An Ugly Love: An Ugly Duckling Retelling (Once Upon A Time Book 2)
by Maya AldenPublish: Dec 24, 2023Series: Once Upon A TimeContemporary Romance RomanceBook Overview
Once upon a time, there was a princess called Hansa Raj who just didn’t fit in, not in her family or in the small wine-country town of Everwood.Overshadowed by her radiant sister Naina, an ex-supermodel turned media empress, Hansa harbors dreams, as fragrant and deep as a Pinot Noir, of crafting her signature wine with an Indian touch, paying homage to her heritage.
When she meets the Wine Prince Orion Callahan, it’s love at first sight for Hansa. Orion doesn’t even notice her. Most people don’t, and Hansa doesn’t seek attention because she has an ugly secret. Hansa has dyslexia, which makes her everyday life a struggle that she bears in silence because she’s afraid that if people find out, they’ll realize that she is as dumb as she is plain.
Can you blame her when her own family thinks she’s less intelligent, less pretty…just less than her sister, her cousins, and everyone else they compare her to?
Orion, who unsuccessfully tried to woo the brilliant Naina in high school, has now risen as a prominent winemaker, and Naina is finally giving him the time of day. But as he gets to know Naina, he also learns more about Hansa, who is now managing his wine-tasting room at Callahan Vineyards. Instead of falling in love with Naina, whom he’s always wanted, he finds that he’s instead, albeit reluctantly, captivated by the unexpected strength and genuine passion of Hansa, the duckling that no one notices.
Against the backdrop of frost-kissed vineyards and with just a little magic, Orion learns that some ducklings are perfect as they are, and Hansa discovers that she doesn’t need to become a swan to be loved.
I am Seraphina Vine, and I am the fairy godmother of Everwood. I bring lost souls and broken hearts together. Now, I wave my magic wand and bring you the story of an ugly duckling and a prince blinded by surface beauty. Because sometimes love is ugly.
Author's Note: The Ugly Duckling has always been a cherished fairytale of mine. However, I’ve long questioned its message that acceptance comes only with transformation—suggesting that being an outcast is just a phase before becoming conventionally beautiful. With An Ugly Love, I aim to challenge this, illustrating that not every duckling needs to become a swan. This story is about embracing the often messy and imperfect nature of being human and celebrating love as the force that truly moves our world.
