Darling Beast

Maiden Lane #7

by Elizabeth Hoyt

A MAN CONDEMNED . . .

Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .

A DESPERATE WOMAN . . .

London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants-a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.

OUT OF ASH, DESIRE FLARES

Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction, Beauty and The Beast

337 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2014

About the author

Elizabeth Hoyt is a New York Times bestselling author of historical romance. She also writes deliciously fun contemporary romance under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three untrained dogs and one long-suffering husband.

Reviews

[Jilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I've just met the fictional man that I will be leaving my husband for. Hey, we've had 23 years of marriage. It was a good run. Time to move on.



This guy is awesome. He's conniving, funny, egotistical, completely overdressed, and beautiful. I really need him in my life.

Oh, he's not the main character in this book. No, he's a side character. But, the main guy is so damn boring that I had to look elsewhere for my thrills. Note to hubby: take heed of these words. I've heard your "dad jokes" for 23 years now......



So, the main story was fine enough. He's a gentle giant with a horribly abused past, she's poor and has a child to take care of.. yada yada yada - they fall in love. They were perfectly nice people.. yawn.... I liked the little boy, the dog, and several other side characters much better. All in all, it was still worth reading for them, but the romance was about as exciting as tomato soup. I'm more of a lobster bisque girl. I'm waiting for my lobster to have his own book soon. Wink wink. Rich and creamy.

[Alp · Rating 5 out of 5]

“you are my light and my laughter, and if you would let me, I would spend the rest of my life protecting you from everything that is ugly.”


Beautiful. Very, very beautiful.

Darling Beast took me by surprise! Just when I thought Elizabeth Hoyt couldn't amaze me more with her works, she proved me wrong. Honestly, I don't know where to start or what to write because this book was virtually perfect in every way. I can't even put into words how wonderful it was. Oh, I really loved it!

The seventh installment in Maiden Lane series is the story of Viscount Kilbourne, Apollo Greaves, a very big man who thought himself a great ugly lump, and Lily Stump, a famous and beautiful actress...Very 'Beauty and the Beast'!

After escaping from Bedlam where Apollo was committed for insanely murdering three of his friends, he'd lived rough and worked hard in the ruined garden for nine months. Until one day his friend, the owner of this place, gave Lily permission to live in the old theater. When she first met him, with his very huge shoulders, a shaggy head, and a wickedly sharp knife in his hand, he scared the life out of her.

At first, both Apollo and Lily weren't attracted to each other. But as they spent more time together, they began to enjoy each other's company more. He couldn't tell her who he really was so she thought he was just a gardener. But then one day, the soldiers came for him so he had to run away. Meanwhile, Lily found out about his past. She believed in his innocence but the fact that Apollo was an aristocrat made it impossible for her to deny that their worlds weren't too different. She thought there was no future for them whatsoever. How could Apollo prove himself innocent of the crime? And how could he prove to Lily that she was the only one for him no matter WHO he was?


“I am the same man I was in the garden,” he said into the silence of the bedroom, his grin fading to something solemn, almost severe. “My limbs move as they did then, my lungs fill with air exactly the same, and my heart…” He paused as if to swallow, continuing lower, “My heart beats constant and true, and if you believe nothing else, Lily Stump, believe this--my heart has changed not at all since the garden.”


This story touched my heart in so many ways. The romance between Apollo and Lily was breathtakingly beautiful and the way they felt for each other made my heart swell. I loved how he cared for her immensely. Oh Apollo, my tortured hero!


“In truth I don’t know what sort of man I am anymore, newly smelted, newly poured into some strange and original mold. I was still too hot to the touch for discovery. But I know this: whatever strange creature I have become, I am yours. Help me, Lily. Unmold me and take what form I am in your hands and blow the breath of life into me. Make me a living being again.”

In that moment Apollo resolved that no matter how ridiculous their mating might be, he wasn’t going to let her change her mind. She was his now—and if he had any say in the matter, she’d be his always.


The mystery of the real murderer and the motive behind the murder had me turned the pages nonstop. The secondary characters were colorful and appealing to me.

On the whole, this one was a perfect mix of romance, suspense, humor, and a bit of mystery. It's by far one of the best HR stories I've ever read. I enjoyed reading every single page of this book. Highly recommended for all HR fans!

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4 ***

A buddy read with my Romantic friends @ the MacHalo Freaks!

Another lovely addition to the series. We are already at book 7 and get to follow up with Apollo, the escaped inmate from Bedlam psychiatric hospital, where he was tortured and severely mistreated by the guards, to the point of crushing his oesophagus and rendering him with no voice... He is in hiding and is staying at the ruins of an old theater, spending his waking hours gardening and creating a fresh start for the pleasure garden and maze.

It just so happened that a young and very beautiful actress also occupied part of the theater, together with her maid, a young son and a very spirited puppy. I fell completely in love with the last two - the boy was charming and so well written, it was a pleasure to read about him.

As in every Historical Romance, the two very mismatched heroes find their way to each other and surrender to love. The story is always in the way they get there. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the cameos from some of our old time favorites:-) There was love, passion and drama in just the right proportions. It was a pleasure to read about another couple in this world!

Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a large ugly beast of a hero?

Apollo and Lily were both so strong in this book and their story was so good. It was another exciting addition to the series, with lots of twists and turns and so many great side characters. I usually tap out of a series that goes on this long but Hoyt manages to continue this without descending into recapping, and useless cameos of previous characters. This book continues on from the previous book, but reading the other books in the series is not necessary to follow this one.

Though the love story in this book was really well done, the Duke of Montgomery, Captain Travillion, and Asa Makepeace -the heroes of the next three books- kind of steal this book away from Apollo at times. I’m not complaining, I loved those three, and am extremely excited to reread their books. The Duke especially is a crazy, Machiavellian character and I remember enough from the first read of his book to look forward to his story.

One thing with the ending, that really bothered me, was how the villains were dealt with the true murderer who killed the three men and framed Apollo was taken away to face justice and presumably, the hangman. While the man who murdered lily’s friend and the mother of his child by beating her to death was just told to keep quiet about it and perhaps flee to the continent. This felt like they valued male life over female life as one murderer was let free with a threat and the other faced the gallows. This is all in the same scene and I think it would have been better served if both villains were dealt the same justice.

But I’m leaving this at five stars because I love a big dirty hero with hidden depths.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read in the Maiden Lane series! In this 7 th installment, it took me a bit to warm up to the heroine Lily. I did eventually though, and of course I fell for the hero right off the bat!

This series continues to hold my attention and is brilliantly written! An entertaining historical romance full of passionate sex, great romance, suspense, and even some humour thrown in! What more can a reader ask for?!!! I guess the next book!!! Lol

[Lady Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

31 March 2015
Yea and yippee! Darling Beast is a 2015 RITA nominee. I hope so much that Elizabeth Hoyt wins, not only for writing a great book, but also for seamlessly taking her successful Maiden Lane series in a different direction.


13 October 2014
You might think that an author would begin to run out of ideas when she reaches the seventh volume in a series. In Elizabeth’s Hoyt’s case, however, you would be wrong. In Darling Beast she takes the Maiden Lane series into a new neighborhood with new characters while at the same time tying the story in with the earlier books.

In Duke of Midnight, Apollo Greaves escaped from his wrongful incarceration in Bedlam, with the help of his sister Artemis and his new brother-in-law, the Duke of Wakefield. Now he is living in a shed on the grounds of Harte’s Folly, a pleasure garden and theater that was nearly destroyed by fire. Mr. Harte is helping Apollo hide while Apollo is designing and building a new garden.

Lily Stump moves into the few habitable rooms left in the theater with her seven-year-old son, Indio, and nursemaid, Maude. Lily is a well-known actress but since she is under contract to Harte and since he has no theater in which she can perform, she is short on funds. When Indio, tells her that there is a monster living in the gardens, she laughs it off – until one day she sees the monster for herself as he emerges unclothed from a pool.

Lily is immediately suspicious of her son’s new friend. Apollo is unable to speak because of injuries he suffered in Bedlam. When Lily tries to question him, he can’t reply, and she thinks that he is simple-minded. Because he is hiding from the law and doesn’t know if he can trust Lily, he allows her to assume that he is just another one of the laborers hired to work for Harte.

Despite his mother’s warnings, however, Indio and his naughty dog, Daffodil, can’t stay away from the pond, and when Apollo rescues Daff after she fell into the water, Lily begins to realize that there is more to Apollo than she first thought.
.
This is a beautiful, but angsty love story. Highly recommended

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful series this is. Apollo and Lily's story was sweet and tender. Just as I expected it to be. ❤

Apollo deserved someone in his life that would see beyond the beast that others had shaped him to be. With his hands he created beauty within his garden but it did not compare to the beauty he found in Lily.

"Lily, my light my love."

[Carol Cork *Young at Heart Oldie* · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series and was over the moon when she announced that she had signed a contract for a further three books. In this series, she always creates dark, edgy stories; compelling, unique characters; sensual romance and smouldering love scenes. This is the seventh book in the series and continues the story of Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne who was introduced in the previous book, DUKE OF MIDNIGHT .

At first what she saw looked like an enormous, moving, mud-covered mound, and then it straightened, revealing an endlessly broad back, huge shoulders and shaggy head.

From his first appearance, it’s obvious Apollo is not going to be your stereotypical hero. I adore those arrogant, handsome rakes but there was something very appealing about this gentle giant of a man, especially knowing how much he had suffered during his four years incarcerated in Bedlam for a crime he did not commit. After the brutal, inhuman treatment he suffered, it was hard to imagine that he could have retained even an ounce of humanity but he did. His kindness and compassion is so clearly revealed in his relationship with Lily’s son, Indio. I love their scenes together, seeing the trust and affection growing between them.

Apollo’s palm engulfed the boy’s but he shook Indio’s hand as if he were a duke in velvet instead of a seven-year-old in damp linen and bare feet.

The scene where they play ‘hit that knot’ (if you want to know what sort of game it is, I’m afraid you’ll have to read the book!) was so funny!

Apollo is unable to speak for a proportion of the book because of an injury sustained in Bedlam. I have never come across a mute hero before but I’m sure it must be difficult for an author to convey the hero’s thoughts without using dialogue. Ms Hoyt handled this aspect so well and it definitely added a different element to the story.

I’m not a gardener but I was totally captivated by Apollo’s genuine enthusiasm for his ideas and designs. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty and I loved that about him.

Lily is a famous comedy actress…bold, intelligent, caring, independent and experienced in the ways of the world. Life isn’t exactly easy for her because, in the aftermath of the fire that destroyed Harte’s Folly, she is out of work. I admired her efforts to keep her little family, son Indio and maid Maude, together. Lily is a devoted and protective mother to Indio but she hides a secret that could be a threat to him. I like Maude who isn’t afraid to speak her mind where Lily is concerned. She seems more of a surrogate mother than a maid. They are such a charming little family group and I love their interactions:

“Indio did not see the Devil – or a monster, for that matter.”

“I did,” Indio said. “But he hasn’t horns. He has shoulders as big as this.” And he demonstrated by throwing his arms as far apart as he could, nearly knocking his bowl of carrot soup to the floor in the process.

Lily caught the bowl deftly – much to the disappointment of Daffodil. “Do eat your soup, please, Indio, before it ends on the floor.”

“Tisn’t a dunnie, then, Maude said decisively as she took her own chair. “Quite small they are, ‘cepting when they turn into a horse. Did it turn into a horse, deary?.”

Lily is not only a famous actress but also a talented playwright although, because of the conventions of the day, her plays are published under her brother’s name. There is a delightful scene when Apollo comes upon her acting out one of her comedy plays. It was easy to visualise all her varied facial expressions and hear the different inflections in her voice….so funny.

In this series, Ms Hoyt has paired the most unlikely couples but the romance has always worked beautifully as it does here. I love how Lily looks beyond Apollo’s outward appearance to see the gentle, honourable man beneath. Even when she believes him to be a simpleton, she treats him with compassion. Apollo isn’t afraid to tell Lily that he loves her and doesn’t give a damn about bloodlines. While Ms Hoyt writes super steamy love scenes, it was the intimate moments of tenderness and understanding that I really enjoyed.

She’d looked at him with such wonder before, as if he might be something special, almost lovely. No one had ever looked at him in such a way, especially no woman.

There is a strong supporting cast of characters that add extra vibrancy to the story. Indio and Daffodil are complete scene stealers while, at long last, I have an explanation for Asa Makepeace’s mysterious disappearances in the earlier books. The obvious tension between Lady Phoebe Batten and Captain Trevillion bodes well for their book, DEAREST ROGUE , and I’m hoping the mysterious, scheming, manipulative Duke of Montgomery gets his own book too.

I love Ms Hoyt’s ability to paint such vivid images with her words and this is one of my absolute favourites, describing Asa Makepeace’s lodging room.

The room was swarming, teeming, breeding with things: towers of stacked books stood on the floor, a table, and even a four-poster bed in the corner, a life-size portrait of a bearded man leaned against one wall, next to a stuffed raven which stood next to a teetering pile of chipped, dirty dishes, and next to that was a four foot-tall model of a ship, rigging and all.

There is plenty of danger and suspense as Apollo keeps one step ahead of the Crown’s men and attempts to track down the person responsible for his friends’ murders. It builds to an exciting climax in which Apollo receives some rather unexpected help.

Apollo -

…the mist swirled amber over the surface of the water, adorning his gleaming skin as if he were the tributary god of this ruined garden.

Lily -

Her dark hair slipped from a messy knot at the back of her neck, waving strands blowing against her pinkened cheeks.

Daffodil -


What can I say, other than another wonderful addition to a fabulous series.


REVIEW RATING: 5/5 STARS

The Maiden Lane series so far (click the book cover for more details):



I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This review is also posted on my Rakes and Rascals Blog:

http://rakesandrascals.wordpress.com/...

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS ONE. A new favorite in the series. A damaged hero who is SO IN LOVE with his heroine and beauty and the beast vibes. OH and a beautiful relationship with this giant of a man hero and the heroines son and a dashing Italian Greyhound rescue from drowning.

This was pretty much perfect for me. I loved it.

[Pepa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2021/...

Una historia más dulce y menos ardiente de lo que la autora nos tiene acostumbrada
Me ha gustado, he disfrutado mucho de la relación de Indio con Apollo.
Al detallar su pasado en la novela anterior, en esta se nos ahorran las injusticias vividas en sus años de Bedlam pero también todo me ha parecido demasiado fácil para un hombre en sus circunstancias, por lo que la hace una novela compleja para leerla de forma independiente
Apollo me ha gustado, Lily me ha encantado, y la relación que forman con Indio, tiene momentos verdaderamente tiernos
Quizás la autora mete tantos temas que profundiza poco en todos y, siendo una novela muy pausada durante gran parte de la historia para luego, de forma demasiado precipitada resolver demasiados temas en el final
Aún así una lectura muy entretenida dentro de una serie que me está gustado mucho

[Princess under cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book. Not a wow-me book, but solid.

I like the strong, silent very manly-man hero, and Apollo is definitely that. Literally, for a good chunk of the book.

I like that he's not supposed to be good looking, but there's this animal magnetism about him that's still very compelling.

I like the Heroine OK. Nothing particularly special, esp. after reading my fav heroine in Alf. The surrounding intrigue I kinda just skipped a lot.

Onto the next book!

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

so. I just didn't care. The book was entertaining, engaging enough, and I didn't care. Something felt off. To be honest, it's probably me, but may have been the pacing a bit too.
It was fine. I'm fine. I need a book that clicks with me.

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Lily Stump or better known as Robin Goodfellow is an actress currently without a stage. Lily, along with her son and friend Maude are currently living in a badly fire damaged theatre while gardeners see to replanting and shaping up the also damaged pleasure gardens. Until the theatre is repaired Lily is making money by writing plays and having her brother sell them. Lily's life is not grand but her son Indio certainly makes it entertaining and one way Indio decides to shake things up is to befriend a Beast in the gardens, except the Beast turns out to be the mute head gardener who is really Viscount Apollo Kilbourne on the run from the King's guards as a convicted murder and escapee from Bedlam. Lily and Apollo have many reasons to keep their secrets well hidden but trusting each other might be the key to their survival.

Darling Beast is the seventh book in the Maiden Lane series but I do think it is perfectly fine to read as a standalone, I never felt lost or confused. However, while I didn't feel lost I did feel like I was missing the big payoff, as if Apollo was a character readers of the previous book had gotten to know and this was the deeply emotional happily ever after they had been waiting for. The first 40% was a bit slow moving for me, nothing externally is really happening but rather Apollo and Lily are dealing with internal complicated emotions for one another. It isn't until much later in the book that the scenery even changes and they escape the garden and theatre. Most of this is a character driven story, except for the lingering continuous story thread from the previous books involving Apollo's false murder conviction. When action ramps up in this regard the slow languid pace picks up and I started to get more involved in the story.

Lily and Apollo are both characters readers will like, if not have strong reactions to. Lily is struggling to make the best of the situation she currently finds herself in while finding herself curiously attracted (well, maybe with the way Apollo's chest looks while bathing not so curiously) to the stranger in the garden. Her guardedness, way she cares for Indio, and compassion towards Apollo make her a very sweet and strong character. Apollo's inner strength and continued pain from his confinement in Bedlam showcase a man who has been thrust into the fire only to emerge as finely forged steel. The delicateness each shows one another was the absolute strength of the novel. I must also say Ms. Hoyt knows how to write a bedroom scene (or table scene), it’s carnal without being vulgar and genuinely moving not salacious; which fits with the time period, flow, and mood of the story.

I received this book through a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway and while I got lucky, the publisher is going to end up winning. With a few mentions in this one, I want to read Apollo's twin sister's story which is the previous book before this one but other readers have informed me that you must start at the beginning to get the full enjoyment of it, so I'm off to buy book one. I also must absolutely read Captain Trevillion’s (he originally arrested Apollo for the murders) story, the next book in the series. That makes one freebie book to five books to be purchased, well played publishers.

[♥ℳelody · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Oh Apollo. He's so adorable. *sigh*

I enjoyed this one overall. Hoyt really has a deft hand at creating layered flawed characters who develop more overtime.

Highlights for me:
-Apollo: Loved him before this, love him now. He's as patient, kind, gentle, sweet and smexy as I was hoping he would be. Darling giant indeed. His devotion to his sister Artemis is so endearing and his desperation and yearning to obtain a "normal" life after his horrific ordeal in Bedlam was tangible. I loved his passion for landscape architecture. I can't wait to see the final results of the new Harte Pleasure Gardens in the upcoming books. And I have to say I enjoyed reading about a hero who is labeled as "not handsome" with a knobby nose and craggy face. 😅 It made this character more realistic and gave him more depth.
-Lily Stump: She surprised me. It was a slow start at first but I really warmed up to her. And I thought Indio was the cutest and such a scene stealer. I've become weary of single parent tropes because sometimes kid(s) can take away from the romance. But it didn't here. I also loved Lily's devotion and loyalty to Apollo. Her faith in him even when she barely knew anything about him was really sweet.
-Asa Makepeace: Omg. I had no idea how hysterical Asa could be. 😅 My gawd. Whoever ends up with him has her hands full. He cracked me up in this with his irreverent dry snarky personality and how he's such a frazzled messy pack rat. I don't know why but I found it oddly charming. He's such a hot mess but I just love his brash tongue. And strangely enough, Apollo and Asa worked well together. Another surprise for me. At first I found these two as close friends extremely random but they meshed well. Asa being crass and blurting out whatever he thinks and Apollo calming him down. Witty, easy, funny dynamic.

What I wasn't so thrilled with:
-Indio's Parentage: Similar to the whole farfetched emerald drama in Artemis's book, here Hoyt pulled another contrived plot point that was really hard to swallow. Lily, a very well known actress, managed to keep the existence of her son a secret from his aristocratic father, Lord Ross. Both of whom have one blue eye and one green eye. A specific physical trait that is very hard to miss. If the Duke of Montgomery managed to quickly make the connection by just seeing the little boy then how the hell did no one else not notice this? This bothered me. Indio's eyes are pointed out by every adult who sees him and Lily never tried to hide his existence from others. Sooooo.....you're telling me for 7 years nobody noticed or spread word back to Lord Ross?

This is the English ton we are talking about. Considering the fact that Lily is a famous actress and admired by many and Indio is always running around everywhere I found this extremely hard to believe. And let's not ignore the fact that the Earl is a possessive abusive psycho who had to be told his child died at birth to get him to leave Lily alone. But she shows up in London with a kid years later with the same mismatched eyes and nobody notices and the gossipmongers don't say shit? Yeeeeah......ok. 😅



-Story Set Up: I don't know why but the idea of Lily, her housekeeper and her son living in a burned down theater was hard to swallow. Or more like hard to picture. I'm very much a visual person and sometimes some things are easier to picture, illustrate and map out mentally while others aren't. And Hoyt is great at world building but in this case I had a hard time visualizing these 3 living in a dilapidated random suite(?) of rooms in the ruins of a burned down theater. The layout of it made no sense and hard to picture considering 80% of the theater itself is completely gone and in shambles. And yet Lily and her little family are staying in a makeshift suite of some kind, with a bedroom and bathroom and the main "living room" has a door to the theater and another door that leads straight outside to the garden....Ehhhh. But I'll just sum this up to my ignorance to how theaters were built back in those days and how many backstage rooms they have. lol

-The Duke of Montgomery, Valentine Napier: *sigh* So this is where I confess my original reason behind giving this series a try. Because of Val. I've heard so much about the infamous naughty Duke, his reputation preceded him so I was anxious to meet him and get to his book. And I've finally met him. And I'm a little....underwhelmed? to say the least. Because let me tell you how I'm picturing him right now is such a let down and distracting AF:




😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😩😒😒😒😒😒😒



Please tell me there's more to this? 😕

For comic relief, I get it. But the rest? I really don't.

Hoyt help me out here because this is NOT what I had in mind. And I cannot for the life of me picture this overstuffed dandy as an intimidating anti-hero. And I love anti-heroes. I've read books with vain heroes who are pompous and love fashion (see Duke of Villiers in A Duke of Her Own), so the vain part isn't my issue. It's his physicality and how he carries himself that's throwing me off. I don't find him intimidating, menacing or mysterious at all. He's coming off too gangly, foppish and effeminate for me. 😖 Besides the fact that he loves gossip and gathering secrets I don't find him very cunning. And that concerns me. I hope Hoyt proves me wrong. Please please prove me wrong! I'm begging you. 🙏 And I won't even mind if she changes up his physical appearance (please do so), I'll look the other way, I don't care, because as of right now I'm not impressed with Valentine at all. He's definitely funny but that's all I got. 😐

-The ending: Another thing Hoyt really needs to work on. Her rushed hurried endings are becoming a common occurrence in this series unfortunately. Which is so unfortunate and a shame since it eclipses and curtails all the beautiful build up she creates and takes such great care with. It just ruins all the momentum that was built and the wrap up is as gradual as a falling piano. These short choppy endings are a total disservice to her wonderful stories and characters. Endings and climax are just as important, if not the *most* important part. Epilogue or not. And yes there was an epilogue in this one. That's a plus. But the hurried rushed conclusion in this was so anticlimactic and underwhelming that it leaves you questioning why the poor characters were put through all this angst, misery and trouble for so long. Four years in Bedlam and his name branded as a lunatic leads to a lame awkward 2 minute tussle in the gardens with two would-be villains, whom are so obvious from the very start that you can't help but feel deflated on Apollo's behalf. I mean that "confrontation" with his Uncle near the end? After all that? That's it? Oy. Come on Elizabeth Hoyt you can do so much better than that.

Overall, grievances aside, I truly did enjoy this. The romance was sweet, endearing, honest and passionate. I may pick things apart to death but that's just me being an annoying stickler. As a whole, this was still a great read with engaging dialogue and smart witty characters. Looking forward to more Maiden Lane draaaama!

[Melanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS!

"I endured Bedlam and it was a crucible to my soul, burning what I was before and reshaping me."

Not my favorite of the Maiden Lane series, but let's face it, even an average book by Elizabeth Hoyt is better than most. :-)

Lily and Apollo's story got off to a rocky start for me; I felt like there wasn't quite enough initial interaction between them to warrant the way their relationship kicked off. Fortunately, everything came together toward the end.

"You are my light and my laughter."

~sigh~ Another great couple to add to the ever-growing extended family of this series.

Phoebe is up next!

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cinna-darling labra-beastie

Hoyt captured me long ago and have since been blinded by all things written by her. I automatically like her, so if there are any flaws, I can't see them beyond small insignificant things.

I love her so much, in fact, I have been pacing myself, trying not to devour her whole repertoire at once. (You can only read a book for the first time once 💔) Take that into consideration when you read this review ♡

🌱 A true gentle giant
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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[PlotTrysts · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it were up to Meg this would probably be a 4.5 star review. Laine was able to provide a moderating voice. Sure, there's some sexual violence, relationship violence, and just plain old violence, but since none of it happens between Lily and Apollo Meg was totally cool with it all. If you like hot sex, lake baths in the style of Prince of Tides or when Bond comes out of the ocean, and minotaurs, you'll probably like this book.

4-Word Summaries:

Laine: Mute Brute Woos Actress

Meg: Naked lake bath? Hot

www.linktr.ee/plottrysts

[nikki | ཐི༏ཋྀ​​݁ ₊ ݁ . · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was very intrigued by apollo's side story in the last book, and this definitely delivered.

it wasn't as fast paced as some of the previous, but that gave the series a nice break and a little more focus on the romance. i agree w some of the reviews that this had an almost cozy feel, i think largely in part bc of the garden setting.

i'm also really enjoying the new characters coming into play, hoyt does a great job of gearing us up for the following books really well. the duke of montgomery is one of my fav character types, so i'm excited for his book 👀

i'm not really wild about phoebe having a lisp in the narration bc it seems like an oddly arbitrary choice for the character, but we'll see how the next audiobook goes.

[Tracy T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge Elizabeth Hoyt fan and have read all her books. So it is extremely disappointing to me that this story was boring. There really was nothing exciting, emotional, no OMG moments, no mystery. The story line was so hum drum and meh.
This could have been a stand alone book as it did not seem to fit at all into the Maiden Lane series at all.

The chemistry between Apollo and Lily was just okay, nothing memorable. The sex scenes were fine. There was lots of dialogue throughout the entire book (I like lots of dialogue), so there is that. Lily's son Indio was a great character, I did enjoy him.

As for the narration. WHAT THE HECK IS UP WITH THE LISP THE NARRATOR GAVE LADY PHOEBE?? Really!?! What a way to ruin a character who is already blind, you have to give her a speech impediment too? She did NOT have a lisp in any of the previous books, nor was she described that she had a lisp. That was horrible of the narrator. If it was discussed with the author and purposely done, that was a bad decision. Other wise she did fine.

I read\listened to the excerpt of the next book, it was only a few pages, and enjoyed it more than (minus the lisp) the entire Darling Beast Book.

It really has me wondering if Elizabeth Hoyt really wrote it. sigh....

[Mei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this is much better than the previous one!

I was almost afraid to read it, but actually I enjoyed it! :)

Maybe it was due to the fact that the "Ghost" is not present here! His presence was outlived and was becoming a hindrance!

I liked both the hero, Apollo, and the heroine, Lily.

He has huge problems being a fugitive from Bedlam and a wanted supposed murderer. HE's a really huge guy and people are afraid of him and are ready to think the worst. Instead, he's a very nice and gentle guy and we see it from how he treats Indio, the hound, the same Lily.
He's also mute from the beatings he suffered and it was actually funny to read how he faked idiocy! :)

But Lily is a smar girl and doesn't fall for his teatrics! I liked that she wasn't afraid of him and that she was smart enough to call him on his pretense! :)

A story that could have been a huge pot of angst, suffering and all the other tropes, made simple by nice MCs and very good secondary characters, like the Duke of Montgomery! :)

I hope the next one will be even better now that we got rid of Ghost! :)

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The seventh addition to the awesome Maiden Lane series by Elizabeth Hoyt. Apollo Greaves was set up to take the fall for the murder of three friends. Instead of being hung he is sent to Bedlam for being insane. After a beating takes away his voice, he escapes Bedlam and finds refuge in the ruins of Harte's Folly. There he meets Indio, a young boy, and his mother, Lily Stump. Lily is an actress and currently out of work. She is allowed to live at the theater for free until she gets back on her feet.

A good solid and entertaining read. We met Apollo in a previous book. He is the brother of Artemis, the heroine in Duke of Midnight. I looked forward to his story and while this may not be a favorite in the series there is nothing that kept me from enjoying it. I highly recommend this series to everyone, especially historical romance fans!

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yup..

I freaking loved this one too.

I can't find anything I don't like. The way that the story builds and the mystery unfolds.

Also... the romance was beautiful and I continue to love how Hoyt does the sexual tension and relationships.

So... its another 5 stars and I don't care who knows it.

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

ingredients were perfect but overall story and romance lacks some magic
idk feLT kinda boring at times
it is still a good book I WISH I LOVED it...
especially as I loved wrongfully condemned characters finding justice and the kid part was sweet!!

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B for narration and B+ for content at All About Romance.

Elizabeth Hoyt’s Maiden Lane series is, I think, her only one where I’ve not read any of the books, but have listened to all in audio format instead. Normally with long-running series, I find I do a bit of each – read some, listen to some (and in some cases read and listen, but somehow this has been an audio-only collection for me.

The first four books in the series were most ably narrated by Ashford MacNab, so when, for some unknown reason, the publisher decided to change narrators after Thief of Shadows, I was both puzzled and disappointed; and I know I wasn’t the only Maiden Lane devotee to feel that the quality of the performances in the following outings had taken a nosedive.

So I was delighted to see Ms MacNab returning to the series for Book 7, Darling Beast. She understands the characters, their world and the nature of these stories very well indeed, and she’s brought back a key element that I felt was missing from the last two audiobooks – the romance. Of course it’s there on the page, but a narrator has to be able to translate those emotions successfully without over - or under-doing them (as was certainly the case with the audio of Duke of Midnight) and I don’t just mean in the actual love scenes. It’s about allowing the characters’ feelings to shine through the words and giving them the right emotional emphasis, and those things were most definitely lacking in the previous two Maiden Lane audios.

Much of Darling Beast takes place in and around Harte’s Folly, the pleasure garden owned by Asa Makepeace which was burned down at the end of Duke of Midnight. In that book, the heroine, Artemis Greaves, was desperate to secure the release of her brother Apollo from Bedlam, where he’d been incarcerated after having been falsely accused of the murder of three friends four years earlier.

Rescued from the asylum by Artemis’ husband, the Duke of Wakefield, Apollo – Viscount Kilbourne – is now hiding out in the ruins of the pleasure garden while simultaneously working on its restoration. An aristocrat he may be, but his passion is for landscaping and he’s certainly not afraid of getting his hands dirty.

Lily Stump is one of London’s most celebrated actresses, known principally for performing breeches roles. Because she had an exclusive contract to perform only in Harte’s theatre, its destruction means that she has no means of earning a living, especially as a rival impresario has made it impossible for her to find work anywhere else. To help her out, Asa – who is known at large as Mr Harte – allows her to move into a couple of the undamaged rooms with her maid/companion, her seven-year-old son, Indio, and his dog. When Indio announces one day that there’s a monster living in the garden, Lily is naturally dismissive, until she stumbles across him, massive, shaggy-haired, most definitely NOT handsome, and sadly mute. Because this huge beast of a man cannot talk, she immediately assumes he is mentally deficient – something which Apollo, completely in command of his faculties but left unable to speak after a savage beating, finds rather amusing.

Because he’s in hiding, and has no idea if Lily is to be trusted, Apollo allows her to continue to think he’s simple-minded and nothing more than one of the labourers engaged to work upon the garden. But after Apollo saves Indio’s dog from drowning, Lily begins to see that there’s much more to him and to realise that she’d been wrong in her assumptions. From then on, Apollo starts communicating in writing, and as he gradually begins to regain the use of his voice, is able to tell Lily his story – although he doesn’t divulge the fact that he’s the heir to an earldom.

He is determined to prove his innocence and track down the real culprit, but when his hiding place is discovered and he is forced to run, Lily despairs of seeing him again. Weeks later, she is shocked when Apollo appears, well-groomed, well-dressed, and every inch the man of substance, at a house-party where she and her small acting troupe have been engaged to perform.

She struggles at first to accept that Viscount Kilbourne is the same man she’s been falling in love with but Apollo is completely unconcerned with their difference in station. He’s the same man underneath the clothes, and he’s the man who loves her, and that’s all that matters to him. But Lily has a secret of her own, one which will eventually lead to her having to make a devastating choice.

Darling Beast has a gentler feel than some of the other books in the series, and I think that’s because while there is a mystery to be solved, it’s not an action-packed yarn in the way that, for example, the books that featured the Ghost of St. Giles were. And that’s not a criticism – I actually enjoyed the fact that it was a little less busy with more time to concentrate on illuminating the characters and developing the romance.

Apollo is the epitome of the gentle giant, a hulking great man with an artistic soul, whose essential kindness shines through in his interactions with both Lily and her son. I admit that I’m not a great fan of the use of the “moppet” (children and/or animals) as a shorthand method of showing that a character is a good person, but Ms Hoyt makes it work. Lily is a successful woman, both independent and clever, and the attraction between the two of them is palpable and just leaps off the page.

Ashford MacNab’s narration is a vast improvement on the performances of the narrators used for Books 5 and 6. She differentiates characters through the use of a variety of different timbres and accents rather than through pitch, although she does adopt a slightly lowered pitch for most of the male characters. The narrative is performed with intelligence and sensitivity and her characterizations are, for the most part appropriate and successful.

Narrating an audiobook in which the hero is mute for around half the story probably presents a unique challenge, and Ms MacNab has opted to perform Apollo’s written-down speeches using a similar tone to the one she eventually adopts once he regains his voice. I felt that this was perhaps a little too nasally at times, but it wasn’t something that bothered me to a great extent. I did, however, notice a few other things that bothered me more. For instance, Lily’s companion and maid, Maude, appears in the first chapter, speaking in a broad West Country accent – yet the text specifically states that she’s from the North. The next time Maude appears, she has a Northern accent and I can’t help wondering why that error wasn’t corrected.

With a long-running series in which many characters pop up in several books, it must be difficult to find different ways of voicing all of them, but even bearing this in mind, I have to take issue with Ms MacNab’s portrayal of Phoebe Batten, who has appeared in previous books and who will be the heroine of the next one. Phoebe has acquired a lisp, which I don’t believe is indicated in the text, and sounds as though she is a child rather than a young woman. If Ms MacNab is engaged to narrate Dearest Rogue, I’m sure she’ll make an adjustment accordingly, but given that it’s very clear in this book that her hero – Captain Trevillion – is already rather smitten, it makes for slightly uncomfortable listening when Phoebe sounds like an eight-year-old!

But that’s for the future. For now, <Darling Beast is a terrific addition to this series, and in spite of the reservations expressed above, I thoroughly enjoyed Ashford MacNab’s performance and hope she’s back to stay.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOM.



***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
Book Seven of the Maiden Lane series
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 14, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

A MAN CONDEMNED . . .

Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .

A DESPERATE WOMAN . . .

London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants—a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.

OUT OF ASH, DESIRE FLARES

Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

What I Liked:

Ohhh, guys, it's been over a year since I've read an Elizabeth Hoyt book! Her Maiden Lane series is my favorite historical romance series EVER, so you can imagine how antsy I was to get my hands on this one. THANK YOU, GRAND CENTRAL!!

Apollo Greaves has just escaped Bedlam, with the help of his sister and his new brother-in-law, the Duke of Wakefield. Apollo is currently redesigning the garden in the ruined Harte's Folly when Lily Stump moves into the theater with her seven-year-old son and nursemaid, Maude. Lily is a well-known actress of London, but she hasn't had much success recently. When the two meet, it's two worlds colliding, worlds of secrets, worlds of danger, worlds of sparks...

We all know my favorite book of the series was Duke of Midnight, and that still sticks, but this one is probably tied with the remaining five books for my number two favorite. I could not wait to dive into Apollo's story, and to a relatively new character's story! Lily was an interesting character, and I was intrigued by the story of her having a seven-year-old son.

Apollo is on the run from Bedlam, and Lily needs a place to stay. Set in the lush background of a horribly burned theater and garden, most of the interactions between Lily and Apollo occur there, in the garden. Lots of time for the author to show off Apollo's physical prowess. Lots of time for Indio (Lily's son) to become beholden to Apollo, a potential father-figure that he never had.

I really liked Lily - she isn't a noblewoman, so she has no title or rank. She's a successful but struggling actress that is desperately trying to hide her son from society's keen eye. Lily has a spine of steel, but she is also very soft and gentle. Caring for Apollo comes naturally to her - after she gets past her initial suspicion and wariness.

Apollo... ah, poor guy. He cannot speak for a good portion of the book, because of injuries sustained at Bedlam. You really have to feel for the guy - it was heartbreaking to read about his interactions with everyone else, via pen/paper or gestures. However, I think the inability to speak made him a very astute and observant person - if he wasn't already. I really like Apollo!

The romance is very sweet. Lily and Apollo fall in love so seamlessly, despite Lily not knowing much about Apollo - she doesn't find out that he is a viscount, or that he is on the run for (alleged) murder, until close to the end of the book. Imagine her surprise. Nevertheless, I found the romance sweet, not very steamy, but that was okay.

I like how story progressed in this book. We get to see many characters from previous book, like Maximus, Artemis, Hero, Phoebe, James... but we also meet new characters, like the Duke of Montgomery, who is quite the character. I had hoped that book nine would be about him, but I see that book nine features Asa. That's cool. In any case, I also like how things wrap up - finding the real murderer of Apollo's friends is important, so that Apollo can have his name cleared, and so that he can take his place as Viscount Kilbourne. The ending is definitely a wonderful ending, in my opinion!

What I Did Not Like:

I can't think of anything specifically... I think I had hoped for more between Lily and Apollo? There are plenty of sentimental scenes, which deal with feelings and emotions and totally sweet gestures, But in terms of the physical, it's kind of all plopped in at the end, several scenes squeezed in just as the book finishes. Which is okay... but dispersing the steaminess would have been more effective? In my opinion. But this is much of a complaint, more like an observation.

Would I Recommend It:

YEESSS. So much. Read the entire Maiden Lane series, read book six, read this book, read them all. It's a companion series, so you don't quite have to read the previous six to read book seven, and so on. Elizabeth Hoyt is hands-down my favorite adult historical romance author - I just love her work!

Rating:

4 stars. A lovely addition to this fabulous series! Book eight now... I cannot wait to read James and Phoebe's story! And ooo, book nine, Asa. Maybe Hoyt can get a contract for a book ten, featuring Montgomery!

[Mo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid read from Ms Hoyt. The first half might have been a bit slow but then the pace picked up.


Yes, the cast of characters from the previous books make an appearance.


Sometimes people ask if the books have to be read in order. I think they do. Maybe others would disagree and say they can be read as "stand-alones".


Pushed for a bit of time so my review will have to do at this!!

[İlkim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tarihi aşk konusunda favori yazarlarımdan biri Elizabet Hoyt. Bu serideki en son kitabı da yıllar önce okuduğumdan kurgudan fazla bir şey hatırlamayarak başladım bu kitaba da. Ben şahsen beğendim; çünkü sıkmadan, bunaltmadan kendini okutuyor. Bölüm başlarındaki Minotour hikayesi de ayrı güzeldi. İri yarı, haksız yere suçlanmış ve konuşamayan bir adam ile bir tiyatro aktrisinin aşkını anlatmış, gayet de güzel anlatmış bence.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was a bit cute. After some very heavy and sad fantasy reading I needed something completely like this where there isn’t a ton of heartache and we were able to get to the cute phase quickly.

I liked Apollo and his tragic tale as soon as we learned of it from his sister Artemis’s book. Most of the most horrific things that happened to Apollo were in that book and so most of Darling Beast is spent in Apollo’s recovery from the brutal beating that took his voice and eventually being saved and sent into hiding until he could clear his name.

“He’d forgotten, in those long years in Bedlam, through fear and grief and pain, what it was like to simply be with a pretty woman. To tease and flirt and yes, perhaps steal a kiss. He didn’t know how she felt about that kiss—or if she’d let him kiss her again, but he was certainly going to try. He had lost time to make up—much of life itself to live. He’d spent four years in limbo, simply existing, while others found lovers and friends, even started families. He wanted to live again.”

There isn’t anything specifically groundbreaking in this installment. Our tragic hero meets the Heroine and her son and initially he is thought to be dumb along with mute. But after a short time and a bath in the nearby pond it is discovered that he is definitely more than he seems.

The best parts of this book were really with the boy Indio and little dog Daphne. Their time with Apollo was kind of adorable in a lot of ways. I really liked Lily as a mother and how she was with her son and the lengths that she would go to for him.

The banter is as fun as always and I do still love the way that Apollo treats his brother-in-law. Someone needs to be a little on the snarky side to His Grace.

“Good Lord, His Grace the Ass hiding in the bushes,” Apollo muttered. “Whatever are you doing here?”
“Ah, Kilbourne, you’ve regained your voice,” Wakefield drawled. “Pity, but I presume my wife is thrilled….”

I did figure out who was to blame for framing Apollo and why a bit early on in the story but I don’t really read these for the mystery but for the romance.

Not my favorite in the series but still a good story. I was really interested in the small parts that we get to see Phoebe and Trevillion since I’m totally a sucker for that former soldier/lawman playing bodyguard and falling in love kind of trope so I’m desperate to continue to their story.

[Crista · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

It is difficult for me to give this author’s work anything but a 5 star review, but alas, I am being generous even giving this book 3 stars, as it was more like 2 ½ stars.

I am a long time lover and fan of all things written by Elizabeth Hoyt. Her ability to write quality love stories, amazing steam and sensuality, and consistently deliver books that are memorable and a “sure thing” is legendary. Darling Beast was a rare miss for her (in my humble opinion).

I absolutely anxiously awaited the release of this book. Apollo’s story was just yearning to be told, and I desperately wanted to see whom Hoyt would pair this tormented man with. I am sad to say that of all Hoyt’s leading men, Apollo is my very least favorite. Perhaps it’s that he spent the first entire portion of the book mute and unable to communicate, or perhaps it was that he was in hiding trying to escape being readmitted to Bedlam again (or killed). It may have even been that he spent the greater portion of this book in the garden working in terribly disgusting muck and mire. It’s probably a combination of all those factors, but the truth remains, that I was unable to see him as a “hero”.

I loved the little boy in this book, but I wish Hoyt had named him something other than Indio! The love he had for his mother and his dog was heartwarming, and watching him interact with “the monster” who ended up really being Apollo, was quite enduring.

The heroine, Lily was a character that I wanted to connect with, but was one that I was never able to understand. Initially she was attracted to Apollo because of his body (even though she thought he was mentally disabled because he couldn’t speak). Her motives were never clear and I found myself getting bored with her.

The love story also seemed very lacking. The steam that I have grown accustomed to with Ms. Hoyt’s books felt awkward and uncomfortable.

I hope this is just a fluke and that this isn’t the start of a decline. I’m already pretty sure that I will wait for reviews to come out before tackling the next Maiden Lane book. Maybe this series has just run its course for me and I’m ready for something new and fresh from this author?


Thank you to Grand Central Publishing via Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Bj · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I gave this Audiobook an A- for the content and B+ for the narration at AudioGals*

I love stories that transcend class to prove that we are all equal irrespective of the luck of the particular station in life in which we were born to. Darling Beast is a spectacular example of this adage. It presents us with a timeless, beautiful romance with just a touch of suspense to keep the story exciting. Additionally, Ashford MacNab delivers a spellbinding rendition, making this a great book to experience in audiobook format.

As this is the seventh book in the Maiden Lane series, it is worth noting that it can be read on a stand-alone basis. In fact, this is the first book that I have ever read of Elizabeth Hoyt’s. Why did I wait this long? This is one incredibly talented writer that I plan to explore more books from soon.

See the full review at AudioGals.