Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Beauty and the Beast (Fairy Tale Retellings, Book 1) by Rachel L. Demeter



Publisher & Release: Self-Published, March 15, 2017

Genre: Historical Romance/Fantasy

Book Length: 342 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more…

Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the OperaBeauty of the Beast brings a familiar and well-loved fairy tale to life with a rich setting in the kingdom of Demrov and a captivating, Gothic voice.

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Beauty of the Beast is the first standalone installment in a series of classic fairy tales reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Disclaimer: This is an edgy, historical romance retelling of the classic fairy tale. Due to strong sexual content, profanity, and dark subject matter, including an instance of sexual assault committed by the villain, Beauty of the Beast is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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Vikki’s Musings

I’ve read several other books by Rachel L. Demeter, so when I received an offer from her to read and review Beauty and the Beast I accepted. Because this is based on such a well-known story, I am not going to do a synopsis.

This is a darker take on the fairy tale. The plot is what I would expect with several intriguing twists. Ms. Demeter’s characterization of Isabelle and Adam is excellent, and her depiction of the villain is perfect. The pacing is steady and did not drag in the least. I remained entertained from the beginning to the end.

Isabelle’s character is just as enchanting in this version of the story as in the original. She loves her papa and is gentle and kind to all. She is tolerant of her step-sisters and shows great concern for them, even though, they are not nice to her at all.

Adam is the typical beast of a character who softens as he grows to care for the heroine. By the end of the story, he is a true hero and is truly worthy of Isabelle’s love.

Personally, I found the writing a bit overly dramatic at times, which pulled me from the retelling several times. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the book and can recommend it to those who love fairy tales with a twist. Happy reading!


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