To everyone else Caterina LaValle looks like she has everything. She is popular, her father is rich, and she runs in only the most elite circles. But after Alaric breaks her heart Caterina has something to prove. She needs to still look like she is the queen, and what does a queen need but a prince. Here enters Rahul. While Rahul is not currently the perfect prince, Caterina is sure that she can help him become one. But what really constitutes the perfect prince? Is it how someone acts, or looks, or is it something more.

This is a fun story that shows that sometimes the things we most need are in front of us the entire time.

3.5 stars
I read the first book in this series at the beginning of last year and I liked it, so I was excited to read this one. Unfortunately it didn't live up to the first one. I didn't really connect with the characters or particularly like them. I didn't really remember them all that much from the first one having read it a while ago and they had been more side characters in the first one so it almost felt like a standalone. Catarina is the typical stuck up rich girl and Rahul has wealthy political parents, but he is very socially awkward and his parents sent him to Rosetta to "get rid of him." I just spent the whole story feeling bad for Rahul for thinking he had to change this appearance and personality to fit in. It was sad watching him ruin his relationship with the friends who liked him for who he was to begin with. I just think I'm getting a little old for such high school drama (yikes!). I did enjoy Catarina's inner journey, but still didn't really connect with her and really knew what her journey was going to be all along so nothing was really surprising. By the end I was happy with her growth.
The plot was not super exciting, it was basically just Caterina bringing Rahul to different parties and events as RC by using magical hair gel. There is a twist at the end that felt almost like a thriller type twist, but then kind of wasn't and ended strangely. The ending in general felt a little rushed, while the rest of the book was slower paced.
The writing style was easy to read, however like the first book, there were some not so commonly used words that I did not know the meanings of that kind of took me out of the story a little bit while reading. Despite this not being an absolute favorite book of mine, I was able to blow through large portions at a time which doesn't happen all that often.
I would definitely recommend this series, just be aware that it is a very high school scene for you "older" YA readers!

*ARC Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

*I am a member of Sandhya Menon’s Street Team. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This is the second book in the Rosetta Academy series, which is modern fairy tale retellings set in a boarding school. This book is a retelling of the Frog Prince.

While I was very excited to continue this series, I was a little hesitant about a story focused on Rahul and Caterina especially after how she was in the first book. It took me a few chapters to establish a voice for Rahul as a main character instead of a side character.

I wasn’t sure what direction this book would go in, especially when I’ve only ever read one other book based off the Frog Prince. I think the story worked well for the two characters and wrapped up nicely with Caterina and Rahul. Caterina’s story especially rounded out well and I was glad to be in her head and see a different side of her after how she was in the first book.

I overall enjoyed this book and rated it 4 stars. I’m excited to read the next one in the series.

A modern-day retelling of The Frog Prince takes us back to St. Rosetta’s Academy.
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Caterina LaValle is known as the Ice Queen on campus, but Rahul Chopra sees another side of her, especially after she’s vulnerable in front of him when her boyfriend Alaric dumps her at a school dance. That’s the night Rahul falls in love with Caterina…but he believes there’s no way she’d fall for a dork like him. However, when Caterina needs a date for a gala, she decides to makeover Rahul. With the help of some magic gel Rahul turns into RC, a cool, suave and ultra popular guy. As Rahul begins to change, Caterina finds herself missing the cute, awkward boy he used to be. Which Rahul will he end up being? The adorkable nerd or the charming flirt?
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Book 2 was just as cute as Of Curses and Kisses. Rahul and Caterina were adorable. I love a good fairytale retelling and Menon nailed it with this series! I can’t wait to return to St. Rosetta’s Academy for book 3! Be sure to purchase this book on June 8! TY Netgalley for the ARC.

In Of Princes and Promises, my heart immediately went out to Rahul. Hopelessly in love, Rahul appealed to all my soft spots. Feeling like he doesn't fit in, he is infatuated with Cat. Feeling like you're 'not enough' for someone was so utterly relatable. How sometimes we wish there was just a magic spell to fit in. While I loved Rahul from the beginning, it took me a long time to get to know Cat. Motivated by jealously, she gives Rahul a makeover, almost trying to build herself a version of revenge.

I'm not going to lie, it took me a long time to warm up to Cat, just because I was instantly so empathetic towards Rahul and his own journey. How he's trying so hard to be worthy of Cat's love. And how that taste of fitting in, even if you have to bend a few rules and change a bit, can be so intoxicating. In many ways, his journey felt so close to questions, instances, and memories of my own. Of Princes and Promises is written in dual POV so, as readers, we can see the changing of opinions and hearts of both Rahul and Cat.

3.75 stars

Menon writes such fantastic YA contemporary romance, and in this series, readers get the benefit of some fairy tale remixing on top of that. I was a fan of the first book in this series, and I found this one even more engaging. Readers should know that it is totally possible to love and enjoy this book without its predecessor, but reading the first will add to your overall experience.

The central characters - Caterina and Rahul/RC - are a lot of fun to follow. Caterina is in the position of power as the one with the social status and confidence (usually), and Rahul adopts the "cooler" persona of RC, thanks to the use of magical hair gel, of all things! Theirs is an uncomplicated relationship at first that evolves through some expected but still adorable experiences and patterns.

There's a twist that comes up for Caterina near the end that I found a bit abrupt, and while I would have liked to see that section/concept developed a bit, I liked that there was more here than just the romance.

I'm already looking forward to what comes next for these characters and any others who are currently brewing in Menon's mind. Recommended.

Alaric may have cheated on Caterina, but that doesn’t mean she is going to let it define the rest of her school year. Rahul believes the moment he shared with Caterina at the winter formal meant something, but he also knows that he doesn’t have her social graces and would have trouble stepping into her world. Caterina has learned that Alaric is planning to bring a supermodel to an upcoming social event and she needs a date that shows she is not down and out. Caterina plans to train and transform Rahul into the perfect gentleman. Will she be able to work out his rough edges? What is with the mysterious hair gel that seems to give Rahul the confidence he needs?

Of Princes and Promises is the second book in the St. Rosetta’s Academy series. This fun romance has just enough “magic” to fall into a fairy tale retelling. The characters are fun and the exchanges throughout are exciting. There is a little mystery that is included with this story and Menon has outdone herself in crafting a fun read for many ages. Even though this is a “romance,” it can be read by even the youngest YA reader and will be enjoyed by most adult readers. Although this is the second book in the series, it is primarily a companion book because the setting is the same, but the main characters are different. Readers can jump right into this title or start at the beginning.

(5/27/2021) 4 Stars.

Of Princes and Promises is a great follow up to Of Curses and Kisses, Sandhya Menon's first book in the St. Rosetta's Academy series. The little hints for Rahul's feelings for Caterina paved the way for this story and I am so in love with the trope of a misunderstood ice queen and her unconventional love interest. Rahul is smart but lacks the social skills expected of someone from St. Rosetta's Academy, an elite high school for rich kids. At times, the characters annoyed me, but they're all meant to be rich and snobby. But that's what makes you love Rahul: he's exactly the opposite! He may come from an important family, but he is an outcast.

Catarina needs a date to an event after her public breakup with Alaric. Somehow she turns to Rahul, the awkward, black sheep of the school. She helps him transform himself into RC, debonair and cool. However, when he gets a taste of the limelight, a lot more has changed and not for the better.

Secrets of the past emerge, angst ensues and Catarina and Rahul learn to appreciate what truly matters.

I was provided with an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.

As always, Sandhya Menon gives us an absolutely flawless contemporary novel. I love the St Rosetta series because, while it includes fantasy elements, it feels completely rooted in real life. Caterina and Rhaul were great MCs. Caterina is a Queen Bee and comes off a little cold on the outside, but it was great seeing her grow and for her to thaw out a bit. Rhaul was a great representation of a neutodivergent individual, and his own character developement was well done. I thoroughly enjoyed this one from start to finish, and cannot wait for my hard copy to arrive!

"Of Princes and Promises" is a modern day retelling of the "Frog Prince" with a little bit of gender bending "My Fair Lady" thrown in. It is adorable and fun - a great rainy Saturday read.

Oh, I really loved this book— it may even be better than Of Curses and Kisses! I hope Menon continues with this Rosetta series. This modern day retelling of the princess and the frog meets a My Fair Lady makeover won’t be exactly what you expect (there is some magical hair gel, after all) but it will make your heart feel warm and fuzzy by the end. This is a great cozy read!! Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!

As much as I did enjoy this book, I couldn't help comparing it to Of Curses and Kisses and while Of Princes and Promises has many of the same elements, it just didn't have the same sparkle.

Of Princes and Promises focuses on the love story of Caterina, the queen bee (or Cat as she'd prefer) of their elite boarding school St. Rosetta's Academy, and Rahul, they nerdy and awkward boy who is completely smitten with her. To make sure her ex, Alric, knows she is completely over him and doesn't care at all that he is bringing a supermodel to the upcoming Gala, Caterina invites Rahul to be her date. She is determined to change him from the socially awkward boy she danced with into a suave socialite and she succeeds thanks to a magical hair gel. But as time goes on and Rahul turns into someone she never expected, Caterina begins to wonder if she liked the frog better before he became a prince.

I really appreciated seeing this classic trope get a gender swamp but otherwise I found it a little predictable. Even the side plot with new-in-town Mia just seemed thrown in there so that we could have a climax. The wrap up to that plot felt incredibly unsatisfying and all too easy.

Still, this was a quick, light, read and fans of the first book will certainly enjoy seeing their favorites and learning more about Queen Cat.

DNF @ 10%.

I really wanted to read this one, as I've read the first and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I just did not get into the main characters of this one.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a solid continuation of the first book in the series, and I felt like the characters were well-explored in this book. The plot was strong, and I thought the story was written very-well. I love the way this author communicates with her readers, and I am already planning to read this book again!

I just love reading books by Sandhya Menon. I feel lucky in that this year there’s two books out from her – one that is adult contemporary romance under a pen name and the second St. Rosetta’s Academy book. Of Princes And Promises is a retelling of The Frog Prince but with a slight twist. Menon’s St. Rosetta’s Academy is quite different from her Dimple And Rishi series. These books are also contemporary but with a slight touch of fantasy. Really, just one fantasy element. Also, the main characters are wealthy and from very powerful families — unlike the regular every day characters in the Dimple and Rishi books.

Of Princes And Promises follows Caterina LaValle and Rahul Chopra. Caterina is essentially Queen Bee of St. Rosetta’s Academy. However, after an ugly public break up with Alaric Konig, her Queen Bee status may be in jeopardy. Caterina needs to replace Alaric and fast, however, none of the guys at her school in her social circle will do. Enter Rahul. Rahul is socially awkward but he has potential. So, Caterina makes him over into the perfect date. He uses this magical hair gel that turns him into RC, who is cool and confident. Although this is going to age me a lot, but it kind of reminds me of how Steve Urkel turns into Stefan. Only Rahul is less creepy and weird than Steve Urkel.

As you may have guessed, there’s chemistry between Caterina and Rahul. It’s not just when Rahul is RC of course. Caterina is attracted to him because he is thoughtful, kind, and smart. He’s a genuinely good guy and so different from the types of guys that she normally dates. However, Rahul thinks that he’s not good enough as himself for Caterina and feels like he needs to be RC for her.

What I liked about Menon’s Of Princes And Promises was the character development of Rahul and Caterina. Rahul learns to be more confident and self assured. Caterina learns to be vulnerable. It’s quite sweet. I do wish that this book had been a little bit more fast paced. Also, I wasn’t a huge fan of a side plot with an additional villain character. However, the way Caterina responds was unexpected and I liked that it wasn’t predictable in that aspect. If you already like the St. Rosetta’s Academy series, I think that you’ll enjoy Of Princes And Promises by Sandhya Menon. I know that I’ll be back for book three.

I've heard of Sandhya Menon's other books and was really excited when I was approved for this book. The cover is stunning and I love fairy tale retellings and fairy tale inspired stories. With the frog prince being one I haven't seen used often, I was curious about the story.

This is the second in her Rosetta Academy series and I haven't read the first. I was glad to see that it wasn't necessary to have that first book under my belt to enjoy this one.

Her writing is easy to read and almost soft, like a cozy blanket. It was just nice to read. Even when there were parts that I didn't particularly enjoy, her writing made it worth getting through them and smoothed those edges. She has an amazing level of skill and her writing is comfortable.

That said, I feel like a lot of the book was fluff? I know she wrote some contemporary romances before so this feels more like that with just a hint of magic. Not a bad thing per se but I did want some parts to be a little deeper.

It focuses on Rahul Chopra and Catarina Le Valle. She's the rich daughter of a powerful man and he's the awkward son of a politician.

There were moments where I loved Rahul and related to him hard. He's awkward, blunt and has a small circle of friends that he offends with his bluntness without meaning to. He misses jokes and sort of misses the cues when it comes to some social dynamics.

There's a point in the book where Catarina basically asks if he's on the spectrum due to the way he is around people and he says no, it's just intense social anxiety. She said she wanted to make sure she was aware of any needs he might have had. I appreciate that she wanted to make sure she wasn't doing anything that was uncomfortable for him, the fact she thought he was on the spectrum just because he's awkward felt odd to me? I think it was just the way she asked.

For a while, that's the most sensitive she is to Rahul's needs.

After being dumped by her longtime boyfriend and needing to regain her image and Queen of the School, Catarina decides to mold Rahul into someone who can be seen on her arm and not embarrass her. And as he has the world's biggest crush on her, he's more than happy to agree.

The hint of magic comes in when it's time for his makeover and during the story, Rahul changes to fit more and more into Catarina's life. His character arc was a good one, I enjoyed it and Catarina's as well. They were perfectly intertwined with each other and the possible conflict that could have caused was exciting.

Unfortunately, the story fell short for me when we were introduced to the real villain of the story. They felt flat and one dimensional in their actions. Not the reasoning behind them but what they went on to do and how they did it felt so boring.

I'll have the spoilers on my blog under this section but suffice it to say, the villain brought it down for 4 stars to 3 for me. I thought the conflict would be heavily character based with the characters we've gotten to know and instead we got a monkey wrench that felt out of place.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was a DNF for me. Reading it on my phone was just way too hard. Having gotten through a few pages, all I can say is that the start didn't draw me in, but that may've changed had I been able to download it to my Kindle and get further into the story.

I've learned my lesson: In future, I'll request only books that can be downloaded to my e-reader!

I was pretty disappointed in this book and did not finish it. I have loved all of Sandhya Menon’s other books so I had high hopes, but there just wasn’t anything that drew me into this one. I didn’t think any of the characters were like able and the plot was too slow for me. I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt but I got a third of the way into it and the story just didn’t pick up.

Sandhya Menon's Of Princes and Promises is, thus far, the most disappointing book of 2021. It's been about a week since I finished it and I'm still mad. Because the truth is, this book had everything going for it. Of Princes and Promises didn't have to be a massive disappointment. It could have been one of the best books I'd read all year.

And I'm just left wondering why? Why did this book have to fail so horribly when it was set up to be so wonderful?

I don't think there's anything more frustrating to me than watching a book that has so much potential destroy itself utterly in the last few chapters.

A quick spoiler alert, I can't adequately explain the problems with this book without them. Sorry.

--

Caterina LaValle makes her second appearance in Menon's St. Rosetta's Academy series, but this time as the lead character. This was a, quite frankly, brilliant choice on Menon's part in my opinion. Caterina was somewhat of a villain in the first novel, and in essence, is the perfect character to lead in a The Princess and the Frog retelling.

Fresh from having broken up with her boyfriend for cheating on her, Caterina remains a quasi-princess of the school but is certainly in need of something to refresh her reputation. Truthfully, recruiting someone to assist her in holding on to her shiny reputation is not exactly a far cry from retrieving her golden ball for her. So, for these reasons, it does genuinely seem that Menon had the perfect setup for this novel.

--

In fact, it gets even better when we're introduced to Rahul who is quite possibly the most adorable character I've read in a while. Despite being so socially awkward that his family has hidden him away for being too embarrassing in public, Rahul is unerringly genuine and kind. Though his understanding of social situations is deeply lacking, the boy has an incredibly authentic drive to do better in the most honest manner possible.

He's even got an ulterior motive for going along with Caterina's scheme, leading him to a rather intriguing hair gel that grants him the powers to collect himself in social situations. And it matches perfectly with the fable we know, for Rahul wants both to be near Caterina but also learn how to improve himself.

--

Quite honestly, Rahul's character arc as a whole is entirely the basis for why Menon struck gold with the set-up she gave us for this novel. There was a massive amount of potential hidden in the depths of Caterina and Rahul as characters. And to her credit, Menon does really begin the story this way. For the first half of the novel, you do genuinely believe that the novel will follow a path of detailed character development that drives the story as a whole.

I found myself thoroughly engaged in the narrative between these two characters, so much so that I was able to ignore any mild complaint I had about the writing and rather ridiculous pacing of the story. Despite hating the pointless and out-of-place time jumps, they seemed minuscule next to what I thought the plot would be.

In truth, I was anticipating a masterpiece about losing yourself to addiction, seeing the pain you can cause someone else, and finally getting to a place of acceptance. And, if I'm being honest, we did get a sense of this. But the problem really lies in the fact that it was kind of surface level and took a backseat to the most pointless and story-damaging villains I have ever had the misfortune to come across in my entire life.

--

So, the way Menon sets up her Frog to Prince transition is through this magical-esque hair gel that basically transforms Rahul into a 'princely' version of himself. When he attends the first party with Caterina--to prevent anyone from seeing her taken down after her breakup--Rahul becomes RC, a suave and impressive mysterious man everyone wants to know. Naturally, this is something Caterina is thrilled by and Rahul becomes enthralled with.

This plot alone opens up a world of opportunity to explore ideas of what it means to reinvent yourself. But, even better, it offers up an expansive opportunity to delve deeply into the concept of addiction. There's this visceral quality to feeling as though you cannot function without a substance driving Rahul's character arc. What first began as a way to help Caterina save face in a difficult situation quickly becomes something Rahul cannot let go of.

As a result of his reinvention, thanks largely due to the hair gel, Rahul becomes despairingly addicted to the substance. And it changes him.

What's even more stark about this is the fact that everyone around him recognizes this. And though Rahul sees these changes as good, going so far as to believe the gel is allowing him to "unlock...his truest potential" and leads him to feel invincible, everyone else sees something far more sinister. His friends grow increasingly concerned about him. Feeling they are being unsupportive, he pushes them away. More and more, Rahul begins to feel as though his entire existence requires this hair gel.

Then the girl for whom he made all the changes to begin with slowly realizes the damage she has done.

--

I honestly thought this story was the makings of a great take on the 'getting addicted to something that makes you popular and helps the popular girl fall in love with you' trope. First of all, Caterina wasn't getting tricked, thank the skies. She always knew who Rahul was. In fact, she was directly involved in getting him access to the hair gel that would change his entire persona. And at first, both she and Rahul see it as a good thing.

The way Menon allows the effects of the gel to slowly seep into Rahul's character is impressive. It's especially brilliant when seen through Caterina's eyes, "knowing in her heart that Rahul Chopra was becoming more and more self-hating with every day that passed, with every event that he went to as RC. And it was all her fault."

Seeing the sheer guilt she feels at having been the one to do this to him is almost tangible in how easily we are able to feel it with her. And you genuinely feel that this is going to be the big epic moment in the story. Everything is leading up to the dichotomy of how she changed him and realizing deep down that she already loved and appreciated him for who he'd been before.

And damn, can we just talk about how she left him? Let's forget for a moment that this entire portion of the novel was deeply diminished by an incredibly stupid and pointless villain and just think about that line. Cause I have some words for it.

Now, admittedly, Caterina is unquestionably the catalyst that sent Rahul diving into the deep end of his addiction. He never would have gotten his hands on the gel without her and that is an indisputable fact. But I think there's something to be said for the fact that there is something deeply damaging about having to watch someone refuse to leave behind their addiction.

And she's right, in a way, that it does make her selfish to leave him. But I think it's important to recognize that it's not good to damage ourselves watching someone we care about destroy themselves. Certainly, the commentary could have been better. Caterina had every opportunity to reach out to his friends to get him support. I understand this is more of a fluffy-themed book, but you've got themes of addiction here. The directions Menon could have taken with this novel are endless.

And I am so disappointed in her for not doing so.

But, as if missing out on an opportunity to have a substantially brilliant commentary on addiction and love wasn't bad enough...Mia exists.

Honestly, that is the worst and most unforgivable thing about this book.

It's fully because of Mia that this book dropped from a 4-star read to a 2-star for me. Her entire existence is the worst thing about this novel, from the nonsensical miscommunication-fueled plotline she embodied to her idiotic villain speech. I could rant for hours and never fully illustrate the level of hatred I have for how much she ruined an otherwise genuinely good--if not great--novel.

She's almost single-handedly the entire reason I feel like Menon failed so wholly on Rahul and Caterina's character arcs. Cause Menon just had to have some unimaginably moronic villain appear literally out of nowhere to...spearhead a miscommunication campaign. Menon really likes her miscommunications for no reason, doesn't she?

I cannot stress this enough: if the conflict in your novel only exists because of dumb miscommunications, your conflict has some serious problems.

What's most frustrating about this piece is the fact that Menon already had the perfect conflict. It didn't actually have serious problems. Rather, she decided to create massive flaws in a book that was otherwise fantastic. What the hell did Mia add to this story?

I'll tell you what she added. Absolutely nothing.

I hate Mia. I hate everything about her. She was completely pointless and served only as a way to detract from what was otherwise an incredibly promising plot and story. WHY, why does she exist?

What this all boils down to, in the end, is that Menon simply tried to do too much with a story that already had an excellent plot and conflict. She chose to forgo genuine character development in order to have this pointless side plot villain and it fully destroyed her novel.

Mia was nonsense of epic proportions, taking readers away from the true and most important conflict of the novel; that of self-perception of worth and human connection.

I don't even know how to get into the ridiculousness of the boyfriend. As if the only reason someone could sell Rahul a 'be your best self' concoction that is bad, actually, is because they were trying to help their girlfriend destroy the person who got the life she wished she'd had. There's just so much wrong with the entire Mia subplot.

But, frankly, the worst thing it does is take generously away from what could have been a truly amazing story.

--

As far as I'm concerned, Of Princes and Promises is in desperate need of a rewrite. Menon needed someone to sit her down and tell her where the real story was. She needed someone to tell her how dumb it was to include Mia's character at all. I cannot stress enough how crucially bad the decision to have this villain was. There is no need for the second conflict and it does little more than detract from the best parts of the book.

Menon, unquestionably, had the perfect conflict. She had the perfect opportunity for character development. She should never have strayed away from it, not for a second. Mia should not exist. The guy who got them the hair gel should have merely been a guy who sold the magic hair gel. Even he did not need to be a villain greater than the representation of the beauty industry itself and society's expectations of attractiveness. This should have been only a story about Rahul and Caterina learning to love themselves and, through that, each other.

And in the end, I can't even bring myself to focus on the numerous tiny things about this book that just irked me, like the random dig Menon makes at how periods make women emotional or how Rahul's friends weren't even really that great toward him. Cause everything pales in comparison to the ginormous missed opportunity in Rahul and Caterina's development and stories.

I mean, Menon built up these characters to have a connection of epic proportions, ready to fall apart all due to one's ability to feel confidence and self-love. This would have been an amazing story. So, why the hell does it take a backseat to stupid as hell side plot with monumentally dumb villain???

Ugh, I'm SO disappointed.