This book was an amazing 5 star read!

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser.

I absolutely loved this book; it’s everything I want in a novel. I hesitated at first because it’s marketed as a Cinderella retelling from the stepmother’s perspective, and I wasn’t interested in another version of that story. Thankfully, it’s only loosely inspired by Cinderella, and had I not known that, I don’t know that I would have connected them. Instead, it offers a rich, original narrative with beautiful, meticulous writing.

At its core, this is a story about family, resilience, and the power of women shaping their own lives. It thoughtfully explores independence, the meaning of value, and how society defines us. The characters are vivid and complex. I found myself both swept up in the romance and deeply anxious for this family at different moments. Even Elin becomes surprisingly redeemable.

What stood out most was how women from vastly different backgrounds and personalities came together in such a compelling way. The story is immersive and constantly evolving, with an ending that feels both satisfying and beautifully earned.

It’s a novel I’ll keep recommending and thinking about. The writing is full of striking lines, especially:

“Marriage is not a savior. Just a choice.”


“All these years, I had thought Sigrid sat beside the sun… but really, she had only climbed into air. Into nothing.”

I was sad when turned the last page and closed the book for good because I loved this story and characters.