The Lily Gate a Frog Prince Retelling by Hanna Sandvig Review

Have you ever wanted to read a fantasy book with a plot similar to the Bachelor? I know I have. For fans of fairy tales and The Selection series you'll enjoy the novella The Lily Gate by Hanna Sandvig. Based off the Frog Prince this novelette is certain to delight readers.

While the two previous books have female leads who discovered the land of Faerie while being chased down by evil wolves the protagonist of the Lily Gate has lived there most of her life. In fact, as she is the half Fae princess of The Lily Court and will one day rule over it. When she was born her fairy godmother promised her parents that she would find true love if they held a bridal contest. During that time, she would test each of the competing princes to see how good of a co-ruler and marriage partner they could be. On the first day of the contest, she accidentally falls into a fountain and meets a talking frog who offers to spy on the princes for her. Wanting the extra help, she agrees, and the contest begins. Will Tuala find her perfect match among these princes? Is the love of her life closer than she realized? And where has her friend Naven disappeared too?

This was such a nice novelette. It had all the wit, and charm from the previous books as well as a sweet romance. While it doesn't have much action and is definitely predictable these problems are very minor.

I don't read too many novelettes because I feel their short length makes it hard to grow attached to the characters but that is not the case here. While Tuala doesn't have family issues like Isobel or ex-boyfriend problems like Audrey from the previous novels she still has to deal with disappointment and doubt. Her whole life she was told that if she held these contests, she would find her soul mate but as time goes on, she starts to wonder if her godmother was wrong. I like that she was the one who created the tests so she could learn more about the princes' personalities. She not only wants a husband that she can love but someone who will be a good co-ruler. This shows she thinks not just of her own desires but her kingdom's needs as well. The mysterious talking frog Grenie was a delightful character too. While the reader can easily guess who he is I found it didn't detract from the story too much. His love for sweets was cute too

Overall, this was a charming novelette. I enjoyed the contest aspect of the story and found the characters fun to read about. If you are looking for a quick read or a retelling of the Frog Prince than definitely give this one a try. With Hanna Sandvig's upcoming book The Glass Gate releasing on the 30th of June you best read it sooner than later. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.