I downloaded this book when I was on a fairy tale retelling kick, not realizing it was a contemporary novel. Despite not being what I thought it was, I enjoyed Accidental Cinderella by Emily Evans.

This is the story of a girl who unexpectedly gets a scholarship to an exclusive, elite school. To escape her horrible stepmother, she takes the scholarship without asking any questions. Once there, she gets thrown into a world of prestige and meets Hale and a whole lot of other problems.

Ella is a character who’s layers unfold with the pages. She gains depth and strength while still keeping that tender heart Cinderella is so famous for.

Hale is another solid character. He has some doubts and some secrets, but you still like him despite all of that because of how he treats Ella.

I liked that this book didn’t leave Ella an outcast. She was able to gain friends at the school and form bonds with more people than just our hero. There were a lot of fun character’s and side stories (some more believable than others). The romance was well done, and didn’t overshadow the rest of the story. The similes cracked me up, as Ella compares most everything somehow to her old job at a juice bar. This book does have some swearing and accidental ‘compromising’ situations, but I would say it is clean overall. Oh, and the rich snobbery does get a bit obnoxious, but our main character is right there with us being shocked by the wealth.

I would recommend this if you are in the mood for a little elitism and a really cute main character (and an even cuter love interest). Happy reading, my friends!