Beatrice wasn’t sure what to expect when she was called to meet with her reclusive boss. What she didn’t expect was for him to propose a marriage of convenience.
Alexander is bound by a curse that is sure to ruin his life, but he cannot speak a word of it. The only chance he has of escaping is to get married… and fast.
But will convenience turn to more as Beatrice and Alexander find themselves trying to break a curse… perhaps with the help of a dragon, some patience, and a little bit of magic.
⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5 stars)
Honestly, this was adorable. I keep talking about finding my new favorite Beauty and the Beast retelling, but this time, I think I actually found it. I can’t decide if it’s a four and a half or a five star… that was just so precious. The cover does not lie, everyone. It is just as cute as it looks.
These characters were fantastic. Truly. Alexander wasn’t a beast at all– instead, he was actually a really nice and respectful introvert that had become a recluse because of things having to do with his curse. And, Beatrice… she was a very nice character to read. I didn’t feel like she did silly things for no reason, and I felt like she actually looked at things in a pretty logical way, but we also got to see her emotions, which added a lot of depth to the story.
And, without giving spoilers, let me just say that Rose… yes. I was so on board.
This was the most original Beauty and the Beast relationship I’d ever seen. It was kind of a workplace romance meets friends-to-more meets marriage of convenience. And, honestly, it was really fun. I loved their awkward cute moments together, and as they came together. There were a few parts of the story that made me concerned about silly misunderstandings, but it all worked out in a way I really liked.
All in all, it was a really fun time. I liked the different elements of the story, and how the author wove them all together. The main characters were definitely favorites, and I loved the side characters. There were a couple of great humorous scenes that made me giggle, which is actually a rare occurrence when reading.
As far as content goes, I would say it was very clean, but there was some magic. I feel like this is especially important to note because the first book in the series, Once Upon an Apple had no fantasy element. However, in this one, there is a sorcerer who has placed our male lead under a curse, and he can’t tell anyone about it as part of the curse. There is also a shape-shifting animal, and a character who can make potions and studies magic as an apprentice– however, it didn’t make me feel personally uncomfortable, and I appreciated the way the author dealt with it. In this country, magic is illegal. Anyway, that can change the recommended reader based on how the reader feels about magic in stories.
I greatly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it.
If you’re looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling with cozy fantasy, then give this one a try. It was an excellent time, and I enjoyed it wholeheartedly. I definitely feel like this story deserves to be talked about. It does connect to the prior book of the series (Once Upon an Apple) , but the story was very independent, so if you wanted to read this one first, I think you could.
Now, if I’ve sufficiently fangirled about this story, then I will move on to my…
EMOJI REVIEW!
- 🥀 beauty and the beast retelling
- ❄ winter snowy cozy fantasy
- 👰♀ marriage of convenience
- 🐉 a pet baby dragon
- 🧙 he lives under a curse, but can tell no one
- 📚 she’s a librarian!
I hope you enjoyed this review, and that if it interested you, you’ll check out this book. It was definitely a fun time, and I’m so glad I decided to give it a try. Thanks for being here. What’s your favorite Beauty and the Beast story? What’s a book that you’ve enjoyed reading recently? Let’s chat!!!
keira anne with an e 
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