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Happily Ever After: The Fairy-tale Formula for Lasting Love

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Don't let anyone tell you true love is a fairy tale. You can find the romance of your dreams, and this book will tell you how. In Happily Ever After, author Wendy Paris offers a contemporary spin on ten classic fairy tales, going behind the scenes with these legendary romantic heroines to show what they did to live happily ever after. Contrary to popular belief, fairy-tale heroines are not weak and passive. They are noble, brave, optimistic women who know that the formula for success in a chaotic world is to hold fast to their own beliefs despite what fate happens to throw their way. Ultimately, it is their character that saves them, not the prince on the white horse. Take Cinderella, for example. Despite having a less than ideal job, she didn't let bitterness and regret give her an ulcer, bad skin, and frown wrinkles. She knew "cinder maid" was a job title, not a life description. She didn't hide in her carriage, crying, "I can't go to the ball by myself! Everyone will think I'm a loser! " She had the courage to attend a party alone. At the stroke of midnight, she didn't cling to the prince's hand and wail, "Save me from my miserable life!" She had the confidence to know that if he liked her, he'd come calling. This humorous, heartfelt book shows women how to focus on their strengths and character rather than resort to manipulative strategies to "land" a man. The perfect antidote to negative dating guides that just don't work, Happily Ever After offers practical, empowering advice that's been proven effective for the last 500 years and is still relevant today.

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

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Wendy Paris

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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Virginia.
1,430 reviews19 followers
October 20, 2025
De vez en cuando me recomiendan libros de este palo, lecturas peudopsicológicas camufladas en textos inocuos y de poca relevancia, que prometen lo mismo que los más avezados libros de autoayuda, a saber, alcanzar la felicidad, mejorar tu vida o encontrar el amor. Sobre éste último tema trata, Y comieron perdices, una curiosa lectura que usa los cuentos de hadas como punto de partida para encontrar el amor.

Wendy Paris es la autora de este fascinante libro. Como escritora me parece correcta, ya que mantiene un estilo divulgativo pero más desenfadado y fresco además de contar con una buena ejecución. Este estilo se consigue usando una prosa dinámica, ingeniosa y con un desarrollo mejorable, un lenguaje funcional y unas descripciones bastante básicas. Pero eso es algo esperable en libros que usan los cuentos de hadas como referencia.

Llamándose, Y comieron perdices, ya puedes intuir que la cosa tiene que ver con aquellas historias que disfrutábamos de pequeños, llenos de príncipes, princesas, brujas y demás. Pero hay una vuelta de tuerca más. Este libro va dirigido en especial a mujeres que se han criado con estos cuentos y que están decepcionada con los “príncipes azules” que destiñeron a la primera de cambio. Así que la autora plantea darle la vuelta y sacar todas las lecciones que estos cuentos pueden enseñarnos para encontrar el “amor verdadero”. En cada uno de los relatos que integran este volumen, hay una interpretación de la autora, más o menos fundamentada, y una serie de “reglas mágicas” que te ayudarán a encontrar a tu hombre (o mujer) soñado.

En suma, Y comieron perdices, es una lectura que, pese a que lo intenta, no termina de convencer. Y es que los cuentos de hadas fueron creados para impartir lecciones valiosas a los más pequeños. Y encontrar el amor no era la máxima prioridad en aquellos tiempos. Pero siempre es divertido ver como la gente se rompe la cabeza para interpretar de maneras diferentes algo más o menos bien establecido. Así que ahora solo queda leerlo, interpretar las señales que el “universo” quiera enviarte y comer todas las perdices que puedas.
Profile Image for Galileia.
83 reviews
Read
July 10, 2019
This is meant to be a quick read but it took me long enough. I absorbed it between Michelle Obama’s Becoming and Dianne Setterfield’s Thirteenth Tale when I couldn’t pick up either of the two and needed to pass the time while I wait for my daughter to finish her business in the bathroom. 😅It has nothing that profoundly surprised me but it offers a unique tone sometimes as to what kind of lesson you could pull out of the classic fairy tale stories we heard or read as a child.
Profile Image for Ameru.
61 reviews2 followers
February 12, 2008
a good way to review about old romantic fairy tales. Gives you a new bright pointof view.
Profile Image for Anne King.
61 reviews
April 27, 2016
Got this on sale through Bookperk. Super cute idea, quick read, just not sure if I would have selected this book if I haven't seen it in my emails.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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