They say Château Beaumont is cursed. But servant-girl Lucie can’t believe such foolishness about handsome Jean-Loup Christian Henri LeNoir, Chevalier de Beaumont, master of the estate. But when the chevalier's cruelty is revealed, Lucie vows to see him suffer. A wisewoman grants her wish, with a spell that transforms Jean-Loup into monstrous-looking Beast, reflecting the monster he is inside.

But Beast is nothing like the chevalier. Jean-Loup would never patiently tend his roses; Jean-Loup would never attempt poetry; Jean-Loup would never express remorse for the wrong done to Lucie. Gradually, Lucie realizes that Beast is an entirely different creature from the handsome chevalier, with a heart more human than Jean-Loup’s ever was. Lucie dares to hope that noble Beast has permanently replaced the cruel Jean-Loup — until an innocent beauty arrives at Beast’s château with the power to break the spell.- Goodreads

This book has been on my tbr 2018 edition since I heard about it last year. So when I got approved for an arc via Netgalley, I put everything down to take a stab at it. 

Man, was I disappointed. 

About 30% through the book, I couldn't stand Lucie's voice anymore. I understand her revenge and her wanting to see how the revenge plays out. I even understand her slight mercy. But she has this tone that becomes redundant. When she sees the beast changing and becoming the "person" she hoped the Chevalier would have been, she fights with herself to stay mad, to stay hateful. After what he did, it shouldn't take a whole lot to state in hate mode. I actually was surprised by the change of heart. Yes, they were technically two different people but how Lucie was able to look at the beast and not remember what he has a human had done.... I have no idea. 

The book moves fast enough. It doesn't take a lot of time for you to see his transformation to a beast and to a likeable beast. The story begins off one way but then you're literally disguised how quickly it turns left. The author wrote a very intense scene, that I had to put the book down for a moment to regain my composure. This is why I didn't understand how Lucie was able to jump ship. 

But what I really enjoyed about this book was how the author spun this retelling. The point of view, Lucie, is completely different from what I have read. She is literally the third party to the classic fairy tale and it was interesting to see her point of view. However, for a story about revenge, there wasn't enough intensity and anger that I had hoped for. 

Overall, this wasn't a bad read but it could have better. 

2 Pickles

DNF.

I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book! The cover is gorgeous and the synopsis sounded really interesting. Unfortunately there's a brutal rape near the beginning of the story and even though I read several more chapters after the event I couldn't get beyond it and have decided not to continue with the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Just within 20 pages I could kind of tell where this story was heading and my anxiety was through the roof. Around page 40ish theres a brutal rape scene. I realized that this book just wasn't for me. I didn't like the idea of it after that beginning and I tried to keep an open mind for the rest of this story but I couldn't. Though I have to say, the writing was really well done and the story certainly was a different take on the beauty and the beast, which is why I had originally picked it. I know Jean-Loup and the beast were suppose to be two different characters. That was the point, that he know longer was this evil person, but I think I would have liked it better if they had been different people and not someone who had been transformed. I'm sure some people will really love this book, or some people will feel like I did.

To be reviewed via video nearer the release date. General tone of review is very mixed, with many reservations on tone and handling of subject matter, voice, and general plot. Will send a link through when the review is uploaded