Cover Image: How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale

How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale

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Member Reviews

This is the second novel I've read from a Filipina-American author this year, and being Filipina myself, I couldn't help but have expectations. Hence the rating.

Now objectively, 2.75 stars out of 5 isn't great.

But this was not a bad story.

It just didn't hit the mark on so many aspects for me, that I couldn't justify giving it anything higher.

From a cultural standpoint, I think the Phillipine culture was displayed fairly accurately, but it doesn't go into a lot of depth. There's a wide diaspora of Filipinos across the world, and the generational effect of being born out of the country, under a different nationality and still be considered Filipina without being able to speak the language or really feel connected to the culture and country in a way that feels tangible was an aspect of the story that I craved for and never really got. That's not a testament to the story though - I understand that that was not the intent in this story, but I still wanted it, and was disappointed that I didn't get it.

But a large part of Filipino culture does revolve solely around family. The story and plot do a decent job of displaying this and exploring it alongside Lola and her Alzheimer's, I just wish it went a little deeper. Because while Claire didn't make it out like taking care of Lola was a burden to her, there was this underlying resentment I was picking up that was never really addressed. And I wanted it to be. The same goes for the sister/sibling dynamics that were explored throughout the novel; I wanted more from them than surface-level interactions sprinkled with the occasional emotional moment. I wanted them to feel more layered and real.

I also really struggled with the pacing. I have never been so aware of the passage of time in a romance novel before and I absolutely detested the fact that it was so deliberate and in my face at the beginning of some of the chapters. Granted, it's not that many chapters, but I was physically drawn out of the story by seeing the words *One week later*, and *Five days later*. It was incredibly overt and not even the teeniest bit subtle, and I was not a fan. I'm not trying to be nit-picky despite knowing I'm totally coming across as that way, but it bothered me too much for me to say silent on the matter because it really screwed with the fluidity of the plot.

But my biggest issue with this story is with the characterization. At no point did I feel emotionally connected to any of the characters. Everything felt too surface-level; there were hints of deeper elements within the brief moments of introspection that we're privy to in Claire's perspective (she's a very self-conscious and introverted worry wart), but they were too far and few between. Nothing about Claire endeared me to her despite her giving and kind nature because she was a pushover for almost the entirety of the novel. A people-pleaser to the end, her choices for approximately three-quarters of the book made it really difficult to believe in her growth when she stood up to her Tita Chriss, her sisters and even Nate.

Which brings me to Nate. Is he perfect? No. But was he really flawed? I don't think so. He was a workaholic which was supposed to be his one single flaw and that was it. What do we really learn about him as a character though? Not a whole lot personality-wise. He likes dogs, video games, Claire, has a deadbeat dad who abandoned him as a child. And that's all I've got; 298 pages worth of content and the fact that I can sum up the lead romantic interest in a single sentence does not bode well. The romance was pretty average to be honest because everything about it felt too easy, and the instalove didn't help matters because that is not an easy trope to manage.

The plot was also... not my favourite. Without getting too far into the weeds and specifics, a lot of the plot choices felt convenient. Like they were the easy choice to make. And that's fair, not everything has to be difficult, but it didn't make for much of a compelling plot. By the 200 page mark, I was ready for it to be over because it didn't feel like there was any story left to tell from a romance standpoint. I could go on about how a certain marriage coming about and occurring was not the move for me. But then came the ending. The abrupt, let's-tie-everything-off-really-neatly-with-a-bow-and-unsarcastically-use-the-words-*and-they-lived-happily-ever after*-to-finish-things-off kind of ending. Needless to say, I didn't love it.

However, I can see other readers enjoying this for what it is: a lighthearted contemporary romance with a (very blatant) HEA. And if you go into it with that in mind, you may really like it. I think for me, I just wanted to fall in love with it, but you can't force feelings when it comes to these things.

A big shoutout to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me access to an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

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Engaging story of Filipino woman, Claire and her family who loves to control and manipulate Claire. Claire is running late and sees a parking spot and swoops in almost running over a man standing in the spot. This is where Claire meets Nate. Nate sees Claire and is just staring at her and smiling, while Claire rambles on apologizing is the beginning of this love story. Nate was absolutely wonderful. Enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Delightful and steamy. The ending was a bit abrupt. I felt that there was a bit more to resolve, but hey!… It’s a fairy tale after all. The ideal read for (spicy) romance lovers.

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This is a solid book. I liked how the main character did not lose themselves to the billionaire. The whole fairy tale, aspect was slight twist on a very familiar billionaire love story trope we have already seen numerous times in romance novels. I must say however, that minority aspect was a real nice touch. There are very few Filipino centric stories in the mainstream, so I'm glad this is out there. As far as the story and plot goes, I can only go as high as 4 stars because there isn't really anything special about this book. The plot line is very paint by numbers and formulaic. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, there is a reason that the formula is out there, its because people love it. I enjoyed this book and will recommend it to others, but I will say its good book, not a great book. I probably wont re-read it. I will however add the author to my list and read her next novels.

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This was such a fun quick read!

I was a little shocked at how fast paced the romance between the main character and her love interest goes but nevertheless it was a very enjoyable read!

I loved all the representation we get here! It's always such a delight finding books with poc main characters! I especially loved the fact that Claire has this giant family!!
Claire definitely had her moments where she was a tad bit annoying but it's okay, it wasn't all the time!

Even though the relationship between Claire and Nate seemed to move at the speed of lightening they had so many sweet moments together! ( there are definitely 🔥 scenes in this book so if that's not your thing I'm sorry) I on the other hand was delighted 😂

Really looking forward to other works by Elle Cruz, I really had a great time reading this!

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Woohoo! Always excited to try out a debut author! You never know if your new favorite author could be right around the corner! This baby has a release date of November 30 2021, and it was definitely something different with some sexy elements.

BLURB: Claire Ventura is the people pleasing middle child through and through, finding solace from her hectic family inside the creation of her Filipino desserts. Nate Nortura is sexy, powerful, and for some reason.... head over heels in love with her..... For some reason, Claire has a hard time believing that.... This mild mannered baker is going to have dig deep if she wants to keep her happily ever after.

Alrighty, so I have a lot of thoughts on this book. I kind of got Crazy Rich Asian vibes from this honestly... so if you liked that book, give this one a shot. v.... I didn't like how wishy washy she was with Nate.. and because of that, everything she did in the book annoyed me. Don't get me wrong, she had some relatable moments (yes, I understand wanting to be a separate entity from your husband and to succeed on your own). BUT COMMUNICATE.

Additionally, I felt like Nate was a workaholic... and I don't think he made Claire as much a priority as he said he did. That's why for me,I didn't like the characters as much as I feel like I could have.

That being said, the sexy times were HAWT, and a decent sex scene can take a book I have issues with, and greatly improve it. So three stars!

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥

Thank you so much Elle Cruz, Netgalley, and Entangled Amara for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Highlights:
→ Insta-Love
→ Fast-paced (read in a day)
→ Spice (3 or 4 chili peppers)
→ Cozy and light-hearted Romance

This story follows a Filipino-American protagonist as she tries to figure out the next steps in her career and life. When like a true fairy tale she runs into (or almost run over) a billionaire. Now she has to figure out balancing the world’s most perfect man, her dreams, and her family.

Disclaimer: This romance is so fast-paced, you may get whiplash. If you like your fictional men whisking you away to Paris at a moments notice then this is the book for you

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I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the publisher, entangled publishing, and NetGalley for accepting my request to have this ARC.

The story is about a 30-year-old Filipina-American who is working in a bookstore who always dream about opening her own cookie decorating business and a "Corporate monster" (according to her sister) and their whirlwind romance.

This was definitely an insta-love and i usually don't like it, i found myself stopping in the middle just to point out how fast things were progressing, and my anxiety is creeping because there were still several pages left and they progress beyond my understanding, it made me questioned "Is it really progressing fast or this is just how things really develop" It was a quick read it didn't cost me 24 hours to finished it. For me, it is cute and enjoyable.

The reason why I requested this book is when i saw that the main character is a Filipino-American. As a Filipino I want to know how the author will portray a Filipino family and Elle Cruz definitely lived up to my expectation. I found myself immersed in this book because of how relatable her characters were. The way she describes Claire's family is definitely how most Filipino household works.

Claire and Nate's relationship may be a whirlwind and instant one but that doesn't hinder how cute they were ll throughout the story. Nate is such a snack HAHA. i would also love to have one, please. The way he accept and support her was so great that it hurt my heart because i don't think i can find a hot billionaire that would bring to Paris 2 days after we met as our first date.

It made me cry hard because of lola like i was crying until i finished the chapter and the next one

Would I recommend it? definitely. You should give it a try, it is a quick read and it is so fluffy with a sprinkle of
spice.

I'm currently obsessed with tabbing my books that is why I was beyond sad that I can't tab every single page that i like. I have 43 bookmarks and it still didn't ease up my sadness of not having it tab with different colors

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Oh, how I wish NetGalley included potential trigger warnings for it's readers! Within the first page, we learn that our main character's mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so I will not be reading this book. No harm meant to the author, but that hits too close to home! If that is a trigger for someone else, hopefully they see my review before requesting! Thank you for giving me this book to review, and I am so very sorry that I will not be reading it.

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Whirlwind romance, billionaire tech entrepreneur hottie, and a romance-loving cookie decorator? Call me entranced. The relationship felt rushed and appeared fairly surface level some of the time (there are a lot of sex scenes in here!), I would have liked to see more development from the male main character as he seemed to have some daddy issues that impacted his relationship with Claire and why he came on so hot and heavy (did they really need to get married about only 3 months!?). But I did read this in just 2 or 3 days so I guess that tells you something about how much this book sucks you in.

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!)

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Claire Ventura dreams about opening up her own cookie decorating business, the only problem? Her anxiety and insecurities, mainly her concern about taking the next step, about disappointing her family, and about making a change in her life. Claire currently works as a bookseller with a part time job selling her cookies and spends most of her time outside looking after her grandmother. One day on her way to trying a new restaurant she accidentally almost runs over a mysterious stranger... who turns out to not only be the owner of the restaurant but also tech billionaire Nate. The two of them fall instantly in love and Nate offers to take her to Paris, soon Claire and Nate are in a whirlwind relationship that includes fancy trips around the world, extravagant gifts, and Claire starting to doubt whether this Prince Charming and Fairytale romance will last. This relationship is moving too fast and Claire starts doubting whether things should be as smooth as they are and if she really does fit into Nate’s world. While juggling with these doubts, she also is dealing with her family struggles, her sisters fighting and her aunt constantly condescending her and her worry for her sick grandmother. This romance story was like a romance movie, like I could honestly see this being made into a movie, very Crazy Rich Asians-esque ( about a girl finding out her boyfriend is a rich billionaire and trying to fit into his world while trying to still be herself despite being poorer than him and her support and connection with her family). The romance was definitely insta-love and I could empathize with Claire, she was anxious and insecure and dealing with it and Nate was perfect, like literally one dimensional perfect. This was a quick read and I definitely think it can be enjoyable for romance readers out there. Definitely give this a try, it’s a quick and cute romance read that will have you wanting to eat one of the cookies Claire has decorated.

*Thanks Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

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I love the idea of a Philippino/Japanese couple paring. The two cultures coming together in a romance was amazing! The fairy tale part of this romance was bang on. It hit all the marks with a classic meet-cute, love at the first meeting, a swoony majorly in love male MC and an extremely loving and kind female MC

What I found missing was the believability of the romance. I think the story had way too many romantic clichés it was hard to invest in the love story.
I loved Claire's good heart and her people-pleasing nature and the struggle to change that part of herself. I wish Nate's family history was explored more. I got the impression at one point there was more to his story than it just feels flat. This romance was a great effort. It an almost there for me.

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When Claire meets Nate she has no idea who he is, but he just wants a chance with her. They are from such different worlds, do they stand a chance of being together when work, life and family keep pulling them apart.

A great read, looking forward to reading more from this author.

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With a diverse cast, I really wanted to enjoy this book, and I especially loved the title. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with the protagonist nor did I believe in the forced 'insta-love' that happened with the hero. I found myself skimming from nearly the start.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley to review.

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I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I would be lying if I said I didn't sob my eyes out on certain moments with Lola.

I utterly enjoyed the book but, to be honest, I did have a though time in the beginning to get thru some tropes: not like the other girls, gay best friend with no character development, rich but kind love interest. What saved the story for me, its the fact that the tropes felt minor introductions to the cast and faded away once we got more into the story.

Even during the (several) conflicts along the story, they always felt true to them, even if most of the resolutions came too quickly.

This book will always have a special place in my heart on showing grandmother-granddaughter relationship once half of it is consumed by the Alzheimer's disease. It was loving and heartbreaking to see on the pages something that feels so personal to your life.


Don't be fooled, this is a fanfic, but a quite enjoyable and well written fanfic.

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How to Survive a Modern Day Fairy Tale by Elle Cruz is a nice, modern-day re-telling of Cinderella, with a multicultural twist.

Claire Ventura works in a bookstore with hopes of starting her own cookie decorating business. She’s the daughter of first-generation Filipino parents and has two sisters and a very large extended family. She’s always put her family first and doesn’t want to disappoint them. She has a special bond with her grandmother who has to live in a facility due to her advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

She literally runs into Nate, the CEO of a tech company and they fall for each other almost instantly and he flies her to Paris for a first date. But, with completely different backgrounds and financial statuses, can their love survive?

I enjoyed Claire’s family very much, their large loud gathering reminds me of Filipino families I’ve known over the years. I liked Claire’s determination to become a business owner and do something she enjoys.

I was not a fan of the romance. I didn’t feel the connection between Claire and Nate and found their instant love a bit unbelievable. Not that instant love is not believable, but the author did not make me feel this connection was realistic. I thought Nate was very nice and sweet, but I didn’t understand his instant connection with Claire.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale is a charming #OwnVoices debut romance from Elle Cruz. I loved this story so much and just thinking about it is putting a smile on my face.

I was drawn to the book by its adorable cover, Asian American characters, and fairy tale premise. As I started to read it, I learned pretty quickly that it is an insta-love trope. This left me feeling a bit hesitant because the trope can sometimes come off as unbelievable and inconceivable, but this didn't give me those vibes. Although the two characters catch feelings and fall in love quickly, their story is beautiful in its spontaneity and relatable with the strong theme of family.

This story follows a thirty-year-old woman named Claire. She is one of three sisters and is trying to make her dream of decorating cookies into a real business. Her family doesn't know if she can do it, but thank goodness for her Lola (her grandmother). Lola is her number one fan and supporter so it makes it that much harder to learn that she is sick with Alzheimer's. Claire is definitely feeling the pressure of her family to get a steady job, find love, and also keep her Lola at peace. Then, one night she runs into a man who is sexy, charming but so out of her league (at least that's what she thinks).

Nate is a thirty-three-year-old CEO. He has accomplished so much for his age but what is most surprising is his heart. Sadly, because of his fame and fortune, many don't get to see that side of him. So when he almost meets a woman, Claire, who doesn't know him and treats him like a real human being, he can't help but be attracted.

Claire and Nate have a funny and adorable meet-cute. Once they meet and start dating, everything moves pretty quickly. Claire doesn't believe in happily ever afters but Nate is making her rethink that. He is supportive and really sees her. He believes that she can turn her cookie business and make it a success and that makes her swoon even harder for him. I love that Nate is so spontaneous and isn't afraid to say how he feels. He treats Claire like a princess and gives her things she has always desired; safety, home, and love.

Everything is going great between them. They want to be with each other all the time and are in their own little bubble. When the real world starts to come to light again, this is where they both have to make sacrifices and decide if love is truly enough.

There is also a huge theme of family that I just loved and related to so much! Claire is all about her family and doing what she can to make them proud. She is fighting her emotions every day when she sees her Lola's health declining but is brave enough to keep a smile on her face and hope alive. She is also facing pressure about her career. Her family believes in steady careers and assumes that baking can just be a hobby. I think this is why Claire has a complex. She is scared to follow her dreams because she doesn't want to let her family down. And it even plays a role in her relationships. Nate is also a family man. That doesn't mean you have to be blood-related. When he lets you in, you are his family and he will do anything he can to keep you happy and healthy. But he also has a past of abandonment and loss. Although they may seem different, Nate and Claire are more alike than they know.

I give How to Survive a Modern-Day Fairy Tale 5 stars. Sure this love story has its fairytale moments, but don't be fooled. It is more relatable than you think. The author's writing sucks you in with her heart and authenticity. This is like the title states; a modern-day fairy tale.

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While intrigued by the plot, I walked away a bit disappointed. What was an interesting premise was diminished by overly sweet romantic language, repetitive and contrived conflict, and a final chapter that has me wondering where the rest of the book was. At one point I realized that I was not actually rooting for the two leads and instead was wondering when the h would finally get her shit together because being in her mind was exhausting.

I'm ultimately giving this a 2.5 / 5. I may read from this author in the future, but I don't think I'd leap at it.

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A big thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. I read for fun-and this book was fun. Not believable or realistic but just fun. Would I read it again? Probably not. The main characters Clair and Nate were just ok for me. Clair's insecurities were troubling for me. Her family bullied her and she let them get away with it. I am sorry but who just walks out on a marriage after what 3 days? Yet in some ways she was determined and strong. Nate, I really have no idea what he is like. He seemed ok. Its an easy and pretty quick book to read. 3 stars

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What a sweet quick read! I must admit there were times I wanted to shake Clair! Nate was so perfect, helpful and nice! Maybe Clair wanted a bad boy lol before settling. The ending did make it a little weird but it finished off great!

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