"A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast)" by L.C. Moon is an intensely gripping read that dives deep into the raw and twisted facets of love and humanity. From the very first page, I was drawn into the dark, somber fairy tale world where the line between beauty and beast is blurred, not by physical appearances, but by the psychological scars and emotional trauma the characters bear.

Laura Spencer, initially portrayed as timid and fragile, gradually reveals layers of resilience and complexity that make her incredibly relatable. Her evolution from a seemingly delicate character to someone shaped by harsh realities is both heart-wrenching and empowering. I found myself empathizing with her struggles and rooting for her transformation throughout the story.

Kayne Malkin, on the other hand, is a brilliantly crafted anti-hero. His character embodies the perfect blend of danger, dominance, and unexpected tenderness. His ruthless demeanor as a member of the Russian Mafia contrasts sharply with the moments where Laura's innocence brings out his reluctant sensitivity. The dynamic between Laura and Kayne is electric, filled with tension that kept me on the edge of my seat.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its unapologetic approach to dark themes. The story does not shy away from exploring the ugly and untamed sides of love, touching on difficult subjects like trauma, abuse, and identity. This depth adds a layer of realism to the fantastical elements, making the narrative deeply immersive.

The ending is particularly noteworthy. Unlike many stories that tie up with a neat, happy conclusion, "A Bedtime Story" stays true to its dark roots. The unresolved, bittersweet conclusion felt authentic and fitting, leaving a lingering impact long after I finished the book. It's refreshing to read a story that doesn't conform to typical romantic tropes but instead challenges readers to confront their own darkness and the complexities of human nature.

In summary, "A Bedtime Story" is not for the faint-hearted. It is for readers who appreciate a dark, erotic tale that delves into the intricacies of damaged souls finding a twisted semblance of love. If you're drawn to stories that explore the shadowy corners of the human psyche with raw honesty, this book is definitely worth picking up. L.C. Moon has crafted a narrative that is both haunting and unforgettable, making it a standout in the realm of dark erotica.

L.C. Moon’s “A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets Beast)” offers a fresh twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale, blending romance, mystery, and fantasy into a cohesive narrative. While the book has its strengths, it also has some areas that might not resonate with every reader.

The characters in this novel are well-developed, with Beauty’s strength and kindness making her a protagonist to root for. The Beast’s complexity adds layers to the story, and their evolving relationship is depicted with moments of tension and tenderness. However, at times, their interactions felt a bit predictable, lacking the spark that makes a romance truly captivating.

Moon’s writing style is vivid and evocative, creating an immersive world that draws readers in. The world-building is imaginative, blending familiar fairy tale elements with new details. Despite this, the pacing of the plot felt uneven, with some sections dragging on while others rushed through crucial developments. This inconsistency made it difficult to stay fully engaged throughout the book.

The balance between romance and darker, mysterious elements is one of the book’s highlights, adding an element of suspense that keeps the reader curious. However, the resolution of these mysteries sometimes felt too convenient, lacking the impact needed to leave a lasting impression.

Overall, “A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets Beast)” by L.C. Moon is an enjoyable read with a mix of strengths and weaknesses. It’s a tale of love and redemption that may appeal to fans of fairy tale retellings and romantic fantasies. While it didn’t quite hit the mark for me, it still offers an engaging experience for those looking for a new take on a beloved story.

Rating: 3 stars

I wanted to like this. I enjoy gothic dark stories in general. But this was just so stereotypical and repetitive. Nothing to like about any of the characters, and the way they interacted was annoying, like when we have our sadistic "hero" smirking over and over and over when dealing with his wife. It just felt so pointless.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

L.C. Moon's "A Bedtime Story" is hardly all that a person would rate for a story to get them to sleep. It wades through familiar tropes from fairy tales but executes them so darkly, broodingly, that instead of counting sheep, one has questions begging for answers.

On the bright side, the book does deal with very interesting themes. It delves into the bottomless well of trauma, the convolutions of self, and the unyielding tug of fate. Moon presents readers with an engrossing voyage for those in search of something beyond sugarcoated dreams. She is a great writer, as darkly lyrical tapestry lingers with a reader long after the finish of the last page.

Yet, the shadows cast by these very strengths threaten at the same time to shroud the reading experience. The pacing indeed feels uneven, truly so, as lulls drag between bursts of the intense. Character motivations—chiefly those for the supporting players—are left murky; some questions go unanswered, with a sense of incompleteness. And although the ending denotes a thought-provoking ending, it might leave some readers unsatisfied and actively yearning for a more conclusive resolution.

Ultimately, "A Bedtime Story" is for those who like their fairy tales a little rough around the edges. If you like your reading light and sweet, look elsewhere. If you're the type to follow introspection anywhere and through blinding or choking darkness, this may be the book that'll lull you into a different kind of dream, the one that hangs with you long after waking.

Wow! What an amazing start to this trilogy! I cried for the FMC more than once. The MMC finding his humanity through the telling was beautifully written. L.C. Moon has an amazingly power storytelling voice. This pulled me in and kept me captive through every chaotic plot point and piece of character development. The ending left me both emotionally devastated and cheering for Laura and her upcoming quest for justice. #longlivethequeen indeed. I can’t wait for the next book!

While I enjoyed the dark, gothic setting of this book, the writing pulled me out of it. The dialogue between the main characters was scarce and yet when it was finally on page, i found it was lackluster.

A darker retelling of Beauty and the Beast that I wasn't ready for, I went from liking to dislike and frustration back to liking them again. An enjoyable read that definitely provokes reactions from readers.

Many thanks to L.C. Moon and NetGalley for the eARC.

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney story and I have read quite a few adaptations of it and was excited going into this. I didn’t mind the dark romance aspects of this book, but I really struggled to connect with either main character. Unfortunately, I thought Laura was extremely cringey. I couldn’t get on board with the rollercoaster of submissive and then lover and then, in the end, the Queen. Her personality just changed gears so much and so quickly that it was hard to get into her character. Equally, Kayne was just as conflicting and confusing. From being a sadistic dominant personality, to wanting to soothe her so quickly, it was just so jumpy and disconnected.

HUGE SPOILER ALERT INCOMING****

I literally felt nothing when Kayne died. I just thought, “okay,” and proceeded to keep reading. It was nothing shocking to me. The most enjoyable part for me was like the last 3-5 pages where Laura steps into her role and is acknowledged as “Queen”. I’m not sure I will continue on with the series when it comes out.

3.5⭐️

I received an ARC copy of a bedtime story for an honest review of the book.

This is a dark retelling of beauty meets the beast, it’s a twisted love story more than a romance.
This book is full of plot twists, some of which I hope are redeemed in the next two books!
This book is written in 3rd person, which isn’t normally my favourite style, however, it was an enjoyable read.

Looking forward to the next two books in the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advance reader copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

This one was just about what I expected. Will recommend to my readers who may be looking for something a little different than a more straightforward title in this genre.

Description
This is not a romance, but it is a love story.

In A Bedtime Story, L.C. Moon invites readers into a somber fairy tale, where the beasts and monsters inhabit its protagonists, whispering over their shoulders. This is not a romance, but a raw and psychologically driven erotic tale, exploring themes of trauma and identity through the twisted love story of two profoundly broken souls.

Laura Spencer was a child of the moon, resilient yet delicate, using fantasies to escape her harsh reality. Kayne Malkin was a child of the underworld, molded into becoming a formidable predator and ruthless member of the Russian Mafia. Their paths, never meant to cross, fatefully intersect in a dangerous dance seeped in underworld intrigue.

In this unrelenting tale delving into the ugly and untamed sides of love and humanity, Beauty meets the Beast, forever changing the course of their lives.

Part of the "Fairy Tales From the Underworld" series, this first installment serves as a lyrical introspection on the cycle of abuse and how monsters are created through the lens of dark erotica, prompting readers to confront their own darkness.

I don't think this genre is my cup of tea.
I appreciate the chance to read and review.
I feel as if the storyline was superficial and did not deliver as much as I was hoping.

I couldn't stop reading this fairy tale from the underworld. It was spicy and dark. My favorite quote is " I may be a monster, but I'd fight for you and kill for you. ...If you only knew what your monster would do for YOU. I loved that I didn't know what was going to come next.

📢 𝑪𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑹𝒀 𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳-𝑶𝑼𝑻: 📢

As the author says this is definitely not a romance but sort of a love story.
Emotionally dark as it fcks with your head and the hero is not a gray but straight off in the black zone. Totally unredeemable hero except for his feelings for the heroine. So dive in accordingly.

𝑴𝒀 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾: 📝

I suppose this one was quite a surprise as it was a tad bit different to what I usually read, although the tropes in this one would say otherwise.

This one, I felt was dark in the emotional sense as the various facets are explored and the many character graphs we come across.

All Laura wanted was a little attention from the hottie at the bar, especially after her so-called friend/ coworker ditches her and leaves her for a d0uche.

Little did Laura know that her entire life was about to be thrown upside down and would be messed up such that there would be no coming back from it.

We see Laura go straight into captivity, taken away by the mysterious looking handsome stranger, Kayne Malkin.
He's been given a job to fulfill and all he had to do was deliver her but now he seems to have grown an unknown need to keep her safe and he shall do anything to ensure the innocent girl is left unharmed.

I was so lost and nervous for Laura as I didn't know what Kayne would do next. He's intimidating and dangerous but it's clear that he's enticed by Laura.

This one really tested me as the hero has no redeemable qualities and moral boundaries like seriously please don't expect Kayne to be anything but a man with straight off shades of black.

Laura was a character that equally shocked me because of how her character was shaped and even though she was innocent when it all started, her choices have me feeling neutral towards her.

The highlight has to be Peter, Laura's brother and her bond. Their bond and connection had me in tears and seriously even though it all happens because of her brother, yet I'm in complete support of him and was very emotional for the beautiful relationship they have.

Then there's that ending... I'm shocked but also have no idea what to actually feel and whose side I'm really on.

That cliffy sure sets the stage for a big storm that's coming and I hope it is steered in a way that makes up for an adventure. As to how Laura is shown as a Queen, it still remains to be seen if she'll deliver on that or not.
4 ⭐ for the promising storyline ahead.

Warning - Make sure to read the book description before reading this book. I agree this book could be very triggering for some. However, if you disturbed like me (haha) and love extremely dark erotic books, then this is the book for you! This book feels like Hunting Adeline met with the Never After series and had a baby.
I finished this book in 2 days, and already have book 2 and 3 in my TBR list. I don't know how I will be able to wait until next year for book 2.

I liked it but something kept me from loving it and I can’t quite put my finger on it. I love a retelling so that definitely had me hooked. Forced proximity, because he literally takes her, mafia romance, all things I love. If you can hold out for part two in 2025 it’s worth the read! Again I liked it a lot!

So...this was an interesting read.

It is supposed to be a mafia retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but apart from the Stockholm syndrome, there isn't much resemblance.

The romance is weird and the only purpose of the MMC is to fill his huge ego with a twist of "I must protect her because she's mine". It's a bit icky, with no respect for the FMC.

I like how she transforms during this whole ordeal, and I think that's refreshing compared to other books.

All in all, it's not my cup of tea, but I'm sure there are people out there that would love this kind of dark romance

A Bedtime Story by L.C. Moon was a different take on Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed it very much. I found I like mafia-ish tropes... who knew.

Thank you netgalley for this ACR.

So, what the eff did I just read? This was the weirdest, worst rendition of beauty and the beast? I guess? Because she’s his captor and he’s supposed to be this beast of a man because of what he does for a living. But, really it’s because he slaps her, and sleeps with other women while she’s “getting over things”. And the stories within the story? I get it’s supposed to be like symbolic, but it was just bad. And not well written? Like the email of this idea you have for a book that you send to an editor but didn’t even finish the full outline or first draft? It’s just. Really odd and bad?

A Bedtime Story (Beauty Meets the Beast) offers a unique twist on the classic tale, presenting a sad yet fitting ending for its imperfect protagonists. Departing from the traditional narrative, it emphasizes the transformative impact of the Beast on Beauty, rather than the other way around. Despite being the author's debut novel, the story captivates with its unnerving and raw portrayal, leaving a lasting impression without relying on clichéd cliffhangers. However, I found myself disconnected, as the lack of emotional depth and familiarity of mafia tropes dulls the narrative. Yet, for those seeking a poignant exploration of resilience amidst tragedy, this novel is a compelling and thought-provoking read.

I mostly enjoyed the story, overall. I was surprised that it kept my attention the entire time as the beginning was a bit off to me for some reason. Then we get to the ending, which in my opinion - was super rushed.

Knowing where it was going from a mile off, I was not surprised with the outcome, the ending was anti-climactic because this was written with a Part II in mind.

The point of view changes made me remove a star as it was inconsistent, and I really don't think they were necessary.

Will I read Part II - nope, the character build didn't pull me in that much - so I won't lose any sleep not knowing what is going to happen next (that and I feel I already know....)