Sha la la la la la my oh my.

Ok sorry I couldn’t resist. But really, what other sentence so neatly sums up Zoraida Cordova’s Kiss the Girl, the third book in the Meant To Be series, which retells Disney’s fairy tales in a contemporary setting. As the title suggests, Kiss the Girl takes on a certain little mermaid who wants to be part of another world, and Cordova really takes the source material and molds it in to a story that is sweet, sexy, swoony and powerful all in one.

The story follows Ariel del Mar, the youngest of seven sisters who have spent their whole lives as Siren Seven, who are something like a cross between the Spice Girls and the Olsen Twins back in their heyday. Each has a distinct marketable personality, and the girls have the kind of staggering level of worldwide fame that means they’ve seen it all, done it all, and appear on more merchandise that they can possibly hope to keep track of.

Well, maybe it’s more accurate to say they’ve almost seen and done it all. As part of Atlantica Records, and under the authority of their dad-ager Teo del Mar, the seven of them haven’t had much of a chance to be where the other people are. When their plans for a promised hiatus are suddenly thrown up in the air, the sisters are thrown for a loop.

On the other side of things is Eric Reyes, front man for an up and coming band called Star Crossed. They’re about to embark on their first national tour, with the hopes of signing a deal that will launch their careers in a big way. The night before they leave, Eric meets Ariel in disguise and is so taken with her, he invites her to join the tour as their merch girl. Not being much of a Siren Seven fan, he has no idea who the cute new girl he just met is.

While the music-centric premise is obviously very Little Mermaid, and the Easter eggs will make any fan smile - especially when the less obvious ones click - the story feels like a worthy new entry into the canon rather than a retelling played straight. Rather than events hoping over 1:1 from the movie, Cordova puts a unique spin on them, making this world her own while keeping the spirit of The Little Mermaid fully intact. And of course, there were a few genuine surprises in there that kept the story feeling fresh. Ariel’s sisters, too, get their due (though their baby sister obviously remains the focus), each of them given a distinct characterization outside of the general grouping they’ve been stuck in in the popular imagination.

Ariel and Eric’s romance was simply the most delightful of slow burns, with the friendship really having time to develop before progressing — and probably helped by the fact that Ariel can actually speak the entire time. They help each other learn and grow, and the moments between them alternate from sweet to swoony and everything in between.

Cordova says in the afterword that The Little Mermaid was her favorite movie as a child, and that she has loved it since she first saw it, and that love really shines through. This book is a loving tribute, and a fresh take all in one, the kind of clever story born from true love.

Kiss the Girl is available August 1, 2023. Special thank you to Disney Books for the advance copy for review purposes.

What was your favorite princess movie growing up?

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

If you are a Little Mermaid super fan, this book is definitely for you. This book is peppered with all sorts of cute nods to the movie. So keep a look out for them!

Ariel is a famous pop star being controlled by her overbearing father. So she decides to take a break from her life and joins another up and coming bands tour bus, as somebody else. She thinks she’s falling in love with the lead guy too, the problem is… he doesn’t know who she really IS!

I seriously loved that Eric kept dissing her band with no idea it was her. Idk how she didn’t give herself away. 😂🤣😂

Fantastic contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid! I am a fan of Cordova's writing style and was excited to see that she was adding to this series of retellings. This was a fun, romantic read and I really enjoyed all aspects of it. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This might be my favorite Meant To Be book yet? I grew up loving The Little Mermaid and I love that Ariel is having a resurgence right now. This book totally captures the heart of the story and adapts it perfectly to a modern setting. I love that the sisters got to be characters themselves outside of just "the sisters" and I loved the way everyone in animated Eric's life got adapted into book Eric's bandmates. But my favorite little easter egg was when Zoey Castille, the author's romance writing alter ego, showed up in the fictional online comments section of this book! I can't wait to see what the next book in the series will be!

I had such a good time reading this one especially with the new little mermaid releasing, it just felt like the perfect time to read this one. I loved Ariel and Eric, both as characters and in a relationship. This book made me feel so many emotions and I am so glad that I got to read it.

I’ve read all the books in the “Meant to Be” series and I hadn’t really enjoyed any of them so I wasn’t holding my breath for this one.

I was pleasantly surprised and I found it hard to put down! Lots of diversity in the characters with a Latinx twist!

This is my first book by this author so I’m looking forward to reading her other works!

The only issue I had with the book is that the ending felt a bit rushed.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hyperion Avenue for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm really enjoying the updates on the Disney princess stories and seeing how they integrate elements of the classic movies into the new story. This one might be my favourite so far. Can't wait to see which one they tackle next!

Now THIS is a PROPER ROMANCE. You have your meet-cute! Your appealing leads! Your forced proximity! Your moderately logical reason why they cannot consummate the sexual tension right away and instead get to know each other and fall in love! Your adorable cast of supporting characters! Your comedically wicked roadblock to the relationship which must be overcome! Absolutely nails all the beats, I enjoyed every second of the book, I would not have wanted it to be any longer OR shorter. Taylor Swift AND Little Mermaid fans, rejoice.

Kiss the Girl is the third installment in Disney’s “Meant to Be” series of adult fiction retellings of their films, all released near the live action films that inspired them. (The series entries are completely unrelated to the others, so consider them standalones.) Like her Little Mermaid namesake, Ariel del Mar is the youngest of seven sisters. Her life has been that of a privileged pop princess as part of the wildly popular “Siren Seven” singing group with her sisters, run by their domineering father. They have just completed a farewell tour, and everyone wants to take a well-deserved break from music and publicity. Ariel has an anonymous evening out with one sister and their friend, where they watch a new group starring Eric Reyes with whom she strikes up a friendship. Without her trademark red wig and flashy costume, she is known to him only as a fan named Melody. After a fight with her dad, Ariel impulsively decides to take a job working for Eric’s group on their tour. Can she make a living on her own, without her powerful family’s help, and even find love? I thoroughly enjoyed this take on the familiar story, with many nods to the original animated movie.

Thank you Hyperion Avenue for this ARC.

I’ve been so excited to read the third Meant to be book. I love the concept of mixing Disney fairytales with modern romance.

I’ve loved Zoraida Cordova’s writing since Bruja Born, so I was hyped to read her take on The Little Mermaid. This one might be my favourite in the whole series and I really hope Disney continues it. It’s a fun IP to get lost in and all the easter eggs and direct Disney references are fun. It hits the nostalgia button hard.

The romance is hot, despite this being a closed door romance. The conflict keeping them apart is believable and ups the tension. It’s the rockstar trope twice over, but also secret identity romance.

The supporting characters are rich and well drawn out. The thing I love about the series as a whole is that the villains are always complex and three dimensional. Under Cordova’s skilled hand, the Ursula stand in is sexy, fierce and protective. But also concerned with contracts. Chef’s kiss.

Would recommend this book for anyone who loves fairytale retellings, rock stars, latin x, and well modern romance in general.

This book was disappointing. After the other two Meant to Be Series being clean and having no language, this was a surprise and a huge disappointment. The plot fell flat. The same things kept getting brought up. I feel like there was no character growth. The story was unbelievable. This one just wasn't good.

Adorable take on this classic Disney fairtale, but with a twist. This is my first time reading anything by this author, however I have read the previous books in the Meant to Be series (also produced by Disney), and I would have to say that this book is by far my favorite. The author does a great job of walking the thin line of paying tribute to the book, while not going so far as to be considered too cheesey, while at the same time still feeling completely original in its story. Honestly, you wouldn't know that this were a modernized retelling of the classic Little Mermaid movie if you were to change some of the details, and I honestly think that has to do with the strength of the storytelling in this title. While there is clearly a source the author has drawn inspiration from, they didn't rely on it. It is very clear that it was inspired by the animated classic, and it pays tribute in a beautiful way.

This is a story about a young woman looking to break free and find her own identity, crashes into her own meet-cute moment, with a summer of discovery, road trip curses, rock-n-roll dreams and supportive sisters. This book is appropriate for adults and teens who are comfortable reading about adult relationships. While it isn't graphic, certain behaviors are (lightly) discussed and relations are implied.

Highly recommended.

I love seeing larger bodies on book covers!!! This whole series has been so charming, this book being no exception. I loved the writing, the wit, and the heartfelt nature of this book. Highly recommend.

Kiss the Girl
By Zoraida Córdova
4.5 stars

If you’re like me and can sing every song from Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989 cartoon version), then you too will LOVE Kiss the Girl. In this version, Ariel is a member of Siren Seven, a world famous girl band with her sisters. Having played their last show, Ariel is looking forward to a break and figuring out what she wants to do next. But, her dad, and head of Atlantica Records has different plans. Seeking one night of rebellion, Ariel sneaks out to see a battle of the bands and meets Eric Reyes, frontman for Star Crossed, an up and coming band about to set out on their first U.S. tour (that may already be cursed). Sparks fly! Eric, not knowing who Ariel really is, invites her to be their new merch girl (the old one just quit). After a huge blow up with her dad, Ariel jumps at this chance to get away and, with her sisters’ blessing, runs off to meet the bus. The band’s manager, Odelia Garcia, immediately recognizes Ariel (turns out there is bad blood between Odelia and Ariel’s parents) and agrees to let Ariel join the tour only if she stays away from Eric. Easier said than done. Even knowing Ariel and Eric are destined to end up together (this is the Disney version after all), the book still has fun surprises along the way. There is great banter. I loved the relationships between Eric and his bandmates and Ariel and her sisters as much as their developing romance. Although written for adults, this could easily be recommended to teens especially with the new live action movie version in theaters now.

This book. Loved the characters (except the evil dad!) I was not sure what to make of the Little Mermaid connection, but I thought it was really well done. Ariel’s adventures with the band warmed my heart and I definitely enjoyed this book!

This book is a perfect addition to the Meant to Be book collection. Reading this book was a joy as the audience is constantly given easter eggs connected to the classic Disney film. Córdova successfully modernizes this story, making Ariel and Eric a likable couple without the problematic components of their relationship in the original telling.

I continue to enjoy the entries in this series. I thought that this book took an interesting spin on the story of the Little Mermaid - reimagining Ariel and her sisters as pop stars.

This book had an interesting way of retelling the Disney classic The Little Mermaid. Ariel, part of a famous girl group with her sisters wants something different. Eric, part of a band starting a tour is trying to hit it big with his band. The two meet and fall in love, but like in many stories their relationship wasn’t easy.

Oh my corazoncito!
This was an excellent, loving, feel-good read.
My first from Cordova, but definitely not my last.
You’ll find humor, family/found-family antics & drama, LOVE of course, a bit of angst, adventure and so much more.
The details were everything and tied wonderfully together. The references to the Little Mermaid were well executed and not obvious or obnoxious. The side characters were intriguing, and I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

This was an EXCELLANT re-telling not just of 'The Little Mermaid', but specifically of Disney's Little mermaid, set in the modern music world - so Ariel and her sisters become a pop girl band, King Triton is now a music industry king with his own record label company, the French chef becomes the band 'Le Poussin Bleu', the rowboat scene is a music video, Max the dog is now Max the animal rights activist/musician, and Prince Eric himself is a rising star in the music world with just ridiculously good looks, smile, hair and eyes, and can actually sing - plus much more!

The book also acknowledges what every fan always knew - that Ursula and Triton had some sort of history - while also delightfully flipping the script on who is the real villain here.

Ariel has quit her pop princess life for a taste of "the real world," becoming a merch girl and roadie for the band Star Crossed - and while she is doing this very much against her father's wishes, I absolutely LOVED that her sisters load her up with gifts on her way out the door, constantly in touch via texts and calls, helping her out whenever she asks, and supporting her every step of the way. Huzzah for healthy sibling relationships!

A delightful retelling both on its own and for every little girl that grew up with The Little Mermaid.