Irrepressible Linnet Berry Thrynne is left with few options when, due to an accident of dress, the ton believes she is carrying the love child of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex. It is imperative she marries, sooner rather than later to still the tongues of the ton. It should not be too difficult, even with the recent stench of scandal her beauty and refinement make her an excellent candidate for marriage, no matter how far from London she must travel to find a husband.

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, heir to the Duke of Windebank and truly irascible doctor prefers his life just as it is, immured in Wales treating any patient that comes to the door with brutal honesty and all the medical insight his keen mind can bring to bear on each illness and injury. His own injury as a child makes pain an ever-present part of his life but he is far from a figure of pity; indeed his sarcastic manner and disdain for the niceties make him a rather unpleasant companion, not that he cares. When the Duke of Windebank brings Linnet to meet Piers, telling her his son is in need of a wife of just her qualities, she is willing to meet his heir with an open mind and welcoming manner. Piers greets her with neither, yet somehow his brusque misanthropic attitude sparks interest and curiosity.

Eloisa James has brought her powerful sense of the absurd to WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST. As a beauty lately toasted by the ton meets a man ahead of his contemporaries who cares only for his work more than sparks fly; James' story wends its way through healing old wounds, and helping two souls bond when neither knew they were in need. Each character is written with care and cleverness, from the long-suffering housekeeper and the patients being treated to Piers and Linnet themselves. As always happens when I read Eloisa James' work, I was fascinated, laughing and crying my way through the adventure. I finished the final page entirely satisfied and eager to read the next thing she comes up with. If you are not yet a fan of Eloisa James, this book would be an excellent start. Whether or not you enjoy historical romance, WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST is simply a wonderful read.

Book Summary

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. He's a Beast. Miss Linnet Thynne is one of the most exquisite young ladies ever to grace London's ballrooms. She's a Beauty. But wait—there's more! Piers is a doctor: brilliant, lame, and impossible to get along with. There's a version of him on Fox TV, named after a habitation. Linnet has been involved in a scandalous flirtation with a prince, and everyone in the ton thinks she's carrying a royal child: she needs a husband.

Linnet estimates it will take two weeks—at the outside—to bring the earl to his knees. Piers knows that he will never fall in love, and definitely never marry.

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