Of Truth and Peril: A Retelling of the Frog Prince and Pinocchio

by Robyn Sarty

He’s running from responsibility — and the truth. She’s determined to face both. Can love endure when honesty comes at such a cost?

Prince Niccolò has lied his way through life, until a wronged faery curses him to become more frog-like with every false word. With his humanity slipping away, the only hope of breaking the spell hinges on earning the genuine favor of a maiden he barely knows.

Princess Korina has responsibilities of her own and no patience for a prince whose thoughtless actions pull them from one danger to the next. Forced together on a perilous quest to set things right, she demands honesty where Nicco has always relied on escape.

But their search leads them to a traveling carnival of talking puppets and faery-spun illusions, where laughter hides danger and nothing is quite real. As every deception unravels and illusions fall away, Nicco and Korina must decide whether they are brave enough to tell the truth — or risk discovering what love might become without it.

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2026

About the author

Robyn Sarty is an avid fan of all things Disney, and she loves stories with happy endings, where good triumphs over evil. She tries to incorporate these elements into all of her writing, stories that feature women who refuse to back down from a challenge.

She lives in rural Nova Scotia with her very own Prince Charming, where she is easily distracted by sparkly things and glitter. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found baking cakes, rearranging her library, or playing with her Bernese Mountain Dogs, Toblerone and Otto.

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC and am reviewing of my own volition.
Wow!! This was such an intriguing story! The melding of Pinocchio and the Frog Prince was quite well done. The characters are quite relatable and have good arcs. I like the pairing of a serious person with a carefree one. It works really well.

[Star-Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelous little romantic retelling of a combination of the Frog Prince and Pinocchio! It’s written in such a way that not only is it kept interesting by the adventures and the sweet romance building between Prince Nicco and Princess Karina but it also subtly relates the importance of telling the truth and of being trustworthy but also being careful of whom you trust. It’s a story of one kingdom ravished by war while one kingdom gained and prospered, of a rather spoiled, mischievous and prone to lie prince being asked to marry one of the five beautiful and each special in their own way daughters of a neighboring kingdom. A story of fairies and unicorns, spells and a special relic holding powers in both worlds. A story of one smart, precise, note-taking brave princess who sets out to regain a relic but in doing so turns a frog into her very own Prince Charming. A story for all generations to enjoy.

I received an Advance Review Copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Truth and Peril by Robyn Sarty
Nicco and Korina's search leads them to a traveling carnival of talking puppets and faery-spun illusions, where laughter hides danger and nothing is quite real...
My first Pinocchio retelling! And I loved it! This one is also mixed with The Frog Prince for a little extra twist. I loved the Frog Prince connections (plate, pillow, etc) and the Pinocchio connections I found (the lying, the fish, the field for gold coins) (although I may have missed some of those, as it's been a while since I read Pinocchio). This one is a lot less dark than the original, though, which I appreciated. And I thought the author did a great job of making Nicco a flawed but still relatable character. Would definitely recommend!
Genre: Fairytale retelling (no spice)
Book 3 in Tales of Elaris (easily read as a standalone)
Favorite character: Nicco (MMC)
Favorite scene: their first meeting

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Truth and Peril was a clever mash up of The Frog Prince and Pinocchio. Robyn created a fantastic story blending these two different fairytale seamlessly. This was my first time reading a retelling of Pinocchio and I really enjoyed this one! It was whimsical and full of adventure. A quick and enjoyable read, but still full of detail. The world building was fascinating. Nicco’s character growth was well done. He was a bit childish in the beginning, but grew as he tried to fix his mistakes. I loved the banter between him and Korina. It was hilarious and she was so sassy with him. The romance was sweet and kissing only. Such an enjoyable read!

I volunteered to read an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.

[Elizabeth Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had such fun reading this funny, sweet fairytale retelling romance! I'm already a sucker for fairytale retellings, but this mash-up retelling of 2 different fairytales - The Frog Prince and Pinocchio - was so original and creative! The author did a great job of seamlessly blending these two well-known and beloved fairytales with just enough familiar nods to the fairytales, while also giving her readers a brand new, transformed story that was all her own. This story was an enjoyable, clean, quick read with lots of funny dialogue, likeable main characters, unique twists that kept me wanting to read more, and very meaningful messages about the necessity of wisdom and discernment, the power of selfless love, and the importance of telling the truth. I'm a big fan of Robyn Sarty's writing and find that I like it more and more with each book of hers I read!

(I was given a free copy of this book from the author, but all reviews and opinions are mine, are voluntary, and are 100% honest.)

[Lj · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun, quick read that manages to seamlessly blend two very different fairy tales to create something entirely fresh. An adventure featuring a clean, sweet romance, it's suitable for readers of all ages. I would have liked to see a little more explanation about certain elements but doing this would probably have pushed it out of novella territoy and into a fill length novel. As it stands it is a complete and satisfying story that although part of a series can be enjoyed without prior knowledge of the earlier books.

I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little twist of the frog prince with splatters of Pinocchio added in to the mix. The prince is fun and likeable but has a history of not being serious and doesn’t seem to like telling the truth. The princess has no time for dishonesty as her kingdom has been at war for some time. Korina can’t seem to trust Nicco and yet she is forced to travel with him and face many fae illusions on an adventure. The story was funny and sweet bringing lots of different aspects together. I kept wanting to smack Nicco for his seemingly careless lies but just know there is more than meets the eye with this prince.

[Kitty Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and sweet book with a great moral lesson (or two). I love that the author was able to take two such different fairytales and manage to weave them together into a single story. The book has great world building, interesting and well written characters, and a happy ending with no cliffhangers. It’s listed as being for people 12-17 years old, but it’s a sweet read for those a little (or a lot) older as well.

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing conglomeration of Pinocchio and The Frog Prince had the essence of both stories, but it also created a whole new world where magic and faeries were really things people had to deal with! I loved the slow growth of the clean romance, the fun banter between the two main characters, the way that the faerie world was depicted, and the happy ending! I received an ARC copy and this is my review.

[Bryanna Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story!! I have never read a retelling of Pinocchio, nor do I think I have I ever read a book that combines The Frog Prince with another story. Robyn Sarty blended these two stories so well that I forgot they were ever separate from each other! I had so many emotions while reading this book, there were parts that made me tear up and a few scenes that made me laugh. I love how Nicco grows throughout the story, and I loved seeing Korina find her strength. This was a fantastic read.

[Doris Plank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charming fairy tale mash up!
A prince, spoiled and too trusting, and never quite owing up to his mistakes.
He'll see that little white lies are lies, too!
A princess from a country where years of war are taking everything, with secrets she's not supposed to share.
In the end love (and truth!) overcomes all danger.
Robyn Sarty knows how to captivate her readers. I love all her delightful fairy tales!
I got an ARC copy to read and this is my personal opinion.

[Jo Fouracre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Robyn’s retelling of Pinocchio and the frog prince. It was charming and funny with lashings of world building. You can’t beat Robyn’s faerie tales they just devour you whole. Her characters are so lovable and I absolutely adored the main characters and their enemies to lovers dynamic … in a fun type of way thank you so much for this amazing opportunity again

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting the elements of The Frog Prince and Pinocchio to mesh so well, but they worked nicely together. I enjoyed the little nods to each of the fairytales and the slow building of the relationship between Niccolo and Korina.

[Lorin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I absolutely loved this retelling of The Frog Prince and Pinocchio! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!

[Chantel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an intriguing take on The Frog Prince! I really enjoyed the characters growth and the ending 😍