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A review by roglows
Of Curses and Kisses by Sandhya Menon
5.0
Of Curses and Kisses was a delightful, modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I adored all the parallels (a castle-like boarding school in the snowy mountains, the heroine's love of libraries, the 'beast's large, hulking stature) as well as the differences, which made the story feel fresh and new (like the international cast of characters, the updated time period).
Jaya Rao is a duty-minded Indian heiress, a princess actually, whose younger sister, Isha, becomes the topic of scandal back home in India. In an effort to protect Isha's reputation and allow things to settle for their (very honorable, political) family, Jaya and Isha move to the US to attend a prestigious boarding school near Aspen. (St. Rosetta's International Academy is very posh, but also known as a sort of haven for young, wealthy types trying to avoid scandals or problems.)
Convinced that a British family with whom the Raos have ages of acrimony, the Emersons, are behind the scandal back home, Jaya makes it her mission to target Grey Emerson, currently the youngest heir of the Emerson family. He too attends St. Rosetta's. Jaya's mission is simple: get Grey to fall in love with her so that she can break his heart and show him what it feels like to be taken down.
Needless to say, things do not go as planned, as as time goes both Grey and Jaya realize that they have way more in common than they'd ever imagined.
I really, really enjoyed this story. Jaya was infuriating at times, but also kind, loyal and compassionate. She always meant well, and her character was consistent. Her development felt genuine and was a treat to watch. Grey's thaw was a treat as well. I adored watching them fall for one another. Very swoony at times.
Beautiful writing and an entertaining, feisty cast of characters to round out this tale.
Jaya Rao is a duty-minded Indian heiress, a princess actually, whose younger sister, Isha, becomes the topic of scandal back home in India. In an effort to protect Isha's reputation and allow things to settle for their (very honorable, political) family, Jaya and Isha move to the US to attend a prestigious boarding school near Aspen. (St. Rosetta's International Academy is very posh, but also known as a sort of haven for young, wealthy types trying to avoid scandals or problems.)
Convinced that a British family with whom the Raos have ages of acrimony, the Emersons, are behind the scandal back home, Jaya makes it her mission to target Grey Emerson, currently the youngest heir of the Emerson family. He too attends St. Rosetta's. Jaya's mission is simple: get Grey to fall in love with her so that she can break his heart and show him what it feels like to be taken down.
Needless to say, things do not go as planned, as as time goes both Grey and Jaya realize that they have way more in common than they'd ever imagined.
I really, really enjoyed this story. Jaya was infuriating at times, but also kind, loyal and compassionate. She always meant well, and her character was consistent. Her development felt genuine and was a treat to watch. Grey's thaw was a treat as well. I adored watching them fall for one another. Very swoony at times.
Beautiful writing and an entertaining, feisty cast of characters to round out this tale.