And that’s even before a Beast rescues her from a monstrous sea-creature. She drops a grateful kiss on the snout of the Beast, who transforms into a man, Frederick Cunnick, Baron of Lansladron. Lyne is meant to be Beauty to his Beast—and break the curse forever.
Now both spellkeeper and monster are targeting Lyne. She must take up her legendary role, to defeat the curse and save Frederick—and herself. Instead of logic, for the first time, Lyne must trust her heart
Retellings have been a popular genre trope for a long time and became a favorite of mine. This story was an interesting spin on Beauty and the Beast, but I felt there should have been more.
Lyne Vanlith, aka Beauty, was an interesting character. She is an archaeologist who thinks logically, and this is what I like about her. For the link of the book, I would say, she is a good character. She is well rounded and can stand on her own. But if there was more storytelling, her character depth could have gone much deeper.
Frederick Cunnick, aka Beast, was another good character. I felt there was more time spent with him than with Lyne. It may have been because the Beast side of the curse was better explained than the Beauty. I liked how the character discusses the struggle he has between his human and beast side. This was one of the things I loved about this story.
The rest of the characters were a hit and miss for me. There were some decisions the characters made I did not understand. I felt there were a few who helped the characters and story move forward, but others not so much. There are a few antagonists in this story that, for me, were not interesting. I was confused over what their purpose was and did not understand their part in the curse.
This book was a good read, but there were things that were lacking. Shorter reads have been popular and for some stories, it works, but this one, it needed more. The curse needed more explanation, especially on Beauty’s side and the antagonists. I enjoyed how the author intermingled the curse and the tale. It gave the retelling a unique perspective and freshness.
Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales. The author did a great job spinning and refreshing this story. I am glad I could read this and recommend this to those who like retellings, fantasy, folklore, romance, paranormal, werewolves, and shape shifters.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion.
I give this book a 3/5
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