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Meant to Be #3
Kiss the Girl
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 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. 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?
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?
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2023
473 people are currently reading
42.6k people want to read
About the author
Zoraida Córdova
39 books4,665 followersZoraida Córdova is the author of many fantasy novels for kids and teens, including the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.
NOTE: Direct messages on this account may not be seen. Send her an email at zoraidabooks@gmail.com
NOTE: Direct messages on this account may not be seen. Send her an email at zoraidabooks@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,356 reviews
July 26, 2023
I’m so insanely proud of this book. I was meant to write this book, no pun intended.
It is the third installment in the official *Disney* MEAN TO BE line, but it is definitely 💯 a standalone. It’s been a rough year but I wanted to write the gushiest, Easter eggy-est, lovey-est romance I could. Don’t worry, I still put them through their angsty moments. But I love these two so much.
Growing up in the late 90s and early aughts I was obsessed with pop groups and later on, punk/indie/emo rock. Thinking of Ariel and her sisters, I went to Selena, Shakira, Destiny’s Child, The Spice Girls as my major influences. If you have a Spotify, I have some KTG playlists of songs I listened to while drafting. There’s a short AND long one lol. [@ zoraidasolo]
It is the third installment in the official *Disney* MEAN TO BE line, but it is definitely 💯 a standalone. It’s been a rough year but I wanted to write the gushiest, Easter eggy-est, lovey-est romance I could. Don’t worry, I still put them through their angsty moments. But I love these two so much.
Growing up in the late 90s and early aughts I was obsessed with pop groups and later on, punk/indie/emo rock. Thinking of Ariel and her sisters, I went to Selena, Shakira, Destiny’s Child, The Spice Girls as my major influences. If you have a Spotify, I have some KTG playlists of songs I listened to while drafting. There’s a short AND long one lol. [@ zoraidasolo]
October 27, 2024
✩ 3.85 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Little Mermaid Retelling
➼ Undercover Popstar
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Sisterhood
➼ Mutual Pining
➼ Controlling Father
➼ FMC Finding Herself
➼ Third Act Break Up
➼ Third Person POV
Kiss the Girl is the 3rd book in the Meant to Be series that is described as “adult fiction reimaginings of classic Disney stories.” This concept sounded a bit cheesy to me, so I wasn’t expecting much, but this ended up being an excellent read! The author did a great job formatting the story to include just enough detail to make it abundantly clear that the story was about Ariel and her family while also giving it a very plausible and fresh real world twist.
Ariel and her six singing sisters make up the band Siren Seven, and have been international superstars since they were kids. They are wrapping up their final tour as a group and their father (and manager) has big plans for their solo careers. On the outside, it seems like they have it all, but Ariel longs to experience life and for the opportunity to make choices for herself. Their father is still in control of all of their finances and the book follows Ariel and her sisters as they work to break free of his control.
Eric is an aspiring musician who is working hard to break into the music industry alongside his band mates. When they meet, he doesn’t recognize Ariel without her iconic red wig, especially when she introduces herself by her real name, Melody. They share an instant attraction and stay out all night talking and dancing. It is essentially love at first sight, but their meeting is bittersweet since his band is leaving on tour for the summer the following day. Not wanting to say goodbye, Eric asks Ariel to join the tour and in a rare streak of rebellion, Ariel disobeys her father and joins the tour.
I really loved Eric & Ariel romantic connection. Both characters were extremely likable and Ariel’s journey of self-discovery felt very relatable. Eric got to know her for who she really was which made their love feel more genuine. There is unfortunately a third act break up when he learns of her true identity, but it was more an issue of miscommunication since she assumed he had taken a deal from her father and he felt hurt that she would believe he was capable of that. It didn’t take long for them both to come to their senses, and the way they handle themselves once they both realize their mistakes redeemed them in my eyes.
This was such a fun standalone read! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series that follows Rapunzel’s story. Tangled is another favorite of mine and who doesn’t love Flynn Rider? 👀😅 I really hope we get a live action version of Tangled someday! I just know he would be a scrumptious MMC. 😍
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Didn’t realize this was a modern day Little Mermaid retelling when I downloaded it, but here we go! 🧜🏼♀️
What to Expect:
➼ Little Mermaid Retelling
➼ Undercover Popstar
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Sisterhood
➼ Mutual Pining
➼ Controlling Father
➼ FMC Finding Herself
➼ Third Act Break Up
➼ Third Person POV
Kiss the Girl is the 3rd book in the Meant to Be series that is described as “adult fiction reimaginings of classic Disney stories.” This concept sounded a bit cheesy to me, so I wasn’t expecting much, but this ended up being an excellent read! The author did a great job formatting the story to include just enough detail to make it abundantly clear that the story was about Ariel and her family while also giving it a very plausible and fresh real world twist.
Ariel and her six singing sisters make up the band Siren Seven, and have been international superstars since they were kids. They are wrapping up their final tour as a group and their father (and manager) has big plans for their solo careers. On the outside, it seems like they have it all, but Ariel longs to experience life and for the opportunity to make choices for herself. Their father is still in control of all of their finances and the book follows Ariel and her sisters as they work to break free of his control.
Eric is an aspiring musician who is working hard to break into the music industry alongside his band mates. When they meet, he doesn’t recognize Ariel without her iconic red wig, especially when she introduces herself by her real name, Melody. They share an instant attraction and stay out all night talking and dancing. It is essentially love at first sight, but their meeting is bittersweet since his band is leaving on tour for the summer the following day. Not wanting to say goodbye, Eric asks Ariel to join the tour and in a rare streak of rebellion, Ariel disobeys her father and joins the tour.
I really loved Eric & Ariel romantic connection. Both characters were extremely likable and Ariel’s journey of self-discovery felt very relatable. Eric got to know her for who she really was which made their love feel more genuine. There is unfortunately a third act break up when he learns of her true identity, but it was more an issue of miscommunication since she assumed he had taken a deal from her father and he felt hurt that she would believe he was capable of that. It didn’t take long for them both to come to their senses, and the way they handle themselves once they both realize their mistakes redeemed them in my eyes.
This was such a fun standalone read! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series that follows Rapunzel’s story. Tangled is another favorite of mine and who doesn’t love Flynn Rider? 👀😅 I really hope we get a live action version of Tangled someday! I just know he would be a scrumptious MMC. 😍
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Didn’t realize this was a modern day Little Mermaid retelling when I downloaded it, but here we go! 🧜🏼♀️
August 4, 2023
Ariel and her six sisters are the band Siren Seven. After their last concert she goes to a concert incognito and meets lead singer Eric Reyes. Ends up touring with his band as the merchandiser. Can you see the seeds being sown for a retelling of The Little Mermaid? How long will it take him to kiss the girl? 💋 This is an entertaining, music-filled read. I still like the first one in the series best.
August 26, 2023
I got the Kiss The Girl: Book Club Kit and It's perfect for anyone running or in a book club! The Book itself is amazing, great funny and meaningful moments. Truly a cute romantic comedy, such a light and easy read! The main characters are so likeable that it made me breeze through this book.
The Book Club Kit was very helpful. Comes with discussion questions and prompts to use in your book club. It also comes with bookmarks you can print out as well as fun recipe for a Mocktail and snack ideas for your book club meeting that relates to the book and characters. Plua, a fun little quiz to see which Siren Seven Sister you are! It also has a fun themed lip sync battle to relate to the Book as well as ideas for "next reads" that are of similar style/tropes as the book. ESPECIALLY loved this book club Kit and it was so much packed into one space, great for any book club meeting to keep it fun, interactive and on theme for the book!
I received this Book Club Kit from NetGalley and the Publishers to review. All of the statements above are my opinions after fully reading the book and going through the book club kit.
The Book Club Kit was very helpful. Comes with discussion questions and prompts to use in your book club. It also comes with bookmarks you can print out as well as fun recipe for a Mocktail and snack ideas for your book club meeting that relates to the book and characters. Plua, a fun little quiz to see which Siren Seven Sister you are! It also has a fun themed lip sync battle to relate to the Book as well as ideas for "next reads" that are of similar style/tropes as the book. ESPECIALLY loved this book club Kit and it was so much packed into one space, great for any book club meeting to keep it fun, interactive and on theme for the book!
I received this Book Club Kit from NetGalley and the Publishers to review. All of the statements above are my opinions after fully reading the book and going through the book club kit.
November 15, 2023
This is simply…
A reimagining of The Little Mermaid. The author’s loving tribute to her favorite movie as a child.
The question is…
Did it work?
This is the 3rd installment in the Meant to Be collection, but you need not have read the first two to read this one…
They are all stand-alones.
In this story, it is a modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love and finding one’s voice.
Ariel is dressed up as a singing star in a band with her sisters on a farewell tour. She happens to cross paths with Eric Reyes, a dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites Ariel on the road with him for the summer.
Which…
She decides to do.
Caught between a world she longs for and the one she has left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and find her true self?
The question I asked earlier…
Did it work?
Of course…
Cute. Entertaining. Fun. Likable characters. Easy-to-read.
Especially if you loved “The Little Mermaid.”
December 20, 2023
Well… despite myself, I didn't hate this book but I did struggle with it. This area isn't really a place I find myself in often. That area being Rom-Com books which this definitely is. Romantic comedy movies? All day. I don't find as much enjoyment in reading them, however. But this one had its moments and if I enjoyed this genre, I could imagine I'd really like or even love it.
One thing I struggle with about the genre is the predictability vs the time it requires. That's why movies are great. I know what is basically going to happen, but it only takes 1.5 hours. Meanwhile, I knew the beats of this book, but it took me 3 or 4 days. The scales don't feel super balanced there.
Also, and this is a personal preference, the characters weren't fucked up enough. The had problems, real problems, but the characters were reasonable and rational. The main guy, Eric, was handsome, driven, and didn't really ever get mad or stressed. The main woman, Ariel, was beautiful, sheltered but not annoyingly naive, and was able to handle/deal with/manage most situations. I'm happy for them but I need to read about characters who have worse lives than me somehow being okay. It's how I cope. I'm glad these characters aren't tormented by a darkness from their pasts or presents, but I struggle to find interest in reading about them.
If you don't want complicated characters or messy drama, this is definitely for you.
One thing I struggle with about the genre is the predictability vs the time it requires. That's why movies are great. I know what is basically going to happen, but it only takes 1.5 hours. Meanwhile, I knew the beats of this book, but it took me 3 or 4 days. The scales don't feel super balanced there.
Also, and this is a personal preference, the characters weren't fucked up enough. The had problems, real problems, but the characters were reasonable and rational. The main guy, Eric, was handsome, driven, and didn't really ever get mad or stressed. The main woman, Ariel, was beautiful, sheltered but not annoyingly naive, and was able to handle/deal with/manage most situations. I'm happy for them but I need to read about characters who have worse lives than me somehow being okay. It's how I cope. I'm glad these characters aren't tormented by a darkness from their pasts or presents, but I struggle to find interest in reading about them.
If you don't want complicated characters or messy drama, this is definitely for you.
August 14, 2023
The Little Mermaid is just as much of an intrinsic part of me as my name or my love for reading. It’s one of the first stories I fell in love with. The first princess I wanted to be. The first prince I wanted to marry. The first dog I wanted to adopt. The first soundtrack I learnt by heart. It has a place in my heart in a way only the most special of stories do.
All this is to say, when I first heard that one of my favourite authors was writing a rom-com retelling of one of my favourite films, I was more than a little bit hyped. Upon having finished Kiss the Girl, I am happy to say it lived up to the hype and then some. This gorgeous book left me giddy on joy and warm fuzzies. The way Zoraida took the story of The Little Mermaid and made it wholly her own was inspired. The weaving of the original story into a contemporary romance was brilliantly clever and filled with little easter eggs.
I loved every single moment of my time with this book and can’t recommend it more highly for anyone looking for a sweet and fun romance with a fabulous cast of characters.
All this is to say, when I first heard that one of my favourite authors was writing a rom-com retelling of one of my favourite films, I was more than a little bit hyped. Upon having finished Kiss the Girl, I am happy to say it lived up to the hype and then some. This gorgeous book left me giddy on joy and warm fuzzies. The way Zoraida took the story of The Little Mermaid and made it wholly her own was inspired. The weaving of the original story into a contemporary romance was brilliantly clever and filled with little easter eggs.
I loved every single moment of my time with this book and can’t recommend it more highly for anyone looking for a sweet and fun romance with a fabulous cast of characters.
January 4, 2025
I need to get back into the Meant to Be series because this was just outstanding.
A unique and really fun adaptation of The Little Mermaid, with music and fandom and a delicious slow burn.
A unique and really fun adaptation of The Little Mermaid, with music and fandom and a delicious slow burn.
June 3, 2023
What was your favorite princess movie growing up?
Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
If you are a Little Mermaid super fan, this book is definitely for you. This book is peppered with all sorts of cute nods to the movie. So keep a look out for them!
Ariel is a famous pop star being controlled by her overbearing father. So she decides to take a break from her life and joins another up and coming bands tour bus, as somebody else. She thinks she’s falling in love with the lead guy too, the problem is… he doesn’t know who she really IS!
I seriously loved that Eric kept dissing her band with no idea it was her. Idk how she didn’t give herself away. 😂🤣😂
Also, I’m loving my current crochet project. I’d been saving this rainbow yarn and the blanket is coming together nicely. ❤️🥰
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtB-5s5ry...
Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova
If you are a Little Mermaid super fan, this book is definitely for you. This book is peppered with all sorts of cute nods to the movie. So keep a look out for them!
Ariel is a famous pop star being controlled by her overbearing father. So she decides to take a break from her life and joins another up and coming bands tour bus, as somebody else. She thinks she’s falling in love with the lead guy too, the problem is… he doesn’t know who she really IS!
I seriously loved that Eric kept dissing her band with no idea it was her. Idk how she didn’t give herself away. 😂🤣😂
Also, I’m loving my current crochet project. I’d been saving this rainbow yarn and the blanket is coming together nicely. ❤️🥰
https://www.instagram.com/p/CtB-5s5ry...
October 2, 2023
Just darling! The translation of the Little Mermaid into a contemporary tale about a pop star worked so perfectly! I really loved the dynamic between the mermaid sisters, and the band. Very sweet, very funny, and very, very romantic!
August 12, 2024
4.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice-🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was honestly amazing and beautiful.I got through it in less than three hours 🩷🩷🩷
Spice-🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was honestly amazing and beautiful.I got through it in less than three hours 🩷🩷🩷
August 27, 2023
Very cute!!! RTC
April 15, 2023
3.5*
Retelling ones favourite childhood Disney movie is a challenge. It sets the bar and it sets it high, but Córdova is up for it. Ariel might not have been a mermaid in this version, but a superstar might be just as magical. So it is more than fitting that the prince charming that gives her a place in the land of the normal people is an up and coming charmer. A rising star singer with the same passions that she has, with the same difficult family history. But hey, if he doesn't know that you're actually a superstar because you usually wear a wig, does that count?
It was a very smart way of telling the story little me watched a million times over on the screen. Córdova was up for the task. Her writing is quick and quickwitted. The prose was mercilessly funny and it upped the romance in the best possible way. The instant-love between Eric and Melody/Ariel also worked and that's not an easy feat. I loved the way some of the sidecharacters were reincarnated (the poisson blue took me too long to get). The only remark I have was that some of the foreshadowing felt a little repetitive at times and that the ending was a bit too quick. A little bit more air at the end might've given it more weight. But hey, I'm not complaining, because it adds up.
If this book is an indication of anything, than it is the fact that Córdova gets my permission to rewrite all of my favourite childhood stories into cute YA romance novels. I trust her with all of them.
Retelling ones favourite childhood Disney movie is a challenge. It sets the bar and it sets it high, but Córdova is up for it. Ariel might not have been a mermaid in this version, but a superstar might be just as magical. So it is more than fitting that the prince charming that gives her a place in the land of the normal people is an up and coming charmer. A rising star singer with the same passions that she has, with the same difficult family history. But hey, if he doesn't know that you're actually a superstar because you usually wear a wig, does that count?
It was a very smart way of telling the story little me watched a million times over on the screen. Córdova was up for the task. Her writing is quick and quickwitted. The prose was mercilessly funny and it upped the romance in the best possible way. The instant-love between Eric and Melody/Ariel also worked and that's not an easy feat. I loved the way some of the sidecharacters were reincarnated (the poisson blue took me too long to get). The only remark I have was that some of the foreshadowing felt a little repetitive at times and that the ending was a bit too quick. A little bit more air at the end might've given it more weight. But hey, I'm not complaining, because it adds up.
If this book is an indication of anything, than it is the fact that Córdova gets my permission to rewrite all of my favourite childhood stories into cute YA romance novels. I trust her with all of them.
October 19, 2023
3 🌟
*sigh* when you only enjoy the end of the book… where the third act breaks is… and the drama and heartbreak that comes along with it 🤭 ( the rest of the book was just meh and MEH, okay?)
I was so intrigued by this book. I saw this in the bookstore yesterday ( and the disney movie lover I am), immediately purchased it and began reading it. 😟 Yeah, it was so disappointing. I DIDNT FEEL THE LOVE BETWEEN ARIEL AND ERIC IN THIS ONE. I just didn’t 😓 And it drive me insane 😁 It was also kind of boring, despite me reading it in a short period of time. It was only because I just wanted to get done reading book soon after I started and move on. ( I don’t particularly like to dnf books)
The plot? relatively okay
The romance? cute, okay but seriously… where was the love?
the characters? uhhhh all of the ones besides eric and ariel were my favs. the sisters?? the band??? Oz?? please give me these people so i can put them into my life
I genuinely don’t know why but I was so fed up with the love story of eric and ariel. Like the book just felt so… average, basic.
like every other one or more mc is famous, secret identity, insta lovey type book out there ( seriously why are there so many?) Except this one had a slight twist! ( aka it being a modern, contemporary The Little Mermaid romance.)
Didn’t do anything for me though…
kk logging out. take caution while reading. proceed at your own risk ⚠️ love you, make good choices!
xoxo,
capriella <3
*sigh* when you only enjoy the end of the book… where the third act breaks is… and the drama and heartbreak that comes along with it 🤭 ( the rest of the book was just meh and MEH, okay?)
I was so intrigued by this book. I saw this in the bookstore yesterday ( and the disney movie lover I am), immediately purchased it and began reading it. 😟 Yeah, it was so disappointing. I DIDNT FEEL THE LOVE BETWEEN ARIEL AND ERIC IN THIS ONE. I just didn’t 😓 And it drive me insane 😁 It was also kind of boring, despite me reading it in a short period of time. It was only because I just wanted to get done reading book soon after I started and move on. ( I don’t particularly like to dnf books)
The plot? relatively okay
The romance? cute, okay but seriously… where was the love?
the characters? uhhhh all of the ones besides eric and ariel were my favs. the sisters?? the band??? Oz?? please give me these people so i can put them into my life
I genuinely don’t know why but I was so fed up with the love story of eric and ariel. Like the book just felt so… average, basic.
like every other one or more mc is famous, secret identity, insta lovey type book out there ( seriously why are there so many?) Except this one had a slight twist! ( aka it being a modern, contemporary The Little Mermaid romance.)
Didn’t do anything for me though…
kk logging out. take caution while reading. proceed at your own risk ⚠️ love you, make good choices!
xoxo,
capriella <3
July 14, 2024
3.5!
Music settings and summer just go so perfectly together. A really fun Little Mermaid retelling, and I enjoyed the setting so much!
Music settings and summer just go so perfectly together. A really fun Little Mermaid retelling, and I enjoyed the setting so much!
July 28, 2024
Homage to Disney's Little Mermaid, published by Disney
In this version of The Little Mermaid, Ariel del Mar ("of the sea" in Spanish) is a 25-year-old superstar, who has been in an enormously successful band with her six sisters for 15 years, since she was 10 years old. At the start of the story, the band is breaking up, and each of the sisters is going off to do other things with their lives rather than being in the music biz. Only Ariel plans to continue as a professional singer, but she had hoped to have a whole year off to just relax. However, without warning, her father, who is her manager, has signed her up to a prestigious recording contract that must begin immediately.
Eric Reyes ("kings" in English) is the 28-year-old frontman of an up-and-coming band called Star Crossed. He meets Ariel when she is standing in line for a performance of his band in NYC, and she impulsively tackles a thief to stop him from stealing Eric's treasured guitar, which used to belong to his beloved grandmother. Eric had never performed before without that guitar, so her brave action is a huge deal to him. Ariel is wearing a necklace that spells out, Melody, which is her first name, that nobody calls her by. Eric assumes it is her name and, from then on, she allows him to continue calling her Melody. Soon after this event, Ariel decides to run away from her father and join Eric’s band’s tour as the merch girl.
This is a multicultural romance with both Ariel and Eric being Latinx. In addition, it appears to be not only an homage to Disney's Little Mermaid but, purposefully or not, it reminds me of the Jackson Five, with the youngest of the siblings, Ariel, existing as an intriguing parallel to Michael Jackson.
In order to enjoy this story fully, the reader must be willing to completely suspend disbelief that a world-famous rock singer and star of a TV show, who has been incessantly filmed and photographed for 15 years, would never be recognized by anyone when her entire incognito disguise consists of wearing glasses and leaving off the garish red wig that has been her trademark all these years.
This novel has a format that will either appeal to readers, or it will not. In addition to the expected dialogue and narrative, it offers many different versions of digital media, including: text messages, social media posts, entertainment-journalism articles, and tour schedules.
If you do not enjoy endless scenes of what it is like for a band to be on tour, the story can get redundant.
If you prefer a romance novel with more than a few kisses, that is not on offer here.
Unfortunately for me, all of the above issues, combined, caused me to not particularly enjoy this novel.
In this version of The Little Mermaid, Ariel del Mar ("of the sea" in Spanish) is a 25-year-old superstar, who has been in an enormously successful band with her six sisters for 15 years, since she was 10 years old. At the start of the story, the band is breaking up, and each of the sisters is going off to do other things with their lives rather than being in the music biz. Only Ariel plans to continue as a professional singer, but she had hoped to have a whole year off to just relax. However, without warning, her father, who is her manager, has signed her up to a prestigious recording contract that must begin immediately.
Eric Reyes ("kings" in English) is the 28-year-old frontman of an up-and-coming band called Star Crossed. He meets Ariel when she is standing in line for a performance of his band in NYC, and she impulsively tackles a thief to stop him from stealing Eric's treasured guitar, which used to belong to his beloved grandmother. Eric had never performed before without that guitar, so her brave action is a huge deal to him. Ariel is wearing a necklace that spells out, Melody, which is her first name, that nobody calls her by. Eric assumes it is her name and, from then on, she allows him to continue calling her Melody. Soon after this event, Ariel decides to run away from her father and join Eric’s band’s tour as the merch girl.
This is a multicultural romance with both Ariel and Eric being Latinx. In addition, it appears to be not only an homage to Disney's Little Mermaid but, purposefully or not, it reminds me of the Jackson Five, with the youngest of the siblings, Ariel, existing as an intriguing parallel to Michael Jackson.
In order to enjoy this story fully, the reader must be willing to completely suspend disbelief that a world-famous rock singer and star of a TV show, who has been incessantly filmed and photographed for 15 years, would never be recognized by anyone when her entire incognito disguise consists of wearing glasses and leaving off the garish red wig that has been her trademark all these years.
This novel has a format that will either appeal to readers, or it will not. In addition to the expected dialogue and narrative, it offers many different versions of digital media, including: text messages, social media posts, entertainment-journalism articles, and tour schedules.
If you do not enjoy endless scenes of what it is like for a band to be on tour, the story can get redundant.
If you prefer a romance novel with more than a few kisses, that is not on offer here.
Unfortunately for me, all of the above issues, combined, caused me to not particularly enjoy this novel.
October 2, 2024
I've never read a Little Mermaid retelling and wish I could still say that.
I was excited about the premise, but this book is way too long with a bunch of stuff that didn't seem to be super important happening that I just lost interest. I could have seen this as 81 pages less and been the perfect read, but with the length of the book and then the fade-to-black scene that was built up to this was just a loss for me.
It also felt by the time the author got to the end, it was a rushed job. You have so much build-up for everything to be resolved in four pages, no, ma'am.
I was excited about the premise, but this book is way too long with a bunch of stuff that didn't seem to be super important happening that I just lost interest. I could have seen this as 81 pages less and been the perfect read, but with the length of the book and then the fade-to-black scene that was built up to this was just a loss for me.
It also felt by the time the author got to the end, it was a rushed job. You have so much build-up for everything to be resolved in four pages, no, ma'am.
December 5, 2023
So, here's the thing: I think this is probably a great book if you're a huge fan of The Little Mermaid. I don't fall on that end of the spectrum. The Little Mermaid was the first movie I saw in theaters and I had a poster from the movie over my bed as a kid for quite some time. But Ariel wasn't my princess. (First, it was Cinderella. It shifted to Belle when BATB came out, and although I love all of them in their own ways, I can safely say it's still Belle today.) I still like the Little Mermaid - I even ran as Ariel at a Disney race - but I never turn to it when I want to rewatch a Disney favorite. So in a lot of ways, this book really wasn't for me, and that was clear more or less from the beginning. Ariel in this version leans in a bit to the parts of Ariel that make her not the princess I connect with. (A lot of youngest child is the most special, among other things.) I also felt like there were a lot of plots just not fully fleshed out - I couldn't tell if her mother was intended to be another villain in the Odelia plot, as one example; the belated apology letter at the end really didn't do much to improve my opinion of her, and I got the sense that it was supposed to?? IDK, I felt the resolution on the Odelia/record label stuff was a bit weak anyway. Turning Tritan/Teo into a complete villain didn't really work well for me, either. A lot of the stuff about Ariel trying to find out who she really was didn't quite work for me either. And I didn't think the epistolary style intros worked as well as they were meant to. It felt like a lot more telling than it should have.
I haven't read the first book in this series (although I do intend to), and I have read the second. I get the sense that this book is far more successful in appealing to huge fans of the Little Mermaid than the second installment of the series was at appealing to me, as a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast. But Kiss the Girl wasn't for me.
I also feel obligated to mention that I listened to the author on Fated Mates a few months ago. During the episode, she made two comments that have stuck with me, and not in a good way. The first was insisting this book is not fanfiction (and at least to me gave off the impression that she wouldn't want it to be considered fic because that's bad). I'm sorry, but it is fic. This is essentially Disney modern AU fic, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's the entire point of the series. The other was taking a shot at the length of Cinderella and Prince Charming's relationship development. You want to defend one of your favorite Disney movies, and I'm fully on board. You want to do it by taking shots at one of my favorites, and that's when you lose me as a potential reader long term. (Also, I'd like to point out that Cinderella is like 75 minutes long, and it literally saved the company so it's the reason the movies that follow exist.) I went ahead and read this anyway because Sam loved it and wanted me to try it (although I gave it a few months to let my immediate annoyance dissipate), but going forward, I won't be picking up anything by this author. I ended up giving this book three stars because I think this is a fine book if it's for you, but I almost considered knocking a star off specifically because of the Fated Mates episode.
I haven't read the first book in this series (although I do intend to), and I have read the second. I get the sense that this book is far more successful in appealing to huge fans of the Little Mermaid than the second installment of the series was at appealing to me, as a huge fan of Beauty and the Beast. But Kiss the Girl wasn't for me.
I also feel obligated to mention that I listened to the author on Fated Mates a few months ago. During the episode, she made two comments that have stuck with me, and not in a good way. The first was insisting this book is not fanfiction (and at least to me gave off the impression that she wouldn't want it to be considered fic because that's bad). I'm sorry, but it is fic. This is essentially Disney modern AU fic, and there's nothing wrong with that. That's the entire point of the series. The other was taking a shot at the length of Cinderella and Prince Charming's relationship development. You want to defend one of your favorite Disney movies, and I'm fully on board. You want to do it by taking shots at one of my favorites, and that's when you lose me as a potential reader long term. (Also, I'd like to point out that Cinderella is like 75 minutes long, and it literally saved the company so it's the reason the movies that follow exist.) I went ahead and read this anyway because Sam loved it and wanted me to try it (although I gave it a few months to let my immediate annoyance dissipate), but going forward, I won't be picking up anything by this author. I ended up giving this book three stars because I think this is a fine book if it's for you, but I almost considered knocking a star off specifically because of the Fated Mates episode.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2023
Thank you, Disney Publishing Group/Hyperion Avenue, for this free advanced reader's copy.
This is a contemporary romance retelling of The Little Mermaid--inspired by the Disney version, not the darker original fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Instead of mermaids singing in the sea, the sisters are a Latina music group with mermaid stage personas... and Ariel is attracted to the lead singer, Eric, of another band.
It's a cute, light, and fun read.
Once I read the back cover copy, I remembered that the title is also a song in the Disney film.
Like Ariel in the film, Ariel in the book collects things. She has a wall of things she picked up here and there on their concert tours.
Page 55: Gregslist instead of Craigslist 😸
I like how the book references the Disney Little Mermaid film... frequently. There's even a stuffed toy shark. The seven sisters were in a film called The Little Mermaids. A baseball cap features a crab, and a floatation device is a crab--and it goes on. Very aquatic.
I like the headlines and such between chapters--sometimes there's instead a review, article, or interview. Sometimes it's a string of text messages.
This is a contemporary romance retelling of The Little Mermaid--inspired by the Disney version, not the darker original fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. Instead of mermaids singing in the sea, the sisters are a Latina music group with mermaid stage personas... and Ariel is attracted to the lead singer, Eric, of another band.
It's a cute, light, and fun read.
Once I read the back cover copy, I remembered that the title is also a song in the Disney film.
Like Ariel in the film, Ariel in the book collects things. She has a wall of things she picked up here and there on their concert tours.
Page 55: Gregslist instead of Craigslist 😸
I like how the book references the Disney Little Mermaid film... frequently. There's even a stuffed toy shark. The seven sisters were in a film called The Little Mermaids. A baseball cap features a crab, and a floatation device is a crab--and it goes on. Very aquatic.
I like the headlines and such between chapters--sometimes there's instead a review, article, or interview. Sometimes it's a string of text messages.
March 1, 2024
I'm in the minority on this book; structurally, there's nothing wrong with it in the least. It was cute and clever, with appealing characters.
So it could just be our chemistry - me and the book - but it was one of those "so much is happening but nothing is going on" about mid-way I'd become bored with the conflicts. I think I know why generally, it's a traditionally constructed hidden identity that manufactures the 3rd act break-up, all while the Ariel comes into her own power. Unfortunately, I didn't find the break-up convincing or angsty because neither of them were really making mistakes. It just was. And sometimes "just was" is sad and you think "how will they make it through" but this was all very paint-by-numbers.
There's a lot good, and your experience might be different. For me though, I wasn't emotionally invested and once I got over some of the clever rewriting of The Little Mermaid, I was largely bored and impatient.
So it could just be our chemistry - me and the book - but it was one of those "so much is happening but nothing is going on" about mid-way I'd become bored with the conflicts. I think I know why generally, it's a traditionally constructed hidden identity that manufactures the 3rd act break-up, all while the Ariel comes into her own power. Unfortunately, I didn't find the break-up convincing or angsty because neither of them were really making mistakes. It just was. And sometimes "just was" is sad and you think "how will they make it through" but this was all very paint-by-numbers.
There's a lot good, and your experience might be different. For me though, I wasn't emotionally invested and once I got over some of the clever rewriting of The Little Mermaid, I was largely bored and impatient.
October 4, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was never the biggest Little Mermaid fan (I watched it once when I was five and was so traumatised by Ursula that I refused to ever watch it again). BUT. I do love the premise of The Little Mermaid, and so I knew I still wanted to read this retelling! I loved the pop star dynamic, I thought that was such a cool twist on the original tale, and I especially loved how Ariel's relationships with her sisters was at the forefront of this retelling. It was really fun, easy to read, and lighthearted. Eric and Ariel were super cute, and despite it being insta-love, I thought it was actually quite well done (which is very rare for me to say about anything insta-love). The side characters were also really great, and the twist on the "villain" worked so well!
I think if you loved watching The Little Mermaid, if it was your favourite Disney movie, if Eric was your favourite Disney prince, then you should absolutely pick this up. It's true to the original, while still being able to stand on its own, and this has made me a lot more intrigued to pick up Zoraida Cordova's other work!
I was never the biggest Little Mermaid fan (I watched it once when I was five and was so traumatised by Ursula that I refused to ever watch it again). BUT. I do love the premise of The Little Mermaid, and so I knew I still wanted to read this retelling! I loved the pop star dynamic, I thought that was such a cool twist on the original tale, and I especially loved how Ariel's relationships with her sisters was at the forefront of this retelling. It was really fun, easy to read, and lighthearted. Eric and Ariel were super cute, and despite it being insta-love, I thought it was actually quite well done (which is very rare for me to say about anything insta-love). The side characters were also really great, and the twist on the "villain" worked so well!
I think if you loved watching The Little Mermaid, if it was your favourite Disney movie, if Eric was your favourite Disney prince, then you should absolutely pick this up. It's true to the original, while still being able to stand on its own, and this has made me a lot more intrigued to pick up Zoraida Cordova's other work!
April 25, 2024
For some reason the little girl in me who was obsessed with Disney movies, is now obsessed with the Meant to Be series.
Ugh, taking the favorite movies and making them into chick-lit, romance-y like books.
Love. Love. Love.
Ugh, taking the favorite movies and making them into chick-lit, romance-y like books.
Love. Love. Love.
December 7, 2023
This was cute — I did have hope the going by a different name reveal would be fine but it did get resolved so alls well that ends well
March 6, 2024
Kiss The Girl by Zoraida Córdova
Meant to Be #3 [theme based]
10h and 41m narrated by Anthony Rey Lopez and Inés Del Castillo, 381 pages
Retellings, Romance > Contemporary Romance; Womens Fiction > Chick Lit; Adult Fiction
Featuring: Spanish, June, New York City, Sisters, Girl Group, Recording Artist, Superstar, The Little Mermaid, Podcaster, Musicians, Secret Identity Trope, Innuendos, Band, Tour, US Cities, Sex - Off-Camera, Overbearing Fathers, First Love Trope, Secrets, Music Industry
Rating as a movie: PG-13/PG-15 for adult content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🎤🧜🏻♀️🎸
My thoughts: 📱14% 1:31:45 [7] Chapter 5 Ariel - I don't like it! The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney movie but this story is just not doing it for me. All of the characters are Latino and that is the only interesting thing about this story so far. I love musical stories but this one is just blah.
📱51% 5:28:53 fifteen minutes into [15] Chapter 13 Eric, ten minutes from [16] Chapter 14 Ariel - It's better, it has gotten a lot more interesting, I'm still not loving it, but it has my attention.
📱62% 6:38:50 [19] Chapter 17 Eric - This story is becoming quite confusing with all of the headlines.
📱88% 9:25:53 [27] Chapter 25 Ariel - This dad is getting on my nerves!
I didn't love this one. It took nearly half the book for me to get into it. I think the idea was great but it was focusing on stuff other than the main storyline, the last quarter of it was the best part, naturally. So this was my least favorite of the series, it's still Clean Romance but it was barely PG-13, unlike the other books. So maybe this series is doing more spice, Christina Lauren is writing book 4 (Tangled/Rapunzel) but I don't why it's taking years to get these books out I was expecting a new book every 6 months since there are multiple authors, I thought this series would be completed by now. I almost lost interest in the series because it's been taking so long.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. It wasn't bad just slower than usual because of the extra layers that didn't add much to the story.
Meant to Be
1. If the Shoe Fits (2021)
2. By the Book (2022)
3. Kiss the Girl (2023)
4. Tangled Up In You (2024)
Meant to Be #3 [theme based]
10h and 41m narrated by Anthony Rey Lopez and Inés Del Castillo, 381 pages
Retellings, Romance > Contemporary Romance; Womens Fiction > Chick Lit; Adult Fiction
Featuring: Spanish, June, New York City, Sisters, Girl Group, Recording Artist, Superstar, The Little Mermaid, Podcaster, Musicians, Secret Identity Trope, Innuendos, Band, Tour, US Cities, Sex - Off-Camera, Overbearing Fathers, First Love Trope, Secrets, Music Industry
Rating as a movie: PG-13/PG-15 for adult content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🎤🧜🏻♀️🎸
My thoughts: 📱14% 1:31:45 [7] Chapter 5 Ariel - I don't like it! The Little Mermaid is my favorite Disney movie but this story is just not doing it for me. All of the characters are Latino and that is the only interesting thing about this story so far. I love musical stories but this one is just blah.
📱51% 5:28:53 fifteen minutes into [15] Chapter 13 Eric, ten minutes from [16] Chapter 14 Ariel - It's better, it has gotten a lot more interesting, I'm still not loving it, but it has my attention.
📱62% 6:38:50 [19] Chapter 17 Eric - This story is becoming quite confusing with all of the headlines.
📱88% 9:25:53 [27] Chapter 25 Ariel - This dad is getting on my nerves!
I didn't love this one. It took nearly half the book for me to get into it. I think the idea was great but it was focusing on stuff other than the main storyline, the last quarter of it was the best part, naturally. So this was my least favorite of the series, it's still Clean Romance but it was barely PG-13, unlike the other books. So maybe this series is doing more spice, Christina Lauren is writing book 4 (Tangled/Rapunzel) but I don't why it's taking years to get these books out I was expecting a new book every 6 months since there are multiple authors, I thought this series would be completed by now. I almost lost interest in the series because it's been taking so long.
Recommend to others?: Maybe. It wasn't bad just slower than usual because of the extra layers that didn't add much to the story.
Meant to Be
1. If the Shoe Fits (2021)
2. By the Book (2022)
3. Kiss the Girl (2023)
4. Tangled Up In You (2024)
April 27, 2023
A to Z Challenge: K
Really excellent reworking of The Little Mermaid (the Disney movie, obvs, although a couple of lines were reminiscent of the original fairy tale). It's a lovely romance but I loved the friendships and family connections equally as much if not more than the central relationship. Our heroine Ariel is one of seven sisters who are a famous pop group that's just finished their farewell tour, and she wants to take a chance and do something different, outside of the machinations of her controlling father/manager. Eric plays in a band that's up-and-coming and headed out on a national tour, and isn't it convenient that they need a merch person right when Ariel needs a fresh start?
Ariel's sisters are a big part of her life, and Eric's bandmates are a close-knit circle of weirdos, and I loved them all a lot. Also, the book made me miss touring, which hasn't come up in a long, LONG time.
I noticed that, like If the Shoe Fits, the author made the decision to And why not?
Really excellent reworking of The Little Mermaid (the Disney movie, obvs, although a couple of lines were reminiscent of the original fairy tale). It's a lovely romance but I loved the friendships and family connections equally as much if not more than the central relationship. Our heroine Ariel is one of seven sisters who are a famous pop group that's just finished their farewell tour, and she wants to take a chance and do something different, outside of the machinations of her controlling father/manager. Eric plays in a band that's up-and-coming and headed out on a national tour, and isn't it convenient that they need a merch person right when Ariel needs a fresh start?
Ariel's sisters are a big part of her life, and Eric's bandmates are a close-knit circle of weirdos, and I loved them all a lot. Also, the book made me miss touring, which hasn't come up in a long, LONG time.
I noticed that, like If the Shoe Fits, the author made the decision to And why not?
Read
October 29, 2023So sweet and fun. This series is just a little joy to add to life.
July 9, 2024
3.75⭐️ this was cute. I love fairytale retellings. The only issue I had with the book was the third act breakup. Sometimes I feel like the things that are said during that fight can’t be forgotten or forgiven. Do you know what I mean. Like Eric said some things that I don’t know I would be able to forgive. And sometimes I get so annoyed because they always seem to think the worst of the other person when the truth comes out, but they never take a second to listen and think of all the explaining the person did or tried to do before the truth came out. Like how Ariel told him that her father was a piece of shit and told him how badly he treated her and her sisters, yet when he was talking to the man, he was like oh she must have been exaggerating. And I get it’s supposed to show how charismatic her dad was, but like, you just met him, you’ve know Ariel for longer and why would she lie to you about that stuff (I get she lied about who she was, but really she didn’t). Also he should have known… who has 6 sisters and can write and sing and doesn’t make the connection to the world popular band of 7 sisters…. Also I will never understand how a wig can hide someone’s identity so well that they have no idea it’s them. Anyway this was a really cute retelling. I liked the touring aspect and everything. I was hoping there’d be a “but daddy I love him” moment, but that’s okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2024
This book surprised me! It had a slow start, with a lot of The Little Mermaid references that had me cringe occasionally (Le Poisson Bleu being the opener band was a 10/10 choice, though). But once we actually hit the road and got to the meat of the story, I started to ignore the references and really enjoyed the characters. The pacing was still too slow (until the end, when we raced through to the conclusion), letting the book drag in parts. But I loved Eric and Ariel, and that her sisters get to stand out and be interesting people. The book also "twists" who the bad guy is, showing that it wasn't afraid to stray from the source material for the sake of a better plot. I enjoyed this far more than I expected to, and I look forward to reading some of the other Meant to Be books!
November 17, 2023
Was a sweet, light read. I loved how well Cordova wove the elements of The Little Mermaid into the story while making it a whole new one. Eric was such a heartthrob ❤️. Although it was bit difficult to keep track of characters in the first couple chapters, by the end I loved all of them!
August 11, 2023
this book made me giddy happy stupid !!! so fun and full of music !!!
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