Silver and Gold: A Beauty and the Beast Retelling

by Alexandra Swift

He needs me to survive. I need him to stay human.

The dragon lord.
The cursed noble rotting in his ancestral manor.
The man whose magic is eating him alive.

Fenrik Stormgarde made me an offer I couldn't refuse: marry him, stabilize his curse with my forbidden gift, and walk away with enough gold to save my family.

Simple. Transactional. Safe.

Except nothing about Stormgarde Manor is safe.

The house shifts and listens. Fenrik's control is razor-thin. And every time I touch him to quiet the beast beneath his skin, the heat between us threatens to burn through every wall he's built.

He's cold. Magnetic. Dangerous up close.

And someone in this manor wants me dead.

Because my gift isn't just stabilizing him. It's waking something older. Something that was buried in his memories and bound by blood magic.

The curse isn't an accident. It's a weapon.

And the Veil-mage who created it plans to use me to finish what they started.

I came here to heal a dragon.

I'm falling for the man beneath the scales.

And when he finally stops fighting what we are? We might burn the whole world down.

Genres: Retellings, Romance, Fantasy

415 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2026

Reviews

[g_booked_and_running · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis: What if Beauty and the Beast had magic beyond the curse placed on the house and its inhabitants? (Don’t worry, the house is still cool and sentient) What if Belle had magic of her own? And. What if. There are small dragons that heat tea, as well as other magical creatures? Corrupted magic and a MMC in need of rescue? You’ll get all that and more in Silver & Gold! With a bit of spice!

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Spice level: 1.5/5 🌶️

📚 Review: Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie so when I saw this ARC available, I jumped on it. This was a delightful read. I love all the little magical creatures- tea dragons, garden drakes, etc. Super cute low-stakes Romantasy.

💬 Quote: “You’re making everything worse, or better. I can’t determine which and the ignorance may kill us both.”

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Review of advanced copy received from Author**

If knowing it is a beauty and the beast retelling isn’t enough to have you pick up this book, how about yearning, tension, dragons, immersive world-building and a magical Manor that is a character all on its own?

I really enjoyed this book! Not only was Lysa a fierce FMC with determination and a kind heart, but she could bring out the bite when she needed to. The chapters with Fenrik’s point of view were so engaging, with strong descriptions of what he was battling inside himself and the way he had moments of clarity and then would just lose it were devastating in the best way.

I have never seen forced proximity driven by a sentient Manor, and I absolutely loved it. There was so much personality in every move of a floorboard or drop of a tapestry, and you could feel it through Alexandra Swift’s writing.

What an incredible debut novel, and I am already itching for the next story in the Fairytales After Midnight series!

[Ember P · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wanted Beauty and the Beast but for adults, this book is for you. Instead of Belle we get Lyra, a budding mage and healer, kicked out of the Academy for having the wild and dangerous magic of Quieting. She has returned to her family's magical veterinary clinic where her vague and gullible father is constantly losing money on get rich quick schemes. Instead of the Beast, we have Fenrick, the brooding Lord Stormguarde, slowly dying of a curse that struck him the same day his parents died fighting a magical explosion. When Lyra treats Fenrick's familiar Kyrion, he senses her powers of healing and silence, that might be the only hope of stilling the raging beast trapped inside him, infecting his body and eating him from the inside out. He offers the deal, come and help him try to cure the curse, and he will pay all her family's debts and save the clinic. In order to live in the Manor, Lyra must agree to a marriage of convenience to live within the house's wards, but the Manor is sentient, shape shifting, and full of very strong opinions about the new Lady of the house. Every hallway seems to lead to Fenrick, every door that opens takes her to an increasingly desperate Lord, and every time they are brought together the marriage seems less of a contract and more stormy passion. Even when Lyra sees the Beast lurking behind his eyes she doesn't run, but pushes closer for his burning touch. But there is a dark problem in the house, Fenrick's long time friend Lady Kenda is everywhere, watching everything, coaxing Fenrick away, claiming that only she can soothe the Beast inside him. She is everything Lyra isn't, beautiful, poised, and Academy educated Veil Mage, as she pushes Lyra from the Manor, against it's violent wishes, Lyra is resigned that she is only making the curse worse and Kenda is the only one capable of helping. But the longer Lyra looks into Kenda and her magic of illusions the darker her motives become, what really happened 13 years ago when Fenrick 's parents died, what caused the Beast to become trapped inside him and what does Kenda have to gain from eminent magical apocalypse that is coming if Fenrick can't be saved. As Lyra races to save the village, the Manor, and Fenrick from the final plot of Kenda, could the solution be having the world's most orgasmic night of passion with Fenrick, joining together their two magics, silver and gold. Will they be strong enough to settle the magical overload of the ley lines, will Fenrick be able to let his walls down for the one woman who see the dragon in his soul and still wants to rip his clothes off? Will my Kindle survive reading the burning hot steam at the end of this book 🤭🔥 my dignity will never tell 😉 but stay tuned to find out just how passionate the Lord Stormguarde can get when the Manor leads the path to the master suite. Two thumbs up and a cold shower for this book

[Autumn & Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

🩶Silver and Gold💛
A Beauty and the Beast retelling
Fairytales after Midnight Book 1

⚠️POSSIBLE SPOILERS⚠️

5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is author Alexandra Swift's debut book!
I am absolutely in love! Where do I even start, the world, the characters, the vibes all chiefs kiss!

The Vibes:
Beautiful, Powerful, Magical, Fairytail. Sitting in a cafe with a dragon barista, enchanted pots that choose your perfect blend. A sick book dragon no bigger than a teakettle. dragons, drakes, wymlings, that bond to people. curses and found power. The struggle of always putting others before yourself.

The Characters:
Lysa FMC: She is Gold. She’s fierce, defiant, she refuses to give up. She’s a healer, but an outcast, she puts her family and patients before her own happiness, and her health.

Fenrik MMC: He is Silver. He’s cursed, traumatized, manipulated, but strong, and fierce, and loves his people though he wont show it. Living in his sentient ancestral manor that’s hanging on by a thread not to fall apart into ruins.

Kelda AN: She is Shadow. She’s powerhungry, manipulative. She uses veil magic. She can influence the mind, create or erase memories, manipulate reality. She wants total control.

Kirion: Fenriks bonded familiar. Midnight blue scaled dragon wyrmling. Healed by Lysa, before she ever met Fenrik, and Kirion never let Lysa go after that. He’s strong, brave, loyal, smart, and loves his bonded so fiercely.

The world:
Lumenvale: The name of the realm. Ley-lines are how magic flows.

Abberwyn: The town this story takes place in. The Drifting Teapot where Steady the copper scaled barista dragon works, that warms your drinks with dragon fire. With the enchanted teapots that always know your perfect blend. The merchants, The academy, grimoires, cinnamon buns, hearthcraft magic is the standard that is widely accepted, most other magics are misunderstood, or feared. Cobblestone roads, floating lanterns, the silver river, the shops, The Silver Bell tavern, Silversmiths, Lysa’s family infirmary.

Why you should read Silver and Gold:
If you love a world with dragons, magic, a cursed mmc, and a fierce fmc that saves him, this book is for you. I definitely cried a few times, stayed up till 1 am a couple nights in a row too. This story filled my heart with yearning. It was thrilling, touching, emotional, sometimes stressful having me on the edge of my seat with anticipation. It was a read I won't soon forget.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️
📖 Dragons!!!
📖 Marriage of convenience
📖 Sentient House
📖 Strong FMC
📖 Cursed
📖 Touch her & die
📖 He falls first / He falls hard
📖 Slow Burn
📖 Betrayal

[Sometimes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Overall I really enjoyed Silver and Gold,there were elements that sparkled, the overall execution left me feeling a bit conflicted.

The absolute star of this book is the Manor. Forced proximity handled by a house and it was a fun nod to Beauty and the Beast. From shifting hallways that force the characters together to floorboards that seem to have their own opinions, the house felt more like a fully fleshed out character than just a setting. The magic of the manor, the way it breathed and reacted to Lysa and Fenrik,was easily the most creative part of the story.

The narrative felt a bit disjointed. The transition between the cozy, magical veterinary clinic vibes at the start and the high stakes magical apocalypse toward the end felt jarring. Elements like the Quieting magic and the ley lines were interesting, but they didn't always feel seamlessly integrated into the plot, leading to a climax that felt rushed.


I struggled to find the romance between MMC and FMC organic. While I love a slow burn, the jump from reluctant allies to intense passion felt more like it was dictated by the tropes of the genre rather than a natural emotional progression.The random spice scenes between MMC and the OP seemed like an odd choice considering the vibe was cozy romance.For MMC and FMC I didn't quite feel the chemistry growing between them,instead, it felt like the plot just reached a point where they had to be in love and bang to save the world. There was little explanation on why or how their magics worked this way. More of ok, I need them to have sexy time and I need a reason for it to happen now, immediately.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the series continuing with maybe some better plot editing.

[Escapades In Prose · Rating 4 out of 5]

True to the FairyTale

There are a lot of book out there that claim to be a “Beauty and the Beast retelling.” But you have to hop on your left leg, squint your right eye, and turn the book sideways in order for you to see the actual bones of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale.

This is not that story. This one you can very much see the fairytale come through.

Our FMC is a bookish healer with a strange magic that makes everybody uncomfortable. Her father is stuck in his grief after losing her mother, and her sister is once again trying to play matchmaker with the best interest at heart. Her best friend and owner of the teahouse has no problem kicking everyone out of the room to talk some sense into our FMC. Everybody needs a friend like her.

Our MMC is a tortured so that hasn’t seen outside of his castle in 13 years. His castle is sentient and very opinionated and his housekeeper, while intimidating in her own right, knows a good thing when she sees it.

This story does not go deep into legends and lore around our Cursed MMC, however, you do get the answers, make no mistake. There is not a huge world built, just a Provincial Town, with a castle and secrets.

This one cuts to the chase at the very beginning. You are thrust into our FMC trying to navigate life in a marriage of convenience, navigating her own magic and the blocks she keeps hitting. There is a real push and pull, “I got this” vs. “I don’t got this!”

Personally, I wish we had a little more built around the legend, the curse and what the Stormgarde line means for the little town below and the magic in the earth. I love a legend come to life… but that’s just my preference. I also wish we had just a little more interaction between our main characters, because the sentient house reactions are hilarious, and I can’t get enough of its “opinions” 🤣

[Yippeekiyayreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beauty and the Beast fairytale retelling that incorporates unique magic, suspense, and betrayal in a way that ensnares you right from the beginning and doesn't let you go until the very end. This was a must read page turner. I absolutely love fairytale retellings and this one did not disappoint! From the very beginning, it was intriguing and incorporated the traditional elements of Beauty and the Beast with awesome twists making it its own fantasy romance.

This a multi POV where we mostly follow our FMC, Lysa, who has quieting magic. Her magic is misunderstood and creates a lot of anxiety for town people who fear things they do not understand. She heals creatures and one day is asked to heal a creature bonded to Lord Stormgarde, the mysterious lord of the manor that has not been seen for years. Her healing reaches through the bond and the Lord summons Lysa with a deal she cannot refuse. He offers her enough coin to save her family in exchange for a marriage contract that would bind her to him to stabilize his curse. Lysa expects that she will work to learn more about the mysterious illness infecting the town's creatures, but can she keep her heart safe from a beast in the process?

If you love retellings, sentient houses, forbidden magic, yearning, and betrayal, this is a must read for you! I loved it.

[Hira Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie so you know I’m all over a spicy retelling.

I love that the dragons were smaller and cozier, which was such a fun change. Kirian especially stole my heart and I would have gone to war if something happened to him. I’m also a fan of arranged marriages and gothic manors so this hit a lot of things I enjoy.

The sentient house was easily my favorite part. I was laughing everytime it redirected Lysa somewhere she didn’t want to go or when it locked them in a room together. The worldbuilding was phenomenal. The writing was so immersive that I was able to see and feel everything Lyra and Fenrik were feeling and why. I especially loved it during Fenrik’s chapters.

And while I knew pretty early on who the villain was, I didn’t expect the full extent of it, and I was genuinely shocked by how and why Fenrik was cursed.

I also love that despite everything Lysa believed about Fenrik and his supposed lack of feelings, she still did everything in her power to save him, the town, and his manor. She cared for him even while he was cursed and dying, which made their relationship that much stronger. I love a FMC that would do anything for the people they love.

And when they finally admitted their feelings and gave in to that pull between them, I was giggling. It was so satisfying to see that slow burn finally pay off. I love me a HEA.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a lovely Beauty & The Beast retelling.
It is not “inspired by it”, while a proper different take to the original story.

I think the idea behind the story is great, the characters are all lovely (with a great strong headed and kind hearted FMC), and “the plot twist” was also nicely done!
Both the FMC and villain really are inspired by known Disney characters, and overall the whole vibe is “classic fairytale” through and through!

The book is a great debut novel, and it reminded me a bit of the Twisted tales series, while not feeling like a copycat at all.
If you enjoy anything Disney, you should like this too!

The only reason why I’m not giving more stars is because I wished there was a bit more world building to it.
While the story is based on Beauty and the Beast, the magic system, town and characters are all different in their own way.
It took me a little bit getting into the story cause I kept trying to find parallels between specific characters, and I feel I would have enjoyed it more if I just entered a new world all together, rather than looking for comparisons to the Disney counterparts.

Still I really enjoyed the book, and I think the author has great potential for many more retellings to come 😊

[Drie Corley · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨✨✨ 4-Star Read

As a longtime Beauty and the Beast fan, Silver & Gold immediately caught my attention, and it delivered a fresh, magical twist on a beloved tale. Alexandria Swift takes familiar fairy tale elements and weaves them into a charming romantasy filled with dragons, corrupted magic, and a sentient manor that practically steals every scene it’s in.

Lysa was a fantastic heroine—kind-hearted, determined, and more than capable of standing her ground when needed. I also loved getting Fenrik’s perspective. His internal struggle was emotional and compelling, and watching him battle between moments of clarity and darkness added depth to the story.

One of my favorite aspects was the manor itself. From shifting floorboards to moving tapestries, it felt alive with personality and brought a unique layer of magic to the forced-proximity romance. Add in adorable tea dragons, garden drakes, and immersive world-building, and this became such an enjoyable escape.

If you love fairy tale retellings, slow-building tension, magical creatures, and cozy romantasy vibes with a touch of spice, Silver & Gold is definitely worth picking up. I’m already looking forward to seeing what comes next in the Fairytales After Midnight series! ✨🐉🏰📚💕

[Cătălina Andrici · Rating 5 out of 5]

​I am absolutely thrilled with this book! I am not a huge fan of fairy tale adaptions, I often find myself disappointed because most retellings tend to either stray too far from the original story or keep too much of it. This book, however, handles the adaptation beautifully. It introduces a brilliant, original turn to the narrative, yet all the key aspects of the classic tale are kept and gorgeously transformed to fit the author's new vision.
​The storytelling itself is incredibly well-crafted. The author uses multiple points of view, and I was impressed by how well the author shifted from one perspective to another without disrupting the flow of the story. The author did a phenomenal job contrasting the characters' transformations. The subtle shifts in language and action as Fenrik transitions from beast to human—and as Lysa changes after drinking the potion—were masterfully done.
​Beyond the romance and the magic, I loved that the author kept things a little funny, too. The humor is perfectly woven in, and Mrs. Crane’s witty remarks had me chuckling more than once.
​If you are looking for a Beauty and the Beast retelling that respects the original story while offering something fresh, captivating, slightly humorous, AND spicy, this is an absolute must-read!

[Samantha Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an eARC from the author and this is my honest review.

This was a very different twist on a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I think it was done well. It had enough parallels that you could see the inspiration but it didn’t feel like a knockoff.

I loved the dragons, interesting magic, and world building (although I was a bit confused at what the time period was supposed to be). There was good tension between the MMC and FMC and it was a slow burn reluctant allies-to-lovers story.

The pacing was fast but not rushed and although I knew pretty quickly who the villain was going to be, I didn’t feel like it was necessarily predictable because a lot of the “why’s” were hidden in the plot line

The enchanted house was surprisingly one of my favorite characters. It was subtle in that it “behaved” like a house (opening/closing doors, rattling) but it had so much personality in its description and it gave it intention.

Overall, I really enjoyed this retelling!

[Jessa Conche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexandra Swift did an amazing job with this Beauty and the Beast retelling!
She made me love the characters that were meant to be loved, and she absolutely made me hate the ones that were meant to be hated (honestly, my blood was boiling when a certain character spoke)!
The dragons in this novel are the cutest ever and I need Kirion in my life asap <3
I also appreciated the terms used to describe the science behind the magic; it showed the effort the author made when creating this magical world.
I loved how everything felt alive, even the inanimate objects, giving that immediate fairytale feel. The blight-like curse transported me into a dark world.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read!
The reason for dropping a star was because of a few word choices and one particular scene which I didn't completely understand but that is completely subjective, so for another reader this might be their next 5 star read.
Will I be reading Alexandra's Apples and Gold? Absolutely!

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. For a debut novel wow chef’s kiss!! This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and the characters were phenomenal!! You have a dragon barista with enchanted pots who will choose the perfect blend for you. The magical vibes and the world was just enchanting!! She did a phenomenal job writing this beautiful powerful retelling!! Can’t wait for the next book!!

“Silver and Gold is a dark and steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling with forced marriage, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a morally gray hero on the edge of losing control. Slow-burn heat that turns explosive. First in a series of interconnected standalones”

[Adena Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is different! Beauty is not so much of a beauty as the enchantress, the Beast seems both beastly and mad, and they both have dark secrets and difficult pasts. Throwing them together in an arranged marriage in a house which feels like the Disney palace with uncontrollably hiccups (only worse) just gives this more of a madcap, Mad-Hatter-esque insane mobius-twisted roller coaster ride of a plot which comes together to end in a truly impressive consummation and conclusion that, for this novel, quieted the earth rather than moved it. This was engrossing, engaging and wholly worthy reading again!

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[blueberrynuggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

**This is an ARC.** 4.5 stars; true rating

Firstly, thank you Alexandra for the opportunity to read this before release.

This story could stand on it’s own without being labeled as a retelling. Alexandra did such a good job of using bare bones of the fairytale to set the baseline. Yes, there are elements of this that scream B&TB, but for the first like 60% ish percent of this book, it didn’t really matter.

That being said, this is a very well done retelling, it’s fresh enough that it doesn’t feel reused, and the characters make sense in the span of the story we have.

Fenrik is just a man with a sickness, and Lysa is our hero. Both fit the narrative as they were intended, and it was truly a well written and well designed book all around.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely amazing retelling of beauty and the beast. From the very first moment, I was drawn in. The world building was excellent. The description was out of this world. And the characters were written so beautifully. The depth of this story had me completely intrigued. I was so entranced in this beautiful world, amazing story. I didn’t want it to end. The tension and suspense was great. The two main characters had me swooning. I fell in love with this story. I hope to read more from this author.

[Sinead Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite Beauty and the Beast retellings I have read thus far. I love the use of magical creatures and bonded creatures in the world the author has created. There is a found family from the first page that offers the FMC the support she isn't able to get elsewhere, considering she is an outcast to the rest of the village. The MMC is the broody, self sacrificing, handsome and stubborn character that I like the most in a romantic interest and yet harbours deep trauma of his own that he has to come to terms with- aided by our heroine. A great love story, with peril and evil machinations that made me wonder until the last chapters what on earth was going on, this being a positive.

[Marissa Paino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read with really strong writing throughout. It felt like a fresh take on a Beauty and the Beast-style story while still bringing something unique to the genre. I loved the magical creatures and all the different types of magic woven into the world, but my favorite part was probably the cozy atmosphere with the tea houses and dragons. It had that perfect comforting fantasy vibe while still keeping the story engaging and magical.

[Ruxi Avram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a delight! Banter, chemistry, action, unique magic system, villains and even an angry mob!
The heroine is Lysa, smart dragon healer young Lysa. The hero is Fenrick Stormgarde, the broody master of the castle, last resort in the face of the flowing dark magic of the Veil.
We have love, dark magic, good magic, dragons of all shapes and sizes and that is just delicious!
I loved this book, is a breath of fresh air, a beautiful re-wright of Beauty and the Beast.

[Brooke Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I loved Fenrik and Lysa. Their dynamics were amazing and they had a great story line! I loved MOST of the characters. Other than the main characters. Mrs. Crane would be another favorite of mine! It was a easy read that kept my attention through the entire book. If you love Beauty and the Best: you will love this story! Plus, it had dragons!

[Patricia Lord · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling In a world with dragons, magic, a cursed mc, and a fierce fmc that saves him.
This story is something fresh, captivating, slighty humorous, AND spicy, this is an absolute must-read!
Even though I was a bit confused at what the time period was supposed to be Istill enjoyed this story

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good twist on my favorite classic! And what isn't improved by adding dragons? The characters are vibrant, including the manor itself, and I enjoyed the casual magic present in the everyday of the townsfolk. A little sweet, a little spice, a lot of heart.

[Divya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a different kind of Beauty and the Beast Retelling with magic, curses and adorable familiars. I really liked Lysa's character and her steadfast attitude to always do what's right. Kirion was a great addition to the story and was absolutely adorable.

[MidnytePageTurner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun time! The grumpy beast vibes were vibing- the banter was there! Loved the cute, cuddly dragons! And the house was its own character! Loved it

[Xoot.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words to describe the hold this book has on me.

[aem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.

[H.S. Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read!

Love this story! Excellent slow burn. Magic, intrigue, a sentient castle, and dragons. Of, and don't forget the obligatory evil!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up way too late finishing this. Was it worth it? OMG, YES!

With supreme banter, the Manor's machinations, escalating tension, and dragons, who says you can't improve a classic?

I loved every part of this book, the unique characters, the conflict, even Kelda; she's one of those villains you love to hate.

[Maude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book not expecting it to grab onto me like it did. I read it in 1 sitting. Once I started I didn't want to stop. The tension and world building was like it grabs you and pulls you into the world. Absolutely loved the manor. A place full of unexpected twists and turns bringing you into hidden places.