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Stepsisters Trilogy #1
Stepsisters
Stepsisters are the worst. Especially ones who steal your prince, slander your reputation, and exile your family to the outskirts of town.
After their widowed mother marries the handsome Lord Thackery, sisters Adelaide and Rosalind Bryden, discover the nefarious intentions of both him and his daughter, Ella. The former admits to selling the Bryden family estate in a bid to stave off bankruptcy, and the latter reveals herself as a cruel and vindictive addition to their family. After the unexpected death of Lord Thackery and a never-ending list of his debts, the three young ladies of the house pin hopes of financial salvation on the upcoming ball, and catching the eye of the kingdom's most eligible young bachelor, Prince Edward.
Despite Edward initially lavishing his attention on Adelaide, he is abruptly and mysteriously entranced by Ella at only fifteen minutes to midnight. Her victory at hand, Ella weaves a slanderous tale of woe, accusing her stepfamily of vicious abuses and forced servitude. As the newspapers fill with distorted anecdotes, accompanied by hideous caricatures of Adelaide and Rosalind, the sisters are confronted with a painful reality concerning their marriage prospects: Men could forgive evil, but not ugly.
Faced with a bleak future of drudgery, exile, and spinsterhood, Adelaide is determined to uncover and expose Ella's secret–how her stepsister really managed to win the heart of Prince Edward. Her quest to restore her family's reputation will find her allies (and romance) in unexpected places, unlock the complex world of magic, and force her to confront the most powerful obstacle of all–the darkness that lurks within herself.
Readers who enjoy strong female protagonists, unique magic systems that explore deeper themes of the human condition, and slow-burn romances without a hint of toxic masculinity, will enjoy this unique fairy tale retelling of sweet and demure Cinderella as she's never been seen before.
Content Warning: Themes and depictions of anxiety and panic attacks.
After their widowed mother marries the handsome Lord Thackery, sisters Adelaide and Rosalind Bryden, discover the nefarious intentions of both him and his daughter, Ella. The former admits to selling the Bryden family estate in a bid to stave off bankruptcy, and the latter reveals herself as a cruel and vindictive addition to their family. After the unexpected death of Lord Thackery and a never-ending list of his debts, the three young ladies of the house pin hopes of financial salvation on the upcoming ball, and catching the eye of the kingdom's most eligible young bachelor, Prince Edward.
Despite Edward initially lavishing his attention on Adelaide, he is abruptly and mysteriously entranced by Ella at only fifteen minutes to midnight. Her victory at hand, Ella weaves a slanderous tale of woe, accusing her stepfamily of vicious abuses and forced servitude. As the newspapers fill with distorted anecdotes, accompanied by hideous caricatures of Adelaide and Rosalind, the sisters are confronted with a painful reality concerning their marriage prospects: Men could forgive evil, but not ugly.
Faced with a bleak future of drudgery, exile, and spinsterhood, Adelaide is determined to uncover and expose Ella's secret–how her stepsister really managed to win the heart of Prince Edward. Her quest to restore her family's reputation will find her allies (and romance) in unexpected places, unlock the complex world of magic, and force her to confront the most powerful obstacle of all–the darkness that lurks within herself.
Readers who enjoy strong female protagonists, unique magic systems that explore deeper themes of the human condition, and slow-burn romances without a hint of toxic masculinity, will enjoy this unique fairy tale retelling of sweet and demure Cinderella as she's never been seen before.
Content Warning: Themes and depictions of anxiety and panic attacks.
317 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 22, 2025
Stepsisters is a fractured fairy tale of Cinderella. It reminded me a lot of the Wicked story and other fractured fairy tales, where the reader becomes more sympathetic to the villain. The author did a great job of developing the characters of the stepsisters, especially one named Adelaide, who becomes the hero of this story. Likewise, new characters are introduced and the character of Cinderella (known as Ella in this retelling) is twisted to reveal the opposite personality of the character we have grown to know and love. There is magic, romance, and adventure mixed into this tale. The plot unfolds quickly making it a real page-turner. I loved this fresh voice retelling a classic tale! This is R.L. Lynn's first novel and it was published independently. I highly recommend supporting her and her works that follow!
February 16, 2026
A captivating retelling of a classic fairytale, upending everything you thought to be true. The author masterfully reimagines the world of Cinderella, expanding upon class structure and what it means to fall from grace.
In addition to the confining nature of society, emotional themes of fear, rage, love, redemption and sacrifice are woven throughout this engaging novel. Whether through the use of magic or by embracing ones demons, all choices in life have a cost.
This story was insightful, thoughtful and contained an emotional depth that brought each character to life. A must read. Looking forward to the sequel!
In addition to the confining nature of society, emotional themes of fear, rage, love, redemption and sacrifice are woven throughout this engaging novel. Whether through the use of magic or by embracing ones demons, all choices in life have a cost.
This story was insightful, thoughtful and contained an emotional depth that brought each character to life. A must read. Looking forward to the sequel!
January 20, 2026
I finished reading this book and immediately wanted the sequel! What an imaginative, beautiful retelling of a fairy tale that we all know. Adelaide is one of my favorite characters; she is strong and wants more for herself than what society would prescribe. Rowan is charming and funny- everything I love in a MMC. I love the magic system that R. L. Lynn created. The imagery is beautiful and the magical beings that we meet along the way add so much charm to the story. I am dying to know where this story leads!
December 5, 2025
I don't think I'll ever look at a Cinderella retelling in the same way again!
A fresh look at the story with an intriguing and novel magic system, that weaves in elements of the original story all the while shining a new light on them. The protagonist is strong, likeable and makes reasoned decisions.
A fresh look at the story with an intriguing and novel magic system, that weaves in elements of the original story all the while shining a new light on them. The protagonist is strong, likeable and makes reasoned decisions.
February 24, 2026
An interesting alternative take on Cinderella. I always enjoy books that take a classic story and turn it on its head, and this didn't disappoint. I'm eagerly anticipating a sequel.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews