“Fans of Menon’s frothy, contemporary rom-coms will be excited for this venture into new territory.” –Booklist “[A] dreamy, sassy confection of a romance…Funny, extravagant, and satisfying.” –Shelf Awareness From the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi comes the first novel in a brand-new series set at an elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and … elite boarding school that’s a contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast.
Will the princess save the beast?
For Princess Jaya Rao, nothing is more important than family. When the loathsome Emerson clan steps up their centuries-old feud to target Jaya’s little sister, nothing will keep Jaya from exacting her revenge. Then Jaya finds out she’ll be attending the same elite boarding school as Grey Emerson, and it feels like the opportunity of a lifetime. She knows what she must do: Make Grey fall in love with her and break his heart. But much to Jaya’s annoyance, Grey’s brooding demeanor and lupine blue eyes have drawn her in. There’s simply no way she and her sworn enemy could find their fairy-tale ending…right?
His Lordship Grey Emerson is a misanthrope. Thanks to an ancient curse by a Rao matriarch, Grey knows he’s doomed once he turns eighteen. Sequestered away in the mountains at St. Rosetta’s International Academy, he’s lived an isolated existence–until Jaya Rao bursts into his life, but he can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something. Something that might just have to do with the rose-shaped ruby pendant around her neck…
As the stars conspire to keep them apart, Jaya and Grey grapple with questions of love, loyalty, and whether it’s possible to write your own happy ending.
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The Emersons and the Raos have been feuding since the British Raj when the Emersons stole a ruby from the Rao family. This resulted in the Rao matriarch to curse the Emersons until the prophecy is fulfilled.
“A hallowed dream stolen,
A world darkly despairs
A storm, a life, a sudden death
Heralds the end, the last heirs
As the glass rose dims
So does the hope of redemption
Eighteen years, one by one,
Until what’s left is none.
Mend that which is broken
Repair that which is severed
Or the Northcliffe name is forsaken
And shall vanish, at last, forever.”
Of Curses and Kisses is a Contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and stays true to the beloved OG fairytale. It brings forth the curse and the family and ties it with friendships and cultural and historical influences.
Jaya Rao is an honest-to-god, Princess of Mysuru, who has landed herself in St. Rosetta’s Academy in Colorado with her younger sister, Isha. Her sole purpose while in the Academy is to make Grey Emerson fall in love with her so that she can break her heart.
‘Heavy is the head that wears the crown’.
As the older Rao sister and heir to the throne, Jaya has been raised with certain expectations that she needs to live up to. An heir to the family throne, a person to look after the people of her Kingdom and a person to uphold the family name and the values that come with it.
For years, she has assumed the role of the Jaya that her parents wanted her to be. She believed that that was the only identity she could have.
This is such an Indian mindset. An individual’s happiness lies in those of their family members and their values. Independence comes with strings attached, where every step you take is scrutinized and checked to see if it crosses the arbitrary line that has been set by our society.
In this society, everything is black and white; there is no space for the colour grey to exist.
Now, for the main man, the MVP, one Mr Grey Emerson. The broody boys are my kryptonite and Grey just landed himself in that list. This dark, reserved, handsome, book-loving (*Le sigh!) boy is carrying the weight of his family name on his shoulders.
But when this broody boy smiles! *QUIT PLAYING GAMES WITH MY HEART*
As the story progresses, we see Jaya and grey’s relationship moves from haters to friends and then lovers. We also witness the progression of their relationship with their friends and frenemies, Isha, Rahul, Leo, DE, Catarina, Alaric and Kiran.
Every character added their spice to the story.
“She couldn’t break his heart. Because if she did, it was her, not him, who was the beast.”
I enjoyed the story and the winter wonderland vibe that was ever-present, I needed a few more pages of Jaya breaking free from her family and her image. I also need a few more pages after that ending. I just wanted to see Jaya and Grey as a couple, even if for one chapter.
My favourite parts of his book were every scene that happened in the snow, especially at Mt. Sama.
Then there is a pool scene — oof! the tension!
There is also a dance scene that has been swooning and sighing.
Oh! How can we forget the momentous first kiss and everything that happened after that!! *heart eyes*
Sandhya Menon brings a light-hearted, feel-good, picturesque winter wonderland romance with diverse characters that just make you happy.
This was a very cute romance very reminiscent of a fairytale. My favorite thing about this book is all of the Beauty and the Beast references. It has always been one of my favorite Disney films, both the animated and live action versions and all my favorite things and people were given nods in this writing. This was my first book by Menon and I’ve got several more on my book shelf that I will happily dive into after this.
What I love most about how Menon writes is that her books always leave you feeling good inside. Even when her characters are going through hardships, you can’t help but be left feeling joyful. It’s the mood that’s set within her words.
With the classic Menon voice, she gives all of her new characters a lot of growth and charm. You love and feel for her two main narrators, as well as every single side character.
I’m so excited that Menon will be expanding these books into a series with new narratives. I’m very excited and eager to see who she chooses to be in the next instalments.
Fresh, uplifting, and magical!
Of Curses and Kisses is an engaging, heartwarming tale that transports you to the international boarding school, St. Rosetta’s Academy in Aspen, Colorado and into the lives of Princess Jaya Rao, a young, Indian senior determined to seek revenge on the Emmerson heir who seems to constantly wreak havoc on her family, and Emmerson Grey, a brooding, reclusive, young man who lives his days under the shadow of a curse placed on his family generations previously.
The writing is light and creative. The characters are diverse, loyal, supportive, and endearing. And the plot told from differing perspectives is a unique, uplifting, coming-of-age tale full of familial responsibility, teenage drama, dreams, goals, traditions, curses, friendship, and first love.
Overall, Of Curses and Kisses is an enjoyable, entertaining, modern retelling of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast that’s a promising start to a new series by Menon with its amusing characters, heartfelt moments, imaginative storyline, and happy-ever-after ending.