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The Rose Enigma: A Contemporary Beauty and the Beast Retelling
A relentless hacker.
A brooding billionaire.
The Wolves, who will do anything to stop them.
Brendan East, the only surviving heir to the Prince Enterprises fortune, has lived in self-imposed isolation at The Castle for a decade. When he discovers that a notorious crime syndicate orchestrated the helicopter crash that killed his family and left him scarred, the last thing he expects to feel is relief. That relief is short-lived when brilliant and beautiful hacker, Isabella Reese, arrives at The Castle and sets his life ablaze.
Pursued by the syndicate’s lieutenants, the Wolves, for discovering their connection to Brendan’s family, Isabella hides at The Castle while using every skill she has to evade them.
Even as ten years of twisted secrets unravel and The Wolves close in, Isabella is unable to ignore her growing feelings for the enigmatic billionaire watching her from the shadows.
Past heartbreak and present danger collide as Isabella and Brendan grapple with a love that could be their salvation...or their ruin.
The Rose Enigma is the first in a four-book series of interconnected standalones. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, this contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling is perfect for lovers of romantic suspense, fast-paced banter, and found family.
Please check content warnings on the author’s website, laurenlopes.com.
A brooding billionaire.
The Wolves, who will do anything to stop them.
Brendan East, the only surviving heir to the Prince Enterprises fortune, has lived in self-imposed isolation at The Castle for a decade. When he discovers that a notorious crime syndicate orchestrated the helicopter crash that killed his family and left him scarred, the last thing he expects to feel is relief. That relief is short-lived when brilliant and beautiful hacker, Isabella Reese, arrives at The Castle and sets his life ablaze.
Pursued by the syndicate’s lieutenants, the Wolves, for discovering their connection to Brendan’s family, Isabella hides at The Castle while using every skill she has to evade them.
Even as ten years of twisted secrets unravel and The Wolves close in, Isabella is unable to ignore her growing feelings for the enigmatic billionaire watching her from the shadows.
Past heartbreak and present danger collide as Isabella and Brendan grapple with a love that could be their salvation...or their ruin.
The Rose Enigma is the first in a four-book series of interconnected standalones. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, this contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling is perfect for lovers of romantic suspense, fast-paced banter, and found family.
Please check content warnings on the author’s website, laurenlopes.com.
- GenresRetellings
644 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2025
18 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 20, 2025
Sheer brilliance, one of those books that you revisit in memory, the characters having set up Castle in your heart. It's funny, it's tender, it's witty and it has a trail of cookiecrumbs that are so subtle and sometimes so funny you can't but applaud. This book doesn't read like a debut and if it doesn't make the author rich and famous I'm going to be so mad. Now stop reading the reviews, just go read Rose Enigma, OK?!
October 19, 2025
“Everything was the same as it had been five minutes ago, yet nothing was.”
(Beta reader review)
TL;DR this review? Here’s the highlights:
- Stunning debut from this author of a brilliant Beauty and the Beast retelling, with lots of references to the original to be found.
- Relatable FMC (and MMC) with the story based in South Africa.
- Plot: witty, incredible and bad-ass FMC takes on a terrifying crime syndicate whilst falling for a grumpy and mysterious billionaire MMC.
- Found family subplot is *chef’s kiss*
- First in the series, can’t wait to read what comes next.
- Can’t wait to re-read my physical copy, which will have pride of place on my bookshelf along with my other favourite books.
- Bought copies for my mum (a lover of gang/crime fiction) and my adult niece (lover of Romantasy and YA).
- There’s something for everyone in this book.
This. Book.
This isn’t my usual genre - I usually read fantasy/Romantasy with a kick-ass FMC. But that doesn’t often make the FMC overtly relatable (spoiler: I don’t run around sword fighting and battling magical wars in my day-to-day). And so with this book firmly based in the real world setting of South Africa, it opened a new opportunity to hard-relate to an FMC. But before I get into that, let’s talk about the book more generally…
The Rose Enigma is a twist on the Beauty and the Beast, and to that end contains lots of “Easter egg” references to the original story, which I really enjoyed. We meet our FMC, Isabella, who is a hacker/coder, running a cyber-security company with her dad. Whilst fulfilling a contract for a reclusive billionaire, the two uncover something they shouldn’t have seen, and their world turns upside down. Isabella becomes the target of a mysterious and powerful crime syndicate, The Wolves, and finds her life in mortal peril. To remain safe, Isabella and her dad take refuge at the secure home (The Castle) of their billionaire client, Brendan East. Our story then unfolds with secrets revealed, relationships emerging and finding ways to fight back.
For me, the FMC, MMC and their love story, were all incredibly relatable. Isabella: the neuro-spiciness (erm hello strong sense of justice?!), the lack of self-esteem, the feeling like you’re either too much or not enough, the desire to just be seen and accepted as yourself and loved for it? FELT. Also, her obsession with strong, female icons is now my new obsession - author: we need a line of feminist-icon t-shirts and hoodies STAT. Like, yesterday! “I’m a Mac. I’m a PC. I’m a Katherine Johnson”? Get me that hoodie IMMEDIATELY.
Isabella is witty, hilarious, quirky and cool af in a “not-the-norm” kind of way. Her kooky one-liners that leave her wanting to face palm herself felt like a love letter written directly to me. I feel like Isabella will resonate with all of us in some way, shape or form. And I love that as a reader.
Brendan is a mystery that ultimately turns out to be a simple one. He’s been through trauma, he’s been scared both mentally and physically and it’s affected his self-esteem, and guarded his heart. He thinks of himself as impossible to love. And he’s erected an enormous wall around himself to keep everyone at a safe distance - if you don’t let anyone get close, you can’t be hurt right? And I feel like we’ve all been there.
The plot itself is awesome and kept me engrossed the whole way through. I couldn’t put it down. The Wolves as a crime syndicate was a great plot line with the hidden identity of its leadership, and the captivating and terrifying brawn of the Tremaine Twins.
The Rose Enigma has some of the best found family I’ve read - as someone who hasn’t found her “female tribe,” the building of female friendship and finding acceptance with these women gave me a lot of FEELINGS. And as a “sub-plot”, it was actually one of my favourite things about the book.
I loved the South African references too. I think this author found the perfect balance between what the reader will investigate (eg some Africaan’s words to translate) and what needs to be explained (eg what “koeksisters” are). I really enjoyed being exposed to another culture that prior to reading this I had very little knowledge of.
For a debut indie author, this is an incredible first release - I found the writing style SO accessible and edible, I couldn’t stop reading (100% “one more chapter” vibes), and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
I truly believe there is something for everyone to relate to in this book and I am so convinced of this that I have gifted copies to my female relatives. I will 100% be re-reading with a physical copy that will have pride of place on my bookshelf, along with my other favourite books.
(Beta reader review)
TL;DR this review? Here’s the highlights:
- Stunning debut from this author of a brilliant Beauty and the Beast retelling, with lots of references to the original to be found.
- Relatable FMC (and MMC) with the story based in South Africa.
- Plot: witty, incredible and bad-ass FMC takes on a terrifying crime syndicate whilst falling for a grumpy and mysterious billionaire MMC.
- Found family subplot is *chef’s kiss*
- First in the series, can’t wait to read what comes next.
- Can’t wait to re-read my physical copy, which will have pride of place on my bookshelf along with my other favourite books.
- Bought copies for my mum (a lover of gang/crime fiction) and my adult niece (lover of Romantasy and YA).
- There’s something for everyone in this book.
This. Book.
This isn’t my usual genre - I usually read fantasy/Romantasy with a kick-ass FMC. But that doesn’t often make the FMC overtly relatable (spoiler: I don’t run around sword fighting and battling magical wars in my day-to-day). And so with this book firmly based in the real world setting of South Africa, it opened a new opportunity to hard-relate to an FMC. But before I get into that, let’s talk about the book more generally…
The Rose Enigma is a twist on the Beauty and the Beast, and to that end contains lots of “Easter egg” references to the original story, which I really enjoyed. We meet our FMC, Isabella, who is a hacker/coder, running a cyber-security company with her dad. Whilst fulfilling a contract for a reclusive billionaire, the two uncover something they shouldn’t have seen, and their world turns upside down. Isabella becomes the target of a mysterious and powerful crime syndicate, The Wolves, and finds her life in mortal peril. To remain safe, Isabella and her dad take refuge at the secure home (The Castle) of their billionaire client, Brendan East. Our story then unfolds with secrets revealed, relationships emerging and finding ways to fight back.
For me, the FMC, MMC and their love story, were all incredibly relatable. Isabella: the neuro-spiciness (erm hello strong sense of justice?!), the lack of self-esteem, the feeling like you’re either too much or not enough, the desire to just be seen and accepted as yourself and loved for it? FELT. Also, her obsession with strong, female icons is now my new obsession - author: we need a line of feminist-icon t-shirts and hoodies STAT. Like, yesterday! “I’m a Mac. I’m a PC. I’m a Katherine Johnson”? Get me that hoodie IMMEDIATELY.
Isabella is witty, hilarious, quirky and cool af in a “not-the-norm” kind of way. Her kooky one-liners that leave her wanting to face palm herself felt like a love letter written directly to me. I feel like Isabella will resonate with all of us in some way, shape or form. And I love that as a reader.
Brendan is a mystery that ultimately turns out to be a simple one. He’s been through trauma, he’s been scared both mentally and physically and it’s affected his self-esteem, and guarded his heart. He thinks of himself as impossible to love. And he’s erected an enormous wall around himself to keep everyone at a safe distance - if you don’t let anyone get close, you can’t be hurt right? And I feel like we’ve all been there.
The plot itself is awesome and kept me engrossed the whole way through. I couldn’t put it down. The Wolves as a crime syndicate was a great plot line with the hidden identity of its leadership, and the captivating and terrifying brawn of the Tremaine Twins.
The Rose Enigma has some of the best found family I’ve read - as someone who hasn’t found her “female tribe,” the building of female friendship and finding acceptance with these women gave me a lot of FEELINGS. And as a “sub-plot”, it was actually one of my favourite things about the book.
I loved the South African references too. I think this author found the perfect balance between what the reader will investigate (eg some Africaan’s words to translate) and what needs to be explained (eg what “koeksisters” are). I really enjoyed being exposed to another culture that prior to reading this I had very little knowledge of.
For a debut indie author, this is an incredible first release - I found the writing style SO accessible and edible, I couldn’t stop reading (100% “one more chapter” vibes), and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
I truly believe there is something for everyone to relate to in this book and I am so convinced of this that I have gifted copies to my female relatives. I will 100% be re-reading with a physical copy that will have pride of place on my bookshelf, along with my other favourite books.
November 25, 2025
The Rose Enigma genuinely surprised me. It’s not my usual kind of story, but the premise intrigued me. I devoured it faster than anything I’ve read in a while. Even though it’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling, it isn’t a fantasy story. It’s entirely grounded in the real world, and I absolutely loved that choice. It felt fresh, intimate, and deeply human.
One of the aspects I loved most is the FMC’s strength. Our ‘Belle’ character, Isabella, has been chipped away at — especially by someone she trusted in her past — yet she’s slowly learning, with the right person beside her, that she’s not "too much," that she shouldn’t be ashamed of how she’s hardwired. She’s rediscovering her power, truly owning what she’s capable of, and growing into someone truly formidable. Someone who is no longer going to be dimmed to make someone else feel better about themselves. I really admire the way she also champions other women around her, and particularly those in typically male-dominated industries, such as her own.
Her internal world, which is shaped by her neurodivergence, is portrayed with authenticity and nuance. It was fascinating and surprisingly comforting to explore this. At the same time, stepping into the internal monologue of ‘the Beast’ AKA Brendan — our MMC shaped by trauma, living with PTSD, and navigating panic attacks — added a depth that felt incredibly honest. They’re two sides of a coin I’ve personally experienced. While I don’t have an official neurodivergent diagnosis, I related to and connected with Isabella on a startlingly deep level. So too did I deeply understand the anxiety and panic attacks that skulk in the shadows, even years after extreme trauma.
This book made me feel seen in a way that’s genuinely hard to articulate, but I’ll give it a go. There were a few moments (hopefully, when you read it, you’ll know) that absolutely broke me open. I sobbed, not just with joy for Isabella and Brendan, but with a deep sorrow for myself. Seeing on the page a kind of tenderness, safety, and emotional presence that I’ve only ever dreamed of experiencing in my own life… it was overwhelming. It felt like grieving and being comforted at the same time. In a weird way, I might have trauma-bonded to this book.
This story arrived in my hands at a time when my mental health has felt frayed and my hope threadbare. Life has not felt kind recently, and that light at the end of the tunnel is growing dim, and yet this book managed to slip in a kind of quiet reminder: that brokenness doesn’t disqualify me from love or healing. And, I hear what you’re thinking: “Hurt people hurt people,” but this story so beautifully leans much more into the idea that hurt people can also find the right people — and through that connection, they can continue to heal, grow, and create something profound together. That message hit close to home.
The author, Lauren, also engages with some more challenging social themes — themes that felt almost distinctly South African, yet I know are currently being wrestled with across the globe — and she does so with sensitivity and clarity. The story’s central conflict is handled with a kind of clear-eyed compassion. She treats the subject with honesty and emotional weight, without making it gratuitous or overwhelming. She gives space to the reality of the trauma while honouring the humanity of those affected.
Another element that really struck me is how intelligently Lauren has woven the magical language of Beauty and the Beast into her story. There’s no actual magic in this retelling, yet she manages to make the narrative feel subtly enchanted — drawing on recognisable phrases and vivid imagery from the original fairytale.
It’s done with such restraint and finesse that the book maintains its grounded realism, but still carries a shimmering, almost otherworldly quality. It feels magical without ever stepping outside the bounds of reality. That balance is incredibly rare. It takes real skill to evoke the feeling of a fairytale simply through tone, metaphor, and emotional atmosphere, and I think Lauren deserves to be celebrated for how masterfully she does it.
Overall, this book is a beautifully thoughtful, deeply moving exploration of healing, love, and the shadows people carry — and how they learn to walk through them. This story was so much more than I could have expected.
One of the aspects I loved most is the FMC’s strength. Our ‘Belle’ character, Isabella, has been chipped away at — especially by someone she trusted in her past — yet she’s slowly learning, with the right person beside her, that she’s not "too much," that she shouldn’t be ashamed of how she’s hardwired. She’s rediscovering her power, truly owning what she’s capable of, and growing into someone truly formidable. Someone who is no longer going to be dimmed to make someone else feel better about themselves. I really admire the way she also champions other women around her, and particularly those in typically male-dominated industries, such as her own.
She’d also never quite understood the difference between being seen and perceived.
Her internal world, which is shaped by her neurodivergence, is portrayed with authenticity and nuance. It was fascinating and surprisingly comforting to explore this. At the same time, stepping into the internal monologue of ‘the Beast’ AKA Brendan — our MMC shaped by trauma, living with PTSD, and navigating panic attacks — added a depth that felt incredibly honest. They’re two sides of a coin I’ve personally experienced. While I don’t have an official neurodivergent diagnosis, I related to and connected with Isabella on a startlingly deep level. So too did I deeply understand the anxiety and panic attacks that skulk in the shadows, even years after extreme trauma.
This book made me feel seen in a way that’s genuinely hard to articulate, but I’ll give it a go. There were a few moments (hopefully, when you read it, you’ll know) that absolutely broke me open. I sobbed, not just with joy for Isabella and Brendan, but with a deep sorrow for myself. Seeing on the page a kind of tenderness, safety, and emotional presence that I’ve only ever dreamed of experiencing in my own life… it was overwhelming. It felt like grieving and being comforted at the same time. In a weird way, I might have trauma-bonded to this book.
“I thought I didn’t deserve you,” he admitted. “By being human?” “By being broken.” Her eyes softened. “You couldn’t have loved me the way I deserve without being broken first. The same goes for me.”
This story arrived in my hands at a time when my mental health has felt frayed and my hope threadbare. Life has not felt kind recently, and that light at the end of the tunnel is growing dim, and yet this book managed to slip in a kind of quiet reminder: that brokenness doesn’t disqualify me from love or healing. And, I hear what you’re thinking: “Hurt people hurt people,” but this story so beautifully leans much more into the idea that hurt people can also find the right people — and through that connection, they can continue to heal, grow, and create something profound together. That message hit close to home.
The author, Lauren, also engages with some more challenging social themes — themes that felt almost distinctly South African, yet I know are currently being wrestled with across the globe — and she does so with sensitivity and clarity. The story’s central conflict is handled with a kind of clear-eyed compassion. She treats the subject with honesty and emotional weight, without making it gratuitous or overwhelming. She gives space to the reality of the trauma while honouring the humanity of those affected.
Another element that really struck me is how intelligently Lauren has woven the magical language of Beauty and the Beast into her story. There’s no actual magic in this retelling, yet she manages to make the narrative feel subtly enchanted — drawing on recognisable phrases and vivid imagery from the original fairytale.
It’s done with such restraint and finesse that the book maintains its grounded realism, but still carries a shimmering, almost otherworldly quality. It feels magical without ever stepping outside the bounds of reality. That balance is incredibly rare. It takes real skill to evoke the feeling of a fairytale simply through tone, metaphor, and emotional atmosphere, and I think Lauren deserves to be celebrated for how masterfully she does it.
Overall, this book is a beautifully thoughtful, deeply moving exploration of healing, love, and the shadows people carry — and how they learn to walk through them. This story was so much more than I could have expected.
October 25, 2025
I had no idea what to expect when I first received this book. It intrigued me that it was a retelling of "Beauty and the Beast", but what that actually translated to in a modern setting was going to interesting.
So with an open mind (and hoping that there was no singing crockery), I started to read.
And was ENGROSSED - the action smashes onto the page from the very beginning. Isabella has to hide; her father has been attacked. Car crashes, fire, gunshots, panic room, and the first sign that the Wolves are people to be very afraid of. We also find out who Brendan East (B. East) is - and also WHY he seems to be battle-scarred and damaged.
Isabella is not your "damsel in distress" waiting to be rescued - she is a hacker with a sharp mind who sees patterns, lives off coffee, knows her worth, and is forthright in her needs. The romance is a slow burn but * BEAUTIFUL * and the care and concern that Isabella and Brendan foster in their relationships could be a textbook on "how to avoid pointless miscommunication tropes".
Every chapter was satisfying as it built towards a heart-racing climax - you find little easter eggs along the way, nods to the classic story (I love Eric's nickname!), and also the landscape and weather of South Africa becomes a character in itself.
So grab yourself some koeksisters, hunker down into a comfy armchair during a raging veldstorm, and enjoy this cracker of a book.
So with an open mind (and hoping that there was no singing crockery), I started to read.
And was ENGROSSED - the action smashes onto the page from the very beginning. Isabella has to hide; her father has been attacked. Car crashes, fire, gunshots, panic room, and the first sign that the Wolves are people to be very afraid of. We also find out who Brendan East (B. East) is - and also WHY he seems to be battle-scarred and damaged.
Isabella is not your "damsel in distress" waiting to be rescued - she is a hacker with a sharp mind who sees patterns, lives off coffee, knows her worth, and is forthright in her needs. The romance is a slow burn but * BEAUTIFUL * and the care and concern that Isabella and Brendan foster in their relationships could be a textbook on "how to avoid pointless miscommunication tropes".
Every chapter was satisfying as it built towards a heart-racing climax - you find little easter eggs along the way, nods to the classic story (I love Eric's nickname!), and also the landscape and weather of South Africa becomes a character in itself.
So grab yourself some koeksisters, hunker down into a comfy armchair during a raging veldstorm, and enjoy this cracker of a book.
October 24, 2025
This is the first romance genre novel I have ever read. My expectations were entirely built upon a hunch through Threads that the author seemed cool in small bites of words so why would she not be cools for 634 pages? My hunch was correct.
So, first of all, whatever expectations I had of fairytales immediately evaporated because I was plunged into a high octane action film straight out the gate. I thought writing action was supposed to be hard? Not for Lopes, who has you speeding through the suspense, suddenly invested in Isabella who could not be less of a damsel in distress.
There's hackers, there's mafia, there's strong women everywhere, there's extremely pleasant smatterings of South African-isms (because yes! its set in Johannesburg which actually turns out to be the perfect place to set a suspenseful, crime laden rethinking of Beauty and the Beast).
And as someone who grew up completely adoring the Disney cartoon this was so adult and far from it while still joyfully being full of easter eggs! EASTER EGGS! My obsession with lit fic has given me no easter eggs and now I want them all!
People kept asking me what I was reading and I would burst into an animated explanation of just how much fun I was having in these pages. I am so looking forward to more from Lopes.
Is this what romance readers have been enjoying all this time?
So, first of all, whatever expectations I had of fairytales immediately evaporated because I was plunged into a high octane action film straight out the gate. I thought writing action was supposed to be hard? Not for Lopes, who has you speeding through the suspense, suddenly invested in Isabella who could not be less of a damsel in distress.
There's hackers, there's mafia, there's strong women everywhere, there's extremely pleasant smatterings of South African-isms (because yes! its set in Johannesburg which actually turns out to be the perfect place to set a suspenseful, crime laden rethinking of Beauty and the Beast).
And as someone who grew up completely adoring the Disney cartoon this was so adult and far from it while still joyfully being full of easter eggs! EASTER EGGS! My obsession with lit fic has given me no easter eggs and now I want them all!
People kept asking me what I was reading and I would burst into an animated explanation of just how much fun I was having in these pages. I am so looking forward to more from Lopes.
Is this what romance readers have been enjoying all this time?
September 15, 2025
When I started reading The Rose Enigma, I didn't know what to expect. A Beauty and the Beast retelling set in contemporary Johannesburg?
Let me tell you:
This book is absolutely, without a doubt worth it. We have tech-savvy Isabella, with her sharp squared voice that immediately sets the tone for the story and the foreboding storm within Brendan who isn't just your run-of-the-mill brooding billionaire. His trauma is lived-in, and he's forced to live with the scars visible on his body. The action in this one is unrelenting. The stakescare high, and the plot moves quickly -- all great elements for a great thriller.
Lauren Lopes captures the energy and spirit of Johannesburg in this novel in an astonishingly refreshing way, peppering in cultural touch points so effortlessly with each character and every setting. Isabella and Brendan have rich, complex characterization. The shift from rapid, heartbeat-like pacing to moments of slow and reflective storytelling is masterful with emotional payoff that feels earned.
So brilliant, I read it twice.
Let me tell you:
This book is absolutely, without a doubt worth it. We have tech-savvy Isabella, with her sharp squared voice that immediately sets the tone for the story and the foreboding storm within Brendan who isn't just your run-of-the-mill brooding billionaire. His trauma is lived-in, and he's forced to live with the scars visible on his body. The action in this one is unrelenting. The stakescare high, and the plot moves quickly -- all great elements for a great thriller.
Lauren Lopes captures the energy and spirit of Johannesburg in this novel in an astonishingly refreshing way, peppering in cultural touch points so effortlessly with each character and every setting. Isabella and Brendan have rich, complex characterization. The shift from rapid, heartbeat-like pacing to moments of slow and reflective storytelling is masterful with emotional payoff that feels earned.
So brilliant, I read it twice.
September 23, 2025
I absolutely adored the Rose Enigma! It's without a doubt the best Beauty and the Beast retelling I have read! I enjoyed everything about it, from the setting in modern-day South Africa to the main characters. Isabella, the FMC, is a hacker and I loved the fact that she has a unique voice and manages to be herself throughout the book. I share her obsession for coffee and IT, so I might be partial, but she is a wonderful, well-rounded character. Brendan, the MMC, has a special place in my heart. I appreciate the choice of presenting him as a faceted character, with flaws and problems that don't get magically solved overnight. I doubt anybody can read The Rose Enigma without falling in love with him.
I've never been to South Africa, but I have been daydreaming about it more than once since I have read this book.
The pace is perfect and the story gripping and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
I've never been to South Africa, but I have been daydreaming about it more than once since I have read this book.
The pace is perfect and the story gripping and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
October 25, 2025
5 very well deserved stars 👏 this beauty and the beast modern, South African retelling was so wholesome! It had me hooked from the start, our FMC being a hacker and very tech-savvy and our MMC being a billionaire with a scarred past. The way I was swooning over this romance, so many special moments 😍 Brendan has to be added to the list of book boyfriends because WOW! I was hooked to this book and the last half with all the plot twists! Are you kidding me! 🤯 This book had drama, suspense, local vibes and settings, humour, love, found family and so much more! What a brilliant book, so satisfying ❤️ I hope the author is planning to write more in The Castle series!
October 2, 2025
Action, heart pounding suspense, tension riddled romance - The Rose Enigma has it all. From the first page the reader is thrown into a world filled with super secrets, a swoon-worthy MMC and an FMC that takes no prisoners.
I especially enjoyed the unique take on The Beauty and the Beast references in a contemporary South Africa- there were moments were I laughed, swore and then had to tell anyone who was willing to listen exactly why this book was brilliant.
Lopes executed the complex characters flawlessly and delivered a romance that hit all the beats.
Highly recommend!
I especially enjoyed the unique take on The Beauty and the Beast references in a contemporary South Africa- there were moments were I laughed, swore and then had to tell anyone who was willing to listen exactly why this book was brilliant.
Lopes executed the complex characters flawlessly and delivered a romance that hit all the beats.
Highly recommend!
October 7, 2025
This book will keep you from cleaning your fridge.
At least, that's what happened to me 😅
Lauren Lopes' Rose Enigma is the perfect escapist read: Pacing that hooks you from the get-go; smart, gutsy protagonist; thoroughly believable plot; and knee-melting love interest.
Lopes has a knack for narrative precision that never underestimates the reader and an impressive ability to play with the reader's emotions. And her dialogue! Sharp, witty, and fast-paced, just like the book.
I understand this is the first in a series, and I honestly cannot wait for the next instalment.
At least, that's what happened to me 😅
Lauren Lopes' Rose Enigma is the perfect escapist read: Pacing that hooks you from the get-go; smart, gutsy protagonist; thoroughly believable plot; and knee-melting love interest.
Lopes has a knack for narrative precision that never underestimates the reader and an impressive ability to play with the reader's emotions. And her dialogue! Sharp, witty, and fast-paced, just like the book.
I understand this is the first in a series, and I honestly cannot wait for the next instalment.
October 27, 2025
From the first page I was absolutely hooked! Action, adventure and a deep dive into the South African "underworld", this book was so much more than I expected. Each character had so much depth that I couldn't help but fall in love with them all, the South African cultural nuggets had me giggling with delight, and the little nods back at the original Beauty and the Beast story had me begging for more. For a debut novel, this was extraordinary and I can't wait for the rest of the series!
November 9, 2025
If I could give 10 stars I would!! A Beauty & the Beast retelling but not the way you think! The slow burn and kinda awkward romance between these two is written PERFECTLY. 🥰 There are SO many swoonworthy & those “hit you in the feels” lines that makes you laugh out loud. It’s cutesy and fuzzy but still action packed and interesting! Loved it!
October 26, 2025
A fun read. Very much recommend it to those who enjoy modern day beauty and the beast story.
January 7, 2026
Loved this book and it was very realistic South African wise and the plot twist around it is just soo beautiful and necessary. ❤️🤏It deserves my 5 star🔥
December 31, 2025
When you see a book that is described as a retelling of a beloved fairytale, you think you know what you're getting. The Rose Enigma certainly has the structure and characters of Beauty and the Beast, and it's all interwoven with complexity and plot devices that make me think Lauren's notes and story mapping must be truly diabolical to behold.
In this story, Bella is a neurosparkly hacker who is devoted to her father and lives on energy drinks when she is deep in hyper-focus territory doing what she does best behind a keyboard. Brendan is the wealthy, injured individual who has holed up in his castle nursing his wounds and trying to solve the mystery that surrounds family tragedy.
The supporting characters are all affectionate nods to the Disney version of this story, but in this retelling the sitting is Johannesberg with bursts of local names and phrases in (I'm guessing) Afrikaans, with a undercurrent of crime that is all too relevant these days. Even though I've watched the movie several times over the years, I still got caught up enough in the story and forgot what to expect. When I did think I had a handle on the plot, Lauren would deliver another zinger and take me in another direction. Again, diabolical!
A particular delight for me was watching the way the characters got each other's measure, learned to communicate, trust and protect, to become the found family they all needed. Isabella is a hyper little hacker girl in a male dominated field, so to see her finding herself with a circle of female friends who supported and pulled her into line was wonderful. Another source of happy sighs and highlighting was the originality of Lauren's phrasing: Brendan twitching a smile, Bella described as a wild orange and lavender Johannesburg sunset, the dappled gold of his eyes. I could go on and on, suffice to say that my kindle highlights amounted to 27 pages.
What really shines through in this story is the joy the characters discover in their found family, the way they learn to communicate with each other which ultimately leads to true friendship, and of course the ever growing attraction between Isabella and Brendan while they deal with PTSD, organised crime, narcissists (Gaston is a real piece of work in this story, URGH), teenagers, professional hackers, dark crime, family betrayal, spice and everything in between.
Yes there's a HEA, and the journey Lauren takes you on to get there is a rollercoaster. I was charmed at the beginning of the book with the South African sayings and vehicles, it made everything that little bit different, something new and shiny to pull me in, and I was all too happy to stay.
Now that Brendan is conquered his Beast and has got his Belle, there's a lot of work to do while they attend to NO SPOILERS HERE everything else that was going on in the background, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together.
All up, this was a highly engaging read. Get it, read it, love it, you're welcome.
In this story, Bella is a neurosparkly hacker who is devoted to her father and lives on energy drinks when she is deep in hyper-focus territory doing what she does best behind a keyboard. Brendan is the wealthy, injured individual who has holed up in his castle nursing his wounds and trying to solve the mystery that surrounds family tragedy.
The supporting characters are all affectionate nods to the Disney version of this story, but in this retelling the sitting is Johannesberg with bursts of local names and phrases in (I'm guessing) Afrikaans, with a undercurrent of crime that is all too relevant these days. Even though I've watched the movie several times over the years, I still got caught up enough in the story and forgot what to expect. When I did think I had a handle on the plot, Lauren would deliver another zinger and take me in another direction. Again, diabolical!
A particular delight for me was watching the way the characters got each other's measure, learned to communicate, trust and protect, to become the found family they all needed. Isabella is a hyper little hacker girl in a male dominated field, so to see her finding herself with a circle of female friends who supported and pulled her into line was wonderful. Another source of happy sighs and highlighting was the originality of Lauren's phrasing: Brendan twitching a smile, Bella described as a wild orange and lavender Johannesburg sunset, the dappled gold of his eyes. I could go on and on, suffice to say that my kindle highlights amounted to 27 pages.
What really shines through in this story is the joy the characters discover in their found family, the way they learn to communicate with each other which ultimately leads to true friendship, and of course the ever growing attraction between Isabella and Brendan while they deal with PTSD, organised crime, narcissists (Gaston is a real piece of work in this story, URGH), teenagers, professional hackers, dark crime, family betrayal, spice and everything in between.
Yes there's a HEA, and the journey Lauren takes you on to get there is a rollercoaster. I was charmed at the beginning of the book with the South African sayings and vehicles, it made everything that little bit different, something new and shiny to pull me in, and I was all too happy to stay.
Now that Brendan is conquered his Beast and has got his Belle, there's a lot of work to do while they attend to NO SPOILERS HERE everything else that was going on in the background, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together.
All up, this was a highly engaging read. Get it, read it, love it, you're welcome.
January 19, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! The humour ⭐️ The banter ⭐️ The South African vibes ⭐️ The characters ⭐️ The story ⭐️ The easter eggs/clues/hints ⭐️ The writing ⭐️ ... It deserves all the stars & will be living rent-free in my mind now!
I shall wait with bated breath for the next installment of this series!
Edit to add: I also really like the way this author handled and included ADHD. It was very well written. She also handled PTSD really well.
I shall wait with bated breath for the next installment of this series!
Edit to add: I also really like the way this author handled and included ADHD. It was very well written. She also handled PTSD really well.
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