Happy Monday!
This is NOT my monthly post, but rather an extra one because I was given an ARC to read and review. I've posted a review on Goodreads, but I thought I'd talk about the book here, too. The book has NOT released, yet. It's releasing Thursday, September 24, 2026--but it is available on Amazon for preorder.
Brittany Fichter is an author I discovered...I'm not sure when. I can't remember. I've read several of her books and enjoyed them a lot. She has very low/no spice (kisses and attraction/love emotions mostly) in her books, but there is all the feels and enough romantic moments to keep this hopelessly romantic author/reader happy. So, when through her Newsletter I found out there was a way to get on the ARC team for her upcoming release, I threw my hat in the ring (so to speak) and she picked me as one of the ones to receive an ARC! I was very happy about that. (Still am).
So, I received this ARC in exchange for me reviewing it. The following opinions are just that. My own opinions.
Ella And The Enchanted Bookshop is a cozy modern-day retelling of the fairytale, Cinderella. It has some magical aspects to it, so it maintains a hint and flavor of a fairytale. Brittany does a great job of weaving both modern/contemporary aspects with fairytale details. The story is set in Colorado (which is cool, since I have some friends in Colorado!) and it definitely lives up to its "Cozy" descriptor (which is mentioned on Amazon).
I'm a fan of Brittany Fichter's Classical Kingdoms books; and while this novel is not exactly like those, it's worth reading and enjoying. I enjoyed Ella's sense of justice, without her losing the sweetness and forgiving nature I appreciated in her predecessor. (Some people think Cinderella was too "weak" or "damsel in distress" but I disagree with the idea that Cinderella is "weak". For someone who in the time period that the fairytale is set she didn't have many options she made the best of what she had, which I believe takes strength of character and fortitude).
Ella's problems with not being able to dislodge herself from her stepmother's clutches is because of her desire to look after her horse, Nevada, as well as the other horses that belong to the ranch her parents started, and the horses that are boarded there. She works hard every single day and does, in her own way, look for avenues that might lead her to freedom (only to have the stepmother thwart her in the most horrible ways the stepmother can think of).
The "Prince" is an upstanding guy named Asher who is in the military. His father purchases the vacant ski resort (which he also renovates) and he hosts a Harvest Ball in October. I liked Asher a lot, by the way. He's not anywhere as clueless as the prince in the original fairytale (a huge plus) and he's super sweet. Definitely deserves the nickname "Prince Charming".
Ella's two stepsisters are both younger than her. The youngest seemed extremely shallow, but she redeems herself later in the story, so in that respect definitely nicer and a step up from the original. The older one is around 18 and you don't see her as much, but she lives up to her predecessors in that she seems not to care about Ella at all.
Casey, the stepmother, is a real piece of work (I was mad at her, which is a sign of a good antagonist) and I was thrilled to see Brittany weave her intricate magic on how the stepmother stepped her stilettoes into running the ranch. It was a clever take on the whole "marrying the widowed father" trope. Unlike her predecessor, Casey is actually pretty good at caring for horses when she deigns to do so.
I loved how Brittany Fichter handled the whole Fairy Godmother character. It was a totally fun take and I liked the character a lot. There was a sneak peek at the end of the novel for the next one and I'm looking forward to reading that one, too.
While on Goodreads I did not give this novel 5-stars--I gave it 4-stars. I'm not sure it was completely on the same level as Brittany's Classical Kingdoms (my gold standard for measuring her books). I still gave it 4-stars and think it's worth reading and enjoying. I even think it's worth purchasing for those who want to purchase it. (And this review is totally my own personal taste and doesn't reflect on how well Brittany Fichter can weave a tale. She's a very talented author and I did end up enjoying this story).
As I said in my Goodreads review, I see it as a story that readers can grab a cozy blanket, a comfy chair/couch/bed, their favorite hot drink, and enjoy. I did enjoy it, especially once I got further along (beginnings are often a struggle for me with many novels, so don't take that as a problem, but rather my own personal issue).
I do look forward to the next book in the series (and will likely want to read all the ones in this series Brittany Fichter releases--I do not know how many that will be, though). So yes, I do recommend it.
Happy Reading!
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