Lady Tremaine: Reese’s Book Club Pick (A Novel)

By Rachel Hochhauser

Instant New York Times Bestseller • REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • IndieNext Pick • LibraryReads Pick

"With transporting prose and a galloping plot, this wholly original take on Cinderella recasts the wicked stepmother...a riveting, complex paean to women's strength." —People (Book of the Week) • "Destined to be one of the biggest books of the year." —Glennon Doyle, #1 bestselling author of Untamed • "Breathtakingly beautiful." —Emilia Hart, bestselling author of Weyward

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.

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Published Mar 3, 2026

352 pages

Average rating: 7.89

332 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

alishaharmon
Apr 17, 2026
9/10 stars
Holy crap—Lady Tremaine was SO good! I just finished it, I felt every emotion reading this, and that ending completely caught me off guard. My poor husband had to endure my constant shock and retelling of the events, He was invested in the story line as well. 😂 If you’re into dark, twisty retellings, you need to pick this one up. It’s a wild take on Cinderella told from the stepmother’s perspective—and it totally flips everything you thought you knew.
LucyN
Mar 16, 2026
Good reimagined story. The story kept me interested and wondering where they would go with it. I enjoyed the characters and especially the step mother. Well written and very descriptive. Could imagine the entire setting.
JShrestha
Jul 14, 2026
10/10 stars
I loved this book in the way that every story has a mirror perspective and that you are always the villain in someone else's story. Rubbing the dirt away in a fairytale story and showing the maternal, caring, protective, survival needs of the stepmother. The author does a great job to not turn this book into a "verse" narrative but to humanize the stepmother and her attempt to nurture those under her care and face the importance of reputation during her lifetime. I also love how this book goes into the "happily ever after" chapters. This is a book for women empowerment in my eyes.
Lmb
May 30, 2026
8/10 stars
A good story! 
dmazhar
May 12, 2026
Loved by all members

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