Last year around Halloween, I read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s CERTAIN DARK THINGS. I really enjoyed that book and as soon as I saw she had another book coming out I had to grab it. THE BEAUTIFUL ONES is a completely different type of tale then the previous book but the writing style was just as gripping. This authors knows how to make a character come to life.

Antonina (Nina) has always been a strange girl. People at home call her the witch of her home town due to her telekinetic powers that are out of control. Nina relishes the chance to spend her first Grand Season with her cousins in the beautiful city of Loisail. Loisail is dominated by customs and formalities of which Nina is ignorant so her cousin (by marriage) Valérie, takes her under her wing and tries to tame the girl. When Valérie’s ex lover (Hector) shows up and starts to court Nina, Valérie’s jealousy comes out. When Hector reveals his true intentions Valérie sets out to ruin things for the two would be lovers.

This story starts out pretty slow. Nina is living in Loisail and trying to learn etiquette from her retched cousin Valérie. Nina is young and naive and tries her best to fit in to formal society. When she learns that Hector is famous for his telekinetic powers on stage Nina is smitten by him and tries to learn how to control her powers as he does.

Despite the slow start, I really enjoyed this story. Maybe the first half was slower paced. Also, you may want to throttle a few characters in this story by this point as well, but then it picks up and becomes this grand romance. The paranormal telekinetic abilities made this historical romance something I could just stomach at first, but then I fell so hard for the story.

The characters are perfectly played. Valérie is the ultimate villain with her status in society and her power over her husband, Nina’s uncle (the head man of Nina’s family). She is perfectly horrible to Nina and her husband and sets out to ruin a man denied love early in life. She is also quite miserable and desperate to control something, so I sympathized with her and hated her all the same. Nina is so demur at first but as her life experience expands, so does her boldness in dealing with others. I don’t even know what to say about Hector. I hated and loved him. He was very deceptive and completely transparent. He was such a tortured soul and he deserved exactly what he got. We get all three POVs in this story.

I really enjoyed all the descriptive settings in this book. The author was able to describe the scenes without overloading me with silly details. I really felt as if I was right there. I have to admit I wish I could go back into the world this author has created. Since I have finished this book I am honestly missing Nina so much. I know that sounds silly, but I wish I could have spend more time reading her story. I would highly recommend this to those who love well written paranormal historical romance.

The Beautiful Ones, contrary to its description, is a slowly-developing romance whose paranormal element mostly is irrelevant to the story. Hector and Nina both are telekinetic talents, but their talent really only is a device to separate them from the Beautiful Ones of society and to give them common ground. An unseemly fascination with science or some other pursuit deemed not in vogue easily might have substituted to make them outsiders with a common interest.

The romance itself is a very slow and tepid burn, with Hector obsessed with Valerie, his old flame, for much of the book. While Nina is drawn from the start to Hector, it takes him a good deal of time and some bad missteps before he realizes he returns her regard.

If a story moves slowly, it really must have fascinating characters and an engrossing personal story arc to make it a gripping read. Unfortunately, for the first half of the book, I disliked or was indifferent to the main characters. Although I came to like Nina and Hector later in the story, they never became truly interesting to me.

While a reader who enjoys leisurely romances in a setting reminiscent of early 1900’s European society might find the book diverting, it was not for me.

Loved this book, the characters, setting and prose were perfect, would love to read more!

In true Belle Époque fashion, The Beautiful Ones is the tale of a darling country girl from a wealthy family who moves into the city of Losail for her first Grand Season. In this brave new world, Nina Beaulieu must navigate the lion's den of the bourgeoisie all the while trying to master her telekinetic abilities while under the scrutiny of the wealthy elite. Surrounded by deceitful vipers, Nina must tread carefully as she searches for a suitable husband. Placing her trust in the wrong people, Nina suffers treachery and heartbreak at the hands of her family and friends, and must overcome her own troubles in order to find happiness.
As I mentioned earlier, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book, and definitely not as much as I did. Silvia's enchanting characters, enticing imagery, and exceptional prose enraptures the reader in a unique story with a familiar feel. A delightful balance of heartbreak and happiness, of romance and repugnance, of devotion and deceit, The Beautiful Ones was an afternoon well-spent, and is worth a read when it's published later this month.

The first thing Iwant to note about this book is that the romance is the focus. Yes, two of the main characters are telekinetic, but you could replace that skill with any other and the story would be more or less the same. I wanted to get that out of the way early because I think that realisation would disappoint some people. I was fine, as I enjoy a good historical romance every now and then, and despite a slow start, I ended up pretty emotionally invested in this one.

Antonina Beaulieu can move things with her mind and she enjoys studying bugs and butterflies, but despite all of that, she is sent to the city to live with her cousins and hopefully attract a husband. While there, she meets Hector Auvray, who teaches her to control her talent and with whom she falls in love. But Hector has ulterior motives for pursuring her in return.

So there’s a particularly complicated love… square going on in this book? Hector’s initial pursuit of Nina is so that he can have access to her cousin Valerie, with whom he had an affair back when they were both much younger. The way these two clash forms an important aspect of the book. There is also Nina’s other suitor, Luc, who is more interested in her dowry.

I actually really appreciated the juxtaposition between Hector and Luc. Nina points out the way Luc calls her pretty and buys her trinkets but nothing else, and thinks she should hide her telekinetisis because it’s not something ladies let other people see. On the other hand, when Hector realises he is falling for Nina, he sends her rare beetle specimens and starts learning about entomology himself, and of course, possessing the same talent as her and making his living from it, never shames her for it.

Valerie was a character I tried to feel sympathy for, but mostly found I couldn’t. She has had to give up a lot, which I can appreciate, but she seemed determined to make things harder for herself and see the worst in everyone else, all of which eventually comes back to bite her.

I absolutely loved Nina. I loved that she was a dorky country girl who liked bugs and always said the wrong thing and was insecure because people were awful to her due to her talent and also because she felt so out of place in the city. I enjoyed the scenes where she was surrounded by her extended family in the country, though it would have been nice for there to be some other friends in the city.

The world-building was also interesting. Set in a fictional world based roughly based on La Belle Epoque, I found it quite a different take the way what would have just been written off as “magic” in other books was something considered worthy of scientific study in this one. As I said, though, the characters’ talents were really just set-dressing for the romance.

The plot was a bit of a slow-burn and it took me a little while to get into it properly, but there was some moments where I didn’t want to put the book down. I did feel that the book slowed down a little too much towards the end. Even though the stakes were still high in the last 15%, I felt less invested in the outcome. Everything also got tied up a bit too nicely, with certain characters suddenly making good when I felt they could have been a bit more resistant.

Still, this was an enjoyable romance set in an interesting world and I would recommend to anyone looking into that.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy books that focus on relationships with twisty motivations, and subtle hints of magic in your fiction.

This book follows Hector, a magician/telekinetic, who moves to a new city to perform. He meets a young woman, named Nina, who is taken with his talents, and wants to be a performer herself. He decides to court her, and teach her what he knows, as she enters her first "grand season" in society. Nina is under the supervision of her elegant aunt Valerie, in hopes that she may find a husband soon. However, her gifts are frowned upon and often cause her to be seen as an outcast. Hector seems to be her only suitor and friend, but is he really after Valerie?

This book is pretty hard to describe, but I just thought it was lovely and atmospheric. It has a slow pace, but the world is lovely. I enjoyed the societal aspect of the book (the grand balls, the courting, etc.), but I also enjoyed the bits of magic/telekinesis. I loved most that Nina and Valerie had really interesting personalities and interests. Nina as into etymology and collecting butterflies specifically. Valerie is all about presentation, perfect from head to toe, every room in her home, even her rose garden. I felt like most of the characters had questionable or changing motivations. You didn't know when people were telling the truth or not, which had me feeling like I didn't know what would happen in the end. The twisty relationship dynamics reminded me a bit of My Cousin Rachel or Cruel Intentions, though a little less stark overall. I recommend this if you enjoy books like this or are looking for something a little bit out of the ordinary. I thought it was really lovely to read.

2.5ish stars.

Unfortunately somewhat of a letdown after her highly enjoyable Certain Dark Things. I find that I don't connect well with the author's prose and find it amateurish. Her selling point is her ideas and creativity which is not necessarily lacking here, just not enough for me to truly enjoy the book.

Sylvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones offers readers a kaleidoscope of nostalgic trimmings – a splash of Austen, a dash or two of the Bronte Sisters, with an early modernist garnish. Set in a fantasy (alt history?) version of post-industrial France but dealing mainly with an aristocratic class resembling the landed gentry of the British, The novel’s plot centers around a nouveau riche entertainer, Hector Auvray, who returns home after many years abroad to rekindle an old flame, by way of the beautiful Valerie Beaulieu, who years before had broken off their secret engagement so she could marry into a wealthy family. In the present, Hector pretends to court Valerie’s cousin by marriage, Nina Beaulieu, but only as an excuse to be close to Valerie.
The magical wrinkle in all of this is that a small number of people in this society have telekinetic powers, Hector and Nina among them. High society considers telekinesis a vulgar subject, but Hector’s male privilege permits him to hone his natural talents into skills that make him a successful stage performer, who is then generally accepted by the upper class because of his wealth and fame. Nina is not so lucky. Her family regards her telekinetic abilities as a shameful nuisance, so therefore her skills remain unrefined, her powers asserting themselves only at the most inconvenient times. As a result, she is a bit of an outcast at a time (19 years old) when she is supposed to be “entering” society, but she manages to stay in good enough graces thanks to the indulgence of her rich cousin, Valerie’s husband Gaetan.
The Beautiful Ones is very successful as a straightforward genre exercise. While the story doesn’t shy away from Bronte-esque melodrama, it does so through the lens of Austen-esque psychological realism. This is especially welcome when the novel is dealing with the fantastical element of the story, which is presented in a grounded and ordinary way. The novel is perfectly plotted, and the shifting points-of-view offer the reader a rounded perspective of the main actors as the drama unfolds.
There is a kind of purity to Moreno-Garcia’s approach that works against the novel, an unwillingness to contaminate the proceedings with anything resembling a direct political or social commentary. The novel’s alternaFrance has motorcars and other novelties of the early industrialized world, so it is beyond me why, in some respects (such as the fact that the heroes have the luxury of not worrying about their finances while the villains are motivated by their lack of access to capital), the author seems unwilling to deconstruct “polite” society in the vein of the early modernists.
Despite some thematic ambiguities, The Beautiful Ones is exceptional in form, careful in its study of character and buoyed by Moreno-Garcia’s expressive prose and tightly managed storytelling. I don’t think it’s possible to read the book without rooting for its lovers to unite, or without being charmed by the elegant world the author has created.

Unfortunately I went into this book expecting a different thing than I got, I expected Latin American characters like those in Silvia Moreno Garcia's two previous books but instead I got a trope filled, relatively run of the mill fantasy of manners. I will link my review video when it is live.

Nina Beaulieu is in beautiful Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she’ll try to snag a husband with the help of her cousin, Valérie. She rebuffs most of her suitors, but when she meets telekinetic Hector Auvray, he becomes her favoured suitor. But Hector and Valérie were once engaged, and he has returned to exact some kind of retribution for her faithlessness.

Now, The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is promoted as a fantasy and a romance, but leans far far far toward romance. In this alternate history, some people are born with psychic abilities; two of our heroes have the power to move objects with their mind. Nina lacks control; it is frowned upon for women to display these powers, and she is labeled a witch. Disappointingly, that is as far as it goes. The focus is on the romance; while Hector helps teach Nina to control herself, and it serves her well in the end, it ultimately is window dressing for a romance novel.

That isn't to disparage the book for being a romance. I’m not a huge fan of the genre because it is often formulaic and I feel like if I read one, I’ve read all of them. The set up for The Beautiful Ones is very interesting, and I was hoping it would break the formula. The first half felt like it would, but in the end I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping that after finding out about Hector and Valérie, Nina would strike out on her own as a telekinetic performer and break barriers down for psychic women. Maybe she’d reconnect with Hector later, maybe Valérie would leave her husband for Hector and renounce the strict expectations that forced her into marriage. When another suitor for Nina shows up, I was hoping he was actually conspiring to fix everything up for poor Nina and then bow out.

Alas, it was not to be. The second half becomes your bog standard romance. Valérie is cold but not completely unsympathetic in the first half, but in the second half she becomes a psychotic villain. Nina is a pure virgin, whereas Valérie is not afraid to use her sexuality to get what she wants. Hector stops being any sort of agent of his own; whatever happens, is because Valérie drives the plot with her mad schemes and Nina decides either not to put up with it, or acts rashly for maximum melodramatics.

In Moreno-Garcia’s favour, Nina is very much like a Jane Austen heroine. She doesn’t sit idly by, and once she knows what she wants she goes for it. I just wish Valérie was more than just your standard romance novel harpy villain, and that the story moved in a more subversive way. At first I found myself comparing it to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; both Hector and Maxim de Winter are haunted by their past and unable to let go, and Nina and Mrs. de Winter are standing the shadow of more beautiful, more refined women who are no longer in their love interest’s lives. But wherea Rebecca took an unexpected turn, The Beautiful Ones went down Romance Tropes Lane and took no more turns after that. Nina might have been fairly progressive for a heroine if this was published a hundred years ago, but for the most part in the end, gender norms and conventions were slightly bent but never broken, and justice is meted out in nothing but predictable ways.

I will also say Moreno-Garcia’s prose is wonderful as always. Often with books set over a hundred years ago, there is a temptation for the writer to try to mimic the prose of Austen or other classical writers, and it usually always comes up short. Moreno-Garcia’s narration and dialogue avoid this entirely, and stands on its own. There are no cheap imitations here, at least.

If you are a fan of romance, you might like it better than I did. While I couldn’t put it down, ultimately it ran too long for me and I was disappointed in the end. I’m very picky with romance, however, and you can do much worse in the genre. If you’re just looking for a romance that doesn’t challenge, The Beautiful Ones may be for you.

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia will be published on October 24, 2017 by St Martin's Press and can be preordered wherever fine books are sold.

I went into this book expecting a paranormal fantasy with some romance, but it was a romance book with some fantasy. There's nothing wrong with that, but it really wasn't my style and I couldn't finish it because I was a little... bored. I'm sorry. There are plenty of other positive reviews of this book, though, and I'm sure someone more interested in romance would love it. Give it a shot.

Exactly the type of tender and sweet romance novel that I needed after recent horrible current events. The story has exquisite world building that had me enthralled and a gentle romance between Hector and Nina. I particularly enjoyed the author's ability to layer the characters with depth that made them so very believable, particularly the "antagonist" of the story Valerie, whom I could never truly dislike. With elements of magical realism injected throughout, this was a very enjoyable novel to escape into.

2.5 stars. A slow-paced historical romance, with beautiful description and interesting world-building. This is very different from the author's other books, and the summary misleadingly emphasizes the telekinetic aspects of the plot. The book's focus is on its three entangled characters and their relationships, and the fantasy elements only briefly have an effect on the plot. I personally was not invested in the romance, though its unconventional arc is interesting, and found the characters to be somewhat superficial. The writing is lovely and lyrical, so though this particular story was not entirely to my tastes, I recommend it for those interested in slow-burning romances and fantasy of manners style historicals.

Antonina “Nina” Beaulieu has arrived in the city of Loisail for her first Grand Season with the hopes of finding the love of her life to marry. She’s been sent to live with Valérie Beaulieu who will oversee Nina as she attends balls and mingles among the high society. Nina coming from wealth should have no problem finding a husband with one exception, she has telekinetic powers that she hasn’t been able to control leaving her the subject of gossip.

When Nina meets Hector Auvray who happens to be a telekinetic performer she is immediately drawn to him with the two sharing their ability. Hector doesn’t shun Nina but instead sees her powers as a gift and begins to help her hone her skills and learn to control them. As the two spend more and more time together Nina thinks she may have found the love she had been looking for but Hector hasn’t let Nina the whole truth about himself.

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is mainly a historical romance story that has the added element of the two main characters in the story being telekinetic. I think those looking for more of the fantasy side involving telekinetic powers will be a bit disappointed in this one as it’s a very very small detail that doesn’t really get expanded on very much at all with the romance being the vast majority of the story. And a warning for those looking for romance the story I hope not to be too spoilery with this but it is a bit of a triangle that at one point becomes a love square so just be warned if those elements are something that you totally dislike before picking up this book.

For myself I thought the story was one that was just on the OK side since it is a rather slow moving book and I’m more of a fan of the faster pace reads. I probably would have enjoyed it a bit more myself had the author done more with the telekinesis too but I’m not sure that would have really moved it along any faster though. The story stretched over quite a bit of time and it just didn’t seem to actually have much depth to the plot other than eventually making Nina and Hector a pair so while I didn’t dislike it I wasn’t a huge fan either.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this romance. This isn't what I was expecting from Moreno-Garcia after I read Certain Dark Things last year. Yet I'm quite surprised how much I loved this historical fiction romance that was sprinkled with magic. Read you'll adore our sweetheart heroine Nina.

I really enjoyed Silvia Moreno-Garcia's previous two novels, but I have to admit to having my doubts about this one. On first look, it appears to be a historical romance slash costume drama inspired by nineteenth century English fiction. Exactly the sort of thing that sends me diving for my headphones and some industrial metal when my wife wants to watch the BBC adaptation on a Sunday evening, in other words. And, by and large, that's what it is. There is an element of magic involved, but it's not central, and it wouldn't have taken a fundamental rewrite to dispense with it all together. Essentially, it's a (sort of) love triangle, set against a background of strong social rules and manners. Let's be honest, I'm going to take ultraviolent psychopathic Mexican vampire drug lords over ruffs and fretting about etiquette any day, but I can still acknowledge that Ms Moreno-Garcia has turned in another good one here. There's a good sense of location, some sharp dialogue and by the end I was genuinely invested in what happened to the characters (and really hated Valerie). An away win, and one which shows that this author can handle some very different settings. I'll be looking for her next one.

(Link will go live Oct. 4, 2017)

Like my recent review of "The Goblins of Bellwater," I think this book is another example of a poorly written book description. Unlike "Goblins" which read more as contemporary romance, the more true genre focus (historical romance) of this book happens to be one that I enjoy and was particularly in the mood for, thus coloring my reaction to this initial misdirection. Like in that case, however, I do think both of these books would be better received had they been marketed more appropriately to the groups of readers who are true fans of these types of books.

I know that "fantasy" is kind of going through a boom right now, but targeting every book towards that community when there may only be the barest hint of actual fantasy elements in your book, is unlikely to be met with a positive reaction. This book, for example, is presented as if it is going to be a "fantasy apprenticeship" type book, leading the reader to assume much of the book is about Nina learning to navigate her own abilities. Not so. This is much more closely aligned with historical romance fiction with a brief dash of fantasy.

Getting off that soap box and on to the review itself! As I mentioned above, "The Beautiful Ones" ticked many boxes for me, and the fact I was surprised by the story I was getting almost added to my personal enjoyment. Nina is has come to the city to experience her first Grand Season. Under the tutelage of her glittering and popular married cousin Valerie, she soon comes to realize that she does not fit the typical mold of a debutante. Luckily, she meets Hector Auvrey, a performer who has leveraged his own telekinetic powers to raise himself to position and influence. But Hector and Valerie have a history of their own.

The story is told from the perspectives of all three characters, something that I was initially skeptical of (my own personal preference is always to follow one main character), but I quickly grew to love this format. Nina, Valerie, and Hector all have distinct voices and are fully realized characters of their own, each with strengths, weaknesses, and their own agendas. Valerie, in particular, is the type of villainous character who you simply love to hate. And Hector is the perfect example of a flawed hero. Nina, on the other hand, may have read as a bit too perfect, but her naivete and the growth she goes through, particularly in the last half of the story, are enough to keep her from falling into a "special snowflake" category. Further, with Valerie and Hector being as frustrating as they were at times, Nina's chapters proved a bit of a relief.

We all know my feelings on instalove plot lines (recently I DNF'd "Juliet Immortal" for committing this sin in the most blatant way, choosing to not even review the book on this blog out of sheer and utter frustration). "The Beautiful Ones" seems to be Moreno-Garcia's answer to this trend. It serves as a perfect rebuttal to all the things that are wrong with an instalove storyline. Not only is the main romance a slow burn story, based on many interactions, and taking place over a full year, but the failures of previous romances that followed the instalove equation are fully explored and the repercussions are serious.

This book is almost completely character driven. There is little action (other than balls and visits to the country side). The fantasy elements of this story are very minimal. You could remove them all together, honestly, and not much would change in this story. There are many scenes of characters simply talking to each other. In this way, it is a slow read, and yet, loving this genre as I do, I blew through it in a day. If you enjoy historical romances, ala Jane Austen, this is the perfect book for you!

To be honest, I expected more of a plot driven fantasy novel with telekinesis playing a larger role in this book than it did. The Beautiful Ones is a purely character driven novel about the relationships between Nina & Hector and Hector & Valerie. It is still a beautifully written book that gives wonderful insight into being our true selves and seeing others for who they really are. My only complaint was that I spent the entire book wanting to know more about what Hector was thinking. Even the chapters in his perspective left me wanting to understand how he was thinking and feeling.

This is an interesting love story. There is a light touch of paranormal because the two main protagonists have telekinetic abilities. I would have loved to see more use of these gifts in the book. The plot and romance are slow developing and well-written, which make it all the more sweeter.

I honestly wasn't a big fan of Hector through most of the book, but he grew on me with the way the author had me understanding his point of view. Antonina, or Nina as she likes to be called, is just lovely and optimistic about everything. Throughout the book, I found myself saying, please let Nina get her happily ever after. All readers will root for her. This is a gentle romance for those who enjoy the build-up without all the sex. I'd like to see what this author will create next.

Reviewed by Janet of the GothicMoms Review Team

This is a wonderfully written book. Tale as old as time: people who are beautiful on the outside may not always be as lovely inside. Hector Auvray will learn this the hard way. The love of his life, Valerie, is perfectly beautiful. She is, however, married to another man. When he meets Nina, he doesn't think she is specially beautiful, but as he gets to know her, he realizes that she is a radiant creature. Even if she probably won't ever make him forget Valerie. Hector is a famous telekinetic performer who can walk on mirrors. Nina also happens to have the telekinetic abilities, but in her case it's viewed as a shameful secret. The comings and goings of these three characters, and many others who get involved in this triangle, are the meat of this novel. The language is beautiful, and the events described so lovingly that it's like being there, in that fictitious world. But it's Nina that shines more than anything. Like a golden beetle, she may be strange, but once you look, she is more beautiful than everyone else. This book made me gasp and cheer out loud. I would just add that this is not a SciFi novel. It is a romance with some fantastic elements. This is about self-discovery and the nature of love - how it's based on friendship and not looks, and how selfish people are ugly.