelled with the main character to these countries, a cultural shift was felt. And yes, there were beautiful cross-cultural relationships and marriages.
I love fantasy, and I love cute, clean romance, but I will not enjoy the book within these genres if it's not well-written with a sense of realism.
Thankfully, each book in this series is written by a different author, so I'm hoping the next will be better.
October 20, 2023
After being freed from his curse, Prince Ari finds that he is restless and wants to explore. It doesn’t help that he feels like he is being treated like glass because of the curse his family was under when he just wants to move past it. Deciding to do something about it, he sets off traveling first to visit his sister, the now Queen of Entolia, a country that his homeland was recently at war with, and then onto further unknowns. Seeing the royal family being organized chaos is startling yet refreshing to him and he finds drawn to Princess Violet. Violet knows she is flirting and pushing a little harder than she normally would but her time to do these things are now numbered. Being pressured to help fix the explosive situation with the Merchant’s Guild, she has a plan to settle things before they can enact an embargo with a political marriage to the son of the head of the Guild. She hasn’t told anyone of this idea because she knows her brother wouldn’t approve of it and she doesn’t really want to do this either but doesn’t see another way. But after spending time with Ari and feeling seen for once, she doesn’t feel she can go through with it anymore. And Ari has been finding he doesn’t feel as lost with the unpredictable princess with the idea of travel becoming less appealing. But magic compels him for an unknown reason and by sheer dumb luck he gets transformed into a frog. Once again trapped in an animal form but with his mind intact, he looks to free himself from the curse. But he feels that something else is going on and with the cover of a frog he is able to explore and find out.
Having not read the previous series that this is connected to, I felt like I was catching up a bit but not lost either. Yes, several of the stories were referenced in this which makes me curious about the previous series but it definitely isn’t needed to have a good time with this. As with most of the fairytale retellings, it was fun trying to figure out how and where the elements were going to show up. I especially loved the fact that Ari was cursed by accident, no ill intent other than students being dumb (I have another word here but I am trying to be nice). This was a quick, fun read that can fill in a gap while finding that next long read.
Having not read the previous series that this is connected to, I felt like I was catching up a bit but not lost either. Yes, several of the stories were referenced in this which makes me curious about the previous series but it definitely isn’t needed to have a good time with this. As with most of the fairytale retellings, it was fun trying to figure out how and where the elements were going to show up. I especially loved the fact that Ari was cursed by accident, no ill intent other than students being dumb (I have another word here but I am trying to be nice). This was a quick, fun read that can fill in a gap while finding that next long read.
July 4, 2025
What a sweet little tale, I think I've found a new obsession! I've never really read that many retellings unless you count Beauty And The Beast but this series has totally drawn me in. Written by multiple authors, each book is a retelling of the princes in fairytales and I have to say the two I've read so far are fabulous. This one is based on The Frog Prince but it does have a blend of other fairytales woven through it (which I won't spoil for those who want to read it) making this an even more magical read. I loved everything about this, from the humor to the romance and now I'm looking a frogs in a whole different light.
Prince Ari seems to have the worst luck in the world. Having spent six years under a curse as a swan, he now seeks adventure to help him overcome the struggle he still has about fitting in now he's human. Making a stop to visit his sister before continuing his travels, he meets Princess Violet who's recklessness matches his own. But before he can follow his heart on what might be his greatest adventure yet, he's turned into a frog, which is way worse than being a swan. Now all he needs is a princess to kiss him.
There really isn't anything to dislike about the two leads in this story as they are both fun, sweet and have a reckless side. Ari who has a love of adventure after being cursed, finds it awkward to be around people in his kingdom who don't like to talk about his past as a swan. Finding a more relaxed if not more chaotic air at his sister's palace, Ari is immediately smitten with Violet, who is one of twelve princesses living there. But the fun really begins when he's turned into a frog and his thoughts as a tiny amphibian (especially when eating flies) was absolutely hilarious. Princess Violet is outgoing sometimes brazen in how she acts, but being one of twelve princesses she is often overlooked, but with the arrival of Ari for the first time she's actually seen! The romance was sweet and the HEA just perfect, yeah I couldn't help BUT fall in love with the pair of them.
I'm definitely enjoying losing myself into these easy to read, wonderfully adorable takes on fairytales and look forward to reading more. So if you love cinnamon roll princes, an outgoing princess, frogs and curses this one's for you. Highly recommend 😁
Prince Ari seems to have the worst luck in the world. Having spent six years under a curse as a swan, he now seeks adventure to help him overcome the struggle he still has about fitting in now he's human. Making a stop to visit his sister before continuing his travels, he meets Princess Violet who's recklessness matches his own. But before he can follow his heart on what might be his greatest adventure yet, he's turned into a frog, which is way worse than being a swan. Now all he needs is a princess to kiss him.
There really isn't anything to dislike about the two leads in this story as they are both fun, sweet and have a reckless side. Ari who has a love of adventure after being cursed, finds it awkward to be around people in his kingdom who don't like to talk about his past as a swan. Finding a more relaxed if not more chaotic air at his sister's palace, Ari is immediately smitten with Violet, who is one of twelve princesses living there. But the fun really begins when he's turned into a frog and his thoughts as a tiny amphibian (especially when eating flies) was absolutely hilarious. Princess Violet is outgoing sometimes brazen in how she acts, but being one of twelve princesses she is often overlooked, but with the arrival of Ari for the first time she's actually seen! The romance was sweet and the HEA just perfect, yeah I couldn't help BUT fall in love with the pair of them.
I'm definitely enjoying losing myself into these easy to read, wonderfully adorable takes on fairytales and look forward to reading more. So if you love cinnamon roll princes, an outgoing princess, frogs and curses this one's for you. Highly recommend 😁
August 22, 2023
I’m not gonna lie, the second I discovered there was going to be a Fairytale Retelling series based around the Fairytale Princes I knew I had to get myself in on that action. I’m definitely that girl that falls in love with all the male leads, swoons over all the romantic gestures, and even can’t help but adore all those obscure but completely wonderful male side characters. And so a series based entirely off of the POV of the swoony Male MCs had me exclaiming “Sign me up for all the Princes!” Lol.
And The Unlucky Prince DID NOT DISAPPOINT! It was definitely the sweet, cozy, Prince filled, Frog Prince retelling I needed in my life!!!!
Ari is having a rough time…first he spends 6 years as a Swan and now “POOF” after a magic spell gone array he finds himself as a��FROG. Just when life was looking up, set on adventure and after catching the eye of the beautiful, all be it, brazen Princess Violet Ari can’t believe his luck. But Ari being a frog isn’t the only thing amiss in the castle. And he soon finds himself on a different type of adventure filled with dastardly plans, mysterious objects, missing children, betrayal, and most horrific of all—fly eating escapades.
This was the little whisp of cozy and the HEA I had been looking for these recent weeks. It gave me all the warm and fuzzies and I couldn’t help but laugh, swoon, and fall head over heals for Ari—who was both completely sweet but entirely unlucky. He was your perfect cinnamon roll of a male lead and I absolutely adored everything about him.
White did an excellent job of creating an abundance of warmth and coziness, all the while, providing enough twists, turns, and intrigue to keep the story moving and engaging. She couldn’t have written it any better!
So…If you enjoy fairytale retellings or just an amazing and amazingly cozy story filled to the brim with all the good vibes and feelings, light intrigue, a way word magical spell, a beyond swoon worthy prince, and a Sweet but also Forward Princess, then you have no other choice. YOU JUST HAVE TO READ THE UNLUCKY PRINCE! It is exceptional and you are going to love it!
And The Unlucky Prince DID NOT DISAPPOINT! It was definitely the sweet, cozy, Prince filled, Frog Prince retelling I needed in my life!!!!
Ari is having a rough time…first he spends 6 years as a Swan and now “POOF” after a magic spell gone array he finds himself as a��FROG. Just when life was looking up, set on adventure and after catching the eye of the beautiful, all be it, brazen Princess Violet Ari can’t believe his luck. But Ari being a frog isn’t the only thing amiss in the castle. And he soon finds himself on a different type of adventure filled with dastardly plans, mysterious objects, missing children, betrayal, and most horrific of all—fly eating escapades.
This was the little whisp of cozy and the HEA I had been looking for these recent weeks. It gave me all the warm and fuzzies and I couldn’t help but laugh, swoon, and fall head over heals for Ari—who was both completely sweet but entirely unlucky. He was your perfect cinnamon roll of a male lead and I absolutely adored everything about him.
White did an excellent job of creating an abundance of warmth and coziness, all the while, providing enough twists, turns, and intrigue to keep the story moving and engaging. She couldn’t have written it any better!
So…If you enjoy fairytale retellings or just an amazing and amazingly cozy story filled to the brim with all the good vibes and feelings, light intrigue, a way word magical spell, a beyond swoon worthy prince, and a Sweet but also Forward Princess, then you have no other choice. YOU JUST HAVE TO READ THE UNLUCKY PRINCE! It is exceptional and you are going to love it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews