Cinder Luna

Once upon a RomCom, Book 1

By: Marie Soleil

Narrated by: Renee Dorian, Joe Jameson

Is Luna destined for a happily ever after, or is it game over for her love life?

Move to the adorable town of Brookhaven? Check.

Get bumped to first class on the train and meet the most gorgeous, considerate man of my life? Check.

Find a job in video game animation and a cozy apartment of my own? Not so much.

So maybe things in Brookhaven aren’t quite as idyllic as my friend promised. My one saving grace is playing video games every evening with my best online friend, MidKnight. Plus, helping him create his own video game helps me escape the drudgery of my demanding twin bosses and a dusty, cramped apartment.

It’s not long before our relationship turns from friendly to… a lot more personal.

Things get complicated when I run into the man from the train again. He couldn’t forget about me either, and he’s been searching for me. I can’t deny the intense physical attraction we have, but I feel like my heart is being pulled in two directions. But there are things that both guys don’t know about me.

Being brave isn’t my strong suit, but maybe it’s time to find some courage.

Cinder Luna is a sweet, kissing only, romantic comedy retelling of Cinderella with hidden identities and a swoony love story! Tropes include: slow burn, cinnamon roll MMC, instant attraction, hidden identities, girl next door.

©2024 Marie Soleil (P)2024 Dreamscape Media

Charming Concept, Poor Execution

I wanted to love this book. The story and characters started out quite well. Based on the beginning, I was settling in for a heartwarming, interesting story, But soon, I became very disappointed by the MFC. Sadly, Luna is a doormat. An immature, deceitful, fearful, cowardly doormat. Unfortunately, the underlying reason for this doesn’t carry enough weight to justify Luna being this way. I am mystified why the author decided to develop her MFC in this manner. A weak character is a boring character, imho. I skipped over a large chunk in the middle of the book. The ending was sweet, but I cannot in good conscience recommend this book.

Sidenote: This book is romantic, but there’s no humor. It’s not a romcom.

On a better note, both narrators did an amazing job. They definitely brought the story to life. Moreover, they greatly improved the story.