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 lookalike 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 know 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.