Falling for the Beast by Victorine E. Lieske

Title: Falling for the Beast
Author: Victorine E. Lieske
Genre: Retelling, Romance, Fairy Tale
Publication: March 10, 2017

Source: NetGalley

My Rating: 4/5

Aribelle is backed into the position of cleaning house for the horrible Mr. Thaddeus Walker. Not only is he rude, he's dangerously secretive, going out at night and coming home with injuries which seem to heal mysteriously fast. She should be keeping her distance, not trying to break down his barriers. But the more she uncovers, the more attracted she becomes until the cost of exposing his secrets fades behind the risk of losing her heart.

Thaddeus knows he should have sent the girl away instead of allowing her into his home. Now she’s asking questions he can’t answer. And the more time they spend together, the more he wishes he could pull her close and kiss her. But he can’t afford to do that. Beautiful Aribelle could never love a beast.

Falling for the Beast is a sweet romance.

The Mad Countess by Erica Monroe

Title: The Mad Countess (Darkest Regency #1)

Author: Erica Monroe
Publisher: Quillfire Publishing

Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Publication: March 21, 2017

My Rating: 4/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

When two best friends become lovers, their scandalous path to happily ever after is fraught with danger in this emotional, Gothic novella from USA Today Bestselling Author Erica Monroe.

Theodore Lockwood, Earl of Ashbrooke, has been in love with his best friend, Lady Claire Deering, for as long as he can remember. Claire too harbors a secret desire for him--but a witch cursed her family with madness, and she's terrified she'll only hurt him if they act on their feelings. When a will reading at a mysterious castle in Cornwall brings them both together on All Hallows Eve, they'll work to break her family's curse...and find true love.

Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter

Title: Beauty of the Beast (Fairy Tale Retellings #1)

Author: Rachel L. Demeter

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Retelling, Fairy Tale

Publication: March 15, 2017

My Rating: 5/5

Source: NetGalley

Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.

A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more… 

Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty of the Beast brings a familiar and well-loved fairy tale to life with a rich setting in the kingdom of Demrov and a captivating, Gothic voice.

Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux

Title: Life of the Edge (Edge #1)

Author: Jennifer Comeaux
Publisher: Astraea Press

Genre: Sports, Romance, Contemporary

Publication: January 3, 2012

My Rating: 3/5

Source: NetGalley

Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream-to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.

Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily's dreams of gold.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Image Source

I can't believe this movie is finally here!! Seems like it was ages ago that it was announced, and I've been eagerly waiting ever since!

Manga Classics: Jane Eyre by Stacy King, Charlotte Brontë

Title: Manga Classics: Jane Eyre

Author: Stacy King, SunNeko Lee, Crystal S. Chan, Charlotte Brontë
Publisher: Udon Entertainment & Morpheus Studios

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publication: November 15, 2016

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

As an orphaned child, Jane Eyre is first cruelly abused by her aunt, then cast out and sent to a charity school. Though she meets with further abuse, she receives an education, and eventually takes a job as a governess at the estate of Edward Rochester. Jane and Rochester begin to bond, but his dark moods trouble her. When Jane uncovers the terrible secret Rochester has been hiding, she flees and finds temporary refuge at the home of St. John Rivers.

Fully unabridged adaptation of the original Bronte classic. Universally appealing manga format brings new meaning and context to the story. Manga Classics on-going series of classic adaptations.

Forbidden by Katrina Snow

Title: Forbidden (A Zafarian Novel #1)

Author: Katrina Snow
Publisher: KL Andersen

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Publication: November 7, 2015

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Lady Katherine Durant has perfected the art of hiding her Gifts—a valuable skill in a land where any hint of sorcery could lead to the burning stake. But, hiding her Gifts isn’t the same as not using them, and that troublesome difference has led to capture each time she’s run from her uncle.

Now, using a newly-discovered spell, she binds her powers and flees again—this time for her life. Unfortunately, her plan to hide as a maid in a distant kingdom goes awry when she unwittingly gets entered into a festival competition for the hand of a prince—a man with a wicked kiss and a sense of adventure that rivals her own.

All she’s ever hoped for is a quiet existence as a servant, never imagining she could find laughter and belonging and love. And now the mischievous prince has her dreaming of all those things.

With a bounty on her head, sorcerers closing in, and a prince threatening to steal her heart, could it finally be time to stop running? Time to trust? Time to love?

To Win a Viscount by Frances Fowlkes

Title: To Win a Viscount

Author: Frances Fowlkes
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Scandalous)

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publication: July 25, 2016

My Rating: DNF (41%)

Source: Author's Publicist

England, 1820. To gain a certain marquess’s notice, Lady Albina Beauchamp aims to win the derby. What she hadn’t planned for is the price handsome Mr. Edmund White asks in payment to train her to race: each lesson for a kiss.

A first place finish isn't the only thing worth racing for.

Lady Albina Beauchamp is in love with the Marquess of Satterfield. Unfortunately, his only interest is in horses, and doesn’t know she exists. But when the marquess confesses he will bestow his undying admiration on the jockey racing the winning horse at Emberton Derby, Albina sets out to win his affections by training to race.

Mr. Edmund White is a master groomsmen for the Earl of Amhurst in line for a viscountcy, should he abandon his passion for horses and become a respectable sheep owner. But horses are his love--until he meets Lady Albina and her silly notions of racing. When she affirms she will enter the derby with or without his assistance, Edmund not only instructs his student in racing, but seduction as well.

For Albina, a first place finish isn’t the only thing at stake. She must decide whether to take her place in society...or follow her heart and love a groom.

The Christmas Project by Maxine Morrey

Title: The Christmas Project

Author: Maxine Morrey
Publisher: Harper Collins UK

Genre: Holiday, Romance

Publication: November 14, 2016

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Professional organiser Kate Stone has never – NEVER – been tempted to hit a client over the head with a snow shovel, but Michael O'Farrell is the most obnoxious – and heart-stoppingly gorgeous – man she has ever met. If he weren't her best friend’s brother, she would not have waited on his doorstep in the freezing cold for five minutes, let alone an hour.

Kate knows, however, that her job isn’t just about tidying up, sometimes she needs to be part therapist too, and Michael clearly needs her help to declutter his heart as well as his home.

But with the festive season just around the corner there isn’t much time to get Michael’s house ready for the O’Farrell family celebrations, but everyone knows that at Christmas anything can happen…

Tainted Bride by A.S. Fenichel

Title: Tainted Bride (Forever Brides #1)

Author: A.S. Fenichel
Publisher: Lyrical Press

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publication: September 27, 2016

My Rating: 3.5/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Only trust can save her….

Sailing to London, Sophia Braighton only hopes to escape certain ruin. But when she arrives, her Great Aunt Daphne has other plans for the American-born beauty. Determined to marry off her niece to a man of means, she propels Sophia into London society, not knowing that the young woman’s trust in men is shattered. In fact, Sophia never expects to ever feel anything for a man. Then again, she never expects to find herself in the company of the dashing earl of Marlton….

From the moment he sees Sophia, Daniel Fallon feels alive in a way he has not since his broken engagement. Though the vulnerable beauty shies from the passion burning bright between them, Daniel is determined to court her and make her his bride. And when he learns of the painful secret she harbors, he is equally determined to take revenge on the man responsible. But will the quest destroy him—and his future with his beloved?

Children of the Veil by Colleen Halverson Book Tour + Review

A Duke to Remember by Kelly Bowen

Title: A Duke to Remember (Season for Scandal #2)

Author: Kelly Bowen
Publisher: Forever

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Regency

Publication: July 26, 2016

My Rating: 3/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Love takes the stage...

Elise DeVries is not what she seems. By night, the actress captivates London theatergoers with her chameleon-like ability to slip inside her characters. By day, she uses her mastery of disguise to work undercover for Chegarre & Associates, an elite agency known for its discreet handling of indelicate scandals. But when Elise is tasked with locating the missing Duke of Ashland, she finds herself center stage in a real-life drama.

Noah Ellery left the glamour of the London aristocracy to pursue a simpler life in the country. He's managed to avoid any complications or entanglements—that is, until he lays eyes on Elise and realizes there's more to this beautiful woman than meets the eye. But when Elise reveals her real identity—and her true feelings for him—the runaway duke must confront the past he left behind . . . to keep the woman he loves forever.

My Fair Princess by Vanessa Kelly

Title: My Fair Princess (The Improper Princesses #1)

Author: Vanessa Kelly
Publisher: Kensington Books / Zebra

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Regency

Publication: August 30, 2016

My Rating: 4/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Despite being the illegitimate daughter of a prince, Gillian Dryden is happily ignorant of all social graces. After growing up wild in Italy, Gillian has been ordered home to England to find a suitable husband. And Charles Valentine Penley, the excessively proper, distractingly handsome Duke of Leverton, has agreed to help transform her from a willful tomboy to a blushing debutante.

Powerful and sophisticated, Charles can make or break reputations with a well-placed word. But his new protégée, with her habit of hunting bandits and punching earls, is a walking scandal. The ton is aghast . . . but Charles is thoroughly intrigued. Tasked with taking the hoyden in hand, he longs to take her in his arms instead. Can such an outrageous attraction possibly lead to a fairytale ending?

Royal Enchantment by Lia Davis

Title: Royal Enchantment (Skeleton Key)

Author: Lia Davis
Publisher: Barclay Publicity / After Glows

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Publication: June 15, 2016

My Rating: 2/5

Source: Publisher on NetGalley

Skeleton Key Book Series
One Skeleton Key. Endless Adventures.

Ava Green has made a name for herself in the real estate world by reconditioning old, historical homes with her partner and friend Jeff. But her newest project, a three-story Victorian in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, promises to be her biggest moneymaker yet. And one she’s undertaking on her own. During her first walk-through of the house, however, she discovers a locked door, and a skeleton key that seems to appear out of nowhere. Unlocking the door, she is transported to a mystical world of fae and mythickal creatures and meets the King of the Morna. The sovereign of the Dark Elves.

King Finn Sylcan has searched for the one who can bring the magick back to his world, Edra, for eons. An old prophecy told of a female of both Dark and Light elven descent, a hybrid both Calim and Morna. It is said she is the only one who can repair the damage the war between the Dark and Light kingdoms caused. But after searching for so long, Finn never dreamed that she’d just show up outside his palace walls. Or that she’d be his mate.

Portrait of Passion by Lynne Barron

Title: Portrait of Passion (Idyllwild #1)

Author: Lynne Barron

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publication: August 30, 2013

My Rating: 4/5

Source: Author's publicist

What’s a gentleman to do when a mysterious lady with a secret past and a reputation frayed around the edges suddenly appears in London in pursuit of his naive young cousin, setting the gossips’ tongues wagging, stirring his family into pandemonium, and driving him mad with her irreverent ways? If the gentleman in question is Simon Carlisle, Viscount Easton, the answer is quite simple. Seduce the beguiling lady. But Miss Beatrice Morgan isn’t your average tarnished lady. She’s lived a slapdash life wandering the globe like a gypsy, painting fantastical portraits of duchesses and landscapes featuring a crumbling old fountain, all the while harboring a secret desire to return to the only home she’s ever known. Will Beatrice sacrifice her honor, her virtue, her very heart to reclaim Idyllwild?

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Title: The Duchess War (Brothers Sinister #1)

Author: Courtney Milan

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Victorian

Publication: March 15, 2016

My Rating: 4/5

Sometimes love is an accident.

This time, it’s a strategy.

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly--so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don't get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he's up to, he realizes there is more to than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he's determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match...

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2)

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Action, Romance, Retelling, Mythology

Publication: May 3, 2016

My Rating: 5/5

Feyre survived Amarantha's clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can't forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

With more than a million copies sold of her beloved Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her seductive and action-packed series to new heights.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe #1)

Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Romance, Retelling, Mythology

Publication: January 1, 2014

My Rating: 3.5/5

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1)

Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Action, Romance, Retelling

Publication: May 5, 2015

My Rating: 5/5

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it... or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristin Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Lord Haven's Deception by Donna Lea Simpson

Title: Lord Haven's Deception

Author: Donna Lea Simpson

Genre: Historical Fiction, Regency, Romance

Publication: March 08, 2016

My Rating: 3/5

Source: NetGalley

Jane Dresden has no patience for the merciless gossip of the ton or the handy hypocrisy of the nobility, and now that her mother has arranged for her to marry the supposedly cruel Viscount Haven, she fears for her future happiness. In an effort to appease her mother and also put an end to her matchmaking, Jane agrees to meet the man, but in a fit of panic runs from the engagement and takes refuge in a country cottage, disguised as a maid. There she meets a kind and comforting local farmer who shares her taste for simplicity and quickly captures her heart.

Lord Haven had long ago resigned himself to the unpleasant duties of his title and accepted the hard truth that taking a wife and producing an heir was among them—though he shudders at the prospect of spending his life with the charmless woman his mother has arranged for him to wed. Wishing to delay their formal meeting until the last possible moment, he shrugs off his stifling attire and escapes to his favorite sanctuary, a simple cottage on his grand estate. There he meets a caring and captivating maid who steals his heart, and in the guise of a common farmer he proceeds to court her, fearing all the while that his ruse will be discovered.

As the two struggle with the implications of their deceit and the shattering knowledge that revealing their true identities will doom their blossoming bond, each is forced to choose between duty and heartfelt desire, never suspecting that their fated match holds the key to a true and lasting love.