The Cinderella Project by Kate Hardy (Modern Romance Extra)

Kate Hardy's The Cinderella Project puts a modern twist on the fairy tale without being forced or farcical. A truly original spin on a story we’ve all fell in love with a million times, and will again with this book.

Cynthia Reynolds, an IT genius and one of the most intelligent heroines I’ve ever read in category romance, has to go back to her small village for a wedding and face the snobbish cliques that tormented her school years. Her best friend comes up with a winning solution – bring a date to the wedding that shows how far Cyn has come from her hand-me-down days. Except Cyn has no time for dating, so it’s up to her friend to find the perfect stand in. Enter Max Taylor, successful architect and her best friend’s boss.

Max has eyes for nothing but renovating historical buildings. His relationships never last because women expect to come before his career, and he’s never met a woman who interests him more than restoration. When his assistant explains the plight of her friend and pleads for his help, he refuses. Until his assistant pulls all the right heartstrings and Max relents.

The visions of Max & Cyn dancing at the reception, sharing a bed after his car gets crunched and they have no way home, and walking along the Thames are rivaled only by the intensity of the physical reactions between the two. This book and its characters never confuse sex with lovemaking, and the result is a heartfelt, sensual read that leaves you with a belief in happy ever after. ut being forced or far