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Beauty and the Beast
Fresh out of Prison, ‘Expert’ Escort Scott is in danger.
Before serving his time inside, he made a deal with the devil offering his body in exchange for 100k. Never intending to fulfil the terms of their agreement, Scott aims to make back every penny he took and reimburse his psychotic client, Warren.
Warren has other ideas. He feels he’s owed what Scott promised him. After a close call with Scott escaping Warren’s clutches through an upstairs window, Scott needs a friend, and since he hasn’t any of them, he reaches out to the next best thing, his ex-cellmate Thomas.
Scott showing up at Thomas's mansion gates is not ideal but against his better judgment he lets Scott inside, giving him a room to sleep in for a month.
Scott tells Thomas about his plan to earn 100k as a camboy instead of an escort and Thomas gets dragged into helping him.
It’s a mutually beneficial partnership, and Scott’s not going to let a sudden development of a praise kink affect his goal of earning 100k in a month.
He can stay professional.
He can.
Scott is Beauty. Thomas is the Beast.
They lived together for three years in prison, but it takes one month and a unique set of circumstances for them to get to know each other. Warren’s closing in, but what’s worse than a sadist man wanting his prize?
Two emotionally constipated men unable to see that they’re perfect for each other.
Before serving his time inside, he made a deal with the devil offering his body in exchange for 100k. Never intending to fulfil the terms of their agreement, Scott aims to make back every penny he took and reimburse his psychotic client, Warren.
Warren has other ideas. He feels he’s owed what Scott promised him. After a close call with Scott escaping Warren’s clutches through an upstairs window, Scott needs a friend, and since he hasn’t any of them, he reaches out to the next best thing, his ex-cellmate Thomas.
Scott showing up at Thomas's mansion gates is not ideal but against his better judgment he lets Scott inside, giving him a room to sleep in for a month.
Scott tells Thomas about his plan to earn 100k as a camboy instead of an escort and Thomas gets dragged into helping him.
It’s a mutually beneficial partnership, and Scott’s not going to let a sudden development of a praise kink affect his goal of earning 100k in a month.
He can stay professional.
He can.
Scott is Beauty. Thomas is the Beast.
They lived together for three years in prison, but it takes one month and a unique set of circumstances for them to get to know each other. Warren’s closing in, but what’s worse than a sadist man wanting his prize?
Two emotionally constipated men unable to see that they’re perfect for each other.
- GenresM M RomanceRomance
330 pages, Paperback
First published December 29, 2025
12 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Louise Collins
45 books640 followersWriter of mm romance and erotica.
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
Facebook
I write the stories I'd love to read, I hope you enjoy them too.
Lover of Romance but not without angst along the way.
Seduced by the dancing of a neanderthal and now a mother of two monsters.
Drinks tea with a passion, adores dogs, and their sea dwelling cousins.
Failed two chocolate eating challenges but will return for round three.
https://mailchi.mp/ad6955eed18f/louis...
♥
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 10, 2026
***ARC Review***
This is my honest and voluntary review.
This was an interesting take on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. I was intrigued from the beginning until the end. Scott and Thomas are ex-cell mates and are forced to spend time together after Scott has a dangerous encounter. The plan is only for a month, but of course the two MCs grow closer as the days pass. I like all of the snake symbols and references in this book. I like that Scott doesn’t care about appearances when it comes to other people.
Scott and Thomas fight their connection for a while, mostly on Thomas’s part. Both men are dealing with past traumatic experiences. The cast of characters (mostly on Thomas’s side) in this book is a zany bunch of lovable employees that are unflappably loyal and absolutely supportive. They also provide some comedic relief to certain situations. Carly, Jay, Janice, and Tim are the real MVPs. Thomas and Scott are a well-suited pair. They allow the other to see beneath the masks and armor, and simply accept one another as they are. Their chemistry is top notch, and it’s apparent how much they care for one another.
This story is well paced and will keep you invested. Thomas and Scott falling for each other is an appealing journey. Their HEA is hard won and well deserved.
This is my honest and voluntary review.
This was an interesting take on the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. I was intrigued from the beginning until the end. Scott and Thomas are ex-cell mates and are forced to spend time together after Scott has a dangerous encounter. The plan is only for a month, but of course the two MCs grow closer as the days pass. I like all of the snake symbols and references in this book. I like that Scott doesn’t care about appearances when it comes to other people.
Scott and Thomas fight their connection for a while, mostly on Thomas’s part. Both men are dealing with past traumatic experiences. The cast of characters (mostly on Thomas’s side) in this book is a zany bunch of lovable employees that are unflappably loyal and absolutely supportive. They also provide some comedic relief to certain situations. Carly, Jay, Janice, and Tim are the real MVPs. Thomas and Scott are a well-suited pair. They allow the other to see beneath the masks and armor, and simply accept one another as they are. Their chemistry is top notch, and it’s apparent how much they care for one another.
This story is well paced and will keep you invested. Thomas and Scott falling for each other is an appealing journey. Their HEA is hard won and well deserved.
February 14, 2026
Louise is seriously my favorite dark romance writer.
January 4, 2026
Beauty & The Beast
I absofreakinglutely loved it 🥰
I loved it when I beta read it back in June and I loved it just as much this go around.
I’ve been shipping Scott and Thomas since I spied their interactions in The Starman Strategy and I *thought* I knew what was happening but I was totally wrong and loved the direction Louise took so much better.
I’m begging and praying and hoping that this isn’t the last Romantic Comedy Louise writes. What about Shaw and Riley? And Welsh and Bull? And Greaves and Jenkins? The world needs their stories. Please! I’m begging you. (If you don’t know who I’m talking about, they’re from The Starman Strategy which is the last book in the Bakery Brothers series which is a spinoff of the Flowershop Assassins series. I highly recommend checking them out as well if you liked this one or first. Start with Bye Baby.)
Highly recommend.
I absofreakinglutely loved it 🥰
I loved it when I beta read it back in June and I loved it just as much this go around.
I’ve been shipping Scott and Thomas since I spied their interactions in The Starman Strategy and I *thought* I knew what was happening but I was totally wrong and loved the direction Louise took so much better.
I’m begging and praying and hoping that this isn’t the last Romantic Comedy Louise writes. What about Shaw and Riley? And Welsh and Bull? And Greaves and Jenkins? The world needs their stories. Please! I’m begging you. (If you don’t know who I’m talking about, they’re from The Starman Strategy which is the last book in the Bakery Brothers series which is a spinoff of the Flowershop Assassins series. I highly recommend checking them out as well if you liked this one or first. Start with Bye Baby.)
Highly recommend.
February 28, 2026
I want to recommend this modern retelling of a fairy tale!
Scott (the titular ‘beauty’) had a successful career as an escort, but his life was derailed when he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a failed blackmail scheme. Upon release, he has to repay £100k he borrowed from a dangerous ex-client within a month. It becomes especially urgent when his life is threatened (and the police are unhelpful).
He is unexpectedly reunited with Thomas, his former cellmate from prison (where they were somewhat friendly). Thomas (the ‘beast’) has a prickly, mistrustful, reclusive nature and an intimidating appearance. His entire body is covered in green snake tattoos and he has multiple body mods, including a snakelike split tongue. It turns out that Thomas is incredibly wealthy and lives in a mansion on a huge estate, and he reluctantly agrees to let Scott stay there for a month while he tries to earn the money quickly, turning to a camboy career.
Scott struggles to convey authentic emotions on camera and Thomas, who is interested in ‘sex toys and control,’ offers to direct (and later appears in) his videos. Their relationship unfolds through kink exploration as they make content for their subscribers on an OnlyFans-esque channel, featuring creative usage of sex toys and themes of edging, praise kink, and overstimulation. They discover hidden depths about each other as they spend time together.
They both have trauma that makes it difficult to be vulnerable or trusting. As a good-looking high-end escort with a troubled past, Scott’s body was his commodity and he relied on external validation from clients, hiding his feelings behind a façade. Thomas, also haunted by his past, uses his demeanour and appearance as a defence mechanism, embodying Samuel Johnson’s adage that ‘he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.’
The story is set in England and you can tell it’s authentic I liked that the story balances romcom elements (humorous banter, pretending to be a couple to make someone jealous, quirky exotic pets, gossiping staff at the mansion) with darker themes (past abuse, slut-shaming, and the sinister villain – it’s like he wandered in from a darker genre).
Here’s a quote from a scene where Scott questions why Thomas named their channel ‘Beauty and the Beast.'
“I renamed it to something that reflects both of us.’
“You’re not a beast…”
“In our videos, I am.”
When Scott went to disagree, Thomas jumped in with a sly smile on his lips. “I’m the beast who’s locked you away in my mansion and makes you come over and over as punishment for being so goddamn beautiful.”
I found the book recommended online but it has generally flown under the radar, and it deserves to reach a wider audience.
Scott (the titular ‘beauty’) had a successful career as an escort, but his life was derailed when he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for a failed blackmail scheme. Upon release, he has to repay £100k he borrowed from a dangerous ex-client within a month. It becomes especially urgent when his life is threatened (and the police are unhelpful).
He is unexpectedly reunited with Thomas, his former cellmate from prison (where they were somewhat friendly). Thomas (the ‘beast’) has a prickly, mistrustful, reclusive nature and an intimidating appearance. His entire body is covered in green snake tattoos and he has multiple body mods, including a snakelike split tongue. It turns out that Thomas is incredibly wealthy and lives in a mansion on a huge estate, and he reluctantly agrees to let Scott stay there for a month while he tries to earn the money quickly, turning to a camboy career.
Scott struggles to convey authentic emotions on camera and Thomas, who is interested in ‘sex toys and control,’ offers to direct (and later appears in) his videos. Their relationship unfolds through kink exploration as they make content for their subscribers on an OnlyFans-esque channel, featuring creative usage of sex toys and themes of edging, praise kink, and overstimulation. They discover hidden depths about each other as they spend time together.
They both have trauma that makes it difficult to be vulnerable or trusting. As a good-looking high-end escort with a troubled past, Scott’s body was his commodity and he relied on external validation from clients, hiding his feelings behind a façade. Thomas, also haunted by his past, uses his demeanour and appearance as a defence mechanism, embodying Samuel Johnson’s adage that ‘he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.’
The story is set in England and you can tell it’s authentic I liked that the story balances romcom elements (humorous banter, pretending to be a couple to make someone jealous, quirky exotic pets, gossiping staff at the mansion) with darker themes (past abuse, slut-shaming, and the sinister villain – it’s like he wandered in from a darker genre).
Here’s a quote from a scene where Scott questions why Thomas named their channel ‘Beauty and the Beast.'
“I renamed it to something that reflects both of us.’
“You’re not a beast…”
“In our videos, I am.”
When Scott went to disagree, Thomas jumped in with a sly smile on his lips. “I’m the beast who’s locked you away in my mansion and makes you come over and over as punishment for being so goddamn beautiful.”
I found the book recommended online but it has generally flown under the radar, and it deserves to reach a wider audience.
Read
February 7, 2026DNF at 45%
March 4, 2026
3,85⭐️
This book was absolutely nothing like I thought it would be after reading the synopsis and I was pleasantly surprised!
This story is of two broken people who find shelter in each other.
Scott, the « beauty », who thinks his good looks are the only thing making him interesting to people. Who’s been coerced into sex work too young and doesn’t even know what intimacy feels like anymore. He’s been abandoned by everyone. He’s convinced people only want the superficial, the mask he keeps, the escort behavior.
Thomas, the « beast », betrayed by his parents, mocked for his body and looks, who decided to become the monster everyone said he was. Who hides behind his snake tattoos, his manor, his money. Who’s sure no one could ever like, nor mention love, someone horrible as he is.
They’re both sad, lonely, hiding. Even after three years as cell mates, they don’t trust each other easily. Even if Scott instinctually knows he’s safe with Thomas when everything else is not.
Together, they learn, piece by piece, to shed their masks, to reveal their secrets, to unveil themselves, and it was beautiful to read.
This book was absolutely nothing like I thought it would be after reading the synopsis and I was pleasantly surprised!
This story is of two broken people who find shelter in each other.
Scott, the « beauty », who thinks his good looks are the only thing making him interesting to people. Who’s been coerced into sex work too young and doesn’t even know what intimacy feels like anymore. He’s been abandoned by everyone. He’s convinced people only want the superficial, the mask he keeps, the escort behavior.
Thomas, the « beast », betrayed by his parents, mocked for his body and looks, who decided to become the monster everyone said he was. Who hides behind his snake tattoos, his manor, his money. Who’s sure no one could ever like, nor mention love, someone horrible as he is.
They’re both sad, lonely, hiding. Even after three years as cell mates, they don’t trust each other easily. Even if Scott instinctually knows he’s safe with Thomas when everything else is not.
Together, they learn, piece by piece, to shed their masks, to reveal their secrets, to unveil themselves, and it was beautiful to read.
February 16, 2026
incredible so so so good how did you make me love a snake man louise
December 31, 2025
This was great - fun and sexy. We all saw that ending coming, but it was just so satisfying.
February 1, 2026
A real surprise
I didn't know what to expect seeing the title. When the title says "beast", Thomas completely fits the brief in the most beautiful way possible. And it was really interesting watching Scott and Thomas slowly come together. Also seeing what the title actually meant as it started to play out. Loved that.
I adored Thomas's staff. I adored Thomas coming out of his shell. I also adored Scott learning to remove his mask and let his authentic self shine through.
This book was brilliant! The way the main characters met. And how the way they met clearly made them trust each other and feel deeply authentic with each other. But there was still a lot of growth that happened on the outside in terms of revealing deeper secrets about themselves. And hitting new levels of trust on the outside.
The writing was amazing and the way the story came together was a beautiful surprise. There were points where I genuinely couldn't see how these two people were going to fall in love. I love a story that leaves me guessing, especially in romance where I know how the story is ultimately going to end. But watching it get there was brilliantly done.
I didn't know what to expect seeing the title. When the title says "beast", Thomas completely fits the brief in the most beautiful way possible. And it was really interesting watching Scott and Thomas slowly come together. Also seeing what the title actually meant as it started to play out. Loved that.
I adored Thomas's staff. I adored Thomas coming out of his shell. I also adored Scott learning to remove his mask and let his authentic self shine through.
This book was brilliant! The way the main characters met. And how the way they met clearly made them trust each other and feel deeply authentic with each other. But there was still a lot of growth that happened on the outside in terms of revealing deeper secrets about themselves. And hitting new levels of trust on the outside.
The writing was amazing and the way the story came together was a beautiful surprise. There were points where I genuinely couldn't see how these two people were going to fall in love. I love a story that leaves me guessing, especially in romance where I know how the story is ultimately going to end. But watching it get there was brilliantly done.
January 6, 2026
Absolutely adored this book! Louise is a immediate read author for me I absolutely love all her stories. These two MCs met in one of her previous books, one of my favourite books of all-time The Starman Strategy, as cell mates, here we meet them months after they've been released from prison and they bump into each other accidently. I loved the backstory we got and how the relationship develops, I loved all the staff, they added humour and fun and love to the story for two boys who had been abandoned by everyone else and struggle to trust others, they create their own family and love their own way. Honestly this story is so amazing I absolutely loved how it was written. Both MCs have so much armour, and so much fear to break through before they can accept what they have together! Read if you love tattooed boys who are hard to love with pet snakes and live in a mansion with a load of animals who they saved from being put down, and an escort turned camboy who has spent his life giving up everything for others who didn't care enough to do the same for him, and who is also terrible at his new job until his beast starts to rock his world!! ALL THE STARS
January 6, 2026
Three.ish to four stars
Beauty and the Beast was quite the interesting take on the classic tale… Definitely a smutty good time, that's for sure.
Still, I think the reason this one isn't an enthusiastic four stars is that my tolerance for Thomas' bullshit was close to zero. Also, there were many moments where he was unnecessarily cruel to Scott and I had a hard time letting go of the $20 incident. Scott may have forgiven him, but I sure haven't.
That being said, the ending was very sweet and I really do enjoy the way Collins' makes such opposite pairings work. Tbh, I wouldn't mind another story - or five - from this series.
Beauty and the Beast was quite the interesting take on the classic tale… Definitely a smutty good time, that's for sure.
Still, I think the reason this one isn't an enthusiastic four stars is that my tolerance for Thomas' bullshit was close to zero. Also, there were many moments where he was unnecessarily cruel to Scott and I had a hard time letting go of the $20 incident. Scott may have forgiven him, but I sure haven't.
That being said, the ending was very sweet and I really do enjoy the way Collins' makes such opposite pairings work. Tbh, I wouldn't mind another story - or five - from this series.
February 12, 2026
4⭐️
this is probably the most unhinged, unrealistic book i'll read all year, never in my life did i expect to be charmed by a noseless snake man, and yet...
i just have to say for the record though - while i do not fault the author at all - that the editing in this book is horrific, some of the typos and grammar mistakes had me cringing and towards the end it was so egregious that it took me out of the story! i know they tell writers never to read the reviews but louise, on the off chance you happen to see this, i will fix all your SPAG errors for free just for the love of the game, lemme at them
this is probably the most unhinged, unrealistic book i'll read all year, never in my life did i expect to be charmed by a noseless snake man, and yet...
i just have to say for the record though - while i do not fault the author at all - that the editing in this book is horrific, some of the typos and grammar mistakes had me cringing and towards the end it was so egregious that it took me out of the story! i know they tell writers never to read the reviews but louise, on the off chance you happen to see this, i will fix all your SPAG errors for free just for the love of the game, lemme at them
February 8, 2026
Finally! Scott and Thomas get a HEA
I've been waiting for these two to get together for what feels like forever. And it was so worth it! I laughed, I cried, I panicked a little when things got crazy. God, I've loved Scott since the Flowershop Assassins and am so happy he finally got his own slice of happiness. And with Thomas! These two deserve it. Love, love, love this one.
I've been waiting for these two to get together for what feels like forever. And it was so worth it! I laughed, I cried, I panicked a little when things got crazy. God, I've loved Scott since the Flowershop Assassins and am so happy he finally got his own slice of happiness. And with Thomas! These two deserve it. Love, love, love this one.
January 2, 2026
Do not start this book at 10 pm if you want to wake up early tomorrow! Ask me how I know 😂
January 4, 2026
4.75*
February 17, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Read
February 17, 2026Unique and hot, I couldn’t put it down!
Read
February 27, 2026dnf 48%
did-not-finish
March 4, 2026maybe later. I'm not so sure about the snake thing
March 8, 2026
This was beautiful, I love Scott and Thomas.
January 17, 2026
I freaking LOVED this book! As long as you don't have a phobia of snakes (they actually aren't featured that much), you need to read this. This is going on the reread shelf.
February 24, 2026
Review later
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews