***ARC Review***
This is my honest review for the ARC I received.
Ok. Let’s start with the fact that Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite stories ever! So when I found out that this book was a reimagined version of that, I simply had to read it. And RS McKenzie (AKA Rosyln Faulk) delivers!
Side note: one of the things I love about RS McKenzie is that she always features BIPOC characters in her novels. This novel continues that trend with a biracial protagonist and I couldn’t be happier! (Read: I’m biracial).
Abel is sassy and snarky, but super sweet and compassionate. He’s kind to everyone he meets, excluding Savage at first, because well, Savage is rude. Abel stands up for himself and others. He’s a stellar person to have in your corner. Savage (real name Joseph) is a beast because he has to be. It’s part of being a made man. You can’t really be soft and be the head of a crime family. Savage has a small group he considers to be his family. Everyone else is replaceable.
Abel’s parents are dead. Abel’s brother Cris has taken care of him since he was eight years old, and never lets him forget it. Cris is a thief. It’s the catalyst that sets things in motion for Abel and Savage to meet. Abel offers himself up for a year (with a twist because this is a romance novel after all) to trade places with his brother. Savage and Abel work well together physically. It’s the emotional and conversational stuff that they need to work on, but they get there.
Savage has scars from a precious accident. I appreciated that Abel never once judged Savage for his scars. He’s more focused on how Savage treats people than on how he looks. Savage has been burned in the past by a lover saying rude things about his scars, and it takes him a while to trust and believe that Abel is really attracted to him.
One thing I absolutely loved about this reimagined tale is the way McKenzie tackles the magic mirror. She turns it into a mirror that’s a treasured item of Abel’s (it’s something from his mom) and wields it as a way for Savage to say daily affirmations. Abel puts him up to it. That’s right, the beast in this tale says daily affirmations! I know some people may want their mafia man more viscous, but I couldn’t be more here for that if I tried.
There’s some good dialogue in this book. Quin, Michael, Janet, Adam, and Damon do a nice job rounding out the cast of characters. I’d even add Paddy into that mix. Puppy Pogo is a delight too.
This book has everything! Action, age gap romance, size difference, savagery, gentleness, forced proximity, first times, kink, heart, heat, and some humor as well. It’s a captivating read. I loved the natural progression of the MCs emotional attachment to one another. Their chemistry is ridiculously hot. The trust they develop between one another is well paced. I like how the MCs were able to figure out how to avoid Savage’s enemies and be together. The epilogue was great. It really is an engaging read. You should definitely check it out! I’m looking forward to Quin’s story next!
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Popular Highlights in this book
He must have suffered terribly, but it’s not the scars that give me pause. It’s his eyes. They’re cold, dark, and empty, like there’s just a black abyss behind the irises. What has he gone through to make him like this?Highlighted by 108 Kindle readers- “Why are you staring?” His eyebrows shoot to his hairline, and it’s almost comical. I don’t think anyone has surprised him in a long time.Highlighted by 98 Kindle readers
- He’s not trying to protect me. He wants the money. He thinks if I’m paid, I’ll give the money to him, because I owe him from since I was eight ‘til now and because that’s what I usually do.Highlighted by 93 Kindle readers
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Top reviews from other countries
- Penny Ellen (book.nerd.magic)Reviewed in Australia on March 22, 2023
enjoyable
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Angel13Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2024
Brilliant read
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - Brie DoyleReviewed in Canada on March 21, 2023
5 stars for Beauty and the Beast with a sexy, dark twist!
Format: KindleVerified Purchase - YvonneReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2025
Enjoyed the retelling
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
