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Once Upon a Vegas Night #2
Cinderellis
An MM Romance Fairy Tale Retelling
As the son of music industry royalty and a famous rock star in his own right, Henry “Cinder” Cinderford has spent his life on the road. Craving stability, he signs on to do a special limited engagement in Las Vegas and plans to spend the next six months discovering the meaning of home.
After losing his mom at a young age, Ellis Tremaine survived a childhood with an abusive stepfather who took out his anger on the son he never wanted. Nearly two decades later, Ellis continues to struggle against the emotional manipulations of his family, even in his career. But when he meets none other than the Prince of Pop himself, things start to change.
From attraction to friendship to something so much more, Ellis and Cinder become the celebrity ‘ship known as “Cinderellis.” But when reality threatens their storybook romance, all they can do is hope there really is a happily ever after for every once upon a time .
As the son of music industry royalty and a famous rock star in his own right, Henry “Cinder” Cinderford has spent his life on the road. Craving stability, he signs on to do a special limited engagement in Las Vegas and plans to spend the next six months discovering the meaning of home.
After losing his mom at a young age, Ellis Tremaine survived a childhood with an abusive stepfather who took out his anger on the son he never wanted. Nearly two decades later, Ellis continues to struggle against the emotional manipulations of his family, even in his career. But when he meets none other than the Prince of Pop himself, things start to change.
From attraction to friendship to something so much more, Ellis and Cinder become the celebrity ‘ship known as “Cinderellis.” But when reality threatens their storybook romance, all they can do is hope there really is a happily ever after for every once upon a time .
171 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2021
3 people are currently reading
330 people want to read
About the author
Evie Drae
4 books146 followersEvie Drae is a registered nurse by day and a bestselling, award-winning MM romance writer by night. She is married to the love of her life, is the parent of two wonderful fur babies, and runs almost entirely on coffee and good vibes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 29, 2024
3.75**** stars
If you’re into Cinderella-like stories I can totally recommend it.
The plot is, not surprisingly, very predictable but still has its small twists and turns. The love story between Cinder and Ellis was very sweet and while I’m usually not a fan of rockstar/celebrity romances this one worked well for me.
It also had quite its hot moments and I loved that have a bigger bottom/smaller top situation here that even turned a teeny tiny bit kinky.
And I was even laughing my ass off a time or two.
************
Once Upon a Vegas Night
Book 1 - Beauregard and the Beast
Book 2 - Cinderellis - 3.75 stars
If you’re into Cinderella-like stories I can totally recommend it.
The plot is, not surprisingly, very predictable but still has its small twists and turns. The love story between Cinder and Ellis was very sweet and while I’m usually not a fan of rockstar/celebrity romances this one worked well for me.
It also had quite its hot moments and I loved that have a bigger bottom/smaller top situation here that even turned a teeny tiny bit kinky.
I’ve never been good at taking charge or asking for what I want, but I want you, Henry. I need you.” A soft, crooked smile tugged at Henry’s lips, and he lifted a hand to cup Ellis’s jaw. “I want you too, baby. And with your permission, I’d be happy to take control.”
And I was even laughing my ass off a time or two.
“How did we go from ‘about to bang any second’ to ‘fits of crying laughter’ in less time than it takes to toast bread?”
“Now, that could be accurate, or it could be a complete falsehood. Depends on if we’re talking pasty-as-my-ass white toast that barely gets kissed by the heating element or that dark brown shit my gran used to make me. There was no amount of ‘scraping off the burnt bits’ that could save that toast. It faced down the fires of Hades before it hit my plate, ya feel me?”
************
Once Upon a Vegas Night
Book 1 - Beauregard and the Beast
Book 2 - Cinderellis - 3.75 stars
February 12, 2021
Another winner of a fairy tale retelling by Evie Drae.
Henry is Cinder, Prince of Pop and resident at an arena in Vegas for 6 months where he meets Ellis, a man who is firmly under his cruel stepfathers rule.
Ellis doesn't know who Henry is at first and despite being told by his stepfather to keep away from the talent, they start a relationship. It doesn't stay quiet for long though.
Both Henry and Ellis are super sweet. Ellis in particular goes through a lot of character growth. The ship name, and the books title, Cinderellis, is just adorable.
There's a song in the middle that is just too cute!
Henry is Cinder, Prince of Pop and resident at an arena in Vegas for 6 months where he meets Ellis, a man who is firmly under his cruel stepfathers rule.
Ellis doesn't know who Henry is at first and despite being told by his stepfather to keep away from the talent, they start a relationship. It doesn't stay quiet for long though.
Both Henry and Ellis are super sweet. Ellis in particular goes through a lot of character growth. The ship name, and the books title, Cinderellis, is just adorable.
There's a song in the middle that is just too cute!
February 12, 2021
I know that I have mentioned this in the past but it bears repeating...I love fairy tales! Always have...always will. In all their many forms, both dark originals and retellings. I have read some really great versions and some equally as horrible. Hmmm this was one of the good ones.
Henry “Cinder” Cinderford is tired of the high octane rock star life. He wants to start putting down some roots and making connections, neither one of which has he ever had since he is the son of famous musicians as well as being one himself. He is worn out and ready for a change so signing a gig to be a set show in Vegas for six months is the ideal start to his plan. He didn’t expect to meet someone who had no idea who he was. Ellis is used to being around celebrities due to his job working as a stage-hand and sometimes substitute audio engineer at a major venue in Vegas and could really care less. With his large bulky frame, he is also used to only being viewed as the muscle or the tough guy. No one suspects underneath is a much more submissive softy who lives in constant fear of his abusive stepfather. These two strike up an unlikely friendship that quickly turns to much more as they get to know the real person underneath the facade. This is an extremely sweet retelling of Cinderella with all the feels. These two are so good together! One of the things I really loved about this tale was the way Ellis had to learn to stand up for himself. Yes he has a pair of totally fabulous lesbian fairy godmothers but he is the one that has to make the decision to change his life and follow Henry. I adored this book and it will be going on my list of comfort reads! I would have loved an epilogue though that gives us a glimpse of their life after the party at the end of the book. I would have also liked to have seen Ray face more consequences than he does, even if it is just some abject humiliation...or maybe I can be just a tad vindictive. But you don’t really get to see him suffer too terribly much and he does get one thing his way, even if won’t get him that far. I highly recommend this one for you if you enjoy this type of story at all. A really great story!
Henry “Cinder” Cinderford is tired of the high octane rock star life. He wants to start putting down some roots and making connections, neither one of which has he ever had since he is the son of famous musicians as well as being one himself. He is worn out and ready for a change so signing a gig to be a set show in Vegas for six months is the ideal start to his plan. He didn’t expect to meet someone who had no idea who he was. Ellis is used to being around celebrities due to his job working as a stage-hand and sometimes substitute audio engineer at a major venue in Vegas and could really care less. With his large bulky frame, he is also used to only being viewed as the muscle or the tough guy. No one suspects underneath is a much more submissive softy who lives in constant fear of his abusive stepfather. These two strike up an unlikely friendship that quickly turns to much more as they get to know the real person underneath the facade. This is an extremely sweet retelling of Cinderella with all the feels. These two are so good together! One of the things I really loved about this tale was the way Ellis had to learn to stand up for himself. Yes he has a pair of totally fabulous lesbian fairy godmothers but he is the one that has to make the decision to change his life and follow Henry. I adored this book and it will be going on my list of comfort reads! I would have loved an epilogue though that gives us a glimpse of their life after the party at the end of the book. I would have also liked to have seen Ray face more consequences than he does, even if it is just some abject humiliation...or maybe I can be just a tad vindictive. But you don’t really get to see him suffer too terribly much and he does get one thing his way, even if won’t get him that far. I highly recommend this one for you if you enjoy this type of story at all. A really great story!
February 10, 2021
Ellis and Henry “Cinder" story was a sweet heart-warming retelling of Cinderella that combines the harsh world of music with the magic of a fairy tale. It was interesting to see how a pop star finds his happily ever after with an aspiring audio engineer that is hindered by his stepfamily in achieving the dream.
The way they connect is so beautiful and the hardships in their journey gives the story an edge and adrenaline rush wishing for the best. I loved the author vison in presenting us a modern retelling of a well loved fairy tale and giving the twists and turns of the modern world.
I really am looking forward to see what fairy tale will be next in the series
The way they connect is so beautiful and the hardships in their journey gives the story an edge and adrenaline rush wishing for the best. I loved the author vison in presenting us a modern retelling of a well loved fairy tale and giving the twists and turns of the modern world.
I really am looking forward to see what fairy tale will be next in the series
March 2, 2021
3 “All good superheroes have a sad origin story” stars
I quite enjoyed this book, but a bit less than the first book in the series, Beauregard and the Beast. It was very sweet but I had some trouble getting into it and I never really fell for the characters. They were very good characters on paper but I just didn’t love them as much as I should have.
Brief summary: This is a Cinderella retelling, with Cinder, a really famous musician and Ellis, who works for the stage where Cinder is going to be performing for the next few months. Ellis is under his step father thumb and really suffering because of it. Then the two of them fall in love.
The things I loved:
First, I really enjoyed this set up for a Cinderella retelling. It was a very nice twist on the suffering person who’s living under their stepparent’s thumb and the popular and almost perfect person that comes to save the day.
Second, I quite enjoyed Ellis. I loved how he was grumpy and didn’t talk much. He wasn’t a favourite character of mine but I quite liked his personality. I also really felt for him. He was lost and didn’t know his place in the world and I could definitely relate to that. He was a very relatable character and I appreciated him for it.
Third, Cinder also isn’t a favourite character of mine because he was really really pushy and it got on my nerves. But he was really really sweet and he was really good to Ellis and took care of him so well (most of the time), so I really appreciated that about him. I also really loved how he was patient with Ellis and waited under Ellis trusted him before starting anything with him. I also really enjoyed how Cinder was there for Ellis when he opened up about the trauma his stepfather gave him and how he kept telling him that there was nothing wrong with him because of it. Cinder was a really supportive character and I really enjoyed that about him.
The things I enjoyed less:
This is a small niggle but I was very taken out of the story at the start. When Cinder and Ellis meet, Ellis does not recognize Cinder and Cinder does not tell him who he is. A couple of days after that, Ellis watched Cinder perform in concert and he never recognize him. All I could thing about was that this was an Hannah Montana deal where someone puts on a wig and no one recognizes them, ever. I was so confused, how did he not recognize the man, when he watched him perform live?
Cinder was really pushy and he kept pushing for things he wanted, without asking what Ellis wants. It really annoyed me how Cinder kept pushing for what he wants and didn’t seem to care if it was what Ellis wanted too.
Also, there was so much miscommunication at the end of this. And they barely talked to each other about the important things and they didn’t share their problem with each other. The entire break up at 75% could have been fixed by them having a five minutes conversation. I didn’t understand why they didn’t just talk to each other.
This was really cute and I quite enjoyed it, but it was missing a bit of the magic I hoped it would have.
I received a copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion
I quite enjoyed this book, but a bit less than the first book in the series, Beauregard and the Beast. It was very sweet but I had some trouble getting into it and I never really fell for the characters. They were very good characters on paper but I just didn’t love them as much as I should have.
Brief summary: This is a Cinderella retelling, with Cinder, a really famous musician and Ellis, who works for the stage where Cinder is going to be performing for the next few months. Ellis is under his step father thumb and really suffering because of it. Then the two of them fall in love.
The things I loved:
First, I really enjoyed this set up for a Cinderella retelling. It was a very nice twist on the suffering person who’s living under their stepparent’s thumb and the popular and almost perfect person that comes to save the day.
Second, I quite enjoyed Ellis. I loved how he was grumpy and didn’t talk much. He wasn’t a favourite character of mine but I quite liked his personality. I also really felt for him. He was lost and didn’t know his place in the world and I could definitely relate to that. He was a very relatable character and I appreciated him for it.
Third, Cinder also isn’t a favourite character of mine because he was really really pushy and it got on my nerves. But he was really really sweet and he was really good to Ellis and took care of him so well (most of the time), so I really appreciated that about him. I also really loved how he was patient with Ellis and waited under Ellis trusted him before starting anything with him. I also really enjoyed how Cinder was there for Ellis when he opened up about the trauma his stepfather gave him and how he kept telling him that there was nothing wrong with him because of it. Cinder was a really supportive character and I really enjoyed that about him.
The things I enjoyed less:
This is a small niggle but I was very taken out of the story at the start. When Cinder and Ellis meet, Ellis does not recognize Cinder and Cinder does not tell him who he is. A couple of days after that, Ellis watched Cinder perform in concert and he never recognize him. All I could thing about was that this was an Hannah Montana deal where someone puts on a wig and no one recognizes them, ever. I was so confused, how did he not recognize the man, when he watched him perform live?
Cinder was really pushy and he kept pushing for things he wanted, without asking what Ellis wants. It really annoyed me how Cinder kept pushing for what he wants and didn’t seem to care if it was what Ellis wanted too.
Also, there was so much miscommunication at the end of this. And they barely talked to each other about the important things and they didn’t share their problem with each other. The entire break up at 75% could have been fixed by them having a five minutes conversation. I didn’t understand why they didn’t just talk to each other.
This was really cute and I quite enjoyed it, but it was missing a bit of the magic I hoped it would have.
I received a copy of this book in exchange of my honest opinion
February 17, 2021
A huge thank you to Give Me Books Promotion for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“The tales they tell in storybooks are always so sublime. There’s a happily ever after for every once upon a time. But fairy tales never do come true, at least, not until I found you.”
Evie Drae did it again! She never fails to amaze me with how good she is at writing the purest, most wholesome MM love stories in the modern world but still within the confines of the fairytale retelling. With this book, she went with a Cinderella retelling between Cinder the Prince of Pop and Ellis the aspiring audio engineer during his Vegas shows. As the world came to know about their relationship, they came up with the ship name “Cinderellis”. Hence, the title of the book which was so cute and memorable to me!
With the reality of the celebrity life attacking every moment in their relationship, going through the ups and downs of it and seeing how their love goes against all odds made the entire reading experience so worth it!
I fell in love with these two from the moment they had their meet cute! Ellis’s hardwork and perseverance was so admirable that I couldn’t help but feel for him when I got to know about his past and what he works so hard for 🥺 As for Cinder, I loved seeing the real him behind the rockstar image he puts up. Despite the extravagance of the life he grew up in, his wants in life are so simple and I’m just happy that he got to experience so much of the normalcy was desperate for all the while he was with Ellis 🥺
I also wanna talk about the amazing Lizbeth and Kumiko!! They’re the mother figure/friends that we all wish to have and there was never a dull moment every time we got to be with them 🙈
Overall, this story had me swooning so much and it had that perfect balance between cute, lovey dovey moments and smut driven by so much love and passion! This was such a page turner and towards the end, the Cinderella references became more evident as they planned the grand gesture after all the heart ache we went through in the conflict, no matter fleeting it was. I’m so excited for the next installment in this series especially knowing that it will be a Little Mermaid retelling 😍
“The tales they tell in storybooks are always so sublime. There’s a happily ever after for every once upon a time. But fairy tales never do come true, at least, not until I found you.”
Evie Drae did it again! She never fails to amaze me with how good she is at writing the purest, most wholesome MM love stories in the modern world but still within the confines of the fairytale retelling. With this book, she went with a Cinderella retelling between Cinder the Prince of Pop and Ellis the aspiring audio engineer during his Vegas shows. As the world came to know about their relationship, they came up with the ship name “Cinderellis”. Hence, the title of the book which was so cute and memorable to me!
With the reality of the celebrity life attacking every moment in their relationship, going through the ups and downs of it and seeing how their love goes against all odds made the entire reading experience so worth it!
I fell in love with these two from the moment they had their meet cute! Ellis’s hardwork and perseverance was so admirable that I couldn’t help but feel for him when I got to know about his past and what he works so hard for 🥺 As for Cinder, I loved seeing the real him behind the rockstar image he puts up. Despite the extravagance of the life he grew up in, his wants in life are so simple and I’m just happy that he got to experience so much of the normalcy was desperate for all the while he was with Ellis 🥺
I also wanna talk about the amazing Lizbeth and Kumiko!! They’re the mother figure/friends that we all wish to have and there was never a dull moment every time we got to be with them 🙈
Overall, this story had me swooning so much and it had that perfect balance between cute, lovey dovey moments and smut driven by so much love and passion! This was such a page turner and towards the end, the Cinderella references became more evident as they planned the grand gesture after all the heart ache we went through in the conflict, no matter fleeting it was. I’m so excited for the next installment in this series especially knowing that it will be a Little Mermaid retelling 😍
March 28, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
M/M version of cinderella. one wicked stepsister and stepfather. Ellis lives under the thumb of his stepfather because stepfather threatens to sell his dead mothers home the last link Ellis has to her. Ellis want to be a sound engineer like his stepfather, but Ellis is more talented and being deliberately held from achieving his goal. He meets Rockstar Cinder as he is covertly DJing an event at the hotel where he work as a janitor/maintenance man. They hit it off even though stepfathers tries to break them up. Ellis finally has the guts to tell his stepfather no and to fuck off. Ellis is hired as the back up to Cinder's sound engineer with the understanding that when she goes on family leave he will take over from her. Ellis quits his job at the hotel to take his dream job and stay with his boyfriend.
M/M version of cinderella. one wicked stepsister and stepfather. Ellis lives under the thumb of his stepfather because stepfather threatens to sell his dead mothers home the last link Ellis has to her. Ellis want to be a sound engineer like his stepfather, but Ellis is more talented and being deliberately held from achieving his goal. He meets Rockstar Cinder as he is covertly DJing an event at the hotel where he work as a janitor/maintenance man. They hit it off even though stepfathers tries to break them up. Ellis finally has the guts to tell his stepfather no and to fuck off. Ellis is hired as the back up to Cinder's sound engineer with the understanding that when she goes on family leave he will take over from her. Ellis quits his job at the hotel to take his dream job and stay with his boyfriend.
September 19, 2022
Współczesna wersja "Kopciuszka". W porównaniu do pierwszej książki z serii, tutaj tropy baśni były bardzo, bardzo wyraźne. Ale... mniej mi się podobało.
Cala konstrukcja z ojczymem i przyrodnią siostrą, z powodami, dla których Ellis dał sobą manipulować, dał się wykorzystywać do bólu i pozwalał właściwie ze zwieszoną głową i bez żadnego oporu i słowa, w wieku 26 lat, aby ojczym ciągle stosował wobec niego przemoc zarówno psychiczną, jak i fizyczną - od mocnego trzepania w głowę, przez policzkowanie, po pięści - jakoś nie siadło mi zupełnie. Coś w tym wszystkim było nie tak. Rozumiem pełne przemocy dzieciństwo, rozumiem ciągły strach przed ojczymem, rozumiem traumę. Ale ciągle było to niewiarygodne - jak na początku wszystko mi siedziało doskonale, tak im dalej w las, tym mniej mi się taka konstrukcja historii podobała...
Zabrakło mi też najzwyczajniej w świecie epilogu.
Cala konstrukcja z ojczymem i przyrodnią siostrą, z powodami, dla których Ellis dał sobą manipulować, dał się wykorzystywać do bólu i pozwalał właściwie ze zwieszoną głową i bez żadnego oporu i słowa, w wieku 26 lat, aby ojczym ciągle stosował wobec niego przemoc zarówno psychiczną, jak i fizyczną - od mocnego trzepania w głowę, przez policzkowanie, po pięści - jakoś nie siadło mi zupełnie. Coś w tym wszystkim było nie tak. Rozumiem pełne przemocy dzieciństwo, rozumiem ciągły strach przed ojczymem, rozumiem traumę. Ale ciągle było to niewiarygodne - jak na początku wszystko mi siedziało doskonale, tak im dalej w las, tym mniej mi się taka konstrukcja historii podobała...
Zabrakło mi też najzwyczajniej w świecie epilogu.
February 16, 2021
I couldn't wait to read this book. I loved the first book in this series and love the author's voice. I'm also a big Cinderella fan and adore rock star romances, so this hit a lot of buttons for me.
After finishing it, I can honestly say it was worth the wait. Henry and Ellis's relationship is so swoony and romantic and caring and sweet. It was everything I wanted and more. Henry (or Cinder) is the rocker who wants to find a family and a home, and Ellis is the younger stagehand with a troubled past (that, of course, involves a wicked stepfather!) I loved the little touches of Cinderella you could spot throughout the story that made it a true Cinderlla retelling, not your typical "retelling" where all it really is is a rich person falling for a poor person. It's so much more. There are so many little nods to the fairy tale that had me grinning all the way through.
I also love how Evie finds a unique way to incorporate Las Vegas into each of her retellings. I feel like I'm really there and get to learn or experience something about the city with each book she writes. As someone who's never had the chance to go, it's been educational!
The only thing I'd change about this story is that I wish it weren't a standalone. I want more of Henry and Ellis, aka Cinderellis (which is the best 'ship name ever, by the way!)
After finishing it, I can honestly say it was worth the wait. Henry and Ellis's relationship is so swoony and romantic and caring and sweet. It was everything I wanted and more. Henry (or Cinder) is the rocker who wants to find a family and a home, and Ellis is the younger stagehand with a troubled past (that, of course, involves a wicked stepfather!) I loved the little touches of Cinderella you could spot throughout the story that made it a true Cinderlla retelling, not your typical "retelling" where all it really is is a rich person falling for a poor person. It's so much more. There are so many little nods to the fairy tale that had me grinning all the way through.
I also love how Evie finds a unique way to incorporate Las Vegas into each of her retellings. I feel like I'm really there and get to learn or experience something about the city with each book she writes. As someone who's never had the chance to go, it's been educational!
The only thing I'd change about this story is that I wish it weren't a standalone. I want more of Henry and Ellis, aka Cinderellis (which is the best 'ship name ever, by the way!)
January 23, 2022
"The tales they tell in storybooks are always so sublime. There's a happily ever after for every once upon a time. But fairy tales never do come true, at least, not until I found you. "
I am weak for retellings and this one may be a new favourite, which surprised me as I'm not always keen on musician mc's. Yet Cinder captured my heart instantly and Ellis is wonderful, I enjoyed their romance so much.
Full of comfort and soft vibes throughout, their first meeting is really sweet and I liked the slow burn feels. There is some angst due to the step family, but that was to be expected and I did love how was handled in the end.
The messages, song writing and dates - zip lines, light shows and just finding those small moments together. First kiss scene is beautiful and I just adored Ellis and Henry, their relationship development is amazing.
I appreciated how start to understand each other, recognising their situations and giving each the chance to shine. Side cast brings some amazing characters with Lisbeth and Kumiko especially making me smile, although the bodyguards were incredible too.
Overall I loved this book and it entertained me from start to finish, with all the romantic vibes and love story. Along with a beautiful story showing incredible character growth and a happily ever after 💕
"Together, we've written our fairy tale chapter, a happy story fit for ever after."
I am weak for retellings and this one may be a new favourite, which surprised me as I'm not always keen on musician mc's. Yet Cinder captured my heart instantly and Ellis is wonderful, I enjoyed their romance so much.
Full of comfort and soft vibes throughout, their first meeting is really sweet and I liked the slow burn feels. There is some angst due to the step family, but that was to be expected and I did love how was handled in the end.
The messages, song writing and dates - zip lines, light shows and just finding those small moments together. First kiss scene is beautiful and I just adored Ellis and Henry, their relationship development is amazing.
I appreciated how start to understand each other, recognising their situations and giving each the chance to shine. Side cast brings some amazing characters with Lisbeth and Kumiko especially making me smile, although the bodyguards were incredible too.
Overall I loved this book and it entertained me from start to finish, with all the romantic vibes and love story. Along with a beautiful story showing incredible character growth and a happily ever after 💕
"Together, we've written our fairy tale chapter, a happy story fit for ever after."
February 20, 2021
I received an ARC for a fair and honest review.
This is a new favorite author of mine. I love hir gay fairytale reimaginings because they have just enough of the original to make it clear which story ze is retelling without hitting the reader over the head with it. I love a good retelling, but it's nice to still have some mystery to the plot. The retellings where it's beat for beat are a bit over the top for my tastes.
Let's talk characters. Ellis and Cinder (Henry) are special. Their relationship is genuine, the build-up is real, and I was cheering them on from page one. There are some visceral hurt-comfort moments and the romance is so spot-on I spent a great deal of the read with hearts popping around my head.
Oh and the side characters are top notch too. Kumiko and Lizbeth provide some quality sapphic rep and every time we're with them, I found myself smiling a little wider. They're just genuinely enjoyable characters that I'd love to have as friends in real life. Their relationship with Cinder makes him feel so much more genuine, just as Ellis's (extremely) troubled relationship with his stepfamily does the same for him. I love when side characters serve such an important role instead of being filler that detracts from the heart of the story.
There were also some well done and nicely proportioned tidbits and factoids provided about both Cinder's musical career and Ellis's rigging job. It made both of their careers pop and feel well-researched and relateable.
If you haven't given Evie Drae a try yet, I can strongly recommend. Her fairy tales are low-angst and bubbly while she also shows strength in the weaving of darker tales with her He Owns My Heart book, which is the first of a series as well.
This is a new favorite author of mine. I love hir gay fairytale reimaginings because they have just enough of the original to make it clear which story ze is retelling without hitting the reader over the head with it. I love a good retelling, but it's nice to still have some mystery to the plot. The retellings where it's beat for beat are a bit over the top for my tastes.
Let's talk characters. Ellis and Cinder (Henry) are special. Their relationship is genuine, the build-up is real, and I was cheering them on from page one. There are some visceral hurt-comfort moments and the romance is so spot-on I spent a great deal of the read with hearts popping around my head.
Oh and the side characters are top notch too. Kumiko and Lizbeth provide some quality sapphic rep and every time we're with them, I found myself smiling a little wider. They're just genuinely enjoyable characters that I'd love to have as friends in real life. Their relationship with Cinder makes him feel so much more genuine, just as Ellis's (extremely) troubled relationship with his stepfamily does the same for him. I love when side characters serve such an important role instead of being filler that detracts from the heart of the story.
There were also some well done and nicely proportioned tidbits and factoids provided about both Cinder's musical career and Ellis's rigging job. It made both of their careers pop and feel well-researched and relateable.
If you haven't given Evie Drae a try yet, I can strongly recommend. Her fairy tales are low-angst and bubbly while she also shows strength in the weaving of darker tales with her He Owns My Heart book, which is the first of a series as well.
February 25, 2021
4.25 Stars!
Henry/Cin/Cinder was perfect as the new Prince of Pop. Larger than life, but still down-to-earth enough that he'd recognize a good thing when he meets him. He's so sweet to Ellis, so patient and understanding, just perfect. Then we have Ellis, who was taller and musclier than Henry, but with a gentle, shy soul. Unfortunately, he also had an evil stepfather and stepsister, who had been abusing him for years. I was so happy when Henry pursued him so relentlessly because he had no other choice but to give Henry a chance and grab a little bit of happiness for himself. They had great chemistry and were both sweet and hot together.
This book had such a dreamy, fairytale-like quality to it and I really enjoyed it. It was well-written, and even if it's book 2 in the series, it's a standalone. I loved Henry and Ellis, and Henry's friends Lizbeth and Kumiko. And frankly, this would've been a 5-Star read if it hadn't been for Ray (the dreaded stepfather) not really getting more of a comeuppance. I don't want to spoil this for anyone, so I'll just leave it at that.
Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Henry/Cin/Cinder was perfect as the new Prince of Pop. Larger than life, but still down-to-earth enough that he'd recognize a good thing when he meets him. He's so sweet to Ellis, so patient and understanding, just perfect. Then we have Ellis, who was taller and musclier than Henry, but with a gentle, shy soul. Unfortunately, he also had an evil stepfather and stepsister, who had been abusing him for years. I was so happy when Henry pursued him so relentlessly because he had no other choice but to give Henry a chance and grab a little bit of happiness for himself. They had great chemistry and were both sweet and hot together.
This book had such a dreamy, fairytale-like quality to it and I really enjoyed it. It was well-written, and even if it's book 2 in the series, it's a standalone. I loved Henry and Ellis, and Henry's friends Lizbeth and Kumiko. And frankly, this would've been a 5-Star read if it hadn't been for Ray (the dreaded stepfather) not really getting more of a comeuppance. I don't want to spoil this for anyone, so I'll just leave it at that.
Recommendable!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
March 29, 2021
I loved this retelling of Cinderella! Not only is it LGBTQ+, but it's the Cinderella character that doesn't know who the Prince is instead of the other way around. This was well paced and entertaining, as well as emotional. My heart went out to Ellis and I teared up a couple times seeing his pain and what the abuse he went through.
Henry, aka Cinder, is a pop star starting a six month residency at Las Vegas. I liked him right away and was happy that he was kind to everyone and a down to earth guy. Ellis is a stagehand who dreams of being the lead audio engineer for concerts, but he's held back by his awful stepfather. Ellis is sweet and shy and he deserved all the happiness.
I thought Henry and Ellis clicked together well and had the cutest relationship. There is drama in this but it's not over the top and the focus is on the guys finding love. I will definitely be reading the first book in the series and look out for more from the author!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Book Sirens for the copy.
Henry, aka Cinder, is a pop star starting a six month residency at Las Vegas. I liked him right away and was happy that he was kind to everyone and a down to earth guy. Ellis is a stagehand who dreams of being the lead audio engineer for concerts, but he's held back by his awful stepfather. Ellis is sweet and shy and he deserved all the happiness.
I thought Henry and Ellis clicked together well and had the cutest relationship. There is drama in this but it's not over the top and the focus is on the guys finding love. I will definitely be reading the first book in the series and look out for more from the author!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Book Sirens for the copy.
July 25, 2021
I genuinely really loved this! I don't usually read MLM romance, despite being non-binary, I just find that the ones I find usually aren't my taste. But this was so so adorable, and so good. I absolutely loved how Evie Drae wrote and how Ze created the characters of Henry and Ellis. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down and I finished it in about a day. The romance felt real, genuine, and so sweet. I really did enjoy how Evie Drae built their relationship and even how Ze wrote the smut, which I'm normally not a fan of in general. I also grabbed book one, and I'm hoping there will be more additions to the series! Anyone who's looking for a short, sweet, romance with a little smut should pick this one up! Even if you don't like fairytale retellings, I'd definitely recommend this one! It didn't feel like a traditional retelling, it felt like it's own story and romance.
CW: reference to former and current abuse by a parental figure, threat of a sexual assault accusation, brief sexual harassment.
I received a review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily!
CW: reference to former and current abuse by a parental figure, threat of a sexual assault accusation, brief sexual harassment.
I received a review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily!
April 5, 2021
This was so freaking cute. I mean, honestly, I loved it so damn much. It was an arc through BookSirens, but because I'm lame, it's been out for a month 😅 anyway, it's an adorable Cinderella retelling. Ellis is the stepson of an asshole. His stepfather is an audio engineer at a Vegas event center and has been stringing Ellis along for over a decade. Ellis wants so badly to earn his stepdads pride, but all he gets instead is abuse and manipulation. When Cinder, a pop musician books the event center for 6 months, you can guess what happens. While this book is fairly predictable, it was adorable and I highly recommend. Cinder is pansexual and Ellis is gay. There's also lesbian side characters. The consent and boundaries were done to perfection and are goals for all romance books. Truly. Oh how I've missed cutesy contemporaries.
CW: physical abuse from a parent, psychological abuse from a parent, death of a parent (discussed in flashback), explicit sex, alcohol, mention of gambling.
CW: physical abuse from a parent, psychological abuse from a parent, death of a parent (discussed in flashback), explicit sex, alcohol, mention of gambling.
March 14, 2021
An unusual retelling of the Cinderella story. I must admit that I initially found it difficult to get into, and felt fairly ambivalent towards the MCs, Cinder and Ellis. It did take me a while to warm up to them, especially Cinder. There were some things in the story, that didn't really make sense to me, and I do wish that they'd just sat down and talked, instead of the 'misunderstanding' that took place at about 65% Still, the ending was nice, and I more or less cheered when Ellis, finally dealt with his step father.
February 18, 2021
I knew I'd love this book from the title alone. I already love the author and this series has been swoon-worthy so far. I enjoyed Bo and Adam, but Henry and Ellis might be one of my favorite book couples to date. If you love MM romance, rock star romance, Cinderella stories, or really well-written stories that allow you to lose yourself in someone else's world, then you'll love Cinderellis.
February 25, 2021
Okay, I think I’ve found a new author for when I desperately need a book that will make me smile. Even with some heavier themes in this book, I just loved Cinder and Ellis so much that I was smiling nearly the entire time. A modern take on a classic tale and so, so well done. As always, I wish the “villain” of the tale got more of a comeuppance, but that wouldn’t ring true with who Ellis was so it completely worked here. A quick read full of love that will make your heart so happy.
September 20, 2021
This has been one of my top reads from the BookSirens community. I requested a review copy and am leaving my thoughts voluntarily.
I love retellings in general. But the great part about this cinderella retelling was that it wasn't just fitted to the already known and tired template we imagine in our minds. I liked that the romance was funny, endearing and heartfelt. The characters of Ellis and Henry (Cinder) were believable, as were the issues they each dealt with in their lives. In our contemporary world, we see so many parallels with folklore and fables and it really does take talent to present a story based on them without sounding preachy or trite.
I loved the side characters who had enough of a role without controlling the story yet strong enough to be relevant to the plot. Overall, I found all the characters were developed and balanced well. There are two main queer relationships (Cinder-Ellis and Lisbeth-Kumiko) and racial diversity as well. But none of it seems forced or pretentious. I liked the realness of the story despite it being based off a fairytale :-) I would heartily recommend this to everyone!
I love retellings in general. But the great part about this cinderella retelling was that it wasn't just fitted to the already known and tired template we imagine in our minds. I liked that the romance was funny, endearing and heartfelt. The characters of Ellis and Henry (Cinder) were believable, as were the issues they each dealt with in their lives. In our contemporary world, we see so many parallels with folklore and fables and it really does take talent to present a story based on them without sounding preachy or trite.
I loved the side characters who had enough of a role without controlling the story yet strong enough to be relevant to the plot. Overall, I found all the characters were developed and balanced well. There are two main queer relationships (Cinder-Ellis and Lisbeth-Kumiko) and racial diversity as well. But none of it seems forced or pretentious. I liked the realness of the story despite it being based off a fairytale :-) I would heartily recommend this to everyone!
April 1, 2021
This spin on Cinderella was fun. Ellis works his butt off for his stepfather and has no time for himself. He is totally taken advantage of and his stepfather knows Ellis is afraid of him.
Cinder is interested in Ellis and patient. In this story its different because I keep expecting his schedule to be crazy as he is the celebrity.
I liked how sweet Ellis is and how well he and Cinder got along and how they tackled Cinders fear of heights. It was a good story with a happy ending . I really enjoy the retelling of fairy tales and this one was a good one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cinder is interested in Ellis and patient. In this story its different because I keep expecting his schedule to be crazy as he is the celebrity.
I liked how sweet Ellis is and how well he and Cinder got along and how they tackled Cinders fear of heights. It was a good story with a happy ending . I really enjoy the retelling of fairy tales and this one was a good one.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 6, 2021
Once upon a time there was a stagehand called Ellis Tremine who met and fell in love with the prince of pop Henry Cinderford. This is a MM Cinderella Reimagining.Together they make a cute couple known as Cinderellis (best ship name ever). I like the boys characters, Ellis being the buff but awkward workaholic and Henry being full of confidence but together they work and this book definitely brings the romance.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 21, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. Evie is becoming one of may favorite MM authors. This was a page turner for me; I didn't want to put this book down. Ellis and Henry were fantastic together. I loved the connection and the chemistry between Ellis and Henry. Henry and Ellis have different backgrounds but they seem to understand each on a deeper level than any had before. Ellis is hesitant to be with Henry, not because of his famous lifestyle, because of Ellis's stepfather, Ray, and Ray's threats. I love how patent and understanding Henry is of Ellis but also how Ellis loves Henry for himself and not what Henry can offer him. I can't wait to see what Evie has in store for us next! I really enjoyed this book and I would HIGHLY recommend it and Evie as a truly gifted author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 23, 2021
What an amazing story! Ellis has worked hard for his dreams while being strung along by his stepfather. Having grown up in show business, Cinder has always thought that home was a physical place. A chance meeting brought them together, but love keeps them together despite obstacles they face. This was a great love story and I couldn’t put it down.
I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.
March 6, 2021
This truly was a fairytale romance. The chance meeting between Cinder/Henry and Ellis that lead to friendship then a full blown romance was downright delightful. These guys were so sweet. Cinder doing the wooing to the Ellis a gentle giant. Ellis mannnnnnn...he pulled on my heartstrings. So glad Cinder was the happiness he needed in his crappy life. We did have an evil stepfather and two lovely godmothers...who kept this an entertaining read. I really enjoyed this from start and especially that wonderful ending...Ellis got his forever after with his Henry.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2021
I received an ARC and will be doing a full review on my blog. I love fairy tale retellings and MM romance and this hit my buttons! Loved it so much. More to come but a must-read. (A perfect Valentine's read too!)
February 21, 2021
Loved, loved, loved. 💓🔥💓🔥 I was recommended the first book in this series by a friend and fell in love. I have been anticipating the release of this book ever since. It didn't disappoint and hit every one of my buttons. Evie Drae is becomming one of my favorite MM romance authors. I love her writing style and she builds unique characters with genuine relationships. Also love her side characters! The sapphic rep with Kumi and Liz was awesome and they were great! Can't wait for the next in the series. Hope it comes soon!
April 28, 2021
5 Fairytales come true stars 🌟
November 12, 2023
3.5 stars upgraded to 4 because it's a smart and sexy take on Cinderella. But it still took me quite long to finished I can't put my finger on it, but it just dragged a little in the last part.
February 14, 2021
Full review to come! 💜
February 21, 2021
I typically like more angst in my romance, but was surprised to find myself loving Evie Drae's fairly low angst fairy tale retellings more than I thought I would. Her beauty and the beast was wonderful, which made me want to read this even more. I loved her He Owns my Heart book because it has the kind of angst I go for, but was surprised to realize even her sweeter reads keep my attention and have me turning the pages to the end.
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