Not only does this novel expand Palmer's collection of fairy tales, it also expands on the universe she created in her last two novels. Sophie goes to the same high school as the characters of the Cinderella story laid out in Cindy Ella, and her boyfriend Michael has made an appearance or two before as well. I love that each of her novels is set up to build on the others without them actually being a series. You don't have to read Cindy Ella or Geek Charming to enjoy this one, but the nods to the events of those other novels is a bonus for those who have. I especially loved getting to know Michael Rosenberg more this time around. His brief appearance in Palmer's world before just showed him to be a little annoying, and a stereotypical throw-away character. For him to be such a large part of Sophie's story is great. (And though he might not physically be present for a lot of Sophie's time in Florida, he is very much on her mind.) It makes me wonder who will show up in the next modern fairy tale.

Another thing that's great about this novel is that Sophie is deliciously dramatic. Largely due to her obsession with a series of romance novels, she believes wholeheartedly in fairy tale endings and the power of true love, but because she is such a worrier, she isn't really the kind of girl who will just dive right in to anything. She analyzes her choices, she wonders if she's doing the right thing, and she has an unhealthy attachment to her iPhone. Seeing her let go of her worries is just as liberating for the reader as it is for her, even if she does begin to let go because of a guy who might not really be her soul mate after all.

I have to admit, when I heard that Robin Palmer was taking on Little Red Riding Hood as her next fairy tale adaptation, I wasn't sure how she was going to do it, but this was perfect. It's fun. It's funny. And it lives up to the spirit of her other novels. It's a really enjoyable read.