Thank you very much to the publishers and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters – together, known as the band Siren Seven – have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequinned costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she’s the girl who has everything.
But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can’t wait to spend the summer just living a normal life – part of a world she’s only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show.
The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It’s there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father – and goes with him.
Caught between the world she longs for and the one she’s left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?
I know that fairytale retellings get mixed reviews across the board, but I love them. I love seeing the unique takes on well-known stories and the familiar elements of a story I know and love. I’ve been enjoying the ‘Meant to Be’ series of retellings with the latest instalment being Kiss the Girl which is a unique The Little Mermaid retelling.
Zoraida Córdova certainly had a difficult task in having to retell a well-loved, iconic and popular fairytale. But, I would say that it is something she did incredibly well and I certainly enjoyed my time reading this book. She brings in elements of her own heritage throughout the book which I enjoyed too.
Ariel del Mar is one of the world’s most famous singers. Along with her sisters, they have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, in her iconic red wig, anyone would think she’s the girl who has everything. But lately, she wants more. Specifically, a summer living a normal life but her father has other plans. So, when Ariel and her sisters sneak out for a night at a rock concert, she crosses paths with Eric Reyes and he invites her on the road for the summer of course, she says yes.
I think this story translates itself into a celebrity/rockstar romance book perfectly. I loved the fact it is set in the music industry giving the overall story a completely different angle to the well-known tale. I liked seeing all the little easter-eggs from the original tale as well as some little cameos. It allowed for the story to feel unique but familiar at the same time.
The one thing I would have liked to see more of was the actual romance between Ariel and Eric. I feel like what we did get to see was more surface-level. It was cute and sweet to read about but it felt more like a YA romance to me than an adult romance. Plus, at parts I did feel like things were thrown in so another trope could be ticked off a list.
I will certainly be looking out for more books by Zoraida Córdova in the future as I am interested by her writing. I would also say if you’ve not given the ‘Meant to Be’ series as a whole a go yet, I would definitely recommend that you do.
Overall, Kiss the Girl is a fun, unique and sweet retelling of The Little Mermaid that made for an enjoyable read. I would recommend this is you are a fan of the well-known tale but also if you are on the lookout for a celebrity romance book!
Loisreadsbooks 