Men are frogs

Returning to the enchanting world of Fairy Godmothers, Inc., DeWylde delivers a sparkling rom-com remix of classic fairy tales. Wedding planner Zuri Davis loves her job--right up until the day it literally goes up in flames. Though she hates the thought of moving away from Chicago and her twin sister, she takes an interview in Ever After, Mo., a popular wedding destination. There, Phillip Charming more than lives up to his name--that is, when he's not a frog. He spends the daylight hours in amphibian form due to a curse placed on him by fairy godmother Petunia Blossom 300 years ago. In the meantime, he's opened his castle as a B&B. He sets out to be the perfect host for Zuri and quickly finds himself smitten by the nonmagical woman. The pair fall prey to the matchmaking machinations of the town's meddling fairy godmothers, but Charming doesn't have time for a relationship; he must find a cure for his curse ASAP or become a frog full-time. DeWylde uses her diverse, nontraditional takes on fairy tale characters and tropes to delve deep into themes of toxic masculinity, female empowerment, and the transformative power of love. Delightful supporting characters--among them a sentient castle and an evil queen in recovery--only add to the charm. Readers are sure to be swept away. (Aug.)

Zuri is a wedding planner whose career in Chicago was destroyed when she unintentionally started a relationship with a groom-to-be. For a fresh start, she moves to Ever After, MO, and takes a job with Petunia, Jonquil, and Bluebonnet at Fairy Godmothers, Inc. There she meets B&B owner Phillip Charming, a prince who annoyed the wrong fairy godmother 300 years ago and was cursed to live as a frog during the daytime. He's smitten with Zuri, but how can he ask her to consider someone who spends half his time as an amphibian? DeWylde's ("The Woolven Secret" series) premise is ripe for comedy, but there often isn't enough of a foil (whether from a character or situation) to let the humor shine through. There's no hand-holding for readers new to the "Fairy Godmothers, Inc." series; this installment gives little explanation of the characters or their relationships to each other. The ratio of dialogue to action skews heavily in favor of dialogue, and readers will have to use their imaginations to visualize the characters, as the author gives little description. The atmosphere evokes a Hallmark Christmas movie: sweet and cutesy, with a number of declarations about the wonders of love, magic, and hope. There are also some swear words and mildly descriptive love scenes. VERDICT Suggest this Fairy Godmothers, Inc. sequel to fans of Hallmark movies who want something a little risqué.--Mary Frances Cely, Richland Lib., SC