Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PASTReclusive 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 … 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 Opera, Beauty 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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“Wherever you go, that is my home.”
Absolutely beautiful. A perfect retelling of one of the most famous fairy tales. This version doesn’t involve talking teapots or enchanted roses, but this retelling is still beyond magical.
Prince Adam isn’t a hairy beast with sharp teeth. He is just a man with a painful past. On the outside, he has scars all over his body from being burned. On the inside, he is hiding from civilization and himself. He doesn’t trust anyone. If he is a monster, it is because others made him that way.
When Isabelle and her ill father stumbled onto his doorsteps during a blizzard, he tried to turn them away. But she held her head high and refused to be ignored. Eventually, their hearts thawed, and a relationship stronger than any spell was created.
This book isn’t for young adults because there are some steamy scenes towards the end. And as the Prince has never been with a woman before, he fantasizes a lot about Isabelle.
I loved the story and the way the prince desired to be a better man all because of Isabelle. There were some moments where it was a little repetitive. For example, the story kept bringing up dust motes flying in the air. There were also some abrupt stops when the two were making out. But overall, I enjoyed every second, and I can’t wait to read more by Rachel L. Demeter.
I loved this book. I mean everything about it was just amazing. It was sweet and sexy. The characters were filled out. You felt their pain, you saw through their eyes, you felt sorrow at their plights. It was a wonderful rendition of beauty and the beast. Isabelle and Adam were so wonderful together. They truly made a perfect pair. They smoothed out each others edges and become better because of one another. I even felt bad for a character while hating him. And the end is really just the beginning of the rest of their lives. So wonderful. I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves fairytale redos’.
I received an e-ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Review can be found on *Milky Way of Books*
I was glad to have the chance of reviewing this book! Despite it being a historical fiction adult novel, there were many elements similar to the classic tale. But the best part of this plot was how slow burning the romance was.
Both protagonists Adam and Isabelle, face their inner demons and fears and in the end love conquers and they find their true place in the world.
The descriptions and the world-building were very realistic and the eerie feeling the book had set from the beginning slowly it evolved into the hidden beauty behind the first glance. Since March is the month dedicated to Beauty and the Beast this book couldn’t have chosen a better day to be released!
This is my first time reading Rachel L. Demeter and I freaking loved it! I fell in love with Beauty and The Beast as a little girl when I seen the Walt Disney movie for the first time. I guess it was my first taste of damaged, scarred bad boys. There is just something so beautiful about seeing past the surface and finding true love no matter the flaws. Plus beast gives Belle a whole library and what woman could resist a man that gives you a whole room full of books! So I try to get my hands on every retelling I come across.
Beauty of the Beast was a great retelling of the classic. I felt it was like a cross between Beauty and the beast, phantom of the opera, and maybe a touch of Cinderella thrown in there. I love that instead of Adam, the beast, being a magical cursed beast he was just severely scarred. Adam’s backstory was a heartbreaking and dark one. Seeing what he lived through at the age of 11 got me right in the feels! My heart bled for Adam and I fell in love with him too. Isabelle was easy to love. She had such a bright spirit. She loved her father and was loyal to her step sisters even though they were worthless and didn’t deserve her loyalty. She was caring and had a good heart. She was a perfect Belle.
Adam and Isabelle were adorable together. There was such a sweet build up to their love that it felt natural and real. I loved how because there is no magic in this that Adam doesn’t magically because handsome. Isabelle truly loves him scars and all. I felt Rachel L. Demeter did a great job of writing a complex and multifaceted villain. Raphael was evil but his character was so well developed that I could understand why he was evil and though I hated him I at times felt sorry for all he had lived through too. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and I loved the epilogue. It had everything I adore about the classic Beauty and the Beast with just enough difference to still feel new. Beauty of the Beast was a wonderful read and I would recommend it to anyone who loves Beauty and the Beast!
I’ve never been super excited about fairy tale retellings. I’m not really sure why that is but I have a pretty good feeling that it’s because when you grow up hearing stories (or watching movies) about these fairy tales, you grow attached. Beauty and the Beast was a big one for me. I adore that Disney movie and it’s hard to believe that it can be improved upon. So when Rachel Demeter sent me a message asking me to give her newest novel a read, I was a bit nervous. What if I picked it up and absolutely hated it? That’s a reader’s worst nightmare. But that’s not how it turned out. Not at all.
First of all, the cover is absolutely beautiful. I’m definitely a cover-judger. I’ll admit it. Now on to the most important part … the actual book. As I started reading, I kept finding myself sitting on the edge of my chair, just waiting for this book to mimic Beauty and the Beast. I was just so sure that it was going to happen and I think that it really took something away from those first few chapters. I ended up stopping and going back to the beginning but without the jaded thoughts. Because not once did it mimic Beauty and the Beast. Of course it was reminiscent but it never went to mimicry. It was so much more.
This. This is what Beauty and the Beast should have been. It’s probably what it would have been if it had been written for an adult audience. Isabelle was the perfect heroine. She was the perfect combination of contradictions. She was so very strong but at the same time, very fragile. She was extremely brave yet skittish. She loved beauty but also saw the beauty in flaws. She was exactly what I envisioned our beloved Belle would be like. And Prince Adam … you want to just weep for him but at the same time, you’re rooting for the handsomely scarred prince. He has put up these walls around himself and his heart, refusing to let anyone in. Getting to experience Prince Adam as he tries to traverse the rocky landscape of his transforming life was something I wish I could get back. I want that first read magic again because it was absolutely phenomenal.
I don’t want to say too much about the story itself because I don’t want to ruin any of the many surprises. All I will say is that it is a story that will stay with me. I’ll definitely be rereading this one and I absolutely cannot wait until the next book in the series comes out because THIS is what Rachel Demeter was meant to do. These fairy tale retellings. It blew me out of the water and I’m so excited about this little sub-genre but I know I can’t read something from someone else because it just won’t be as good. Just have to wait for the next one from Demeter. And it won’t be a patient wait!
* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *