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The Four Kingdoms #3
The Princess Pact: a Twist on Rumpelstiltskin
Spinning straw into gold was only the beginning of the story...
Marie, the dutiful princess of Northhelm, chafes under the rigid protocol that governs her life. Then a growing darkness threatens the kingdom and uncovers the lie at the centre of her whole life - a single pact that changes everything.
Throwing off convention, she joins Rafe, a handsome, charming newcomer, on a quest to save her kingdom. Except he doesn't know she has a mission of her own - to discover the truth about her identity. Increasingly drawn to Rafe's strength and good humour, Marie is torn by her double purpose. With time running out and death and destruction looming, Marie will have to unravel the bargains that surround her and choose where her true allegiance lies.
In this twist on the classic fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin, a hidden identity is just one of the things Marie will have to unravel.
Marie, the dutiful princess of Northhelm, chafes under the rigid protocol that governs her life. Then a growing darkness threatens the kingdom and uncovers the lie at the centre of her whole life - a single pact that changes everything.
Throwing off convention, she joins Rafe, a handsome, charming newcomer, on a quest to save her kingdom. Except he doesn't know she has a mission of her own - to discover the truth about her identity. Increasingly drawn to Rafe's strength and good humour, Marie is torn by her double purpose. With time running out and death and destruction looming, Marie will have to unravel the bargains that surround her and choose where her true allegiance lies.
In this twist on the classic fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin, a hidden identity is just one of the things Marie will have to unravel.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2017
841 people are currently reading
2444 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Cellier
126 books2,747 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
March 21, 2025
4 stars ✨
It was really nice to see that Marie’s parents were still alive—and that they were good. One of those is impressive but both together feels almost unheard of. 😉
I’ve never understood why fictional characters overreact to secrets being kept from them. It always feels so dramatic because they go on about being betrayed and lied to and makes the character look selfish in my eyes. Sorry Marie, but you fell into this category.
Even though I knew they would end up together (hello, fairytale story! 👋🏻) the romance was a bit sudden—but I liked the two of them together so I’m ignoring that. (I would have liked to see more of him, though, really.) I didn’t love how some things happened at the end, but it was overall enjoyable. Not my favorite of the series but that first book is just going to be too hard to beat. I do wonder if William will get his own story, I imagine so.
Knowing this was a Rumpelstiltskin retelling, whenever Marie and Rafe would be “we need his name to break the enchantment”, I would feel like screaming “Rumpelstiltskin!!!” like I was a four year old watching Dora the Explorer and helping find the path through the jungle. I wanted to break the fourth wall and get rid of this guy fast, what can I say? 🤷🏻♀️
Overall another cute princess book! (Make sure you read the bonus chapter on the author's website!!)
Main Content:
Godmothers and magical items (enchantments) are more frequent in this book compared to the prior books, I would say, with Rumpelstiltskin (who is 400 years old) having a bewitching amulet (which when people are away from the jewel they come out of the enchantment, many mentions of the jewel and it’s powers); Rumpelstiltskin is said to “barely look human”; It’s said that “not all enchantments are good. Part of the reason we rely on the aid of the godmothers is because there are other forces in the kingdom that would harm us if they could.”; The High King has all the power in this world and holds the darkness at bay, but because he dwells in the Palace of Light, he dispenses the power through the godmothers and sometimes they use objects of power to help them (if those with ill intent get them, they can use it for wrong purposes like Rumpelstiltskin); Marie doesn’t know anyone who has met the High King, but knows that her country has relied on the godmothers; Marie is visited by her fairy godmother; Seeing someone being enchanted (which really was more of a guarding enchantment that caused someone be covered in ink; it’s said that it “looks like magic”); A few mentions of a curse & trying to find a way to break it; A few mentions of hero-worshiping.
Marie feels betrayed and lied to by her family; *Spoilers but Important Note for some Adoptees* .
Fighting, an Explosion, Being attacked, & Being shot arrows at (up to a handful of sentences); Seeing others fighting, shot with an arrow, stabbed, held at knife-point, and bleeding (up to a handful of sentences); Many mentions of planning a war, possible slaughtering, armies being created (including unethically by Rumpelstiltskin), treason, rebellions, and villages being ransacked & set on fire; Many mentions of lies, lying, & betrayal; Mentions of hunting, animals killed for food, & preparing them (a couple sentences at most on details); A few mentions of a father drinking too much; A few mentions of taverns; A mention of a young girl losing her entire family in a fire; A mention of a mother dying in childbirth; A mention of a mother having nightmares of her children being stolen in the night.
Marie thinks negatively about her appearance at times; A couple girls make mean comments to Marie on her appearance which she is shocked and tries not to be hurt by; The Queen has always been anxious but has scenes in this book where she’s close to terror or hysteria.
No language stronger than ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’; A few mentions of curses (said but aren’t written out, including by Marie once); Made-up curse ‘what in the kingdoms’ is said twice and an unfinished ‘what in the…?’ is said once; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Staring at someone’s lips & wanting to be kissed (a couple sentences in length); An almost kiss and two kisses lasting a few sentences; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Nearness, Shivers, Noticing, & Blushes (up to a handful of sentences); Remembering kisses, touches, & nearness (up to a few sentences in details); Marie attempts flirting with Rafe; Marie is concerned she may be stripped down when facing a thief; When all the girls go to the river to bathe, Marie is concerned some guys might come, but the other girls assure her that their brothers won’t let anyone step out of line; A girl says some of the new guys to the group are “yum!”; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & tempting another to kiss someone; Mentions of flirting, crushes, jealousy, & cute guys.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
It was really nice to see that Marie’s parents were still alive—and that they were good. One of those is impressive but both together feels almost unheard of. 😉
I’ve never understood why fictional characters overreact to secrets being kept from them. It always feels so dramatic because they go on about being betrayed and lied to and makes the character look selfish in my eyes. Sorry Marie, but you fell into this category.
Even though I knew they would end up together (hello, fairytale story! 👋🏻) the romance was a bit sudden—but I liked the two of them together so I’m ignoring that. (I would have liked to see more of him, though, really.) I didn’t love how some things happened at the end, but it was overall enjoyable. Not my favorite of the series but that first book is just going to be too hard to beat. I do wonder if William will get his own story, I imagine so.
Knowing this was a Rumpelstiltskin retelling, whenever Marie and Rafe would be “we need his name to break the enchantment”, I would feel like screaming “Rumpelstiltskin!!!” like I was a four year old watching Dora the Explorer and helping find the path through the jungle. I wanted to break the fourth wall and get rid of this guy fast, what can I say? 🤷🏻♀️
Overall another cute princess book! (Make sure you read the bonus chapter on the author's website!!)
Main Content:
Godmothers and magical items (enchantments) are more frequent in this book compared to the prior books, I would say, with Rumpelstiltskin (who is 400 years old) having a bewitching amulet (which when people are away from the jewel they come out of the enchantment, many mentions of the jewel and it’s powers); Rumpelstiltskin is said to “barely look human”; It’s said that “not all enchantments are good. Part of the reason we rely on the aid of the godmothers is because there are other forces in the kingdom that would harm us if they could.”; The High King has all the power in this world and holds the darkness at bay, but because he dwells in the Palace of Light, he dispenses the power through the godmothers and sometimes they use objects of power to help them (if those with ill intent get them, they can use it for wrong purposes like Rumpelstiltskin); Marie doesn’t know anyone who has met the High King, but knows that her country has relied on the godmothers; Marie is visited by her fairy godmother; Seeing someone being enchanted (which really was more of a guarding enchantment that caused someone be covered in ink; it’s said that it “looks like magic”); A few mentions of a curse & trying to find a way to break it; A few mentions of hero-worshiping.
Marie feels betrayed and lied to by her family; *Spoilers but Important Note for some Adoptees* .
Fighting, an Explosion, Being attacked, & Being shot arrows at (up to a handful of sentences); Seeing others fighting, shot with an arrow, stabbed, held at knife-point, and bleeding (up to a handful of sentences); Many mentions of planning a war, possible slaughtering, armies being created (including unethically by Rumpelstiltskin), treason, rebellions, and villages being ransacked & set on fire; Many mentions of lies, lying, & betrayal; Mentions of hunting, animals killed for food, & preparing them (a couple sentences at most on details); A few mentions of a father drinking too much; A few mentions of taverns; A mention of a young girl losing her entire family in a fire; A mention of a mother dying in childbirth; A mention of a mother having nightmares of her children being stolen in the night.
Marie thinks negatively about her appearance at times; A couple girls make mean comments to Marie on her appearance which she is shocked and tries not to be hurt by; The Queen has always been anxious but has scenes in this book where she’s close to terror or hysteria.
No language stronger than ‘stupid’ and ‘idiot’; A few mentions of curses (said but aren’t written out, including by Marie once); Made-up curse ‘what in the kingdoms’ is said twice and an unfinished ‘what in the…?’ is said once; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
Staring at someone’s lips & wanting to be kissed (a couple sentences in length); An almost kiss and two kisses lasting a few sentences; Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Warmth, Nearness, Shivers, Noticing, & Blushes (up to a handful of sentences); Remembering kisses, touches, & nearness (up to a few sentences in details); Marie attempts flirting with Rafe; Marie is concerned she may be stripped down when facing a thief; When all the girls go to the river to bathe, Marie is concerned some guys might come, but the other girls assure her that their brothers won’t let anyone step out of line; A girl says some of the new guys to the group are “yum!”; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & tempting another to kiss someone; Mentions of flirting, crushes, jealousy, & cute guys.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
December 14, 2020
Definitely my favorite of the series so far.
Rafe 😍😍😍
Rafe 😍😍😍
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November 3, 2025
5 stars for the romance! 🤭🥰✨️
Rtc!!
Rtc!!
August 19, 2022
This might just be my favorite in the Four Kingdom series... it’s so hard to choose though... and I’ve got a few more to go so it’s hard to say but I LOVED THIS.
First off, I’m not familiar with the tale of Rumpelstiltskin so I can’t say much about it other than it sounds odd... lol. That being said, I loveee how Melanie Cellier did it!
I ended up being extremely intrigued by the whole plot and was pretty much gripped by the story from the very beginning. It was a little slow in the beginning and the plot is slower but still, I couldn’t put it down.
The word-building and everything was awesome and I found it super, super neat.
But now to my favorite part. Can I just say how much I loved these characters??? Because I LOVEDDD them. A whole lot. I didn’t expect to love them as much as I did.
So I really, really liked Marie’s character in The Princess Companion (first book) and was hoping she’d have her own book in the series so I was really happy whenever I found out this was her book.
I love her!!! She is awesome. She doesn’t fit the typical princess mold which I loved. Her character development and finding out who she truly is throughout the book was one of my favorite parts of the whole book. I found it so inspiring and it was definitely one of the highlights of this book.
Rafe!! Welp, I didn’t expect to... but I absolutely fell in love with him! He’s the perfect mix of crazy fun and smart and sweet and strong... lol, I’m fangirling. And my goodness. He knows how to treat a girl and give compliments and make her feel special.
I’m also soo happy with who he turned out to be!! I suspected early on that he was more but I was still wasn’t totally sure.
And Williammm! I love, love, love him!! He made me laugh way too hard. His personality and sarcasm was perfect. I love his character so much soo... I’m really happy he appears later on in the series. 😌
I also really like the side characters in this book, Danny and Lisa. They were so great!
On the flip side, the villains/ bad guys were definitely easy to despise. Seriously though... that little Rumpelstiltskin fellow was pretty creepy... *nervous laugh*
I loved Rafe and Marie’s love story so much. I’ve said it before but I just love how Melanie Cellier does her romances. They’re based on friendship first. No insta-love. Same for this one! They actually get to know each other before anything else and keep their minds on their mission... it’s so refreshing! Loved them!
But... another thing I loved about this book is that there was so much more to this than the romance.
It’s an epic story of good defeating evil. I love how it included the High King and Marie finding her strength to defeat evil through him. Defeating temptation, insecurity, and evil, and also her journey of learning true love and forgiveness. Really loved the depth to it!
This was a longer review than I expected. I’m rambling now. It’s late.😬😂 (when I read for several hours without stopping, I ramble quite a bit...)
Anyways, loved The Princess Pact!!
First off, I’m not familiar with the tale of Rumpelstiltskin so I can’t say much about it other than it sounds odd... lol. That being said, I loveee how Melanie Cellier did it!
I ended up being extremely intrigued by the whole plot and was pretty much gripped by the story from the very beginning. It was a little slow in the beginning and the plot is slower but still, I couldn’t put it down.
The word-building and everything was awesome and I found it super, super neat.
But now to my favorite part. Can I just say how much I loved these characters??? Because I LOVEDDD them. A whole lot. I didn’t expect to love them as much as I did.
So I really, really liked Marie’s character in The Princess Companion (first book) and was hoping she’d have her own book in the series so I was really happy whenever I found out this was her book.
I love her!!! She is awesome. She doesn’t fit the typical princess mold which I loved. Her character development and finding out who she truly is throughout the book was one of my favorite parts of the whole book. I found it so inspiring and it was definitely one of the highlights of this book.
Rafe!! Welp, I didn’t expect to... but I absolutely fell in love with him! He’s the perfect mix of crazy fun and smart and sweet and strong... lol, I’m fangirling. And my goodness. He knows how to treat a girl and give compliments and make her feel special.
I’m also soo happy with who he turned out to be!! I suspected early on that he was more but I was still wasn’t totally sure.
And Williammm! I love, love, love him!! He made me laugh way too hard. His personality and sarcasm was perfect. I love his character so much soo... I’m really happy he appears later on in the series. 😌
I also really like the side characters in this book, Danny and Lisa. They were so great!
On the flip side, the villains/ bad guys were definitely easy to despise. Seriously though... that little Rumpelstiltskin fellow was pretty creepy... *nervous laugh*
I loved Rafe and Marie’s love story so much. I’ve said it before but I just love how Melanie Cellier does her romances. They’re based on friendship first. No insta-love. Same for this one! They actually get to know each other before anything else and keep their minds on their mission... it’s so refreshing! Loved them!
But... another thing I loved about this book is that there was so much more to this than the romance.
It’s an epic story of good defeating evil. I love how it included the High King and Marie finding her strength to defeat evil through him. Defeating temptation, insecurity, and evil, and also her journey of learning true love and forgiveness. Really loved the depth to it!
This was a longer review than I expected. I’m rambling now. It’s late.😬😂 (when I read for several hours without stopping, I ramble quite a bit...)
Anyways, loved The Princess Pact!!
January 22, 2023
The Princess Pact was an interesting twist on the classic Rumpelstiltskin fairytale in that it was not only a reimagining of the classic story but also a continuation of the original tale: rather than the Queen giving up her child in exchange for Rumpelstiltskin’s aide in spinning straw into gold, she must agree to adopt his daughter.
I enjoyed meeting Princess Marie in The Princess Companion and was happy to watch her finally achieve her own happily ever after. After her perception of the world is shattered by learning she was adopted into the royal family, she sets off on an adventure to find her birth father, who happens to be Rumpelstiltskin, a man who also takes on the role of the “Pied Piper” by using an enchanted jewel to lure rebels against the crown. While at the rebel camp, Marie meets a handsome adventurer named Rafe. Both she and Rafe are the only ones not influenced by the enchanted jewel’s powers. As they serve as spies and try to avoid becoming more entangled in Rumpelstiltskin’s schemes, they must learn to trust one another. In the process, their relationship deepens first to friendship and then to an adorable romance.
There were many things I enjoyed about this entry into the Four Kingdoms series. Marie initially overreacts to the news she was adopted, especially considering how close her relationship was to her family how much they loved her. However, this created the perfect starting place for her growth. I enjoyed watching her character development as she strives to move past her revelation, discover her true identity, and explore the true meaning of family. I loved her strong character, the endearing Rafe, and also her charming brother William. I also found the premise of Rumpelstiltskin’s name being used for his dark magic interesting; Marie and Rafe needing to uncover his name in order to weaken his powers was a fun twist to the need to discover Rumpelstiltskin’s identity in the original fairy tale.
Overall, The Princess Pact was a fun and creative twist on the classic Rumpelstiltskin and a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I’m looking forward to exploring more of the author Melanie Cellier’s fairy tale interpretations.
I enjoyed meeting Princess Marie in The Princess Companion and was happy to watch her finally achieve her own happily ever after. After her perception of the world is shattered by learning she was adopted into the royal family, she sets off on an adventure to find her birth father, who happens to be Rumpelstiltskin, a man who also takes on the role of the “Pied Piper” by using an enchanted jewel to lure rebels against the crown. While at the rebel camp, Marie meets a handsome adventurer named Rafe. Both she and Rafe are the only ones not influenced by the enchanted jewel’s powers. As they serve as spies and try to avoid becoming more entangled in Rumpelstiltskin’s schemes, they must learn to trust one another. In the process, their relationship deepens first to friendship and then to an adorable romance.
There were many things I enjoyed about this entry into the Four Kingdoms series. Marie initially overreacts to the news she was adopted, especially considering how close her relationship was to her family how much they loved her. However, this created the perfect starting place for her growth. I enjoyed watching her character development as she strives to move past her revelation, discover her true identity, and explore the true meaning of family. I loved her strong character, the endearing Rafe, and also her charming brother William. I also found the premise of Rumpelstiltskin’s name being used for his dark magic interesting; Marie and Rafe needing to uncover his name in order to weaken his powers was a fun twist to the need to discover Rumpelstiltskin’s identity in the original fairy tale.
Overall, The Princess Pact was a fun and creative twist on the classic Rumpelstiltskin and a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I’m looking forward to exploring more of the author Melanie Cellier’s fairy tale interpretations.
October 15, 2022
(3.5/5)
an actually decent book written by the same author of the princess companion ??
while reading this, or rather, listening to it, i couldn't tell whether i was just gaslighting myself into thinking it was actually good or that the writing and story had actually improved from the prior books, but i seriously found myself genuinely enjoying the adventures and the characters' dynamic.
that being said, the narrator's rumpelstiltskin-demon-persona voice was not it. i still have nightmares.probably because i regularly listened to this in the middle of the night.
overall, though, it was quite good. some parts felt underdeveloped, but it was leagues ahead of the first book, at any rate.
an actually decent book written by the same author of the princess companion ??
while reading this, or rather, listening to it, i couldn't tell whether i was just gaslighting myself into thinking it was actually good or that the writing and story had actually improved from the prior books, but i seriously found myself genuinely enjoying the adventures and the characters' dynamic.
that being said, the narrator's rumpelstiltskin-demon-persona voice was not it. i still have nightmares.
overall, though, it was quite good. some parts felt underdeveloped, but it was leagues ahead of the first book, at any rate.
February 23, 2025
This one was so cute, too! I loved the twist on the fairy tale, and Marie and Rafe were absolutely adorable together!
November 25, 2025
Another great read from Melanie Cellier!!! This book might have to be tied with The Princess Companion as my favorite in the series!😉 I absolutely loved how the twist on the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale was done! It was so cool and pure genius! I literally did not see it coming, but I loved it! And, aah, it was so nice to see Marie again!! I also love Rafe and William!! And I just loovve the brother-sister relationship between William and Marie! It was so sweet! And I love Marie’s relationship with her parents as well! What can I say, I love seeing family relationships in books! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!!
Magic content:
Mentions of fairy godmothers, enchantments, bewitchments, and a magical amulet.
Language:
Mentions of “cursing.” Uses of “idiot.”
Romance:
Clean. One or two kisses (I honestly can’t remember exactly how many, but it wasn’t much.).
Violence:
Very minor—some fighting, blood, and wounds.
Magic content:
Mentions of fairy godmothers, enchantments, bewitchments, and a magical amulet.
Language:
Mentions of “cursing.” Uses of “idiot.”
Romance:
Clean. One or two kisses (I honestly can’t remember exactly how many, but it wasn’t much.).
Violence:
Very minor—some fighting, blood, and wounds.
September 22, 2017
I love how Melanie Cellier takes a fairytale and makes it her own. In this case, Marie is the daughter of the queen who made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin.
Like the other books in this series, there was a new perspective to the fairytale, political intrigue, and a sweet romance. I am only sad that I have caught up on all of Melanie Cellier's books, and now have to wait for her to release new ones!
Content: clean (a few kisses)
Like the other books in this series, there was a new perspective to the fairytale, political intrigue, and a sweet romance. I am only sad that I have caught up on all of Melanie Cellier's books, and now have to wait for her to release new ones!
Content: clean (a few kisses)
September 24, 2020
Notable Content: Kissing.
I loved this book! Admittedly, the first and second books will probably always be my favorites, but that doesn't mean this one wasn't incredible. I would have liked to see a bit more of what Marie's normal life was like before the dominoes started falling, but I certainly got the general idea from the beginning. As always, the romance was wonderful, though it falls quickly. A quicker romance happens to make more sense in this one than the others. The pacing is just right, the plot excellent, and the prose practically perfect. I always want to read more when I close one of these books! Oh, and the world! So well-crafted and detailed! Each kingdom has its own culture and it's just perfect. I highly recommend this series.
Reread 2020: This may be my least favorite of the series, but considering how much I love this series... That's not saying much.
I loved this book! Admittedly, the first and second books will probably always be my favorites, but that doesn't mean this one wasn't incredible. I would have liked to see a bit more of what Marie's normal life was like before the dominoes started falling, but I certainly got the general idea from the beginning. As always, the romance was wonderful, though it falls quickly. A quicker romance happens to make more sense in this one than the others. The pacing is just right, the plot excellent, and the prose practically perfect. I always want to read more when I close one of these books! Oh, and the world! So well-crafted and detailed! Each kingdom has its own culture and it's just perfect. I highly recommend this series.
Reread 2020: This may be my least favorite of the series, but considering how much I love this series... That's not saying much.
July 26, 2021
I loved the whole Rumpelstiltskin theme and the story itself 😍
but I'm removing one star due to a very, very irritating Heroine.
All other characters were well done, exceptional, served their purpose, including the villain, but the author really failed poor Marie.
It's like Melanie Cellier only gave Marie annoying qualities and completely forgot to give her something special. Even Ava, who initially was a villain turned into a likable character. Alyssa — sweet and intelligent. Sarah — charming. Evelyn unique.
Marie only got to be annoying, over dramatic, with no redeeming quality. She was constantly creating obstacles in her mind.
Otherwise a wonderful story full of likable side characters.
I still recommend it, another person might like Marie.
My apologies to anyone who loved the heroine.
but I'm removing one star due to a very, very irritating Heroine.
All other characters were well done, exceptional, served their purpose, including the villain, but the author really failed poor Marie.
It's like Melanie Cellier only gave Marie annoying qualities and completely forgot to give her something special. Even Ava, who initially was a villain turned into a likable character. Alyssa — sweet and intelligent. Sarah — charming. Evelyn unique.
Marie only got to be annoying, over dramatic, with no redeeming quality. She was constantly creating obstacles in her mind.
Otherwise a wonderful story full of likable side characters.
I still recommend it, another person might like Marie.
My apologies to anyone who loved the heroine.
February 7, 2020
The Princess Pact by Melanie Cellier 5 Stars
Princess Marie feels like she never measured up in her royal family. She’s always felt different. Compared to her brother, she has to work twice as hard to be liked and respected by her people. After reports of rebels in the Forest, her brother goes missing and a huge royal secret is revealed. Marie’s understanding of her whole life is changed forever. And it all started with another desperate girl who needed to spin straw into gold.
I loved this book so much. While there is a romance plot to this story, I think Marie’s own character development was really the focus here. Rafe is great, but Marie learned so much about herself in this book as a person and a princess. I enjoyed the way the Rumpelstiltskin story was taken into this story. Such a good continuation to the series.
Like I mentioned before, Marie is the star of this novel. At the start of it she certainly would never see herself that way. Compared to family she feels like she just doesn’t quite fit. Her appearance is just not what a princess should be apparently. Over the course of this book she realizes how ridiculous that was. Princesses don’t actually have a look, and that certainly isn’t what makes someone deserving of love or loyalty. Loved her in the first book and I loved her even more here.
This book also took a moment to expand a bit on the magic of this world. While all magic comes from the High King, the godmothers sometimes utilize objects in their quest to help true love. These magical objects can be used by humans, but at a cost. As another Rumpelstiltskin would say “All magic comes at a price.”
We also saw a new kingdom in this book. I liked how Northhelm is very much based on rules and tradition. Formality is very big here. However that doesn’t take away from the kindness too. I think King Richard is a perfect example of this. He’s reserved and calm in literally any situation. While that gives the appearance he doesn’t care about much, the story repeatedly shows that he loves both of his children very much.
All in all I’m glad I picked up this book and continued on with the series. I read from the synopsis of the next book that it follows Celeste and William. That is seriously such an interesting combination. I can’t wait to pick that one up.
Princess Marie feels like she never measured up in her royal family. She’s always felt different. Compared to her brother, she has to work twice as hard to be liked and respected by her people. After reports of rebels in the Forest, her brother goes missing and a huge royal secret is revealed. Marie’s understanding of her whole life is changed forever. And it all started with another desperate girl who needed to spin straw into gold.
I loved this book so much. While there is a romance plot to this story, I think Marie’s own character development was really the focus here. Rafe is great, but Marie learned so much about herself in this book as a person and a princess. I enjoyed the way the Rumpelstiltskin story was taken into this story. Such a good continuation to the series.
Like I mentioned before, Marie is the star of this novel. At the start of it she certainly would never see herself that way. Compared to family she feels like she just doesn’t quite fit. Her appearance is just not what a princess should be apparently. Over the course of this book she realizes how ridiculous that was. Princesses don’t actually have a look, and that certainly isn’t what makes someone deserving of love or loyalty. Loved her in the first book and I loved her even more here.
This book also took a moment to expand a bit on the magic of this world. While all magic comes from the High King, the godmothers sometimes utilize objects in their quest to help true love. These magical objects can be used by humans, but at a cost. As another Rumpelstiltskin would say “All magic comes at a price.”
We also saw a new kingdom in this book. I liked how Northhelm is very much based on rules and tradition. Formality is very big here. However that doesn’t take away from the kindness too. I think King Richard is a perfect example of this. He’s reserved and calm in literally any situation. While that gives the appearance he doesn’t care about much, the story repeatedly shows that he loves both of his children very much.
All in all I’m glad I picked up this book and continued on with the series. I read from the synopsis of the next book that it follows Celeste and William. That is seriously such an interesting combination. I can’t wait to pick that one up.
January 2, 2025
January 2025 Re-read:
Ahhh these characters are so close to my heart. I love Rafe and Marie and can’t wait to find out more about William. Rafe and Marie are my babies 🥰🥰😍!
August 2024 1st read:
First reaction:
Wow that was equally powerful, fun, and swoon worthy. And it’s the last book I have from this series 😭 ugh I’m gonna miss it…
Full Review:
N/A
Ahhh these characters are so close to my heart. I love Rafe and Marie and can’t wait to find out more about William. Rafe and Marie are my babies 🥰🥰😍!
August 2024 1st read:
First reaction:
Wow that was equally powerful, fun, and swoon worthy. And it’s the last book I have from this series 😭 ugh I’m gonna miss it…
Full Review:
N/A
June 10, 2023
A very creative retelling!
Although I feel all these book build delicious conflicts and suspense only to have them so easily resolved in a moment.
Maybe I'm just not appreciating all the other hard work the protagonists go through. I'm very ungrateful, how shameful of me.
Although I feel all these book build delicious conflicts and suspense only to have them so easily resolved in a moment.
Maybe I'm just not appreciating all the other hard work the protagonists go through. I'm very ungrateful, how shameful of me.
July 28, 2021
This was entertaining, but my least favorite so far. I got really distracted by the weird accents of the characters in the audiobook. I think I'm going to read the next one instead.
December 17, 2025
WOWWWWWWWW
That was a masterpiece.
Rafe? 🫰🫰🫰🫰 Marie was literally awesome, LIKE I LOVE HER SM!!!!
Rafe was literally THE MAN. No- he IS THE MAN. 🧍♂️
He was one of those super sweet, caring, if-you-put-your-hands-on-her-you-die kinda guys 🥰 you gotta love those type of men
Every bit of this book had me hooked!! Gazillion stars! :3
That was a masterpiece.
Rafe? 🫰🫰🫰🫰 Marie was literally awesome, LIKE I LOVE HER SM!!!!
Rafe was literally THE MAN. No- he IS THE MAN. 🧍♂️
He was one of those super sweet, caring, if-you-put-your-hands-on-her-you-die kinda guys 🥰 you gotta love those type of men
Every bit of this book had me hooked!! Gazillion stars! :3
August 16, 2024
I just adore this young adult series as a whole. It is the perfect retelling comfort read that still keeps me interested and in suspense even though realistically I know it’ll be a happily ever after. The writing is great and I love the narrator for the audiobook.
January 2, 2018
Y'all, I'm hopelessly obsessed with this series and I want it in paperback now on my shelf! Kay, this was the third book in the Four Kindom's series by Mrs. Cellier, and no less an excellent read! I've always liked Rumplestiltskin's story. He's a creepy, little man, in many ways. Anyways, not relevant. Sorry.
Melanie Cellier has proven once again to be a masterful weaver of plot! I think by now it's obvious I adore her characters and her world-building and plot-twisting, so I'll try not to gush too much. However, I particularly enjoyed the way this story dealt with it's original fairy tale counterpart. The previous stories have had clever allusions and subtle tie-ins, but this was the first to be more of a...continuation of the original fairy tale. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say Rumplestiltskin's story was the backstory and Marie's story was fresh meat. The inter-political intrigue was just as thrilling in the lovely Four Kingdom world. Fresh new characters to add to the list of beloved ones from before. I kinda hope we get to see William's story at some point. I mean, he was adorable! And, though I must say Rafe's secret was kind of easy to guess, I absolutely loved him. I liked the camp setting and the activities of the camp. It was the outside-of-palace life, foraging, living off the land kind of thing that I enjoy in other genres. Well, as usual: well-written, charming characters with lovable dialogue and banter, engaging plot, and an another excellent look into one of the four kingdoms. One more to go, y'all!
Clean, a-freaking-dorable romance; no language; very mild violence.
Melanie Cellier has proven once again to be a masterful weaver of plot! I think by now it's obvious I adore her characters and her world-building and plot-twisting, so I'll try not to gush too much. However, I particularly enjoyed the way this story dealt with it's original fairy tale counterpart. The previous stories have had clever allusions and subtle tie-ins, but this was the first to be more of a...continuation of the original fairy tale. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say Rumplestiltskin's story was the backstory and Marie's story was fresh meat. The inter-political intrigue was just as thrilling in the lovely Four Kingdom world. Fresh new characters to add to the list of beloved ones from before. I kinda hope we get to see William's story at some point. I mean, he was adorable! And, though I must say Rafe's secret was kind of easy to guess, I absolutely loved him. I liked the camp setting and the activities of the camp. It was the outside-of-palace life, foraging, living off the land kind of thing that I enjoy in other genres. Well, as usual: well-written, charming characters with lovable dialogue and banter, engaging plot, and an another excellent look into one of the four kingdoms. One more to go, y'all!
Clean, a-freaking-dorable romance; no language; very mild violence.
February 14, 2021
3.5 stars
I liked the premise of the book. I think it was my first time to read about a Rumplestiltskin retelling. It was a refreshing read because for the most part, they were in a forest. The descriptions were so clear that in my head, I was right there with them. Those were the good points.
However, what is a rebel without any fierce conviction? That was my question when I read this. I was looking for more action. I was also looking for more chemistry between the main characters. I would have also loved an epilogue which shows the queen with her two children. That would have been a great closing scene.
In any case, this was still a solid read. I still enjoyed the adventure. :)
I liked the premise of the book. I think it was my first time to read about a Rumplestiltskin retelling. It was a refreshing read because for the most part, they were in a forest. The descriptions were so clear that in my head, I was right there with them. Those were the good points.
However, what is a rebel without any fierce conviction? That was my question when I read this. I was looking for more action. I was also looking for more chemistry between the main characters. I would have also loved an epilogue which shows the queen with her two children. That would have been a great closing scene.
In any case, this was still a solid read. I still enjoyed the adventure. :)
February 2, 2021
Such a great fairytale retelling!
I have quickly been sucked back into this world of enchantments, godmothers, kingdoms, and fairytales, and I couldn’t be happier. After reading the first book in this series I was excited to read Marie’s story (since you first meet her in The Princess Companion). It definitely didn’t disappoint! I loved the way the author put her own spin and twists on the classic Rumpelstilskin story. Watching Marie grow as a character and end up with a sweet romance was my favorite. My daughter is quickly becoming addicted to these books as well. A great YA novel, I am already gonna start the next one!
I have quickly been sucked back into this world of enchantments, godmothers, kingdoms, and fairytales, and I couldn’t be happier. After reading the first book in this series I was excited to read Marie’s story (since you first meet her in The Princess Companion). It definitely didn’t disappoint! I loved the way the author put her own spin and twists on the classic Rumpelstilskin story. Watching Marie grow as a character and end up with a sweet romance was my favorite. My daughter is quickly becoming addicted to these books as well. A great YA novel, I am already gonna start the next one!
July 30, 2024
4.5⭐
Not gonna lie, the first 60% of this book I was NOT feeling it. I'm used to the characters and relationships in Melanie Cellier's books being fantastic and one of my favorite parts. In this one, they were just kinda... Lackluster. In regards to the main character, unenjoyable, until that 60%. I loved Alyssa in TPC; she was humorous, patient, observant, hardworking, and had and maintained romantic, platonic, and familial relationships. Ava in TPF; she had been previously hardened in life and had become hateful and cold due to it, and there were consequences in her life because of this behavior. She had no friends, but an abundance of enemies. Yet, she was helped to change, to become more loving and obedient to a moral authority rather than her father or herself, she began to build relationships and nurture them, and all of this without losing her original personality of dignity, reserve, and cunning. She apologized for her previous mistakes and rebuilt trust. I've even loved the girls in the novellas/short stories so far, even though we see them so briefly.
Not gonna lie, the first 60% of this book I was NOT feeling it. I'm used to the characters and relationships in Melanie Cellier's books being fantastic and one of my favorite parts. In this one, they were just kinda... Lackluster. In regards to the main character, unenjoyable, until that 60%. I loved Alyssa in TPC; she was humorous, patient, observant, hardworking, and had and maintained romantic, platonic, and familial relationships. Ava in TPF; she had been previously hardened in life and had become hateful and cold due to it, and there were consequences in her life because of this behavior. She had no friends, but an abundance of enemies. Yet, she was helped to change, to become more loving and obedient to a moral authority rather than her father or herself, she began to build relationships and nurture them, and all of this without losing her original personality of dignity, reserve, and cunning. She apologized for her previous mistakes and rebuilt trust. I've even loved the girls in the novellas/short stories so far, even though we see them so briefly.
Marie, however? I just did not enjoy her character. Now, disclaimer, I am not disappointed in her characterization or the story due to the immaturity. She's a sheltered, royal, teenager. She's not gonna have a spotless moral compass, foresight, or perspective. Some things I am disappointed in, though, are; (a) The pimple-sized character arc she goes through. There's just...no growth, which was weird because in book 1, Alyssa has the right attitude and character but has to learn to get the title and influence to make it impact people (and toughen up a bit) and in book 2, Ava has the title and influence but not the character to back it up and make her worthy. So I'm used to character growth being dang near the whole theme of these books. It low-key felt like she was a Wal-Mart version of Ava 😭. Girly is self conscious veering toward self centered at the beginning. Several times in the first chapter she hears some terrible news and her immediate thoughts are, oh, how exciting! It's been getting boring around here, so thank goodness these concerning events are unfolding so I can be entertained! Which she immediately feels guilty for, so I was assuming that would be a main thing she has to struggle with through her story, but... no lol. Not really. She just kinda goes along. There's a few other traits similar to this. When she inevitably gets her Fairy Godmother™ visit in CHAPTER TWENTY OUT OF THIRTY THREE, the lady (metaphorically) slaps some sense into her, and Marie is like "😭😭 So I haven't lived up to my title as princess yet and am failing and undeserving because of the character flaws I have???😭😭" and Grandma Shimmer-Wings over here is like "lol nah g, if girls acting like this was as bad as u think, I'd never get off work, I'm just here to tell you what decision is moral in your predicament without you finding out for yourself and learning a lesson from it😁🤗😉😚😌" And then after this, she has now randomly become bearable to read from the perspective of, more than half way through the book....uh.... ok. So, yeah, this book was much less focused on the characters and their development and much more focused on the story's narrative. Which I enjoyed, it's just very dissimilar to the other books. Moving on; (b) The fact that she ends up (the less spoilery version is that she's seperated from her family for most of the book) and seems to have no good friends and she's just fine with it 😂. Like, it hardly gets brought up! Kinda dissapointing because a big part of my enjoyment of this series has been the secondary characters. Zero close relationships in this girl's life and she's very easily manipulated several times throughout the book, yet she's so good at ✨~rEaDiNg PeOpLe~✨. Last, but certainly not least is; (c) The insta-love! Nooooooooooo. This is basically the first time this has happened except for a minor relationship with a character from book 2 which is explored in 2.5, which gets a pass because it was from she and another girl's perspective simultaneously. Here, Marie had JUST MET this RANDOM STRANGER who doesn't tell HER or HER FAMILY anything about his ENTIRE LIFE BEFORE HE MET THEM UNTIL THE LAST CHAPTER(!!!!!) and immediately she jUsT cAn'T eXpLaIn WhY sHe FeElS sO dRaWn To HiM😏😍💏💘💓💓💕
👁👄👁
Miss Ma'am. There's really a line in there somewhere about how she can't decide if it's worse that he might not have a crush on her or the fact she has been lying to him for weeks!!!! HELP. ME. So they end up tangled in the plot together, and they only interact together one-on-one a few times, but ahhhhbviously they are in love with each other. ?????? Bro doesn't even get a whole personality 😭😭😭 He had ~2 emotions in total. I genuinely have nothing to say about him, positive or negative.
All in all, it kind of felt like these two were just side characters and plot devices in the other book's stories. However! The villain who was introduced is interesting and I am eager to see what happens with him later on. I guess it might not make sense why I still rated this 4.5, rounded up to 5, but her writing is just so addicting. There's always something happening that's either important to the overall plot or the characters, and no weary, dreary, neverending, tiresome travelling scenes! Especially the last 25% of them really has me on the edge of my seat wondering how everything will come together. I'm really hoping the next books end up returning to the vibe of the first two lol.
July 25, 2020
Since Rumplestitskin is one of my least favorite fairy tales, and just kind of weird, I was really glad that the author came at the story from a completely different angle than the usual one. I liked the themes of diplomacy, dealing with rebels and .
(Note: There's a brief epilogue available for free on the author's website that's also enjoyable.)
(Note: There's a brief epilogue available for free on the author's website that's also enjoyable.)
August 6, 2018
THE PRINCESS PACT a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin
the tale continues with twist and turns as Marie sets out to find her real family, but is the so called R part of the growing darkness, and if so which side will she take, the family who loved and cared for her but lie about her life, or R her real Dad but has a hidden identity and is growing a army of outlaws to over through the royal family her family.
Eleanor M. Eckert
the tale continues with twist and turns as Marie sets out to find her real family, but is the so called R part of the growing darkness, and if so which side will she take, the family who loved and cared for her but lie about her life, or R her real Dad but has a hidden identity and is growing a army of outlaws to over through the royal family her family.
Eleanor M. Eckert
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2021
Tried again. It was alright.
DNFing at 40ish percent. Was bored and didn’t care.
DNFing at 40ish percent. Was bored and didn’t care.
Read
April 21, 2023rtc
August 29, 2024
My favorite quote from the story was,
“In my experience, when someone tries that hard not to do something, it’s because it’s exactly the thing they most want to do.”
“In my experience, when someone tries that hard not to do something, it’s because it’s exactly the thing they most want to do.”
March 16, 2022
Ahhhhh! (jumping and down)
I dont know how, but these books keep getting better and better! I LOVED this sooooo mich! I hated that is over! I almost feel depressed that I'm reading through them so quicky! But I'm sooooo excited! Like before, I hardly have words!
I can't get over the surprising twists this book had! The retelling was so amazing! It played perfectly well into the theme of these books. As the other first two, it did start out kinda so in the beginning/middle-ish, but soon picked up and my interested peaked even more! I love how different Marie was from Alyssa and Ava. With a series like this centered around a female main character, I was worded all their characters would blens together, but thankfully they didn't! Marie, from the very beginning, seemed to struggle with seld-doubt. Then as the story progressed she begun to see that there was no need for doubting herself and that looks wasn't what defined a princess. I was happy to see she didn't struggle with the same things that Alyssa and Ava did in their own books.
Furthermore, I, of course, fell for the charming Rafe. Although I figured out who he was from the beginning. But that didn't stop me from loving how character! At first he seemed to be arrogant and a jokester, but once the act was up, it was clear he fell in love with Marie at first sight. I will hold him hiding his identity against him though! I how dare he let Marie think she couldn't be with him!
I loved William, too! I can't wait to see what lucky princess snatches him up! He's the best brother any girl could ask for.
And don't let me even get started on the villian! Perfect! I liked this villian arch than from the first two books. Of course the first two really didn't have much of a villian. But this villian was absolutely awesome! Everything you could look for in a bad guy. He was that nice sorta way but underneath you knew that was evil. Just perfect!
All I'm going say about the romance (particularly the first kiss, which blows the others from book 1and 2 out of the water), is that is so sweet and different from any of the others. Rafe of course fell first, which I am starting to see is a pattern with these books. But as I said in my other reviews, is my favorite sort of love stories. Unlike Ava and Hans', and also Max and Alyssa's romance, there was nothing to really perevent Marie and Rafe's romance. I loved how there was nothing to stop them from beginning together!
And the cover! My favorite cover sooooo far! (Expect book 4's cover is beautiful!)
I'm hoping to see Marie and Rafe in book 4! It certainly seemed like they would make an appearance. And I nearly screamed at the mention of Queen Ava and King Hans! (laughs out loud). I just can't get over how amazing these books have been so far! There's barely anything bad I can say against them!
(Will be purchasing all three series on Amazon soon!)
Read immediately!!!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (come on, y'all can't be surprised ;))
I dont know how, but these books keep getting better and better! I LOVED this sooooo mich! I hated that is over! I almost feel depressed that I'm reading through them so quicky! But I'm sooooo excited! Like before, I hardly have words!
I can't get over the surprising twists this book had! The retelling was so amazing! It played perfectly well into the theme of these books. As the other first two, it did start out kinda so in the beginning/middle-ish, but soon picked up and my interested peaked even more! I love how different Marie was from Alyssa and Ava. With a series like this centered around a female main character, I was worded all their characters would blens together, but thankfully they didn't! Marie, from the very beginning, seemed to struggle with seld-doubt. Then as the story progressed she begun to see that there was no need for doubting herself and that looks wasn't what defined a princess. I was happy to see she didn't struggle with the same things that Alyssa and Ava did in their own books.
Furthermore, I, of course, fell for the charming Rafe. Although I figured out who he was from the beginning. But that didn't stop me from loving how character! At first he seemed to be arrogant and a jokester, but once the act was up, it was clear he fell in love with Marie at first sight. I will hold him hiding his identity against him though! I how dare he let Marie think she couldn't be with him!
I loved William, too! I can't wait to see what lucky princess snatches him up! He's the best brother any girl could ask for.
And don't let me even get started on the villian! Perfect! I liked this villian arch than from the first two books. Of course the first two really didn't have much of a villian. But this villian was absolutely awesome! Everything you could look for in a bad guy. He was that nice sorta way but underneath you knew that was evil. Just perfect!
All I'm going say about the romance (particularly the first kiss, which blows the others from book 1and 2 out of the water), is that is so sweet and different from any of the others. Rafe of course fell first, which I am starting to see is a pattern with these books. But as I said in my other reviews, is my favorite sort of love stories. Unlike Ava and Hans', and also Max and Alyssa's romance, there was nothing to really perevent Marie and Rafe's romance. I loved how there was nothing to stop them from beginning together!
And the cover! My favorite cover sooooo far! (Expect book 4's cover is beautiful!)
I'm hoping to see Marie and Rafe in book 4! It certainly seemed like they would make an appearance. And I nearly screamed at the mention of Queen Ava and King Hans! (laughs out loud). I just can't get over how amazing these books have been so far! There's barely anything bad I can say against them!
(Will be purchasing all three series on Amazon soon!)
Read immediately!!!!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (come on, y'all can't be surprised ;))
April 5, 2021
A weaker book in the series for me. Princess Marie was one of my favorite side characters in The Princess Companion, but in this book she was quite whiny and not always logical. She went through a good amount of growth but it just didn't hold up as well as Ava in the last one. Also the romance in this one was much more "instalove" then the previous ones which I didn't enjoy.
June 15, 2025
I read this out loud to my 13-year-old sister who rated it 4 stars, but my rating would be 3 stars. There were multiple times when we were fed up with all the secretkeeping. We are very excited to get started reading The Princess Game next!
December 26, 2025
These are cute middle grade retelling. I like the simplicity of the stories and that they are clean for my littles.
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