Gaston

Happily Never After #2

by Lorie Langdon

Gaston is a sick and frail young man, and with a family who often mock him for his supposed weaknesses, his life moves from one miserable moment to the next. One day, while out exploring, Gaston is attacked, only to be saved by a young witch called Agatha. Little by little, the pair fall in love, neither of them having felt before the happiness they do when they're together. But with outside forces and their tempestuous natures to contend with, will their love be able to last?

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult

448 pages, Paperback

Published December 8, 2023

About the author

Lorie Langdon is an Amazon best-selling author of YA novels such as: the Doon Series, Gilt Hollow, and Olivia Twist, which has received a starred review from Booklist Magazine and was picked up by Target Stores across the nation. In 2018, Chapters Interactive Stories developed her Doon series into a ‘choose your own ending’ mobile video game. Olivia Twist has been contracted for film development by Lonetree Entertainment.

In 2020, Lorie was selected by DISNEY PUBLISHING WORLDWIDE to write a three-book young adult villain series. Each darkly romantic story will feature a different infamous villain years before their big-screen debuts, and will tell their heartbreaking journeys of first love. The series will release internationally under the Disney publishing imprint.

Lorie’s upcoming co-authored novel, Catch the Light, a YA contemporary fantasy, is releasing Spring 2021.


*Please note that I don't regularly monitor this account. But I love to hear from readers so come find me at www.LorieLangdon.com

Reviews

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Gaston before Beauty and the Beast.

This story is split between the enchantress Agatha/Aggie & Gaston.

Aggie is miserable left at home with her Dad who shunned her mother when she used her glimmer (magic) (even though it was only ever for good) and he is now going to marry Aggie off to a horrible older man who wants to abuse her glimmer for his own gain.

Gaston is a skinny, weak, spot ridden and puny guy, who is picked on by his Father, brother and friends even though he's the oldest of his siblings and due to be Lord when the time comes.

These two meet when Gaston tries to escape back home when left in the hunting lodge whilst his Father, brother and others are hunting.
He runs into a pack of wolves and before they can attack him, Aggie appears, as she is running away from what would be her horrid future. With her glimmer stopping Gaston getting attacked, Gaston seizes the moment and offers Aggie a place as an employee back home in his family's mansion. Aggie accepts as she will do anything to be able to do something of her own free will and to try to control her glimmer.

Aggie tries to settle into the lowly maid duties whilst getting snuck away by Gaston to learn more about each other.
Together they strike up a deal that Aggie will stay and help Gaston with transformations to better his looks if he proves to Aggie that his soul is good with good deeds and in return after the transformations Gaston will reward Aggie with a place of her own.
Is Gaston pure or is he the villian we well and truly know?

This was very back and forth with making Gaston look bad one minute and then good the next, is he in love with Aggie or is he playing with her feelings.
Overall a great book about Gaston and Aggie too, and to learn more about both Gaston's and Aggie's backgrounds and families.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a solid four star read, but the climactic and nostalgic ending bumped it to a definite five.

Besides appealing to Disney fans, I think this book would be welcome by Downton Abbey aficionados, too. There are definite upstairs/downstairs vibes.

I am a huge fan of dual POV books and this one delivered spectacularly. The “witch” Agatha and Gaston truly had the makings for a HEA, but we all know how Gaston turns out.

It was believable how Gaston was portrayed as an ugly stepsister, basically, and Agatha was a girl on the run who needed some affection and affirmation. Their desire for a better future together was clearly wrought with good and wrong intentions. There were times when I almost believed that Gaston would change his ways and be a better man, but of course his pride and arrogance started to take on a bigger and more prominent role as the story progressed.

I also appreciated the realistic lessons that many people face today. The lesson that good intentions will not always make a good man. It all starts with the heart and soul of a person. No matter how much a woman wants to inspire a man to be better, it always boils down to the man wanting to be a better person himself. Also, that it isn’t healthy to rely on another person to make you feel loved. That love has to first come from yourself ( and God..in my opinion).

I wish this series was more accessible to people in the USA, but I promise that ordering the copy from the UK is easy. Blackwells.co.uk, Amazon.co.uk, and Waterstones.com offer international shipping.

In parting I offer my favorite quote..

“ As she stared into his eyes, she saw the good there. She could see the potential simmering just below the surface; his true self locked inside a battered and tarnished shell. She could see the person he wished to be, who he should’ve always been-Gaston the Gallant.”

[Bobbie Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a fan of beauty and the beast then this is a must read.
Gaston is one of the disney villians that I never thought I'd want a back story about but I really enjoyed Lorie Langdon version of him.
I'm glad it wasn't a story where the villian gets a redemption arc.
The mention of characters from the origional was fun to spot and I'll definitely be trying out other books in this happily never after series

3.5⭐️

Thank you to netgalley for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review

[Nova McBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa. Lorie Langdon has brought us an enchantment of beautifully written words. Gaston swept me up into an entrancing narrative that I knew would lead to devastating heartbreak, yet I could stop turning the pages. I’ll never look at Gaston the same again, and wishing for things that could have been!

[Ellen McGinty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beware the enchantress, her glimmer may well be on this unputdownable book! I loved this new take on a beloved fairytale. It shines with the same magic and love as a familiar classic but with a twist.

[James Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded)
I'm an avid Disney Villains fan. I have a large collection, a ton of books, and I've seen all of the Villain solo films. I've been disappointed in the recent Disney "Villains" series. And while I do enjoy the Disney Dark Ascension series, the siblings included in those novels usually aren't nearly as interesting as the main villains. The twist with this series is that each Disney villain has had a first love. I thought that that would be more of the same type of writing as the Dark Ascension series. However, Langdon has a grasp on these characters, and so in this review I will detail why this works where Serena Valentino's "Kill the Beast" doesn't, along with how Langdon expands "Beauty and the Beast". I will include spoilers, but the section will be clearly marked!

Okay, I've written an extensive review on why "Kill the Beast" doesn't work, but in short, the novel makes Gaston into a good man who was just cursed to be bad by an enchantress. He's also friends with the Beast during their youths, he is good friends with the staff, and he is trying to avenge the deaths of his parents. The novel comments on class divide as a main theme. That is also a theme in Gaston, but it works so much better in this context. Instead of being a hunter for the royal family, Gaston belongs to a rich family who own an estate who has their own servants. Gaston is sickly, small, and bitter. On a hunt, he is cornered by wolves, but saved by a young runaway enchantress named Agatha. We see Agatha's point of view with the class divide. She is also used by Gaston to make him more beautiful. I loved this novel's commentary on that divide. It was done so much better, as Agatha is thrust into this life, and the arrogant Gaston doesn't get it. I love how the novel keeps Gaston as this heartless, conceited mess of a man. He tries to be better, but he is just too bitter. I loved that, as "Kill the Beast" wasn't nearly as nuanced. Overall, Gaston was just a far better novel.
SPOILERS!!!!!!!!
Now, how does this build out Gaston and Beauty and the Beast? It does it so well! Agatha is an amazing character. I usually dread the other character's chapters, but she was a really good character. I loved how her moral compass was swayed by a false kindness when her life was filled with so many unfortunate occurrences. Agatha makes a deal with Gaston to transform his features as he is bullied by his whole family. Gaston has some horrible things that happen to him, but he's still evil. I loved that. With Agatha, we also get some more world building with the idea of enchantresses in this world. It was very well done! They are a group of women who live normal lives, who learn from their magic via passed down information. It was really interesting! Agatha was a great character! Gaston was a great, evil character as well. He just felt so right! LeFou also appears more in this book, and he was just done so well. IT WAS ALL DONE SO WELL!!! This is an amazing novel! I recommend it to any Disney fan!!!!
Gaston is a hard character to get right, but Langdon does! It was really good!

[Tibwalovesstory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce mercredi 14 septembre, j’étais très excitée à l’idée de lire « Gaston », un autre roman de la collection Disney Vilains, écrit par Lorie Langdon.

Résumé officiel:
Gaston est un jeune homme frêle et malade, jaloux de son père et de son frère, qui sont beaucoup plus virils que lui : si seulement il pouvait être plus beau, plus grand, plus fort, pour enfin obtenir le respect qui lui est dû…Attaqué par des loups lors d’une partie de chasse, il est sauvé in extremis par une jeune sorcière, Agathe. Gaston va alors passer un marché avec la jeune femme : en échange d’actes de bonté désintéressés, Agathe lui offrira des transformations physiques. Petit à petit, ils tombent amoureux… Gaston ne souhaite plus jamais être séparé de cette femme qui peut lui donner tout le pouvoir qu’il mérite. Mais est-ce réellement ça, l’amour ?

Même si j’ai été moins conquise par ce récit, il reste très divertissant et traite des mêmes thèmes que « Vanessa », ce qui unit joliment les romans de cette collection publiée par Hachette Heroes.

Gaston est également un personnage qui lutte contre sa nature profonde dans le seul but d’atteindre ses objectifs. Cela crée des situations cocasses qui ne manqueront pas d’amuser les lectaires.

Grâce à Agathe, Gaston apprend - difficilement - à s’intéresser sincèrement à l’autre… Mais toute bonne action a ses limites, pas vrai ?

Cependant, tout a un prix, surtout la magie. Agathe et Gaston l’apprendront à leurs dépens.

Alors que la première rencontrera sa propre face sombre au contact de Gaston, ce dernier ne renoncera pas à sa nature, ce qui est fort divertissant en fiction.

Mais le roman n’oublie pas pour autant de délivrer de précieux conseils à la jeunesse sans se montrer moralisateur :
« Ta vraie valeur ne découle pas de la perception des autres. »

La collection Disney Vilains ? Une collection prometteuse !

[Siobhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the English Version but cannot find it on here.
I may have only been one years old when The Beauty and The Beast animated classic was released but it has been my favourite Disney movie (tied with The Aristocats) since I could understand and enjoy it. Probably about 1994ish. Now in my 30s it is still a comfort film and despite hating Gaston’s personality I also love him in a weird way. So after reading, Vanessa by Langdon and seeing she was writing about Gaston I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed.

Over the past few years I have loved how Disney Books and their publishing houses have released several villain focused series, Twisted Tales, Queen’s Court and of course the Happily Never After. Langdon really captures Gaston’s character and I adored the idea that his ‘perfect-ness’ was down to a transformation – a juxtaposition to what happened to Beast (unofficially Adam). But what I adored most of all was Agatha. She was such a good addition to the plot and I adored how she and Gaston worked together and ultimately how much they contrasted each other. It is a brilliant reversal while Beast shows is ‘ugliness’ and ‘cruelty’ in his curse/transformation Gaston starts being sickly, weak and ‘ugly’ but thanks to magic his true ugliness is hidden by the handsome man we see in the movie.

On top of this I adored the side and supporting characters as well. It was interesting to see Gaston’s family and how they interact with him, in part showing how he became the fickle man he is today. If you are a fan of Disney Villains or Beauty and the Beast this is a must. But if you are also looking for a good fantasy with a touch of romance and magic as well as tragedy this is one you will enjoy. I honestly don’t feel you need to be a Disney fan (adult or teen) to enjoy this one but if you are you will adore it!

[L'Abri des Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are told of a Gaston who experienced many difficulties throughout his young life. So one would tend to think, out of simple habit, that either he became a fierce warrior in search of spicy revenge, or a lonely sad, wounded, and weary boy. Well here Gaston is both. He is inconstant, who at the same time wants to make Agathe happy, while also often listening to the little demon on his shoulder. He is a dark character, but whose light wants to be able to come out and express itself. I found one of his reflections very interesting: "a picture is worth a thousand words", and precisely the books that his Agathe likes do not contain. Overall there is not much going on, except for Gaston’s physical evolution and their relationship to both.

I liked Agathe at first, but sometimes she’s blind and thinks she���s right when she’s not. A dull mind, I’d say. She stops after a first word, she does not use her mind to think and understand the true intentions. No, everyone wants her magic and that’s it. I really liked Gaston. Agathe thinks he’s selfish, I don’t. I find him close to anything to defend himself, to make his life as he sees fit and that is quite normal.

But then the end, what a disappointment!! Gaston is shown as the dark manichean fool of the Disney, nothing more. Why did you make a book like that then? With all the work on its dark and bright side at the same time? On its emerging potential? Pff, ok.
In short, the reading starts too well, stagnates and ends on a low-end play.

Question of the Day: have you ever read Disney Twisted Tales?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnZDWGwI6LY/

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Igloo Books in exchange for an honest review.

Of all the villains who deserve a sad origin story, Gaston is not one of them. Still, I was super excited to read this retelling/prequel/exploration into Disney non-canon. And I'm so glad I did!

Happily Never After Gaston is the story of Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, reimagined as an ugly and unpleasant teenager. Living in his brother's shadow and hated by his family, his luck starts to change when he meets an enchantress named Agatha and they form an arrangement of sorts. If Gaston can prove himself to be a good person, she will make him attractive. It's a simple premise and one which is extremely well-executed.

This book can't have been easy to write. Gaston is intentionally a flat and unpleasant character in the original film. He has to be compelling enough here to half-lead a book, but not so sympathetic that it doesn't fit with his portrayal in the film. I'd say the author does a great job of this. Is this Gaston from the films? No, but he's close enough. And honestly, it was a lot of fun as a Beauty and the Beast fan having this alternative version of Gaston and that world.

Fun is the main word I'd use to describe this book. It has the same kind of enjoyment as the Twisted Tales books and is worth checking out for any Disney fans who like exploring the characters from new and different perspectives. It has some nice nods to the original film, good writing and characterisation, and an interesting plot

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

[Louna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un roman qui me laisse dubitative.
A nouveau, il faut tout d'abord sortir le personnage original de Gaston, partir d’une page vierge et découvrir un personnage victimisé par sa famille d'aristocrates.
La mécanique du roman est intéressante, elle fait même écho à la malédiction de la Bête, transformée car n’ayant pas su être gentille. Il n’empêche que les éléments sont apportés comme des cheveux sur la soupe et j’ai l’impression qu’il manque quelque chose pour rendre l’histoire et les personnages plus crédibles. Je ne suis pas arrivée à cerner le personnage de Gaston ni à comprendre ses réactions et même si globalement l’histoire est intéressante, je reste dans l'incompréhension de la volonté de l'auteur.
J’aurais limite envie de le relire pour percevoir les éléments qui m'auraient échappé et pouvoir décoder le comportement de Gaston ou alors pour m’apercevoir que le processus de construction du personnage n’est pas réellement abouti.

[Ocean Of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Retrouver tous mes avis lectures sur mon instagram @ocean.ofbooks )

《 Celui qui porte la lumière dans sa propre poitrine, par là même éclairé, pourrait rester au centre de la terre et jouir de la clarté du jour ; mais celui qui cache une âme noire et des pensées viles, marche dans les ténèbres au soleil de midi ; il est sa propre prison. -John Milton-》

On connaît tous le Gaston, grand, fort, beau et virils mais cela n'a pas toujours été ainsi. Autrefois, c'était même tout l'inverse.
Gaston n'a malheureusement pas pu échapper à une partie de chasse imposée par son père le seigneur Gaël, et bien sûr comme si cela ne suffisait pas son frère Georges et son petit groupe d'amis sont de la partie. Il est l'aîné de la famille et pourtant nul ne le respecte, pire encore on a honte de lui, le traite comme un moins que rien et le rabaisse à la moindre occasion. Son frère et ses amis en ont même fait un de leurs jeux préférés. Et pour cause le pauvre Gaston est petit, chétif et loin d'être beau avec ses pustules sur son visage enfantin. La jalousie le dévore un peu plus chaque jour, il rêve de vengeance et c'est justement durant cette partie de chasse qu'il va rencontrer celle qui changera sa vie. La jeune femme va le sauver d'une meute de loups en usant d'un pouvoir que Gaston n'avait jamais vu auparavant. Elle s'appelle Agathe et ils vont tous les deux passer un marché ; en échange d'actes de bonté désintéressés elle lui offrira des transformations physiques. Petit à petit, ils finissent par tomber amoureux mais est-ce Agathe ou ses pouvoirs qu'il aime le plus ?

J'adore cette collection, je reconnais avoir préféré "Vanessa" mais celui-ci a tout de même été très agréable à lire. On suit Gaston en espérant le voir changer tout en sachant que cela n'arrivera pas, malgré tout on finit par le comprend un peu. J'ai hâte de lire le prochain disney vilains de Lorie.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I have read one or two of the Disney side story books in the past. I really enjoy Belle (beauty and the beast) and thought I might enjoy the side story. I do have to admit that throughout the book, I wondered if Belle would be a part of the story and probably kept reading because of that. I enjoyed the end though and coming from someone who is often either guessing the pathway of media, or highly disappointed in the end, this means a lot.

[Cecilia Rodriguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set North of France at Le Chalet de Carriere, nineteen year old Gaston is bullied by his younger brothers.
Eighteen year old Agatha de Villeneuve is a witch.
Langdon gives Gaston a back story as a “98” pound weakling.

The unexpected appearance of Agatha’s mother read more like “god in the machine.”

I read the English translation.

[Renee Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written. I never thought I could feel sorry for Gaston, but I found myself wishing he’d get his happily ever after, even knowing that it wasn’t going to happen. I loved all the Easter eggs sprinkled in, referencing Beauty and the Beast. An overall magical experience.

[Anne-Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’ai bien apprécié cette lecture !

C’était sympa de voir l’avant de Gaston et comment il a tourné. J’ai été intrigué tout du long pour savoir où l’autrice souhaitait nous emmener.

[Carla E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting part one of Beauty and the Beast month is the book that inspired it entirely, @lorielangdon’s newly released “Gaston”! As the second Happily Never After book to finally reach English audiences, I immediately imported this grail when it was released right before the new year. The HNA books are young adult romance novels that put a fascinating spin on our favorite villains. With it being YA, expect a little bit of spice and slightly more mature themes and language.

“Gaston” introduces us to the small, sickly, and acne-prone
eldest son of the esteemed hunter and Lord in their quaint corner of France. Gaston, the heir apparent, finds himself perpetually overlooked and cast aside, branded as nothing more than a disappointing runt. However, when a hunting trip goes awry, Gaston is saved by Aggie, a young runaway shrouded in mystery and magic. With her secrets now in the young Lord’s hands, an unlikely friendship is born, and an enchanted pact is made. The rules are simple: for every good and pure-of-heart action Gaston commits, Aggie will change his outer appearance to become the man he always dreamed of being. This transformation will become permanent on his birthday, provided he remains committed to his newfound virtuous path. But what happens when their platonic friendship blossoms into pure desire and possibly even... love? Can Gaston be the man Aggie knows he’s capable of being? Or will his selfish and vain nature win through?

—

It’s not often that a story captivates me so much that I binge-read it in nearly one sitting. I’m starting to think Lorie Langdon is also an enchantress because her books always grab me in a way no others do. I’m not usually surprised either, but what a twist I didn’t see coming!

Gaston is an enthralling take on the brainless brute of BatB, and one that took a minute to adjust to. Can you imagine Gaston as ugly, weak, and small? I couldn’t, but Langdon did so beautifully. I would have loved to see how this story connected to the Beast’s curse and the aftermath of the final sequences, but that just speaks to how much I loved the story and wanted more.

And now we wait for the very anticipated English release of “Yzma”!

[Il confine dei libri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voto libro: 4.5
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3,5

[Jo Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

A enjoyed his original story. Not what I ever expected.
I was constantly changing my opinion on his throughout the book.
Wish it was a bit bigger to add more details to certain chapters.

[Jennifer Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I was a little confused as to how this related to the character in the film, but it was tied up nicely at the end. Look forward to more in the Happily Never After series.

[Fauve K · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/3.8

[RichelleMuzammil · Rating 4 out of 5]

BRILLIANT! DEFINITE RECOMMEND.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

id say 3.5 but round it to 4 for goodreads purposes. Super cute read. Definitely YA, but still enjoyable!

[Caroline Flegel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting villain backstory!!

[Lorna Fowler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always loved Disney from a young age and Beauty and the Beast was always my favourite film with Gaston being my favourite villain (he would definitely make it on a hear me out cake) so as soon as I saw this one I had to add it to my shelves.

The beginning was very slow for me, as not a lot happened in the first 100 or so pages, so slow that it was almost a DNF but I persevered and it did pick up.

Seeing a start to Gaston’s story was great, giving us as readers the idea that he may not of always been so handsome and honoured.

I think the magic system in this is very under developed but I think that’s due to the age range that this is targeting as it’s not the same age range as the usual fantasy I read.

I like how in the end we do get a bit of the original story with the suspected arrival of Belle and also a hunt to towards the Gaston song.

Overall, a new perspective on one of favourites which u enjoyed but was maybe let down by not being the correct age target audience for this one and the slow start.