This was a great fractured fairy tale. All the traditional characters in Cinderella are tweaked and fleshed out in ways that kept the pages turning. The stepmother? Ambitious and relatable. Cinderella? Wispy and insipid. The Queen? Playing her own game...and the Prince? Well.

I had great fun reading this one.

Lady Tremaine surprised me in the best way. Instead of leaning into the usual romantic tropes, this story centers on the fierce, complicated, and deeply human experience of motherhood. Watching Lady Tremaine navigate the challenges of raising daughters—while wrestling with her own past and ambitions—was far more compelling than any love story could have been.
The emotional depth and nuance given to her role as a mother made her feel real and relatable, even when her choices were flawed. I appreciated that the book didn’t rely on romance to "save" her, but instead allowed her strength, vulnerability, and maternal instincts to drive the narrative.
One star off only because a few plot points felt rushed or underdeveloped, but overall, this was a beautifully told tale that reimagines a classic villain with empathy and complexity. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a fairy tale with heart—and grit.

In Rachel Hochhauser's Lady Tremaine, we explore CInderella's step-mother's back story. We find out about her life before she married Cinderella's father and she became the "evil step-mother" that we've all read about.

I've really enjoyed the retelling of classic stories from a feminist point of view, The viewpoint of seeing her struggle financially, emotionally, and finding her way as a mother to her daughters puts an entirely different spin on a book that I read countless times in my life.

I love the thought provoking ways that Ms. Hochhauser made me rethink everything and change my ideas of why these characters are the way they are. The different perspective has changed the entire story for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, I truly enjoyed this book. All opinions are my own.

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser is the Cinderella retelling I didn't know I needed. Told from the wicked stepmother's perspective, I could not guess what was coming next and I did not want to put it down.. The well-developed characters and beautiful writing make this gripping novel a must read for 2026! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Every story has more than one view, and that is true for fairy tales, too. I love taking on a beloved fairy tale and recreating it with a different point of view. Cinderella is one of those fairy tales that I loved growing up, but realized once I was older that it had no real base in real life. This story is written from a mother/stepmother's point of view, and as a mother can totally relate. You will not find magic in the sense of a fairy godmother in this version, but you will see the empowerment of women and the love of family. This story has many dark sides and is not a children's fairy tale.
Rachel Hochhauser caught my interest in the first chapter, and I just wanted to read the book in one sitting. I kept being amazed by where the story went, and even though I had a shock halfway through, I kept going and loved the ending. Wow!
Oh, I loved the cover that was chosen for this book. In fact, I was drawn to the book because of the cover, and then after reading the book, I realized that the cover is not only beautiful but it is a good representation of the story too.
I was given an ARC for this book through Netgalley and want to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.

I got completely pulled into Lady Tremaine’s world — a twice-widowed mother struggling to hold together a crumbling manor and secure futures for her daughters, all while navigating society’s unforgiving expectations. Hochhauser flips the Cinderella story inside out, revealing the fierce, desperate heart of a woman driven not by cruelty but by love and survival. It’s lush, emotionally charged, and turns the fairy tale we thought we knew into a powerful story about motherhood, dignity, and what it means to make your own way.

I sat on my couch reading this and bawling my eyes out. It was so good but also so sad. The female friendships and relationships were wholesome but also tainted just like Cinderella.

A Cinderella retelling where glass slippers shatter, jewels get pawned, and the women save themselves.

Every once in a while, you stumble across a book that refuses to let you go. The kind you’re thinking about while washing dishes, while trying to work, even first thing in the morning when you’ve barely opened your eyes. This was one of those rare reads. Told in first person, it’s a Cinderella story in setting only—strip away the fairy godmother, the pumpkin carriage, and the glass slipper, and what you’re left with is raw survival, sharp social commentary, and women who are infinitely more interesting than any prince.

The “evil stepmother” here isn’t evil at all. She’s overworked, pragmatic, and doing the impossible to keep three girls afloat in a world that doesn’t care if they sink. She’s flawed, quick-tempered, and resentful at times, but she’s also fiercely loyal, capable, and maternal in a way that has nothing to do with blood. The stepsisters are not cruel, just tired and hardened by the grind of survival, their resentment tempered by moments of tenderness. And that “Cinderella” figure? Let’s just say she’s… difficult to love, which makes the entire family dynamic so much richer and more human. There’s tension, affection, and years of unspoken history running under every scene, all of it grounded in a historical reality where marriage is not a rescue mission but a calculated gamble.

This isn’t a romance in the way fairy tales promise you. Sure, there are dances, and a man who might be worth shipping with our stepmother figure, but the real relationships here are between women. They’re messy, layered, often infuriating, but ultimately strong. Every woman in this story carries her own scars, and each one is forced to navigate a society that measures their worth by their looks, marriage prospects, and obedience. Themes of class, gender, and the crushing weight of societal expectations run under every page, but they never drown the story in moralizing. Instead, they sharpen it. The stakes feel real here—reputations, safety, freedom. There’s no wand to wave, no pumpkin to turn into a carriage. Survival depends on wit, stubbornness, and the willingness to fight back.

The writing itself is intimate and immersive, with that close, confiding voice that makes you feel like the narrator is telling you their secrets. It’s the sort of book that draws you in so tightly that when the tension hits, whether it’s a confrontation in a crowded ballroom or a quiet, dangerous conversation behind closed doors, you feel it in your chest. And the ending is not “happily ever after” in the fairy-tale sense. It’s better.

It’s a slow-burn, character-driven novel that replaces magic with cleverness, gowns with pawn tickets, and fairy-tale endings with something far more satisfying: women who decide their own fate. Very highly recommended.

A fresh, compelling Cinderella retelling, "Lady Tremaine" trades fairy magic for the real magic of a woman determined to build a better life for her children. The Disney villain we grew up with is reimagined as a fiercely protective mother whose ambition is rooted in survival and love.

Beautifully written and deeply moving, this story is as much about motherhood and resilience as it is about reimagined fairytales. I didn’t want it to end.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the free Advanced Reader Copy.

This book was good grab you in from the first chapter I loved the storyline the characters the book was amazing thank you for this read

This isn’t the “evil stepmother” you think you know. Through Ethel’s eyes, we see a woman twice widowed, fighting to protect her daughters and keep a crumbling estate from ruin. It’s a Cinderella retelling, but with grit, grief, and fierce maternal love at its core.
Hochhauser makes Ethel flawed but deeply human—sometimes cold, sometimes tender, always determined. The writing is vivid without being overdone, and the story gives fresh depth to a character I’ll never see the same way again. A quick but powerful read for anyone who loves morally complex fairy-tale retellings.

Lady Tremaine reimagines Cinderella through the eyes of her stepmother, Etheldreda—a woman driven not by malice, but by a desperate will to protect her daughters. Stripped of wealth and security after two tragic marriages, Ethel sees the royal ball as her last chance to save her family. But the prince’s charm hides a disturbing truth that could unravel the fairy tale. This retelling is a story of survival, sacrifice and the fierce love of a mother. Highly recommended.

Lady Tremaine is a clever reimagining of Cinderella, but this time told from the perspective of the infamous stepmother. Through her eyes, we see a story not of a villain, but of survival, perseverance, and navigating misfortune with resilience. Rachel Hochhauser does a wonderful job adding depth and empathy to a character often cast as cruel. I really enjoyed this twist on a classic tale.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the ARC.

#netgalley #ladytremaine

A very different perspective of the Cinderella story. Not necessarily an upbeat story.

The step mother isn't wicked but she is laser focused on providing stability for her family. Over the course of two marriages, post partum depression and a reversal of fortune, Ethel plots to keep her daughters housed, clothed and fed.

Despite her efforts, Ethel learns lessons, grows as a person and changes the dreams she's dreamt for years.

Lady Tremaine
by Rachel Hochhauser
Pub Date: Mar 03 2026


Twice-widowed, Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley is solely responsible for her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, a razor-taloned peregrine falcon, and a crumbling manor. Fierce and determined, Ethel clings to the respectability her deceased husband’s title affords her, hoping it will secure her daughters’ future through marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to change everything, Ethel risks her pride in pursuit of an invitation for all three of her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the future king unfolds, Ethel discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she craves and the wellbeing of the stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairytale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

I really enjoyed getting to read this, it had that fairytale retelling that I was looking for from a story for Lady Tremaine, it was everything that I was wanting and enjoyed in this type of storyline. I enjoyed getting to read this and thought the overall feel was sometimes the villains have reasons. I was glad I was able to read this and had that elmeent that I was wanting and enjoyed in this overall concept. Rachel Hochhauser was able to weave a strong tale and was invested in this version of Lady Tremaine. I hope to read more from Rachel Hochhauser and enjoyed the way this story was told.

What if happily ever after isn't all it's cracked up to be? Lady Tremaine retells the story of Cinderella through the perspective of the wicked(??) stepmother. I was drawn in from the first page and remained captivated until the final sentence. This novel reflects on what it means to be a woman, a mother, and a survivor. I was entertained by the twist on such a classic tale, but I was moved by the author's portrayal of motherhood and womanhood. Highly recommend to anyone who loves a good fairy tale but who REALLY loves a story about female empowerment.

If you’ve ever paused during Cinderella and wondered what made Lady Tremaine the woman she was, Rachel Hochhauser’s Lady Tremaine answers with grace, grit, and heartbreak. Rather than polishing her into a misunderstood heroine or flattening her as a bitter antagonist, Hochhauser gives us something far richer: a portrait of a woman navigating power, expectation, and legacy in a world that offers her little room to breathe.

The story is rooted in the familiar bones of the fairy tale but grows far beyond them. Hochhauser uses the scaffolding of the classic to explore how grief carves new paths in people—how survival, especially as a mother and widow, often requires sharp edges. What I appreciated most is that this isn’t a redemption arc in the traditional sense. Lady Tremaine isn’t softened or made palatable. Instead, she’s allowed to be angry, strategic, vulnerable, and loving—all at once.

The prose is precise but rich, with just enough worldbuilding to immerse you in the castle halls and ballroom whispers, yet never distract from the emotional core. As someone who read this both as a fan of retellings and as someone older than the average fairy tale protagonist, I found myself unexpectedly moved. The desperation to protect her daughters’ futures, the quiet ache of lost love, and the constant push against societal limitations—it all felt honest and deeply resonant.

Every chapter adds depth and texture to a character we thought we knew, and by the end, you’re left questioning the simplicity of fairy tale morals.

For readers who like:
-Villain origin stories
-Feminist takes on classic characters
-Elegant but accessible prose

Final Verdict
With elegance and emotional weight, Hochhauser peels back the layers of a character so often reduced to cruelty and shows us the human story beneath. If you love retellings that challenge old narratives, this one’s worth your time.

Grateful to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Rachel Hochhauser for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this one. It's less of a villain's POV and more of a reframing of Cinderalla, centering her "evil" stepmother and putting context around the reality of being a woman (noble born or otherwise) at the time. I was in Ethel's corner the entire time, which although certainly the intention of the novel, was made even easier by her clear devotion to her first husband and the sacrifices she continued to make for her children.

It was also a great touch to change very little about the personality and behavior of the Cinderella we all know in creating Elin; she's just as wide-eyed as the Disney version which, when contextualized amidst the circumstances her, makes her the antagonist in the family. I also thought Matilda and Rosamund were fantastic characters who felt so much like sisters it made me miss my own (she's still alive, she just lives far away).

The reveal of Sigrid as the Queen was pitch perfect, and the story takes off at quite a clip once we're at the ball. Simeon is a juicy villain, and Otto is a hero in the style of T. Kingfisher: taciturn, built like a brick house, deeply romantic. This is a 4.5 star read, happily rounded up. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings with a feminist bent. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is a retelling of the Cinderella story from the stepmother’s point of view. It ends up being a truly original tale with many surprising plot twists. It is well written and totally entertaining.