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Modern Fairytales #1
Beauty and the Boss
Beauty is about to tame her beast...
Researcher Maggie Donovan has no luck with men, and it doesn't help that she can't keep her eyes off of her sexy boss - the one everyone else in the office calls The Beast. Relationships in the office are forbidden. So no one is more surprised than Maggie when she pretends to be his fiancée to save him during a difficult situation. Not only has she put her job on the line, but the future of the company.
Billionaire Benjamin Gale III doesn't believe in love or romance, but the look on his mother's face when Maggie tells her that she's his fiancée is worth millions. Instead of firing her for her insubordination, he goes along with the ruse. In his arms-and in his bed-she'd be everything he could ever want…which is why he can't have her.
But if he doesn't let her go, they'll lose everything…
Researcher Maggie Donovan has no luck with men, and it doesn't help that she can't keep her eyes off of her sexy boss - the one everyone else in the office calls The Beast. Relationships in the office are forbidden. So no one is more surprised than Maggie when she pretends to be his fiancée to save him during a difficult situation. Not only has she put her job on the line, but the future of the company.
Billionaire Benjamin Gale III doesn't believe in love or romance, but the look on his mother's face when Maggie tells her that she's his fiancée is worth millions. Instead of firing her for her insubordination, he goes along with the ruse. In his arms-and in his bed-she'd be everything he could ever want…which is why he can't have her.
But if he doesn't let her go, they'll lose everything…
214 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2015
63 people are currently reading
1151 people want to read
About the author
Diane Alberts
34 books1,145 followersDiane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin RandomHouse. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.
Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
- See more at: http://www.dianealberts.com/about/#st...
Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
- See more at: http://www.dianealberts.com/about/#st...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 7, 2016
If you've been following my reviews, I think it's pretty obvious I have a soft spot for the marriage of convenience/ fake engagement trope. Add that whole modern Beauty and the Beast, and I just had to read Beauty and the Boss.
Researcher Maggie Donovan is one of the most hardworking employees in Gale Enterprises; a proof is her propensity to work overtime alongside the big boss, Benjamin "The Beast" Gale III. Unbeknownst to Maggie, Benjamin is very much aware of her hard work and dedication to the company, and he's grateful for it. So, when a business partner cancels dinner plans with Benjamin, he invites Maggie to eat dinner with him in his office. Nothing weird with that, of course; it was harmless dinner, nothing more. They weren't breaking the "No Office Relationship" company policy. Unfortunately for them, when Benjamin's horror of a mother finds them in a seemingly compromising position, she assumes the worst and threatens to fire both Benjamin and Maggie.
In a state of panic, Maggie does the only thing she thinks would save both her and her boss's ass—pretend to be his longtime girlfriend and fiancee. As long as they've been together before Maggie joined the company and the relationship is serious, they're safe. When the evil mother Helen leaves in a huff, Maggie realizes she might have done the absolute worst thing she could possibly do. Thankfully, instead of firing her like any normal angered CEO would do, Benjamin plays along with the engagement farce. Of course, if they wanted to convince everyone that they were truly in love with each other, they're going to have to practice. And practice, they did.
I fairly enjoyed reading this book. Maggie had more backbone than what people expected, Benjamin wasn't really a beast, Helen the evil mother was, and I had no idea where Benjamin's brother's loyalties truly lay until somewhere near the end. The chemistry between Maggie and Benjamin was thick and palpable, and it was really sweet what Maggie did on their second "date".
Benjamin is your typical alpha male—domineering, possessive, powerful. But like Beast in Beauty and the Beast, he has a softer side. He's kind, caring, and will protect and love the people most important to him. He holds onto something heavy on his own, and he's been trying to repent for the last six years over something that wasn't truly his fault.
I think in this book, Benji's the one who showed the most character growth. In their first "date", he brings Maggie on his typical first date plan—expensive restaurant, fancy food, red roses. He didn't care to know what Maggie's preferences would be, thus ending the date in a near-death experience to Maggie, thanks to an allergic reaction to shellfish. Maggie teaches him to be a better person, at least in the dating department.
Somewhere in the second half, the drama was too much for me. I would have rated it higher if not for that, but overall, I had fun reading this book. I look forward to reading Diane Alberts' second book in her Modern Fairytale series.
Researcher Maggie Donovan is one of the most hardworking employees in Gale Enterprises; a proof is her propensity to work overtime alongside the big boss, Benjamin "The Beast" Gale III. Unbeknownst to Maggie, Benjamin is very much aware of her hard work and dedication to the company, and he's grateful for it. So, when a business partner cancels dinner plans with Benjamin, he invites Maggie to eat dinner with him in his office. Nothing weird with that, of course; it was harmless dinner, nothing more. They weren't breaking the "No Office Relationship" company policy. Unfortunately for them, when Benjamin's horror of a mother finds them in a seemingly compromising position, she assumes the worst and threatens to fire both Benjamin and Maggie.
In a state of panic, Maggie does the only thing she thinks would save both her and her boss's ass—pretend to be his longtime girlfriend and fiancee. As long as they've been together before Maggie joined the company and the relationship is serious, they're safe. When the evil mother Helen leaves in a huff, Maggie realizes she might have done the absolute worst thing she could possibly do. Thankfully, instead of firing her like any normal angered CEO would do, Benjamin plays along with the engagement farce. Of course, if they wanted to convince everyone that they were truly in love with each other, they're going to have to practice. And practice, they did.
I fairly enjoyed reading this book. Maggie had more backbone than what people expected, Benjamin wasn't really a beast, Helen the evil mother was, and I had no idea where Benjamin's brother's loyalties truly lay until somewhere near the end. The chemistry between Maggie and Benjamin was thick and palpable, and it was really sweet what Maggie did on their second "date".
Benjamin is your typical alpha male—domineering, possessive, powerful. But like Beast in Beauty and the Beast, he has a softer side. He's kind, caring, and will protect and love the people most important to him. He holds onto something heavy on his own, and he's been trying to repent for the last six years over something that wasn't truly his fault.
I think in this book, Benji's the one who showed the most character growth. In their first "date", he brings Maggie on his typical first date plan—expensive restaurant, fancy food, red roses. He didn't care to know what Maggie's preferences would be, thus ending the date in a near-death experience to Maggie, thanks to an allergic reaction to shellfish. Maggie teaches him to be a better person, at least in the dating department.
Somewhere in the second half, the drama was too much for me. I would have rated it higher if not for that, but overall, I had fun reading this book. I look forward to reading Diane Alberts' second book in her Modern Fairytale series.
November 16, 2015
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Beauty and The Boss by Diane Alberts is a modern twist and take on that beloved Beauty and the Beast classic fairy-tale. I absolutely adored this sweet, fun, sexy, and charming romance story filled with a little drama and angst to entice readers as a sexy beast of a billionaire tries to win the heart of the beautiful country girl, Maggie Donovan. In this tale, Ms. Alberts perfectly weaves a romance that will leave hearts fluttering as we get entangled as beast of a boss and his beautiful employee try to keep up the charades of being in a fake engagement. When Maggie suddenly blurted out that she was the fiance of Benjamin to his manipulative mother, she didn't realize the toll it would take on her mentally,physically and emotionally. Keeping up the charades of being in a fake relationship, while Benjamin tries to keep his position as CEO, proves to a beastly task as these two try to keep their attraction to each other at bay. With sexual tension and chemistry heating up in and out of the office, will this fake engagement lead to a real meaningful relationship? Can this beast of a boss be tamed by this unsuspecting beauty who showed him real love?
As a big fan of this author, I adored this book. Ms. Alberts has a way of weaving drama, lust, passion, and love into one heartfelt romance. So if you are looking for a tale where an unexpected relationship leads to a sweet HEA then I suggest you read Beauty and the Boss where we are reminded home is wherever your heart is. And for this beast his home was with his beauty.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Diane Alberts
Beauty and The Boss by Diane Alberts is a modern twist and take on that beloved Beauty and the Beast classic fairy-tale. I absolutely adored this sweet, fun, sexy, and charming romance story filled with a little drama and angst to entice readers as a sexy beast of a billionaire tries to win the heart of the beautiful country girl, Maggie Donovan. In this tale, Ms. Alberts perfectly weaves a romance that will leave hearts fluttering as we get entangled as beast of a boss and his beautiful employee try to keep up the charades of being in a fake engagement. When Maggie suddenly blurted out that she was the fiance of Benjamin to his manipulative mother, she didn't realize the toll it would take on her mentally,physically and emotionally. Keeping up the charades of being in a fake relationship, while Benjamin tries to keep his position as CEO, proves to a beastly task as these two try to keep their attraction to each other at bay. With sexual tension and chemistry heating up in and out of the office, will this fake engagement lead to a real meaningful relationship? Can this beast of a boss be tamed by this unsuspecting beauty who showed him real love?
As a big fan of this author, I adored this book. Ms. Alberts has a way of weaving drama, lust, passion, and love into one heartfelt romance. So if you are looking for a tale where an unexpected relationship leads to a sweet HEA then I suggest you read Beauty and the Boss where we are reminded home is wherever your heart is. And for this beast his home was with his beauty.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Diane Alberts
November 19, 2015
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️3.5 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Having enjoyed Diane Alberts books in the past, I naturally jumped on the occasion to read her spin on the ever so enjoyable “Beauty and the Beast” romance trope.
Benjamin Gale the Third is considered a beast by his own employees. It’s not that he is that terrible, really, he’s just too dedicated to his work and they never got to see him under a different light.
That’s not the case of Maggie Donovan though, recently moved to New York, she just sees his boss as a closed off hard-worker, nothing more. That and maybe the fact that he’s attractive as hell.
Upon a fateful night everything is going to take for the interesting change, as on a improvised office dinner for two, Maggie is caught in a compromising position by her boss’ mother.
How one would explain why she was kneeling at her boss’ feet under a table, on a late night at work?
Awkward.
Unless, she never get the chance to explain herself or to make things right, the Beast’s mother? She’s a freaking Dragon. And she won’t even acknowledge Maggie’s attempts to explain.
So when The Dragon starts picking on The Beast a little to hard, threatening him to revoke his rights as CEO once more, Maggie acts on an impulse and puts herself in the way. She announces that her Boss—Benjamin Gale III and her are actually… engaged. They can’t break office rules if they were actually engaged before, right?
Here starts their little charade, and I must say that I enjoyed it, despite the fact that I don’t understand the parallel between a Beauty and the Beast fairy tale and this story.
Maybe a bad choice for the title. It should have been about finding a beautiful person despite your disfigured appearance, right?
I thought it was a more a Cinderella trope trying to tame her Prince.
So, I’ didn’t quite get what was advertised by the title—which truly is misleading, but I really enjoyed an office romance with playful banter and sexy times.
Arc offered in exchange for an honest review
More reviews and book talk at :
Having enjoyed Diane Alberts books in the past, I naturally jumped on the occasion to read her spin on the ever so enjoyable “Beauty and the Beast” romance trope.
Benjamin Gale the Third is considered a beast by his own employees. It’s not that he is that terrible, really, he’s just too dedicated to his work and they never got to see him under a different light.
That’s not the case of Maggie Donovan though, recently moved to New York, she just sees his boss as a closed off hard-worker, nothing more. That and maybe the fact that he’s attractive as hell.
Upon a fateful night everything is going to take for the interesting change, as on a improvised office dinner for two, Maggie is caught in a compromising position by her boss’ mother.
How one would explain why she was kneeling at her boss’ feet under a table, on a late night at work?
Awkward.
Unless, she never get the chance to explain herself or to make things right, the Beast’s mother? She’s a freaking Dragon. And she won’t even acknowledge Maggie’s attempts to explain.
So when The Dragon starts picking on The Beast a little to hard, threatening him to revoke his rights as CEO once more, Maggie acts on an impulse and puts herself in the way. She announces that her Boss—Benjamin Gale III and her are actually… engaged. They can’t break office rules if they were actually engaged before, right?
Here starts their little charade, and I must say that I enjoyed it, despite the fact that I don’t understand the parallel between a Beauty and the Beast fairy tale and this story.
Maybe a bad choice for the title. It should have been about finding a beautiful person despite your disfigured appearance, right?
I thought it was a more a Cinderella trope trying to tame her Prince.
So, I’ didn’t quite get what was advertised by the title—which truly is misleading, but I really enjoyed an office romance with playful banter and sexy times.
Arc offered in exchange for an honest review
More reviews and book talk at :
November 19, 2015
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale, so of course I had to read this book. :)
It was an okay read, aided by my love of the original fairytale. The story was a little predictable, but I liked Benjamin - I refuse to call him Benjy - and Maggie, so I'm happy.
It was an okay read, aided by my love of the original fairytale. The story was a little predictable, but I liked Benjamin - I refuse to call him Benjy - and Maggie, so I'm happy.
January 4, 2021
I could not get through this one and take it seriously at the same time. The mother is a caricature of a villain and the logical sense of the company he works for makes no sense. He's sitting in the CEO spot and I can't tell if his mom hates or wants him to just be married because she sets him up on dates and than threatens to have him booted off the ceo spot five seconds later. Like what?! This book follows the fake dating trope but the boss turned out to be aggressive and creepy. His tone was way off.
September 28, 2015
**ARC provided by Entangled Publishing for an honest review***
No spoilers, just my thoughts.
Beauty and the Boss was a very enjoyable book to read. I loved the two main characters, Maggie and her boss Benjamin. They had great chemistry that slowly transformed into love. But before that happened, the beauty had to tame her beast. Or did he have to tame her? And who would destroy the wicked witch of the west. Who might that be you ask? Guess you'll have to read to find out. This was a quick read with sexual tension, laugh out loud moments, tender moments and a bit of a twist towards the end.
Maggie was such a wonderful character. You started off thinking she was a shy and timid woman. Boy did I have that wrong. She was a feisty thing and she had quite the backbone. That would be needed in dealing with the wicked witch. Although Maggie was a strong heroine, she had a fragile heart that's been battered before. She had a hard time letting people in, because she was used to getting crushed when she did open up. I enjoy watching her develop and learn to trust again.
Benjamin a.k.a The Beast was actually a pretty good guy. I think calling him a beast is a bit unfair. He was a workaholic and very driven but not really beastly in my opinion. Once you learn his background story, you started to understand why he was the way he was. With the way he was raised, I'm surprised he wasn't truly a beast. With a positive influence like Maggie in his life, he began to see things differently. He started opening up again and believing in happy ever after. His true self started to shine through and it was wonderful to see. Yes he did have a moment or two when I wanted to smack him. But for the most part I was loving him. I loved this story and I was very happy with the ending. 4 stars!
Btw, there really isn't a wicked witch in this book, that's just a name I called a really evil character. :-)
No spoilers, just my thoughts.
Beauty and the Boss was a very enjoyable book to read. I loved the two main characters, Maggie and her boss Benjamin. They had great chemistry that slowly transformed into love. But before that happened, the beauty had to tame her beast. Or did he have to tame her? And who would destroy the wicked witch of the west. Who might that be you ask? Guess you'll have to read to find out. This was a quick read with sexual tension, laugh out loud moments, tender moments and a bit of a twist towards the end.
Maggie was such a wonderful character. You started off thinking she was a shy and timid woman. Boy did I have that wrong. She was a feisty thing and she had quite the backbone. That would be needed in dealing with the wicked witch. Although Maggie was a strong heroine, she had a fragile heart that's been battered before. She had a hard time letting people in, because she was used to getting crushed when she did open up. I enjoy watching her develop and learn to trust again.
Benjamin a.k.a The Beast was actually a pretty good guy. I think calling him a beast is a bit unfair. He was a workaholic and very driven but not really beastly in my opinion. Once you learn his background story, you started to understand why he was the way he was. With the way he was raised, I'm surprised he wasn't truly a beast. With a positive influence like Maggie in his life, he began to see things differently. He started opening up again and believing in happy ever after. His true self started to shine through and it was wonderful to see. Yes he did have a moment or two when I wanted to smack him. But for the most part I was loving him. I loved this story and I was very happy with the ending. 4 stars!
Btw, there really isn't a wicked witch in this book, that's just a name I called a really evil character. :-)
November 16, 2015
This is an enjoyable modern twist on Beauty and the Beast.
Benjamin Gale III is the CEO of his company following the death of his father six years prior. He's always been guilty that he didn't make it to his father's death bed--because he was young and out partying and had no idea his dad would suffer a massive heart attack out of nowhere... (whatevs.) He lets his mother guilt and guilt and GUILT him and he drops all his social life and friends and etc to completely concentrate on running the company. Which he does. Very Well.
Lately Benjamin has noticed the extreme work ethic of one of his staff researchers, Maggie Donovan, mostly because Maggie stays as unconscionably late as Benjamin. He's noticed her a bunch, and decides to reward her diligence with an office dinner late one Friday night. As colleagues. Thing is, the whole deal becomes an entanglement when Benjamin's shrew of a mother turns up and accuses Benjamin and Maggie of sordid business prompting together. Maggie comes to Benjamin's defense at the risk of her job, and they walk out of the office no longer just boss and subordinate, but also engaged.
The rest is a bit of fun, with Benji blowing his chances to woo Maggie proberly, at first, and Maggie being too hear hearted to really let Benji in--in account of she's been hurt too many times before. Benji's mom has a whole plot to drive them apart and force Benji to marry a woman of her choosing. This must be the fairytale part of this, I'm sure, because I just cannot believe the vapid, waste-of-space females that are parade-ready to marry Benji. Also, the mother was, evil stepmother cruel and the clock ticking down to midnight at the ball made be dizzy with mixed fairytale plot strands.
That said Benji and Maggie do develop a satisfactory romance that has the classic big misunderstanding and a plausible reunion. I liked very much the banter and wittiness of both Benji and Maggie. Benji is great guy who's been put down quite a bit too much and has a (implausible, IMHO) low self-esteem. He's desperate for real affection, and Maggie is fully able to provide that. She's a revelation and he's unwilling to let her go, even when he thinks his company is tanking and he must "marry up" to save it. I liked him, and I liked Maggie and I was happy their romance was an HEA. I think there were some plot threads that could have been more tightly woven, but it was a solid breezy read with decent sexytimes.
Benjamin Gale III is the CEO of his company following the death of his father six years prior. He's always been guilty that he didn't make it to his father's death bed--because he was young and out partying and had no idea his dad would suffer a massive heart attack out of nowhere... (whatevs.) He lets his mother guilt and guilt and GUILT him and he drops all his social life and friends and etc to completely concentrate on running the company. Which he does. Very Well.
Lately Benjamin has noticed the extreme work ethic of one of his staff researchers, Maggie Donovan, mostly because Maggie stays as unconscionably late as Benjamin. He's noticed her a bunch, and decides to reward her diligence with an office dinner late one Friday night. As colleagues. Thing is, the whole deal becomes an entanglement when Benjamin's shrew of a mother turns up and accuses Benjamin and Maggie of sordid business prompting together. Maggie comes to Benjamin's defense at the risk of her job, and they walk out of the office no longer just boss and subordinate, but also engaged.
The rest is a bit of fun, with Benji blowing his chances to woo Maggie proberly, at first, and Maggie being too hear hearted to really let Benji in--in account of she's been hurt too many times before. Benji's mom has a whole plot to drive them apart and force Benji to marry a woman of her choosing. This must be the fairytale part of this, I'm sure, because I just cannot believe the vapid, waste-of-space females that are parade-ready to marry Benji. Also, the mother was, evil stepmother cruel and the clock ticking down to midnight at the ball made be dizzy with mixed fairytale plot strands.
That said Benji and Maggie do develop a satisfactory romance that has the classic big misunderstanding and a plausible reunion. I liked very much the banter and wittiness of both Benji and Maggie. Benji is great guy who's been put down quite a bit too much and has a (implausible, IMHO) low self-esteem. He's desperate for real affection, and Maggie is fully able to provide that. She's a revelation and he's unwilling to let her go, even when he thinks his company is tanking and he must "marry up" to save it. I liked him, and I liked Maggie and I was happy their romance was an HEA. I think there were some plot threads that could have been more tightly woven, but it was a solid breezy read with decent sexytimes.
November 12, 2015
Rating 4.5/5
This is a delightful twist on the fairytale ‘Beauty and the Beast’, a highly enjoyable romance filled novella.
The boss is Benjamin Gale the third, CEO of his family’s company, totally goal orientated and nicknamed the Beast by most of the folks who work in the office. The noteworthy exception to this is equally hardworking researcher, Maggie Donovan, who is the only one he’s ever heard defending him. When both are working late one night he decides to invite her to join him dining with another member of the board - then that gentleman cancels, leaving the two of them dining in his office when his nemesis - his mother - appears. She’s the epitome of the evil stepmother - wicked, manipulative, threatening, spiteful, a nasty person who has never shown him any love. Relationships in the office are banned so now his mother tries to sack Maggie and threatens to have him ousted from his position. Maggie, however, is made of sterner stuff and proclaims they’ve been dating for ages before she joined the firm and they’re now secretly engaged! To find out what happens next, you’ll just have to read this yourself!
The story is an engaging tale, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled. His ‘mother’ is determined to thwart their romance and manipulate both their lives to achieve her own goals, which is certainly not his happiness! It is a cute and charming tale, befitting its fairytale basis and a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for this, an honest review.
This is a delightful twist on the fairytale ‘Beauty and the Beast’, a highly enjoyable romance filled novella.
The boss is Benjamin Gale the third, CEO of his family’s company, totally goal orientated and nicknamed the Beast by most of the folks who work in the office. The noteworthy exception to this is equally hardworking researcher, Maggie Donovan, who is the only one he’s ever heard defending him. When both are working late one night he decides to invite her to join him dining with another member of the board - then that gentleman cancels, leaving the two of them dining in his office when his nemesis - his mother - appears. She’s the epitome of the evil stepmother - wicked, manipulative, threatening, spiteful, a nasty person who has never shown him any love. Relationships in the office are banned so now his mother tries to sack Maggie and threatens to have him ousted from his position. Maggie, however, is made of sterner stuff and proclaims they’ve been dating for ages before she joined the firm and they’re now secretly engaged! To find out what happens next, you’ll just have to read this yourself!
The story is an engaging tale, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader enthralled. His ‘mother’ is determined to thwart their romance and manipulate both their lives to achieve her own goals, which is certainly not his happiness! It is a cute and charming tale, befitting its fairytale basis and a very enjoyable read.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley, too, for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for this, an honest review.
November 26, 2015
“Night and day aren’t that different, when you think about it. Both are ruled by a bright, round object in the sky. And both end in order for the other to begin.”
One of the things I love so much about Diane Alberts’ writing, is just how well she pulls me into her stories. She makes it so that I get completely lost in her characters and their stories. I find myself unable to do anything, but read and devour the pages. This book was no exception. From the moment, I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down. I devoured each word. I was so caught up in Benjamin and Maggie’s story. I had to know what would happen next.
Beauty and the Boss gave me everything that I was looking for and more. It was fast-paced and well written. The story-line was fun and entertaining. I loved the idea of the fake fiancee’. Those stories are always a lot of fun, but I really loved how this author weaved that idea into the Beauty and the Beast story-line.
Full Review to follow on blog tour date
One of the things I love so much about Diane Alberts’ writing, is just how well she pulls me into her stories. She makes it so that I get completely lost in her characters and their stories. I find myself unable to do anything, but read and devour the pages. This book was no exception. From the moment, I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down. I devoured each word. I was so caught up in Benjamin and Maggie’s story. I had to know what would happen next.
Beauty and the Boss gave me everything that I was looking for and more. It was fast-paced and well written. The story-line was fun and entertaining. I loved the idea of the fake fiancee’. Those stories are always a lot of fun, but I really loved how this author weaved that idea into the Beauty and the Beast story-line.
Full Review to follow on blog tour date
November 11, 2015
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
Benjamin Gale works like a beast, but has an even more beastly mother, so much so that in a kind moment with an employee (Maggie) and his mother walks in, she sticks up for him.
Maggie is a nice girl who moved to New York and has only been there about 6 months, but thinks her boss it hot.
It's a story that follows the line from a small little white lie of a relationship, to something that becomes very real quiet quickly, where both realise that they need to open up to the other to get more back, and they both bring out the best in each other.
It's a lovely soft story that makes you really hope that the pair get a really good HEA.
Benjamin Gale works like a beast, but has an even more beastly mother, so much so that in a kind moment with an employee (Maggie) and his mother walks in, she sticks up for him.
Maggie is a nice girl who moved to New York and has only been there about 6 months, but thinks her boss it hot.
It's a story that follows the line from a small little white lie of a relationship, to something that becomes very real quiet quickly, where both realise that they need to open up to the other to get more back, and they both bring out the best in each other.
It's a lovely soft story that makes you really hope that the pair get a really good HEA.
November 22, 2015
Just a perfect little weekend read.
Maggie has left her small town farm to work as a researcher for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in New York City. Benjamin Gale is her boss, dubbed The Beast by her co-workers for his cold and brusque manner. On one of the many nights the two are working late, a seemingly inconsequential office dinner and a nefarious plot by Benjamin’s mother has them somehow trying to pull off a fake engagement.
The two have however always had a bit of chemistry and feelings explode once the two enter into their fake relationship. The trope may seem a bit predictable but I absolutely enjoyed this shortish novel. I loved the two of them together and I adored Maggie and her awkward quirkiness that had Benjamin spellbound. They were perfect for each other. In all the places Maggie was unorganised in places where Benjamin was organised, Benjamin in turn was ready explore in places where Maggie seemed over rational. Told in a dual POV the two were simply adorable together and the chemistry between them was tangible.
The story is relatively low on angst with both of them acting like adults and problems were dealt with fairly quickly. The story was never boring however and had a little drama at the end. It read like a blockbuster romantic comedy and had me smiling like a fool at the end. Loved this story and as I’ve said at the beginning, it’s a perfect bit of fluffy escapism for a weekend read.
(ARC provided by author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
Maggie has left her small town farm to work as a researcher for one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in New York City. Benjamin Gale is her boss, dubbed The Beast by her co-workers for his cold and brusque manner. On one of the many nights the two are working late, a seemingly inconsequential office dinner and a nefarious plot by Benjamin’s mother has them somehow trying to pull off a fake engagement.
The two have however always had a bit of chemistry and feelings explode once the two enter into their fake relationship. The trope may seem a bit predictable but I absolutely enjoyed this shortish novel. I loved the two of them together and I adored Maggie and her awkward quirkiness that had Benjamin spellbound. They were perfect for each other. In all the places Maggie was unorganised in places where Benjamin was organised, Benjamin in turn was ready explore in places where Maggie seemed over rational. Told in a dual POV the two were simply adorable together and the chemistry between them was tangible.
The story is relatively low on angst with both of them acting like adults and problems were dealt with fairly quickly. The story was never boring however and had a little drama at the end. It read like a blockbuster romantic comedy and had me smiling like a fool at the end. Loved this story and as I’ve said at the beginning, it’s a perfect bit of fluffy escapism for a weekend read.
(ARC provided by author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
November 16, 2015
I received an ARC of this book form the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For a modern rehash of my favorite fairy tale, I would say that I have definitely read better stories than this. Let me refer to Jessica Clare's Beauty And The Billionaire. I felt that JC's book followed the essence of the fairy tale more than this book did. The point of the Beauty And The Beast fiction is about finding the beautiful person despite what we see from the outside. It's about letting out your inner beauty and opening yourself up to love. It's about standing up for your beliefs and for the things and people you love in spite of the sway and norms of society.
This book felt more like a mash up of Beauty And The Beast and Cinderella at the same time. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. It's just that this plot has been present in so many romance novels before that I didn't really find anything fresh with it, except for the fact that it's being promoted as a modern day fairy tale. Anyway, I am not saying I didn't enjoy the book because I did. It's a fast and light read with sweet and sexy scenes that any romance reader will enjoy. All in all, this is a good book that I had fun with.
For a modern rehash of my favorite fairy tale, I would say that I have definitely read better stories than this. Let me refer to Jessica Clare's Beauty And The Billionaire. I felt that JC's book followed the essence of the fairy tale more than this book did. The point of the Beauty And The Beast fiction is about finding the beautiful person despite what we see from the outside. It's about letting out your inner beauty and opening yourself up to love. It's about standing up for your beliefs and for the things and people you love in spite of the sway and norms of society.
This book felt more like a mash up of Beauty And The Beast and Cinderella at the same time. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. It's just that this plot has been present in so many romance novels before that I didn't really find anything fresh with it, except for the fact that it's being promoted as a modern day fairy tale. Anyway, I am not saying I didn't enjoy the book because I did. It's a fast and light read with sweet and sexy scenes that any romance reader will enjoy. All in all, this is a good book that I had fun with.
March 23, 2017
Fairy tales are tricky things; adapting and reworking them and not turning archetypes into clichés is an even trickier task. Beauty and the Boss is one such book - a mismash of several tales with the very popular use of role reversal: Maggie is both Belle and Cinderella at the ball while her aloof, closed-off boss Benjamin is the grumpy beast, the prince as well as the masculine version of Cinderella with the wicked stepmother - who is probably better known as the witch. But even padded with the familiar tropes of contemporary life, Maggie and Benjamin stayed better as flat-ish clichés rather than the mythical archetypes in the fairytales themselves, with personalities that just aren't compelling (with some wild swings in mood) to leap off the book for me. By the time the epilogue swung around, I found myself cringing at the effusive and rather unbelievable outpouring of emotion, and wondering if Cinderella/the prince and Belle/Beast are better confined to where they should be by the end of their story - long faded off into their personal sunsets.
*ARC by netgalley
(and I'm ever grateful, mind)
*ARC by netgalley
(and I'm ever grateful, mind)
December 7, 2015
I really enjoyed Beauty and the Boss. Maggie and Benjamin somehow find themselves pretending to be engaged so they can both keep their jobs. While they have always had a sexual attraction to each other, neither expected to find they both had more in common and more to like about each other. Throw in a crazy mother hell bent on breaking them up and there were a lot of fun and heartbreaking moments in this one. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot. It was light, enjoyable and a must read for romance fans.
May 2, 2016
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
I have read quite a few books at this point from Diane Alberts/Jen McLaughlin, so when I saw she was doing a series based on fairytales I was really excited. I really love modern fairytales and I couldn't wait to see what she would bring to the table with Beauty and the Boss. While this one was okay, I did have some problems with the story.
Benjamin Gale III (as he is referred to multiple times here, in case the reader might forget) doesn't believe in love. He has a lot to prove when it comes to his family's business, and he has no time for anything else but work. Maggie Donovan has had her share of back luck with men, and at this point she isn't looking for love ever. But the attraction between her and her boss Benjamin (also known as The Beast around the office) comes to a head one night while they are working late, despite the fact that office relationships are forbidden. So when Maggie claims to be his fiance when they are confronted with his mother and a difficult situation, Maggie and Benjamin agree to go along with the ruse to benefit them both. But as they spend more time together, the lines between real and fake begin to blur. When Benjamin is given the ultimatum to give her up or lose everything, will he choose the life he has known and been expected to live, or the chance at love and a future with Maggie?
While Maggie and Benjamin (I refuse to call him Benji like Maggie did) were likable enough characters, I felt like they were so cliched and too cookie-cutter to really stand out here. Benjamin was your typical workaholic rich alpha, grumpy and unapproachable to all but Maggie. Maggie was your cute and sweet, yet terribly naive small town farm girl transported to the big city. They did have chemistry and were sexy together, but I honestly just didn't connect to them at all. They were just your run of the mill characters and I didn't feel invested in their story or relationship.
I also felt like the big conflict here was just as cliched and over the top as Benjamin and Maggie's characters. Benjamin's villain of a mother was hell bent on destroying everything around her and she was just as ridiculous and over the top as you would expect for a classic evil mother to be in a fairytale. While I do love fairytales re-imagined and given a modern twist, this Beauty and the Beast meets Cinderella story just missed the mark for me. It fell flat and I found myself skimming at times to get to the end and see how everything turned out. This one felt like it had all been done before, with nothing new or exciting brought to the table. While it was a quick light read, it wasn't overly memorable. If you are looking for something with some sweet and sexy moments that you can read in a few hours, you might give this one a shot. But if you are looking for something new or different, you might want to skip this one.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
I have read quite a few books at this point from Diane Alberts/Jen McLaughlin, so when I saw she was doing a series based on fairytales I was really excited. I really love modern fairytales and I couldn't wait to see what she would bring to the table with Beauty and the Boss. While this one was okay, I did have some problems with the story.
Benjamin Gale III (as he is referred to multiple times here, in case the reader might forget) doesn't believe in love. He has a lot to prove when it comes to his family's business, and he has no time for anything else but work. Maggie Donovan has had her share of back luck with men, and at this point she isn't looking for love ever. But the attraction between her and her boss Benjamin (also known as The Beast around the office) comes to a head one night while they are working late, despite the fact that office relationships are forbidden. So when Maggie claims to be his fiance when they are confronted with his mother and a difficult situation, Maggie and Benjamin agree to go along with the ruse to benefit them both. But as they spend more time together, the lines between real and fake begin to blur. When Benjamin is given the ultimatum to give her up or lose everything, will he choose the life he has known and been expected to live, or the chance at love and a future with Maggie?
While Maggie and Benjamin (I refuse to call him Benji like Maggie did) were likable enough characters, I felt like they were so cliched and too cookie-cutter to really stand out here. Benjamin was your typical workaholic rich alpha, grumpy and unapproachable to all but Maggie. Maggie was your cute and sweet, yet terribly naive small town farm girl transported to the big city. They did have chemistry and were sexy together, but I honestly just didn't connect to them at all. They were just your run of the mill characters and I didn't feel invested in their story or relationship.
I also felt like the big conflict here was just as cliched and over the top as Benjamin and Maggie's characters. Benjamin's villain of a mother was hell bent on destroying everything around her and she was just as ridiculous and over the top as you would expect for a classic evil mother to be in a fairytale. While I do love fairytales re-imagined and given a modern twist, this Beauty and the Beast meets Cinderella story just missed the mark for me. It fell flat and I found myself skimming at times to get to the end and see how everything turned out. This one felt like it had all been done before, with nothing new or exciting brought to the table. While it was a quick light read, it wasn't overly memorable. If you are looking for something with some sweet and sexy moments that you can read in a few hours, you might give this one a shot. But if you are looking for something new or different, you might want to skip this one.
**ARC Provided by Publisher**
October 31, 2015
Benjamin Gale III is considered a beast of a boss. He is a demanding, work-a-holic with no real emotional connections. He is trying to keep his family business intact with his place as CEO despite some serious opposition. He is stubborn, determined, ambitious, but no one really knows him.
Maggie Donovan is one of his employees with a good heart, sweet personality, wit, and is not intimidated by him. She sometimes even defends him. When they are caught in a situation that could be misinterpreted and used against them, quick thinking leads to a fake engagement.
They are from two different worlds. They have different ideas about their situation and how to proceed. They have limited knowledge of the other one. People out to get them, public scrutiny, private attraction, and fears affect their choices.
He's alpha, bossy, and used to control. But she makes him want to lose control, adds fun to his life, and helps him find missing pieces of himself he had locked away. She manages to see into his vulnerable core and makes him want to be a better man. I enjoyed the peeling back of his layers and him finding himself again.
She seems shy and quiet at first, but is independent minded and likes to make her own choices. She has a sassy, strong, and protective side too. She even has rules on how a fake engagement should go in order to protect her heart. She is kind and teaches him more about thoughtfulness and generosity, but also is not a doormat. But she is afraid to trust or let him in. She pushes him away a lot because she is tempted by him and he makes her want to not act logical or rational.
There is a lot of chasing, running, differences of opinion, temptation, fear of getting hurt, and trust issues. Both will have to open up, trust, and believe if they want a real chance. But their lives have some complications, outside influences, built in differences, and tough choices that need to be made.
Can two people conditioned not to trust really give their hearts away? Or will they end up as just another cause of pain and regret?
This was a fun, sweet, sexy modern take on Beauty and the Beast with some Cinderella moments thrown in. I loved that Maggie was the one that saw him for more than he appeared to be. And that he was smart enough to see how special she was early on. I enjoyed their dual points of view and their banter. There was definitely some drama mixed in and some antagonistic people that caused some frustration, but it was a quick, engaging read full of sexual tension, drama, and an unlikely romance.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Maggie Donovan is one of his employees with a good heart, sweet personality, wit, and is not intimidated by him. She sometimes even defends him. When they are caught in a situation that could be misinterpreted and used against them, quick thinking leads to a fake engagement.
They are from two different worlds. They have different ideas about their situation and how to proceed. They have limited knowledge of the other one. People out to get them, public scrutiny, private attraction, and fears affect their choices.
He's alpha, bossy, and used to control. But she makes him want to lose control, adds fun to his life, and helps him find missing pieces of himself he had locked away. She manages to see into his vulnerable core and makes him want to be a better man. I enjoyed the peeling back of his layers and him finding himself again.
She seems shy and quiet at first, but is independent minded and likes to make her own choices. She has a sassy, strong, and protective side too. She even has rules on how a fake engagement should go in order to protect her heart. She is kind and teaches him more about thoughtfulness and generosity, but also is not a doormat. But she is afraid to trust or let him in. She pushes him away a lot because she is tempted by him and he makes her want to not act logical or rational.
There is a lot of chasing, running, differences of opinion, temptation, fear of getting hurt, and trust issues. Both will have to open up, trust, and believe if they want a real chance. But their lives have some complications, outside influences, built in differences, and tough choices that need to be made.
Can two people conditioned not to trust really give their hearts away? Or will they end up as just another cause of pain and regret?
This was a fun, sweet, sexy modern take on Beauty and the Beast with some Cinderella moments thrown in. I loved that Maggie was the one that saw him for more than he appeared to be. And that he was smart enough to see how special she was early on. I enjoyed their dual points of view and their banter. There was definitely some drama mixed in and some antagonistic people that caused some frustration, but it was a quick, engaging read full of sexual tension, drama, and an unlikely romance.
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2015
I have received a copy of this book from NetGalley/Entangled Publishing for an honest review. "Beauty and the Boss" by Diane Alberts is an entertaining read. This is researcher Maggie Donovan and Billionaire Benjamin Gale III's story.
Everyone in the office calls Benjamin "The Beast". He doesn't believe in romance or love and just devotes his life to the family firm. Maggie defends Benjamin to the other workers and has always been attracted to him. Come to find out Benjamin has been attracted to Maggie too. The office has a policy that office relationships are forbidden. One night they are both working and he decides to invite Maggie to eat dinner with him. Well, his mother finds them together in what looks like a compromising position. Benjamin's mother is not happy. Maggie ends up saying that she and Benjamin are engaged. Things get really interesting from here.
So now they are fake engaged. Will they be able to ignore the chemistry between them? Can Maggie change how "The Beast" feels about romance and love? The author does a great job of grabbing your attention and including unexpected twists and turns. You can't go wrong with this book which includes, romance, extreme passion, humor, and then the unexpected twists. A really sweet story!
https://booksnuggle.wordpress.com
Everyone in the office calls Benjamin "The Beast". He doesn't believe in romance or love and just devotes his life to the family firm. Maggie defends Benjamin to the other workers and has always been attracted to him. Come to find out Benjamin has been attracted to Maggie too. The office has a policy that office relationships are forbidden. One night they are both working and he decides to invite Maggie to eat dinner with him. Well, his mother finds them together in what looks like a compromising position. Benjamin's mother is not happy. Maggie ends up saying that she and Benjamin are engaged. Things get really interesting from here.
So now they are fake engaged. Will they be able to ignore the chemistry between them? Can Maggie change how "The Beast" feels about romance and love? The author does a great job of grabbing your attention and including unexpected twists and turns. You can't go wrong with this book which includes, romance, extreme passion, humor, and then the unexpected twists. A really sweet story!
https://booksnuggle.wordpress.com
November 11, 2015
I received this from Netgalley/ Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This is a modern day take on a much beloved fairy tale. It involves the story of Beauty and the Beast. In this story we have a jerky CEO that gets "enganged" to the beauty who is beautiful inside and out. There were a few things that I did not enjoy about this tale. One, Benjamin's mother never got her come upings. Ben did nothing to stop her from doing horrible things. I loved Maggie she was great. The story was good as well but I just wanted more out of Benjamin.
August 26, 2016
I really enjoyed Beauty and the Boss. Maggie and Benjamin somehow find themselves pretending to be engaged so they can both keep their jobs. While they have always had a sexual attraction to each other, neither expected to find they both had more in common and more to like about each other. Throw in a crazy mother hell bent on breaking them up and there were a lot of fun and heartbreaking moments in this one. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot. It was light, enjoyable and a must read for romance fans.
Read
December 21, 2015This story reminded me why I loved reading romance from the age of fifteen. Many years later, I still love the fairytales, even though I have broadened my romantic horizons. It was adorable (especially Benjamin) and lived up to all my expectations of a heartwarming love story.
November 17, 2015
a good read. well written and enjoyed their journey!
August 18, 2016
4 stars. Great read
February 27, 2022
For the most part I liked this story. I thought the hero's progression was realistic and I liked that he tried to quickly learn what she did/didn't like and change that. I wasn't as thrilled with her. Maggie just sometimes irritated me - Benjamin was trying and she was not for much of the book. I liked her trying to be independent and not being like other girls he had been with but at times it just seemed too much of her running away. I'm all for the hero chasing the girl but I wish she had given more sooner.
I felt like Benjamin really could see who she really was and his transformation and acceptance of loving her (despite feeling like he didn't know what love was and being terrified) was well written and believable. But she couldn't see who he really was (yes the mother made that really difficult) but I felt like she should have taken more time to consider what she was seeing/hearing.
I felt like Benjamin really could see who she really was and his transformation and acceptance of loving her (despite feeling like he didn't know what love was and being terrified) was well written and believable. But she couldn't see who he really was (yes the mother made that really difficult) but I felt like she should have taken more time to consider what she was seeing/hearing.
April 12, 2021
I don’t really know how to review this book. I liked it. It was cute and the characters where great Benjamin and Maggie were both good characters. Maggie was strong and resilient but her wishy washy insecurity was a little much. Her constant “when this goes wrong” attitude before they even tried wore me out a little and in the end she gave up really fast and I don’t think that really meshed with her strong personality. Then there was Benjamin. I enjoyed his character the most because he really grew. He was this reclusive workaholic at the beginning of the book who didn’t believe in love. During the big drama he’s the one that fought, never gave in. I think what brought the book down a little for me is the drama with his mom. It was a little far fetched that they both wouldn’t see through her immediately. She was a completely horrible person with no redeeming qualities.
July 3, 2019
It has been a beautiful adaptation of the tale of beauty and the beast.
Love as Benjamin allowed himself to change, accepting himself as a good human being. Maggie had magic in herself for the way she managed to eliminate the ogre that lived in Ben and open it to new feelings.
I would have loved that the mother received a good ridicule for being so monstrous but while they can face it they will have a wonderful life.
It would have been nice an epilogue with some kids in his life.
Love as Benjamin allowed himself to change, accepting himself as a good human being. Maggie had magic in herself for the way she managed to eliminate the ogre that lived in Ben and open it to new feelings.
I would have loved that the mother received a good ridicule for being so monstrous but while they can face it they will have a wonderful life.
It would have been nice an epilogue with some kids in his life.
February 24, 2022
A pretty quick read. I really enjoyed this book for the most part. The tension between them and the hero's evolution was well done. Maggie I felt sometimes ran away a little too much. I also didn't like her actions later in the book (don't want to give anything away but just felt her reactions to some things just didn't make sense).
All in all, a good, interesting read and look forward to more by this author.
All in all, a good, interesting read and look forward to more by this author.
September 18, 2023
DNF @ 80%
September 19, 2022
Read on Radish. His mother is a wench! Her finding Maggie in such a position sparked utter delight. Great story of Benji and Maggie discovering something that start as a lie doesn’t always wind up not working!
October 21, 2022
Maggie and Ben are an unusual pair. Coupled with how sinister his mom is and you have quite the story. It was a read, very funny which was quite entertaining. First read by this author. Will read more going forward. Like her style.
October 24, 2017
Short and sweet
Very fast read if your not looking to get into anything serious. I liked the story. I enjoyed the characters. Which there was more depth in the story.
Very fast read if your not looking to get into anything serious. I liked the story. I enjoyed the characters. Which there was more depth in the story.
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