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The Tales of Ambia #1
The Reluctant Godfather
A humorous and magical re-telling of Cinderella from a unique perspective.
Burndee is a young and cantankerous fairy godfather, who would rather bake cakes than help humans. A disgrace to the fairy order, Burndee has only two wards entrusted to his care…a cinder girl and a charming prince.
A royal ball presents Burndee with the brilliant solution of how to make his wards happy with the least amount of effort. He’ll arrange a meeting and hope the two fall in love.
The debut novella from Allison Tebo, ‘The Reluctant Godfather’ is a new addition to the charming fairy tale tradition of Cameron Dokey and K.M. Shea.
Burndee is a young and cantankerous fairy godfather, who would rather bake cakes than help humans. A disgrace to the fairy order, Burndee has only two wards entrusted to his care…a cinder girl and a charming prince.
A royal ball presents Burndee with the brilliant solution of how to make his wards happy with the least amount of effort. He’ll arrange a meeting and hope the two fall in love.
The debut novella from Allison Tebo, ‘The Reluctant Godfather’ is a new addition to the charming fairy tale tradition of Cameron Dokey and K.M. Shea.
114 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2017
56 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
Allison Tebo
30 books468 followersI am no longer accepting friend requests, but do feel free to follow.
Allison Tebo is a Christian writer committed to creating magical stories full of larger-than-life characters, a dash of grit, and plenty of laughs. She is the author of Break the Beast, an epic fantasy retelling of Beowulf, and the Tales of Ambia, a series of romantic comedy retellings of popular fairy tales. Her flash fiction has been published in magazines such as SplicketySpark and Saddlebag Dispatches and her short stories have been featured in anthologies by Inklings Press, Rogue Blades Entertainment, Pole to Pole Publishing, Editing Mee, Dragon Soul Press, and Ye Olde Dragons Publishing.
Allison also writes under the pseudonym Al Thibeaux and co-runs the speculative fiction e-zine Worlds of Adventure.
Allison graduated with merit from London Art College after studying cartooning and children’s illustration and, when not creating new worlds with words or paint, she enjoys reading, baking, and making lists.
You can find out more about her work at https://allisonteboauthor.com/ or follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/allisonteboauthor/
Allison Tebo is a Christian writer committed to creating magical stories full of larger-than-life characters, a dash of grit, and plenty of laughs. She is the author of Break the Beast, an epic fantasy retelling of Beowulf, and the Tales of Ambia, a series of romantic comedy retellings of popular fairy tales. Her flash fiction has been published in magazines such as SplicketySpark and Saddlebag Dispatches and her short stories have been featured in anthologies by Inklings Press, Rogue Blades Entertainment, Pole to Pole Publishing, Editing Mee, Dragon Soul Press, and Ye Olde Dragons Publishing.
Allison also writes under the pseudonym Al Thibeaux and co-runs the speculative fiction e-zine Worlds of Adventure.
Allison graduated with merit from London Art College after studying cartooning and children’s illustration and, when not creating new worlds with words or paint, she enjoys reading, baking, and making lists.
You can find out more about her work at https://allisonteboauthor.com/ or follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/allisonteboauthor/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
January 5, 2025
4.5 stars ✨ Clean Fiction - Fairytale Retelling
2018 review-
This book isn't quite long enough for me to do an Official Content Review, so I'll just share my thoughts (+ reread thoughts) on this one here. 💕
Is it wrong that I really liked Burndee, the sarcastic and reluctant godfather? His smart aleck comments, oh, goodness, we would get along so well. I could honestly envision his deadpanned look and raised eyebrow whenever something dumbfounding happens. He wants to vaporize (Cinder)Ella's stepmother and stepsisterswhich I'm not seeing anything wrong it that idea...?, but that idea was shot down by the fairy council. Darn. He calls Ella a "ninnyhammer" at one point and I'll be using that now for those who exasperate me. Burndee can be a little twerp and selfish at times, but that’s what makes his character development great. 😁
This was such a fun twist to the typical Cinderella story! So, so, cute and humorous! I definitely want to get a physical copy for my bookshelves now. :)
2023 reread- (Bumping up to 4.5 stars!) This is such a fun read! Burndee is so sassy and hilarious. He doesn’t want to be a fairy godfather and just wants to bake. He has two wards, Prince Colin and a poor young girl who’s being used by her stepfamily, Ella. He gets the brilliant idea to solve his problems—and theirs—by setting them up together. Two birds and one stone and all that, you know. But will it work out how he hopes? I had actually completely forgotten the ending, so it was ~neat~ (those who have read the book understand this word’s importance) to read it again almost like the first time.
There’s such a classic fairytale charm to this story that’s just so much fun! There’s also character development for Burndee that’s good to see as well. Can’t wait to continue the rest of the series soon!
2025 review, audiobook-
In hopes of finally catching up with this series this year, I started the audiobook while making dinner. Third time’s the charm, right?
I didn’t love the narrator because he made Burndee sound like a crotchety old man. Okay, the first adjective works for him, but he’s not old. I’m really glad I’ve read this book before in my own head/voice because I think if I had listened to the audiobook first, I would have given it a low rating because Burndee came across as a total meanie! I forgot how much I love that final chapter and now I will hopefully--finally!--continue the rest of the series. :)
Main Content-
Magic content is basically the same concept as an old Disney movie in the sweet and innocent way, but we do see more of it as Burndee is a fairy godfather and does spells to help his charges (it’s something’s he’s had to learn and practice, but because he doesn’t practice them much, some of his spells go wacky); If he touches a human, Burndee gives a shock to that person because of his magic; Burndee does speaks to turn a pumpkin into a carriage and mice into coachmen.
Burndee is pretty sassy and sarcastic, he also calls Ella a simpleton and there's a bit of other name-calling (old bat, idiot, fool, stupid, dumb, dunderhead, donkey); “blah blah blah” and “what/why the blazes” are said among with other phrases like “give a hang“ and “hang it all“ are used; Ella believes that she’s not pretty or smart because of what her stepmother has told her.
Burndee punches someone; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of beatings; A couple mentions of drinking & hangovers (Prince Colin says he doesn’t drink).
Light romance (love, falling in love, & the emotions); Two not detailed kisses (one on the top of the head); Mentions of kisses, touches, embraces, & blushes.
2018 review-
This book isn't quite long enough for me to do an Official Content Review, so I'll just share my thoughts (+ reread thoughts) on this one here. 💕
Is it wrong that I really liked Burndee, the sarcastic and reluctant godfather? His smart aleck comments, oh, goodness, we would get along so well. I could honestly envision his deadpanned look and raised eyebrow whenever something dumbfounding happens. He wants to vaporize (Cinder)Ella's stepmother and stepsisters
This was such a fun twist to the typical Cinderella story! So, so, cute and humorous! I definitely want to get a physical copy for my bookshelves now. :)
2023 reread- (Bumping up to 4.5 stars!) This is such a fun read! Burndee is so sassy and hilarious. He doesn’t want to be a fairy godfather and just wants to bake. He has two wards, Prince Colin and a poor young girl who’s being used by her stepfamily, Ella. He gets the brilliant idea to solve his problems—and theirs—by setting them up together. Two birds and one stone and all that, you know. But will it work out how he hopes? I had actually completely forgotten the ending, so it was ~neat~ (those who have read the book understand this word’s importance) to read it again almost like the first time.
There’s such a classic fairytale charm to this story that’s just so much fun! There’s also character development for Burndee that’s good to see as well. Can’t wait to continue the rest of the series soon!
2025 review, audiobook-
In hopes of finally catching up with this series this year, I started the audiobook while making dinner. Third time’s the charm, right?
I didn’t love the narrator because he made Burndee sound like a crotchety old man. Okay, the first adjective works for him, but he’s not old. I’m really glad I’ve read this book before in my own head/voice because I think if I had listened to the audiobook first, I would have given it a low rating because Burndee came across as a total meanie! I forgot how much I love that final chapter and now I will hopefully--finally!--continue the rest of the series. :)
Main Content-
Magic content is basically the same concept as an old Disney movie in the sweet and innocent way, but we do see more of it as Burndee is a fairy godfather and does spells to help his charges (it’s something’s he’s had to learn and practice, but because he doesn’t practice them much, some of his spells go wacky); If he touches a human, Burndee gives a shock to that person because of his magic; Burndee does speaks to turn a pumpkin into a carriage and mice into coachmen.
Burndee is pretty sassy and sarcastic, he also calls Ella a simpleton and there's a bit of other name-calling (old bat, idiot, fool, stupid, dumb, dunderhead, donkey); “blah blah blah” and “what/why the blazes” are said among with other phrases like “give a hang“ and “hang it all“ are used; Ella believes that she’s not pretty or smart because of what her stepmother has told her.
Burndee punches someone; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of beatings; A couple mentions of drinking & hangovers (Prince Colin says he doesn’t drink).
Light romance (love, falling in love, & the emotions); Two not detailed kisses (one on the top of the head); Mentions of kisses, touches, embraces, & blushes.
January 31, 2022
My favorite lovable grump is Burndee, the cake-baking fairy godfather who steals the show in THE RELUCTANT GODFATHER, a novella by Allison Tebo. It’s a lively, heartwarming romantic comedy that turns the tale of Cinderella upside down.
I love quirky, flawed, interesting characters. Grumps and outcasts are just as appealing as sweetheart characters, if they’re complex and well-developed. It’s even better if the sweet ones are paired with a grouch.
I have a special soft spot for the gruff, tough characters who secretly have a heart. I love to watch that stone-cold exterior melt, under the influence of a sweet character–and to see how even a hard heart can love deeply.
Burndee is high-strung, stubborn, antisocial, and cranky, but he has won the hearts of so many readers. He’s lovable because of his flaws, not in spite of them. We understand him and sometimes see ourselves in him. We all have a little of Burndee in us–fears, lost tempers, and times when we want to be left alone.
This young fairy is a reluctant godfather indeed. Baking cakes is Burndee’s passion. He wants nothing to do with humans. His efforts to avoid duty entangle him in a mess of trouble.
Burndee is joined in his TALES OF AMBIA adventures by an entertaining cast of friends and rivals, in the bright, lively kingdom of Ambia.
The TALES OF AMBIA novellas combine friendship, sweet romance, and hilarious comedy for a delightful, uplifting escape. The book series is a reliable source of cheer, and it’s unexpectedly thoughtful and poignant.
Ambia has become a home for me. When I visit my old friends there, it’s impossible not to smile and be filled with warmth and happiness. I fell in love when I read the first book–a love that keeps growing.
It’s the perfect story to share with friends who love humorous, cheerful books! If this appeals to you, check out THE RELUCTANT GODFATHER and sequels.
Original Review, 2017:
The Reluctant Godfather is a delightful and entertaining novella and an incredibly original and twisty retelling of Cinderella. It is one of the best books I have read in recent memory – and certainly the most entertaining I have read in many years! I only wish it had been longer, but I made sure to enjoy and savor each page, laughing through all of it and experiencing every emotion along with the characters.
My favorite part was definitely the characters. Good character development is always my favorite aspect of a great book, and Allison's writing and characters always go infinitely above and beyond that requirement. I never fail to be amazed at how incredibly vivid, complex, endearing, and deep each one of her characters is, no matter what story they are in. I greatly admire the way she develops each character's personality, flaws, inner and outer dialogue, backstory, and character change. The characters in The Reluctant Godfather were no exception.
Burndee was a wonderful and entertaining point-of-view character, and seeing the story from his perspective was so enjoyable – and original! Who would've thought that the story of Cinderella could be told from the perspective of the fairy godfather . . . a fairy godfather who doesn't like being one? And what a personality Burndee was! Stubborn, bad-tempered, sardonic, and rebellious, yet forever lovable – and perhaps with potential for a soft and caring heart underneath, although he would never admit it even to himself. Seeing his transformation over the course of the book was such a treat, and his character development was masterful!
Of course I loved Burndee from the very first, and each of the other main characters earned my love in turn. Sweet Ella, clever Colin, and vivacious Cynthia endeared themselves to me just as much, and I loved many of the supporting characters as well. And even the most minor heralds and footmen leaped off the page with lifelike mannerisms, dialogue, and appearance. The inevitable nasty characters were no exception, and they were vivid in their own right – and so fun to detest – while still being human, however nasty they were. Each character had such an interesting and deep character arc, and it was wonderful to watch them change and learn over the course of the story. And I loved seeing the interactions and relationships between the characters, whether between friends, potential love interests, or enemies. The humorous, teasing banter between Burndee and Colin was one of my favorite parts of the book, as was the sweet friendship of Burndee and Ella. Yet Burndee's relationships with both his wards was complicated and convoluted, and I loved seeing the exploration and progression of each. And those were not the only interesting relationsips to be had. . . .
Nearly every good fairytale must have romance, yet the romantic elements in this book were so unexpected that Allison kept me guessing right up until the end with delicious suspense. I knew what I wanted to happen at the end, but I was unable to predict whether it would – yet everything worked out even more satisfactorily than I could ever have hoped! I cannot mention what that ending was for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that I was rooting for a perfect and happy ending for all concern – and did the ending ever deliver! My expectations were huge, and the ending still blew all of them away with it's amazing-ness. Much squealing from yours truly ensued throughout the book, but especially at the end.
Not only were there amazing characters in this book, but the plot was also masterful. I was in suspense for the entire book, and the suspense only crescendoed as the end of the book drew near, culminating in a wonderful climax that more than paid off the anticipation that had been built through the book. So many threads of events and backstory were woven together in a twisty, interesting cloth, and all of the threads were tied up in an extravagant bow at the end – overwhelming even my own high expectations.
This book has such an enjoyable and engaging writing style. I love the way Allison seamlessly integrates dazzling descriptions, rich dialogue, eloquent narration, laugh-out-loud humor, and lively, entertaining escapades.
The fairytale elements in this story were just right. The book kept many familiar and recognizable aspects of the traditional story of Cinderella, yet turned others completely on their heads. It is the most original and unexpected fairytale retelling I have ever read – new and refreshing instead of boring and cliché. The twists were perfect for the story and felt completely right, but they were often totally unpredictable, and they more often than not used the opposite element or event than the well-known tale. Skillful foreshadowing tied all of these things together into a cohesive whole – both traditional and unexpected elements.
The humor was one of the best parts of the book! Allison is one of the funniest people I know, and this book showcased her ability to entertain. I laughed often throughout the book and, especially, laughed my way nonstop through the entire last quarter of the book, during each line, paragraph, and page. Burndee was hilarious!! And so were all the other characters! I particularly loved Burdnee's unique character voice, dialogue, and point-of-view narration, which sparked with wit and humor – and hysterical, zany expressions and terms that sizzled from his biting tongue and sharp mind. It also included many wonderful words from Burndee's prodigious vocabulary, and they gave the story such character while meshing perfectly with the existing character and writing.
In addition to delightful laughs and humor, The Reluctant Godfather was refreshingly deep, with wonderful themes. Disguised within this lighthearted fairytale are profound and beautiful truths about people, life, and much more. Burndee must learn how to open his heart. Ella strives to love others . . . and seeks someone who will truly love her. Colin struggles to find his own desires and battles against the expectations placed upon him. And many other characters also have their own journeys that share insight with the reader, whether or not they are likeable or good. There is wisdom to be gleaned from analysis of even the nasty stepmother and stepsister.
Overall, The Reluctant Godfather is a wonderful, humorous, and sweet read that will be enjoyed by everyone whether or not they are a fan of typical fairytales and fantasy. I recommend it highly to all and have already gushed to many of my friends and family about it.
I love quirky, flawed, interesting characters. Grumps and outcasts are just as appealing as sweetheart characters, if they’re complex and well-developed. It’s even better if the sweet ones are paired with a grouch.
I have a special soft spot for the gruff, tough characters who secretly have a heart. I love to watch that stone-cold exterior melt, under the influence of a sweet character–and to see how even a hard heart can love deeply.
Burndee is high-strung, stubborn, antisocial, and cranky, but he has won the hearts of so many readers. He’s lovable because of his flaws, not in spite of them. We understand him and sometimes see ourselves in him. We all have a little of Burndee in us–fears, lost tempers, and times when we want to be left alone.
This young fairy is a reluctant godfather indeed. Baking cakes is Burndee’s passion. He wants nothing to do with humans. His efforts to avoid duty entangle him in a mess of trouble.
Burndee is joined in his TALES OF AMBIA adventures by an entertaining cast of friends and rivals, in the bright, lively kingdom of Ambia.
The TALES OF AMBIA novellas combine friendship, sweet romance, and hilarious comedy for a delightful, uplifting escape. The book series is a reliable source of cheer, and it’s unexpectedly thoughtful and poignant.
Ambia has become a home for me. When I visit my old friends there, it’s impossible not to smile and be filled with warmth and happiness. I fell in love when I read the first book–a love that keeps growing.
It’s the perfect story to share with friends who love humorous, cheerful books! If this appeals to you, check out THE RELUCTANT GODFATHER and sequels.
Original Review, 2017:
The Reluctant Godfather is a delightful and entertaining novella and an incredibly original and twisty retelling of Cinderella. It is one of the best books I have read in recent memory – and certainly the most entertaining I have read in many years! I only wish it had been longer, but I made sure to enjoy and savor each page, laughing through all of it and experiencing every emotion along with the characters.
My favorite part was definitely the characters. Good character development is always my favorite aspect of a great book, and Allison's writing and characters always go infinitely above and beyond that requirement. I never fail to be amazed at how incredibly vivid, complex, endearing, and deep each one of her characters is, no matter what story they are in. I greatly admire the way she develops each character's personality, flaws, inner and outer dialogue, backstory, and character change. The characters in The Reluctant Godfather were no exception.
Burndee was a wonderful and entertaining point-of-view character, and seeing the story from his perspective was so enjoyable – and original! Who would've thought that the story of Cinderella could be told from the perspective of the fairy godfather . . . a fairy godfather who doesn't like being one? And what a personality Burndee was! Stubborn, bad-tempered, sardonic, and rebellious, yet forever lovable – and perhaps with potential for a soft and caring heart underneath, although he would never admit it even to himself. Seeing his transformation over the course of the book was such a treat, and his character development was masterful!
Of course I loved Burndee from the very first, and each of the other main characters earned my love in turn. Sweet Ella, clever Colin, and vivacious Cynthia endeared themselves to me just as much, and I loved many of the supporting characters as well. And even the most minor heralds and footmen leaped off the page with lifelike mannerisms, dialogue, and appearance. The inevitable nasty characters were no exception, and they were vivid in their own right – and so fun to detest – while still being human, however nasty they were. Each character had such an interesting and deep character arc, and it was wonderful to watch them change and learn over the course of the story. And I loved seeing the interactions and relationships between the characters, whether between friends, potential love interests, or enemies. The humorous, teasing banter between Burndee and Colin was one of my favorite parts of the book, as was the sweet friendship of Burndee and Ella. Yet Burndee's relationships with both his wards was complicated and convoluted, and I loved seeing the exploration and progression of each. And those were not the only interesting relationsips to be had. . . .
Nearly every good fairytale must have romance, yet the romantic elements in this book were so unexpected that Allison kept me guessing right up until the end with delicious suspense. I knew what I wanted to happen at the end, but I was unable to predict whether it would – yet everything worked out even more satisfactorily than I could ever have hoped! I cannot mention what that ending was for fear of spoilers, but suffice it to say that I was rooting for a perfect and happy ending for all concern – and did the ending ever deliver! My expectations were huge, and the ending still blew all of them away with it's amazing-ness. Much squealing from yours truly ensued throughout the book, but especially at the end.
Not only were there amazing characters in this book, but the plot was also masterful. I was in suspense for the entire book, and the suspense only crescendoed as the end of the book drew near, culminating in a wonderful climax that more than paid off the anticipation that had been built through the book. So many threads of events and backstory were woven together in a twisty, interesting cloth, and all of the threads were tied up in an extravagant bow at the end – overwhelming even my own high expectations.
This book has such an enjoyable and engaging writing style. I love the way Allison seamlessly integrates dazzling descriptions, rich dialogue, eloquent narration, laugh-out-loud humor, and lively, entertaining escapades.
The fairytale elements in this story were just right. The book kept many familiar and recognizable aspects of the traditional story of Cinderella, yet turned others completely on their heads. It is the most original and unexpected fairytale retelling I have ever read – new and refreshing instead of boring and cliché. The twists were perfect for the story and felt completely right, but they were often totally unpredictable, and they more often than not used the opposite element or event than the well-known tale. Skillful foreshadowing tied all of these things together into a cohesive whole – both traditional and unexpected elements.
The humor was one of the best parts of the book! Allison is one of the funniest people I know, and this book showcased her ability to entertain. I laughed often throughout the book and, especially, laughed my way nonstop through the entire last quarter of the book, during each line, paragraph, and page. Burndee was hilarious!! And so were all the other characters! I particularly loved Burdnee's unique character voice, dialogue, and point-of-view narration, which sparked with wit and humor – and hysterical, zany expressions and terms that sizzled from his biting tongue and sharp mind. It also included many wonderful words from Burndee's prodigious vocabulary, and they gave the story such character while meshing perfectly with the existing character and writing.
In addition to delightful laughs and humor, The Reluctant Godfather was refreshingly deep, with wonderful themes. Disguised within this lighthearted fairytale are profound and beautiful truths about people, life, and much more. Burndee must learn how to open his heart. Ella strives to love others . . . and seeks someone who will truly love her. Colin struggles to find his own desires and battles against the expectations placed upon him. And many other characters also have their own journeys that share insight with the reader, whether or not they are likeable or good. There is wisdom to be gleaned from analysis of even the nasty stepmother and stepsister.
Overall, The Reluctant Godfather is a wonderful, humorous, and sweet read that will be enjoyed by everyone whether or not they are a fan of typical fairytales and fantasy. I recommend it highly to all and have already gushed to many of my friends and family about it.
December 6, 2019
OH MY WORD THAT WAS SO ADORABLE
Best Cinderella Retelling I've ever read.
You need this in your life, because Allison Tebo is talented.
A very N·E·A·T Cinderella Retelling with a very N·E·A·T perspective. 😂
Burndee was hilarious...and I didn't at first like him (come on...who likes vain--proud--MC's anyways??), but I knew he had an amazing character arc, so I kept reading. Burndee's character arc is one of the best. =)
Setting ~ The Fantasy world of Ambia with fairies....and neat creatures. lol Honestly it was super cool.
Description ~ It was detailed well....not epically with all the magic feels, but full of life. (Me: The one person on the face of the planet who loves extreme description, and therefore most books don't hit five stars in this area)
Plot ~ *nods head happily* It moved very swiftly--not one boring moment with Burndee. I was suspicious of Tebo's ability to craft a plot when certain elements were beginning to be rushed along and there was still 50% of the book left. However, it wraps up very well, and very humorously.
Message ~ Everything mostly evolved around Burndee and his arc, but the lesson wasn't for the other characters. It was merely for the fairy Godfather. ^.^
Romance ~ ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE. I can't fangirl like I want to, because *coughs* spoilers (the darned things), but it was so perfect. It was so refreshing to read romance that didn't revolve around cliches. *dramatic sigh* If you read YA all the time....you know what I'm talking about.
Content ~ Some kisses (not detailed). Very Clean. PG. YA.
Characters ~ Oh they were such dears. 😂😏 AND HE WAS SO NEAT. (XD Fans of Ambia will get my reference) The skills and personality traits were so realistic and refreshing. I absolutely loved them.
Burndee ~ I just...you just...your cute. *nods* Also your baking skills are epic and I wish I had that talent.
Ella ~ OMW. Typical Cinderella....but yet original. You wanted to show people love (although you are rather gullible). My heart will always remember your adorable kindness.
Colin ~ I HAD TO LAUGH. BECAUSE BURNDEE. 😂😂😂 You confused him so bad. LOL I loved his personality ....he wasn't the flat "typical Prince charming" ...he had wonderful development, and I can't wait to read more about him.
Overall ~ This book needs more love than it has. Show it some love. Allison Tebo is talented...she won't disappoint.
Best Cinderella Retelling I've ever read.
You need this in your life, because Allison Tebo is talented.
A very N·E·A·T Cinderella Retelling with a very N·E·A·T perspective. 😂
Burndee was hilarious...and I didn't at first like him (come on...who likes vain--proud--MC's anyways??), but I knew he had an amazing character arc, so I kept reading. Burndee's character arc is one of the best. =)
Setting ~ The Fantasy world of Ambia with fairies....and neat creatures. lol Honestly it was super cool.
Description ~ It was detailed well....not epically with all the magic feels, but full of life. (Me: The one person on the face of the planet who loves extreme description, and therefore most books don't hit five stars in this area)
Plot ~ *nods head happily* It moved very swiftly--not one boring moment with Burndee. I was suspicious of Tebo's ability to craft a plot when certain elements were beginning to be rushed along and there was still 50% of the book left. However, it wraps up very well, and very humorously.
Message ~ Everything mostly evolved around Burndee and his arc, but the lesson wasn't for the other characters. It was merely for the fairy Godfather. ^.^
Romance ~ ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE. I can't fangirl like I want to, because *coughs* spoilers (the darned things), but it was so perfect. It was so refreshing to read romance that didn't revolve around cliches. *dramatic sigh* If you read YA all the time....you know what I'm talking about.
Content ~ Some kisses (not detailed). Very Clean. PG. YA.
Characters ~ Oh they were such dears. 😂😏 AND HE WAS SO NEAT. (XD Fans of Ambia will get my reference) The skills and personality traits were so realistic and refreshing. I absolutely loved them.
Burndee ~ I just...you just...your cute. *nods* Also your baking skills are epic and I wish I had that talent.
Ella ~ OMW. Typical Cinderella....but yet original. You wanted to show people love (although you are rather gullible). My heart will always remember your adorable kindness.
Colin ~ I HAD TO LAUGH. BECAUSE BURNDEE. 😂😂😂 You confused him so bad. LOL I loved his personality ....he wasn't the flat "typical Prince charming" ...he had wonderful development, and I can't wait to read more about him.
Overall ~ This book needs more love than it has. Show it some love. Allison Tebo is talented...she won't disappoint.
August 9, 2017
You know it's a good book when you can read it with as much enjoyment the third time as you did the first.
I was privileged to beta-read this, so I may be a little biased, but once you read it, I think you will find that I am not.
The Reluctant Godfather is a hilariously witty and endearingly sweet retelling of Cinderella. I have read a few Cinderella retellings, and most of them are only average; being cliche, trite, and rather commonplace. This is literally the best I have ever read, and probably ever will read! Incredibly unique, witty, and adorable, I found myself "awwing" and laughing out loud numerous times! Each of the characters were spectacular; from the curmudgeonly fairy-godfather Burndee, to sweet innocent Ella, to the charming, shrewd Prince Colin, and of course, the adorable, quick-witted Cynthia! I fell in love with each of them! They all had depth, personality and uniqueness that you don't often find in your average Cinderella retelling.
I highly recommend this to all peoples! It would make a great read-aloud, and I plan on doing just that with my younger brothers! For a debut work, it is exceptional! Allison Tebo hits the proverbial nail on the head! Kudos!
I was privileged to beta-read this, so I may be a little biased, but once you read it, I think you will find that I am not.
The Reluctant Godfather is a hilariously witty and endearingly sweet retelling of Cinderella. I have read a few Cinderella retellings, and most of them are only average; being cliche, trite, and rather commonplace. This is literally the best I have ever read, and probably ever will read! Incredibly unique, witty, and adorable, I found myself "awwing" and laughing out loud numerous times! Each of the characters were spectacular; from the curmudgeonly fairy-godfather Burndee, to sweet innocent Ella, to the charming, shrewd Prince Colin, and of course, the adorable, quick-witted Cynthia! I fell in love with each of them! They all had depth, personality and uniqueness that you don't often find in your average Cinderella retelling.
I highly recommend this to all peoples! It would make a great read-aloud, and I plan on doing just that with my younger brothers! For a debut work, it is exceptional! Allison Tebo hits the proverbial nail on the head! Kudos!
February 3, 2018
Well, that was glorious! I’m left wondering why I didn’t read The Reluctant Godfather sooner. It’s a quick read, but surprisingly weighty for its briefness, yet hilariously light-hearted at the same time. (And witty—so witty! Burndee’s mental process had me laughing out loud several times.)
Speaking of which, Burndee, the main character, is a gift to mankind. No, really. He’s grumpily kind-hearted, and those characters are often the absolute best, because they’re relatable. Very few of us are naturally upbeat like Ella—and watching Burndee go from a very reluctant godfather that wonders why anyone would ever want him, to genuinely caring about his wards and desiring their welfare even when he makes mistakes in the process—well, it was beautiful. Also, he bakes. A baker myself, this scored instant points. :P
And the romance! The Reluctant Godfather contains the sweetest little love story you ever did see. It didn’t wallop you across the head with over-the-top sentimentality (or worse), but it felt real and natural, and I was immensely satisfied by how it all turned out. (<— Although that might just be the understatement of the century. I built my ship and sailed it, too.) xD
This book is also squeaky clean, as far as I can recall, unless you count the underlying problem of Prince Colin being forced to marry (thus the familiar ball), in order to produce an heir. Other than that, there’s nothing in the way of objectionable content! My only criticism is that sometimes the dialogue tags were a tad awkward in my opinion. (Example: characters sometimes enthused their dialogue.) That’s kind of nitpicky though, and didn’t really get in the way of my enjoyment.
To use Burndee’s words: The Reluctant Godfather is... neat. Go read this neatness. You won’t regret it!!
Speaking of which, Burndee, the main character, is a gift to mankind. No, really. He’s grumpily kind-hearted, and those characters are often the absolute best, because they’re relatable. Very few of us are naturally upbeat like Ella—and watching Burndee go from a very reluctant godfather that wonders why anyone would ever want him, to genuinely caring about his wards and desiring their welfare even when he makes mistakes in the process—well, it was beautiful. Also, he bakes. A baker myself, this scored instant points. :P
And the romance! The Reluctant Godfather contains the sweetest little love story you ever did see. It didn’t wallop you across the head with over-the-top sentimentality (or worse), but it felt real and natural, and I was immensely satisfied by how it all turned out. (<— Although that might just be the understatement of the century. I built my ship and sailed it, too.) xD
This book is also squeaky clean, as far as I can recall, unless you count the underlying problem of Prince Colin being forced to marry (thus the familiar ball), in order to produce an heir. Other than that, there’s nothing in the way of objectionable content! My only criticism is that sometimes the dialogue tags were a tad awkward in my opinion. (Example: characters sometimes enthused their dialogue.) That’s kind of nitpicky though, and didn’t really get in the way of my enjoyment.
To use Burndee’s words: The Reluctant Godfather is... neat. Go read this neatness. You won’t regret it!!
July 29, 2025
This is too stinking cute! I didn’t mean to finish it in one evening but it was so short and cute it just kind of happened, lol. 😂
Burndee is such a grump but also cares which is hard to pull off but was handled expertly here, though I did want to kick his teeth in at one point near the middle/end (if you know you know). 😒 All the other characters were sparkling gems and the twists on Cinderella were really fun and unique while still being recognizable.
So cute!
‼️Content‼️
Violence: a man punches another in the face
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: magic; fairies, fairy godfathers/godmothers; implied talk about a stepfamily abusing a daughter
Burndee is such a grump but also cares which is hard to pull off but was handled expertly here, though I did want to kick his teeth in at one point near the middle/end (if you know you know). 😒 All the other characters were sparkling gems and the twists on Cinderella were really fun and unique while still being recognizable.
So cute!
‼️Content‼️
Violence: a man punches another in the face
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
Other: magic; fairies, fairy godfathers/godmothers; implied talk about a stepfamily abusing a daughter
March 31, 2017
Oh my crumpets...this story was fantastic. <3
Just from reading all my buddies' reviews on Goodreads, I knew I was going to enjoy this. Sarcasm? Cake? Grumpy godfathers? COUNT ME IN.
Fortunately, it was just as good--if not better--than I thought it would be. The characters were absolutely phenomenal, the dialogue hilarious, and the writing top-notch. I laughed out loud...more than my family would have liked. *cough* And I melted into a puddle of happiness during the ending scenes. <3333
I loved how Allison retold the story of Cinderella in a way I've NEVER heard it told. Yet I enjoyed the fact that it still rang true to the original story, feeling new and familiar at the same time.
Loved this story so much! I honestly just want a collection of Burndee short stories now. *stares pointedly at Alli* XD
5 stars!
Just from reading all my buddies' reviews on Goodreads, I knew I was going to enjoy this. Sarcasm? Cake? Grumpy godfathers? COUNT ME IN.
Fortunately, it was just as good--if not better--than I thought it would be. The characters were absolutely phenomenal, the dialogue hilarious, and the writing top-notch. I laughed out loud...more than my family would have liked. *cough* And I melted into a puddle of happiness during the ending scenes. <3333
I loved how Allison retold the story of Cinderella in a way I've NEVER heard it told. Yet I enjoyed the fact that it still rang true to the original story, feeling new and familiar at the same time.
Loved this story so much! I honestly just want a collection of Burndee short stories now. *stares pointedly at Alli* XD
5 stars!
October 31, 2017
Originally posted on Reveries Reviews
I got this book on a free day, and I was so excited! I’d really been looking forward to reading it. A retelling of Cinderella from the perspective of the Fairy Godfather? Sign me up! Then I skim-read it again (although it was hard; I really wanted to just settle in and enjoy it!) so I could rewrite this review. I’m going to have to read it again sometime sooner or later … it’s really that good!
The Reluctant Godfather is a fantastic story. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. It was hilarious, causing me to laugh aloud several times. Allison’s writing style is unique and engaging. It’s light and just a bit silly, but completely self-aware and quite clever.
The characters were amazing. Burndee was especially awesome with Ella running a close second. Colin … I am a little irritated with him. Mostly because I think all Colins should be amazing. *shrugs* It’s a weird quirk …
Though, in hindsight, I guess Colin wasn’t terrible. He was irritating, though. Sometimes I was like, “Colin … I’m going to strangle you … and I don’t think anyone’s going to try to stop me …”
I can’t tell you all the amazing twists and turns of the plot without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say that this retelling leaves no cliché unaddressed. Sometimes I thought, “Oh, well, that’s gonna be a little cliché …” and it turned out so creative! It’s truly a work of genius. And it’s really funny. What’s not to love? I honestly can’t stop raving about it.
I’m not going to rant on about the amazingness of this book forever, but you must read it! Really. Get yourself a copy.
In closing, I just want to say: Allison. I MUST READ THE SEQUEL AAAAH!!! More Ella and Burndee and maybe even Colin … *squeals*
~Kellyn Roth
I got this book on a free day, and I was so excited! I’d really been looking forward to reading it. A retelling of Cinderella from the perspective of the Fairy Godfather? Sign me up! Then I skim-read it again (although it was hard; I really wanted to just settle in and enjoy it!) so I could rewrite this review. I’m going to have to read it again sometime sooner or later … it’s really that good!
The Reluctant Godfather is a fantastic story. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. It was hilarious, causing me to laugh aloud several times. Allison’s writing style is unique and engaging. It’s light and just a bit silly, but completely self-aware and quite clever.
The characters were amazing. Burndee was especially awesome with Ella running a close second. Colin … I am a little irritated with him. Mostly because I think all Colins should be amazing. *shrugs* It’s a weird quirk …
Though, in hindsight, I guess Colin wasn’t terrible. He was irritating, though. Sometimes I was like, “Colin … I’m going to strangle you … and I don’t think anyone’s going to try to stop me …”
I can’t tell you all the amazing twists and turns of the plot without giving away spoilers, so I’ll just say that this retelling leaves no cliché unaddressed. Sometimes I thought, “Oh, well, that’s gonna be a little cliché …” and it turned out so creative! It’s truly a work of genius. And it’s really funny. What’s not to love? I honestly can’t stop raving about it.
I’m not going to rant on about the amazingness of this book forever, but you must read it! Really. Get yourself a copy.
In closing, I just want to say: Allison. I MUST READ THE SEQUEL AAAAH!!! More Ella and Burndee and maybe even Colin … *squeals*
~Kellyn Roth
January 5, 2020
Quirky and sarcastic. This fairytale retelling is sure to have you laughing and smiling throughout its not-too-long entirety. :D
August 7, 2023
Confirmed: I still love my babies. :)
Can't wait to share the audiobook of The Reluctant Godfather with you all!
Can't wait to share the audiobook of The Reluctant Godfather with you all!
April 28, 2020
Re-read 26-04-20
I wasn't going to re-read this one before Poppy's Peril, but I got about .5 pages into A Royal Masquerade & realized I officially no longer have a memory.
Absolutely darling, as always!
- - - - -
Ahem. Els just read a fairy-tale retelling. Yikes.
No really- I had my reasons. It was written by a friend, see? And I wanted to see what it was about....
And HERE is my first gush after reading the book.
"When I started to read this book, I assumed it would be a cute little fairy-tale retelling, and that I would probably give it four stars and think of it as three- the author's a friend of mine and I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. For one, I hate fairy tales. Cinderella tends to bore me. And so I read this mainly to satisfy all my clamoring friends.
They clamored for a reason.
If I could give this 10,000,000 stars, I WOULD!!! Okay, perhaps not quite. there were two typos that bothered my grammatical soul deeply. So maybe 9,999,999 stars. But for a fairy-tale- A FAIRY-TALE!!!- to capture my heart like this- to have me rolling in laughter- guessing at the ending- sniffling because it was over- this is impossible. And The Reluctant Godfather broke that.
This is the most charming, sparkling, witty book I have read in ages. There was nothing missing, nothing too much. Instead there were endearing characters, hilarious quips, and a thought-provoking ending. I would do a plot synopsis- but everyone knows the story of Cinderella and anything I said would spoil this story.
So just read it.
(to be edited once I stop giggling and get my thoughts organized!)
THIS BOOK IS THE BEST!!!!!!"
Well THAT was rather gushy and embarrassing. So here is my- ahem, professional review. Ahem.
What I loved-
NONONONONO!!!!!!! Don't take me here again!! I'll turn into a gushy fangirl!!!
No, seriously- *takes deep breath and puts on stern face*
-the characters. All of them were full, interesting, and worth hanging out with. Yes, that includes the De Ghents. I would love to do some pranking.
-The QUOTES!!! Okay, all of it was so witty I just want to start talking in TRG-ish. It's my new language. It's- neat.
-It was HILARIOUS!!! And funny books always steal my heart.
-The epilogue/ author's note. Allison---- beautiful.
What I disliked-
-For the first two pages every piece of dialogue is "said+adverb," which I, a snobby verb-adorer, find choppy and boring, as well as comitting the horrifying crime of leaving out all the beautiful verbs out there for the snatching. This did stop after the first couple pages- or maybe I was just so caught up in the awesomenessness of the story to notice.
Both are extremely credible possibilities.
-the two typos mentioned above. URGH...
-The retelling of a retelling. Yes, that sounded confusing. You could see that some of this was based off of Disney's Cinderella, which was rather obnoxious, to me personally. she does NOT need to wear a big, puffy, pale blue dress, her mother's dress does NOT have to be pink and torn up by her stepsisters, her carriage does NOT have to be a pumpkin (what about a watermelon carriage??? Who's leaving out the watermelons???), Her coachmen don't have to be mice (although there was some good usage of their micey-ness!) and, in my opinion, the horses should have been GRASSHOPPERS, not birds. Inside joke. Ahem.
- Burndee was too obvious sometimes. Hey, you DO NOT NAME YOUR BAKERY "MAGIC PUMPKIN BAKERY"!!! You just- don't.
But none of that was big enough for me to deduct a star. Sure, I liked it less on the re-read, but first impressions are what really count. And let's just say that I LOVED it!!!
Wait- I'm not turning into Miss Gushy again, am I??? SAVE ME!!!
I wasn't going to re-read this one before Poppy's Peril, but I got about .5 pages into A Royal Masquerade & realized I officially no longer have a memory.
Absolutely darling, as always!
- - - - -
Ahem. Els just read a fairy-tale retelling. Yikes.
No really- I had my reasons. It was written by a friend, see? And I wanted to see what it was about....
And HERE is my first gush after reading the book.
"When I started to read this book, I assumed it would be a cute little fairy-tale retelling, and that I would probably give it four stars and think of it as three- the author's a friend of mine and I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. For one, I hate fairy tales. Cinderella tends to bore me. And so I read this mainly to satisfy all my clamoring friends.
They clamored for a reason.
If I could give this 10,000,000 stars, I WOULD!!! Okay, perhaps not quite. there were two typos that bothered my grammatical soul deeply. So maybe 9,999,999 stars. But for a fairy-tale- A FAIRY-TALE!!!- to capture my heart like this- to have me rolling in laughter- guessing at the ending- sniffling because it was over- this is impossible. And The Reluctant Godfather broke that.
This is the most charming, sparkling, witty book I have read in ages. There was nothing missing, nothing too much. Instead there were endearing characters, hilarious quips, and a thought-provoking ending. I would do a plot synopsis- but everyone knows the story of Cinderella and anything I said would spoil this story.
So just read it.
(to be edited once I stop giggling and get my thoughts organized!)
THIS BOOK IS THE BEST!!!!!!"
Well THAT was rather gushy and embarrassing. So here is my- ahem, professional review. Ahem.
What I loved-
NONONONONO!!!!!!! Don't take me here again!! I'll turn into a gushy fangirl!!!
No, seriously- *takes deep breath and puts on stern face*
-the characters. All of them were full, interesting, and worth hanging out with. Yes, that includes the De Ghents. I would love to do some pranking.
-The QUOTES!!! Okay, all of it was so witty I just want to start talking in TRG-ish. It's my new language. It's- neat.
-It was HILARIOUS!!! And funny books always steal my heart.
-The epilogue/ author's note. Allison---- beautiful.
What I disliked-
-For the first two pages every piece of dialogue is "said+adverb," which I, a snobby verb-adorer, find choppy and boring, as well as comitting the horrifying crime of leaving out all the beautiful verbs out there for the snatching. This did stop after the first couple pages- or maybe I was just so caught up in the awesomenessness of the story to notice.
Both are extremely credible possibilities.
-the two typos mentioned above. URGH...
-The retelling of a retelling. Yes, that sounded confusing. You could see that some of this was based off of Disney's Cinderella, which was rather obnoxious, to me personally. she does NOT need to wear a big, puffy, pale blue dress, her mother's dress does NOT have to be pink and torn up by her stepsisters, her carriage does NOT have to be a pumpkin (what about a watermelon carriage??? Who's leaving out the watermelons???), Her coachmen don't have to be mice (although there was some good usage of their micey-ness!) and, in my opinion, the horses should have been GRASSHOPPERS, not birds. Inside joke. Ahem.
- Burndee was too obvious sometimes. Hey, you DO NOT NAME YOUR BAKERY "MAGIC PUMPKIN BAKERY"!!! You just- don't.
But none of that was big enough for me to deduct a star. Sure, I liked it less on the re-read, but first impressions are what really count. And let's just say that I LOVED it!!!
Wait- I'm not turning into Miss Gushy again, am I??? SAVE ME!!!
August 23, 2019
"You’re a disgrace to the fairy order, Burndee," Fey of Thornwild whispered severely.
Burndee spun the platter in front of him in a slow circle, observing his creation critically before he began frosting his triple chocolate cake. “I know I am,” he said complacently.'
All right so first of all, f r i c k this was SO CUTE and Burndee is my salty soulmate. Like, his sass was 100% on point and I loved his nonchalant attitude about 99% of what happened in the book. He is the type of character who seems aware of your own internal thoughts and voices them in a story . . . and, y'all, I just really love that!! Also, yes please give me the salty youths who are disgruntled at the world at the very tender age of twenty-five hahaha I LOVE IT!
[and yes I was absolutely living while imagining this tall, awkward guy who isn't stunningly good-looking but still quite attractive and yet acting like a tired grandfather . . . it's an aesthetic, okay??]
I also loved how Burndee took his frustrations out through angry baking because that is also a brilliant aesthetic. Yknow, let's just agree that Burndee is just altogether a brilliant aesthetic and that's basically what the majority of the book is about is him doing his salty, angry-baking, snarky aesthetic things!!
But the bantering, witty dialogue is perhaps the backbone of this too-short story. All the character interactions are fabulous!! Literally anyone with Burndee made me giggle, I got all cutesy shippy feels from Burndee and Ella (what a neat twist!!), and then Burndee and Colin are comedy gold.
"My father . . ." He hesitated a moment, his jaw working over the words. "My father says it’s high time I . . . produced an heir."
"Oh," Burndee said blankly, pausing mid-bite. "I’m good, but I’m not that good. Unless we steal a baby—"
Colin gave him a disgusted look. "He means marriage, you fool."
This is just such a goldmine of wit and excellent, quirky writing that I was happily surprised by every new sentence I read! So do yourself a favor and read this lovely, hilarious tale!!
Burndee spun the platter in front of him in a slow circle, observing his creation critically before he began frosting his triple chocolate cake. “I know I am,” he said complacently.'
All right so first of all, f r i c k this was SO CUTE and Burndee is my salty soulmate. Like, his sass was 100% on point and I loved his nonchalant attitude about 99% of what happened in the book. He is the type of character who seems aware of your own internal thoughts and voices them in a story . . . and, y'all, I just really love that!! Also, yes please give me the salty youths who are disgruntled at the world at the very tender age of twenty-five hahaha I LOVE IT!
[and yes I was absolutely living while imagining this tall, awkward guy who isn't stunningly good-looking but still quite attractive and yet acting like a tired grandfather . . . it's an aesthetic, okay??]
I also loved how Burndee took his frustrations out through angry baking because that is also a brilliant aesthetic. Yknow, let's just agree that Burndee is just altogether a brilliant aesthetic and that's basically what the majority of the book is about is him doing his salty, angry-baking, snarky aesthetic things!!
But the bantering, witty dialogue is perhaps the backbone of this too-short story. All the character interactions are fabulous!! Literally anyone with Burndee made me giggle, I got all cutesy shippy feels from Burndee and Ella (what a neat twist!!), and then Burndee and Colin are comedy gold.
"My father . . ." He hesitated a moment, his jaw working over the words. "My father says it’s high time I . . . produced an heir."
"Oh," Burndee said blankly, pausing mid-bite. "I’m good, but I’m not that good. Unless we steal a baby—"
Colin gave him a disgusted look. "He means marriage, you fool."
This is just such a goldmine of wit and excellent, quirky writing that I was happily surprised by every new sentence I read! So do yourself a favor and read this lovely, hilarious tale!!
May 11, 2017
Warning: Drooling over the cover is inevitable, so all readers are advised to have paper towels nearby so they don’t ruin their paperback or Kindle.
Another warning: Readers will end up loving a grumpy, sarcastic character nearly against their will.
Also be warned that you will find yourself first hungry then amused, frustrated, and maybe even a little bit surprised.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There was just enough of the same old charming tale to keep it recognizable with a ton of twists throw in to freshen things up. :D I enjoyed all of the characters (although Burndee was really the best, and since he’s a baker I love it that his name has “burn” in it); and the way things went “horribly wrong” was fantastic. It was also really special to find a content Cinderella. That never happens, and I’ve always wanted it to. And the dancing part! Ha, ha!!! Talk about shaking up the ball!!! It was also fun how Prince Colin was always handling Burndee. ;) My favorite part was definitely Just a note that there is a slight romantic element and the use of one minor British swear word.
Best quotes: “My father…” Colin hesitated a moment, his jaw working over the words. “My father says… it’s high time I...produced an heir.” “Oh.” Burndee said blankly, pausing in mid bite. “I’m good, but I’m not that good. Unless we steal a baby--” Colin gave him a disgusted look. “He means marriage, you fool.”
Burndee gave her the dirtiest look he possessed and hissed between his teeth. “Cake’s don’t psychoanalyze you.”
Altogether, charming and hilarious! Something to memorize and quote for eternity. ;) I’m looking forward to more from this author!
Another warning: Readers will end up loving a grumpy, sarcastic character nearly against their will.
Also be warned that you will find yourself first hungry then amused, frustrated, and maybe even a little bit surprised.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There was just enough of the same old charming tale to keep it recognizable with a ton of twists throw in to freshen things up. :D I enjoyed all of the characters (although Burndee was really the best, and since he’s a baker I love it that his name has “burn” in it); and the way things went “horribly wrong” was fantastic. It was also really special to find a content Cinderella. That never happens, and I’ve always wanted it to. And the dancing part! Ha, ha!!! Talk about shaking up the ball!!! It was also fun how Prince Colin was always handling Burndee. ;) My favorite part was definitely Just a note that there is a slight romantic element and the use of one minor British swear word.
Best quotes: “My father…” Colin hesitated a moment, his jaw working over the words. “My father says… it’s high time I...produced an heir.” “Oh.” Burndee said blankly, pausing in mid bite. “I’m good, but I’m not that good. Unless we steal a baby--” Colin gave him a disgusted look. “He means marriage, you fool.”
Burndee gave her the dirtiest look he possessed and hissed between his teeth. “Cake’s don’t psychoanalyze you.”
Altogether, charming and hilarious! Something to memorize and quote for eternity. ;) I’m looking forward to more from this author!
February 7, 2017
Oh, where to start with this review! First off, this is the most unusual Cinderella retelling I have ever read! I enjoyed the wittiness that was sprinkled throughout, and I loved Colin! I pretty much figured out the ending right when they arrived at the ball . . . but that was okay, because I still enjoyed seeing how the author worked it all out.
I loved Colin. Did I mention that above? (But really, who wouldn't love a prince that does anything he can to marry the girl of his choice? xD) He handled Burndee quite well, I thought! My favorite parts of the book were when those two were together talking . . . or rather arguing.
The reason I only gave it four stars is because I never really connected to Burndee that much as a character. He annoyed me a lot of the book, but he did turn out quite nice, so I did like that! The character development with him through the course of the book was "neat". ;)
Also, I don't really like a ton of magic in books . . . even when it seems innocent. Yes, I know this is Cinderella, but it still bothered me. There was nothing at all dark, but because of my personal convictions, it still made me a bit uncomfortable.
So yes, that aside, I really enjoyed the book! It had a very different twist than the normal Cinderella story, so I was never quite sure what to expect! If you enjoy Cinderella retellings, than I'd definitely recommend it! :)
I loved Colin. Did I mention that above? (But really, who wouldn't love a prince that does anything he can to marry the girl of his choice? xD) He handled Burndee quite well, I thought! My favorite parts of the book were when those two were together talking . . . or rather arguing.
The reason I only gave it four stars is because I never really connected to Burndee that much as a character. He annoyed me a lot of the book, but he did turn out quite nice, so I did like that! The character development with him through the course of the book was "neat". ;)
Also, I don't really like a ton of magic in books . . . even when it seems innocent. Yes, I know this is Cinderella, but it still bothered me. There was nothing at all dark, but because of my personal convictions, it still made me a bit uncomfortable.
So yes, that aside, I really enjoyed the book! It had a very different twist than the normal Cinderella story, so I was never quite sure what to expect! If you enjoy Cinderella retellings, than I'd definitely recommend it! :)
October 13, 2017
One of the sweetest books I've ever read!
I don't even know where to start... this little book was so GOOD. So I'm gonna break it down and have some fun- because this book was so fun OK ahhh.
-- Story: I have never read a fairy tale retelling before (that I can recall). Also, I never even got into the Cinderella fairy tale. And I finally know why - little kid me was waiting for THIS BOOK to finally fulfill the story of Cinderella! The story was vibrant, hilarious (OK, I was laughing on page one because... I feel you Burndee. I feel you.), and deliciously sweet
-- Writing: The writing style was vivid and inviting, and really told the story well! I loved the pictures the words painted... and the magic scenes, too, were nicely done!
-- Characters: AMAZING. That is all. But seriously: the characters were bouncing off the page from page one. It was so incredible - it was like they were all real! The lessons the characters all learned were all so good - and relatable. But more ramblings on these dears later!
Things I Loved:
-- First, the dear Allison Tebo sent me an autographed copy so eep it's so pretty. Oh gosh. Thank you again, Ms. Tebo!
-- BURNDEE. Like... DUH. He was cracking me up on every other page because geez... he was just great.
-- Ella was too good... I liked her and the way she was with Burndee, it was so funny and cute.
-- The food. But, seriously, am I the only one who would kidnap the Declaration of Independence just to taste on of Burndee's cakes? Because they sound to die for.
-- The magic was so well done and like... if this book was a movie, I'd have it on repeat for my nieces... which is HIGH PRAISE because I hate Disney reruns when the kids get attached... But this book was SO GOOD and I honestly plan on reading it aloud one day.
Overall, a stunning piece of cake of a book! God bless you, Ms. Tebo, because I CANNOT wait for the next books in this series!
-Angela Watts
I don't even know where to start... this little book was so GOOD. So I'm gonna break it down and have some fun- because this book was so fun OK ahhh.
-- Story: I have never read a fairy tale retelling before (that I can recall). Also, I never even got into the Cinderella fairy tale. And I finally know why - little kid me was waiting for THIS BOOK to finally fulfill the story of Cinderella! The story was vibrant, hilarious (OK, I was laughing on page one because... I feel you Burndee. I feel you.), and deliciously sweet
-- Writing: The writing style was vivid and inviting, and really told the story well! I loved the pictures the words painted... and the magic scenes, too, were nicely done!
-- Characters: AMAZING. That is all. But seriously: the characters were bouncing off the page from page one. It was so incredible - it was like they were all real! The lessons the characters all learned were all so good - and relatable. But more ramblings on these dears later!
Things I Loved:
-- First, the dear Allison Tebo sent me an autographed copy so eep it's so pretty. Oh gosh. Thank you again, Ms. Tebo!
-- BURNDEE. Like... DUH. He was cracking me up on every other page because geez... he was just great.
-- Ella was too good... I liked her and the way she was with Burndee, it was so funny and cute.
-- The food. But, seriously, am I the only one who would kidnap the Declaration of Independence just to taste on of Burndee's cakes? Because they sound to die for.
-- The magic was so well done and like... if this book was a movie, I'd have it on repeat for my nieces... which is HIGH PRAISE because I hate Disney reruns when the kids get attached... But this book was SO GOOD and I honestly plan on reading it aloud one day.
Overall, a stunning piece of cake of a book! God bless you, Ms. Tebo, because I CANNOT wait for the next books in this series!
-Angela Watts
October 29, 2017
Why on earth was this so adorable? Nothing should be allowed to be that adorable. it must be illegal. I'm sure of it.
It was excellent though. Ridiculously excellent. I'm sorry, but it was. I couldn't put the thing down, it was very inconvenient to have the kindle glued to my hand. And then... I felt the need to read it again immediately after. Send help.
It was excellent though. Ridiculously excellent. I'm sorry, but it was. I couldn't put the thing down, it was very inconvenient to have the kindle glued to my hand. And then... I felt the need to read it again immediately after. Send help.
May 3, 2020
What can I say? I laughed, a lot. This is the most uncliché portrayal of one of the most cliché stories that I have ever read. And I love it! It's witty, unexpected, and delightful. I definitely encourage y'all to read it!
March 17, 2017
This is a lovely retelling of Cinderella, and a very clever one, too. I really appreciated the new, original twists the author brought to this fairy tale--unlike with most Cinderella stories, you really have no idea what's going to happen next, and it's quite fun. Plus, the characters made me smile. Especially Burndee. And Ella. :-)
(Also, can I just say Colin totally rocks and I want to date him? Yes? Please? Thank you.)
(Also, can I just say Colin totally rocks and I want to date him? Yes? Please? Thank you.)
July 30, 2022
Burndee is a fairy godfather who only has two charges, which is considerably less than a normal fairy godparent. But even those feel like two too many for him. When a royal ball is announced, Burndee sees this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. With the least amount of effort possible, he wants get rid of both their problems by setting them up with each other.
The characters – particularly Burndee and (cinder)Ella – are not only strong but also very memorable.
Burndee is a grumpy fairy godfather who’d rather spend his days baking pastries rather than actually helping people. He occasionally does try to help his charges. He unfortunately does it so begrudgingly it usually ends up coming back to haunt him, hitting his charges in the face like a boomerang. At the end of the day though, he does keep trying. While he might not exactly like his job, his heart is definitely in the right place.
Ella is a girl who Burndee considers a bit dumb because she’s so nice to people, even those who are clearly taking advantage of her. But trying to see the best in people is definitely a redeeming quality that makes her very likeable, even to Burndee himself. And she’s not as dumb as she might come across at first sight.
Colin is a clever prince who already knows Burndee is his fairy godfather. He’s mostly a background figure for the first three quarters of the story. But when the veil is lifted and his personality finally rises to the surface, he does show a lot of promise and potential.
I really like the ending. It’s clever, funny, heartwarming and very satisfying. This solidifies the story as a great read for me.
Overall, a very solid and charming Cinderella retelling. It’s a warm and familiar plot which the writer really made her own by adding a little bit of comedy and some very strong characters.
The characters – particularly Burndee and (cinder)Ella – are not only strong but also very memorable.
Burndee is a grumpy fairy godfather who’d rather spend his days baking pastries rather than actually helping people. He occasionally does try to help his charges. He unfortunately does it so begrudgingly it usually ends up coming back to haunt him, hitting his charges in the face like a boomerang. At the end of the day though, he does keep trying. While he might not exactly like his job, his heart is definitely in the right place.
Ella is a girl who Burndee considers a bit dumb because she’s so nice to people, even those who are clearly taking advantage of her. But trying to see the best in people is definitely a redeeming quality that makes her very likeable, even to Burndee himself. And she’s not as dumb as she might come across at first sight.
Colin is a clever prince who already knows Burndee is his fairy godfather. He’s mostly a background figure for the first three quarters of the story. But when the veil is lifted and his personality finally rises to the surface, he does show a lot of promise and potential.
I really like the ending. It’s clever, funny, heartwarming and very satisfying. This solidifies the story as a great read for me.
Overall, a very solid and charming Cinderella retelling. It’s a warm and familiar plot which the writer really made her own by adding a little bit of comedy and some very strong characters.
January 24, 2025
Well, this was the sweetest little book ever. The short review: go read it, please. But Allison gave me this book for review so review it I will.
Likes:
-Burndee. Like, he was so grouchy and yet adorable, and I loved him with all my heart. I totally shipped him with Ella...
-Ella. She was adorable too. Honestly, all the characters are adorable. And she was the cutest version of Cinderella I've read in a while. There are WAY too many retellings of Cinderella out there, but if the writer can pull off a unique and wonderful Ella, I'll go for it. I'm unashamed of my love for unique Cinderella characters.
-I didn't particularly like Colin, but that was just personal taste.
-The cliches were just completely not there and it was wonderful. Everything was reversed. One of the stepsisters wasn't so evil, the stepmother was a stepfather... it was amazing.
-Did I mention it was funny?
-I actually cried laughing at one point.
-I laugh at movies all the time. Not usually books.
-Also: Burndee loved to bake. I adore baking characters, especially when they're guys...
Probably my one complaint was that the book could have been twice as long, but I'm definitely looking forward to more from Allison Tebo. Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for review!
Likes:
-Burndee. Like, he was so grouchy and yet adorable, and I loved him with all my heart. I totally shipped him with Ella...
-Ella. She was adorable too. Honestly, all the characters are adorable. And she was the cutest version of Cinderella I've read in a while. There are WAY too many retellings of Cinderella out there, but if the writer can pull off a unique and wonderful Ella, I'll go for it. I'm unashamed of my love for unique Cinderella characters.
-I didn't particularly like Colin, but that was just personal taste.
-The cliches were just completely not there and it was wonderful. Everything was reversed. One of the stepsisters wasn't so evil, the stepmother was a stepfather... it was amazing.
-Did I mention it was funny?
-I actually cried laughing at one point.
-I laugh at movies all the time. Not usually books.
-Also: Burndee loved to bake. I adore baking characters, especially when they're guys...
Probably my one complaint was that the book could have been twice as long, but I'm definitely looking forward to more from Allison Tebo. Thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for review!
December 30, 2017
What a fun and unique retelling of Cinderella this is! I absolutely love the idea of having the story be told from the Godfather’s point of view. Such a creative idea! This isn’t a normal retelling of Cinderella and thats what made it special from the other retellings out there.
Burndee was by far my favorite character in this book. He had such a fun personality and I loved him! He made a great Godfather and I’d definitely wouldn’t mind another book about him. ;)
And I just have to mention the ending ( which I didn’t see coming at all ) I absolutely loved it! Once again, it’s different from the other Cinderella retellings and I loved that.
This is a such sweet retelling of Cinderella and I’d definitely recommend it!
Burndee was by far my favorite character in this book. He had such a fun personality and I loved him! He made a great Godfather and I’d definitely wouldn’t mind another book about him. ;)
And I just have to mention the ending ( which I didn’t see coming at all ) I absolutely loved it! Once again, it’s different from the other Cinderella retellings and I loved that.
This is a such sweet retelling of Cinderella and I’d definitely recommend it!
December 6, 2019
OH MY WORD I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! ❤️
This was such a sweet story with an unexpected ending, but one that I absolutely adored! Burndee was such an entertaining character and I loved laughing at his antics. One of my new favorite books! I just wish it was longer!❤️
This was such a sweet story with an unexpected ending, but one that I absolutely adored! Burndee was such an entertaining character and I loved laughing at his antics. One of my new favorite books! I just wish it was longer!❤️
December 9, 2017
This is such a delightful, adorable, warm and fuzzy story! I was literally overcome with laughter on several occasions. The characters are absoutely the best and the story telling so humorous and enjoyabe that you will want to read it again and again. This book would make an awesome family read aloud.
Burndee, the godfather has this magical sense of sarcasm that had me in stitches! Ella was adorable and cuddly and I just wanted to scoop her into a hug. And the prince! I just laughed so hard and couldnt help but have warm and fuzzy feelings at the end! A must read!
Burndee, the godfather has this magical sense of sarcasm that had me in stitches! Ella was adorable and cuddly and I just wanted to scoop her into a hug. And the prince! I just laughed so hard and couldnt help but have warm and fuzzy feelings at the end! A must read!
August 16, 2018
3 1/2 stars
I got this because of the high recomendations of my freinds.
I wasn't overly impressed, but it was a cute twist on the oringal story. The wit was fun, and I found myself smiling though a few parts.
I have to admit though, I didn't find having a main character who disliked humans all that amusing. Contrary to my 16 Goodread's friends who have read and loved this... I didn't find myself really liking Burndee. I didn't really dislike him ether, it was just... meh.
So yeah, I didn't dislike this, but I didn't really love it ether. I'll probably read the next book when it comes out.
I got this because of the high recomendations of my freinds.
I wasn't overly impressed, but it was a cute twist on the oringal story. The wit was fun, and I found myself smiling though a few parts.
I have to admit though, I didn't find having a main character who disliked humans all that amusing. Contrary to my 16 Goodread's friends who have read and loved this... I didn't find myself really liking Burndee. I didn't really dislike him ether, it was just... meh.
So yeah, I didn't dislike this, but I didn't really love it ether. I'll probably read the next book when it comes out.
April 9, 2018
Oh my gosh, that was just about the cutest thing ever!
I don't think I've read many novellas in my reading career. I usually prefer big ol' books with at least three hundred pages. The bigger the better. (As long as the story is satisfying)
But a review for a sequel for The Reluctant Godfather popped up on my Goodreads sometime last week and I read the synopsis and was like "Done!"
It didn't take long to read. I think it took about forty-five minutes tops. But the main characters really made this story shine.
Burndee was hilarious. He was in denial the entire book and I loved him. I mean, who wouldn't like a cantankerous young fairy who stinks at being a godparent?
Colin didn't really get a lot of screen time, (or would that be page time...?) but he seemed alright. Very put out with everyone.
Ella. Okay, Burndee was my favorite, but Ella is one of the most relatable characters I've ever read. The bit when Burndee was talking about how she wanted things like cutting boards to believe in themselves and the whole feeling bad for inanimate objects. I gasped out loud because I have seriously never heard of someone else having that problem. And then the other quote that went something like this: "I'm not pretty. I'm not clever. But I'm strong so I have to help."
But overall it was an extremely cute, fluffy read and I'll probably read it again in the near future.
I don't think I've read many novellas in my reading career. I usually prefer big ol' books with at least three hundred pages. The bigger the better. (As long as the story is satisfying)
But a review for a sequel for The Reluctant Godfather popped up on my Goodreads sometime last week and I read the synopsis and was like "Done!"
It didn't take long to read. I think it took about forty-five minutes tops. But the main characters really made this story shine.
Burndee was hilarious. He was in denial the entire book and I loved him. I mean, who wouldn't like a cantankerous young fairy who stinks at being a godparent?
Colin didn't really get a lot of screen time, (or would that be page time...?) but he seemed alright. Very put out with everyone.
Ella. Okay, Burndee was my favorite, but Ella is one of the most relatable characters I've ever read. The bit when Burndee was talking about how she wanted things like cutting boards to believe in themselves and the whole feeling bad for inanimate objects. I gasped out loud because I have seriously never heard of someone else having that problem. And then the other quote that went something like this: "I'm not pretty. I'm not clever. But I'm strong so I have to help."
But overall it was an extremely cute, fluffy read and I'll probably read it again in the near future.
January 14, 2018
The Reluctant Godfather by Allison Tebo was an amusing, original twist to the classic tale of Cinderella. As one of my favorite fairy tales, I was excited to see the direction this story would go, and I was not disappointed. This book was sweet and funny (a good combination in my book), and I found myself snickering many times at the lighthearted banter.
I enjoyed the characters. Burndee was so lovable, even if he tried to hide it with his prickly, grumpy personality. I liked his relationship with his wards, especially Colin. And Cynthia was a particular favorite character, I hope to see more of her in the later books in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed the characters. Burndee was so lovable, even if he tried to hide it with his prickly, grumpy personality. I liked his relationship with his wards, especially Colin. And Cynthia was a particular favorite character, I hope to see more of her in the later books in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
February 14, 2021
One word keeps resonating within me as I think back on this book- and that word is pure. It is as heartfelt as a Hallmark Christmas movie and clever throughout. This Cinderella retelling is filled with many magical moments and twists that keep the story fresh and consuming.
I've had conversations with the author of this book on Goodreads and I believe this work is a mirror to the character of its creator. Allison is full of spunk and wit, graciousness and gentleness, and each of these traits are carefully folded into this novella. Her attention to detail and atmosphere creates the most endearing characters and enchanting settings. I adore Allison and can't wait to read more from this series and wherever else her writing takes her.
I've had conversations with the author of this book on Goodreads and I believe this work is a mirror to the character of its creator. Allison is full of spunk and wit, graciousness and gentleness, and each of these traits are carefully folded into this novella. Her attention to detail and atmosphere creates the most endearing characters and enchanting settings. I adore Allison and can't wait to read more from this series and wherever else her writing takes her.
December 28, 2025
This was such a sweet story! Ella is very sweet, thoughtful, and content, which I appreciate. Burndee is hilarious. Although the entire story was great, my favorite part was This is a really sweet, clean read. I read it in one sitting!
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
*Edited 2025 - I am deleting most of my old book reviews but wanted to leave this one up <3*
*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
*Edited 2025 - I am deleting most of my old book reviews but wanted to leave this one up <3*
July 20, 2017
This was a really fun story! I was kind of expecting a fairytale retelling (like Cinder by Marissa Meyer), but instead, I feel like this was more of a fairytale AU (alternate universe). I thought that having a fairy godfather instead of a godmother was interesting, and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending wasn't much of a surprise to me, I kind of saw it coming, but it was a quick, entertaining read!
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July 31, 2025
5⭐️ | young adult Cinderella retelling | 11+
୨୧ ❝ ‘what you want,’ he said softly, ‘is to be loved. really and truly, unconditionally loved.’ ❞ ୨୧
꒰🎶꒱ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: when I look at you ⇾ dylan brady
y’all, there was something so charming about this! the humor, the sarcasm, and the sugary sweet romance just hit all the right spots in all the right ways. Burndee was SUCH a good character. I loved him so much. from every snarky remark to every awkward compliment he gave Ella. it was just so sweet! this was me the entire novella:
his view on the human world, as well, was also so funny! I thought it was so unique to have a fairy godfather who just hates his job, only to get the sweetest, easiest ward to look after. this book revived my love of fairytale retellings! it’s now an absolute favorite, and trust me, that’s an impressive feat!
I just love it when the main guy in the books I read starts out as a crusty grumpypants but is really just a blushing cinnamon roll on the inside. and Burndee 100% qualifies! 🥰 ah! just thinking about this book makes me want to go back to page one and reread it all over again! and I just finished it, y’all!
the plot felt a whole lot like a ‘what if…’ situation. like what if the fairy godparent was really the matchmaker? what if the fairy godparent were a godfather instead of a godmother? what if the fairy godfather falls in love with Cinderella? and it just worked so well!
I dare y’all not to fall in love with Burndee’s dry humor. here’s an example:
also, right after Ella was just given her beautiful gown. it’s magical, Ella is ecstatic, and just overall everything is amazing!
and this is what Burndee thinks:
me: 🤣
but you quickly come to realize (and as does Burndee) that this tartness he carries with him, this hatred he feels toward Ella’s way of living, is just his desire to make her happy, to give her everything he deserves and more, and going alongside Brundee as he comes to this realization just made my entire week. just his unique way of caring for Ella was so hilarious and sweet at the same time.
and the one scene with the glass slipper turned me into a puddle of warm chocolatey goo, it was so sweet (omg, I’m using that word way too much in this review)
if you’re looking for a swe- *ahem!* cute and adorable fairytale retelling with a new twist, then this is for you. guaranteed dry sarcasm, blushing male lead, small tidbits of witty banter, and a happily ever after, or your money back!
thank you for reading my review of my newest absolute favorite book and I hope you have an amazing day!
─────୨♡୧─────
꒰🏰꒱ content warning (spoiler free)
➸Christian content:
the author thanks the Heavenly Father in the dedication and acknowledgements
➸spiritual content:
none
➸sexual content:
1 head kiss, 1 non-detailed kiss (between a married couple)
Colin’s father says it’s high time he produced an heir; a false rumor that Ella had been ‘cavorting in town with a strange man’; blushing; some talk about having children (not suggestively, though); talk of courting and finding a husband; once Burndee thinks Ella is going to kiss him
➸language:
1 ‘blasted’; 1 ‘dumb’; 1 ‘witch’; 1 ‘dolt’; 1 ‘dummy’; 2 ‘stupid’s; 3 ‘for goodness’ sake’s; 2 who/what the blazes’s; 1 ‘shut up’
➸drugs/alcohol/smoking:
Burndee asks if Colin has a hangover and Colin says he doesn’t drink
➸lgtbq+:
none!
➸magic/witchcraft:
some simple Disney-like, fairy-like magic (turning invisible, making a dress, turning a pumpkin into a carriage, etc.)
➸violence:
2 punches in the face
➸other:
a mention of Ella getting beaten by the stepmother as a punishment
➸possible triggers:
death of a father, abuse (never on page)
─────୨♡୧─────
꒰👗꒱ quotes
➸ “Yes, I like you Ella. I think you’re really…neat.”
➸ “I can guarantee you that I will love you as I have loved no one else. Because…I’ve really never loved anyone else. Not at all, as a matter of fact.”
➸ Ella only had one shoe on, and she had still beaten him in a race! He couldn’t believe it.
➸ Burndee realized he had too. It had only been one night, but…he missed Ella.
➸ “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me and that you’d come to help me.” Ella tilted her head back and smiled at him. “You always show up when I need you most.”
➸ “You’re not good enough for Ella! Nobody’s good enough for her!”
୨୧ ❝ ‘what you want,’ he said softly, ‘is to be loved. really and truly, unconditionally loved.’ ❞ ୨୧
꒰🎶꒱ ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: when I look at you ⇾ dylan brady
y’all, there was something so charming about this! the humor, the sarcasm, and the sugary sweet romance just hit all the right spots in all the right ways. Burndee was SUCH a good character. I loved him so much. from every snarky remark to every awkward compliment he gave Ella. it was just so sweet! this was me the entire novella:
his view on the human world, as well, was also so funny! I thought it was so unique to have a fairy godfather who just hates his job, only to get the sweetest, easiest ward to look after. this book revived my love of fairytale retellings! it’s now an absolute favorite, and trust me, that’s an impressive feat!
I just love it when the main guy in the books I read starts out as a crusty grumpypants but is really just a blushing cinnamon roll on the inside. and Burndee 100% qualifies! 🥰 ah! just thinking about this book makes me want to go back to page one and reread it all over again! and I just finished it, y’all!
the plot felt a whole lot like a ‘what if…’ situation. like what if the fairy godparent was really the matchmaker? what if the fairy godparent were a godfather instead of a godmother? what if the fairy godfather falls in love with Cinderella? and it just worked so well!
I dare y’all not to fall in love with Burndee’s dry humor. here’s an example:
“My father says it’s high time I…produced an heir.”
“Oh,” Burndee said blankly, pausing mid-bite. “I’m good, but I’m not that good. Unless we steal a baby - “
Colin gave him a disgusted look. “He means marriage, you fool.”
also, right after Ella was just given her beautiful gown. it’s magical, Ella is ecstatic, and just overall everything is amazing!
and this is what Burndee thinks:
Ella’s gratitude over the slightest bit of magic was pathetic. It was just a dress. What a deprived, miserable existence she must lead.
me: 🤣
but you quickly come to realize (and as does Burndee) that this tartness he carries with him, this hatred he feels toward Ella’s way of living, is just his desire to make her happy, to give her everything he deserves and more, and going alongside Brundee as he comes to this realization just made my entire week. just his unique way of caring for Ella was so hilarious and sweet at the same time.
and the one scene with the glass slipper turned me into a puddle of warm chocolatey goo, it was so sweet (omg, I’m using that word way too much in this review)
if you’re looking for a swe- *ahem!* cute and adorable fairytale retelling with a new twist, then this is for you. guaranteed dry sarcasm, blushing male lead, small tidbits of witty banter, and a happily ever after, or your money back!
thank you for reading my review of my newest absolute favorite book and I hope you have an amazing day!
─────୨♡୧─────
꒰🏰꒱ content warning (spoiler free)
➸Christian content:
the author thanks the Heavenly Father in the dedication and acknowledgements
➸spiritual content:
none
➸sexual content:
1 head kiss, 1 non-detailed kiss (between a married couple)
Colin’s father says it’s high time he produced an heir; a false rumor that Ella had been ‘cavorting in town with a strange man’; blushing; some talk about having children (not suggestively, though); talk of courting and finding a husband; once Burndee thinks Ella is going to kiss him
➸language:
1 ‘blasted’; 1 ‘dumb’; 1 ‘witch’; 1 ‘dolt’; 1 ‘dummy’; 2 ‘stupid’s; 3 ‘for goodness’ sake’s; 2 who/what the blazes’s; 1 ‘shut up’
➸drugs/alcohol/smoking:
Burndee asks if Colin has a hangover and Colin says he doesn’t drink
➸lgtbq+:
none!
➸magic/witchcraft:
some simple Disney-like, fairy-like magic (turning invisible, making a dress, turning a pumpkin into a carriage, etc.)
➸violence:
2 punches in the face
➸other:
a mention of Ella getting beaten by the stepmother as a punishment
➸possible triggers:
death of a father, abuse (never on page)
─────୨♡୧─────
꒰👗꒱ quotes
➸ “Yes, I like you Ella. I think you’re really…neat.”
➸ “I can guarantee you that I will love you as I have loved no one else. Because…I’ve really never loved anyone else. Not at all, as a matter of fact.”
➸ Ella only had one shoe on, and she had still beaten him in a race! He couldn’t believe it.
➸ Burndee realized he had too. It had only been one night, but…he missed Ella.
➸ “I knew you couldn’t stay mad at me and that you’d come to help me.” Ella tilted her head back and smiled at him. “You always show up when I need you most.”
➸ “You’re not good enough for Ella! Nobody’s good enough for her!”
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