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The Cracked Slipper #1
The Cracked Slipper
When Eleanor Brice unexpectedly wins the heart of Gregory Desmarais, Crown Prince of Cartheigh, she's sure she's found her happily-ever-after. Unfortunately, Prince Charming has a loose grip on his temper, a looser grip on his marriage vows, and a tight grip on the bottle.
Eight years of mistreatment, isolation and clandestine book learning hardly prepare Eleanor for life at Eclatant Palace, where women are seen, not heard. According to Eleanor’s eavesdropping parrot, no one at court appreciates her unladylike tendency to voice her opinion. To make matter worse, her royal fiancé spends his last night of bachelorhood on a drunken whoring spree. Before the ink dries on her marriage proclamation Eleanor realizes that she loves her husband's best friend, former soldier Dorian Finley.
Eleanor can’t resist Dorian’s honesty, or his unusual admiration for her intelligence, and soon both are caught in a dangerous obsession. She drowns her confusion in charitable endeavors, but the people’s love can’t protect her from her feelings. When a magical crime endangers the bond between unicorns, dragons, and the royal family, a falsely accused Eleanor must clear her own name to save her life. The road toward vindication will force a choice between hard-won security and an impossible love.
The Cracked Slipper is a book club friendly fairytale retelling in the vein of Gregory Maguire, with a dash of romance. Set in a pseudo-renaissance, corset-and-petticoats enchanted kingdom, The Cracked Slipper brings a magical twist to women’s fiction.
Eight years of mistreatment, isolation and clandestine book learning hardly prepare Eleanor for life at Eclatant Palace, where women are seen, not heard. According to Eleanor’s eavesdropping parrot, no one at court appreciates her unladylike tendency to voice her opinion. To make matter worse, her royal fiancé spends his last night of bachelorhood on a drunken whoring spree. Before the ink dries on her marriage proclamation Eleanor realizes that she loves her husband's best friend, former soldier Dorian Finley.
Eleanor can’t resist Dorian’s honesty, or his unusual admiration for her intelligence, and soon both are caught in a dangerous obsession. She drowns her confusion in charitable endeavors, but the people’s love can’t protect her from her feelings. When a magical crime endangers the bond between unicorns, dragons, and the royal family, a falsely accused Eleanor must clear her own name to save her life. The road toward vindication will force a choice between hard-won security and an impossible love.
The Cracked Slipper is a book club friendly fairytale retelling in the vein of Gregory Maguire, with a dash of romance. Set in a pseudo-renaissance, corset-and-petticoats enchanted kingdom, The Cracked Slipper brings a magical twist to women’s fiction.
354 pages, Paperback
First published February 29, 2012
134 people are currently reading
976 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Alexander
8 books184 followersStephanie Alexander writes enchanting, fantastical book club friendly stories for thoughtful, modern women. She is the author of eight (8) published novels, including Charleston-based Mean Low Water (Red Adept Publishing 2024) and Tipsy Collins Series (Charleston Green, Haint Blue, Palmetto Rose, and True Indigo), as well as The Cracked Slipper Series (The Cracked Slipper, The Dragon Choker, and The Glass Rainbow), a fractured fairy tale retelling. Stephanie’s work always features strong female protagonists, relatable emotional journeys, and a dash of magic. 250,000 copies of her books have been downloaded to e-readers and audiobook libraries, or sit on old-fashioned bookshelves.
Stephanie grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Drawing, writing stories, and harassing her parents for a pony consumed much of her childhood. After graduating from high school in 1995 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She returned to Washington, DC, where she followed a long-time fascination with sociopolitical structures and women’s issues to a Master of Arts in Sociology from the American University. She spent several years as a Policy Associate at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), a think-tank focused on women’s health and economic advancement.
Stephanie embraced full-time motherhood after the birth of the first of her three children in 2003. Her family put down permanent southern roots in Charleston in 2011, and she returned to the workforce as an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston. Beginning in the Fall of 2015, as a single working mother, she attended law school on a full academic scholarship, earning her juris doctor with honors from the Charleston School of Law in December 2017.
She currently practices family law in Charleston. She has appeared on local and national media and regularly joins with book clubs for discussions of her work. Her personal experience rebuilding her life after divorce inspires both her legal work and her fiction. Stephanie and her husband live in the Charleston area with their blended family of five children and their three miniature dachshunds, Trinket, Tipsy, and Ophelia.
You can learn more about Stephanie and her work at www.stephaniealexanderbooks.com, or follow her on Instagram or TikTok (@stephaniealexanderbooks).
Stephanie grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC. Drawing, writing stories, and harassing her parents for a pony consumed much of her childhood. After graduating from high school in 1995 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the College of Charleston, South Carolina. She returned to Washington, DC, where she followed a long-time fascination with sociopolitical structures and women’s issues to a Master of Arts in Sociology from the American University. She spent several years as a Policy Associate at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), a think-tank focused on women’s health and economic advancement.
Stephanie embraced full-time motherhood after the birth of the first of her three children in 2003. Her family put down permanent southern roots in Charleston in 2011, and she returned to the workforce as an Adjunct Professor of Sociology at the College of Charleston. Beginning in the Fall of 2015, as a single working mother, she attended law school on a full academic scholarship, earning her juris doctor with honors from the Charleston School of Law in December 2017.
She currently practices family law in Charleston. She has appeared on local and national media and regularly joins with book clubs for discussions of her work. Her personal experience rebuilding her life after divorce inspires both her legal work and her fiction. Stephanie and her husband live in the Charleston area with their blended family of five children and their three miniature dachshunds, Trinket, Tipsy, and Ophelia.
You can learn more about Stephanie and her work at www.stephaniealexanderbooks.com, or follow her on Instagram or TikTok (@stephaniealexanderbooks).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
January 20, 2020
What happens when Cinderella meets her prince, they fall in love , get married, and live in the palace??? Have you ever wondered? I have...and The Cracked Slipper is the story of what happens.....after...
Cinderella, aka Eleanor Brice, and her cracked slipper seem miserable... the whole romance of the ball fades fast as she tries to fit in with the royals in the palace. The differences in lifestyles are only part of the reason why she just isn't thrilled with her dream come true life in the palace. Prince Charming is often not charming, and doesn't seem to be her soul mate at all. Add in magical wizards, witches, taking animals, unicorns, and dragons and the whole book comes to life quite rapidly! I love the imagination and the candor that author Stephanie Alexander creates in The Cracked Slipper. The slipper in many ways offers foreshadowing and symbolism for the fractured relationships and life that Eleanor will have as the Princess.
The evil step mother has tons of issues as do her two daughters and the new Prince is often, at times, a spoiled child. At other times the Prince is surprisingly human too, but although I can't say I hate him... I don't really care for him much especially for Eleanor. The bonus love interest for Eleanor really captures my attention and makes me care so much about what happens to each of them.
This book is the first book in The Cracked Slipper series, so of course it left with things unfinished and unresolved. Now we wait until book two is available to see what will happen next.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Stephanie Alexander, and BooksGoSocial for this digital advanced reader copy for me to enjoy and review. As always, my honest opinions are my own.
Special note: Advanced reader copies are draft copies, so reviewers should not count against the book for spelling issues or issues that would be caught by an editor.
Cinderella, aka Eleanor Brice, and her cracked slipper seem miserable... the whole romance of the ball fades fast as she tries to fit in with the royals in the palace. The differences in lifestyles are only part of the reason why she just isn't thrilled with her dream come true life in the palace. Prince Charming is often not charming, and doesn't seem to be her soul mate at all. Add in magical wizards, witches, taking animals, unicorns, and dragons and the whole book comes to life quite rapidly! I love the imagination and the candor that author Stephanie Alexander creates in The Cracked Slipper. The slipper in many ways offers foreshadowing and symbolism for the fractured relationships and life that Eleanor will have as the Princess.
The evil step mother has tons of issues as do her two daughters and the new Prince is often, at times, a spoiled child. At other times the Prince is surprisingly human too, but although I can't say I hate him... I don't really care for him much especially for Eleanor. The bonus love interest for Eleanor really captures my attention and makes me care so much about what happens to each of them.
This book is the first book in The Cracked Slipper series, so of course it left with things unfinished and unresolved. Now we wait until book two is available to see what will happen next.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Stephanie Alexander, and BooksGoSocial for this digital advanced reader copy for me to enjoy and review. As always, my honest opinions are my own.
Special note: Advanced reader copies are draft copies, so reviewers should not count against the book for spelling issues or issues that would be caught by an editor.
February 25, 2020
All of my life, Cinderella (along with Snow White) has been my least favorite Disney princess. I always had zero tolerance for damsels in distress, whether fictional or real. And this is why I thoroughly enjoyed this story, even though strongly inspired by the Cinderella story, Eleanore Brice Desmarais is nothing like Cinderella; she is an educated, smart, strong, willful, ponderous, logical woman, who never relied on her gender or physical attributes to go up the social ladder or get anything she wanted.
She marries Gregory Desmarais, prince of the kingdom of Cartheigh, after both fell in love with each other at this famous ball. Pure infatuation. But Gregory's childish, spoiled-rotten personality quickly makes Eleanore fall out of love with him. No "happy ever after" in this story, which make it a meaty story you want to get your teeth.
I highly recommend this read to all Historical Fictions fans like me. The story has meat, very atmospheric throughout, and this is not your typical subdued princess. Eleanore has personality and opinions, which makes you want to cheer for her. Great read!
She marries Gregory Desmarais, prince of the kingdom of Cartheigh, after both fell in love with each other at this famous ball. Pure infatuation. But Gregory's childish, spoiled-rotten personality quickly makes Eleanore fall out of love with him. No "happy ever after" in this story, which make it a meaty story you want to get your teeth.
I highly recommend this read to all Historical Fictions fans like me. The story has meat, very atmospheric throughout, and this is not your typical subdued princess. Eleanore has personality and opinions, which makes you want to cheer for her. Great read!
October 1, 2012
THE CRACKED SLIPPER was an odd, disjointed mix of missed connections and wtfery. I wanted to like it. The synopsis kind of had me at the whole 'talking parrot spy' thing. But the more I read it, the more it just kind of lost me because you had no idea what it was leading up to. There was no character development, the talking animals didn't add a single thing to the story, and then it just ended. Seriously. It JUST ENDED.
The story is basically the 'what happens next' of the Cinderella story with the entire goes-to-the-ball-meets-the-prince glossed over. Eleanor is the poor stepdaughter of an evil woman with two daughters who somehow catches the eye and the proposal of the kingdom's prince. We meet her as she moves into the palace a week or so before the wedding. Once there, we're sort of told why the prince, who is a weak-willed womanizing jerk, fell in love with Eleanor, but not really. Eleanor starts to see Gregory for what he really is as she meets his best friend, Dorian, and begins to fall in love with him.
But then Eleanor and Gregory get married. Eleanor and Dorian long for each other, have a couple of moments past just longing, evil stepmother and evil stepsister do some vague plotting against her, Eleanor pops out a baby amidst a wizard trying to frame her for a crime she didn't commit, some things are wrapped up neatly and some things are just left hanging. The romance between Eleanor and Dorian is neither acted upon nor resolved in any way, shape, or form. There is really no point to the story AT ALL. The talking animals end up just being weird, especially Eleanor's talking parrot Chou Chou.
I gave it two stars because I kept reading just to see if there was any resolution (was Gregory going to die? Would they somehow get a divorce so Eleanor could be with Dorian?) but there was none. Don't waste your time.
The story is basically the 'what happens next' of the Cinderella story with the entire goes-to-the-ball-meets-the-prince glossed over. Eleanor is the poor stepdaughter of an evil woman with two daughters who somehow catches the eye and the proposal of the kingdom's prince. We meet her as she moves into the palace a week or so before the wedding. Once there, we're sort of told why the prince, who is a weak-willed womanizing jerk, fell in love with Eleanor, but not really. Eleanor starts to see Gregory for what he really is as she meets his best friend, Dorian, and begins to fall in love with him.
But then Eleanor and Gregory get married. Eleanor and Dorian long for each other, have a couple of moments past just longing, evil stepmother and evil stepsister do some vague plotting against her, Eleanor pops out a baby amidst a wizard trying to frame her for a crime she didn't commit, some things are wrapped up neatly and some things are just left hanging. The romance between Eleanor and Dorian is neither acted upon nor resolved in any way, shape, or form. There is really no point to the story AT ALL. The talking animals end up just being weird, especially Eleanor's talking parrot Chou Chou.
I gave it two stars because I kept reading just to see if there was any resolution (was Gregory going to die? Would they somehow get a divorce so Eleanor could be with Dorian?) but there was none. Don't waste your time.
December 18, 2024
I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
4.5 star review!
I do wish we could give half stars on goodreads and other review platforms as this book is so worthy of that half star!
I've always loved fairytales, and as an adult, I enjoy retellings too. This is an amazing book full of jealousy, passion, love, magic, a love triangle, friendship, trust, and so much more. Eleanor is such an endearing character, and my heart goes out to her so much! Any retellings fan must read this book!!!
This is part of a series spinning on from the Cinderella fairy tale. I can't wait to read what happens next in book 2.
Update 18/12/24 ***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***.
Since I read the physical copy of this book a few years ago and absolutely loved it, I thought I'd give it another read, but this time on audio, and I wasn't disappointed. The narration is perfect for the book and really fits the characters. This is definitely one of my favourite retellings and definitely one of my favourite audio books now, too.
4.5 star review!
I do wish we could give half stars on goodreads and other review platforms as this book is so worthy of that half star!
I've always loved fairytales, and as an adult, I enjoy retellings too. This is an amazing book full of jealousy, passion, love, magic, a love triangle, friendship, trust, and so much more. Eleanor is such an endearing character, and my heart goes out to her so much! Any retellings fan must read this book!!!
This is part of a series spinning on from the Cinderella fairy tale. I can't wait to read what happens next in book 2.
Update 18/12/24 ***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***.
Since I read the physical copy of this book a few years ago and absolutely loved it, I thought I'd give it another read, but this time on audio, and I wasn't disappointed. The narration is perfect for the book and really fits the characters. This is definitely one of my favourite retellings and definitely one of my favourite audio books now, too.
May 1, 2012
Although Stephanie Alexander's novel is a re-imagining of the Cinderella fairy tale, she quickly builds a world and story of her own, so rich in characters, setting, and fantasy-mixed-with-the-perfect-amount-of-realism that reading it felt like discovering a timeless classic for the first time. Her heroine, Eleanor Brice, is no regular princess or damsel in distress, and one of the most charming aspects of this book is that, as the story unfolds, you see that no character is entirely what he or she seems, no answer as easy as yes or no, good and evil. Even the forbidden love between Eleanor and Dorian (who completely swept me off my feet, by the way) is complex, tender, and more than anything, believable and completely captivating in a way that most "Happily Ever After" stories seldom achieve. The Cracked Slipper is the rare gem of a fairy tale that I'd actually want to--and can--believe in.
March 28, 2023
A retelling of Cinderella, where the Prince Charming isn't so charming. This was different and I enjoyed reading it. It's a slow burn and the plot took its time to thicken! A twisted tale if you will, but been warned of the triggers
September 7, 2022
This is a modern retelling of the Cinderella story, what happens after Cinderella marries Prince Charming. Eleanor Brice meets and marries Prince Charming, Prince Gregory Desmarais of Cartheigh. Unfortunately for Eleanor , Prince Charming is not so charming after all and this is not really her HEA.
Cinderella and her cracked slipper are miserable and lonely given that Gregory is an alpha hole who drinks and chases too many skirts.
This is a must read story.
Cinderella and her cracked slipper are miserable and lonely given that Gregory is an alpha hole who drinks and chases too many skirts.
This is a must read story.
March 19, 2013
I really wanted to like this Cinderella story. I liked the plot and how it really started after the ball. I didn't need to read the explicit details about their sex lives....with each other and everyone elses! I also don't think people back then swore. ESPECIALLY the F bomb. Really? You think a prince will yell that at his wife? Nope. It ruined the book for me.
April 1, 2025
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I will always be intrigued by how people interpret what happens to Cinderella after after she marries her prince. I have read a couple of these types of stories, and yet they are always so different from each other. In this one, we have an unfaithful husband, talking animals (including unicorns! Teardrop is such a precious being and I love her so much.), a spying parrot, dragons in mines… the list could go on.
We start out with Eleanor heading to the palace to start her new life, actually before her marriage. It does start off rather slow, and for me personally, I didn't really feel the pace start to pick up until close to part 2, however, I found it didn't bother me too much.
I truly enjoyed that Eleanor isn't the sole focus of this story. While she is a large portion of it, of course, and we get too explore her point of view of going from peasant to princess, we still largely get to see the other characters at play. There are several times we see from Dorian's point of view (which came off a little strange at times honestly because it felt a bit random and jarring to suddenly be in his POV.) I didn't dislike Dorian at all, but sometimes he felt a little flat to me as a character, and it was often difficult to really understand why he and Eleanor were drawn together.
Then there were times we focused on Prince Gregory, especially when it came to his unfaithfulness or his princely duties. And I so wanted to hate Gregory. I can't stand cheating in novels, and seeing how openly unfaithful he was towards Eleanor really irritated me... which yes, I know was the point, so good on the author for that. But it still irked me to no end that he could be so crass and harsh with Eleanor only to try to show his "love" for her at the most random moments. And don't even get me started on how he treated her near the end... There is nothing that can be done to redeem him in my eyes.
And let's not forget how much screen time Eleanor's sisters both had. Sylvia showed up plenty in an attempt to show up Eleanor and make her mother proud, and she was presented in such a way that made it easy to hate her but also quite easy to sympathize for her at times. I was a little disappointed she seemed to have just kinda disappeared near the ending, but I'm sure she'll be back in the future to continue her antagonizing. And then there was sweet Margaret, who became of one Eleanor's ladies because of the kindness she had showed her before leaving home. I was so glad to see that one of the stepsisters was redeemed so early on in the story, and while I was a bit concerned that it could turn out for the worse, I am happy the author did not take that route. Plus I'm really excited to see how her relationship goes in the series.
There are many other characters in this story I would love to touch on because I enjoyed so many of them, but I feel like this review is already a bit long, so I'll spare the rest of the details.
I also found it really interesting how magic was presented in this story and how the witches and magicians had their own roles to play. We get to see how contrasting those roles are with both Oliver and Rosemary, through both the storytelling and through the ways they're referenced, and I am very intrigued on how (or if) that will change later in the series.
My actually rating is probably closer to a 3.5 than a 4 star, but I do think the rest of the series will be enjoyable. To be honest, if one skipped the prologue that barely glanced over the story of the ball, it'd be hard to even pin it as a Cinderella story if it weren't for the mention of the cracked slipper, which despite not seeming to have too much purpose other than symbolism, I hope continues to show up as the series progresses. After that ending, I can't wait to see how Eleanor's story continues.
For those hoping to read, definitely be warned of the triggers in this one. There is definite cheating and plenty of profanity, and there is on-page somewhat graphic death and violence. However, I would still recommend this to the more mature readers who want to know how Cinderella's story might have continued after the ball.
I will always be intrigued by how people interpret what happens to Cinderella after after she marries her prince. I have read a couple of these types of stories, and yet they are always so different from each other. In this one, we have an unfaithful husband, talking animals (including unicorns! Teardrop is such a precious being and I love her so much.), a spying parrot, dragons in mines… the list could go on.
We start out with Eleanor heading to the palace to start her new life, actually before her marriage. It does start off rather slow, and for me personally, I didn't really feel the pace start to pick up until close to part 2, however, I found it didn't bother me too much.
I truly enjoyed that Eleanor isn't the sole focus of this story. While she is a large portion of it, of course, and we get too explore her point of view of going from peasant to princess, we still largely get to see the other characters at play. There are several times we see from Dorian's point of view (which came off a little strange at times honestly because it felt a bit random and jarring to suddenly be in his POV.) I didn't dislike Dorian at all, but sometimes he felt a little flat to me as a character, and it was often difficult to really understand why he and Eleanor were drawn together.
Then there were times we focused on Prince Gregory, especially when it came to his unfaithfulness or his princely duties. And I so wanted to hate Gregory. I can't stand cheating in novels, and seeing how openly unfaithful he was towards Eleanor really irritated me... which yes, I know was the point, so good on the author for that. But it still irked me to no end that he could be so crass and harsh with Eleanor only to try to show his "love" for her at the most random moments. And don't even get me started on how he treated her near the end... There is nothing that can be done to redeem him in my eyes.
And let's not forget how much screen time Eleanor's sisters both had. Sylvia showed up plenty in an attempt to show up Eleanor and make her mother proud, and she was presented in such a way that made it easy to hate her but also quite easy to sympathize for her at times. I was a little disappointed she seemed to have just kinda disappeared near the ending, but I'm sure she'll be back in the future to continue her antagonizing. And then there was sweet Margaret, who became of one Eleanor's ladies because of the kindness she had showed her before leaving home. I was so glad to see that one of the stepsisters was redeemed so early on in the story, and while I was a bit concerned that it could turn out for the worse, I am happy the author did not take that route. Plus I'm really excited to see how her relationship goes in the series.
There are many other characters in this story I would love to touch on because I enjoyed so many of them, but I feel like this review is already a bit long, so I'll spare the rest of the details.
I also found it really interesting how magic was presented in this story and how the witches and magicians had their own roles to play. We get to see how contrasting those roles are with both Oliver and Rosemary, through both the storytelling and through the ways they're referenced, and I am very intrigued on how (or if) that will change later in the series.
My actually rating is probably closer to a 3.5 than a 4 star, but I do think the rest of the series will be enjoyable. To be honest, if one skipped the prologue that barely glanced over the story of the ball, it'd be hard to even pin it as a Cinderella story if it weren't for the mention of the cracked slipper, which despite not seeming to have too much purpose other than symbolism, I hope continues to show up as the series progresses. After that ending, I can't wait to see how Eleanor's story continues.
For those hoping to read, definitely be warned of the triggers in this one. There is definite cheating and plenty of profanity, and there is on-page somewhat graphic death and violence. However, I would still recommend this to the more mature readers who want to know how Cinderella's story might have continued after the ball.
July 6, 2025
This is an ARC review. Thank you to the author, Stephanie Alexander, for a copy of her book.
The Cracked Slipper is book 1 in a Cinderella retelling trilogy by Stephanie Alexander. This book falls into a romantasy category and I'd consider it appropriate it for young adults. A little bit of implied spice but no gratuitous scenes. Eleanor, the female main character, is young and gaining her voice so it appropriately feels geared towards a young adult.
Ok, first and foremost, Gregory AKA the Prince, is one of the most confusing characters I've ever read. Our story starts with Eleanor (Cinderella) at the ball and being swept off her feet and then runs out as her clothes turns to rags... the Cinderella story we all know. Gregory finds her, proposes to her and she becomes the Princess. We find out that Greg is a drunk and a womanizer. Running off and doing as he pleases while Eleanor is expected to keep her mouth shut and start popping out the next heir to the throne. Greg is mostly a chauvinistic @ss most of the book. But then he has moments of standing up for Eleanor and kindness and it makes you wonder if he would be different if he hadn't been raised by his father, the King. Also, the King can be a real piece of work but then turn around and give Eleanor a compliment. Very confusing men.
Anyway... enter Dorian. The Prince's BFF. Eleanor falls helplessly in love with him but, she's married to the Prince and Dorian is the Prince's best friend and ...it gets messy.
I appreciated Eleanor's girl power attitude and not sidelining herself to appease the men in her life. Throughout the book she learns how to play politics and get her way without causing one of Gregory's meltdowns (he's a very moody prince).
This is the first in a trilogy and the ending was most definitely left with open plot for the next two books. I enjoyed the ride. I do not like Gregory. Would be happy to see him off'ed in the next few books. Team Dorian over here.
The first book is on Kindle Unlimited and the trilogy is complete and available for purchase on Amazon.
🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮 and 🌶️ for implied adult situations.
I'd recommend you checking it out if you like fantasy, magic and modern day takes on fairy tales!
The Cracked Slipper is book 1 in a Cinderella retelling trilogy by Stephanie Alexander. This book falls into a romantasy category and I'd consider it appropriate it for young adults. A little bit of implied spice but no gratuitous scenes. Eleanor, the female main character, is young and gaining her voice so it appropriately feels geared towards a young adult.
Ok, first and foremost, Gregory AKA the Prince, is one of the most confusing characters I've ever read. Our story starts with Eleanor (Cinderella) at the ball and being swept off her feet and then runs out as her clothes turns to rags... the Cinderella story we all know. Gregory finds her, proposes to her and she becomes the Princess. We find out that Greg is a drunk and a womanizer. Running off and doing as he pleases while Eleanor is expected to keep her mouth shut and start popping out the next heir to the throne. Greg is mostly a chauvinistic @ss most of the book. But then he has moments of standing up for Eleanor and kindness and it makes you wonder if he would be different if he hadn't been raised by his father, the King. Also, the King can be a real piece of work but then turn around and give Eleanor a compliment. Very confusing men.
Anyway... enter Dorian. The Prince's BFF. Eleanor falls helplessly in love with him but, she's married to the Prince and Dorian is the Prince's best friend and ...it gets messy.
I appreciated Eleanor's girl power attitude and not sidelining herself to appease the men in her life. Throughout the book she learns how to play politics and get her way without causing one of Gregory's meltdowns (he's a very moody prince).
This is the first in a trilogy and the ending was most definitely left with open plot for the next two books. I enjoyed the ride. I do not like Gregory. Would be happy to see him off'ed in the next few books. Team Dorian over here.
The first book is on Kindle Unlimited and the trilogy is complete and available for purchase on Amazon.
🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮 and 🌶️ for implied adult situations.
I'd recommend you checking it out if you like fantasy, magic and modern day takes on fairy tales!
December 14, 2012
I enjoyed reading The Cracked Slipper but was deeply disturbed by the turn it takes once we get to the meat of the story. The prologue drops you into this retelling of Cinderella’s escape from the life-changing ball where she loses one of her precious glass slippers (one of which is cracked, hence the title of the novel). If you’ve read Cinderella or watched the animated film, you get the gist. But this tale of Cinderella’s plight has a slight twist—an intimate look inside the happily-ever-after portion of her story. With witches instead of fairy godmothers and talking animals as pets, this isn’t your mother’s fairy tale. I mean, there are talking unicorns! What more could you need?
One thing I noticed right away: the writing is engaging. While The Cracked Slipper needs some editing because of misplaced and extra (unnecessary) words, and an over-excessive use of the word ‘a’, those errors don’t hinder the reader from enjoying Eleanor’s story too much. The world building is pretty solid as you can picture where Eleanor lives and feel like it’s a real place.
The Cracked Slipper has the feel of a period piece with modernized language thrown in—mostly profanity. Some of it is fitting to the book’s tone like the word “dragonshit,” but some of the language would be more suitable to a contemporary romance novel. It’s always odd to me when I read a story where the characters are so refined and proper in their everyday life, yet they drop the F-bomb when pissed like it’s nothing. It made me do a double take.
Things aren’t as happy as you’d think a happily-ever-after should be, but I believe that’s Alexander’s intent with Eleanor’s story. This isn’t a tale about the make-believe princess you expect to read. It’s raw, gritty, and true to life. The realism behind the pauper-turned-princess story relates what it means for Eleanor to be a person of worth after being considered worthless for so long.
The book touches on the harsh realities of Eleanor’s family dynamic somewhat but focuses more on what life is like for her as a princess and wife. Alexander doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to making this story feel real. Eleanor’s wedding night is anything but fabulous and it made me appreciate the author’s intent. With that in mind, I think it’s a bad sign when your fiancé shows up hammered on the eve of your wedding and ends up a passed out drunken mess by the end of your wedding night. Foreshadowing much? I think if Eleanor truly thought about what her prince’s behavior meant, regarding Gregory’s character and how he would treat her, she may not have gone through with the wedding. But then there’d be no story. Or would there?
I didn’t like Gregory as a character. He’s mean, manipulative, and charming all at the same time. Alexander portrays the man behind the royal title as the biggest asshole in the world with exemption to decorum, and it leaves his character room to express his true colors without consequence. I think as readers, we sometimes forget the princes, heroes, and good guys are men underneath it all. And as men, they tend to give in to their baser natures. That fact doesn’t bode well for Eleanor and leads her to seek comfort elsewhere. Enter the gallant and charming Dorian (I loved his character, by the way); he’s everything Gregory isn’t and has a genuine interest in Eleanor as a person, not just as a piece of property. As Gregory’s opposite and best friend, he’s a better fit for the princess, yet finds himself a slave to the bro code. You feel sympathy for Dorian where Gregory makes a girl second guess ever wanting to marry a prince.
Another appealing dynamic of the novel deals with the female presence in the world Alexander has created. The women involved in magic are called witches while the men are just magicians. It’s a little thing, but a title says a lot about people’s conceptions of others. The married women are treated as objects, which is a familiar theme used in period pieces before women had any rights. But no amount of sugar makes it go down easy. The women we’re introduced to deal with their lot in life differently. For the most part, every married woman succumbs to her husband’s will—none more than Eleanor. One of the things that frustrated me about her character is the lack of respect she receives from Gregory. I kept wondering how much of a doormat can one woman be. She knows he’s unfaithful, a drunk and verbally abusive on occasion (which you know may lead to physical abuse) yet has no real option for escape. What is there for her to do in a world where married women are the property of and dependent upon their husbands? I’m not sure what Alexander was trying to say on this topic, but I know it pissed me off and made me scream at my book quite a few times.
For the most part, I liked The Cracked Slipper, but I didn’t understand the plot twist near the end. Aside from that, the ending isn’t very fulfilling. There’s an open-endedness to the resolution of a few issues, and it reads like a bad soap opera. Initially, I didn’t think this way, but as I worked toward the final pages, I was disappointed in how the plot disintegrated. There’s no resolution to the state of Eleanor and Gregory’s marriage; Eleanor and Dorian’s relationship status remains up in the air, leaving the reader confused. I don’t know if that means a sequel is in the works or what. I wanted to like this book more but couldn’t find it in my heart to do so. With more polishing of the plot and characters, this novel could have been much more enjoyable. You can’t lead readers on for hundreds of pages just to leave them with a you-decide-what-happens ending. That doesn’t work for this novel. I would recommend The Cracked Slipper for anyone 17 or older who may be interested in a behind-the-scenes look into a fairytale. Just be warned it may frustrate you in the end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform for an honest review.
One thing I noticed right away: the writing is engaging. While The Cracked Slipper needs some editing because of misplaced and extra (unnecessary) words, and an over-excessive use of the word ‘a’, those errors don’t hinder the reader from enjoying Eleanor’s story too much. The world building is pretty solid as you can picture where Eleanor lives and feel like it’s a real place.
The Cracked Slipper has the feel of a period piece with modernized language thrown in—mostly profanity. Some of it is fitting to the book’s tone like the word “dragonshit,” but some of the language would be more suitable to a contemporary romance novel. It’s always odd to me when I read a story where the characters are so refined and proper in their everyday life, yet they drop the F-bomb when pissed like it’s nothing. It made me do a double take.
Things aren’t as happy as you’d think a happily-ever-after should be, but I believe that’s Alexander’s intent with Eleanor’s story. This isn’t a tale about the make-believe princess you expect to read. It’s raw, gritty, and true to life. The realism behind the pauper-turned-princess story relates what it means for Eleanor to be a person of worth after being considered worthless for so long.
The book touches on the harsh realities of Eleanor’s family dynamic somewhat but focuses more on what life is like for her as a princess and wife. Alexander doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to making this story feel real. Eleanor’s wedding night is anything but fabulous and it made me appreciate the author’s intent. With that in mind, I think it’s a bad sign when your fiancé shows up hammered on the eve of your wedding and ends up a passed out drunken mess by the end of your wedding night. Foreshadowing much? I think if Eleanor truly thought about what her prince’s behavior meant, regarding Gregory’s character and how he would treat her, she may not have gone through with the wedding. But then there’d be no story. Or would there?
I didn’t like Gregory as a character. He’s mean, manipulative, and charming all at the same time. Alexander portrays the man behind the royal title as the biggest asshole in the world with exemption to decorum, and it leaves his character room to express his true colors without consequence. I think as readers, we sometimes forget the princes, heroes, and good guys are men underneath it all. And as men, they tend to give in to their baser natures. That fact doesn’t bode well for Eleanor and leads her to seek comfort elsewhere. Enter the gallant and charming Dorian (I loved his character, by the way); he’s everything Gregory isn’t and has a genuine interest in Eleanor as a person, not just as a piece of property. As Gregory’s opposite and best friend, he’s a better fit for the princess, yet finds himself a slave to the bro code. You feel sympathy for Dorian where Gregory makes a girl second guess ever wanting to marry a prince.
Another appealing dynamic of the novel deals with the female presence in the world Alexander has created. The women involved in magic are called witches while the men are just magicians. It’s a little thing, but a title says a lot about people’s conceptions of others. The married women are treated as objects, which is a familiar theme used in period pieces before women had any rights. But no amount of sugar makes it go down easy. The women we’re introduced to deal with their lot in life differently. For the most part, every married woman succumbs to her husband’s will—none more than Eleanor. One of the things that frustrated me about her character is the lack of respect she receives from Gregory. I kept wondering how much of a doormat can one woman be. She knows he’s unfaithful, a drunk and verbally abusive on occasion (which you know may lead to physical abuse) yet has no real option for escape. What is there for her to do in a world where married women are the property of and dependent upon their husbands? I’m not sure what Alexander was trying to say on this topic, but I know it pissed me off and made me scream at my book quite a few times.
For the most part, I liked The Cracked Slipper, but I didn’t understand the plot twist near the end. Aside from that, the ending isn’t very fulfilling. There’s an open-endedness to the resolution of a few issues, and it reads like a bad soap opera. Initially, I didn’t think this way, but as I worked toward the final pages, I was disappointed in how the plot disintegrated. There’s no resolution to the state of Eleanor and Gregory’s marriage; Eleanor and Dorian’s relationship status remains up in the air, leaving the reader confused. I don’t know if that means a sequel is in the works or what. I wanted to like this book more but couldn’t find it in my heart to do so. With more polishing of the plot and characters, this novel could have been much more enjoyable. You can’t lead readers on for hundreds of pages just to leave them with a you-decide-what-happens ending. That doesn’t work for this novel. I would recommend The Cracked Slipper for anyone 17 or older who may be interested in a behind-the-scenes look into a fairytale. Just be warned it may frustrate you in the end.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform for an honest review.
April 23, 2020
Fun twist on a classic fairy-tale including intrigue, scandal, magic, and unicorns. This story picks up where the happily ever after leaves off. The night before the wedding Eleanor discovers that her Prince isn't so charming after all. After his multiple infidelities, she becomes more disillusioned by her new husband Gregory and closer to his best friend Dorian. Becoming her rescuer and champion against the court gossips only makes her long even more for a love that can never be. But when an important artifact critical to the survival of the kingdom turns up missing, Eleanor is the number one suspect and must prove her innocence to save her own life.
I just love that Prince Charming isn't all he's cracked up to be in this retelling. Eleanor becomes a strong woman able to defend her own self. I'm so excited to read the sequel that sitting in my to read file! Can't wait to find out what happens next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I just love that Prince Charming isn't all he's cracked up to be in this retelling. Eleanor becomes a strong woman able to defend her own self. I'm so excited to read the sequel that sitting in my to read file! Can't wait to find out what happens next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
August 11, 2022
TW: miscarriage, infedlitity, alcohol abuse, and pregnancy
This story was so interesting. I found AlexAnder's attention to detail to be very precise helping to create a vivid world as you read. Of course, my favorite character was Eleanor with her smart mouth and not taking crap from anyone. She deserved so much better. This is like a Cinderella story where the prince isn't charming.
Dorian is a breath of fresh air compared to Prince Gregory. I will admit I was rooting for them since the moment they met! He is just so sweet and kind while Gregory is a lousy husband. Even when given a chance to prove himself to Eleanor all he was capable of was following his father's orders.
Be warned this story was written in a past timeframe so while the beliefs held by the men are INFURIATING it makes Eleanor and Dorian's characters all the better.
This story was so interesting. I found AlexAnder's attention to detail to be very precise helping to create a vivid world as you read. Of course, my favorite character was Eleanor with her smart mouth and not taking crap from anyone. She deserved so much better. This is like a Cinderella story where the prince isn't charming.
Dorian is a breath of fresh air compared to Prince Gregory. I will admit I was rooting for them since the moment they met! He is just so sweet and kind while Gregory is a lousy husband. Even when given a chance to prove himself to Eleanor all he was capable of was following his father's orders.
Be warned this story was written in a past timeframe so while the beliefs held by the men are INFURIATING it makes Eleanor and Dorian's characters all the better.
July 29, 2022
The Cracked Slipper is an interesting look at the happily ever after of a fairytale and what that would actually mean if the heroine was a real woman. I love the idea of this novel and, on the whole, Stephanie Alexander really does deliver. Eleanor is a strong Cinderella character and her prince, Gregory is a particularly well written character in that he is spoiled, neglectful and at times cruel but just when you start to hate him he will do something in the novel to redeem himself a little. I actually felt sorry for Gregory at different times of the story.
This novel is a slow burn and may not move quickly enough for some readers but I enjoyed the slow build up and the fairytale world that is created. It’s a really interesting twist on a fairytale that is so well known. I also loved the idea of the magical creatures and the witches. I am interested to see what happens next in the story.
I received a free ebook of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and is written voluntarily.
This novel is a slow burn and may not move quickly enough for some readers but I enjoyed the slow build up and the fairytale world that is created. It’s a really interesting twist on a fairytale that is so well known. I also loved the idea of the magical creatures and the witches. I am interested to see what happens next in the story.
I received a free ebook of this novel. This review is my honest opinion and is written voluntarily.
November 23, 2012
The Cracked Slipper made me think for a long while after reading it.Sadly not in the kind of way the author had intended.
When I read a book ideally the plot, the characters and the setting/world building are good, but most importantly the prose has to be great. I always insisted that if i don't like the style of writing I can't read a book no matter how good the plot, if the prose is great I will still enjoy the book even if the storyline isn't that great. Well, I discovered that even if I do like the prose of a book, if the plot lacks, I really don't enjoy reading it either.
Alexander is a skilled writer, her style of writing is really great. But the storyline was lacking for me. I found lots was picked up and left unfinished and it sort of just ended. I get somehow the idea behind the book. I just didn't think it went anywhere. When I finished I thought, and what was the point of that?
Half the time it felt like being in medieval high school. The other half I kept wondering what point Alexander is trying to make. Was there a message behind this? There were tinges of feminist empowerment, the whole love triangle and the intrigues all ended up feeling a bit discombobulated.
The characters were inconsistent to me while some were great like Eleanor, written with deep insight and subtlety, others were simple stereotypes like Gregory.
The world building was quite good. Except that the talking animals somehow were unnecessary and ended up being too much, bordering on weird.
To be honest I kept on wondering if I like the original fairytale to much to appreciate this book. I like the traditional fairy tales and was brought up on the proper Grimm stories. Another thing I pondered over after reading this. It is possible that this is the case. I concede that the first couple of chapters I might have been a bit biased by that. But I kept reading due to two reasons as mentioned previously Alexander writes beautifully and I wanted to see where she will take this. And then the book ended. I was left wondering.
I can see that this could have been meant as a critic to the HAE but somehow that wasn't explored. And if that was the case, why set it in the whimsical setting? Why the intrigue? Why ad women's rights issues into it? Then there is the love triangle, which was left unfinished just was kinda not here nor there.
I really wanted to like this book, again I think Alexander is a great writer, but in my opinion it fell short on execution in the end. I wonder if maybe Alexander simply tried to do too much ?
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
When I read a book ideally the plot, the characters and the setting/world building are good, but most importantly the prose has to be great. I always insisted that if i don't like the style of writing I can't read a book no matter how good the plot, if the prose is great I will still enjoy the book even if the storyline isn't that great. Well, I discovered that even if I do like the prose of a book, if the plot lacks, I really don't enjoy reading it either.
Alexander is a skilled writer, her style of writing is really great. But the storyline was lacking for me. I found lots was picked up and left unfinished and it sort of just ended. I get somehow the idea behind the book. I just didn't think it went anywhere. When I finished I thought, and what was the point of that?
Half the time it felt like being in medieval high school. The other half I kept wondering what point Alexander is trying to make. Was there a message behind this? There were tinges of feminist empowerment, the whole love triangle and the intrigues all ended up feeling a bit discombobulated.
The characters were inconsistent to me while some were great like Eleanor, written with deep insight and subtlety, others were simple stereotypes like Gregory.
The world building was quite good. Except that the talking animals somehow were unnecessary and ended up being too much, bordering on weird.
To be honest I kept on wondering if I like the original fairytale to much to appreciate this book. I like the traditional fairy tales and was brought up on the proper Grimm stories. Another thing I pondered over after reading this. It is possible that this is the case. I concede that the first couple of chapters I might have been a bit biased by that. But I kept reading due to two reasons as mentioned previously Alexander writes beautifully and I wanted to see where she will take this. And then the book ended. I was left wondering.
I can see that this could have been meant as a critic to the HAE but somehow that wasn't explored. And if that was the case, why set it in the whimsical setting? Why the intrigue? Why ad women's rights issues into it? Then there is the love triangle, which was left unfinished just was kinda not here nor there.
I really wanted to like this book, again I think Alexander is a great writer, but in my opinion it fell short on execution in the end. I wonder if maybe Alexander simply tried to do too much ?
ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you!
November 1, 2012
This book reminds me of what my friend had for her skype status once "The prince is awake, your shit is wrecked". Only in this case, we should change the word to Princess, because it's our heroine, Eleanor who is the strong one.
The Cracked Slipper follows what happen after the prince (Gregory) finds Cinderella (Eleanor). Only unlike Cinderella 2, the Disney version, this reads a lot more like life here.
But with some crucial differences. For one, this is a magical kingdom. There are unicorns and dragons (both of which are put to work), magicians and witches (no fairy godmothers though), all of which make the normal court politics (Which is already too complicated for me to play) more, um, fun. Plus, the evil step-mother and one step-sister don't go down without a fight - they're fighting like ladies (through the court, through the court).
The most surprising thing is that there's no happily ever after, romance-wise, for Eleanor and Gregory. For some reason, she falls in love with Dorian, Gregory's best friend, and it's this conflict that most of the book is pre-occupied with. But since she can't leave Gregory..... Well, I just hope that in the next book (this is left unresolved, so I think there's a next book), she can find a solution. Preferably one that involves her keeping her wedding vows, although Gregory isn't the best husband (morally).
However, I would like to caution that the f-word is used quite a few times, and there are a few sexual references too. So even though this is a retelling of the fairy-tale, I only recommend it for mature readers. There are, however, quite a few positive things, like friendships and love inside (apart from the plot, which is interesting). It's all up to you on what is your deal breaker.
All in all, this is a pretty interesting book. It takes a really real-life approach to the whole fairy-tale stories, which means that it should appeal to women (older teens and up).
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
The Cracked Slipper follows what happen after the prince (Gregory) finds Cinderella (Eleanor). Only unlike Cinderella 2, the Disney version, this reads a lot more like life here.
But with some crucial differences. For one, this is a magical kingdom. There are unicorns and dragons (both of which are put to work), magicians and witches (no fairy godmothers though), all of which make the normal court politics (Which is already too complicated for me to play) more, um, fun. Plus, the evil step-mother and one step-sister don't go down without a fight - they're fighting like ladies (through the court, through the court).
The most surprising thing is that there's no happily ever after, romance-wise, for Eleanor and Gregory. For some reason, she falls in love with Dorian, Gregory's best friend, and it's this conflict that most of the book is pre-occupied with. But since she can't leave Gregory..... Well, I just hope that in the next book (this is left unresolved, so I think there's a next book), she can find a solution. Preferably one that involves her keeping her wedding vows, although Gregory isn't the best husband (morally).
However, I would like to caution that the f-word is used quite a few times, and there are a few sexual references too. So even though this is a retelling of the fairy-tale, I only recommend it for mature readers. There are, however, quite a few positive things, like friendships and love inside (apart from the plot, which is interesting). It's all up to you on what is your deal breaker.
All in all, this is a pretty interesting book. It takes a really real-life approach to the whole fairy-tale stories, which means that it should appeal to women (older teens and up).
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a free and honest review.
First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
December 5, 2012
We all know the story of Cinderella. However, we don’t know what happens after the run away into the setting sun. All we get is “Happily Ever After.” Stephanie Alexander picks it up for us, but in this book, Cinderella is Eleanor. The names are different, story just picks up where we were left wondering.
And unfortunately for Eleanor, things arent’ quite what she hoped. She lives in a huge castle, barely sees the prince, and her intelligence and education are not appreciated at all. What makes matters worse, there’s another man in the picture. Eleanor can’t keep her eyes off him, and she doesn’t really have a choice because he is the prince’s best friend. Not quite sure this is what happily every after meant.
I am a huge fan of new tales about the classics. I always like to see how people intepret the fairy tales we all grew up with.
Stephanie Alexander made a phenomenal character out of Princess Eleanor. She is very strong-willed and extremely intelligent. She is well beyond the lady of the times. And you better believe that topic comes up time and time again. But in modern day, she is a wonderful role model for women. She would be a great princess today, although still maybe a little outspoken. She is a prime example of how intelligence can get you far and keep you on top… even if you do make enemies along that way
You may not think it could get more magical than Cinderella, but Alexander did it. Out goes the dancing and singing mice and the pumpkin carriage. In comes talking unicorns, parrots and vicious little fairies. And don’t forget the witches and oracles. You name it with magic and they are there. I am always a fan of witches and even though they don’t play a huge role in this, I love the ladies with the magic. Alexander took a snippet of a classic and made it into her own, amazing fantasy!
If you are into fantasy and a new twist to the classic, definitely check out The Cracked Slipper. I give it 5 out of 5 bookmarks.
October 1, 2017
Eleanor Brice, Alexander's Cinderella character, is no gentle soul with a sweet singing voice. She's a thoroughly modern woman navigating a society that isn't. And it turns out Prince Charming can't stop being charming...to everyone else. Each character was so well written and each scene was thoughtfully created. In this tale, animals can talk, unicorns and dragons are real, and fairies are jerks. Outside of the fantastic world-building, there is a beautiful love story wrapped up in tragedy. The story moves along at a relaxed pace, exploring Eleanor's new world in an unhurried way. Although it doesn't drive forward at breakneck pace toward the final crisis, the narrative is interesting at all times. I don't want to give it away, but the book left me guessing, and that is right up to the last page. I honestly thought it would have ended differently. Part women's fiction, part fantasy, part love story, it was bittersweet and lovely, from start to finish. Highly recommend this one for fans of fairy tale spinoffs!
April 12, 2012
Stephanie Alexander gives happily ever after a dose of reality while expanding upon the beloved story of Cinderella. On her journey from peasant to princess, Eleanor (Cinderella’s counterpart), realizes destiny and fate aren’t all they’re "cracked" up to be in a kingdom where witches and women are oppressed by men and wizards.
The premise of this book is so unique, and I'm a huge fan of fairy tale adaptions, pseudo-renaissance settings, and unicorns. On a personal level, this really hit the spot for me! I read an early version so there were a few small typos, but it certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Highly recommended for book club reads, fans of medieval fantasy, fairy tales, and anyone looking for an imaginative, expertly-paced story with beautiful world building.
The premise of this book is so unique, and I'm a huge fan of fairy tale adaptions, pseudo-renaissance settings, and unicorns. On a personal level, this really hit the spot for me! I read an early version so there were a few small typos, but it certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.
Highly recommended for book club reads, fans of medieval fantasy, fairy tales, and anyone looking for an imaginative, expertly-paced story with beautiful world building.
March 31, 2025
A woman who’s unafraid to speak her mind and who possesses an eagerness to learn experiences a change in her status from maid to princess with many unexpected alterations along the way in The Cracked Slipper by Stephanie Alexander.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After years of serving as a maid within her own home to her stepmother and her two stepsisters, Eleanor has secured the affections of Prince Gregory and, with it, her place within the palace as his bride. While this change in fate and fortune is welcome, it does come with challenges, chief among them being that the expectation in the palace is that women are generally ornamentation, while Eleanor is instead accustomed to voicing her opinions. With a need to learn the ruling courtly manners, Eleanor’s strong spirit is expected to be brought in line through Gregory’s discipline, which, when coupled with his drunken behavior, callous attitude, and seeking comfort from professional women, soon leaves her disillusioned with the storied life and love she thought she found. Gregory’s best friend, Dorian, provides some guidance for Eleanor in navigating courtly interactions and Gregory’s indiscreet actions, providing a friendly presence that demonstrates that perhaps her husband might not have been her best opportunity for a happy future after all. When a crime of magical origins and with vast political implications is pinned on Eleanor, she must clear her name to save her life, forcing her to solve the mystery of the events, as well as reach an important decision of the heart.
In a retelling of Cinderella that explores what life is like after the glamour of the ball has lost a bit of its sheen and the glass slipper has cracked to reveal its fragility, the story includes the perspectives of Eleanor and Dorian, depicting a dual sense of admiration, attraction, and yearning as they strive to maintain the duties and expectations of the roles suited to their appointed stations and the impossibilities facing them in the happily-ever-after as they pursue happiness amid their reality. There’s a significant expansion upon the magic aspect to the original tale to make this more fantastic in nature through the inclusion of witches, magicians, and oracles, unicorns bound by loyalty to reigning royalty, dragons and the mines they inhabit that provide resources that drive the economy, and talking animals such as Chou Chou who provide valuable intel as well as levity throughout the narrative. Each of the characters presents a strong and fairly distinct personality, unlikable though many of them may be, and possesses a level of complexity and pressures from their position that inform their behaviors and actions. Offering conspiracies and plots afoot to drive the action and intrigue, which moves in alternating bouts of slowly moving mundane daily existence and bursts of more quickly moving high-intensity and -impact events, matters of the most immediate concern appear to be resolved for this installment but there are lingering questions that remain to explore further in subsequent tales within the world.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
After years of serving as a maid within her own home to her stepmother and her two stepsisters, Eleanor has secured the affections of Prince Gregory and, with it, her place within the palace as his bride. While this change in fate and fortune is welcome, it does come with challenges, chief among them being that the expectation in the palace is that women are generally ornamentation, while Eleanor is instead accustomed to voicing her opinions. With a need to learn the ruling courtly manners, Eleanor’s strong spirit is expected to be brought in line through Gregory’s discipline, which, when coupled with his drunken behavior, callous attitude, and seeking comfort from professional women, soon leaves her disillusioned with the storied life and love she thought she found. Gregory’s best friend, Dorian, provides some guidance for Eleanor in navigating courtly interactions and Gregory’s indiscreet actions, providing a friendly presence that demonstrates that perhaps her husband might not have been her best opportunity for a happy future after all. When a crime of magical origins and with vast political implications is pinned on Eleanor, she must clear her name to save her life, forcing her to solve the mystery of the events, as well as reach an important decision of the heart.
In a retelling of Cinderella that explores what life is like after the glamour of the ball has lost a bit of its sheen and the glass slipper has cracked to reveal its fragility, the story includes the perspectives of Eleanor and Dorian, depicting a dual sense of admiration, attraction, and yearning as they strive to maintain the duties and expectations of the roles suited to their appointed stations and the impossibilities facing them in the happily-ever-after as they pursue happiness amid their reality. There’s a significant expansion upon the magic aspect to the original tale to make this more fantastic in nature through the inclusion of witches, magicians, and oracles, unicorns bound by loyalty to reigning royalty, dragons and the mines they inhabit that provide resources that drive the economy, and talking animals such as Chou Chou who provide valuable intel as well as levity throughout the narrative. Each of the characters presents a strong and fairly distinct personality, unlikable though many of them may be, and possesses a level of complexity and pressures from their position that inform their behaviors and actions. Offering conspiracies and plots afoot to drive the action and intrigue, which moves in alternating bouts of slowly moving mundane daily existence and bursts of more quickly moving high-intensity and -impact events, matters of the most immediate concern appear to be resolved for this installment but there are lingering questions that remain to explore further in subsequent tales within the world.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, Stephanie Alexander and Books Go Social for my arc of The Cracked Slipper in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: A retelling of the Cinderella story finds Eleanor Brice winning the heart of the Handsome Prince, Gregory Desmarais. But things are not as they should be for the happy couple. Eleanor who has spent her time learning, educating herself and being confident and outspoken outside of her time of drudgery and cleaning, finds that in Eclatant Palace women should be seen and not heard. Plus there's the matter of her new princely husband being unable to stick to his marriage vows, keep a hold on his temper or know when it's a good idea to stop drinking. And Eleanor has a new and dangerous love interest of her own. When a terrible magical crime is committed falsely accused Eleanor is dragged into the whole sorry mess with seemingly no way out...
Ok, so I had absolutely no expectations from this book, in fact that's a lie. I expected to start it and no finish it because it was originally published in 2012 and I've never heard anyone mention it. But that is such a huge shame because this was a great book! I really enjoyed it and trust me with my aversion to most fairytale retellings nobody was more surprised about that than me! So basically now I'm just going to rave about how much I loved this book!
This book encompasses exactly what a good fairytale retelling should be. While keeping its base in the fairytale itself, Stephanie Alexander goes on to produce a work all of her own with fantastic world building, great characters and an interesting storyline. I love that Eleanor is outspoken, educated and determined, she's fierce and doesn't let anyone try and 'put her in her place' which I really liked about her. Dorian is another great character with lots of depth to him, and even the 'bad guys' are done well. Gregory is the perfect grey character with his terrible ways but occasional insights into his struggle as crown prince and all the pressure that comes with it. Imogen and Sylvia (stepmother and stepsister) are exactly the kind of mean girls we all love to hate.
I liked the world, I won't go into too much to make it spoiler-y but there's a wonderfully sarcastic talking parrot who delivers some great one liners
Plus there's talking unicorns and there's dragons and there's the framework that's been laid for the perfect story leaving enough intrigue that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!
Synopsis: A retelling of the Cinderella story finds Eleanor Brice winning the heart of the Handsome Prince, Gregory Desmarais. But things are not as they should be for the happy couple. Eleanor who has spent her time learning, educating herself and being confident and outspoken outside of her time of drudgery and cleaning, finds that in Eclatant Palace women should be seen and not heard. Plus there's the matter of her new princely husband being unable to stick to his marriage vows, keep a hold on his temper or know when it's a good idea to stop drinking. And Eleanor has a new and dangerous love interest of her own. When a terrible magical crime is committed falsely accused Eleanor is dragged into the whole sorry mess with seemingly no way out...
Ok, so I had absolutely no expectations from this book, in fact that's a lie. I expected to start it and no finish it because it was originally published in 2012 and I've never heard anyone mention it. But that is such a huge shame because this was a great book! I really enjoyed it and trust me with my aversion to most fairytale retellings nobody was more surprised about that than me! So basically now I'm just going to rave about how much I loved this book!
This book encompasses exactly what a good fairytale retelling should be. While keeping its base in the fairytale itself, Stephanie Alexander goes on to produce a work all of her own with fantastic world building, great characters and an interesting storyline. I love that Eleanor is outspoken, educated and determined, she's fierce and doesn't let anyone try and 'put her in her place' which I really liked about her. Dorian is another great character with lots of depth to him, and even the 'bad guys' are done well. Gregory is the perfect grey character with his terrible ways but occasional insights into his struggle as crown prince and all the pressure that comes with it. Imogen and Sylvia (stepmother and stepsister) are exactly the kind of mean girls we all love to hate.
I liked the world, I won't go into too much to make it spoiler-y but there's a wonderfully sarcastic talking parrot who delivers some great one liners
Plus there's talking unicorns and there's dragons and there's the framework that's been laid for the perfect story leaving enough intrigue that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!
April 6, 2025
“Fractured Fairy Tales” is a genre all its own, and a tough market to succeed in. The technique this author uses successfully is to start with the fairy tale, but segue into another Fantasy style that will add to the thematic clout of the original. So, the opening introduction of characters, setting, and adapted plotline is neatly intertwined with the details of the original fairy tale, but the plot immediately departs from “happily ever after” into the social, emotional, and personal conflicts of a good Action Romance.
An incredible amount of thought has gone into the setting — social, architectural, and historical — and the description is a bit overwhelming at the start. We are rescued by the dialogue and the action, which cleverly reveal personalities and all the other introductory material that otherwise becomes a boring information dump.
The main focus of the story is the development of the characters, who are vibrant and believable. The Cinderella substitute is well-rounded and sympathetic, and the love triangle is credible and powerful.
Another element that helps this novel stand out in its genre is the refreshingly sparse use of magic. The speaking animals mostly don’t speak unless the plot requires it. (Except the parrot, who talks a steady stream and provides a lot of the bridging material in an entertaining way.) For the most part, the plot and conflict are based on the characters and their actions, with magic only entering the picture when it is needed at the climax.
There is one unfortunate spot, just past halfway, where the suspense suffers a hiatus; the conflicts have all been laid out, the settings and characters are all poised for something important to happen, and then, for a short while, nothing does. Everyone goes about their business on the paths that have been set up, but nobody makes any progress.
Then, happily for the reader, all hell breaks loose, two main conflicts start developing at the same time, and we’re on a roll for the rest of the book. Which, I’m sorry to say, ends with a rounding off of most of the conflicts, but the main problem remains to be solved in the sequel.
What did you expect, ‘Happily ever after?’
Highly recommended for all Fantasy and Romance fans.
An incredible amount of thought has gone into the setting — social, architectural, and historical — and the description is a bit overwhelming at the start. We are rescued by the dialogue and the action, which cleverly reveal personalities and all the other introductory material that otherwise becomes a boring information dump.
The main focus of the story is the development of the characters, who are vibrant and believable. The Cinderella substitute is well-rounded and sympathetic, and the love triangle is credible and powerful.
Another element that helps this novel stand out in its genre is the refreshingly sparse use of magic. The speaking animals mostly don’t speak unless the plot requires it. (Except the parrot, who talks a steady stream and provides a lot of the bridging material in an entertaining way.) For the most part, the plot and conflict are based on the characters and their actions, with magic only entering the picture when it is needed at the climax.
There is one unfortunate spot, just past halfway, where the suspense suffers a hiatus; the conflicts have all been laid out, the settings and characters are all poised for something important to happen, and then, for a short while, nothing does. Everyone goes about their business on the paths that have been set up, but nobody makes any progress.
Then, happily for the reader, all hell breaks loose, two main conflicts start developing at the same time, and we’re on a roll for the rest of the book. Which, I’m sorry to say, ends with a rounding off of most of the conflicts, but the main problem remains to be solved in the sequel.
What did you expect, ‘Happily ever after?’
Highly recommended for all Fantasy and Romance fans.
August 22, 2022
A huge thank you to KatieandBreyPA and the author for a copy of this book.
I’m not going to lie–I’ve been in a serious reading funk. There are plenty of good books out there to choose from, but nothing was really hitting the spot for me. My TBR pile was super serious and heavy and that just wasn't what I was looking for right now. Enter The Cracked Slipper by Stephanie Alexander.
Our main character, Eleanor, charmed Prince Gregory at the ball her witchy godmother prepared her for (enter glass slippers). Soon enough, she went from sleeping in a barn and serving her terrible step mother to the fiancè of the prince, living in lush quarters in the castle. Eleanor must not only navigate the trials and tribulations of a new marriage (and relationship), but also find her way at Court, with a whole new set of rules, people, and eyes on her at all times. As an outsider, Eleanor has to figure out who she can trust, who is genuine, and most importantly, who Eleanor, future queen of Cartheigh, is and how she can best serve the crown and the citizens of Cartheigh.
The Cracked Slipper takes a fairy tale we’ve all heard and elaborates on the “and they lived happily ever after” portion. It is an adult spin, with romance, action, and perhaps not as smooth of a road as we might expect from a fairy tale, but with the lighthearted and whimsical nature of the tried and true children’s story. This book was light enough that I didn’t feel emotionally burdened by the story, but I was pulled in by the characters and fully engaged in their journey. While being lighthearted, the author managed to cover some heavy topics and plot twists without ever leaving me feeling emotionally burdened (which is exactly what I wanted).
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series. If you’re in a reading rut, I highly recommend The Cracked Slipper to pull you out of it!
I’m not going to lie–I’ve been in a serious reading funk. There are plenty of good books out there to choose from, but nothing was really hitting the spot for me. My TBR pile was super serious and heavy and that just wasn't what I was looking for right now. Enter The Cracked Slipper by Stephanie Alexander.
Our main character, Eleanor, charmed Prince Gregory at the ball her witchy godmother prepared her for (enter glass slippers). Soon enough, she went from sleeping in a barn and serving her terrible step mother to the fiancè of the prince, living in lush quarters in the castle. Eleanor must not only navigate the trials and tribulations of a new marriage (and relationship), but also find her way at Court, with a whole new set of rules, people, and eyes on her at all times. As an outsider, Eleanor has to figure out who she can trust, who is genuine, and most importantly, who Eleanor, future queen of Cartheigh, is and how she can best serve the crown and the citizens of Cartheigh.
The Cracked Slipper takes a fairy tale we’ve all heard and elaborates on the “and they lived happily ever after” portion. It is an adult spin, with romance, action, and perhaps not as smooth of a road as we might expect from a fairy tale, but with the lighthearted and whimsical nature of the tried and true children’s story. This book was light enough that I didn’t feel emotionally burdened by the story, but I was pulled in by the characters and fully engaged in their journey. While being lighthearted, the author managed to cover some heavy topics and plot twists without ever leaving me feeling emotionally burdened (which is exactly what I wanted).
I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series. If you’re in a reading rut, I highly recommend The Cracked Slipper to pull you out of it!
March 13, 2025
The Cracked Slipper (Cracked Slipper Series Book 1)
By: Stephanie Alexander
Publisher: Bublish, Inc.
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Length: 414 pages
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Fairy Tale Glow-Up with a Dark Side
Stephanie Alexander’s The Cracked Slipper flips the classic Cinderella story on its head, giving us a raw, real, and sometimes messy take on what happens after the fairy tale ends. This ain’t your typical prince-and-princess love story—it’s got drama, betrayal, and a whole lot of courtly chaos.
The Royal Life Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be
Eleanor Brice thought she was getting her dream life when she snagged Prince Gregory Desmarais, but turns out, reality bites. Instead of true love, she’s stuck in a royal circus where backstabbing is the main sport, and her husband’s bestie, Dorian Finley, is way more swoon-worthy than the prince. As she struggles with royal expectations, power-hungry enemies, and her own baggage, Eleanor finds herself in the middle of some serious magical and political drama. Oh, and did we mention the unicorns?
Why This Book Slaps:
Eleanor’s a Total Boss: She’s smart, snarky, and refuses to play the quiet princess role.
The Prince is a Hot Mess: Gregory is equal parts charming and problematic, making things hella complicated.
Magic, But Make It Real: No fairy godmothers here—just witches, wizards, and talking animals who spill the tea.
Palace Drama for Days: If you love a good power struggle, this book has it in spades.
Final Verdict: A Must-Read with a Wicked Twist
If you’re into fairy tales with an edge, strong female leads, and courtly drama that keeps you on your toes, The Cracked Slipper is an absolute must. It’s got heart, humor, and just the right amount of magic to keep things interesting. Highly recommend! Phyllis
Book Series:
The Cracked Slipper (Cracked Slipper Series Book 1)
The Dragon Choker (Cracked Slipper Series Book 2)
The Glass Rainbow (Cracked Slipper Series Book 3)
By: Stephanie Alexander
Publisher: Bublish, Inc.
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Length: 414 pages
Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Fairy Tale Glow-Up with a Dark Side
Stephanie Alexander’s The Cracked Slipper flips the classic Cinderella story on its head, giving us a raw, real, and sometimes messy take on what happens after the fairy tale ends. This ain’t your typical prince-and-princess love story—it’s got drama, betrayal, and a whole lot of courtly chaos.
The Royal Life Ain’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be
Eleanor Brice thought she was getting her dream life when she snagged Prince Gregory Desmarais, but turns out, reality bites. Instead of true love, she’s stuck in a royal circus where backstabbing is the main sport, and her husband’s bestie, Dorian Finley, is way more swoon-worthy than the prince. As she struggles with royal expectations, power-hungry enemies, and her own baggage, Eleanor finds herself in the middle of some serious magical and political drama. Oh, and did we mention the unicorns?
Why This Book Slaps:
Eleanor’s a Total Boss: She’s smart, snarky, and refuses to play the quiet princess role.
The Prince is a Hot Mess: Gregory is equal parts charming and problematic, making things hella complicated.
Magic, But Make It Real: No fairy godmothers here—just witches, wizards, and talking animals who spill the tea.
Palace Drama for Days: If you love a good power struggle, this book has it in spades.
Final Verdict: A Must-Read with a Wicked Twist
If you’re into fairy tales with an edge, strong female leads, and courtly drama that keeps you on your toes, The Cracked Slipper is an absolute must. It’s got heart, humor, and just the right amount of magic to keep things interesting. Highly recommend! Phyllis
Book Series:
The Cracked Slipper (Cracked Slipper Series Book 1)
The Dragon Choker (Cracked Slipper Series Book 2)
The Glass Rainbow (Cracked Slipper Series Book 3)
August 23, 2022
When the Prince who swept Cinderella (or in this case, Eleanor) off her feet turns out to be a poor match for her, this retelling asks the question, what if the man she should’ve danced with at the ball wasn’t the prince? And what if it was too late by the time she realized it?
Since falling for someone else and acting on it is treasonous, Eleanor tries to ignore her feelings for another fellow at court. With her trusty human-like parrot Chou Chou at her side (all the animals are anthropomorphized, including the delightful unicorns), Eleanor swears she’ll forget her actual Mr. Right and be a good wife to Prince Gregory. If only he was interested in being a good husband to her… Thankfully, Eleanor and Gregory’s relationship didn’t go half as dark as I thought it would from the description, and the potential affair never felt tawdry.
This was a well-written book that engaged me, though the plot relied heavily on the forbidden romance in the middle, even as some pleasantly underhanded schemes were afoot. Only a couple of the sinister plots are fully revealed here, leaving the rest to be discovered later in the series, and I wished I’d gotten at least a few more hints of what was to come.
Overall, the Cracked Slipper is an interesting read with wonderful world-building (again, the unicorns! And I really should mention the witches, too!), with a heroine I can root for. While I wished Eleanor leaned more on logic than dreams of romance at times, maybe that’s the point: love muddies the waters just as much as the lack of it. And after life with the wicked stepmother, who can blame Cinderella for wanting to be loved?
Note: I received a copy and this is an honest, voluntary review.
Since falling for someone else and acting on it is treasonous, Eleanor tries to ignore her feelings for another fellow at court. With her trusty human-like parrot Chou Chou at her side (all the animals are anthropomorphized, including the delightful unicorns), Eleanor swears she’ll forget her actual Mr. Right and be a good wife to Prince Gregory. If only he was interested in being a good husband to her… Thankfully, Eleanor and Gregory’s relationship didn’t go half as dark as I thought it would from the description, and the potential affair never felt tawdry.
This was a well-written book that engaged me, though the plot relied heavily on the forbidden romance in the middle, even as some pleasantly underhanded schemes were afoot. Only a couple of the sinister plots are fully revealed here, leaving the rest to be discovered later in the series, and I wished I’d gotten at least a few more hints of what was to come.
Overall, the Cracked Slipper is an interesting read with wonderful world-building (again, the unicorns! And I really should mention the witches, too!), with a heroine I can root for. While I wished Eleanor leaned more on logic than dreams of romance at times, maybe that’s the point: love muddies the waters just as much as the lack of it. And after life with the wicked stepmother, who can blame Cinderella for wanting to be loved?
Note: I received a copy and this is an honest, voluntary review.
August 24, 2022
Read this if you
👑 Like Fairytale Retellings
📚 Enjoy Historical Fiction and Fantasy
🧙♀️ Believe in Magical Creatures and Witches
Meet The Author: The Cracked Slipper was Stephanie Alexander’s first novel written in 2012. Alexander has 3 children and practices family law. She has ghost written dozens of books. Her life after divorce has inspired both her legal work and fictional work.
Synopsis: Following 8 years of mistreatment and isolation, Eleanor Brice will no longer stand for being seen and not heard. Eleanor is sure she has found her Prince Charming. When Prince Charming proves to have a temper, a loose grip on his marriage vows, and resorts to the bottle, Eleanor decides he isn’t so charming after all.
What I Liked: Eleanor was sarcastic, smart, and didn’t take grief from anyone, following her dreams. Chou Chou was one of my favorite characters with his witty banter and sarcastic remarks. Him and Eleanor were quite the pair. I enjoyed that this novel focused on what happened after the happy-ever-after. As a kid I loved Cinderella and this was the perfect adult version of what happens next.
What I Was Not Crazy About: Prince Charming was very disappointing. I just couldn’t like him no matter how many comebacks he attempted to make. I found this book very hard to get into. At approx. 55% in I considered giving up but couldn’t, hoping it would get better. In the end, this book just wasn’t for me. However this would not deter me from recommending to others who enjoy this type of read.
Available Now!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you, @katieandbreypa and @stephaniealexanderbooks for providing me with a complimentary review copy. In no way has that influenced my voluntary review.
👑 Like Fairytale Retellings
📚 Enjoy Historical Fiction and Fantasy
🧙♀️ Believe in Magical Creatures and Witches
Meet The Author: The Cracked Slipper was Stephanie Alexander’s first novel written in 2012. Alexander has 3 children and practices family law. She has ghost written dozens of books. Her life after divorce has inspired both her legal work and fictional work.
Synopsis: Following 8 years of mistreatment and isolation, Eleanor Brice will no longer stand for being seen and not heard. Eleanor is sure she has found her Prince Charming. When Prince Charming proves to have a temper, a loose grip on his marriage vows, and resorts to the bottle, Eleanor decides he isn’t so charming after all.
What I Liked: Eleanor was sarcastic, smart, and didn’t take grief from anyone, following her dreams. Chou Chou was one of my favorite characters with his witty banter and sarcastic remarks. Him and Eleanor were quite the pair. I enjoyed that this novel focused on what happened after the happy-ever-after. As a kid I loved Cinderella and this was the perfect adult version of what happens next.
What I Was Not Crazy About: Prince Charming was very disappointing. I just couldn’t like him no matter how many comebacks he attempted to make. I found this book very hard to get into. At approx. 55% in I considered giving up but couldn’t, hoping it would get better. In the end, this book just wasn’t for me. However this would not deter me from recommending to others who enjoy this type of read.
Available Now!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you, @katieandbreypa and @stephaniealexanderbooks for providing me with a complimentary review copy. In no way has that influenced my voluntary review.
April 11, 2022
All sorts of new versions of well-known fairy tales have been written, and they will continue to be written. This story is a remake of Cinderella, which does not update the well known fairy tale itself, but fantasizes about how the story could go on after The Happily Ever After is read and the children have fallen asleep.
The heroine of this story, Eleanor, has agreed to marry Prince Gregor at an autumn ball, but during those few weeks while she waits for her wedding, she realizes that although she has escaped the grip of her wicked stepmother, her charming prince is a drinker and womanizer, and he does not really care that his bride is educated and wants to know everything about the rule of the kingdom. In addition, Eleanor meets her fiancé's best friend Dorian and realizes that if Dorian had been at the autumn ball, she wouldn't have said yes to Gregor. Dorian appreciates Eleanor's interest in studying and spends all his free time with her in the library, trying to deceive himself that he's not in love with his best friend's bride.
After the wedding starts the everyday life in which everyone will be disappointed. And although they try to take the best out of the life given to them, they themselves and the wicked courtiers do all they can to spoil the smooth running of life.
In itself, it is an interesting idea to move on with the fantasy from the moment the fairy tale ends, adding unicorns and dragons and witches and wizards. However, the interesting disappears from this story when one no longer understands what is the purpose of this story. In a way I got some explanation from closing remarks, which say that the author was inspired to write this after her own failed marriage and complicated divorce, but that can't be the only reason to write this magical fantasy.
This was a strange story.
The heroine of this story, Eleanor, has agreed to marry Prince Gregor at an autumn ball, but during those few weeks while she waits for her wedding, she realizes that although she has escaped the grip of her wicked stepmother, her charming prince is a drinker and womanizer, and he does not really care that his bride is educated and wants to know everything about the rule of the kingdom. In addition, Eleanor meets her fiancé's best friend Dorian and realizes that if Dorian had been at the autumn ball, she wouldn't have said yes to Gregor. Dorian appreciates Eleanor's interest in studying and spends all his free time with her in the library, trying to deceive himself that he's not in love with his best friend's bride.
After the wedding starts the everyday life in which everyone will be disappointed. And although they try to take the best out of the life given to them, they themselves and the wicked courtiers do all they can to spoil the smooth running of life.
In itself, it is an interesting idea to move on with the fantasy from the moment the fairy tale ends, adding unicorns and dragons and witches and wizards. However, the interesting disappears from this story when one no longer understands what is the purpose of this story. In a way I got some explanation from closing remarks, which say that the author was inspired to write this after her own failed marriage and complicated divorce, but that can't be the only reason to write this magical fantasy.
This was a strange story.
November 15, 2022
Fantasy genre has been a hit or miss for me in past, but this book is such a wonderful mix of fantasy and romance (heavier on romance) that I absolutely loved it!
You can't help but love Eleanor. She speaks her mind, she is educated and she really tries to make her not-so-perfect marriage to Prince Gregory work. Soon after marrying Gregory, Eleanor realizes she is in love with her husband's best friend, Dorian. In this book they are both struggling to hide their feelings, but their love is beginning to blossom. The ending is just so sweet and pure, it made my heart melt. Additionally, I loved the enchanted tale with witches, unicorns and dragons! I learned more about the unicorns and their nature than I ever knew. Eleanor's eavesdropping talking parrot was such a cute character, and the narrator did a great job imitating its voice. There is also political intrigue involving Eleanor's evil stepmother and stepsister where Eleanor ends up being a prime suspect in the plot against the royal family.
Forbidden love, royal intrigue and magical creatures - this was a perfect fantasy read for me. And it's no surprise, as soon as I finished audiobook 1, I immediately started the second one! This is a trilogy, yay! And boy, there is more to look forward to in the second installment. The 🌶️ level goes up. Check out this series if you love a book with a strong female character, magical world minus the overwhelming lingo (if you know, you know) and a love story with a touch of 🌶️ 4.5/5 ⭐ from me.
You can't help but love Eleanor. She speaks her mind, she is educated and she really tries to make her not-so-perfect marriage to Prince Gregory work. Soon after marrying Gregory, Eleanor realizes she is in love with her husband's best friend, Dorian. In this book they are both struggling to hide their feelings, but their love is beginning to blossom. The ending is just so sweet and pure, it made my heart melt. Additionally, I loved the enchanted tale with witches, unicorns and dragons! I learned more about the unicorns and their nature than I ever knew. Eleanor's eavesdropping talking parrot was such a cute character, and the narrator did a great job imitating its voice. There is also political intrigue involving Eleanor's evil stepmother and stepsister where Eleanor ends up being a prime suspect in the plot against the royal family.
Forbidden love, royal intrigue and magical creatures - this was a perfect fantasy read for me. And it's no surprise, as soon as I finished audiobook 1, I immediately started the second one! This is a trilogy, yay! And boy, there is more to look forward to in the second installment. The 🌶️ level goes up. Check out this series if you love a book with a strong female character, magical world minus the overwhelming lingo (if you know, you know) and a love story with a touch of 🌶️ 4.5/5 ⭐ from me.
November 7, 2022
If you enjoy fairytales, especially fractured fairytales, then this original and imaginative tale is for you!
Eleanor Brice has lived the last 8 years as a maid in her widowed stepmother’s home. When she attends the Second Sunday Ball, dressed by an enchantment from a witch, she meets the Crown Prince Gregory and they fall in love! But as with most insta-love stories, this one is not all roses and candlelight!
As Eleanor moves into the palace she quickly learns that women are to be seen and not heard. Her role is simply to look pretty and have babies! When Eleanor meets Dorian, her husband’s best friend, she recognizes a kindred spirit and wrestles with her feelings for him, even as she struggles to be a good wife to Prince Gregory.
Kept informed of the palace gossip and goings-on by her parrot, Eleanor struggles to make a difference. She lives in an enchanted castle and has her own unicorn. What’s not to love about this?
This story is so much more than a Cinderella retelling! I loved the drama between Eleanor and her not always charming Prince Gregory! The author tells this story with vivid detail and originality with talking animals, unicorns, dragons, and witches. This is Book 1 of the Cracked Slipper Series and I can’t wait to read the rest.
My thanks to @StephanieAlexanderBooks @KateRockBookTours for my copy and my spot on the tour. My thoughts are my own.
Eleanor Brice has lived the last 8 years as a maid in her widowed stepmother’s home. When she attends the Second Sunday Ball, dressed by an enchantment from a witch, she meets the Crown Prince Gregory and they fall in love! But as with most insta-love stories, this one is not all roses and candlelight!
As Eleanor moves into the palace she quickly learns that women are to be seen and not heard. Her role is simply to look pretty and have babies! When Eleanor meets Dorian, her husband’s best friend, she recognizes a kindred spirit and wrestles with her feelings for him, even as she struggles to be a good wife to Prince Gregory.
Kept informed of the palace gossip and goings-on by her parrot, Eleanor struggles to make a difference. She lives in an enchanted castle and has her own unicorn. What’s not to love about this?
This story is so much more than a Cinderella retelling! I loved the drama between Eleanor and her not always charming Prince Gregory! The author tells this story with vivid detail and originality with talking animals, unicorns, dragons, and witches. This is Book 1 of the Cracked Slipper Series and I can’t wait to read the rest.
My thanks to @StephanieAlexanderBooks @KateRockBookTours for my copy and my spot on the tour. My thoughts are my own.
August 4, 2025
What I Did Like:
+Don’t skip the prologue! The beautiful description of a scene we know so well is captivating and beautifully sets the tone for the book to come.
+An interesting twist on a tale we know. Obviously, this one is modeled after Cinderella’s famous tale, but the changes and way her tale continues is well done. The original story is honored but this story is much deeper and more real. This Cinderella has a lot more spine than you may remember and, because of that, her story carries more weight.
+The Cinderella we remember, of course, could talk to animals. This takes that and RUNS with it. From a talking parrot to unicorns, this has wonderful takes on lots of animals. There are some interesting openings here for this to take a sort of political run at the unicorn relationship in future books, which has potential to be amazing.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of fantasy worlds that aren’t sunshine and Happily-Ever-Afters. Readers of this one want royalty behaving badly and things that don’t turn out like you planned.
My Rating: 3 Stars
This has potential to be a great series.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/08/...
+Don’t skip the prologue! The beautiful description of a scene we know so well is captivating and beautifully sets the tone for the book to come.
+An interesting twist on a tale we know. Obviously, this one is modeled after Cinderella’s famous tale, but the changes and way her tale continues is well done. The original story is honored but this story is much deeper and more real. This Cinderella has a lot more spine than you may remember and, because of that, her story carries more weight.
+The Cinderella we remember, of course, could talk to animals. This takes that and RUNS with it. From a talking parrot to unicorns, this has wonderful takes on lots of animals. There are some interesting openings here for this to take a sort of political run at the unicorn relationship in future books, which has potential to be amazing.
Who Should Read This One:
-Fans of fantasy worlds that aren’t sunshine and Happily-Ever-Afters. Readers of this one want royalty behaving badly and things that don’t turn out like you planned.
My Rating: 3 Stars
This has potential to be a great series.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/08/...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews