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Disfigured
Paris, 1870 ---
Lonely, friendless and a hopeless romantic, Sylvie Bessette dares to create a new life for herself as a professional cook in the city she loves. All goes according to plan until a chance meeting brings a mysterious job offer, one she can ill afford to decline. But how is Sylvie to know what strange and tempting danger lurks beneath the city streets?
Through no fault of her own, she soon finds herself part of a deadly love triangle, and there is much worse to come. Sylvie learns how far she is willing to go in the name of love…but will it be enough to save her?
Lonely, friendless and a hopeless romantic, Sylvie Bessette dares to create a new life for herself as a professional cook in the city she loves. All goes according to plan until a chance meeting brings a mysterious job offer, one she can ill afford to decline. But how is Sylvie to know what strange and tempting danger lurks beneath the city streets?
Through no fault of her own, she soon finds herself part of a deadly love triangle, and there is much worse to come. Sylvie learns how far she is willing to go in the name of love…but will it be enough to save her?
393 pages, Paperback
Published March 10, 2016
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Coles-Littlepage
5 books10 followersWendy Coles-Littlepage began writing at an early age, primarily short stories and poetry. During her college years, and for long after, she was a member of the Range of Light poetry group, founded by the late writer and influential teacher Bill Hotchkiss. Until recently, her focus has been on writing non-fiction. 'Disfigured' is her first novel, and the first in a series featuring Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, and his cook, Sylvie Bessette.
Wendy lives in Northern California with her husband Robert and two elderly dogs. She is a member of the Gold Country Writers Group.
Please visit her website, disfiguredseries.com, for a more detailed biography and inspiration for her novel. She also writes a blog about all things Phantom, and about her book.
You can also visit her Facebook Author Page to read more about her books.
Wendy lives in Northern California with her husband Robert and two elderly dogs. She is a member of the Gold Country Writers Group.
Please visit her website, disfiguredseries.com, for a more detailed biography and inspiration for her novel. She also writes a blog about all things Phantom, and about her book.
You can also visit her Facebook Author Page to read more about her books.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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September 22, 2016From the Militant Recommender Book Review Blog:
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
Sylvie Bessette, the narrator of this swoon-ily romantic re-telling of Leroux's classic, is an independent young woman, a divorcee', and also an orphan. Wanting to stand on her own two feet and not be dependent on any man, she rents a store-front with rooms above and sets about starting a catering business. Her hope, being the daughter of a doctor and a caring mother who was also a great cook, is to prepare meals for invalids. She renovates and supplies her kitchen and then places ads in the local paper in hopes of attracting clients.
Attract them she does! Her first client is a Doctor who arrives at her shop accompanied by a nun. He is the physician in charge of a "private" hospital. Would she consider supplying meals for nine patients and delivering them on a daily basis? It is a dream come true for Sylvie. She would make enough to keep her in business. Before this negotiation is settled, the Doctor asks her to take an oath of secrecy regarding what kind of hospital she would be working for. An oath which she agrees to. What could it mean? We shall see!
A little while later, Sylvie is shopping at the local street market, and by chance makes an acquaintance that will change her life forever. She witnesses a woman get knocked down in the street by a donkey. Coming to her aid, she invites her home to freshen up and to stay for tea. This woman is none other than Madame Giry!
Sylvie and Celestine Giry become friends. Celestine learns that Sylvie cooks for the hospital and that her clients there are scarred and disfigured. After querying her about her feelings towards these patients, and hearing that Sylvie has no problem with their physical differences, she presents the case of her friend, a man who also suffers from a "disfigurement" , and invites Sylvie to take him on as a client. She assures her that this gentleman would pay well depending on his satisfaction with her cooking. She agrees, though, once again, she is presented with a set of rules she must follow. And follow them she does. Until her curiosity gets the better of her. Who could this mysterious new client be?
Can you guess? Yes! It is Erik, the Phantom of the Opera! As she delivers his dinners to his designated spot, we see and hear about the Phantom and the events that unfold at the Paris Opera House through Sylvie's eyes.
This is a captivating concept as sometimes we only hear second-hand, as Sylvie does, about Erik's exploits, things familiar to any Phan, and that take place "off stage" so to speak. And MS. Coles-Littlepage has given us a darkly romantic Phantom, one who seems to come to life on the page, and a man that the reader (if you are anything like the Recommender!) will fall in love with along with Sylvie.
This book was recommended to me (thank you, Lisa!) and I am, in turn, recommending it to you! If you are a Phantom Phan or just someone who likes a good story, then be sure to add Disfigured to your collection!
http://militantrecommender.blogspot.com/
Sylvie Bessette, the narrator of this swoon-ily romantic re-telling of Leroux's classic, is an independent young woman, a divorcee', and also an orphan. Wanting to stand on her own two feet and not be dependent on any man, she rents a store-front with rooms above and sets about starting a catering business. Her hope, being the daughter of a doctor and a caring mother who was also a great cook, is to prepare meals for invalids. She renovates and supplies her kitchen and then places ads in the local paper in hopes of attracting clients.
Attract them she does! Her first client is a Doctor who arrives at her shop accompanied by a nun. He is the physician in charge of a "private" hospital. Would she consider supplying meals for nine patients and delivering them on a daily basis? It is a dream come true for Sylvie. She would make enough to keep her in business. Before this negotiation is settled, the Doctor asks her to take an oath of secrecy regarding what kind of hospital she would be working for. An oath which she agrees to. What could it mean? We shall see!
A little while later, Sylvie is shopping at the local street market, and by chance makes an acquaintance that will change her life forever. She witnesses a woman get knocked down in the street by a donkey. Coming to her aid, she invites her home to freshen up and to stay for tea. This woman is none other than Madame Giry!
Sylvie and Celestine Giry become friends. Celestine learns that Sylvie cooks for the hospital and that her clients there are scarred and disfigured. After querying her about her feelings towards these patients, and hearing that Sylvie has no problem with their physical differences, she presents the case of her friend, a man who also suffers from a "disfigurement" , and invites Sylvie to take him on as a client. She assures her that this gentleman would pay well depending on his satisfaction with her cooking. She agrees, though, once again, she is presented with a set of rules she must follow. And follow them she does. Until her curiosity gets the better of her. Who could this mysterious new client be?
Can you guess? Yes! It is Erik, the Phantom of the Opera! As she delivers his dinners to his designated spot, we see and hear about the Phantom and the events that unfold at the Paris Opera House through Sylvie's eyes.
This is a captivating concept as sometimes we only hear second-hand, as Sylvie does, about Erik's exploits, things familiar to any Phan, and that take place "off stage" so to speak. And MS. Coles-Littlepage has given us a darkly romantic Phantom, one who seems to come to life on the page, and a man that the reader (if you are anything like the Recommender!) will fall in love with along with Sylvie.
This book was recommended to me (thank you, Lisa!) and I am, in turn, recommending it to you! If you are a Phantom Phan or just someone who likes a good story, then be sure to add Disfigured to your collection!
May 24, 2016
Very good spin off the story of the Phantom of the Opera. Very strong heroine with a dark and angry Erik who can sometimes be sweet. Really follows the story through to the end and then adds its spin to it.
August 27, 2016
ALREADY DID!!! Don't miss this one!
April 4, 2017
An excerpt from a Phiction Spotlight review on "The Phantom's Lair."
https://thephantomslair.wordpress.com...
The Heroine
Let’s begin with the heroine of our story: Sylvie Bessette. A charming character, Sylvie is no Christine. As I’m sure most of my blog readers know by now, I was always traditionally an Erik/Christine supporter, but as I’ve started reading more and more books by authors like the one who wrote this phabulous novel, I’ve become more of a support of other character pairing with our beloved Phantom. Yet, again, another author has caused me to root for Erik to be with a more mature woman who can see past his physical deformity to the man underneath.
Sylvie isn’t the naive child that Christine was. However, in the same token, she still maintains a sense of innocence and goodness. She’s a caring and nurturing soul who’s bravely struck out to make a new, independent life for herself. She wants to stand on her own two feet while still helping others, and while she’s met with a few setbacks, she’s innovative and perseveres.
The Phantom
The author crafted the Phantom wonderfully, in my humble opinion. He was exactly as one would expect the Phantom to be. He’s not all fluffy kittens and bunnies and can even come off as a bit cruel and gruff at times. A powerful figure ensconced in darkness and mystery – just as we would expect him to be. Until Sylvie begins to break down his barriers, that is.
The Story
Sylvie’s passion is cooking, and can you guess it? That’s how she comes to be connected with the Phantom. After making friends with the Phantom’s aid, Madame Celestine Giry, Sylvie is commissioned to prepare meals to be delivered to the Phantom via a strict and somewhat odd set of instructions. Of course, Sylvie being the free, independent spirit that she is breaks the Phantom’s rules at every turn and ends up getting to know Erik, despite all the walls he’s put up to keep himself from getting hurt again after the fiasco with Christine Daae. Alas, I don’t want to say more for fear of spoilers. Just read the book, and you’ll see how gripping this story is.
https://thephantomslair.wordpress.com...
The Heroine
Let’s begin with the heroine of our story: Sylvie Bessette. A charming character, Sylvie is no Christine. As I’m sure most of my blog readers know by now, I was always traditionally an Erik/Christine supporter, but as I’ve started reading more and more books by authors like the one who wrote this phabulous novel, I’ve become more of a support of other character pairing with our beloved Phantom. Yet, again, another author has caused me to root for Erik to be with a more mature woman who can see past his physical deformity to the man underneath.
Sylvie isn’t the naive child that Christine was. However, in the same token, she still maintains a sense of innocence and goodness. She’s a caring and nurturing soul who’s bravely struck out to make a new, independent life for herself. She wants to stand on her own two feet while still helping others, and while she’s met with a few setbacks, she’s innovative and perseveres.
The Phantom
The author crafted the Phantom wonderfully, in my humble opinion. He was exactly as one would expect the Phantom to be. He’s not all fluffy kittens and bunnies and can even come off as a bit cruel and gruff at times. A powerful figure ensconced in darkness and mystery – just as we would expect him to be. Until Sylvie begins to break down his barriers, that is.
The Story
Sylvie’s passion is cooking, and can you guess it? That’s how she comes to be connected with the Phantom. After making friends with the Phantom’s aid, Madame Celestine Giry, Sylvie is commissioned to prepare meals to be delivered to the Phantom via a strict and somewhat odd set of instructions. Of course, Sylvie being the free, independent spirit that she is breaks the Phantom’s rules at every turn and ends up getting to know Erik, despite all the walls he’s put up to keep himself from getting hurt again after the fiasco with Christine Daae. Alas, I don’t want to say more for fear of spoilers. Just read the book, and you’ll see how gripping this story is.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews