Beauty of the Beast

Love over come's all!! This was one the best retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This was my first book I have read from Rachel and I just couldn't put it down. It was a dark retelling that filled my heart with sadness, strength, love, perseverance and loyalty. Adam and Isabelle were totally made for each other. Adam was badly scarred from his past and was viewed as the beast because of his disfigurement while having a beast of a dog as his companion. Isabelle was filled with hurt and worry but together took down Adam's fear of the past and brought happiness to each other. Rachel is a true storyteller who grasp the reader attention by her intense moments of fright and helplessness to some hot intense love making. I highly recommend this book with Prince Adam and Isabelle true love story.

I enjoyed from beginning to end. It has sexual content and some graphic /violence scenes, not for the young audience. But the book is a delight. Quick ,nice, very romantic read. Don't hesitate, you won't regret it!

*voluntarily and honestly reviewed the ARC I received from IndieSage PR* As far as 2017 goes, this was my favorite read so far (please don't hate me, other books!) I love beauty and the beast adaptations, and though this retelling was only slightly different from the original story, that still managed to turn it into something beautifully unique full of characters that all had different sides of a story to tell. The bad guys, for example, while horrid, were just as wronged in the wrong, and if I didn't hate them so much in this story, they'd probably be one of my favorite characters in general. But, they are in this story, so they're just psychos I'm not afraid to say goodbye to after I finished the last page lol I loved the writing, the flow of it. The characters all seemed so well rounded with their many faces to wear. The tone was nice and mysterious, matching the castle rather well. An overall satisfying read.

“Funny thing, the past. No matter how hard you try to shut it from your mind, you always hear those whispers in your skull…” That low, masculine whisper curled around her like smoke. His eyes fastened shut, and he visibly shivered, reacting to lamentations only he could hear. Overwhelmed with the urge to reach out and touch him, she twisted her fingers in the sullied fabric of her robe. “It’s inescapable; a true prison in every sense of the word. Almost like being chased by a predator. The faster you run away, the more it chases you, and the more it demands your surrender…” A hidden castle in the woods. A hidden world that has been stumbled on. Why would anyone ever want to live in total isolation? Secluded from the world that has been constantly moving outside, while you remain frozen in the past? Our memories can truly make someone feel helpless, alone, desperate, and much more—if you let them. Demeter engages her readers with an emotional, yet mesmerizing retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. For who could ever learn to love a beast? Isabelle lives in a little city with her Papa and two step-sisters. She is also engaged to a wretched man by the name of Rafael Dumont. His family has power. His family has wealth. And unfortunately, Isabelle would do almost anything to aide her father with his ever present illness. Agreeing to marry Rafael was one of the most repulsive things that she has ever done. Upon her father’s last request to attend the Merchant’s Fair, she crumples to his will and asks Rafael for a favor. That is when she is brutally accosted by his foulness, only realizing that this trip could be their last chance to save themselves from a cruel fate. With the Merchant’s Fair being three days away, they head out into the stormy forest with a horse and carriage borrowed from Raphael—but Isabelle notices that her father’s health will not endure throughout the trip. Noticing a very dark and dreary castle along her path, she decides to lead her father up to the door as a last prayer of saving him from death’s door. Rest may be all that he needs, if there is a kind soul inside who will allow it. When the door opens, the owner attempts to turn them away—but Isabelle becomes desperate. What Isabelle agrees to in hopes of saving her father, may imprison her and take the remainder of her soul along with it. Adam Delacroix, surviving prince of Demrov still lives, after everyone assumed his death—but he only lives a shell of a man. Can he open his heart to a beautiful woman and her sick father or will he live up to the beast that he has become? Living in the past changes a person, but having someone to share those secrets and lift those burdens can make the difference between life and death. Demeter provides the reader with a twist on the original ageless tale of Beauty and the Beast. With both superb character development and an outstanding plot, the story is emotionally charged with heartbreak, fear, pain, loss, joy, and hope. The pace of this novel is fast, making it easy to read; however, there are some spelling and grammatical errors throughout the read. Since this is an advanced reader copy, these may have been cleaned up upon further proofreading, but if not, this should not hinder enjoyment of the novel at all. If you are a reader of fairy tale retellings and historical romance, this may be perfect for you. A copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by IndieSage PR, but this in no way affects our honest

This retelling of one of my absolute favorite fairy tales was exactly how I envisioned an adult version to go. Adam and his back story are quite tragic and explain his character perfectly. The events that lead Isabelle to leave home with her ill father were horrible, no spoilers, promise. The moment she knocks on Adam's door and demands entry during the storm pretty much set the tone for how she was going to be the one to pull Adam out of the past and into living life. I very much liked the small adult changes to the plot, it took it from a Disney fairy tale to a full blown passion filled love story centered around two people who find love and happiness out of the ashes that were their pasts. My only negative was that it started off slowly and at times the descriptions seemed a bit drawn out. It took some time for things to pick up and for the plot to become engrossing. The moment that the plot does pick up was when Isabelle had stayed at the "Beast's" castle for a few weeks and their friendship began to grow into something more. Once that happens, it was hard to put the book down. I enjoyed it, it was a fun read.

Purely Magical, Breathtakingly Beautiful Dark, yet whimsical Enchanting, and haunting Mesmerising, and unforgettable. These are just but a few words that come to mind when I think of this fantastical retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Not only has the author, successfully, woven a story filled with the heartbeat of the original, she has also fused it with the dark elements of The Phantom of the Opera, as well as snippets of Cinderella. I found myself immersed within the hauntingly beautiful pages filled with descriptive words that floated magically in a way that had me completely engaged and falling in love with this beautiful rendition of a story that is a favourite of mine. I cherished every word and felt every feeling. My heart pounded repeatedly and my senses heightened by the heartbreak the characters endured and the tenderness in which their love for one another grew over time. Our Beast, Adam Delacroix is that of a scarred man, both physically and emotionally. He has shunned the outside world, living within the halls of his tormented past, withering away and forgetting what it's like to be alive. Enter our Beauty, Isabelle Rose and his non-existent life will forever change. Both escaping pasts that would consume them whole, if they allowed it, these two slowly strip away the layers that would unleash their truths and bring about a love that would stand the tests of time. It was such a breathtaking sight to behold, so to speak, and an experience that will forever be in my heart. Our dear and wonderful author has spun a tale that is filled with so much love and hope, of longing and beauty, of healing and faith, that what we see presented on the outside, is never what it seems. That the way we look isn't representative of who we are. I would love to thank the author, Rachel L. Demeter for writing such a beautiful retelling. And in doing so, I have fallen in love with the way she can capture my heart with her splendid way with words. Absolutely stunning.

This wasn't my childhood telling of my favorite book. I would have to call it my grown up version with a wonderful twist. Rachel L. Demeter's retelling of a timeless classic has giving it new life for us to enjoy as an adult once again. You would think that the word beauty in the title was talking about the female character but as I read it hit me that it was really Adam who was the beauty as he found his way from the darkness into the light with Isabelles help. The real beast, the real monster was Raphel. He doesnt know it but I cussed him a blue streak a few times while I was reading this book. I hope that Rachel puts a twist on some more childhood favorites with an adult twist.

'Beauty of the Beast' by Rachel L. Demeter is book One in the "Fairy Tale Retellings" series. This is the story of Isabelle Rose and Prince Adam Delacroix. This did remind me allot of 'The Beauty and the Beast' story but with a much darker and hotter story line. Isabelle lived with her father and two step sisters. Isabelle had thought she fell in love with Raphael but soon learned that as handsome as he was he was actually a monster inside. Now she tries to do everything to avoid him and doesn't want to marry him. Isabelle step-sister are very mean to her in addition to the hardships she has to go through along with having her father very sick. Isabelle and her father go traveling where they are caught in a storm that leads them to Adams castle. Adam has his own issue that he is dealing with. Adam has cut himself off from everyone but one childhood friend. Adam was badly burned with his parents and sister died after being betrayed...their house caught on fire. Adam was the only one to get out along with his childhood friend. But the scars and they anger has left him a beast . So when Isabelle and her father come to his door he tries to turn them away. But Isabelle is not having that and goes on in. There her father does something that angers Adam and he puts him into the dungeon overnight. But with her father so sick and the weather they were out made it so that her father didn't survive the night. Adam plans on keeping Isabelle as his mistress and Isabelle is to upset to fight him. But along the way they start to interact and things start to change. But will Isabelle's past come back for her? "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."

I really loved this twist on the classic fairy tell of Beauty and the Beast. Beauty of the Beast is well written, very descriptive and unlike anything I've read before. This book is dark, beautiful, lustful, and pulls you right in from the start. If you haven't read Author Rachel L. Demeter's other books you really should....you won't be disappointed!!

This retelling gives the drama of the beast a bit more flare and political stance behind it. The original beauty of the original telling of this fairy tale was not lost in translation. All the way down to the selfish sisters that only concern was material things and how things would benefit them and no one else. This was a read that enchanted and delivered that spark of long for gotten fairy tale romance. There was drama, intrigue, a villain, and villainess, death, sacrifice, and true love that shined beyond the brightest candles. I found this as a read that would draw me back to it on my shelf dedicated to fairy tales and their retellings with twist and turns. Prince Adam was a prince that no longer had a kingdom. He was a prince without a true purpose. He was a prince that had generally lost his way but with a special light he found it once again. Isabelle was everything that a fairy tale beauty should be. Sweet, innocent, loving, and kind. She had that inner beauty as well as the beauty that shone outside. Their journey toward each other was nothing compared to the battle they had to stay together. This was a read to keep and re-read over again.

5 Stars!!! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale, so, of course, I was going to jump up and down to sign up to review this book. I hadn't read any books by Rachel L. Demeter before, so I just hoped it wouldn't blow up in my face. And after reading it, I just want to say... Ms. Demeter, you have a new fan! Let me start by saying, this is not your regular Disney retelling of Beauty and the Beast, it's darker but no less compelling, and please read the warnings, they are there for a reason. I loved Adam. My heart broke for all he endured, first as a child and then as a man, a very lonely man, bearing the scars of his past in his body and his soul. And yes, while he wasn't all that happy when Isabelle and her father came to his home and asked for refuge, he relented. At least until he thought he'd been taken advantage of. Which, really, was completely understandable. He was a gentleman with Isabelle, despite it all, with a lot of control over his desires. which is more than we can say about the villain. It took me a bit longer to warm up to Isabelle, mostly because of that scene where she practically railroads Adam into giving them refuge and then goes against reason when it was her father's fault that Adam got angry at them. I ended up liking her, and her chemistry with Adam was amazing. Ms. Demeter writes detailed, captivating love scenes, but my favorite definitely was the one at the hot springs. The temp certainly rose in my room while reading that one! I wasn't too sure I liked Sébastien, but he made up for what he did in the end and the villains got their comeuppance, which is always a good thing. All in all, this was a fantastic retelling of an all-time favorite. Beauty of the Beast is well-written, paced nicely, with a realistic, organic progression and lovable characters, Ms. Demeter gives us an enthralling tale of a love that can stand the test of time. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Highly recommendable! *** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

Review originally published at Ruby's Books *Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating of the book or the content of my review in any way I am so happy I got to read this gem of a book guys! After I stared at the cover a little bit, because let's face it, it's gorgeous, and read the blurb, I knew I had to read this book and I'm happy I did. The first thing that stands out when I think about this book is that this is a retelling with a twist. It's a gorgeous story about two people falling in love, without any kind of magic in the mix. I wasn't exactly sure how that would work, but it did, and it was a fantastic ride. What is a fairy tale retelling without magic, you ask? A historical novel set in a really dark time in history, told in such beautiful prose, that it makes it seem impossible for at least a few elements from the story to not have happened in real life. I love the attention to detail that the author had for creating the kingdom of Demrov, from the geography of it, to the historical context of the story. And I love how refreshing the author's voice was. I haven't read many Gothic novels, but if this is how most of them sound, I'll definitely delve into the genre more. I loved Isabelle so, so much. Her story is tragic, and yet beautiful at the same time. She was willing to sacrifice her entire future for the good of her family, even if her two younger sisters are selfish brats and don't really deserve anything beyond a good time-out. Some of the things that Isabelle goes through are really painful and hard to read about, but I feel like that makes her stronger. I also like how she sees past Adam's scars, and tries to understand him, to be civil with someone who has not had that much contact with the outside world in decades. Adam's story is the one that I loved the most. For someone to not end up a madman after seeing the horrors he experienced at a young age, that speaks of a truly strong individual. I loved his sense of duty, even if there was no one who truly knew of his existence. The saddest part of his story is that, when you think about it, some version of it might have actually happened to someone during the French Revolution, or during any revolution really. Which is another thing that Demeter did beautifully, in my opinion, making sure that in some corner of their mind, the reader knows that this story is set in that historical time. I am absolutely in love with this book, and I am truly, truly excited for the future of this series, to see what other fairy tales the author will tackle and transform them into literary gems. This book actually reminded me that once upon a time I used to love reading historical romances. All in all, I truly hope you guys will read this book, as it is one of the best retellings I've read so far and probably will be for a long time.

"Beauty of the Beast" is an original adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" that reads like a historical romance, with a touch of "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Cinderella", and even references to "The Sleeping Beauty" and "The Frog Prince". The story is told from multiple points-of-view, but mainly from Isabelle's and Adam's. The author creates a great Gothic atmosphere, aided by writing in an old-fashioned, historical style. The writing is generally excellent. However, the story is a bit slow and repetitive towards the middle, there are too many references to Adam's "sapphire" eye color and his scent of "pine and winter" (how does winter smell?), and the main lovemaking scene goes on far too long (about 30 minutes of reading). I was also a bit disconcerted by the author's repeated use of "fire" references used to describe the lovemaking. I don't know if this was deliberate or inadvertent but, to me, it felt insensitive to Adam's condition. There are few editing errors, including historical inaccuracies (in 1808 or earlier, Adam's piano tutor taught him the "greats", including Debussy who wasn't born until 1862 and Ravel, who was born in 1875). I'm not a fan of epilogues, in general. However, this one, set seven years later, is just perfect. An original fairy tale adaptation with beautiful writing, emotional scenes, and interesting characters. Warnings: coarse language, sex scenes, sexual assault. I received this book in return for an honest review. Full blog post: https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.com/2017/03/beauty-of-the-beast-by-rachel-l-demeter.html

4.5 stars I don’t usually read fantasy (except for the dark type). I don’t read romance except for the occasional contemporary romantic comedy. And I’m not fond of strong sexual content. What the heck, then, possessed me to read this? Well, since you ask…. It all started when Rachel L. Demeter wrote me a very nice note requesting a review. Normally, I would say it doesn’t fall into the genres I prefer and I don’t have any volunteer reviewers that I think would go for it BUT then I saw the cover. Yes, I will judge a book by its cover but, usually, I decline books partly because of really bad/poor/amateurish/cheaplooking covers. This one? Blew me away with all the blue, the touches of red roses that you have to look for, the twisted thorny trees evoking a dark, troubled feeling of doom. The other thing that hooked me was the concept of blending this fairy tale with historic romance. True, I’m not much of a romance afficionado but I LOVE LOVE LOVE history and we all know that the well-known version of Beauty and the Beast (prior to singing candelabras) is a dark tale indeed with a good deal of sexual tension but redeemed by the birth of real love. And did you notice the title, the play on words focusing on the Beast? I decided I had to give this book a spin. Ms. Demeter opens the story in 1808 when the crown prince of Demrov, Adam, is a pre-teen, before his entire family was killed in an attack by revolutionaries that was devastatingly horrific. Adam’s soul died that day but his body still lived with terrible burns, closeted away for a long, long time. In many ways, Beauty of the Beast is true to the old tale of a young woman bartering for the life of her father and giving herself to the beast in his place. Isabelle Rose has not led a particularly happy life but she dreams of better things, largely evoked by tales of yore, including dreams of a love like that of the girl awakened by a kiss. Intellectually, she knows she’s not destined for such a love but she still dreams despite being betrothed to a man who is more of a monster than the one she’ll soon meet. Her coming adventure will propel her into a life she could never have expected. Ms. Demeter has a magic with words that turns her writing into near poetry and yet her tale has a certain darkness that we’re familiar with in the gothic romances from the 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, stories such as Wuthering Heights and Rebecca. This story has something for almost any reader who relishes suspense, unutterable sadness, romance, love (not the same thing), heartfelt friendship, even the salvation that can come from deep despair, and its French-influenced setting adds a touch of reality. In all honesty, the sexual scenes are more descriptive than I care for but the story in its entirety is well worth that minor discomfort and I will be on the lookout for this author’s next fairy tale retelling. Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, April 2017.

Being my favourite fairytale ever and with the new film adaptation that just came out recently, it seems that looking for all things Beauty and the Beast has become my current obsession (if not always). And picking up this book is definitely a great decision. Rachel L. Demeter had managed to come up with a brilliant twist to the dark original story of Beauty and the Beast, and I can’t get enough! the writing was so enchanting I can’t help being totally invested in the story. Beauty of the Beast has got to be one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever came through. If not for the fact that my friends keep on dragging me out, saying that “I need to live,” I would’ve probably finished this book a lot sooner. The characters and their development had also earned themselves extra points. I really enjoy watching the main characters grow from perfect strangers to start caring for each other. Overall, this book deserves a 5 perfect stars. That’s all I’m going to say.

With the sudden popularity of fairy tale retellings and the wildly divergent results of those retellings, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Rachel L. Demeter's Beauty of the Beast. This was the first book I've read by Ms. Demeter, after all. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Ms. Demeter has taken this popular fairy tale and made it her own, whilst making it clearly recognizable. Prince Adam Delacroix is horrifically scarred and a recluse. He hides in the ruins of his family's castle, having witnessed their brutal murder. Isabelle is kind-hearted and would do anything for her ill and blind father. When a storm forces her and her father to take shelter in his castle, it is only a matter of time for Isabelle and Adam to clash - and eventually, for them to fall in love. Ms. Demeter makes it clear from the opening pages that this is not a book for the faint of heart as the opening scene is the one that scars Adam. Whilst he is the beast in outward form, I would also argue that the villain of this piece serves as the beast, given his actions. Heed the warnings provided in the blurb! As a testament to Ms. Demeter's writing, all of her characters are complex, including the villain. As horrific of a person as he is, I couldn't help but feel a tiny bit bad for him. While the plot line is familiar, the author tackles it with aplomb and draws the reader into the world she creates. Overall, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading Ms. Demeter's future works.

Book given in exchange of an honest review by the author. http://thesecretworldofbooklovers.blogspot.com I must confess I fell in love with this book, who wouldn't? I grew up with this love story, about the dark cursed prince and the beautiful woman who could see past his facade. Now that we are older we need a bit more to complete and believe the story, the prince is not a real animal/monster, there is no magic involved,he is a human that has been hurt mentally and physically; and the story doesn't end with just a romantic dance and a hug... yeah, definitely my kind of story! Prince Adam has been through hell, nobody could ever be prepared for what happened to him and his family, and he is now guarded and angry at the world. And even though he is not conscious and would never accept it, he is scared of people, that's why he has been hiding all these years. Belle's life has been hard to say the least, money was always tight and her stepsisters are horrible persons, but she still has her father, who unfortunately needs her and she is willing to sacrifice everything for him. She puts everything on the line and gets sucked into a dangerous situation, because of her immaturity and her goodhearted nature that prevent her from imaging the darkness that lurks in most bad people's minds. Their encounter is definitely not a meet cute kind of moment, she hates Adam, and she is scared to death of him, but she manages to stand up to him and he respects her for that. The main part of the book focuses on these two people, that are really different and dance around each other poking their armors, taking them down bit by bit. When it's just Adam and Belle they realize that they have a lot in common and they actually have a crazy attraction going on. Letting go of their fears and trusting each other is the biggest challenge, both of them have self esteem and trust issues. A true fairy tale of the broken that finally find a way to be whole again within each other.

Title: Beauty Of The Beast Author: Rachel L. Demeter Genre: New Adult, Historical Romance Format: Ebook Pages: 342 Rating: 5 Heat: 4 Thoughts: Well, as soon as I realized this was a Beauty and the Beast retelling I had to read it and I'm so glad I did. There isn't really any magic or fantasy, other than the roses being in bloom all the time, but it's still a magical story. The "beast" is just a man, but being burned has left him looking like a monster. Adam has locked himself away from the world and would prefer to stay that way until one stormy night brings unwanted guests knocking on his door, Isabelle and her sick father. There are many similarities to the Disney movie and I loved that, especially the library, but there were enough differences that had me wondering what was going to happen next. Beautiful story! Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work and chose to write a review.