Charms and Cinders: Inspired by Cinderella

by Amanda Thompson

A servant with secrets, just trying to survive.
Once upon a time, Émeric Valcour had a noble inheritance. Now he has a mop, a cat, and a raven with opinions. Forced into servitude in his own home by a scheming stepmother and her cruel sons, Émeric keeps his head down, his secrets close, and his smile in place — because kindness costs nothing, and survival requires it. His secret? A forbidden gift for speaking with animals, which he uses to smuggle the desperate and the magic-touched out of a kingdom that would sooner see them dead. The last thing he needs is to fall for a mysterious girl in the forest who asks too many questions.
A princess with no time, looking for a momentary escape.
Princess Geneviève has spent her life learning to be graceful, patient, and obedient. She's mastered exactly one of these—and it certainly isn't patience. Her father is ill, her coronation looms, and the weight of a crown she never asked for grows heavier by the day. Sneaking out for rides in Sherwood Forest is her only escape from a court closing in around her—and she doesn't expect to find a dirt-smudged stranger who turns out to be worth coming back for.
A stolen moment in the forest—and a chance neither expected to find .
But the kingdom of Caelvarron is changing. Magic is stirring. When a royal ball becomes the stage for long-buried conspiracies, Émeric and Geneviève must trust each other with the truths they've been hiding. Because some stories don't end at midnight—they're only just beginning.
Charms and Cinders is a no-spice fairy tale retelling for readers who love their Cinderella stories with a gender flip, a sarcastic cat, and a happily ever after worth fighting for.

Genres: Fantasy, Cinderella

213 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2026

Reviews

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope]]

I received this free e-book arc in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This was so good! So far I’ve loved every book that Amanda Thompson has written. This is a gender reversed Cinderella retelling and was my favorite that I’ve ever read with that reverse. I don’t think I’ve ever one quite like this one. The magic element was very interesting and well incorporated into the story. Emeric was a great character. He had been through so much and still continue to be kind and persevered. I really liked Genevieve as well. She was sweet and kind. The two of them were perfect for each other, and I loved every minute of them. I was cheering them on from the beginning. My heart did pound at certain parts and I didn’t want to stop reading until I finished it. Overall, it was a sweet and beautiful reverse retelling Cinderella. I highly recommend and I can’t wait to read whatever else in Amanda Thompson writes!

[Christian]

4.5 stars
Charms and Cinders is such a sweet remix of the original Cinderella tale! I’ve only read a couple of genderbent retellings and I feel like this one is very well done. There are unique elements while still feeling very much like its origin. I love the animal friends and the addition of illegal magic.

Émeric is an absolute sweetheart and an amazing male Cinderella. I do wish that he would have stood up for himself more but it was completely understandable in his situation. I absolutely hated how he was treated! His “family” was horrendous. This is one of those stories where you are just waiting for justice to be handed out. Genevieve was a perfect match for Émeric. She was so kind and relentless in trying to make wrongs right. Overall, Charms and Cinders was a lovely retelling!

Thank you to Amanda Thompson for an ARC of Charms and Cinders! All opinions are my own.

No-Spice Rating: 1 (very light kissing)
Language: Clean
Faith-Elements: 🐑 (many mentions of the creator)

[Lisa Dawn]

Charms and Cinders by Amanda Thompson is my last Fairytale Summer review. I received an ARC of this gender-bent "Cinderella" retelling and was intrigued because I haven't read many gender-bent versions of this story. Aside from that change, it's a fairly direct retelling without too many twists. The romance is sweet and follows the same trope as most modern "Cinderella" stories in which the couple forms a bond with each other before the ball. It borrows elements primarily from the Perrault version of the story, with the classic fairy godmother and two balls. Overall, it was a light and enjoyable read.

Since Charms and Cinders is split between the perspectives of the male Cinderella archetype and the princess character, I was confused by the girl featured on the cover of the book. Even though Cinderella is generally a more female-oriented story, the titular role went to the male lead of the book, so I'm not sure why he wouldn't be featured more prominently. Énderic, or "Cinderic," as his wicked stepbrothers called him, is a charming lead who embodies all the traits of the classic Cinderella, right down to his fondness for animals. He has some magic that allows him to communicate with his animal friends, which charms Princess Genevieve when she encounters him in the woods. The two form a bond that grows into a desire for more when Genevieve invites him to her betrothal ball.

This book remains pretty loyal to the source material, keeping the air of mystery between the main couple even though they met beforehand. Genevieve uses a false name to prevent Énderic from realizing she is the princess, and Énderic is given a magic mask by the fairy godmother that shields his identity. He has two wicked stepbrothers who act similarly to their female counterparts from the fairy tale, but the stepmother and fairy godmother are not gender-bent in this version. He also has a similar backstory to Cinderella, with loving parents who were separated from him at a young age.

The only diversion this book takes from the fairy tale is a kingdom-wide ban on magic that forces Énderic to hide his abilities and the methods he uses to get to the ball. The book mentions this lore from time to time, but focuses more on the fairytale elements. Although Énderic talks about wanting to help magic users escape the kingdom, I didn't see much of it in the context of the story. At the same time, Genevieve is determined to reverse her father's tyrannical law and allow magic users to live in the open without fear. This was a nice touch that I would have liked to see more of throughout the book.

Overall, Charms and Cinders is a sweet "Cinderella" retelling with a gender-bent twist. It contains all the mystery and romance of the original with additional magical elements that add to the worldbuilding. Though the magical elements lacked depth at times, the touching relationship between Énderic and Genevieve made the book a worthwhile read. If you're looking for a straightforward "Cinderella" retelling with a male Cinderella and female Prince(ss) Charming, this is the book for you.

[Riella Cristobal]

What a sweet and magical story! This genderflipped Cinderella-inspired romantasy was so absorbing and lovely to read. I enjoyed the creative take on Cinderella and the magical world created in the story.
I really felt for Émeric! He was stuck in such a difficult situation, between his step-family and his magic. I admired his courage to choose kindness and to help those in need. Even with the danger of his magic, he still went out of his way to help those with magic. It was so sweet to see the community he still had, even if it was mostly animal friends! I loved seeing Eve grow and learn over the book. As things in her kingdom changed, she was trying to find the answers and the history behind the kingdom she will soon rule. She truly cared for her parents and her kingdom, but felt the pressure of becoming queen. Eve was doing her best to understand the conspiracies that seemed to circle in the royal court. I loved her courage and determination. She wanted to do what was right, even if there was opposition.
Émeric and Eve were really sweet together. They were able to relax with each other, but had to learn to trust one another. They both had secrets and their own issues to work through. I loved the magic of the world and seeing the way the fairytale inspiration was woven through the story. It was so intriguing to watch the story unfold and see all the connections. This is a fairytale inspired story with some violence and only kisses.
I received an ARC.

[Samantha Jones]

This book was GREAT!! Thanks so much Amanda Thompson, for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book! I enjoyed this book throughly, and I’m glad I was able to have it in my hands in order to read it! :)

This book was a blast, and I enjoyed seeing their love story unfold in addition to learning about all of the lore of this world! I’m glad that there was a Happily Ever After in this book, and I’m not sure what I would have done if there wasn’t.

Trigger warnings: ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Oh my gosh, this retelling was a bit darker than I first thought, because there is a description of one of the main characters been giving 10 lashes. Additionally, a large part of the book focused on efforts to sneak individuals out of the territory, and individuals who went against the crown to help these individuals escape would be faced with the death penalty (thankfully this was changed later in the book) but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up first who might be interested in reading this book!!

Spice: None
Clean/Closed Door Romance

[Tash Reads]

ARC Review - Charms and Cinders by Amanda Thompson.

Have you ever read a gender swap Cinderella retelling?! Well this is one and I enjoyed it. It was a much darker storyline with a forbidden magical world and abuse, and the odd fairy godmother which felt a bit out of place, but also at the same time fitting right in.

My favorite character was Jinx. Sarcastic and loyal to the fault. I loved how he disliked change but still volunteered to make sure Emeric was safe.
And the Pumpkin had me laughing though. I enjoyed that part of the story.

Genevieve was a straight to the point character and she wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she believed in.
I felt a bit conflicted about Emeric’s character. How he just accepted his fate even as a grown man and never tried to stand up for himself or to look for the truth again when he was older. But I guess that’s why he got a pumpkin at the end of the day and had to be saved.

I’m just a bit sad we didn’t get to meet the boat person. I had suspicions about him, but we never got the answer to that.

Overall it was a good story and easy to follow. It’s a clean, no spice fairytale retelling with a darker tone.

I received this ebook for free and am voluntarily
leaving an honest review.

[Jennie Jae]

This was a very sweet gender-swapped Cinderella retelling where the “Cinderella” is a kindhearted and cheerful young man, despite being forced to be a servant and endure abuse from his stepmother and stepbrothers, and the royal is a princess, yearning to become the best ruler for her kingdom while struggling with her father’s failing health that is forcing her to choose a husband sooner than expected, when she deeply desires love and friendship in a marriage.

The story was more than a sweet romance, however, as it also contained interesting and suspenseful moments surrounding the kingdom’s ban on magic and those born with abilities, as well as the intriguing mysteries surrounding the MMC’s lost inheritance and forced servitude.

There are talking animals, carriages from the garden, masquerade balls and of course, a Fairy Godmother! If any of this sounds like your kind of book, then I recommend it for you.

Thank you to the author for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.

[Rosalyn Nightshade]

First book in The Fairy Tales of Sherwood and I already can't wait for the next book! This was such a delightful gender-swapped Cinderella retelling. Émeric is such a great character. He is so kind and compassionate even when his inheritance was stolen from him and his stepbrothers mistreat him. I love Geneviève a lot, too. I love how she saw Émeric as he was, saw how kind and considerate he was, and looked beneath the dirt and grime.

I'm extremely interested in the magic system and I hope more will be explained later. I loved the fairy godmother and all the side characters so much! They really added a lot of depth to the story. I really hope that Esmeline and Jean get their own story.

[Bryanna Phillips]

✨ARC review✨ This is such a good Cinderella story!! I don’t know if I’ve ever read a version of Cinderella that reverses the gender roles and I loved it! Alsssssoooooooo if you love a good “Who did this to you moment” Amanda Thompson has your back with this one!! I don’t normally love moments like that because they feel so forced, but it happens in such a natural way in this story that I audibly squealed when I read it! Émeric and Geneviève are the sweetest, strongest, MCs, with such kind hearts, and a desire for justice. I loved seeing the ways they cared for each other, and how honest they are.

[Seaturtlessaremyfriends]

Although I've previously read one other book by this author, Dance and Danger: A retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, which was a decent read, this is my first ARC book from her.
Charms and Cinders is a charming gender swap of the classic Cinderella story. I love that the author stayed true to the original story we know. I enjoyed the tension and the witty dialogue between the two MCs, Emeric and Genevieve. The only thing that could have made this story even better is that I wished that the author had expanded more on the kingdom's history and families. Otherwise, it was a fun and quick read.

[Twisted Cinderella]

This book is so good. I read it faster than normal. Reverse roles but really good. Good mother is on both sides of the character. Step family is mean
But the side characters are real good to.
Emeric it's a very good character and character building was very awesome
Lady Eve is another mary character and she was really good and they were bringing her to a good person and showing that she wasn't a typical princess.
Hugo is another side character, he is very important to the story and he helped a lot to bring the story together
The godmother is different than most , and she talked and helps to both sides.
Step family is evil and but they got portrayed very well in the book.

[Sabrina Leon]

I received this as an arc and it was nice. This reverse gender Cinderella was very interesting take of the classic French tale with the main lead being a secret magic user in a kingdom where it is forbidden and starts to fall for the princess! The story was good and the burgeoning romance between the two leads was sweet although I wished there were more of it. Other than that, it was good (not as awesome as Dances and Danger) and worth a reread. I gave it a total of four stars. ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jo Fouracre]

I absolutely loved this take on Cinderella. It was so well written and thought out. I loved the Robin hood theme that intertwined with it too. It was addictive and heart breaking. The world building was great and I really really hope there will be a sequel there Is so much more that I can see to come from this word

[Adena Lee]

Charming - this lovely tale is a worthy and charming gender-swapped rendition of Cinderella. This has the all the sweet vibes of Disney's "Cinderella" - but with the kind of backstory which brings to mind the political intrigue of "Game of Thrones".

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Abigail]

I always find it interesting how different authors will put their own twists on fairytales. This is a shorter, sweet, gender-swapped retelling of Cinderella. I was not anticipating that one of the problems faced in the kingdom was the fact that magic was banned, so that was a fun little addition to the myth. A good little story that blends the familiar with some new ideas.

[Mikayla Maples]

*Review of Advanced Copy Received From Author*

This story is a gender swap Cinderella fairytale retelling. To be honest this is the first gender swap retelling I have ever read and I was not entirely sure what to expect. This story is told from both Genevieve’s perspective and Emeric’s perspective. I really enjoyed the story and I loved princess Genevieve! I loved her personality and her courage, I really enjoyed reading the chapters that were from her perspective. Emeric on the other hand, it took me at least half of the book to somewhat enjoy his character. There was just something about him that I didn’t love. I’m not sure if it was the nickname “Cinderic” that he was called a lot by his stepfamily or that his personality seemed very weak when by himself or surrounded by his stepfamily. Every time he was with Genevieve or helping others I liked him a lot better, it was almost like something about him changed when he was with others. I also LOVED the fairy godmother! Her character was hilarious to me and I really enjoyed this take on her! I believe there are supposed to be more in this series and I am looking forward to reading what comes next.

[Jen]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Full of heart! Gender flipped Cinderella. Adorable animal companions. Super sweet father figure.

High stakes, lots of courage, and loads of compassion.

Always ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from Amanda Thompson!

[Jennalee Conner]

Wow! This was gender swapped Cinderella story that I wasn’t sure about at first. But, once I got into it, I absolutely loved it. The plot was creative and the characters fun. The fairy godmother reminds me of the one from the live Cinderella movie. It was a really fun book worth reading! 🤗

[Maralyn A.]

I loved the way the Cinderella story was flipped on its head. The characters were well-written and believable.
I held back one star due to some errors that should not have made it past the editing phases.

[Dave Writer]

Charms and Cinders” is a delightful and creative Cinderella retelling with a fresh gender-flipped twist. The mix of romance, magic, humour, and secrets makes the story feel both familiar and unique. It is a charming read for anyone who enjoys fairy-tale retellings with a fun romantic touch.

[Louisa]

This was a good story.

But..... I thought it could use some more descriptions of the world.

I got this free from the author.

[Lorin]

I liked this wonderful book! This book has wonderful characters and a good plot! I liked this retelling of Cinderella! I had a hard time putting this wonderful book down!

[Alesa Gordon]

A fun gender swapped Cinderella. I do believe this is the first one I’ve read where “Cinderella” was male.

Secrets must be kept. Dangerous rescues. Identities hidden.

Overall, it was good. My one complaint is that the “evil stepbrothers” seemed too petty….in ways I wouldn’t attribute to guys. They seemed too petty and ”girly” at times. The beatings were more what I’d expect. Not the glee they found in tearing his suit before the ball.