Deceiving the Cursed Beast

Once Upon an Enchantment #1

by Jen Lynning

In this enchanted castle, only the truth can break his curse.

Felix is the Duke of Truthhold, tied to the most powerful magical node on the continent. But when he is transformed into a beast, he needs help to break the curse. He will do whatever it takes to regain his true form, even if it means using magic to trap a woman in his castle.

Isabel understands exactly why someone would resort to cursing the duke. He is selfish, contrary, and deceitful. She can’t afford to spend her days attempting to reverse his curse, not with her chance to become a full-fledged constable on the line. But the mysteries of Rose Castle are more compelling than she expected. As is the duke.

The duke’s enemies won’t stop with just a curse, though, and time is running short. But how can Felix and Isabel triumph if victory requires them to admit their growing feelings for each other?

***A Beauty and the Beast retelling with lots of banter, steamy romance, and a happily ever after. ***

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retellings, Beauty and The Beast, Fantasy Romance, Magic, Fairy Tales

321 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2024

About the author

Jen Lynning never outgrew her love of fairy tales. (She may have studied German just so she could read the Brothers Grimm in the original.) When she wasn’t reading about life in a magical world, she was imagining it. Eventually she decided to start writing her own stories where magic and romance meet.

Jen lives in Northern Virginia with her two cats, who make their own contributions to her writing by walking across the keyboard, and her bird, who offers commentary on the whole process.

Reviews

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceiving the Cursed Beast by Jenn Lynning is a captivating fairytale retelling that immediately piqued my interest. With its unique twist on the Beauty and the Beast narrative, it's a story that I knew I would enjoy from the start.

The twist? An intriguing type of magic dealing with the truth. The magic system was quite intricate, and it took me a while to be sure I completely understood all its detailed workings, but once I did, I found it really unique.

Another twist? The Beast in question is a cute and fuzzy black cat, leading to funny and quirky banter between the main characters.

The character development in Deceiving the Cursed Beast is truly remarkable. Felix, the cursed one, undergoes a profound transformation as he learns to navigate his magic and his feelings. Isa, a strong and witty female character, is a joy to follow. Her journey and ultimate triumph were the true highlights of the story.

The love story between Felix and Isa is adorable and precious, and I enjoyed reading about their blossoming relationship. This was my first book by Jenn Lynning, and it certainly won't be my last. I was so happy to be her ARC reader and get my hands on this book early.

Deceiving the Cursed Beast will give you
- a Beauty and the Beast retelling with a twist
- 1st person dual POV
- slow-burn
- reluctant allies to lovers
- unique magic system
- curse and curse-breaking
and so much more!

[Lia ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all the people who think sarcasm is the best way to flirt

----------------------—

Story rating: 4.0⭐️ | Romance lvl: 3.0⭐️
Spice lvl: 1.5🌶️  | Smut frequency: 1.0⏳

----------------------—

Tropes:
👉 Beauty and the Beast Retelling
🔍 Mysteries and curse
✨ Magical castle
😂 Amazing banter
🕯️ Slow burn romance & spice

----------------------—

~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~

Easy to read, captivating, and honestly quite enchanting.

I wouldn't quite recommend for smut lovers or "I want burning passion" romance readers since those are rather slow and also not very explicit BUT if what you want is a well-written and paced retelling with good banter, a smart AF FMC, an adorable duke who purrs a lot and a captivating (but kinda cozy) mystery : here you go 👍🏽✨

I had the best time reading it, wouldn't put it down, and was always wondering what would happen next and how this magical castle worked hahaha 😂



---------------------—

This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖

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[Rozanne Visagie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"In this enchanted castle, only the truth can break his curse."

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite retellings, so I didn't think twice about wanting to read Deceiving the Cursed Beast 🤩

I particularly liked the twist Lynning made to the curse and how Isa and Duke Felix traversed between the scrolls. At one point I felt it's like searching for a needle in a haystack, but it was still an adventure. I love Rose Castle and the magic it has, and did I mention how amazing the library is! 🤩👌Having an enchanted castle is the dream 🏰

Duke Felix is actually such a cinnamon roll, and I liked the investigation into the magic and the node. At first, the truth teller magic and the node confused me, but once I understood it, it became interesting. I loved Isa's magic - knowing when someone is lying - imagine how helpful that would be.

Add to TBR if you like
🏰 Beauty and the Beast retelling
🏰 Demisexual FMC
🏰 Magic
🏰 Banter
🏰 He Falls First
🏰 Enchanted Castle

Be sure to add this book to your TBR! It's available on Kindle Unlimited, so you can dive right in 🌹

Thank you Jen Lynning for gifting me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review.

[mith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one! Different take on batb and I adored it! The main characters were incredibly fun, and the writing was great and easy to engage with. I'm really liking this author's romances!

[TaniaRina Valdespino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Words have power
Some relevant ones that come to mind are misdirected, misguided, misconstrued, misinformed, misled… all of these can pertain to communication. So, phrase your blessings and curses well!

Since conversations regarding truth and lies are a huge part of this story, the below sentence intrigued me: ‘Books would be safer to seek out than the duke; their words would be straightforward’.
Do spoken opinions and what a person believes to be true actually count as lies? If so, then wouldn’t the same concept also apply to the written word? I mean, like, how many times have we read something in social media that wasn’t anything near factual or correct…hmmm?


Just LUV Isabel’s intro into our tale:
‘How can I properly sulk with birds singing at me?’

The cozy mystery aspect was a nice touch. I really liked how the author was able to explain nodes & ley lines in a such logical manner. Who says that science and magic don’t co-exist?
Throughout the puzzle-solving process, the author balanced an analytical & logical approach with following one’s gut & jumping to ideas. I really enjoyed the back-n-forth mental play of the experimental trial-and-error. Science and magic yet again!


Looking forward to ‘Forging Golden Slippers’ (early August) and ‘Scaling the Stormy Tower’ (early September).

[Stormborn Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received “Deceiving the Cursed Beast” as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, and here is what I think about it after reading it.

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. It started off quite exciting with one of the best dedications I have ever read, full of irony. That is one of the main reasons I loved Isabella throughout the story. She is strong, independent, and thinks things through thoroughly. She remains grounded in every situation.

It was extremely cute to see how Isa and Felix's relationship develops, not only sentimentally but also in terms of building a bond of mutual trust and complicity.

In addition to all of this, I found the story very well written with the right attention to detail.

The only downside I feel like mentioning is the complexity of the magic system in the story. This was personally very difficult to follow in some parts, with quite a few details to keep in mind each time.

“Deceiving the Cursed Beast” contains the following tropes:

🐱Strangers to Lovers
🐱Beauty and the Beast retelling
🐱Cursed MMC
🐱Sarcastic FMC
🐱Enchanted Castle
🐱Complex magic system
🐱Binding magic contract

[Victoria Scozzafava · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:

Deceiving the Cursed Beast by Jen Lynning is a romantasy beauty and the beast retelling. I am a HUGE suck for a beauty and beast retelling and this book did not disappoint. This was a fun read and I enjoyed it. I loved this authors take on beauty and beast. The magic and world was interesting and was easy to understand.

Isabel and Felix were unlikely allies who eventually become more. I loved their relationship dynamic and watching it progress through the story. I loved their banter and I really enjoyed their romance. I love being able to see the main relationship progress into love in books. The plot was also interesting and kept me engaged. I have to say I laughed so hard when Felix’s beast form was revealed. Felix’s character development was great. If you love a beauty and beast retelling then I recommend this fun romantasy!

Thank you @jenlynning for the ARC of this book!

📚 Deceiving the Cursed Beast is available now to preorder!

🗓️This book will be released on June 27th , 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

HAPPY READING

[meevreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceiving the Cursed Beast was a sweet and funny read. It is a Beauty and the Beast retelling with quite the twist on the "beast" part.

I enjoyed the main characters a lot, I think Felix and Isabel were perfect together, they both matched each other's vibe and it was really nice to see how their relationship evolved.

On a less positive note, the magic system felt complicated at times and I found myself drifting off whenever there was talk of the nodes and their functioning. There is also the matter of the person helping Lady Cecily with the curse (trying not to spoil anything), but I don't understand their motivation or connection to Lady Cecily. I'm not sure if I missed anything during my reading but otherwise, it left a hole in the story.

All in all, it was a nice take on Beauty and the Beast and Jen Lynning's writing is very pleasant.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an early copy of the book to review, all opinions are my own.

[ChellesOfBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to the author for a digital copy to review. All thoughts are my own.

I have conflicted feelings about Deceiving the Cursed Beast. On one hand, I adored the connection between the main characters Isabel and Felix. I laughed at the banter, I enjoyed what felt like a slow romantic progression between the pair, and the "beast" Felix turns into is absolute perfection. I loved how much he felt like a person despite not being in a human form. Equally, the author's attention to little behaviours he picked up as this particular animal was spot on. Isa was equally fully fleshed as a character and I enjoyed that she was independent and relied on her own knowledge and decision-making skills, even when others around her tried to take her voice and free choice away from her. The logical manner of her problem-solving was appreciated by me a great deal. The Beauty and the Beast retelling aspects were done well, and I loved the sentient-like castle paired with the magic system.

Unfortunately, I did find myself exasperated by the pacing of this story. There is a lot of repetitive and dense information regarding the magic system. I appreciate trying to build such a complex system with all the revelations did take time to work through, but the focus on the node and the confusing magic of the curse and Truths did take too much time to develop to keep me interested. Felix and Isa spend a lot of time discussing this system, which makes sense with how they're working to undo his curse, but it was a bit of a stalemate to the story. Once this progression began to move, it meant there was room for the romance to blossom, but this culmination happened too late into the book and rushed a few other happenstances in the latter portions or turned to convenience plot devices to wrap things up. I wasn't so much of a fan of this, and I would have liked to have seen more consequences for some side characters on page.

Given the nature of the curse and how an emotional connection was all Felix and Isabel could have for most of the book, I was disappointed that the sex scenes were inserted in the last 7% of the book. It was jarring to me given the romance had been so cosy and emotionally brewing to then have a sex scene in the space normally used to wrap a world up. It wasn't poorly written, and I think this is very much a "it's me, not the book" problem, but it felt like it was added in just to make sure the thirst readers were pleased, and didn't add anything to the romance or storyline overall. I am not someone who requires smut in a book and I think this story would have done without it where it was placed. But I think I will be in the minority with this opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed my first time reading something by Jen Lynning, and it was a solid BATB retelling and start to a new series.

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳❥༻🌹🏰🌹༺➳❥
➳༻❀☕️🅱︎🅾︎🅾︎🅺•🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆☕️❀༺➳
Dᴇᴄᴇɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ Cᴜʀsᴇᴅ Bᴇᴀsᴛ ʙʏ Jᴇɴ Lʏɴɴɪɴɢ

📚📝✨𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊•𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒✨📝📚
🏰𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝟷 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙾𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝚄𝙿𝙾𝙽 𝙰𝙽 𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚂𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂
🌹𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴/𝙵𝙰𝙸𝚁𝚈𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶
📚𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝙹𝚄𝙽𝙴 𝟸𝟽𝚃𝙷 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
╰┈➤𝙰𝚅𝙰𝙸𝙻𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴 𝙾𝙽 𝙺𝚄✨
🏰𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗬 𝗩𝗜𝗕𝗘𝗦: 𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙽𝚈; 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙰𝙳𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙾𝚄𝚂; 𝙻𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝙳; 𝙴𝙼𝙾𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻
🌹𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗡𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥: 𝟹𝟸𝟹 𝙿𝙰𝙶𝙴𝚂
📚𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘: 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚄𝚃𝚈 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙱𝙴𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂; 𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃; 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙲𝙰𝚂𝚃𝙻𝙴; 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙼𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚈
🏰𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ || 𝟻
🌹⚠️𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦

➳❥༻🌹🏰🌹༺➳❥

✨✨𝑀𝑦 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠✨✨
Thank you so much to Jen Lynning & R&R Book Tours for my Advanced Reader Copy of 𝐃𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓! This review is comprised entirely of my own thoughts & opinions, & is based on the copy I received.

Y’all already know I can’t say no to a Beauty and the Beast retelling and this was another really amazing one! I loved that this book was an emotional roller coaster with a really strong FMC in Isabel. The chemistry between her and the MMC, the Duke of Truthhold, Felix, was perfect and made for a really fantastic slow burn romance with lots of amazing banter!

This retelling was true to a lot of the original elements we all know and love from this story, but there were so many added twists to make it original and unique! For starters, our Beast in this book is actually a fluffy black cat! I absolutely loved this little twist! The magic system was also incredibly intricate and unique, and involved telling and revealing the truth. The magic system was very detailed, which I loved! I did have to make sure I took my time while reading to make sure I didn’t miss any of these important details, but I always love a good world building/magic system information haul!

Felix and Isa are incredible characters who have amazing tension and chemistry. Their character development and arcs were beautifully written and I loved seeing Felix learn to show his more vulnerable side as his feelings for Isa developed. Isa is definitely top tier FMC material! She’s super witty and sassy, and is definitely a strong character!

I definitely recommend this book for any lovers of fairytale Retellings and fantasy romance! It’s super sweet and adorable and I loved the characters so much. Definitely going to be checking out Jen Lynning’s backlog of books because I definitely enjoyed her storytelling prose! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for this world in the future of the series!

➳❥༻🌹🏰🌹༺➳❥

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounding down.

Felix is the Duke of Truthhold, his family line tied to a powerful magical node. Transformed into a beast by a curse, he traps Isabel in his castle, hoping that her particular magical giftings will give him an answer on how to regain his human form.

As a Beauty and the Beast retelling, this hit all the standard notes, with a few fun additions - Felix's Beast form, and its twist on 'the tale as old as time' was brilliantly done and I won't spoilt it here!

Isabel was a (pleasingly completely typical for Jen Lynning) strong and well-rounded heroine. She's bull-headed, sarcastic and knows herself well. Felix was a hero with surprising depth; I've criticised previous books by this author because of cookie-cutter male leads but I think the dual narrative really helped here; we get to overcome the initially squicky nature of some of Felix's actions once we understand that he is a man fundamentally driven by trying to do the right thing.

It only hit a 3.5 for me primarily because of the world-building. All of Jen Lynning's series have been set in complex magical worlds that take some time to get used too, but this one was a step up again and it felt like trying to understand what was actually going on magic-wise threw me out of the story regularly. The complexity of the magical puzzle Felix and Isabel were trying to solve sometimes overtook the actual plot.

If you love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling this one is a worthy and very enjoyable entry to that genre for the 'Beast' twist alone; if you're looking for fun romantasy, the sarcastic banter was great but the world-building drags on the storytelling.

*Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this title from the author, with no obligation to review*

[Julie 🕊️ ~books.and.chocolat3~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 + 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀 + 𝗾𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✨

“𝐼𝑓 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦, 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝐼’𝑚 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟.”
“𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑢𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛?”
𝐻𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑. “𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡?”
“𝑊𝑒𝑙𝑙, 𝑖𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑.”
“𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡.”

🌹 Beauty and the Beast retelling
🌹 1st person dual POV
🌹 Banter
🌹 Investigation on the curse
🌹 Unique magic system
🌹 Spice 🌶️
🌹 Slow Burn
🌹 Demisexual virgin FMC
🌹 Talking cat

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3,5 rounded up to 4 !
I loved it ! Even if the magic system did confuse me at times I didn’t care .. I was invested in the story .
This retelling is close to the original story with a few changes, it’s light , easy, addicting , and super sweet.

The slowest slow burn like in Disney , it spiced up at the end (definitely not steamy , but one open door moment to close the romance), I don’t normally like when the slow burn is dragged on until the end, but in this case it makes sense and gives the romance a natural pace for the characters to fall in love… but was a bit too much for my patience ..

I really enjoyed and recommend it.

[Ecem · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW 🌸🌸🌸

5/3,5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
5/2 : 🌶️🌶️
.
.
.

As soon as I finished "Deceiving the Cursed Beast" by Jen Lynning, I felt the need to share my thoughts. While it wasn't a 4 or 5-star read for me, there were aspects I truly enjoyed. The twist the author introduced in the 'beast' part was brilliant and really kept me entertained. It added a fresh spin to the classic tale, and I appreciated that creativity.

However, I struggled with the author's writing style. It felt a bit cumbersome at times, making it hard for me to stay engaged. There were moments when I even considered putting the book down. Despite this, the relationship between Isa and Felix was undeniably sweet and endearing. Their dynamic was heartwarming and added a lovely touch to the story.

The main issue for me was that I couldn't fully connect with the characters, which made it challenging to get through the book. But that's just a personal preference—others might feel differently.

If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast retellings and enjoy a touch of humor in your reads, this book could be a delightful choice for you. It has its charming moments and a unique take on a beloved classic.

[erikoreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun twist on Beauty and the Beast. What can I say that isn’t a spoiler? 🤔

I loved:
❤️ the Beast that Felix was cursed to turn into, but I won’t say any more than that. It was amazing!!! Loved that bit so much!!
🪄the magic in this universe was so fascinating
🌳 loved the reference to the Drakona Forest, which is the setting of To Hunt A Ruby Remedy, an amazing twist on Little Red Riding Hood, it’s a short and sweet (and spicy!) novella - but these are stand alones in the same universe. I was hoping there would be cross overs. Maybe in the future? 🙏🏼
💁🏻‍♀️ Isabel, our FMC, was so fun and sassy. And she’s a twin! 👯‍♀️
💬 the banter was great!! Loved the dynamic between Felix and Isabel, they were 💯

The villains were villaining, the villagers were villaging… don’t know what else I can say that isn’t a spoiler… it was just such a fun read. Thank you for my eARC 💕

[Jenn (loves_a_good_book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great retelling of the Beauty and the Beast. This was an easy, light and sweet read and the slow burn suited the story perfectly. The MCs connection was more intellectual based and the attraction comes later once they get to know each other better and it was just what I needed right now. Loved how they had to figure out the magic intricacies and history to try and break the curse. His beastly form still has my smirking.

Isa is blunt, sarcastic and calls people out and I loved that about her.

Felix seemed a bit arrogant at first but the more you get to know his true self I found he was a big softy when it came to Isa. His thoughtfulness towards her I thought was very endearing.

I really enjoyed this story and looking forward to reading more in this world.

[Sarah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this book is a retelling of like beauty and the beast but completely different. So unlike beauty and the beast where it's about falling in love, this book is about falling in love but it's also about trying to break the curse in a logical way. So this book does talk a lot about the node which is the magical aspect of the book. So throughout the book it's mainly them trying to figure out how this happened.

Honestly I loved it as a retelling from beauty of the beast. It's a different way of saying it from more of like a contemporary romance. So you actually get to see how they slowly start to like each other and everything that they do that makes them fall in love. If you want more of a slow burn romance book then this book is for you. 

[Rhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I liked that it was spin on Beauty and the Beast but the storyline was still unique. The magic system in this book was so intricate and fascinating, I loved learning more about it through their experiments. I loved Isa, she was such a strong, independent, witty character, definitely has to be one of my favourite FMCs of this year. I also loved Felix, he was sarcastic, witty and absolutely perfect for Isa, I also liked how his character developed throughout the book. The mystery element of this book was also fun to follow along and the ending was just perfect. This book is definitely a SLOWWW burn but I loved every second of it, I definitely recommend!

[Book Worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This Beauty and the Beast retelling was very fun to read! The magic system in this was also not hard to understand which made getting into the story much easier. I really liked both of the characters and thought that Felix and Isa complemented each other perfectly! I also loved the twist when Felix’s beast form was revealed! This book was hard for me to put down and I loved every chapter! I really loved this and can’t wait to see what else is coming this summer!
Thank you to the author Jen Lynning for sending me the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic Beauty and the Beast retelling.

It was so fun, the banter and the Beasts form was. Amazing.
Love that it's based on emotional connection, not only the physical. You can love someones mind and the rest just, doesn't matter.

The magic was really interesting. I love the nuances of the magic. It became a little bit of a struggle to remember what the difference was because everything was 'Truth' magic.

In the end, fantastic!

[Yana · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. It was also different from most.
I liked the humour and the smart heroine. There were a lot of details and explanations, so the story dragged sometimes. The romance was subtle and built slowly till the very end of the book. There was very little spice.

[TY4AU Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute and cozy take on Beauty and the Beast. I audibly sighed when I finished this book. I just wanted to boop it's little button nose ...

I will be reading more of these quick comfort spins on fairy/Grimm tales and fables.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hadn’t understood the tug of the magic when it first wrapped around me. This morning, the pressure had been almost unbearable. Then my father stumbled downstairs and told me I had to go to Rose Castle because of a contract he signed in order to save his own hide after getting caught trying to rob the duke. Magic bound me to fulfill the terms of a contract I hadn’t even seen.

The last thing Isabel wants is to go to Rose Castle, home of the Duke of Truthhold, but she's under contract--after her father is caught attempting to steal from the duke, an agreement was made that he could run free as long as he sent his youngest daughter to the castle. Isabel doesn't know what the duke wants from her, but the last thing she expects is to find out that he's been cursed to take on the form of a beast, and in his desperation, he's enlisted Isa's assistance in undoing it. Felix is stubborn, selfish, and prone to lies--something Isa, whose magic allows her discern truths from lies, despises. But the longer she's in the castle, the more she becomes intrigued by its magic... and by the duke, who may not be the man she initially thought he was. Unfortunately, she doesn't really have the time to explore what all of it means, because the clock is ticking and the duke still needs his curse broken....

I read this book on a whim, in part because it was relatively short, and also because I was able to get it on Kindle Unlimited. This Beauty & the Beast retelling was different, yet rather fun. 3 stars.

The book is told through the dual viewpoints of Isa and Felix, allowing readers to get to know them quite well. Both characters were fairly well explored, but I liked Isabel better. Isabel is a truth-reader whose magic allows her to discern truth from lies based on their sound, and has decided to use her skill as a constable--if her boss would ever admit that women are just as capable of doing the job. She's intense, steadfast in her beliefs, yet compassionate when it comes to helping others. Felix, on the other hand, is originally painted as a carefree rake, but never really solidifies himself as a "bad boy"--while he is fine with enjoying life's vices, he is unwilling to bend to the whims of others. If anything, he's a character who is so aloof, he's unaware of his own abilities.

The romance between them was filled with the type of banter I love to see in a relationship. However, I do have to say that it jumped from friendship to love quite quickly. It also included some mild spice in the last bit of the novel, which I thought was very out of place--it felt like we'd spent so long building up a romance that would be purely "wholesome," so it was a bit surprising that it didn't stay a "clean read" until the end.

The one thing that I didn't like that I felt was worth pointing out is that the book focuses less on the romance and more on the rules of the world's magic system, particularly as Isa tries to figure out how exactly Felix's curse works. There is a lot of matter-of-fact dialogue about aspects of magic, but with little explanation as to how or why it was important to the story. It was almost as if the author was so eager to share the intricate magic system that the rest of the world was summarily forgotten.

In some ways a tale as old as time, and in others a unique retelling with a focus on the science of magic, this was a book that I never disliked, but never loved, either. A solid, but not spectacular read.

[Ralitsa Vasileva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ARC review
Beauty and the beast retelling
Enemies to lovers
He falls first
Very slow burn
Curse
Sarcasm (there should be more books with it)
Great dedication
Unique magic system
In the same realm of To hunt a ruby remedy

The book is fresh retelling of the famous fairy tale. The sarcasm and banter between the main characters Felix and Isabel is refreshing. However, too many pages are dedicated to the magic system to be explained and in certain places I was loosing focus because it was becoming boring.
Anyway, this didn't make the story less interesting and I think that the book deserves your attention.

Thanks to Jen Lynning for the ARC copy of the book. The opinion here is fully my own.

[Flori.reads]

This is the first book I had to DNF. The writing style just didn't do anything for me. I struggled to read, but after 60 pages I gave up. Another note: the word "node" is mentioned in almost every sentence once or more. Unfortunately, I will not continue reading.

[Ené · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dedication alone, I knew I would have a good time.

If you’re expecting a normal fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast, you’ll be mistaken. Jen has taken her amazing twist to it that I had gasped at the very first revelation. Which, by the way, made for a very interesting read.

Worldbuilding. Majority of the book happened in one place, however we did receive many pieces of lore that helped enrich our understanding of not only the mysteries of the curse and magic system, but also the world’s history. And it was a gradual way of giving us the information that felt organic and not at all hard to digest.

Speaking of the magic system, I love reading fantasies simply because I like seeing what authors come up with for their magic systems. Jen definitely didn’t disappoint in her rendition! If anything, I love the concept so much. While any kind of unique magic exists, not simply elemental- we have the passive and active types. And I wholeheartedly love the distinctions and limitations of these! I just want to learn more about not only truth-magic and our slight mentions of weather-magic, but all the others.

I also associate how the main characters’ magic works as something close to synesthesia. I wish I could talk about it more, but I don’t like giving spoilers in my reviews. I’m unsure if this was done knowingly, or if it was a happy accident, but regardless–the existence of such made my heart happy.

Plot followed the basic formula of the known Beauty and the Beast. Girl enters the castle, cursed prince/king (though Felix is a duke), roses, all that jazz. But this was done with such an amazing twist, from concept to execution. Jen definitely has me in a hold, I can’t wait to read the others.

I didn’t expect to relate to a character as much as I did Isabel. I’m well known among my friends to twist words in my favor, playing around with context, (successfully) avoiding questions I don’t want to answer, and noticing discrepancies. Though of course, she isn’t the only one who does this, she definitely is one of, if not, the only one you can consider best at it. I love her as a character, even if I didn’t relate to her strongly. She’s smart and won’t back down from a challenge. She’s an excellent mage who speaks out her mind.

Felix had me kicking and giggling in my seat. He was a… beast…? after my own heart. He’s everything I want and more. I love seeing his own character development as well as his many (I’m stopping myself from making puns, please) habits. He’s sarcastic and witty, very lovable and quick to admit to his faults. Just perfect.

The slow burn romance was amazing. Felix did feel a bit of early attraction, but it was slow going which made the whole thing very sweet. It went far beyond physical attraction, and more into seeing each other for who they are. We did get sweet spice, it was intimate but steamy.

I’m going through the whole series as I’ve received an ARC for the third book, even though it could be read as a standalone. So I’ll hold off leaving a portion for Jen, but I will still say I loved how well she wrote. Her imagery just about made the words lift from the page and come to life. Her characters were written amazingly. And I loved the touch of comedy <33

[Luzanne Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breaking Curses and Finding Truths: A Spellbinding Beauty and the Beast Retelling
Are you ready to dive into a world where truth is magic and love is a force more powerful than any curse? If you’re a fan of fairy tales with a twist, then "Deceiving the Cursed Beast: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling" by Jen Lynning is the enchanting read you’ve been waiting for! This isn’t just another retelling—it’s a brilliantly reimagined story that will sweep you off your feet and into the mystic halls of Rose Castle.

Why You Should Pick Up Deceiving the Cursed Beast Today!
✨ A Fresh Twist on a Timeless Tale: This isn’t your average Beauty and the Beast story—Jen Lynning takes the classic we all know and love, and infuses it with unexpected turns and magical truths that will keep you hooked from the first page.

🔮 Magic, Mystery, and Truths Unveiled: The heart of this story is its unique magic system focused on truth. In Truthhold, only honesty can shatter the curse. It’s a captivating concept that adds depth and intrigue to the already beloved tale.

❤️ Slow Burn Romance with All the Feels: Felix, the cursed Duke of Truthhold, and Isabel, the determined woman drawn into his world, share a slow-burn romance that will have you rooting for them to admit their growing feelings and break the curse together.

🌍 Rich World-Building & Complex Characters: With highly detailed settings and layered characters, this novel will immerse you in its enchanting world. Every corner of Rose Castle is filled with mystery, magic, and the promise of more adventures to come.

The Story That Will Captivate Your Heart
Deceiving the Cursed Beast introduces us to Felix, the Duke of Truthhold, a man tied to the continent’s most powerful magical node. Transformed into a beast, Felix finds himself trapped in his own castle, his only hope lying in a woman who might not be as easy to deceive as he thought.

Enter Isabel, a woman with her own ambitions and a no-nonsense attitude toward the Duke’s plight. She’s not impressed by the grandeur of Rose Castle or the Duke’s beastly charm. But as she unravels the mysteries within the castle walls, she finds herself drawn to Felix in ways she didn’t expect.

But time is running out. The Duke’s enemies are closing in, and only the truth—about the curse, about their feelings for each other—can save them. Will Felix and Isabel find a way to break the curse before it’s too late? And more importantly, will they admit their growing affection before the magic binds them forever?

If you’re a lover of enchanting castles, magically binding contracts, and slow-burn romance, this book is an absolute must-read. Deceiving the Cursed Beast is the perfect blend of mystery, magic, and love—wrapped up in a story that will leave you longing for book two!

Get Your Copy Today!
You can find Deceiving the Cursed Beast by Jen Lynning on Amazon and other major retailers. Don’t miss out on the start of this magical new series!

Follow the Author and Join the Conversation!

With Deceiving the Cursed Beast, Jen Lynning has created a magical tale that will transport you to a world where truth and love are the most powerful spells of all. Don’t miss your chance to be enchanted—grab your copy today!

[Janelle Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

The characters were the main reason I liked it so much. Isa is a smart and strategic FMC who doesn’t come across as unnecessarily mean, rude, or condescending. (Unfortunately, sometimes authors have a hard time finding that balance particularly with strong FMCS). Isa is likable and relatable. Even though she is obligated to work with Felix to break the curse, it is obvious that she has a good heart and is a compassionate person. Being that her power involves seeing the truth and discerning if people are lying, some people feel uncomfortable in her presence. She doesn’t hold back when calling people out on their lies, which I enjoyed. Even still, she does the call outs in a respectful, clear way, so it feels genuine. She never gave off an air of superiority.
Felix is a cute, cinnamon-roll MMC whose beast form is an adorable cat, which makes him even more endearing. He is also smart and strategic.

The romance is very slow burn, which I prefer. Since it is forced proximity, Isa and Felix spend a lot of time together, discussing ideas, getting to know each other, working together to figure out the curse, etc. This allowed for their friendship/relationship to grow gradually and consistently. They have very good tension and chemistry.


Initially, I struggled to get into the book and zoned out a few times while reading the first few chapters, which contained a lot of info dumping about the world and magic system that I wasn’t ready for. I put it down to read another book that I was currently in the mood for, then I resumed this book. Around Chapter 4 (roughly 10% in), I started getting more interested in the characters and storyline. This was where Isa and Felix met and began their witty banter.

The magic system is unique, complex, and well-thought out. Even though this was a retelling, the plot felt original and not at all derivative. There were cute little nods to things in the source material, such as the phrase, "wanting more than this provincial life."

Being that I am a fantasy romance reader and a big fan of fairytale retellings, this type of book appealed to me and met my expectations. It was a really cute story, and I’m glad I read it. I will read other books in this series.

Thank you, Jen Lynnings, for providing me with an ARC of your book in exchange for my honest review.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*

“Deceiving the cursed beast” in an unconventional beauty and the beast retelling set in a magical world with a cottegecore aesthetic.

While I’m usually a fan of stories that put a new twist on traditional tropes and storylines, I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of this one. I feel like it defeated the point of the retelling, taking the possibility most important factor out of the equation. It also made the story read differently. It wasn’t so much a beauty and the beast retelling where a handsome selfish and arrogant Lord is cursed so that his ugly personality is reflected on the outside as well. It was more like he was a victim of a personal scheme of vendetta.
What he transformed into also made me the whole thing a bit weird for me.

Now Isa, the belle of the ball. A quick witted, smart and sarcastic woman who takes no shit from anyone especially men. A woman after my own heart.

I deeply appreciated the whole research process into the magical system and the inner workings of Rose Castle. The magical library was a nice touch, however I truly cannot say that I have a grasp on how exactly the magic works. It was a bit hard and confusing to follow the whole node ties and ley lines system. I’m not sure I managed actually.

Despite this being advertised as a romance I would actually shelf this as a light academia ish fantasy with romance as a subplot. I know what you’re thinking, that’s not how beauty and the beast retellings usually work. And you’d be right. But I cannot in good conscience consider this and sell this as a romance when there’s not really a blooming connection between the two and whatever happens, happens in the last 20% at least. Completely caught me by surprise because it felt more like a literary device more so than an actual development between the two characters.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a pleasant enough read. It got me interested in how the whole conflict was going to be resolved. However, if you’re looking for a romance packed, swoon worthy story, this isn’t the right book.

[Melissa Widener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceiving the Cursed Beast by Jen Lynning
Once Upon an Enchantment Book 1

4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling/Fantasy
Format: ebook ARC

Loved:
*Fairy tale retelling
*Awesome character development
*Beast is a house cat
*Few curse words

Loved Less:
*Time spent on Rose Castle's mysteries

Description:
In this enchanted castle, only the truth can break his curse.
Felix is the Duke of Truthhold, tied to the most powerful magical node on the continent. But when he is transformed into a beast, he needs help to break the curse. He will do whatever it takes to regain his true form, even if it means using magic to trap a woman in his castle.
Isabel understands exactly why someone would resort to cursing the duke. He is selfish, contrary, and deceitful. She can’t afford to spend her days attempting to reverse his curse, not with her chance to become a full-fledged constable on the line. But the mysteries of Rose Castle are more compelling than she expected. As is the duke.
The duke’s enemies won’t stop with just a curse, though, and time is running short. But how can Felix and Isabel triumph if victory requires them to admit their growing feelings for each other?

My opinion:
Great storyline with well developed characters who continue to grow throughout the novel. I always love a good fairy tale retelling, and Lynning does not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed that the Beast is a house cat and not a terrifying animal. Felix and Isabel's banter are fun and titillating. My only complaint is that too much time and detail are spent on the mysteries of Rose Castle, and therefore, discovering the answer to the curse takes too long and slows the storyline down. I feel that shortening up that part of the story would make this book 5 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who delights in fairy tale retellings and/or fantasy.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deceiving the Cursed Beast has an excellent world-building, and well-fleshed-out characters, with a strong, fierce, independent, sarcastically blunt female character and an initially cocky duke that got humbled by the curse and his close contact with Isabel.

He went from desperate to caring and respectful, applying the "if you love her, set her free" mentality even if it meant missing her immensely.

That's one of the main reasons I love this retelling, there was something that bonded her to stay there, but he tried all he could to minimize the damages since the contract couldn't be destroyed. He didn't want her captive, although he enjoyed her close to him.

The way their bond grew throughout the story was plausible/ realistic.

Could it have been more romantic? Perhaps, but for those that are used to slow burn, it's good as it is. Besides, if they fell in love or openly shared their feelings early on, what would be the book's purpose?

It has several nods/Easter eggs to Beauty and the Beast, all well woven into the plot.

Plus, the sex scenes, were on point, not too late, not too soon. I felt them as proof of faith in him, since she was quite aware of his previous fame and was still a bit wary of his true feelings for her. She was slowly allowing her heart to belong to him, and vice versa, although in all honesty, he fell for her first and quite swiftly.

What did I need? To see the villains punished.

What did I love? The "beast"'s transformations! Wasn't expecting it at all, although if I had paid attention to the cover as I should've, it was all there 😅

Deceiving the Cursed Beast, it's all about loving and being loved, in a forced proximity context, in a short period. It worked just as it was.

I thank the author for allowing me to read this ARC. This is my voluntary, honest review