BEAUTY'S BEAST by Amanda Ashley is an intriguing twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale with gothic elements. It's a stand-alone paranormal historical romance. BEAUTY'S BEAST is exactly the kind of fabulously gothic romance Amanda Ashley excels at. Kristine is a damsel in distress at the opening of the story when she is claimed to be the bride of the mysterious Lord of Hawksbridge Castle. Erik only goes out in public either masked or donning robes so nobody will see his slow transformation to a beast. What could be better than a tall, dark, masked man of mystery hero?

Sometimes with these Beauty and the Beast themed stories, the beast-like hero is often cruel to the heroine. However, in BEAUTY'S BEAST, Erik is a sympathetic character. He is sometimes firm with Kristine but never verbally abusive or cruel. He is cursed by a wicked witch to transform into a beast, not for any debauched lifestyle, simply because he has the bad fortune to have a wicked witch mother-in-law. She blames him for her daughter dying while trying to give birth to his child. The injustice of Erik's plight and the way he struggles to hold onto his humanity and sense of honor pulls at the heartstrings.

I think the romance between Erik and Kristine works well in this gothic fairy-tale setting. The characters behave as you would expect in that time period. I like that Erik ends up caring for Kristine more than he ever thought he could. Their relationship becomes very passionate and they are willing to make many sacrifices to stay together. I like that Kristine doesn't accept being separated from the man she loves. Even though she is not a modern woman, she is strong and fights for those she cares about. They are equally brave and make for a perfect match. The depth of their love is amazing and kept me enthralled from beginning to end.

BEAUTY'S BEAST is a great twist on a classic fairy-tale, with passionate characters and captivating story-telling. I enjoyed the twists and turns BEAUTY'S BEAST takes and the unusual characters Erik and Kristine meet on their journey together. I would be interested in reading future books about Valaree and her people. These supporting characters show great potential for world-building in future stories. I look forward to reading more things by Amanda Ashley.

Book Summary

Beauty

Fair of face and figure, Kristine is young, innocent, pure. Yet she has been condemned to the gallows for killing a man. The only one who can save her is a lord so infamous that some say he is the son of the Devil himself. . .

And the Beast

Erik Trevayne is called the Demon Lord of Hawksbridge Castle, but few know of the curse he lives under. Or the terrifying changes slowly gnawing away at his humanity. When he weds her, all he wants of Kristine is a son. But when he beds her, a wild hope is born--that love that can tame even the most monstrous of beasts...

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