Romance Readers Retreat: Review: Beast by Mary Catherine Gebhard

****3.5 - 4 Stars****

I’m on the fence with this book and I can’t really put my finger on for why. Maybe it was because the story mirrored Beauty and the Beast a little too much for me, maybe it was a longer and more wordy that it really needed to be or maybe it was the switching of POV’s (h is in 1st H in 3rd) that did it? Or perhaps it was the major hint at the start of the story that pretty much gave the outcome of the story away, whichever it was it didn’t keep my attention at times. Which is a shame as I liked the characters and their story for the most part just everything else going on around them was too distracting.

Frankie was a spunky character that I was pleased to find was quite smart despite being naïve at the start and she played Beast at his game all the way. Beast didn’t live up to his name so much I thought and at the sight of this pretty girl all but rolled over so she could tickle his underbelly. I wanted him to stay aloof and tough, I wanted to see why he was named Beast but I didn’t.

I like the authors writing and she has a lovely descriptive manner but the story just didn’t hold up as dark for me. It started with so much promise but went off track rather quickly. Though being left hanging will have me looking out for the next book to see how the story unfolds more.

Reviewed by Vikki Ryan

Once upon a time, I thought love was a fairytale.

I thought selling myself to a mafia boss was noble. So what if they called him the Beast? I grew up in rags, and he would lift me to riches. All I had to do was give him my soul.

He was punishing. Insatiable. Captivating. Nothing like I expected him to be. Each day my reality blurred, leaving me wondering if I was slave or princess.

The longer I stayed, the more I lost myself to him. Even after every cruelty the Beast visited upon me, I longed for his touch. Even after every savage word he spoke, I begged for his lips. I thought the worst thing he could take was my body. I was too naïve to guard my heart.

Once upon a time, I thought love was a fairytale.

Now I know better than to speak of happily ever afters.