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To Heal a Broken Heart: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling
Love is not a fairytale.
Anelise is a romantic young lady who wants nothing more than a loving, faithful marriage, and she knows she has found her prince. Or, rather, her wizard. Her childhood friend Lucien is young, handsome, and shows promise as he trains to become the next Royal Enchanter. But when he breaks her heart in a shocking betrayal, Anelise’s entire perception of love — and the trustworthiness of men — is utterly shattered.
Months later, when Anelise is blackmailed into an engagement to a man who cares for monogamy as little as the dust on his boot, at first she falls into despair. But then she realizes the one thing that can save her heart: a love potion.
To her surprise, all the nearby wizards refuse to make it, and Anelise is reduced to seek help from the very man who hurt her the most.
But when she knocks on Lucien’s tower door, the masked wizard who answers it seems quite different from the boy she knew before.
Lucien is shocked to see Anelise at his door. Although it is the last thing he wants to do, Lucien knows that creating this love potion for her is the only chance he has at proving that he has changed… Until he realizes the disastrous reality that awaits her if she drinks it.
To Heal a Broken Heart is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!
Anelise is a romantic young lady who wants nothing more than a loving, faithful marriage, and she knows she has found her prince. Or, rather, her wizard. Her childhood friend Lucien is young, handsome, and shows promise as he trains to become the next Royal Enchanter. But when he breaks her heart in a shocking betrayal, Anelise’s entire perception of love — and the trustworthiness of men — is utterly shattered.
Months later, when Anelise is blackmailed into an engagement to a man who cares for monogamy as little as the dust on his boot, at first she falls into despair. But then she realizes the one thing that can save her heart: a love potion.
To her surprise, all the nearby wizards refuse to make it, and Anelise is reduced to seek help from the very man who hurt her the most.
But when she knocks on Lucien’s tower door, the masked wizard who answers it seems quite different from the boy she knew before.
Lucien is shocked to see Anelise at his door. Although it is the last thing he wants to do, Lucien knows that creating this love potion for her is the only chance he has at proving that he has changed… Until he realizes the disastrous reality that awaits her if she drinks it.
To Heal a Broken Heart is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!
144 pages, Paperback
Published November 10, 2023
2 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 13, 2023
Managing expectations is really important when it comes to reading. When people expect a certain story and get something else, they might not like it. I really appreciated therefore the author's note at the beginning of the story and could start this arc knowing that it was probably not gonna be a typical romantic fairytale retelling.
What I really loved about this story is how the elements of the original Beauty and the Beast story were very clearly used and recognizable, but were also used in an original and surprising way. I don't want to give away too much of course, but I really liked how the magical rose was incorporated in this story and I loved the father of the heroine.
I also liked that this world was magical, there were enchanters, there were potions, there were challenges to get ingredients, and yet the characters in this world were not so different from the people in our world. Which means that their issues, although theirs maybe took a slightly extreme form, were also very similar to ours and therefore very relatable.
I was also very pleased to see that this story allows characters to mess up and make mistakes, within certain limits of course. I like how the characters get the chance to learn and grow and make up for mistakes. This book contains a lovely redemption arc and, although I certainly think the book could have been a little longer and a little deeper, I therefore closed the book with a nice and warm feeling.
What I really loved about this story is how the elements of the original Beauty and the Beast story were very clearly used and recognizable, but were also used in an original and surprising way. I don't want to give away too much of course, but I really liked how the magical rose was incorporated in this story and I loved the father of the heroine.
I also liked that this world was magical, there were enchanters, there were potions, there were challenges to get ingredients, and yet the characters in this world were not so different from the people in our world. Which means that their issues, although theirs maybe took a slightly extreme form, were also very similar to ours and therefore very relatable.
I was also very pleased to see that this story allows characters to mess up and make mistakes, within certain limits of course. I like how the characters get the chance to learn and grow and make up for mistakes. This book contains a lovely redemption arc and, although I certainly think the book could have been a little longer and a little deeper, I therefore closed the book with a nice and warm feeling.
December 11, 2023
This was a cute retelling, I think. I am trying to decide how I feel about the implied message that it's okay to forgive cheaters and that it's in men's nature to cheat so we should forgive them for it.
This book gets points for originality. It loses points for Cassius saying that it's in men's nature to cheat so women should just expect it and Adralina (or whatever her name is IDK) should choose him over Lucien because at least Cassius will be upfront with her about that fact that he's having multiple affairs. It gets points for a snake beast, since they're normally some wolf/bear/lion hybrid. It loses points because I don't think it's ever explained how Lucien managed to cast such a powerful curse on himself without him knowing. It loses points because the FMC repeatedly chooses Cassius over Lucien despite Cassius's explicit harm that he causes her. It gets points for the monologue in the middle about love being a choice and that to love someone is to choose them everyday. It loses points because the book seems to imply that we should give cheaters a second chance. It loses points because the justification for Lucien cheating is that he was jealous of Cassius's ability to seduce any woman.
Also, like no one seems to question that Lucien just frickin turned Cassius into an actual SNAKE at the end of the book? They're all like, "aight bet, now that he's taken care of let's party." SURELY there's laws about how to use magic (perhaps even outlawing the use of transformative magic!) and SURELY at least one person would be upset that Cassius is literally a reptile now (his mom was there at least?!)?
You know what, maybe I should just lower my rating of this book.
This book gets points for originality. It loses points for Cassius saying that it's in men's nature to cheat so women should just expect it and Adralina (or whatever her name is IDK) should choose him over Lucien because at least Cassius will be upfront with her about that fact that he's having multiple affairs. It gets points for a snake beast, since they're normally some wolf/bear/lion hybrid. It loses points because I don't think it's ever explained how Lucien managed to cast such a powerful curse on himself without him knowing. It loses points because the FMC repeatedly chooses Cassius over Lucien despite Cassius's explicit harm that he causes her. It gets points for the monologue in the middle about love being a choice and that to love someone is to choose them everyday. It loses points because the book seems to imply that we should give cheaters a second chance. It loses points because the justification for Lucien cheating is that he was jealous of Cassius's ability to seduce any woman.
Also, like no one seems to question that Lucien just frickin turned Cassius into an actual SNAKE at the end of the book? They're all like, "aight bet, now that he's taken care of let's party." SURELY there's laws about how to use magic (perhaps even outlawing the use of transformative magic!) and SURELY at least one person would be upset that Cassius is literally a reptile now (his mom was there at least?!)?
You know what, maybe I should just lower my rating of this book.
November 14, 2023
This book was given to me by the author as an ARC. That being said, the following review is written of my own opinions and thoughts.
Sweet goodness this retelling was unhinged!
I’ve read a few different Beauty and the Beast retellings and NEVER have I read one that left me feeling the way I felt when I finished this book!
That being said, I do have a few critiques on some of the other more structural things-such as the pacing in the last third of the book (but seeing reviews from other ARC readers, it was nice to know I wasn’t the only one).
LEMME TELL YOU WHY THE PACING WAS OFF
Aveline Brooke wrote this book, did all the work to get it ready for publication and then scrapped it because she said it didn’t feel right and as a writer I have the utmost respect for that. In light of all that, the book we got was written with far less time than what would have typically been expected from any author so of course some of the fine details are a little bumpy! Regardless, I was so invested in Analise and her arc during that I devoured this book!
Now to my fave part of book reviewing; my fave quotes from the book and there are quite a few this time:
“There are no good men in the world. All it took was one man to show me that none could be trusted.”
“Perhaps I had generalized too broadly. Men could be good, in the general sense of the term.”
“There are many cruelties, pains, and sufferings in the world, but heartbreak is one pain I would not wish upon even my worst enemy. Except, of course, for the man who had broken mine. But even then, when fantasizing about this in my darker moments, I would catch myself wondering whether that would really make me feel any better.”
“The world of love is heartless, but we are drawn to it like moths to a flame. Ah, if only avoiding all the heartache that men bring was as simple as drinking a bit of broth. I’m so sorry, dear.”
“something in the air between us that had changed. Because we had changed. We had, hadn’t we? Both of us?”
“The last time I trusted REDACTED, I ended up broken. Was I about to do that to myself again—literally?”
“In fact, she distrusted him so much that she would knowingly marry an unfaithful man rather than risk him breaking her heart again.”
Tropes:
Second Chance Romance (and normally I HATE these, but this one was SO GOOD)
Love Triangle
Marriage of Convenience (almost)
Hidden Identity
Dangerous Magic
Sweet goodness this retelling was unhinged!
I’ve read a few different Beauty and the Beast retellings and NEVER have I read one that left me feeling the way I felt when I finished this book!
That being said, I do have a few critiques on some of the other more structural things-such as the pacing in the last third of the book (but seeing reviews from other ARC readers, it was nice to know I wasn’t the only one).
LEMME TELL YOU WHY THE PACING WAS OFF
Aveline Brooke wrote this book, did all the work to get it ready for publication and then scrapped it because she said it didn’t feel right and as a writer I have the utmost respect for that. In light of all that, the book we got was written with far less time than what would have typically been expected from any author so of course some of the fine details are a little bumpy! Regardless, I was so invested in Analise and her arc during that I devoured this book!
Now to my fave part of book reviewing; my fave quotes from the book and there are quite a few this time:
“There are no good men in the world. All it took was one man to show me that none could be trusted.”
“Perhaps I had generalized too broadly. Men could be good, in the general sense of the term.”
“There are many cruelties, pains, and sufferings in the world, but heartbreak is one pain I would not wish upon even my worst enemy. Except, of course, for the man who had broken mine. But even then, when fantasizing about this in my darker moments, I would catch myself wondering whether that would really make me feel any better.”
“The world of love is heartless, but we are drawn to it like moths to a flame. Ah, if only avoiding all the heartache that men bring was as simple as drinking a bit of broth. I’m so sorry, dear.”
“something in the air between us that had changed. Because we had changed. We had, hadn’t we? Both of us?”
“The last time I trusted REDACTED, I ended up broken. Was I about to do that to myself again—literally?”
“In fact, she distrusted him so much that she would knowingly marry an unfaithful man rather than risk him breaking her heart again.”
Tropes:
Second Chance Romance (and normally I HATE these, but this one was SO GOOD)
Love Triangle
Marriage of Convenience (almost)
Hidden Identity
Dangerous Magic
November 20, 2023
Anelise is an ABSOLUTE IDIOT. I was already biased not to like her because the opening line of this book claims that literally all men are awful and cannot be trusted, but then it's revealed that she's only dated one guy. So she's already an overdramatic person, but it gets worse. At one point in the novel she has the choice between dude that looks like a literal snake and cheated on her earlier versus bully who has always been awful to her and is now blackmailing her into marriage. She chooses blackmailing dickbag and then spends the next chapter wondering why snakeman isn't coming to rescue her. Like, you CHOSE. You chose the guy who is taking your choices away from you and then you wonder why the other guy isn't going against your wishes and taking your choices away from you? Wtf.
I hoped she would grow backbone and ditch both of them, but alas. At one point she even asks blackmailing man if snakeman could ever love her. Like, why would she even think he would answer that in a way that would be helpful? Because she's stupid.
I hoped she would grow backbone and ditch both of them, but alas. At one point she even asks blackmailing man if snakeman could ever love her. Like, why would she even think he would answer that in a way that would be helpful? Because she's stupid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2023
I enjoyed this retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It had its own unique differences, and some similarities to the original story. I just wish it was a little longer! That's my only issue with novelas. 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 3, 2023
A emotional retelling of Beauty and the Beast, To Heal a Broken Heart is a fantasy novella in the Shattered Tales series. Anelise is a romantic young lady who wants nothing more than a loving, faithful marriage and she knows she has found her prince. Her childhood friend Lucien is young, handsome, and shows promise as he trains to become the next Royal Enchanter. But when he breaks her heart in a shocking betrayal, her perception of love and the trustworthiness of men is shattered. Later, blackmailed into an engagement to a man who cares little for monogamy, Anelise falls into despair. She realizes that the only way to save her heart is a love potion. But all the nearby wizards refuse to make it, so she is forced to seek help from the very one who hurt her most. When she knocks on Lucien’s tower door, the masked wizard who answers seems quite different from the boy she knew before. Lucien is shocked to see Anelise at his door, but realizes that creating this love potion is the only chance to prove he has changed. Then he realizes the disastrous reality that awaits her if she drinks it.
Wow! What a roller-coaster of a book! I really felt for Anelise. She was truly shattered over the betrayal in her life and left her with seemingly no choices. You could really feel her turmoil in her POV and it colored her decisions. Sometimes that made her choices feel irrational to me, but it made sense for her. She had a lot to work through and I enjoyed watching her growth. She had to rediscover what she wanted for her life and what she would need to let go of to find it, even if it meant letting go of her defenses. Lucien also had a lot to learn and to recover from. He was still dealing with his past and what it meant to find redemption. Both of them were finding healing.
As someone who is less of an emotional person, the characters definitely felt very emotional. While I felt for them, I had a hard time relating to them.
This was an enveloping fantasy romance inspired by Beauty and the Beast. I loved the spin that Ms. Brooke put on the fairytale. You can definitely see the elements, but it is a unique story in itself. It has some darker elements, like infidelity and blackmail, but overall is clean. I would recommend it to teens and up.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
Wow! What a roller-coaster of a book! I really felt for Anelise. She was truly shattered over the betrayal in her life and left her with seemingly no choices. You could really feel her turmoil in her POV and it colored her decisions. Sometimes that made her choices feel irrational to me, but it made sense for her. She had a lot to work through and I enjoyed watching her growth. She had to rediscover what she wanted for her life and what she would need to let go of to find it, even if it meant letting go of her defenses. Lucien also had a lot to learn and to recover from. He was still dealing with his past and what it meant to find redemption. Both of them were finding healing.
As someone who is less of an emotional person, the characters definitely felt very emotional. While I felt for them, I had a hard time relating to them.
This was an enveloping fantasy romance inspired by Beauty and the Beast. I loved the spin that Ms. Brooke put on the fairytale. You can definitely see the elements, but it is a unique story in itself. It has some darker elements, like infidelity and blackmail, but overall is clean. I would recommend it to teens and up.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
December 1, 2023
A highly original, emotionally charged Beauty and the Beast retelling that brought the action down to a close, intimate exploration of the characters' thoughts and feelings. I've been eagerly anticipating reading Aveline's work for a while now, and her debut did not disappoint! I look forward to reading more from this author.
December 2, 2023
A fun retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. This was short and sweet. I was hooked from the beginning. There are a lot of emotions throughout the book from Anelise and suspense to keep you turning the pages. Also this cover is gorgeous!
I was given a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review. These are my own honest thoughts.
I was given a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a review. These are my own honest thoughts.
September 23, 2024
This was such a unique take on The Beauty and The Beast fairytale. I really enjoyed the underlying themes and how the author intertwined them into the story. The adventure and suspense was well done!
Read
March 14, 2024DNFed - it’s entirely my fault as I should’ve read all the synopsises of this series before signing up for ARCS. I don’t enjoy books where the focus is on romance - at least excessively so, therefore I had a hard time keeping up the reading with this one. But I don’t blame the author or the book - it’s just not my type. Sorry Annelise! :(
January 25, 2025
2025 Reads #47/250
3.5⭐️
Read for the Sights of Sweden Challenge 2024-2025
September 20, 2024 - January 10, 2025
3.5⭐️
Read for the Sights of Sweden Challenge 2024-2025
September 20, 2024 - January 10, 2025
August 24, 2024
I was admittedly disappointed in this read. I absolutely love Beauty and the Beast, but I hate cheating… and this story was riddled with cheaters. Honestly I thought the FMC would have been better off without either guy.
Minor spoilers from here:
I can get on board with forgiveness, but in the case of cheaters I am ALWAYS going to move the heck on. Not only that, but I would NEVER excuse the behavior… which is exactly what she does. The FMC makes the comment that if he hadn’t cheated maybe he wouldn’t love her as much as he does now… ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.
The guy’s grandma was the only one speaking truth, telling him that love is a choice that you HAVE to make. Why didn’t she tell him that PRIOR TO THE CHEATING?!?
The only reason I kept reading this was because it was only 134ish pages on my kindle, and I was hoping she’d just decide to go it alone. 🤣
It’s two stars because I finished it, but I don’t recommend reading unless you don’t view cheating the same way I do. The choice is yours.
Minor spoilers from here:
I can get on board with forgiveness, but in the case of cheaters I am ALWAYS going to move the heck on. Not only that, but I would NEVER excuse the behavior… which is exactly what she does. The FMC makes the comment that if he hadn’t cheated maybe he wouldn’t love her as much as he does now… ew. Ew. Ew. Ew.
The guy’s grandma was the only one speaking truth, telling him that love is a choice that you HAVE to make. Why didn’t she tell him that PRIOR TO THE CHEATING?!?
The only reason I kept reading this was because it was only 134ish pages on my kindle, and I was hoping she’d just decide to go it alone. 🤣
It’s two stars because I finished it, but I don’t recommend reading unless you don’t view cheating the same way I do. The choice is yours.
May 3, 2024
Content:
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. There is some non-graphic blood depicted, and magic fights throwing people around and stunning them.
Sexual: Higher mild. There is making out (not graphically described), mention of 'selling oneself on the street' and being unfaithful.
TW: The themes in this book can be very triggering to some people who have experienced betrayal in relationships as well as gaslighting.
I nearly didn't finish this one. The themes in it were just too heavy for me right out the gate. Anelise experiences a betrayal from the man she loves and basically decides all men are scum and suffers from a broken heart the entire book. It's hard to read, and made for a depressing trudge for me until Lucien comes into the story again and tries to fix things.
Now, to be clear, the book was good. The writing well executed. The characters flawed as all get-out and had beautiful arcs. The psychology of what the two protagonists go through was realistic. It never felt forced, and the plot was weaved adeptly.
My issues stem from my own opinion, and I struggled greatly with the theme of betrayal. Like real true betrayal. It wasn't a misunderstanding, it wasn't coerced, it was a straight up human being an idiot and making a huge mistake. Lucien was complex, and I felt as conflicted about him as Anelise did at times. He's such a good person, but he was such a young dunderhead.
Then there was Anelise herself, throwing herself off a metaphorical cliff because she's totally wrecked at what Lucien did and makes some broad generalizations about men and love (that frankly I've had myself at times when particularly annoyed at the opposite sex). It was hard to read her wild emotions because they were so relatable. Raw.
And then Cassian. Holy horrible human being Batman. He was so sleezy I hated him, which also made it hard to get through. He manipulated, gaslighted, and totally wrecked so much havoc purposefully and cruelly, it made me ill.
The ending was abrupt, but I was pleased with how things turned out. And there was a beautiful message about how to heal a broken heart. It made me think, and I appreciated it so much. My one piece of unsolicited advice for the author would be to break up the heaviness a bit with more hope and humor. I'm a big advocate of if you're going to go deep or depressing in storytelling, then for heaven's sake, tell a joke, have a warm memory, something to bring me back up to the surface so I can breathe. For me, it makes the depths more poignant and the hope more sweet when they are equally balanced in the story.
To summarize: well done on style, tone, plot, characters, everything. But the heavy nature just was too much for me. Will I try another book by the author? Sure! Unless it's got equally heavy themes going on that just pull me too low for comfort. My mental health demands me to be careful about such themes.
Language: None.
Violence: Mild. There is some non-graphic blood depicted, and magic fights throwing people around and stunning them.
Sexual: Higher mild. There is making out (not graphically described), mention of 'selling oneself on the street' and being unfaithful.
TW: The themes in this book can be very triggering to some people who have experienced betrayal in relationships as well as gaslighting.
I nearly didn't finish this one. The themes in it were just too heavy for me right out the gate. Anelise experiences a betrayal from the man she loves and basically decides all men are scum and suffers from a broken heart the entire book. It's hard to read, and made for a depressing trudge for me until Lucien comes into the story again and tries to fix things.
Now, to be clear, the book was good. The writing well executed. The characters flawed as all get-out and had beautiful arcs. The psychology of what the two protagonists go through was realistic. It never felt forced, and the plot was weaved adeptly.
My issues stem from my own opinion, and I struggled greatly with the theme of betrayal. Like real true betrayal. It wasn't a misunderstanding, it wasn't coerced, it was a straight up human being an idiot and making a huge mistake. Lucien was complex, and I felt as conflicted about him as Anelise did at times. He's such a good person, but he was such a young dunderhead.
Then there was Anelise herself, throwing herself off a metaphorical cliff because she's totally wrecked at what Lucien did and makes some broad generalizations about men and love (that frankly I've had myself at times when particularly annoyed at the opposite sex). It was hard to read her wild emotions because they were so relatable. Raw.
And then Cassian. Holy horrible human being Batman. He was so sleezy I hated him, which also made it hard to get through. He manipulated, gaslighted, and totally wrecked so much havoc purposefully and cruelly, it made me ill.
The ending was abrupt, but I was pleased with how things turned out. And there was a beautiful message about how to heal a broken heart. It made me think, and I appreciated it so much. My one piece of unsolicited advice for the author would be to break up the heaviness a bit with more hope and humor. I'm a big advocate of if you're going to go deep or depressing in storytelling, then for heaven's sake, tell a joke, have a warm memory, something to bring me back up to the surface so I can breathe. For me, it makes the depths more poignant and the hope more sweet when they are equally balanced in the story.
To summarize: well done on style, tone, plot, characters, everything. But the heavy nature just was too much for me. Will I try another book by the author? Sure! Unless it's got equally heavy themes going on that just pull me too low for comfort. My mental health demands me to be careful about such themes.
November 6, 2023
Beauty and the Beast with a twist! Anelise has loved
Lucien for a long time but on the night she was expecting him to propose to her, she finds him in the arms of another woman. Devastated she doesn’t know what to do. A childhood friend suggests she and her father stay with he and his family but she doesn’t feel anything towards him because of his
womanizing ways. He threatens to ruin both her and her father’s reputation if she doesn’t marry him. Desperate to be numb and not feel the pain of his constant betrayals, she seeks a love potion. As everyone turns her down she is finally faced with seeing Lucien again to ask him to make the potion for
her. He has changed himself into what he feels he really is because of what he did to Anelise but together they go to get the ingredients. However when they have them, her fiancé shows up and takes her away. Anelise is torn to not wanting to believe Lucien has changed and thereby not having her
heart broken again or marrying the other person she detests.
True love never runs smooth in this fairy tale! Deception and a broken heart are hard to overcome
but that love can overcome it if one can look into each other’s heart.
This is a story of the love a girl still has for the man who broke her heart and being with him and hearing why he did what he did and seeing he has changed from that horrible night he broke her heart gives her the courage to give him another chance.
I recommend this story for the happily ever after one
would want Anelise to experience after her heart was
broken. When we love someone, we do want to give them a second or third chance if we can be sure that they truly have changed their ways!
Lucien for a long time but on the night she was expecting him to propose to her, she finds him in the arms of another woman. Devastated she doesn’t know what to do. A childhood friend suggests she and her father stay with he and his family but she doesn’t feel anything towards him because of his
womanizing ways. He threatens to ruin both her and her father’s reputation if she doesn’t marry him. Desperate to be numb and not feel the pain of his constant betrayals, she seeks a love potion. As everyone turns her down she is finally faced with seeing Lucien again to ask him to make the potion for
her. He has changed himself into what he feels he really is because of what he did to Anelise but together they go to get the ingredients. However when they have them, her fiancé shows up and takes her away. Anelise is torn to not wanting to believe Lucien has changed and thereby not having her
heart broken again or marrying the other person she detests.
True love never runs smooth in this fairy tale! Deception and a broken heart are hard to overcome
but that love can overcome it if one can look into each other’s heart.
This is a story of the love a girl still has for the man who broke her heart and being with him and hearing why he did what he did and seeing he has changed from that horrible night he broke her heart gives her the courage to give him another chance.
I recommend this story for the happily ever after one
would want Anelise to experience after her heart was
broken. When we love someone, we do want to give them a second or third chance if we can be sure that they truly have changed their ways!
November 21, 2023
After her beau is found kissing another girl, Anelise swears off men for good. Too bad she’s forced into a rushed engagement with a man who has even less regard for fidelity.
In order to protect her father’s reputation, Anelise goes along with it — but she knows she’ll never be happy. Her search for a love potion to blind her to her future husband’s flaws leads her to a powerful wizard: her old beau.
Lucien acted like a snake and now he looks like one. A terrible curse has covered him in scales. There’s no way he can win back Anelise’s heart looking like this.
Can hearts be mended before it’s too late?
“It would not help me heal to watch him suffer.”
This book tackles the topics of heartache and betrayal head on. Anelise must learn that her self worth isn’t tied up in whether her guy is faithful, but she’s already wise enough to know that revenge isn’t the answer. Lucien has to grow up a lot and realize that true love is more important than “experience.”
The world building was subtle with a historical feel and playful, showy magic. I loved it when Lucien made the tea without touching anything.
I did struggle with believing the character motivations. Brooke ended up rewriting this book at the last minute, so I’m sure there’s details she would have fleshed out had she had the time.
4 Roses
No swearing
A few kisses. Mild innuendo; some inebriation. Threats and manipulation.
No injuries
In order to protect her father’s reputation, Anelise goes along with it — but she knows she’ll never be happy. Her search for a love potion to blind her to her future husband’s flaws leads her to a powerful wizard: her old beau.
Lucien acted like a snake and now he looks like one. A terrible curse has covered him in scales. There’s no way he can win back Anelise’s heart looking like this.
Can hearts be mended before it’s too late?
“It would not help me heal to watch him suffer.”
This book tackles the topics of heartache and betrayal head on. Anelise must learn that her self worth isn’t tied up in whether her guy is faithful, but she’s already wise enough to know that revenge isn’t the answer. Lucien has to grow up a lot and realize that true love is more important than “experience.”
The world building was subtle with a historical feel and playful, showy magic. I loved it when Lucien made the tea without touching anything.
I did struggle with believing the character motivations. Brooke ended up rewriting this book at the last minute, so I’m sure there’s details she would have fleshed out had she had the time.
4 Roses
No swearing
A few kisses. Mild innuendo; some inebriation. Threats and manipulation.
No injuries
June 10, 2024
The premise is interesting and the characters have potential. The warning provided by the author was helpful in managing expectations and explaining why the book had some plot holes. I think this book did do as promised and provided a thoughtful examination of love, particularly after one’s heart is broken. That said, I did not really enjoy this book. Anelise is around 19 years old and thinks that the betrayal of her boyfriend makes all men untrustworthy. Her father seems to genuinely care about her based on their interactions throughout the book, so first I think her perception is a little off. Cassius is terrible which makes him a dislikable but realistic villain. Lucien is complicated as the love interest since he cheated on her, and while he’s changed, I’m not convinced Anelise should give him a second chance. Anyway, the plot resolution seemed really fast. Anelise’s choices were all over the place and felt like the confusion of an angsty teenager, which makes sense based on her age.
I thought it had some redeeming elements since the themes merit discussion and fit with the theme of the series, hence why I’m giving it 3 stars. I only recommend this book if you like unusual Beauty and the Beast retelling and you’re ok with a very shattered retelling of this story. Due to the risky nature of taking back someone who cheated on you based on just a week’s worth of interactions since then, I wouldn’t recommend teenagers read this one.
I thought it had some redeeming elements since the themes merit discussion and fit with the theme of the series, hence why I’m giving it 3 stars. I only recommend this book if you like unusual Beauty and the Beast retelling and you’re ok with a very shattered retelling of this story. Due to the risky nature of taking back someone who cheated on you based on just a week’s worth of interactions since then, I wouldn’t recommend teenagers read this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
What a fun story! Novellas are short, so some of the development of character arcs and romance were a bit fast, but overall I really enjoyed To Heal a Broken Heart by Aveline Brooke! I liked how it kept a lot of the original Beauty and the Beast elements while making it uniquely its own. Anelise was broken by the betrayal of her love and blackmailed into a bad situation by a man she’d known for years. Because of that she believed all men were horrible and the only way to be happy in an unwanted marriage was to make a love potion for herself, so she turned to the only wizard who was willing to help her—Lucian, the man who’d betrayed her.
I liked Lucian’s redemption arc and how Aveline wasn’t afraid to let her characters mess up. Humans don’t always think rationally, and while I feel like his reason for kissing another woman was kind of dumb, I do understand his feelings of fear, pain, and regret. He never meant to hurt Anelise and tried his best to prove he’d changed and wasn’t the same anymore.
This book had a fantasy quest feel to it that I liked with them gathering the ingredients for the love potion and completing tasks to get the rose. I felt a little iffy since the magic was written as wizards and spells, but it didn’t feel too much like witchcraft.
Overall, I enjoyed this novella by Aveline Brooke and am excited for her future books!! 😆
I liked Lucian’s redemption arc and how Aveline wasn’t afraid to let her characters mess up. Humans don’t always think rationally, and while I feel like his reason for kissing another woman was kind of dumb, I do understand his feelings of fear, pain, and regret. He never meant to hurt Anelise and tried his best to prove he’d changed and wasn’t the same anymore.
This book had a fantasy quest feel to it that I liked with them gathering the ingredients for the love potion and completing tasks to get the rose. I felt a little iffy since the magic was written as wizards and spells, but it didn’t feel too much like witchcraft.
Overall, I enjoyed this novella by Aveline Brooke and am excited for her future books!! 😆
July 11, 2024
This was an interesting variation on a Beauty and the beast retelling. I certainly wasn't expecting a second-chance romance in this story, and I like the fact that the author did not copy/paste the original Beauty and the Beast story for this book.
I enjoyed the story, and I wasn't bothered that like some other reviewers that I have seen online. I have some very amazing friends who have managed to restore relationships after incidents of cheating and I think it's important to have stories which show that repentant cheaters who really do the work to change, can be forgiven.
What did kind of bother me was that, because of the short length of the story (it is a novella) there are points in the story which I would have liked to be more fleshed out. How does Lucian's curse work? If it's something he inadvertently cast on himself, how does Annelise manage to break it? Why does Annelise go from 0 to 100 when Lucien kisses another girl, concluding not only that Lucien is the worst, but so are all men? Why did Annelise choose Cassius, a guy she knows is going to cheat on her (openly and unrepentantly), rather than Lucien,
I enjoyed the story, and I wasn't bothered that like some other reviewers that I have seen online. I have some very amazing friends who have managed to restore relationships after incidents of cheating and I think it's important to have stories which show that repentant cheaters who really do the work to change, can be forgiven.
What did kind of bother me was that, because of the short length of the story (it is a novella) there are points in the story which I would have liked to be more fleshed out. How does Lucian's curse work? If it's something he inadvertently cast on himself, how does Annelise manage to break it? Why does Annelise go from 0 to 100 when Lucien kisses another girl, concluding not only that Lucien is the worst, but so are all men? Why did Annelise choose Cassius, a guy she knows is going to cheat on her (openly and unrepentantly), rather than Lucien,
November 9, 2023
A wonderful story of Good vs Evil and how forgiveness will lead to love. This is a clean adult fairytale of Beauty and the Beast and with a very happy and satisfactory ending. Anelise is in love with Lucien but he decides he is not ready to marry. Cassius steps in and convinces Anelise that she should marry him. Although she knows that Cassius is not in love with her and will never be faithful she figures she could marry him by taking a love potion that will make her always happy. The only person who will make this love potion is Lucien, who looks like a scaly beast and is now a powerful wizard. However, by this time Lucien realizes that he was a fool to turn down Anelise and that he truly loves her. Will Anelise forgive Lucien and will Lucien learn to forgive himself? And, what about the evil Cassius? I truly enjoyed this story and strongly recommend this book by Aveline Brooke. I received an ARC copy but these comments are my own. I posted this review because I truly enjoyed the book and feel it is an important book for everyone to read.
November 23, 2023
Such a different twist to this beauty and the beast retelling. I was intrigued that the beauty, beast, and Gaston characters were three childhood friends. Anelise and her father abruptly loss their livelihood and her friend Cassius invites them to live with his family. She then is blackmailed into marrying him. She goes in search of a wizard to make her a love potion for herself, but the only wizard willing to help her is her other friend Lucien, who broke her heart. Lucien was cursed after breaking her heart into a snake like beast. Anelise and Lucien set out to get the final ingredient for the love potion and she learns the truth about why he cheated on her. But it isn’t enough for her to not marry Lucien. You need to read the book to find out how it ends. Thank you Author Aveline Brooke for an arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 7, 2024
This book was given to me by the author as an ARC and was a 3.5 star read. The story definitely had some elements of a Beauty and the Beast: the Beast, and Gaston but was missing many other parts such as the cursed servants. The timeline of the entire book is also quite strange. Most of the story seems to take place within 2 weeks.
The premise of the story is interesting but it seemed to have a few plot holes such as why the curse took over. Also, some of the main character’s decisions were a nonsensical and you just want to yell at her about them.
Overall, this book was ok but it does have a few minor issues that keep it from being a four star read. This is the author's debut novel and I do think that she did a great job because the premise of the story was completely different from usual retellings.
The premise of the story is interesting but it seemed to have a few plot holes such as why the curse took over. Also, some of the main character’s decisions were a nonsensical and you just want to yell at her about them.
Overall, this book was ok but it does have a few minor issues that keep it from being a four star read. This is the author's debut novel and I do think that she did a great job because the premise of the story was completely different from usual retellings.
November 8, 2023
This was an unusual retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I have mixed feelings about it.
My biggest problem with any and all novellas is that they're too short. I think I should just accept the fact that the amount of character development I want from a story, isn't really possible in a novella. It also gives me less time to become invested in the characters.
That being said, To Heal a Broken Heart was mainly character focused. The romance was slightly lacking as Brooke wrote about the healing and growth both MCs went through. The writing was beautiful and the story was interesting, but I felt there was too much happening in such a short book (especially with a heavier topic such as this one).
All in all, I am looking forward to reading what Aveline Brooke writes next!
My biggest problem with any and all novellas is that they're too short. I think I should just accept the fact that the amount of character development I want from a story, isn't really possible in a novella. It also gives me less time to become invested in the characters.
That being said, To Heal a Broken Heart was mainly character focused. The romance was slightly lacking as Brooke wrote about the healing and growth both MCs went through. The writing was beautiful and the story was interesting, but I felt there was too much happening in such a short book (especially with a heavier topic such as this one).
All in all, I am looking forward to reading what Aveline Brooke writes next!
November 5, 2023
This beauty and the beast retelling is quite a short, quick read. It is quite straight forward; once the villain's identity is established in the first couple of chapters everything moves ahead quite predictably with no real surprise twists and turns. The focus of the story isn't the adventure or even romance as many fairy tale retellings are, but more the morals about personal growth and forgiveness. For my tastes, I would have preferred a story with a bit more fun and frivolity (what can I say, I'm shallow). Still, as this appears to be the author's first published work, it is quite a solid effort.
I received an ARC and in return freely offer an honest review.
I received an ARC and in return freely offer an honest review.
November 16, 2023
This is a fun retelling of Beauty and the Beast. These tend to be some of my favorite fractured fairy tales, and this one did not disappoint.
Analiese and her father have lost everything, and have been offered housing with a family friend. That friend, however, is not much of a friend to her, and she is forced into an engagement. In order to live a horrible life with this man, she turns to the man who broke her heart to help her. And then it becomes even more complicated!
My favorite line from this story: "It is a choice to love someone. Every day you must choose it. That is what it means to make a commitment." I love Grandmother wisdom!
This is a book with your time!
Analiese and her father have lost everything, and have been offered housing with a family friend. That friend, however, is not much of a friend to her, and she is forced into an engagement. In order to live a horrible life with this man, she turns to the man who broke her heart to help her. And then it becomes even more complicated!
My favorite line from this story: "It is a choice to love someone. Every day you must choose it. That is what it means to make a commitment." I love Grandmother wisdom!
This is a book with your time!
November 26, 2023
I never turn down reading a Beauty and the Beast retelling. No matter the genre, trope, I read them all. I love to see what twist an author can put on a 'story as old as time'. This one did not disappoint. You have love, you have deception, you have a 'beast' and a 'beauty', and so much more.
This story is different, but it's BATB through and through. I loved Lucien and the evolution his chacter untook most of all. Great action in parts, but a lesson in the story if you look hard enough.
Happy Reading. Look forward to more from this author! Also read the rest of the Shattered Tales, I have reviewed several and more coming soon!
This story is different, but it's BATB through and through. I loved Lucien and the evolution his chacter untook most of all. Great action in parts, but a lesson in the story if you look hard enough.
Happy Reading. Look forward to more from this author! Also read the rest of the Shattered Tales, I have reviewed several and more coming soon!
November 7, 2023
4.5 stars
Beauty and the Beast has never spoken so clearly to me before. I found myself shocked by who was the actual narcissist in the story - it wasn't who I thought it was going to be. Aveline does an amazing job of showing us the difference between poor decisions and malevolent ones, all while wrapped up in a wonderfully re-told tale.
It was a difficult tale at times, but I'm so glad I read it through to the end. A well-deserved ending, to be sure.
I received an ARC; this is my honest review.
Beauty and the Beast has never spoken so clearly to me before. I found myself shocked by who was the actual narcissist in the story - it wasn't who I thought it was going to be. Aveline does an amazing job of showing us the difference between poor decisions and malevolent ones, all while wrapped up in a wonderfully re-told tale.
It was a difficult tale at times, but I'm so glad I read it through to the end. A well-deserved ending, to be sure.
I received an ARC; this is my honest review.
November 10, 2023
‘Do you think it is even possible to heal a broken heart?’
Time helps, as does therapy! Sometimes, it’s meeting someone new to fill in the cracks. Other times, we look back and reflect upon what happened and realize that other person really didn’t mean to hurt us & takes responsibility for it.
TBH, with two divorces (yeah, there ARE real-life Cassiuses…) the one that hurt more was the one with whom I thought I was in love. As the saying goes, “stop throwing good money after bad”. A one-sided marriage is not truly a marriage.
Looking forward to more by this author!
Time helps, as does therapy! Sometimes, it’s meeting someone new to fill in the cracks. Other times, we look back and reflect upon what happened and realize that other person really didn’t mean to hurt us & takes responsibility for it.
TBH, with two divorces (yeah, there ARE real-life Cassiuses…) the one that hurt more was the one with whom I thought I was in love. As the saying goes, “stop throwing good money after bad”. A one-sided marriage is not truly a marriage.
Looking forward to more by this author!
November 12, 2023
I can’t decide a rating on this. I had high hopes for this, I was disappointed. I rarely read a second chance story because of the reason in this book. I’ve read them. And I didn’t regret them except for this. Cheating while courting because of no reason except jealousy of a cad ???? No. Absolutely disgusting. And the things Lucien said to Anelise were what I’d except a cheater to say. Everyone deserves a second chance, but a cheater? No.
But Aveline has good writing and I’ll definitely give her reading a chance when she releases her next book.
I received an ARC and these are my own thoughts.
But Aveline has good writing and I’ll definitely give her reading a chance when she releases her next book.
I received an ARC and these are my own thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2023
There’s nothing more than having the chance to read a beauty and the beast retelling. Even though they have their own sense of writing and their own plot, I always like to know what others may come up with.
Anelise was a fragile person. You can tell her heart break has caused her to not want anyone to be near her heart. Not only does she ask for something to avoid a heartbreak but Lucien will be there to try and heal.
I loved the character development and growth. Both needed each other more than anything. I enjoyed reading about them and how they grew. It was amazing.
Anelise was a fragile person. You can tell her heart break has caused her to not want anyone to be near her heart. Not only does she ask for something to avoid a heartbreak but Lucien will be there to try and heal.
I loved the character development and growth. Both needed each other more than anything. I enjoyed reading about them and how they grew. It was amazing.
November 9, 2023
Great twist on Beauty and the Beast. You have a woman who lost the man she loved and is being forced into a marriage she doesn't want. Trying to make the best of that puts her right back with the man she thought she lost, which complicates things a lot. It is a great twist and I love seeing how the characters grow as the story goes on.
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