A beautiful, well written book. A bit slower pace than I usually enjoy, but fun. Thank you NetGalley for ARC

I've so enjoyed Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other books, but The Beautiful Ones was just ok. I didn't find myself invested in the characters. Therefore, the ending wasn't all that exciting. I also expected more of a fantasy element to it, but that could have been taken out of the story and it wouldn't have changed the narrative much. I'd definitely recommend her other books before this one.

The Beautiful Ones follows a young woman, Nina, who has always been strange and has never fit in. It's also about her incredibly toxic and tortured relative, who has never gotten over having to marry for money. In the city, as she visits with her cousin's tortured wife, she meets and becomes friends with The One Who Got Away... from her cousin's wife (from now on, "her cousin"). Nina navigates high society's etiquette and events while discovering her telekinetic magic and falling in love with Hector Auvray, her cousin's former lover. This sparks obsessive jealousy in her cousin, who plots to make Nina as unhappy as she has been with her own marriage and life.

Will suit fans of Moren0-Garcia's work, as well as romantic fantasy and historical romance fans. It has a touch of the early 20th century romance, in the dynamics of the romance and the period that Nina spends away from the city to recover.

I really enjoyed this. ARC provided by NetGalley.

I devoured this book in one sitting. The setting is reminiscent of France and looks historical in its social customs and expectations, which seem to derive from the mid to late 1800s. The writing style flows well and is adept in its characterizations of Nina, Hector, and Nina’s cousin-in-law, Valerie. Their highly addictive dynamic definitely feels inspired by some classic literary author I haven’t read—Hardy or Wharton maybe, just not Austen for God’s sake; Austen never wrote such viscerally fallible characters.

It’s to Moreno-Garcia’s credit that I found a story about obsession and possession so moving. There are some genuinely heartbreaking moments on all three sides of the love triangle and I wasn’t expecting such an emotional gut-punch.

For all the highs and lows, though, something still feels absent. The magic element, for one, is merely a backdrop and I wish more had been done with it, particularly because I thought Nina was going to receive training from Hector. (She does, but it’s brief.) I also don’t see why Nina loves him so deeply. She’s perhaps a little too conveniently likable, but she’s his superior in a lot of ways and he just never quite feels worthy of her. I almost wish that she’d cut her losses completely and gone off butterfly-chasing to parts unknown.

Is there anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia can’t do? My first introduction to her incredible prose was in Mexican Gothic, so I was excited to read this new book of hers. When I picked it up, I had no idea what it was about. Never a huge fan of the romance genre, I was quickly swept up in a regency-like era of a fantastical society.

Hector Auvrey has returned from abroad and seeking the attentions of his former fiance and lover Valerie, finds himself courting her husband’s cousin in order to get close to her. Nina is young, naive, and new to society, but immediately falls for the older Hector. Both Hector and Nina have inherited a telekinetic ability and bond over the fact,

Intricately woven with richly developed characters and a unique world steeped in magical realism, Moreno-Garcia beautifully blends and bends genres with words as easily as Hector bends swords with his mind.

An absolute delight to read and recommended for fans of romance, magical realism, or just a really well-written story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so glad many Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books are being rereleased! As someone who discovered her work from Gods of Jade and Shadow it’s great to be getting to read her earlier stuff! I can’t say this one is my favorite, I’m not a huge fan of romances in general, but I’m impressed by the heterogeneity of her work.

The Beautiful Ones is set in a fantasy word that might be equivalent to the late 19th or early 20th century and concerns itself with a handful of aristocrats, or Beautiful Ones. It’s a novel of manners, love triangles, lies, and magic. I was captivated by the story and drawn to these characters, especially the very flawed but remarkably human villain. The story alternates between the point of view of the main characters so the reader gets a chance to really understand what drives them. If you like Austen-esq period dramas with a hint of telekinesis, The Beautiful Ones is for you.

Hector Auvray has loved Valerie for ten years, even though she has married another man. When Hector returns to the city of Loisail and realizes that he can get close to Valerie by pretending to court her cousin Nina, he takes the opportunity. However, things soon become more complicated than he ever intended.

This quasi-fantasy (alternate universe) regency romance comes with all the familiar regency frills such as manners mishaps, a focus on wealth and status, and a great concern with reputation. This is a fun read that was quick to get through.

Well this was just a fun novel to read. The author made a note that people who read it after reading Mexican Gothic shouldn't expect the same - and to an extent, that's true. Mexican Gothic is a true gothic novel, almost a horror novel. However, The Beautiful Ones has its own gothic tones as well, although similar to Northanger Abbey in that the horrors in The Beautiful Ones are almost worse for how mundane they are. And while The Beautiful Ones is largely silent on colonialism, race, and xenophobia, it does do a good job of showing the pervasive sexism that women during the Belle Epoche suffered under.

Nina makes for a pretty likeable heroine - naive but someone who generally knows her own mind and is willing to fight for what she wants. Although some people might find her a little annoying, especially in the first part of the book, I never found her so. Hector on the other hand could certainly be frustrating! Especially so in the first half. Like others, I definitely wanted to bop him on the head several times. But then again, Moreno-Garcia does a really good job showing his slow by study character development, from someone who can't get over his first love, no matter how awful she is, to someone who finally realizes what's right before him.

My one complaint with the book was the time spent with the "villain," Nina's cousin and Hector's first love, Valerie. To an extent, these chapters did help reveal more of her character, the damage that being forced into a loveless marriage did to her and how she's now continuing the cycle of abuse by wanting to see Nina suffer as well. But after a point, it just got redundant. Yes, we know, you're cold-hearted and so selfishly mean you don't want to see any other woman be happy. I get it! Other than that, a really enjoyable read. This is the third Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel I've read, and I've loved all of them. Definitely becoming one of my favorite authors!

This novel is really well-done! The genre-blending was perfectly balanced--historical romance + drama in a fictional, French-inspired setting, with just the right amount of fantasy to make it feel fresh and different.

I'm not normally drawn in by love triangle plots (typically cursing the man or woman who keeps stringing these poor love interests along), but the pacing and character development was just right to keep me interested and sympathetic towards Nina and Hector's courtship. I never set the book down to complain that Nina should certainly do better and marry someone who can make up their dang mind, nor did I feel that Hector was punching above his weight. It was just the perfect amount of gentle, swoon-able, slow-burn romance.

I really love how Silvia Moreno-Garcia handles fantasy in this book--it's a little more toned down than in Mexican Gothic, but was still believable and intriguing. Telekinesis was seamlessly incorporated into her setting in a way that made it feel balanced, but significant. The telekinetic characters had to grapple with their "talent" (as it's called) in interesting ways, neither becoming overly-powerful nor overly-persecuted.

The only thing I disliked was that the ending was a little too...gentle? I wanted a greater reckoning, truthfully! Everything is resolved quite neatly, which I didn't find overly-satisfying.

A novel of manners, magic, and unrequited love. Nina's first Grand Season brings heartbreak as she discovers that her love interest may have ulterior motives. For fans of Jane Austen and Erin Morgenstern

I really enjoyed The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. A beautiful story of love and betrayal. I was rooting for Nina throughout the entire story.

Antonina, Nina, was at the age to start looking for a husband. She wasn’t the average child though. She had a talent in telekinesis that was very frowned upon. It wasn’t very ladylike and attracted the wrong kind of attention. She finds Hector Auvrey at a party and knows he is also telekinetic. He begins to mentor her, knowing that her cousin is married to the love of his life. He has found his way back into Valerie’s life. What follows is the love and betrayal I mentioned earlier.

Thank you Macmillan-Tor and Netgalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I will definitely read more of Moreno-Garcia’s books.

Each book of Silvia Moreno-Garcia deals with a different genre which is so interesting to me. The beautiful ones draws inspirations from romantic classics, sprinkled in with some fantasy. Regardless of the style or genre the author pursues, she manages to pull it off brilliantly. As usual, the author's writing is beautiful and atmospheric. The pacing of the book is a bit slow, but it still managed to keep me interested in the story. Characters were fleshed out and well-developed. All in all, a great book that I would recommend to everyone!

I love all of the books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and this was no exception!! I was so grateful for the opportunity to read and review this through Net Galley. This story was captivating and beautifully written and, as usual, she tells such a wonderful story you are left wanting more and thinking about the characters long after you finish the book!

A unique take on an old story. The characters are well developed though generally fall into a recognizable type. The introduction of sci-fi/fantasy elements into what is otherwise a straightforward novel of manners adds a layer of intrigue. About halfway through the ending became quite obvious and I wasn't proven wrong. Ultimately though it was a nice way to get there and did not detract from the overall enjoyment.

Nina has telekinetic abilities, which isn't considered ladylike and she is at odds with her cousin Valerie. After meeting Nina at a party, telekinetic entertainer Hector decides to pursue her to get closer to Valerie, the woman he is truly interested in. He helps Nina master her telekinetic abilities, but his secret for courting her could destroy their relationship when she discovers the truth.

I enjoyed the way the historical feel intertwined with the fantasy elements. This is a character-driven slow burn told from all 3 points of view. The story made me pity Nina for the secret Valerie and Hector were hiding from her. I do wish I would have liked Hector more, but courting Nina to get closer to Valerie caused me to dislike him and Valerie from the start too much. Great story for those who like love triangles and fantasy takes on socialites.

There’s intrigue and romance aplenty in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s fantasy set in a world inspired by late 1800s France. It’s Austenesque in its focus on manners, with a dash of Wuthering Heights level drama, and a pinch of fantasy. It’s an addictive recipe sure to keep you reading.

2 stars = it was okay

The Beautiful Ones tells the story of three people whose lives are interwoven and paths get crossed when Hector Auvray comes to Loisail, where his former love currently lives. Nina Beaulieu is also currently living in town, and she expresses great interest in Hector's telekinesis ability, as she herself wants to get control of her own. The story unfolds when Nina boldly introduces herself to Hector, and he realizes the opportunity he has when he realizes a door has been opened to the Beaulieu household.

The first thing I must say when I start this review is that I haven't read Mexican Gothic, so I didn't have the expectations that some people did. However, I still had high expectations and, unfortunately, I found that this genre of story is not for me. The story is very slow-paced and I wasn't interested in the characters enough to enjoy the description of their slow-paced days. I nearly DNF'd it but I kept expecting something to happen due to the interesting telekinesis aspect (which it didn't, really). So I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who isn't a fan of slow stories about everyday life, because it will be a difficult read.

Aside from that, I just really didn't feel the love that the characters had for each other at all. Not even the 10-year-wait-and-yearn was convincing to me. It all felt very bland, and even when I read the pretty words towards the end, which would normally attack my heart, I just didn't believe them. I know many people have loved the romance in this book so maybe it's a me-problem, but. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Although this book didn't work for me, I still hope to read and enjoy other works by Silvia Moreno-Garcia :)

This one surprised me!

While I was not a huge fan of Mexican Gothic, I loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing. This book gave me everything I was looking for in a regency romance after the Bridgerton hype early this year.

And a new cover to fit the gorgeous contents, you can’t go wrong with this novel.

This one's going to surprise fans of MEXICAN GOTHIC.

THE BEAUTIFUL ONES is a lush, romantic fantasy. Everything you love about Moreno-Garcia's writing is here: impeccable prose, well-crafted characters, strong plotting and pacing. But fans coming for the pulpy horror of GOTHIC are going to encounter a much lighter, diaphanous world tinted with magic.

It's a fun ride. Moreno-Garcia is a master storyteller, and it's really fun to see her excel no matter what genre she's writing in. This one's memorable, and it's a must for fans of fantasy-tinged romance.

This is considered a supernatural comedy of errors but I imagine those who enjoy magical realism will enjoy this as well. It is in an imagined world but one that looks like ours of the past, though we don't have a date/era to ground us into the story. It is a slower paced novel that both adults and young adults could enjoy, I think it is considered adult but I would feel comfortable recommending it to those who like YA. I did not enjoy the romance aspect of this story as much as I was hoping to.