How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale
by Elle Cruz
About the Book:
She didn't believe in fairy tales...until Prince Charming found her.
Claire Ventura is nothing like the poised and perfect heroines she reads about in her favorite romance novels. She's a quirky, people-pleasing bookworm with a loving yet obliviously intrusive family and a passion for cookie decorating—all rolled into a five-foot-two Filipina American fueled by chamomile tea.
Then she meets Nate, billionaire CEO of a global tech company, the modern-day Prince Charming who sweeps her off her feet. Though he does his best to convince Claire that he's genuinely head over heels for her, she knows he'll soon realize she's more underwhelming Plain Jane than jet-setting socialite. And once he meets her family, if their initial questioning doesn't scare him off, then their tendency to decide "what's best for her" certainly will.
Between her whirlwind romance with Nate and her meddlesome family, Claire wishes she had a fairy godmother to guide her. But this is the real world in the twenty-first century, and the only way to get her happily ever after is by grabbing firm hold of what she really wants—and letting her heart be her guide.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3lifhwr
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56268938-how-to-survive-a-modern-day-fairy-tale
My Review and Rating:
How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale by Elle CruzMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sometimes the knight-in-shining-armor you aren't looking for, shows up in the most unlikely place.
How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale was a great romance with layers, emotions, and insta-love. Claire Ventura is part of a large Filipino-American family. They meddle, they argue, they control, but they also love fiercely. Unfortunately, stuck in the middle of all that meddling, arguing, control and love is Claire. She’s a people pleaser, compassionate, and quirky.
I sometimes felt her family members took advantage of that good heart and people-pleasing personality. Claire has goals, dreams, and wishes but certain family members discount them as silly, hobbies, or no way to survive. Her accidental meeting of Nate Noruta turned her life upside-down. Their whirlwind romance was cute, intense, and steamy. I really found them to click, connecting on more than a superficial level.
I loved how Nate brought the best out in Claire. He loved her, encouraged her to follow her dreams, and bent over backwards to be there for her. Yes, he’s a workaholic but he always made as much time for Claire as he could. His character is wonderful and being with Claire just enhanced him and his work-life balance. Unfortunately, Claire continues to get inside her own head. Not a believer in fairy tales, Claire was really hard on herself through the entire book. She questioned by Nate would want to be with her instead of a rich and beautiful socialite.
Nate’s backstory was sparce and he learned all about Claire’s family but never really gave Claire any info about his. When his past is finally revealed, I was disappointed in Nate’s actions, Claire’s actions, and the contribution to their conflict. I wish we would have gotten a more in-depth look at Nate’s family dynamics. I still enjoyed both characters, the story, and the plot.
I felt there was a lot of me in Claire’s character, so I was able to connect with her on many levels in this book. My vibrant, fun, and larger-than-life grandmama spent the last five years of her life with Alzheimer’s disease. I met my husband online, we dated for 1 ½ months before I uprooted my life and moved an hour and a half away to be with him, and we married a couple years later. My personality is similar to Claire’s and I’m a people-pleaser. I loved learning about Claire and watching her evolve throughout the story.
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