Cinderella Sisterhood #4
“And be forewarned, Aylwin can be a difficult man. Some have even called him a beast.”
Clarissa, the Countess of Milford
Another Beauty and the Beast retelling has found it’s way to my bookshelf. I’m a sucker for this type of book, but Bella and the Beast is an excellent addition to the collection. Bella and Miles are an engaging take on the fish out of water heroine and disfigured hero coming together to find love.
Bella is a spunky heroine that is willing to go toe to toe with those who look down on her. Being raised outside of England, she doesn’t fit easily into society, especially when her trusty dagger makes an appearance. The cryptic last words from her father lead her to Miles’ home in London.
Miles is not physically disfigured but does carry emotional scars. Rising to the rank of Duke at thirteen, he has spent his life caring for his father’s collection of artifacts from Egypt. His anti-social outlook puts him at odds with others, especially his cousin and his wife.
Miles’ cousin, Oscar, leads the crew of supporting characters that gleefully rotate through the story. Servants, mischievous matchmakers, siblings, and more flesh out the cast of characters. Each has a distinct feel and makes the story feel well lived.
The story has a good pace as Miles and Bella dance around each other, trying to learn what happened to their families in Egypt and grow closer to each other.
Despite how much I liked the book, there are still a few nagging issues that I did not enjoy.
First, the set of enchanted Garnet slippers that Bella runs around in are never really explained other than that they would only fit “a girl worthy of true love.” These are a link to the other books in the Cinderella Sisterhood books. I don’t know if they are explained in any of the other books because I have not read them. So, are they enchanted and do something, or are they just pretty? I don’t know.
Secondly, this book falls prey to the trope of “Lust at First Sight.” I don’t mind attraction at first sight. But, it is always awkward and somewhat creepy when the hero immediately starts to fantasize about getting under the heroine’s skirts when they’ve just met.
Overall, I enjoyed Bella and the Beast and will look for other Olivia Drake books if I see them at my favorite book stores.
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