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A Gentle Hope (Hope Ever After, #2): A Beauty and the Beast Retelling
Can one find hope when trapped in a curse?
Iara has spent years caring for her grumpy, unappreciative father, all the while longing to join her mother’s loving family in the capital city. But when her father dies and she can finally make that dream come true, she is accosted. First by an unwanted suitor who insists she marry him, and then a fairy godmother she’s never seen before, who whisks her away—to be magically imprisoned on the grounds of a ruined castle.
Aleixo thinks of his past with shame. His reputation for cruelty is so well-known that even his own people refer to him as the Beast. As a result, he's been cursed, forced to live within the grounds of a ruined castle until he can find a way to break the curse. He has worked hard to redeem himself by rescuing other people in desperate straits. But it’s been three years, and he’s beginning to lose hope that he can ever earn his freedom. That is, until he meets Iara.
Iara isn’t grateful for being rescued, and her repeated attempts to flee the grounds are as amusing as they are futile. But her determination is inspiring and for the first time in years, Aleixo truly begins to believe that the curse can be broken—at least by her. Still, now he has to face the possibility of another loss, for what if Iara’s escape just means he’ll be left behind?
“A Gentle Hope,” a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes like forced proximity, emotional scars, and redemption. It is part of the “Hope Ever After” series, a collection of twenty hopeful and uplifting fairy tale retellings. Each book is written by a different author so it can be enjoyed in any order. The proceeds from this series are donated to the O.U.R. (Operation Underground Railroad) to rescue children from exploitation and trafficking.
Iara has spent years caring for her grumpy, unappreciative father, all the while longing to join her mother’s loving family in the capital city. But when her father dies and she can finally make that dream come true, she is accosted. First by an unwanted suitor who insists she marry him, and then a fairy godmother she’s never seen before, who whisks her away—to be magically imprisoned on the grounds of a ruined castle.
Aleixo thinks of his past with shame. His reputation for cruelty is so well-known that even his own people refer to him as the Beast. As a result, he's been cursed, forced to live within the grounds of a ruined castle until he can find a way to break the curse. He has worked hard to redeem himself by rescuing other people in desperate straits. But it’s been three years, and he’s beginning to lose hope that he can ever earn his freedom. That is, until he meets Iara.
Iara isn’t grateful for being rescued, and her repeated attempts to flee the grounds are as amusing as they are futile. But her determination is inspiring and for the first time in years, Aleixo truly begins to believe that the curse can be broken—at least by her. Still, now he has to face the possibility of another loss, for what if Iara’s escape just means he’ll be left behind?
“A Gentle Hope,” a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, is a standalone novella, complete with tropes like forced proximity, emotional scars, and redemption. It is part of the “Hope Ever After” series, a collection of twenty hopeful and uplifting fairy tale retellings. Each book is written by a different author so it can be enjoyed in any order. The proceeds from this series are donated to the O.U.R. (Operation Underground Railroad) to rescue children from exploitation and trafficking.
206 pages, Paperback
Published March 13, 2024
15 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 19, 2024
Just like a good old Hagenheim book ☺️ RTC
March 26, 2024
Great retelling of "Beauty and the Beast." I love the changes, but also has elements of the original story. Very sweet. 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 30, 2024
4.5- Wow oh wow!!
Such a sweet and amazing Beauty and the Beast retelling! What made this for me was a worthy villain to LOATH. And I do mean LOATH! Anytime his name appeared I would internally groan. I honestly felt so bad for Iara. She just wanted a simple life surrounded by family who loved her, and every obstacle was irksome. The romance was so wholesome and beautiful. It displayed the theme of "gentle hope" to a T.
If there's anything I didn't like it was Iara's family. Her dad "Maurice's" character was done so dirty. BUT I GET IT! It's a retelling and it worked. I was just really hurt because I always liked his character in the cartoon.
A high recommendation for readers of clean fairytales in which good overcomes evil and there is hope for redemption.
Such a sweet and amazing Beauty and the Beast retelling! What made this for me was a worthy villain to LOATH. And I do mean LOATH! Anytime his name appeared I would internally groan. I honestly felt so bad for Iara. She just wanted a simple life surrounded by family who loved her, and every obstacle was irksome. The romance was so wholesome and beautiful. It displayed the theme of "gentle hope" to a T.
If there's anything I didn't like it was Iara's family. Her dad "Maurice's" character was done so dirty. BUT I GET IT! It's a retelling and it worked. I was just really hurt because I always liked his character in the cartoon.
A high recommendation for readers of clean fairytales in which good overcomes evil and there is hope for redemption.
October 30, 2024
a beautifully sweet retelling
This has got to be one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast retellings! The idea of a prince who really was a beast, the decision to open up his castle as a sanctuary, the very human growth he had to do… the endurance and hope of Iara… and the truly awful creepiness of Gustavo… it was all so well written. Hoping for more from this author!
This has got to be one of my favorite Beauty and the Beast retellings! The idea of a prince who really was a beast, the decision to open up his castle as a sanctuary, the very human growth he had to do… the endurance and hope of Iara… and the truly awful creepiness of Gustavo… it was all so well written. Hoping for more from this author!
April 3, 2024
This was probably not something I would have read normally, but I wanted to support Operatoon Underground Railroad which this series is a fundraiser for.
It turned out to be a lovely, sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast, although there were some aspects and characters from the original that I felt were really important that weren’t in this story that left me feeling a little disappointed.
You never find out why Aleixo (the Beast) is cursed. It’s alluded generally that he was cursed because he was not a nice person, but you don’t know if it was prompted by a specific encounter. Laelynn, the “fairy godmother” that communicates with the outside world about the curse and brings folks that have been cast off or abused elsewhere to the castle is supposedly not the one who cast the curse, but in some ways she really seems to be? I was a bit confused by her character throughout.
Aleixo is handsome for the entire story, and Iara (The Beauty) is physically attracted to him from the beginning. Personally I feel like that is an important part of the original story to maintain; for him to look like a monster, and so physical appearance playing no role in her falling in love with him. Nothing about Iara’s personal encounters with him are truly “beastly”, either personality or appearance-wise (though she does come with preconceived opinions that his personality is. By the time she arrives he is already significantly kinder and gentler, if somewhat aloof and arrogant.)
Although I get that this was a novella and meant to be brief, I still felt like Aleixo’s return to his family was a little too tidy. No one cares that he wants to marry a commoner. There’s no resolution or acknowledgement by his family regarding the abuse by his tutor in his early life.
Overall I did really enjoy it though; it was a fun foray into a retelling of a favorite story. There’s beautiful growth in both Iara and Aleixo throughout. I will probably read more from this series and I’d consider reading more from the author, especially the future story about Aleixo’s brother.
It turned out to be a lovely, sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast, although there were some aspects and characters from the original that I felt were really important that weren’t in this story that left me feeling a little disappointed.
You never find out why Aleixo (the Beast) is cursed. It’s alluded generally that he was cursed because he was not a nice person, but you don’t know if it was prompted by a specific encounter. Laelynn, the “fairy godmother” that communicates with the outside world about the curse and brings folks that have been cast off or abused elsewhere to the castle is supposedly not the one who cast the curse, but in some ways she really seems to be? I was a bit confused by her character throughout.
Aleixo is handsome for the entire story, and Iara (The Beauty) is physically attracted to him from the beginning. Personally I feel like that is an important part of the original story to maintain; for him to look like a monster, and so physical appearance playing no role in her falling in love with him. Nothing about Iara’s personal encounters with him are truly “beastly”, either personality or appearance-wise (though she does come with preconceived opinions that his personality is. By the time she arrives he is already significantly kinder and gentler, if somewhat aloof and arrogant.)
Although I get that this was a novella and meant to be brief, I still felt like Aleixo’s return to his family was a little too tidy. No one cares that he wants to marry a commoner. There’s no resolution or acknowledgement by his family regarding the abuse by his tutor in his early life.
Overall I did really enjoy it though; it was a fun foray into a retelling of a favorite story. There’s beautiful growth in both Iara and Aleixo throughout. I will probably read more from this series and I’d consider reading more from the author, especially the future story about Aleixo’s brother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
I’m probably somewhere between 3 and 4 stars on this. I’ve never read the oldest historical versions of most fairytales and that includes Beauty and the Beast. I do know Disney didn’t make up the story (some people seem to think they did), so I don’t expect other retellings to match Disney’s version, and when they do remind me of it, I really prefer to think that both versions shared similar source material. That’s how it was here, and I think what I liked best was the places where this felt very different. Having read the other two books in the world this novella is set in, I already knew who the royals were and something of Aleixo’s “beastly” nature. I enjoyed the castle setting and the stories of how there were people there and how they came to be there and lived together. I was definitely happy that Aleixo was mostly “reformed” by the time Iara met him - I’m not super fond of BatB variations where the “beast” character is beastly toward the “beauty” character. I enjoyed Iara’s interactions with Aleixo, and Aleixo’s with her and with the fairy godmother. I was super not crazy about the subplot with Gustavo (I think that was his name) which just would not go away. And my willingness to love and adore Iara’s family dimmed significantly when they are immediately taken in by Gustavo, completely ignoring what Iara has to say about him. First, neither we nor she could get rid of him. Second, her family, the people who are supposed to choose her first-ignore what she’s saying and just brush it off. I’d expected to really enjoy the part of the story when Iara meets her family, but Gustavo’s continuing annoying and unhealthy presence as well as their tolerance of him, really interfered with my pleasure. The curse ended up being a little odd in the way it was worded and the way it played out…if it hadn’t been for Gustavo, I think it wouldn’t have broken…maybe it was just written that way to create an excuse or explanation for Gustavo hanging around the.whole.entire.story? And finally, I wanted to see Aleixo’s reunion with his family…it happens off page, and though the epilogue catches us up on a lot of what’s happened in the interim, I was sorry we didn’t get that. As always, Carlisle’s writing is easy to read.
March 13, 2024
"A Gentle Hope" offers a refreshing twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, immersing readers in a world where hope and redemption bloom even in the darkest of curses. As part of the "Hope Ever After" series, Sarah Carlisle's standalone novella captivates with its exploration of forced proximity, emotional scars, and the transformative power of love.
The narrative unfolds with Iara, a young woman yearning to escape her mundane existence caring for her grumpy father. When tragedy strikes and her chance for freedom finally arises, she finds herself ensnared in a series of unexpected events, culminating in her magical imprisonment within the grounds of a ruined castle.
Enter Aleixo, the enigmatic figure known as the Beast, haunted by a past marred by cruelty and shame. Despite his efforts to redeem himself by aiding others, the weight of his curse threatens to consume him. However, Iara's arrival sparks a glimmer of hope within him, as her determination and resilience challenge his beliefs about his own redemption.
Carlisle expertly weaves together themes of sacrifice, self-discovery, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. The dynamic between Iara and Aleixo unfolds with tenderness and depth, offering a poignant exploration of acceptance and transformation. Iara's attempts to escape the castle add a touch of humour and humanity to the narrative, further enriching the story's emotional resonance.
What sets "A Gentle Hope" apart is its nuanced portrayal of the curse and the characters' journey towards redemption. The absence of physical transformation in Aleixo challenges traditional expectations, offering a fresh perspective on the timeless tale. Carlisle's emphasis on compassion and altruism underscores the overarching theme of hope, echoing the spirit of the "Hope Ever After" series.
Additionally, "A Gentle Hope" tantalisingly hints at other stories within this enchanting world, leaving readers eager to explore more of the series that Carlisle is creating. In conclusion, "A Gentle Hope" is a delightful addition to the world of fairy tale retellings, blending romance, magic, and profound themes with skill and grace. Carlisle's evocative storytelling and vibrant characters ensure that readers will be enchanted from beginning to end, leaving them with a renewed sense of hope and possibility.
The narrative unfolds with Iara, a young woman yearning to escape her mundane existence caring for her grumpy father. When tragedy strikes and her chance for freedom finally arises, she finds herself ensnared in a series of unexpected events, culminating in her magical imprisonment within the grounds of a ruined castle.
Enter Aleixo, the enigmatic figure known as the Beast, haunted by a past marred by cruelty and shame. Despite his efforts to redeem himself by aiding others, the weight of his curse threatens to consume him. However, Iara's arrival sparks a glimmer of hope within him, as her determination and resilience challenge his beliefs about his own redemption.
Carlisle expertly weaves together themes of sacrifice, self-discovery, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. The dynamic between Iara and Aleixo unfolds with tenderness and depth, offering a poignant exploration of acceptance and transformation. Iara's attempts to escape the castle add a touch of humour and humanity to the narrative, further enriching the story's emotional resonance.
What sets "A Gentle Hope" apart is its nuanced portrayal of the curse and the characters' journey towards redemption. The absence of physical transformation in Aleixo challenges traditional expectations, offering a fresh perspective on the timeless tale. Carlisle's emphasis on compassion and altruism underscores the overarching theme of hope, echoing the spirit of the "Hope Ever After" series.
Additionally, "A Gentle Hope" tantalisingly hints at other stories within this enchanting world, leaving readers eager to explore more of the series that Carlisle is creating. In conclusion, "A Gentle Hope" is a delightful addition to the world of fairy tale retellings, blending romance, magic, and profound themes with skill and grace. Carlisle's evocative storytelling and vibrant characters ensure that readers will be enchanted from beginning to end, leaving them with a renewed sense of hope and possibility.
November 13, 2025
This is one of the better Beauty and the Beast retellings I have read.
Iara has spent years caring for her cold and mean father. When her father dies, she is harassed by an unwanted suitor who insists she marry him. She is magically whisked away by a fairy godmother and becomes trapped on the grounds of a ruined castle.
Prince Aleixo was often so cruel that he became known as "the beast". As a result, he's been cursed, forced to live within the grounds of a ruined castle until he can find a way to break the curse. He has worked hard to redeem himself by rescuing other people in desperate straits.
This story is so perfect for Beauty and the Beast. I love the slow burn between Iara and Aleixo. They go from enemies, to friends, to lovers.
I loved all the side characters too and how they found a home in the ruined castle thanks to Aleixo.
Iara has spent years caring for her cold and mean father. When her father dies, she is harassed by an unwanted suitor who insists she marry him. She is magically whisked away by a fairy godmother and becomes trapped on the grounds of a ruined castle.
Prince Aleixo was often so cruel that he became known as "the beast". As a result, he's been cursed, forced to live within the grounds of a ruined castle until he can find a way to break the curse. He has worked hard to redeem himself by rescuing other people in desperate straits.
This story is so perfect for Beauty and the Beast. I love the slow burn between Iara and Aleixo. They go from enemies, to friends, to lovers.
I loved all the side characters too and how they found a home in the ruined castle thanks to Aleixo.
July 2, 2024
I've always been partial to Beaty and the Beast retellings, and this is now my new favorite one!
Story: 5/5
Worldview: 5/5
All the characters come to life, even the side characters, and some moments definitely made me laugh. I've read other books by Sarah Carlisle and it's really cool how each book shares something else about the complexity of that world. The romance was sweet and realistic. The Christian themes in the book, redemption and sacrifice, were a great part of the story. Definitely looking forward to reading other books in the series!
Note: mentions of physical and emotional abuse
Story: 5/5
Worldview: 5/5
All the characters come to life, even the side characters, and some moments definitely made me laugh. I've read other books by Sarah Carlisle and it's really cool how each book shares something else about the complexity of that world. The romance was sweet and realistic. The Christian themes in the book, redemption and sacrifice, were a great part of the story. Definitely looking forward to reading other books in the series!
Note: mentions of physical and emotional abuse
April 21, 2025
Sweet and Caring
I really enjoyed this take on Beauty and the Beast with its focus on what it means to truly care for people well and what love looks like. Both Iara and Alexio have significant growth arcs in cool ways. The communities of characters were amazing and made you want to meet them all. The romance is clean and sweet. There is a minor cliffhanger/ set up for the next book in the epilogue. The book left me excited to read more books by Sarah Carlisle.
I really enjoyed this take on Beauty and the Beast with its focus on what it means to truly care for people well and what love looks like. Both Iara and Alexio have significant growth arcs in cool ways. The communities of characters were amazing and made you want to meet them all. The romance is clean and sweet. There is a minor cliffhanger/ set up for the next book in the epilogue. The book left me excited to read more books by Sarah Carlisle.
March 18, 2024
This is far different from every Beauty And The Beast retellings I've ever read and it was so fun! I loved the message Sarah has given in this book, through this book. It was very inspiring!! It was such an honour to read this book and I enjoyed it, especially when it came to the middle part! Can't wait to read more from Sarah!
March 17, 2024
I really loved reading this wonderful book! I loved the characters and the plot! I had a hard time putting this really wonderful book down! I absolutely loved this retelling of Beauty and the Beast! I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this really wonderful series!
March 17, 2024
A beautiful retelling
I absolutely loved this story. I kept finding myself getting frustrated with how Iara kept handling Gustova by ignoring him. But I guess there was nothing else she could do but ignore him.Anyway loved the story and the retelling was beautiful
I absolutely loved this story. I kept finding myself getting frustrated with how Iara kept handling Gustova by ignoring him. But I guess there was nothing else she could do but ignore him.Anyway loved the story and the retelling was beautiful
November 17, 2025
I love stories of redemption
Which means I can never read enough beauty and the beast versions. This was an interesting one since he had already largely redeemed himself before our Belle ever even entered the story. But clearly, he still had room to grow.
Which means I can never read enough beauty and the beast versions. This was an interesting one since he had already largely redeemed himself before our Belle ever even entered the story. But clearly, he still had room to grow.
June 15, 2024
Great
I enjoyed this one so much! I liked it better than the first one. Such a fun take on the old story.
I enjoyed this one so much! I liked it better than the first one. Such a fun take on the old story.
August 1, 2024
What a cute retelling of Beauty and the Beast! A new twist on an old tale that I definitely enjoyed!
**Part of the Hope Ever After series**
**Part of the Hope Ever After series**
September 27, 2025
I really enjoyed this story.
Content: clean
Content: clean
December 5, 2025
Innovative, sweet, and thought provoking. A new twist on a favorite fairytale.
April 20, 2025
Content:
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. There are some magic-induced tense moments where people are hurt, but no blood, just bruises. There is talk of lashing, whippings, etc. in past tense.
Sexual: Mild. There is only chaste kissing. Very clean.
Trigger: Depicts caring for elderly parent who shows signs of dementia and turns apathetic/mean toward children. There is an aspect of physical abuse in this, told in past tense (but never graphically).
4.5 but rounded up to 5, because it brought me happiness.
It has been a while since I sat down, opened a book, and just got sucked in completely.
I read this with only one small break because I had to get ready for bed, and it was one of those had to wrench my eyes away from the page type things.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is lovely. I enjoyed the unique aspects, especially that our 'Beauty' wasn't trapped there by the 'Beast', even though they were both trapped. It made it much easier to love the way they come together and compliment each other. Having melted my heart too.
Iara and Aleixo's characters were well fleshed out and their arcs were a joy to read. The slow way the author gave us info about why Aleixo was cursed and how he came to be known as 'The Beast' was part of why I couldn't put the book down. His back story was heart-breaking and I had a hard core connection with him because of
And man, did I ever hate Gustav. Wow, what a manipulative awful person. I did appreciate that the author could've made him even more handsy and despicable (making the tone gritty) but didn't. I was so frustrated with him without it getting to the make-me-nauseated-with-second-hand-tension-stage.
The only thing I struggled with were the pronunciations of the names, for which I am SOOOO thankful the author gave a guide at the beginning of the book. I just personally find it too tedious to stop reading, click a bunch on my kindle to find it, then try to go back. It's a cinch if you have a hard copy, but kindle just isn't great for some things.
The more I sat on this retelling, the more I liked it, until I was grinning at nothing and went hunting to see if I could get a paperback of it for my collection. (It is available in pbk!)
Beautiful retelling, that just made it to my top 5 in Beauty and the Beast retellings. And I've read over 50 of them. That should tell you something!
Profanity: None.
Violence: Mild. There are some magic-induced tense moments where people are hurt, but no blood, just bruises. There is talk of lashing, whippings, etc. in past tense.
Sexual: Mild. There is only chaste kissing. Very clean.
Trigger: Depicts caring for elderly parent who shows signs of dementia and turns apathetic/mean toward children. There is an aspect of physical abuse in this, told in past tense (but never graphically).
4.5 but rounded up to 5, because it brought me happiness.
It has been a while since I sat down, opened a book, and just got sucked in completely.
I read this with only one small break because I had to get ready for bed, and it was one of those had to wrench my eyes away from the page type things.
This retelling of Beauty and the Beast is lovely. I enjoyed the unique aspects, especially that our 'Beauty' wasn't trapped there by the 'Beast', even though they were both trapped. It made it much easier to love the way they come together and compliment each other. Having melted my heart too.
Iara and Aleixo's characters were well fleshed out and their arcs were a joy to read. The slow way the author gave us info about why Aleixo was cursed and how he came to be known as 'The Beast' was part of why I couldn't put the book down. His back story was heart-breaking and I had a hard core connection with him because of
And man, did I ever hate Gustav. Wow, what a manipulative awful person. I did appreciate that the author could've made him even more handsy and despicable (making the tone gritty) but didn't. I was so frustrated with him without it getting to the make-me-nauseated-with-second-hand-tension-stage.
The only thing I struggled with were the pronunciations of the names, for which I am SOOOO thankful the author gave a guide at the beginning of the book. I just personally find it too tedious to stop reading, click a bunch on my kindle to find it, then try to go back. It's a cinch if you have a hard copy, but kindle just isn't great for some things.
The more I sat on this retelling, the more I liked it, until I was grinning at nothing and went hunting to see if I could get a paperback of it for my collection. (It is available in pbk!)
Beautiful retelling, that just made it to my top 5 in Beauty and the Beast retellings. And I've read over 50 of them. That should tell you something!
January 29, 2026
4,5 stars, rounded up to 5.
This book was really a surprise for me. I have always loved fairy tales and tried reading a few retellings over the years but they always disappointed and I never finished one. It’s the same with Austen retellings, so I thought maybe I’m just not into retellings.
But it turns out - like with movie adaptations of books I loved - there obviously are exceptions to my dislike of retellings.
I didn’t get into the story right away. Maybe it was because the language seemed too modern to me but the setting was more fairytale-like, but I’m not sure.
I just know this started to change shortly after Iara was transferred to the castle. I got to know the characters better and better, could relate to them more and picture the scenes clearly.
Iara disliked the Prince at first and judged him mostly based on rumors. But they started to interact more frequently and she saw a different side to him and her animosity changed slowly.
I love that this book, albeit short, is more of a slow burn and they don’t fall in love at first sight, but need some time warming up to each other.
But what made this book very special to me was the self-discovery and change both characters go through, the faith message, very well woven into the story and views of self-love vs. loving others and sacrifice, so refreshing in our modern society.
I let the quotes speak for themselves, because this is what you get, when you read “A Gentle Hope” and I personally love the message it sends and the story touched me more the more I read.
This book is part of the Hope Ever After series. The proceeds are donated to O.U.R., an organization working against human trafficking.
To quote the author’s acknowledgements:
* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own.
This book was really a surprise for me. I have always loved fairy tales and tried reading a few retellings over the years but they always disappointed and I never finished one. It’s the same with Austen retellings, so I thought maybe I’m just not into retellings.
But it turns out - like with movie adaptations of books I loved - there obviously are exceptions to my dislike of retellings.
I didn’t get into the story right away. Maybe it was because the language seemed too modern to me but the setting was more fairytale-like, but I’m not sure.
I just know this started to change shortly after Iara was transferred to the castle. I got to know the characters better and better, could relate to them more and picture the scenes clearly.
Iara disliked the Prince at first and judged him mostly based on rumors. But they started to interact more frequently and she saw a different side to him and her animosity changed slowly.
I love that this book, albeit short, is more of a slow burn and they don’t fall in love at first sight, but need some time warming up to each other.
But what made this book very special to me was the self-discovery and change both characters go through, the faith message, very well woven into the story and views of self-love vs. loving others and sacrifice, so refreshing in our modern society.
“Love,” the fairy godmother said at last.
“I will not tell you the exact terms of your curse, but I will say that you must learn to love others more than you love yourself.”
“Love!” He scoffed. “I can’t decide to love people. Love is an emotion.”
“Love is a choice,” she said firmly. “You love people when you put them over yourself.”
“... I recognize that all people are equal. We are made in the Creator’s image, and every person has value. …”
“ … I was a Beast, Iara. I will not minimize my cruelties. I am ashamed of who I was.”
I let the quotes speak for themselves, because this is what you get, when you read “A Gentle Hope” and I personally love the message it sends and the story touched me more the more I read.
This book is part of the Hope Ever After series. The proceeds are donated to O.U.R., an organization working against human trafficking.
To quote the author’s acknowledgements:
“This book is about seeing in every person the value he has for each of us, and all Creation stars in Him.”
* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own.
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July 17, 2024Iara has spent her life isolated from her mother’s family, and with her father’s failing health, she feels even more cut off from anyone who cares about her. When her father passes away, leaving the house to the one person Iara can’t stand, she takes it as a sign to go find her family. But she barely starts on her journey before she’s whisked away to the castle refuge of the Beast - a prince whose behavior made everyone loathe him.
Aleixo has spent the last few years locked away in an isolated castle. But he’s found a way around the curse’s limitations… and a way to atone for his past mistakes. When his fairy godmother brings the newest refugee, he can’t fathom why. It’s clear from Iara’s constant attempts to escape that she doesn’t want to be there.
Will they learn to see each other for who they truly are or will they remain locked away forever?
“Perhaps hope now only clung to a thin thread, but if it had not been for her, there would have been no hope at all.”
I adored this book! It was so beautifully written, and the themes of hope, love, and forgiveness are so well done!
There’s only a very light touch of magic, but it gives all the sweeping romantic vibes of the Beauty and the Beast movie. I loved watching Iara and Aleixo grow together. All the characters were so vivid and real. My favorite was a certain glitter-spewing fairy godmother.
This was definitely one of my top reads so far this year, and I’m so excited to see that there are more books in this world coming soon!
Loved it and will read again.
No violence. Some threats and controlling attempts from the villain.
No swearing
A couple sweet kisses and almost kisses
Aleixo has spent the last few years locked away in an isolated castle. But he’s found a way around the curse’s limitations… and a way to atone for his past mistakes. When his fairy godmother brings the newest refugee, he can’t fathom why. It’s clear from Iara’s constant attempts to escape that she doesn’t want to be there.
Will they learn to see each other for who they truly are or will they remain locked away forever?
“Perhaps hope now only clung to a thin thread, but if it had not been for her, there would have been no hope at all.”
I adored this book! It was so beautifully written, and the themes of hope, love, and forgiveness are so well done!
There’s only a very light touch of magic, but it gives all the sweeping romantic vibes of the Beauty and the Beast movie. I loved watching Iara and Aleixo grow together. All the characters were so vivid and real. My favorite was a certain glitter-spewing fairy godmother.
This was definitely one of my top reads so far this year, and I’m so excited to see that there are more books in this world coming soon!
Loved it and will read again.
No violence. Some threats and controlling attempts from the villain.
No swearing
A couple sweet kisses and almost kisses
June 29, 2024
I have read a lot of Beauty and the Beast retellings (like over 200 a lot), So when I say that I enjoyed this retelling please believe that I have loads to compare it to.
What I really appreciate about this one is that it took some of the main points that we all expect to find in a BatB retelling, from both the original tales and the Disney version, and changed them JUST a little bit. Like a half turn to the left or the right, but they all were there.
For example:
- There was a single father, but he was kind of a narcissist instead of the devoted caring one we all expect.
- there was an elderly family member that was sick that she wanted to see before they died…but it wasn’t her father
- there was a Gaston character
- there were wolves
- there was a rose but the enchantment on it was different
- the Belle character was determined, strong willed, caring and kind but in a way that was different from the typical passive heroine we see in most retellings
Best of all: the beast was a jerk that needed to be redeemed! And the book showed so much of his growth, which I absolutely adored.
And of course, there was the enchantress, but she was much more involved than the typical, and I loved her, even if she gave me a panic attack imagining all the glitter everywhere.
What I really appreciate about this one is that it took some of the main points that we all expect to find in a BatB retelling, from both the original tales and the Disney version, and changed them JUST a little bit. Like a half turn to the left or the right, but they all were there.
For example:
- There was a single father, but he was kind of a narcissist instead of the devoted caring one we all expect.
- there was an elderly family member that was sick that she wanted to see before they died…but it wasn’t her father
- there was a Gaston character
- there were wolves
- there was a rose but the enchantment on it was different
- the Belle character was determined, strong willed, caring and kind but in a way that was different from the typical passive heroine we see in most retellings
Best of all: the beast was a jerk that needed to be redeemed! And the book showed so much of his growth, which I absolutely adored.
And of course, there was the enchantress, but she was much more involved than the typical, and I loved her, even if she gave me a panic attack imagining all the glitter everywhere.
October 10, 2025
I had trouble getting into this story at first. About halfway through I found the story to improve quite a bit. However, I am giving this a three star because the object that was key to everything wasn’t mentioned at all until it was needed near the end. I would have loved to see this key item teased throughout the first half of the book as well. The other piece that made me rate this three stars and not higher is that the magic system is not well explained and is ambiguous at best. It makes it seem like the rules of the magic are made up to suit the needs of the characters in the moment. I do like how the plot came together in the end so I just wish those other details were better laid out in the story.
August 8, 2025
I am yet to find a fairytale retelling of Beauty & the Beast that I dislike ♡ can't fault it.
gentle reminder that this series donates proceeds to O.U.R, an organisation that helps rescue kids and women from slavery and human trafficking ♡
gentle reminder that this series donates proceeds to O.U.R, an organisation that helps rescue kids and women from slavery and human trafficking ♡
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