Overview
When Desi Bascomb gets discovered by the elite Fa ade Agency—royalty surrogates extraordinaire—her life goes from glamour-starved to spectacular in a blink. As her new agent Meredith explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient formula Royal Rouge, she can temporarily transform into the exact lookalike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon learns that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a nasty crash diet? Or when a princess's conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off-and you know she would want you to change his mind?
In this hilarious series debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into something bigger: the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.
Synopsis
When a flawlessly dressed woman steps out of an iridescent bubble and wants to know, like, now if you'd like to become a substitute princess, do you:
a) run
b) faint
c) say yes!
For Desi Bascomb, who's been longing for a bit of glamour in her Idaho life, the choice is a definite c)—that is, once she can stop pinching herself. As her new agent, Meredith, explains, Desi has a rare magical ability: when she applies the ancient Egyptian formula "Royal Rouge," she can transform temporarily into the exact look-alike of any princess who needs her subbing services. Dream come true, right?
Well, Desi soon discovers that subbing involves a lot more than wearing a tiara and waving at cameras. Like, what do you do when a bullying older sister puts you on a heinous crash diet? Or when the tribal villagers gather to watch you perform a ceremonial dance you don't know? Or when a princess's conflicted sweetheart shows up to break things off—and you're sure she would want you to change his mind?
In this hilarious, winning debut, one girl's dream of glamour transforms into something bigger: the desire to make a positive impact. And an impact Desi makes, one royal fiasco at a time.
Publishers Weekly
When 14-year-old Desi answers a classified ad that reads “Princess for Hire,” she can't believe her luck: Desi finds out she has MP (Magic Potential). This means she has what it takes to become a princess surrogate, which requires the ability to physically transform into the image of any princess across the globe. Desi doesn't have to think twice (she lives in Sproutville, Idaho, and her current job involves wearing a groundhog costume). She signs on with Meredith, a no-nonsense “[p]rincess agent extraordinaire,” who gives Desi a crash course in standing in for vacationing royals. Filled with slapstick humor that some might find grating, and populated by an over-the-top cast of characters, Desi's story consists of one mishap after another, as she tries to navigate the love lives and friendships of the royals. First in a planned series, Leavitt's debut novel has an entertaining premise that would be right at home as a TV movie for tweens. Though the stakes never feel high and Desi's ultimate triumph is a foregone conclusion, Desi shows that she's a heroine with heart. Ages 11–up. (Mar.)