(BPT) - Disney lovers: Ever pictured Ariel in modern-day Manhattan? How about Belle in California? What might your favorite heroines be up to in our world?
The Meant to Be collection of romance novels from Disney Publishing Worldwide's Hyperion Avenue imprint gets deliciously lost in this notion. Written by bestselling authors, the Meant to Be books are contemporary, escapist rom-coms with a twist: They're inspired by the Disney movies that a whole generation grew up loving.
These books aren't simple retellings of the stories of Ariel, Belle, and more — they are re-imaginings. Each of the four titles takes a beloved character and weaves them into an entirely new, deeply romantic, utterly modern tale. Ariel is a world-famous singer in a rock band. Isabelle (Belle) works in publishing. Cindy (Cinderella) is an aspiring shoe designer. And the newest in the series, Tangled Up in You, finds Ren (Rapunzel), with her cascading blonde hair, starting college after being raised off the grid.
Written by the romance powerhouse duo Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, who have published 19 New York Times bestselling novels under the pen name Christina Lauren, Tangled Up in You will be released June 25, 2024.
"We hope you can feel our love for this story in every page of this book, and that our take on this beloved tale inspires the same kind of joy and comfort we felt that very first time we fell in love with Tangled," say the authors.
These contemporary rom-coms are aimed at romance readers, Disney fans and anyone who wants a fun, romantic escape.
Here's a peek inside these modern fairy tales.
Tangled Up In You by Christina Lauren
She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.
Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (OK, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her 22 years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.
Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.
But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they've both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.
Available June 25.
Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love and finding your voice.
Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined 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.
Then 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?
By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
Sometimes to truly know a person, you have to read between the lines.
Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing after college, she did not expect to be 25, still living at home, and one of the few Black employees at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves.
But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Beau Towers is not some celebrity lightweight writing a tell-all memoir. He is jaded and withdrawn and — it turns out — just as lost as Izzy. But despite his standoffishness, Izzy needs Beau to deliver, and with her encouragement, his story begins to spill onto the page. They soon discover they have more in common than either of them expected, and as their deadline nears, Izzy and Beau begin to realize there may be something there that wasn’t there before.
Best-selling author Jasmine Guillory’s achingly romantic reimagining of a classic is a tale as old as time ... for a new generation.
If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
If the shoe doesn’t fit, maybe it’s time to design your own.
Cindy loves shoes. A well-placed bow or a chic stacked heel is her form of self-expression. As a fashion-obsessed plus-size woman, she can never find designer clothes that work on her body, but a special pair of shoes always fits just right.
After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America’s favorite reality show, "Before Midnight." When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.
Turns out being the only plus-size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn’t expect? That she may just find inspiration — and love — in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn’t fit, maybe it’s time to design your own.
Best-selling author Julie Murphy’s reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is an enchanting story of self-love and believing in the happy ending each and every one of us deserves.
To get lost in these romantic, modern fairy tales written by bestselling authors, visit your local bookstore or order online here.
