A Cinderella for the Greek by Julia James was an interesting take on the classic tale "Cinderella".

This book didn't sit well with me even though I really wanted to like it. The story itself is a classic that I love (who doesn't love a Cinderella/Princess tale?) but what lies within the story is what bothered me. The big problem with this book for me is the comments about Ellen (our Cinderella's) weight. She isn't as thin as her step sister Chloe, and our male counterpart Max points that out a few times. The comments weren't healthy criticism's either, but he gets over her "ugliness" to be able to fall in love with her. It's that part of the story that turns my thoughts sour on this book. Everything else within the novel is quite lovely - the tale, the romance, the plot lines - it's all great but that little part. At first, Max does not describe Ellen as beautiful, but slowly he begins to love the way she looks. It felt kind of silly in my mind, since the description of her sounded to be nice (but comparing her to the thin step-sister...).

I liked that Max wasn't forceful as many male leads are these days. He's caring and tries his best (even if at times it seems a little forced). I liked that he was interested in Ellen's charity and that he seemed to be overall a good guy. The other characters (like the Evil Step-Mother and Evil Step-Sister) were perfectly evil in every way. The plot line followed the narrative it should have as well.

I felt this book got a lot better once it moved forward and continued to grow the relationship between Max and Ellen. That adds an extra star in for me as a reader. I think there was lots of potential here, to be honest! I'd like to read more by Julia James because I'm sure she has gotten better as her writing has continued.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! It is a really good book, it's just not for me! It is a lovely Harlequin Romance that should definitely be picked up if you love an ooey, gooey romance or a retelling of Cinderella!

Two out of five stars. ( )

I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet and romantic Cinderella story (with a great main couple). Heroine Ellen was treated cruelly by her stepmother (Pauline) and stepsister (Chloe). When Ellen was young her widower dad remarried and Pauline and Chloe made her life hell. They used up all her wealthy father’s money. They now want to sell her beloved home. They made her think she was big, heavy, and unattractive. Elephant Ellen, they called her. But underneath the baggy clothes she wore she was fit, tall, toned, and muscled. The hero (Max) was really wonderful! I liked how he got Ellen to come out of her shell and gave her confidence in herself. He was a real dreamboat! It was so nice, at the end, to see Ellen finally get her happy-ever-after. A lovely read by Julia James. ( )

Ellen was the "ugly" stepsister, until Greek Max shows up to purchase her family home & sees that Ellen could be so much more ( )