Book Review: The Cinderella Moment by Jennifer Kloester

Title: The Cinderella Moment

Author: Jennifer Kloester

Pages: 304

Genre: Contemporary, Retelling, Romance

Published: July 24th 2013 by Penguin Aus.

Source:  Free from PenguinTeenAUS event

Synopsis: 

A love of fashion.

A couture competition.

A once-in-a-lifetime chance . . . 

Angel Moncoeur has always wanted to be a fashion designer, but without money or connections, it's going to be a challenge. When an opportunity to leave her home in New York and head to Paris appears, Angel grabs it – even if it means masquerading as her best friend Lily. That can't be too hard, can it?

But faking things doesn't come easy for Angel, so when she falls in love with her very own Prince Charming and he thinks she's someone else, things start to get complicated.

Angel needs to stop her secrets unravelling if she wants to live happily ever after . . .

From exciting talent Jennifer Kloester comes this fabulous story about high society, mistaken identity, love, betrayal, friendship – and great clothes.

Review:

First thing: WHY WASN'T THIS LONGER? I NEEDED MORE OF A RESOLUTION!

This story follows Angel (Angelique), who wants to be a fashion designer but has no connections or money. Angel lives with her mother who is a cook for the de Tourney's. 

Lily is the only child of Philip de Tourney and Angel's best friend. When Lily is offered a one in a lifetime opportunity to attend a summer acting school she grabs it. But how is that to be, when Lily is meant to be in Paris visiting her Grandmama for two weeks? 

This is where Angel comes in. After much convincing she is off to Paris in Lily's place. 

Over the two weeks we meet many characters one being Nick. 

And that is all I'm going to say.

What I liked: 
I liked the idea of this book, it was well thought out, but not executed as amazingly as it could have been. 

Nick. Yeah, what can I say, I have a thing for fictional male characters haha. But really he was sweet and lovely. 

I also really liked the Grandmama. She was lovely, and had IMPECCABLE fashion sense. 

I also liked how this was a retelling of Cinderella, that was a little unusual (for reasons).


What I didn't like:
How easily Nick and Angel developed feelings, and in their words love for each other. It was insta love, which was fine. But it was a little too much too soon. 

Angel at times. I felt that at parts she had a few screws missing, but than a little later, she'd be smart again. 

Other characters, they seemed flat or 2D. They were entertaining, but I felt though they were well developed, we didn't explore them enough, or get to see their full character arc. 

The pacing, it felt off. At times it was nicely paced, and towards the end it felt, "OH MAN, I HAVE TO FIT THE COMPLETE END AND RESOLUTION INTO 30 PAGES", yeah I did not really enjoy that. And I really really wish there was another 30-50 pages to this story (because it was really short). 

Another thing, the book was only 300 pages, but it contained A LOT of dialogue, which was fine, but I felt there should have been more descriptions within the book as well... 

Overall:
I enjoyed this. But I didn't love it. I did really want more, and yes I will read the companion novel in hopes that we will get to see more of this story in it (hopefully). 

I liked the spin and take on the cinderella fairytale. 

I liked the fashion within it. I liked the characters though they weren't that 'deep'. 

I liked the ending, though I wish it wasn't the ending and that it had another 30 pages AT LEAST.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes fashion, or guys haha.

Rating: ★★★