Welcome to Book One in the fabulous new Book of Love series. A dingy old book tucked away in an old Regency London bookshop holds magic and love for those who use the ‘recipes’!When Lady Olivia Gosling finds The Book of Love in a musty bookshop, she is most eager to try out its love “recipes” on someone safe. Did she say safe?Well, Beast isn’t really safe, but with her odious guardian about to … safe, but with her odious guardian about to marry her off to one of his unsavory friends, Olivia needs her childhood friend to fall in love with her… fast. If Beast can love her, then any man she chooses will surely do the same.
Alexander Beastling, Duke of Hartford, is known as Beast among the ton. He is big and muscled, and there is a dark aura of mystery about him that he makes no effort to dispel. Now that he’s returned from battle, he’s appalled to learn of the marriage plans Lady Olivia’s loathsome guardian has for her. Beast has decided that he will help her find a proper husband, even if it means putting up with her ridiculous experiments taken out of a book she refers to as The Book of Love. Olivia calls them magical recipes for love.
Is it possible they actually work? Because suddenly, Beast can’t seem to get Olivia out of his mind… or his heart.
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The Book of Love Series
Book 1 – The Look of Love
Book 2 – The Touch of Love
Book 3 – The Taste of Love
Book 4 – The Song of Love (Approx. Dec. 2019)
Book 5 – The Scent of Love (Approx. March 2020)
Book 6 – The Kiss of Love (Approx. June 2020)
more
Lady Olivia Gosling needs to marry quickly before her awful guardian forces her to take a man of his choosing. She’s heard about a book that will help her find out what she needs to know to make a man fall in love with her. An old friend has also managed to get her away from the city for a week with a group of her very best friends.
Alexander Beastling, the Duke of Hartford is a recently returned war hero. The highest in the land have big expectations of him. Marriage to a worthy woman and maybe a very influential job. His natural protective instinct rushes to the surface when he learns an old friend is hurting.
Both our lead characters are surprisingly honest in what they want, and how they feel. They have known each other most of their lives so putting the other before themselves is normal for them both.
There is lots of fun and a little danger. All the characters are really interesting and I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series.
Beast & Goose
Absolutely loved book 1 of this new series! Can’t wait to read the next. Totally recommend this wonderful read.
Nice story, although a bit predictable. Olivia knew “Beast” since he saved her young life. Now a grown woman with a sleazy guardian, she has a week’s respite in the country with her friends and experimenting with the suggestions in the Book of Love to find love and a husband. As he’s way above her touch as husband material, who could serve as a better guinea pig than the Beast?
This is the first story in a new series that revolves around three young women and a book from a London bookshop titled The Book of Love.
In this story, Lady Olivia Gosling is introduced to the book as it falls onto her head in the shop, not once, but twice. Determined it’s a sign, she decides to purchase it but her longtime childhood friend, the Duke of Hartford, Alexander Beastling, beats her to it, and buys it for her.
Olivia, whom Alexander calls “Goose”, and her two best girlfriends read the book together and plan to test the theories about the nature of love contained inside. But the ladies need test subjects, and Olivia decides her old friend Alexander, aka “ Beast”, her perfect ideal of a man, will do nicely. Olivia must find a man and marry for love soon, as her horrid guardian has ugly plans for her and is not to be trusted. Can Beast help her?
Terrific story with plenty of romance and intrigue and colorful characters, thoroughly entertaining! I highly recommend it and can’t wait for the next.
Oh how I love Meara Platt. Once I start her stories I can not put them down. This one was not any different. Meara can weave such stories, and her characters comes to life with such humor and grace. EVERY book her characters will make you feel like you are in their stories.
Olivia Gosling (Goose) has just lost her family. Her father’s land, title and money has been passed to a distant cousin who reminds Olivia daily that she is a burden. No money, old clothes is now is a nobody or so this coward makes her believe. Her friends…powerful friends remind Olivia that not only is she worthy and important she is very much loved. Also they know something isn’t right. She is in a bookstore one afternoon and a book falls on her head. THE BOOK OF LOVE…it must be fate. Who knocked it on her head, why her childhood crush/knight/friend Beast. Alexander Beastling Duke of Hartford, war hero, close friend of the Prince Regent, all around hunk of a hero and England’s future HERO (or anything he wants)…Prinny wants him to marry a Princess for heaven sakes. He is Olivia’ everything. He feels so bad what has happened in her life and knows in his gut that something isn’t right with her guardian. He is scum and the men he has sniffing around Goose makes him uneasy. So he insists she attends a week long house party with his two friends and two of her friends…along with two maiden chaperones. There the three best friends Penelope (Loopy) and Poppy ( a Farthingale of course) decide to experiment with the books “How to make a man fall in love”…They all agree Beast is to be Goose’s experiment so if it works she can use it to make another man fall in love with her, marry her and then she will get away from her odious guardian. Well in pure Meara Platt style…all goes well until the experiment goes awry…they fall for each other and now Beast must really protect her because that guardian and his perverted associate want Olivia and will stop at nothing to have her!!!
Definitely a fun, irresistible story. I love Goose and Beast. They are so meant for each other. The easy way they can talk to each other honestly is so touching. Perfect kind of story. The Book of Love sets off a wonderful chain of events that is sure to lead to more enchanting stories. Waiting impatiently to read Poppy and Penelope’s adventures.
Meara Platt just has a way with words that lures you into the story & the empathy you develop for her characters leads you on a emotional roller coaster ride.
Lady Olivia Gosling or “Goose” as she was nicknamed by Alexander Beastling, Duke of Hartford when he saved her from drowning many years ago in a neighbors pond when she was 6 yrs. old & he was 14 yrs. old. Every since that day, Beast (as she & their friends call him) has been her Knight in Shining Armour.
Beast has just returned after being gone to war for 10 yrs. & has returned a war hero – the Ton & all the marriageable young ladies are in a dither to grab the rich, handsome, bachelor. Goose sees Beast for the first time while book shopping & talking to a book which has fallen from the shelf twice & hit her on the head – The Book of Love. She sees this as a sign; he teases her about talking to a book & insists on buying it for her. Beast hasn’t seen Goose often but he can see the sparkle is gone from her eyes and knows something is not right at the Gosling household. He asks her & she informs him her parents died 2 yrs. ago & a distant cousin who is just awful is trying to force her to marry one of his disgusting friends. Beast feels protective of Goose & vows to help her find a proper husband; even if he has to go along with her magic recipes from The Book of Love.
All of the fun & adventures start here with experiments for enticing Beast to fall in love with her. I found everything I love in a historical romance, a house party, romance, humor, the conversations between Beast & Goose are side splitting laughs, first kiss, love, loyal friends & family, & some good old fashioned spice! Will this Beast of a war hero be able to resist the all grown-up & beautiful Goose or will he break the spell she has cast over him?
London 1815 Be Still My Heart! I am in love with a Beast!! When Olivia Gosling was six years old, she was saved from drowning by Alexander Beastling, The Duke of Hartford. That was the day they met and he gave her the name of Little Goose. His Little Goose. Sigh.
Now back from the war, Olivia spotted him as she was browsing the shelves of the book store. The funny thing was a book kept falling on her head! “The Book of Love”. Thus starts the story as the two greet each other. Of course, he had always been her hero since he saved her and now he looked just as handsome as always! He ends up buying her the book although is suspect as to the contents!
But Olivia was in dire straits with her Cousin, now her guardian since her parents had passed away. She was fearful he had plans to marry her off while treating her badly and leaving her around his debaunched friends.
Beast comes to the rescue and forces him to let her go to a house party and the fun begins. She and her two friends who are there also are going to use the advice in the book to see if they can make someone love them! Oh yes, I want to see that book! Each chooses a subject, or should I say man and Olivia chooses Beast!
This story just touched my heart and was filled with longing and such playfulness and humor among Goose and Beast (don’t you adore it?) that I could only smile as I turned the pages to see what would happen. I have to say this is one of my favorite books this year will go on my keeper shelf. In true Meara Platt style, she captures the essence of times with such feeling and emotion that turn a great story into an exceptional one.
“To say she looked spectacular was an understatement. She looked like an angel. No longer his Little Goose.”
Since I discovered Mrs Meara Platt’s work, I preorder every new book she publishes.
And a new series linked to her Farthingales can only be one full of witty and delicious banters.
And this new book fulfills its promise.
At one time, I feared Olivia/Goose will be too soft but the author was able to give her the right amount of sweetness and determination. She knows what she wants, she is also fully aware of what she risks but she is willing to dare Hartford/Beast to forbid her to use him as her pet project.
I liked her openness to Beast, refusing to lie to him, even if she tricked him at time. She does not shy away when she has to express her feelings but she is also no weak person.
I loved Beast, he was so complement to Goose. He speaks his mind, analyses everything and refuses to be manipulated outside his will, but he is overbearing and overprotective of those he cares. And since he saved Goose’s life as a kid, he is compiled to be her knight in shining armor.
It was funny to see him interacting with Prinny, I wondered if it was possible to be as free as he was, but after all he is a duke, so just a step under him.
After there is the group of friends they make with Beast and Goose, Penelope, Poppy, Thad and Nathaniel, their banters and teasing were cheerful and so fun-filled.
Add to the mix, some bad guys and a few actions and I had a good day enjoying Goose and Beast’s story.
Plus the teaser of the next one to come has me on hurry to put my hand on it.
Rating: 254 pages: PG-17 or a mature reader: Adult themes, bawdy, risqué, suggestive, sexual humor. Angst Level: low for most of the book until the last as danger threatened our characters. Source: own: I couldn’t tell if this was paranormal or not. There were no spells or incantations just a book full of knowledge similar to a treatise on men and sexuality.
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** spoilers ***
Lady Olivia Gosling had been perusing the shelves of the bookstore when a red-bound book literally fell from the top shelf onto her head… twice. She was intrigued by the title The Book of Love and felt it was a sign since she needed all the help she could get. Her parents were dead and a distant cousin was now her guardian as well as the new Viscount. She needed to marry and soon. She did not trust the new Lord Gosling nor any of his horrid friends. One, in particular, was Lord Marston who had recently been sniffing around her making her feel uncomfortable.
Olivia and her two best friends, Poppy Farthingale, and Lady Penelope Sherbourne had decided to use the information in the book in order to find true love. However, they needed to test their new theories and decided to practice with their friends. If it worked on them then they could safely use it to find husbands in the upcoming Season. It was hilarious as they decided which of their friends they would practice on. Since Nathaniel Sherbourne, the Earl of Welles was Penelope’s brother, she chose Thaddius MacLauren, Laird of Caithness as her test subject. Olivia chose Alexander Beastling [Beast], the Duke of Hartford. Poppy Farthingale chose Penelope’s brother Nathaniel as she was afraid of Beast. Now that the girls were set on their test subject, Olivia decided to go first since the book belonged to her. The Beast never knew what hit him.
Oh-My-Gosh! What fun. This was such a naïve girl with such innocence you just had to love her. Either she was the silliest girl ever or sincerely kind and loving to all her friends. There was a definite threat to her that was fairly serious. The intrigue was interesting and moved the action well. The dialogue felt a bit modern sounding at times even though this was set during the Regency era. The Prince Regent was running around causing mischief for one of our characters.
Olivia reading excerpts from her book was hilarious as the girls tried to decipher meaning from something way over their heads. That was a scream and caused me to laugh out loud several times. They were so innocent to the ways of men and had no idea they were playing with fire. I am looking forward to Poppy’s story in book two [The Touch of Love] and Lady Penelope’s in book three [The Taste of Love]. I really like these characters and am curious as to how they will handle The Book of Love. I recommend this for a fun read.
I read this book about a year ago and I was charmed by it. It was the first book in a new series (The Book of Love) by this author. I am familiar with Meara Platt and have enjoyed reading previous works by her, especially the Farthingale series. I’ve read some of the other works in this new series but I really adored the two main characters in this one, Olivia and Beast. She had a very vile guardian and Beast was determined to protect her and keep her safe. I opt to not restate what several other reviewers have already said about the story. My feelings about the book the author stated very well. “The Book of Love spoke of connections between a man and a woman. Beast spent the night showing her how intimacy was built in so many ways.” I rate the book 4 stars with a fairly tame heat level of 1 ½ star.
3.5/5. Very enjoyable and fun read! Loved both Olivia/Goose and Beast and thought they were a great couple. I want to read at least the next two books in the series since they are about Poppy/Nathanial and Penelope/Thad.
My biggest issue with this book, however, was that it was not a Beauty and Beast retelling or reimagining in the slightest. I love anything remotely Beauty and the Beast related so this felt very falsely advertised to me and it’s probably what knocked it from a full 4 stars to 3.5. Beast’s war injury didn’t prevent him from going out in society and he wasn’t ashamed of it. He just happened to be a gruff guy who scowls a lot and looks intimidating and has the last name Beastling. While the only thing Belle-like about Olivia is she likes books and is headstrong.
Goose (Lady Olivia Gosling) has not seen Beast (Alex Beastling, Duke of Hartford) in almost ten years, and now he has returned as a war hero. They meet in a bookstore when a book about love falls of an upper shelf and lands on Goose’s head – twice! Goose, along with her friends Poppy and Penelope, decides to use her week in the country to try out the book’s scientific theories on Beast, while her friends observe Thad and Nathaniel. Beast is extremely protective of Goose as he learns more about her evil guardian. They fall in love, and live happily after. The book is a charming, fun read. The scientific facts in The Book of Love are surprisingly modern and accurate.
Almost perfect
Had to take away points for the mustache twirling. The actual story is so cute. And has one of my favorite trope of roaring alpha and unafraid cute pixie.
A Book of Love turns their world upside down in this lovely story of disaster and love.
Unrealistic, unlikely, but sweet. Too much thinking about breasts and touching and not enough building a relationship. I almost couldn’t stand any of the adults. But the little boy was cute. I think I prefer this author’s related series that focuses on the Farthingale family.
I like anything Meara Platt writes. Really good series.
Wonderful story of love everlasting!
The first young lady who owns The Book Of Love needs to find a husband. The man she wants is the man she already loves, the man who bought her the book, Beast. Olivia needs to get away from her guardian and decorated war hero, Alexander Beastling, Duke of Hartford, is ready to take on the challenge. The first match with the magic of The Book Of Love. An entertaining start to a romantic series.
As the characters’names suggest, this is sort of a retelling of beauty and the beast. I found the heroine and her friends to be somewhat silly, but endearing. And of course it all works out in the end.