I liked this story, I've always liked Beauty and the Beast and this story doesn't disappoint. This story was very well thought out, romantic, sand and sexy hot as hell. I don't want to tell you the story because it's beauty and the beast with so much more but I recommend it and I know everyone will love it. I had already read this book and posted my review to Amazon and Goodreads, I just never got to the deadline on Netgalley.

Like all Harlequin titles, feels like pulling on a comfy old pair of sweats - you wouldn't want to wear them outside of the house, but you love them anyways.

The cover is deceptive - a scarred man should be scarred, not perfect. An old story that's gotten a bit old. But within expectations for this monthly series.

there are so many problems with this story. The IVF baby, the scheming ex wife, the hard on her luck waif who agrees to carry the baby and then there is the prince himself

But somehow, in spite of the many strangenesses, this just worked. I really liked both characters, I would have liked a little more backstory about the crazy cult religion she walked away from and a little more about his life as a billionaire sexy prince, but I get that this is a short book.

I love the way she, in spite of being completely out of her depth, stands up for herself. Pretty nice woman power story to read in this new Trump universe.

Tale as old as the animated Disney movie

Once Upon a Seduction…

lived a reviewer who adored fantasy and fairy tales, and Presents’ fairy tales and Beauty & the Beast most of all.

I loved how the strong, emotional beginning evokes a vivid sense of place with few words. The description paints a strong visual from the first Disney Beauty and the Beast, and leaves your imagination with nothing to do...

The heroine is strong and has agency. It's hard to credit the author for this as the beginning sets out to mirror the movie version. I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt about the heroine having a boyfriend, but was happy to reserve judgement.

Evoking B&B so strongly starts to become both a blessing and a curse; it’s hard to see past the Disney animated image to the Presents’ version. I kept seeing the animated beast rather than this Prince Adam and hearing his voice. The story easily invited me in, but I think evoking it more lightly wouldn’t allow the old tale to intrude on the new. Either that or the present-day characters need to be more strongly visual to make sure the older story is merely an echo, a fairy-tale promise giving depth to the present.

Lovely:
HE TASTED LIKE RAGE. MAYBE EVEN HATRED.
— MAISEY YATES

Maisey Yates has a strong voice – but this other voice (song as old as rhyme) overpowers it at times. It’s difficult for her to make us pay attention to her romance when we’re sharing the story with other characters conjured on the page.

About 1/3 of the way through, the Modern re-telling starts to assert itself and I started to ‘see’ Prince Adam’s character as opposed to the original Beast’s and for Belle to become Yates’ Belle rather than Disney’s.

SHE WAS HIS CAPTIVE, IT WAS TRUE, BUT IN SOME WAYS SHE WAS BEGINNING TO HOLD HIM CAPTIVE AS WELL
— MAISEY YATES

Ungeneric emotion and conflict are at the heart of Maisey Yates' writing, and, as you'd expect from one of her books, there's a lot of emotional maturity delivered in a strong, accessible voice.

Writing lesson learned: when you introduce other characters from the trilogy, you have to be careful that they don’t overshadow the on-page romance as well. There’s a fine line--I discovered on my last Presents’ read--between making a character intriguing enough to want to read his or her story, and so intriguing that you’re ready to ditch this book’s hero. The introduction of Adam’s friends is done with a much lighter hand.

When Belle faces down the angry mob (paparazzi), I like how she owns the moment, how it’s twisted.

I love that there’s a transformation scene. Like the ‘angry mob’ scene, it gives a nice visual and emotional depth without intruding too much into the here and now. It too is done with a much lighter touch. I would have liked that Belle instigates it, if it wasn’t another scene where she’s strong at the expense of his Presents' alpha-beastness. The hero and heroine also lose some heroicness in their treatment of her boyfriend.

The black moment works from a Presents-driven, hero-driven point of view. The emotional pay-off is good, it’s passionate, it fits the characters, it’s worth sticking with the story for. Yet, if a flaming torch had shed more light on Yates' Belle and Adam sooner, and on some of the wobbly stepping stones in the conflict arc, I'd have felt this so much more here.

3 out of 5 enchanted rose petals

Captivating tale with the essence of Beauty and the Beast.

I really enjoyed this read because I was captivated to see how the heroine could be written to genuinely love the hero given his appearance and that technically she had been kidnapped but Maisey Yates managed it well as she always does when she spins creatively.

Another reason I enjoyed the read was because while it followed the famed Beauty and the Beast story it was still it's own story and I loved the faithfulness it had.

A very captivating tale, as old as time :)

Want to read a grown up fairy tale, then this book is for you.  A wonderful story about the beauty Belle Chamberlain and the beast Prince Adam Katsaros.  It has all us romance readers love in it. Adam is scarred from an accident in which he lost his wife and unborn son and he is hiding away so he thinks.  Enter Belle Chamberlain the daughter of the reporter that Adam is holding captive as he knows he wants to post stories and photos about him.  He lives in seclusion and wants no reporters near as paparazzi were responsible for the accident that took his wife.  Belle offers herself in exchange as her father needs to go for medical treatment.  Sounds like a fairy tale but its and amazing story, what a fantastic job Ms. Yates does on this one.  Truly lovely story that you will wish never ends but then you want it to have a happy ending.  Don't miss this one.

Quick Summary: This story was a modern day Beauty and the Beast. It had tragedy, heartbreak, love and redemption. It also had a happily ever after ending.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: Adult
Status: Contemporary
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes
Conflict/Drama: Yes
HEA: Yes

This story is basically beauty and the beast but in true Maisey Yates style someone has to hurt the other person before self-realization at the end. I enjoyed the book but I might be all beauty and the beast-ed out for the year.

The story of Beauty and the Beast has been told so many times and so many ways it's hard to find any way to read it in a new or interesting way. Sorry I didn't care for it.

Adam is a man that just doesn't give up, “I like it when you say my name,” he said , his voice rough, the dark notes skimming along her skin, making her shiver. “I should like it even more if you said my name in bed.” When it came to Belle, Adam only had so much control, “had I known you were sitting in the library naked beneath your dress I could never have left you alone,” he said, each word thick with desire." I really enjoyed this book, I loved seeing Adam change from a mean beast to a mean beast that would do anything for Belle.