A Review of Marinela ortiz’s novel
Love Found in Cinders
The image is a book cover for “Love Found in Cinders” by Marinela Ortiz. It depicts a woman in a long, white dress walking through a forest path with trees lining both sides. The scene is enveloped in a warm, misty glow, giving it a fairy-tale ambiance. The text includes the subtitle “A Backwards Fairy Tale: Sidney.” Wavy smoke-like graphics appear in front of the text.
Just about everyone enjoys a good fairytale., and I have to tell you this one is no different. From the first scene, I knew I’d love this book. While my usual reading preference are romance novels, I found this love story just as intriguing, amusing, and enjoyable as a traditional romance.
Book Summary:
Alexa is a princess that is expected to please her subjects and take on responsibilities that makes her one. When her father returns from a trip with a fiancé for her, everyone expects her to marry him. Despite not having feelings for him. just when she meets Sidney at her garden tea party with a plate of famous tarts, she not only visits the café his family owns, but hatches a plan to change her into someone to help out and learn more about him, all while returning on time for the ball.
Sidney is a kind hearted guy with a burn scar on his face that gave him the nickname “Cinders” all thanks to sleeping too close to a hearth. Not only is he his stepmother’s and stepbrothers’ housekeeper, but also the waiter and cook at their café, attached to their home. After seeing the princess at the café and finding the note attached to a tip, Sidney couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even when a stranger shows up to take a job in their café, he wonders who this person is until the disguise falls, and the secret is revealed. Not only about him but his love towards the princess that is engaged to someone else.
this tale is based on the classic Cinderella story with a modern twist. Not only do we have guy meets girl, but the usual magical deception and a heartwarming story in between.
Modern Classic:
Ms. Ortiz did an excellent job of creating an entirely different story that captured the essential essence of the Cinderella classic. There was that element of slavery with Sidney and a feeling of being trapped even for the princess. The princess didn’t seem to be any freer than Sidney. The idea of both of them being trapped either by circumstance or family is an intriguing theme that runs throughout the novel.
While we feel that constant tension of confinement, there are elements of joy, laughter, friendship, and hope under the stress of never being able to rise about the standards others have set for them.
I love the way Sidney is the male counterpart to Cinderella and Alexa is the counterpart to the prince. We see the classic characters in a different light. We begin to see that no matter their different circumstances, they were in similar situations.
The character development was excellent. I could tell who was speaking by their actions or even the dialogue. I laughed, groaned, and yelled at the book. I wanted things to go my way, and kicked my feet against the bed as I read and pretty much behaved like a toddler. There was magic, intrigue, and darkness along with the feeling of optimism throughout the book. The ending made me happy, and as a reader of romance that was a plus.
If you’re looking for something interesting, exciting, and full of ah-ha moments that keeps you reading and laughing or pointing your finger at the book as if you’re there to give orders, then, you have to pick up a copy of Marinela Ortiz’s novel, Love Found in Cinders.
If you have a recommendation, please put it in the comments.
I’d love to hear from you.
Till next we meet,
Keep creating!
Yours in love & magic!
Clennell Anthony
Nell Anthony 