I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Lady Tremaine: Reese’s Book Club Pick (A Novel) by Rachel Hochhauser Published by St. Martin's Press on March 3, 2026
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 341 •Format: E-ARC •Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Twice-widowed, Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley is solely responsible for her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, a razor-taloned peregrine falcon, and a crumbling manor. Fierce and determined, Ethel clings to the respectability her deceased husband’s title affords her, hoping it will secure her daughters’ future through marriage.
When a royal ball offers the chance to change everything, Ethel risks her pride in pursuit of an invitation for all three of her daughters—only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the future king unfolds, Ethel discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she craves and the wellbeing of the stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.
As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairy tale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.
It’s been a hot minute (e.g. years) since I’ve read a fairy tale retelling (for a while there they were all the rage!) and was surprised to see a fairy tale retelling/villain origin story pop up when I was browsing upcoming 2026 releases on Goodreads. I decided to request an ARC via NetGalley and was thrilled to be approved, but I really had no idea what to expect. I was delighted to find a fiercely compelling story about female strength and motherhood.
Lady Tremaine’s life’s work is keeping up a facade that her family is wealthy and influential, but for the sake of her daughters and their future marriage prospects. In reality, the love of her life died young, her second husband left her with a crumbling manor and massive debt and a stepdaughter who doesn’t know how to roll up her sleeves and survive. If you’re thinking of the Disney version of Lady Tremaine (cold, ruthless, intimidating), it’s an interesting take on how her circumstances may have hardened her into what she is.
As the story unfolds, readers are provided glimpses into Lady Tremaine’s (or “Ethel’s”) past, including her upbringing, how she met and fell in love with her first husband and elevated her social class, and how his death led her down a path of struggle and strife to keep her girls’ safe and secure future prospects for them above all else. She’s taken on everything herself, from hunting food for her family’s survival with her falcon to gradually selling off every bit of finery they have to keep them financially afloat. There’s an emotional core to this story that elevates it beyond a typical fairy tale retelling- there’s no magic happening here, and everything that happens is from Ethel’s scrimping and saving and refusing to let her family fall into ruin. I loved seeing her relationship with her daughters and how fiercely she protected them by both keeping them eligible in society but also teaching them how to use their own hands and hard work to survive.
Then there’s the Cinderella of it all. Named Elin, she’s hard to like as she languishes in her tower bedroom, refusing to chip in with the family’s survival and quite literally waiting for a handsome prince to sweep her off her feet and change her fortune. It’s easy to resent her through Ethel’s POV, and when she seemingly sweeps in and takes the prince’s attention away from one of her biological daughters it’s nothing short of devastating. Yet, disturbing truths about the impending union come to life and Ethel can either turn the other way and reap the benefits of the proximity to royalty, or step in and protect the stepdaughter who never wanted her to begin with. This situation further shifts and expands Ethel’s perception of what it means to be a mother…even if it means her own sacrifice, again and again.
I can’t overstate how impressed I was with this book! The writing was stunning, lyrical yet sharp, painting both a fantastical and disturbing portrait of the women’s lives. There’s enough nods to the “original” Cinderella story to follow along (and appreciate the creativity in how those traditional elements were worked in) but also enough creative license taken that this would have still been a fantastic fantasy novel without the Cinderella parallels.
Overall: One of my top reads of 2026 so far, I cannot to read more by this author! I am not sure if they have any plans to do more retellings from villain POVs (think of the possibilities…Ursula, the Evil Queen…) but I would gobble them up if so!
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