The Beast That Never Was

by Caren J. Werlinger

What if Beauty was the Beast?Lise’s father is dead, and the life of plenty and freedom that she has known as the daughter of the King’s Huntsman is gone. She must now live a life of duty to her mother and sisters, helping them to cope in their altered circumstances. But where her mother would have her wed a childhood friend to secure their future, Lise knows that is not what she longs for.When she meets a mysterious woman in the forest, Lise feels the stirrings of emotions she cannot give voice to, but with this woman, she doesn’t have to say anything—Senna knows.Cursed, hunted, and feared, Senna has been forced to wander from place to place for more years than she cares to remember. She gave up hope long ago that there could ever be an end to her isolation.Odd sightings in the forest—monsters of legend come to life, old enemies back from the past, fearsome beasts on the prowl—begin to frighten the people of Lise’s village. Somehow, all of these things are connected to Senna. As the villagers’ fear grows, so does their hatred.Senna prepares to flee, accepting what has become her fate, but Lise isn’t ready to give up her one chance for happiness. Soon, only Lise stands between the villagers and the woman she has grown to love.

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Romance, Fairy Tales, Lesbian, Queer, Fiction

246 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2016

About the author

From the author's website: Bestselling author Caren Werlinger published her first award-winning novel, Looking Through Windows, in 2008. Since then, she has published fifteen more novels, winning several more awards. Influenced by a diverse array of authors, including Rumer Godden, J.R.R. Tolkein, Ursula LeGuin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Willa Cather and the Brontë sisters, Caren writes literary fiction that features the struggles and joys of characters readers can identify with. Her stories cover a wide range of genres: historical fiction, contemporary drama, and fantasy, including the award-winning Dragonmage Saga, a fantasy trilogy set in ancient Ireland. Most recently, she created the magical setting of Little Sister Island (a place she and her readers wish were real) in When the Stars Sang and Face the Wind.

She lives in Virginia with her wife and their canine fur-children.

Reviews

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if Beauty was the Beast? That in itself is already an intriguing twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale. But there's more. Whoever cast this spell on Beauty is one creative witch. Too bad I can't reveal what it is exactly, except to say it gives some modern horror vibe to the whole tale. No need to be afraid though. Except for the occasional creepy scene, there's not a bit of horror in the book, even though the author could have easily taken the story in that direction. This is a fairy tale through and through, with all the usual fairy tale trappings of instant attraction, magical castles (in this case, a magical house), scary forests, a wicked witch, and the all-too-perfect ending. What makes this variation different from the usual fairy tale is the very real, almost historical, feel of the milieu and the characters who inhabit the book. If you strip away the magical parts, the book can easily stand alone as a beautiful coming-out and coming-of-age tale in a small town sometime in the pre-industrial past. The world-building is consistent and believable. Although the occasional use of modern concepts (ex. 'I don't like him in that way') does seem a bit out of place, or rather out of time.

Lise is the oldest of four daughters of the King's chief Huntsman. Until he was killed in a hunt. With his death came instant demotion in status, living quarters and food rations. As a result, the whole family has had to work at processing cheese to survive. But despite their industry and thriftiness, they are only ever 'one step from ruin'. Lise's mother longs for the day when she can return to her old privileged life, or at least, a semblance of it. In her mind, marriage to the new Huntsman's son and heir is her ticket back to her old life of comfort and plenty, and while she has 4 daughters, the young man only has eyes for Lise.

The book seamlessly marries a realistic tale with a fairy-tale to create an imaginative and entertaining whole. There's ambitious parents, sibling rivalries, inter-family dynamics, small-town politics--stuff one finds in a family drama. And then there's Senna and her fantastic curse. My only gripe is that the story never delves deep into the main characters' emotions, well, at least not in the level that the author has done in her other books. It's very plot-driven. And I suspect this is deliberate on her part. This is a "fairy tale" after all.

I highly recommend this book to YA readers. It's feel-good and very affirming. And to anyone else who wants to try a new, intriguing twist on an old favorite.

4.45 stars

Hmmm.... For folks who've read the book, what do you think of Isabel's storyline? I like Isabel a lot more than Lise. And I wonder if it wouldn't be better if the author had combined these two characters instead? It would certainly make Lise more likable. Also, there seems to be something more to Isabel's declaration that she would never marry....an opening for a sequel, perhaps? ;)

ARC from Netgalley

[Corrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something goes bump in the Teutonic forrest and it’s scaring the poop out of unsuspecting villagers! Is it a wolf? Is it the ghost of a beloved son? Is it a mythical monster? Is it an abusive husband who disappeared long ago? Is it a beautiful woman? Or is it all of the above?

All will be revealed in the re-telling of Beauty and the Beast or in this case The Beast That Never Was.

Caren J. Werlinger treats us to an interesting rendition. I thought the curse was very original (the house that heals and nurtures, the magic mirror (a fairytale wouldn’t be complete without one), people who come upon cursed Senna would be confronted with their worst fears).

And of course there is a village full of ignorant peasants, corrupt clergy, a village drunk, a pretty blond baker girl, a spiteful sister, an ambitious mother, a courting childhood friend and a stable full of animals and cheese-making to keep our main character Lise entertained.

There was an odd comfort in reading about the daily chores of milking, cheese making and animal husbandry. I have to agree with Lov2Laf (see her review) that there was a case of padding and repeat in the middle of the story where it comes to Lise sneaking out to meet up with Senna and wanna-be-beau Rhein going for another round of do-you-want-to-jump-over-the-broom-with-me?

I still enjoyed it though. Werlinger is a versatile and skilled storyteller and she will keep you easily entertained.

f/f

Themes: life is hard in those cold German woods, work work work, who needs new clothes if putting a bright ribbon on an old dress apparently makes all the difference, cheese Gromit, Senna may be cursed but having a self-cleaning house that keeps you alive and feeds you and gives you anything you need… sign me up for that!!, it wouldn’t be a fairytale if there wasn’t a proper torch-baring mob of idiots to stomp all over the forrest and make life difficult for you.

3.6 stars

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I were to rate this book purely as a romance, it would score fairly low. This isn't a romance, however--it's a fairy tale. And, as a fairy tale, I rate it very highly. There aren't many fairy tales that speak to my identity, but here we have one, and it offers some nice twists. The main character, Lise, is, without knowing it, a feminist. I'm tempted to describe her as a tomboy as well, given her love of hard work and the outdoors, but she makes the point to her would-be suitor, Rhein, that there's no reason manual labor should be considered "man's" work, given that she'd been doing it most of her life and intended to go on doing it. She refuses to be shuffled off into the role of "wife," and her refusal of traditional gender roles causes herself and others no shortage of grief. She refused to yield, which made me cheer loudly.

Senna, the other lead, comes from another direction. She led something of a charmed life--blessed with money, privilege and attention--right up until she didn't. We meet her as a miserable, lonely creature over a century after that point. Witch curses suck, amirite? We don't get quite as much of Senna as we do of Lise, but we see enough to fill in some gaps and get a vague idea of who she was and who she is now.

The star of the story is the above-mentioned curse. It's a complicated, well-constructed plot machine that allows us not only to empathize with Senna, but also to see glimpses of the secret lives of the supporting characters, and it even delves lightly into an analysis of the nature of fear. Well, okay, not so much an analysis as "scaring the pants off a lot of people in interesting ways," but still. As fairy tale plot devices go, this one's pretty great.

There are all kinds of familiar elements from fairy tales here, including the wicked stepmother (in this case, the mother), the entitled, self-involved step-sisters (in this case, actual sisters), the magic mirror, the house in the woods, the handsome, virile young man who keeps trying to make the story about him, even though he's not the title character, and on and on.

I liked it. The writing quality was quite good, the setting was detailed, the supporting characters added to the story, and it was just plain fun. I wish I'd had this available to me when I was 7 or 9 or 13.

4.35 stars.

[Farah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where was Ms.Werlinger when Disney released Beauty and The Beast back in 1991? That was a good movie with a pretty good soundtrack but if Ms.Werlinger had a hand in the 2O17's version, that movie would have been spectacular.

Lise's characterization really took me by surprise, she was only 18 but she never complained about the responsibilities that sat heavily on her shoulders, she excelled in almost everything and the sister anyone could asked for. Just don't try matchmaking her with any of the guys as Lise's heart beat only for the ladies. It hit me in the feels reading Lise's journey into a double portion of forbidden romance. The best thing about Lise - her independence, her weakness - her lack of confidence to move like Jagger, no not Jagger... move like Jerry Hall.

Senna was cursed with the powers quite similar to Bloody Mary and the Boggart, that made her characterization pretty interesting too. I was hoping to see her in action but most of the time before she could even get into the groove, the other person would be running + screaming the other way. She was one of the biggest flirt B.C. (before cursed) but meeting Lise and becoming the recipient of Lise's kindness gave her some hope for a miracle to break the curse and to find true love.

Lise + Senna, they hardly exchanged words in the beginning but Lise liked what she saw and Senna was curious on how Lise was able to see her real form. Thankfully, they were given more page time, high on chemistry and suspense. Their daily lives were not disrupted as they fell in love, Lise was still managing her family's farm and Senna was bloody marrying the townsfolk unlike some romance where everything forgotten onced the hs made a connection.

My second book by Ms.Werlinger, WTSS is still my favorite, but this is not too shabby, reminds me just a lil bit of SD Simper's mermaid/siren work.

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A neat sapphic fairy-tale, with elements throughout from various fairy tales turned into a truly unique experience. I've always enjoy fairy tales, and their darker origins once I got older. Discovering WLW versions has really captivated me.

I enjoyed this story of Lise and Senna. Lise is the oldest and most competent of her family, taking on the role of her father since he died. Pretty much everyone in her family (other than her youngest sister, Isabel) is awful. Her mother and other sister in particular are shallow callous people. Trying to force Lise into a marriage she doesn't care for - under the convoluted hopes that the arrangement will give them all a better life. Despite them doing just fine as they are, just having to work hard on the farm, and not having frivolities. They utilize her as the workhorse and head of the household where they are clearly flailing about in. I loathed that they would criticized her while taking keen advantage of the work she would do for the family.

Senna has been cursed for 112 years, seeing the details of it emerge was really interesting. Her curse means people see her as the thing they fear most. So some see her as a demon, some a dead spouse, some a wolf, or a bear, children see a boogeyman creature of their nightmares. Senna is able to feel the fear and origins of those fears from the people she encounters, and it physically hurts her to transform and she has had many near misses from hunters over her century of living. Is it Ironic that Lise, who knows she isn't like most girls and fancies the bakers daughter - see's Senna as a beautiful young woman?

The constant theme seems to be fear drives people to do awful things and be awful - and I did enjoy that... however the redemption arc when it came to her Mother bothered me. The constant talk of her 'only wanting what's best' and fear making her be mean to Lise and try and set up the marriage as she did, felt far too flimsy... The fact that even at the end of the story, Lise is still the workhorse and Senna essentially has to barter just to allow Lise to have the option of a life for herself with her mother, felt a little bitter sweet.

But such is usually the way we leave things in fairy tales. There's always some dark twisted element that we must accept, for some reason or other. Because there is a lesson to be learned, but I couldn't help but think she could have made a better life for herself on her own, under her own terms without Mommy dearests approval.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and found it hard to put down. I'm not a huge reader of fairy tales so had no preconceived ideas of how the plot might, or should, play out.

There's only one intimate scene, which totally floated my boat, despite it not being overly explicit. To me, the author proved an erotic scene can be just that, erotic, without all the mechanics being spelled out. Not that I mind that kind of thing either ;)

I'll most definitely be checking out more books by this, no longer new to me, author.

Freebie at the time of purchase - https://www.amazon.com/Beast-That-Nev...

[Agirlcandream · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows the oral traditions of fairy tales, weaving subtle lessons to be learned under the cover of a gentle and entertaining tale.

I loved the clear cut good vs. evil portrayals and how consistent they were throughout the novel. Yana and Azra win for worst in show. They could give Cinderella’s family lessons in sheer nastiness. Earnest Lise, adorable Isabelle and kind hearted Rhein and his father represent all that is good in the world.

I enjoyed the pastoral setting, this community of people scratching out a living from herbs they gathered or cheese they made and then bartering their wares in the town square. This rural setting is a contrast to the life Senna is forced to live, hidden away in the forest in her magic house. Her every need is taken care of yet she is a prisoner of the curse laid on her by Freya the witch. Top marks for this particular curse. It was very creative.

What lessons did I learn from The Beast that Never Was?
The first and most obvious is never date the son or daughter of a witch unless you want to wake up as an extra in a remake of American Werewolf in London. The moral of Senna’s story is to think twice before you play loose and fast with your relationships.

The other lesson I took from this story is that fear can turn into hate and too often into violence. The color of your skin or your sexual orientation puts you at risk from those who are unwilling to accept diversity as a positive and instead mask their fears in rabid xenophobia.
The uneducated townspeople in the Beast that Never Was had a valid reason for their ignorance. It's a sad commentary that our modern society has progressed little since medieval times.

ARC received from publisher with thanks via NetGalley

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wondrous fairy tale for the modern age

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? If you look beyond your reflection, within the deepest parts of yourself and consider your emotions, what might you find? In an imaginative and thoughtful way, The Beast That Never Was leads the reader to think about such questions.

The Beast That Never Was is a beautiful work of literary fiction, that is part fairy tale and part romance, as well as a thoughtful examination of the deepest and most complex elements of the human psyche. It compels us to consider some of our darkest emotions—feelings of fear, guilt, and shame—and how they live within us. It also leads us to contemplate the ways we see ourselves, the ways we see others, and the ways that others see us.

The protagonist, Lise, is a young woman who has always felt different from other girls. Growing up, she tagged after her father, a King’s Huntsman, as he worked in the forest, and she still feels more comfortable there than anywhere else. She has shouldered much of the responsibility for her family—her mother and three younger sisters—since the death of her father. Lise plays a significant role running the family farm, and she feels that this gives her independence. She has no desire to give up this independence to marry an old friend simply to fulfil her mother’s wishes, not least because she has no interest in men, and has long understood that she has an attraction to women.

The story explores the dynamics of Lise’s family, and as such, offers a perceptive commentary on family relationships more broadly. It considers the close bond that can develop between sisters, on the one hand, and the jealousy or animosity that can sometimes characterize sibling relationships, on the other. The Beast That Never Was also provides acute observations on the relationships between mothers and daughters, which are really quite unchanged over the centuries, even though the position of women in society is so different now than it was at the time this story is set. Mothers want to see their children safe and secure and happy, but mothers and daughters may not agree with respect to how these things can be best achieved.

When Lise encounters Senna in the forest, she feels an instant connection to her. Senna has been cursed for many years, and must constantly move from forest to forest. She is compelled to wander in the wilderness in both a literal and figurative sense. We see the depth of Senna’s feelings of isolation and lack of human contact, and gradually we learn what led to this life of loneliness and despair. Lise is the first one who truly gets to know Senna. Senna’s experiences reminds us that even if we have all the finest things in life—a grand mansion, delicacies to eat, our every need and want met—all of these material things might mean nothing if we don’t have a sense of purpose or the right companionship.

There is a wide array of secondary characters in the story—friends of Lise and her family, as well as residents of the local village. Their personalities and histories are all developed in interesting ways, and we have unique glimpses into their lives. Caren J. Werlinger builds these characters with a great deal of depth and insight.

The story is exceptional in the way it ties together many elements—literary connections, fantasy and fairy tale aspects, a historic setting, strong characters who bring to the story a unique internal understanding of being lesbian and of romantic attraction between women, socio-economic commentary on the role of women, and psychological examinations of the complexity of some of our most difficult emotions and inner thoughts, including fear, guilt, shame, and self loathing. Threaded through the story is a tender romance.

The literary connection is twofold. First, the book was inspired by a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke. The beautiful translation of this poem from the German by Werlinger herself is included as a preface, and a line from this translation provides the novel’s title. The poem gives the reader a taste of what the story might bring, and we see key elements of it reflected in the plot of the novel and in the thoughts and experiences of the characters. The second literary connection is the well-known tale of Beauty and the Beast. While the book has some parallels to Beauty and the Beast, it departs from that story and develops the character of the Beast in a truly unique and imaginative way.

Set in a fictional part of Europe—a sort of unnamed Ruritania—around 1500-1600 C.E., the story has a strong sense of place. It has the feel of a fable, and its atmosphere is reminiscent of an old European fairy tale. Many of its elements evoke such a work—Lise and her family live outside a small village by a mountain, beside a dense, old forest, one that would not be out of place in stories like Hansel and Gretel. Narrow, rutted paths through the forest serve as shortcuts that only some dare to take, as ominous events cast a veil of fear over the village. Caren J. Werlinger builds this atmosphere, and all aspects of the story, in a very thoughtful and precise fashion and she does so without relying on a strict retelling or the use of clichés.

The Beast That Never Was has interesting and well thought out fantasy and magical elements which underly the story, specifically a long-ago curse and the complex ways it affects Senna.

The forest itself is significant in the story. As the daughter of a King’s Huntsman, Lise learned about wood lore and caring for the animals of the forest. The job is not just one of hunting, but also involves managing the forest’s animal population, taking care not to over-hunt, and in some cases, culling so that there will not be overpopulation and starvation. The story reminds us of different aspects of the forest ecosystem—it is important to the villagers for foraging for plants and herbs, as well as occasional logging, but also as a home for animals—both predators and prey.

Lise’s home is a farmhouse by the mountains and this gives the book a pastoral feel. A winter with heavy snow turns into a spring of lush green meadows, and cows with bells around their necks are taken up the mountain to pasture. We see the daily routines of farm life as Lise and her sisters work together milking cows and making cheese.

As always, Caren J. Werlinger’s writing style is beautiful and lucid. Each of the stories she tells is unique, and in this book her writing style takes on slightly different feel to reflect and capture the historical setting and the fairy tale aspect of the plot. She fully immerses the reader in the story, calling upon all of our senses—for example, at different times evoking the scent of a rose, or the soft feel and bright white colour of its petals. She incorporates interesting symbolism for the reader to discover and ponder. The Beast That Never Was has so many layers, subtle aspects, and levels of meaning that I reflected on the story long after I finished reading (and re-reading) it.

Most old fairy tales and fables have a timeless and universal appeal. However, they don’t always reflect the way we see the world in our modern society. While The Beast That Never Was is true to the time period in which it is set, in terms of the physical setting and the lives of the characters, in some respects their perspectives on the world are quite modern and their actions might lead us to question our own preconceived notions about the ways that people acted and thought in the past. The book addresses themes and issues that are relevant to readers today, including the economic position of women in society. In Europe in 1500-1600 C.E., it was not unknown or impossible for women to make a living for themselves, independently of men. Lise and her mother and sisters are representative of such strong women, working and supporting themselves. Underlying themes of feminism, self-fulfillment, independence, personal empowerment, and accepting one’s differences are woven throughout the story. In this respect, The Beast That Never Was is truly a fairy tale for the modern age.

The book touches on matters of love and fear in ways that are very thought provoking. These two emotions are stark opposites, but the story shows us that in some instances, love and fear are intricately connected.

Identity and embracing what makes us unique are key themes in the story. It shows us that ways we see ourselves are significant, as is the depth of our emotions and inner thoughts. The experiences of several characters remind us that we sometimes hide our emotions and our true selves behind inscrutable façades. We often bury our feelings so deeply that we cannot even face them ourselves. In this regard, The Beast That Never was is an enlightening work that reminds us of the importance of self-reflection and introspection.

The story also addresses other aspects of human behaviour—specifically, group behaviour—and the unfortunate mob mentality that can take over people’s thinking and reactions when faced with something that causes anger or fear.

Many of the best works of literature challenge us to consider the world in a new light. In the same way, fables and fairy tales enlighten while they entertain. The Beast That Never Was does all of these things in a story that I think will have staying power in the minds of its readers, within the body of lesbian fiction, as well as in the field of literature more broadly.

The Beast That Never Was demonstrates that Caren J. Werlinger is a master of her craft. This is her tenth novel, and after you’ve read this book, I think you’ll hope, like I do, that there are many, many more to come.
———
In the name of full disclosure, I beta read the manuscript and read a copy prior to its publication.

Review first posted May 27, 2016. Minor edit to the review on June 3, 2016.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really original & totally captivating.
I LOVED it !!

[lov2laf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first read by Caren Werlinger and I found it to be somewhat frustrating because the book could've been so much more than it was. The writing and story foundation were in place but it just didn't go far enough...not enough into the psyche of either of the main characters or into their relationship, in general. It seemed to skim the edges of something much darker and deeper in all respects but remained at the surface which, to me, was unfulfilling.

The leads spent most of their time apart and, though likable, there wasn't much beyond their relationship other than curiosity and mutual attraction. Lise and Senna's scenes together were just too quick and needed more substance. Because of this, when they finally came together it felt jarring and empty.

The middle section of the book also seemed to drag, with a lot of repetition of events...a new person sees the beast followed by village freakout + Lise pushing off the advances of a marriage + Lise sneaking off to see Senna x 10. Over and over.

The fairy tale aspect was really intriguing and unique. The writing was also decent and it felt vivid enough. It's because the story had a lot of good in it that made it all the more frustrating for its shortcomings.

On the whole, "The Beast That Never Was" ended up being an okay read.

I will read Werlinger again but I'm curious if her other books have the same issue.

[Lexxi Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author via Netgalley for an honest review.

This is my third story by this author, though only second book.

I was somewhat reluctant to read this book for one specific reason. I had read the original fairy tale a while back. And did not particularly like it. A lesbian version of that tale did not really seem like something I would want to read. What with a man, the father, being willing to have his daughter killed in his place (or at least thinking so); and the beast being a whiny bratty critter – one who starves himself because the woman he vaguely likes is late. Of course he’s also the one who threatened to kill people because of their theft of a rose. Written in another era, Beast would be seen as an overly dramatic overly emotional bully. Beauty being overly selfless, intelligent, hard working young woman. The lesson of the story seemed to be that people ugly on the inside (and outside) deserve good things, like women, if they are bratty enough and that the women should just accept it (well, the story is from 1740, women were just property back then (well, not really, but kinda)). A lesbian version of that? Hmm . . . not tremendously interested. But I’ve loved fantasy based books by this author before, so I was willing to give the book a go. (And just an FYI before I move away from the original tale – this is not the lesbian version of that original tale; maybe the lesbian version of the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, but not the lesbian version of the original story).

To start off with: I’ve a vague recollection that the mother was missing in the original story, but the father was there. Here, in this story, the father is dead, and the mother is the one still around.

When the book opened, I didn’t actually realize that Lise was not the beast. I kind of expected her to be since there’s the tag-line of ‘What if Beauty was the Beast?’ But, I suppose, I wasn’t thinking clearly. I mean, Lise is a woman who dressed like a man, and did man like work back in an era when women might do that, but beauty’s certainly didn’t.

Up to a certain point, Lise and her family lived in a relatively well to do situation – what with her father being a King’s Huntsman (I believe the original story has the father being a businessman/merchant, though it has been a while since I read that story). Then Lise’s father died and the family was kicked out of their house. Though they did get a death boom, or . . um, some amount of money due to the father dying in service to the king. The mother uses the money to buy a small farm, and the proceeds from selling their old stuff to buy some cows for milking. For the mother had a specific skill set that she brought to her marriage – the ability to make cheese. So that is how she, the mother, and her four daughters survive now – by being cheese merchants. They are no longer well-to-do, but they survive well enough. Though the mother is often angry and bitter, and at least one or two of the daughters are still living as if all of this is just temporary – until the day a good marriage occurs and their status changes again.

Speaking of marriages – Lise’s mother wants and or assumes that the new Huntsman’s son will be married to Lise shortly. Lise loves Rhein as a brother, but not as a future husband. They circle each other. With Lise trying to dodge him, while Rhein keeps trying to kiss her. Meanwhile Lise spends a good amount of time starring with adoration towards a rather pretty young baker woman, Sabine. Though Sabine has a boyfriend, so that’s not going to work.

There’s this forest that they, Lise and their farm, and the nearby village, live next too. Over a period of time certain ‘things’ start to happen, strange and mysterious things. Like some hearing crying, or seeing wolves, or – basically whatever it is they fear the most – they see it in the forest. Eventually Lise bumps up against the ‘Beauty’ of that ‘what if beauty was the beast?’ tagline. And Lise sees . . . a gorgeous woman. Senna, the beauty and the beast, is quite confused. No one has been able to see her as anything other than that which they fear most in a very long time. So she is a little hesitant, at first, to be near Lise. Lise, though, is quite drawn to the beauty (until, that is, when Lise learns of the curse, and what people see because of the curse).

One thing leads to another and Lise finds herself being pushed, almost forced into a marriage with Rhein, while at the same time she is developing something of a relationship with Senne. All against the backdrop of normal life unfolding, the seasons changing, snow falling, cows being milked, lead up hills, lead back down hills, etc.

I liked the story. A good deal more than the original. Not sure I’ll read another tale based on Beauty and the Beast any time soon, but I’m happy enough to have read this one.

June 22 2016

[Fae · Rating 4 out of 5]

The two main characters are likable. I was hoping for some more interactions between Lise and Senna before they both actually fall in love with one another.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read. The author did such a good job at making a different premise of beauty and the beast...excuse me, beauty as a beast is more like it. The curse worked in such a wonderful way that it's borderline complicated (Freya must have a lot of time on her hand back then). If there is a fairytale for my childhood, instead of beauty and the beast from Disney, I preferred this version way better, it's not even a comparison since both stories are way different from one another. Albeit, some adult scenes in here that might not be suited for children.

Here are some questions that I wished it can be answer in the book.
I don't even know who Senna was talking to in the mirror. Was that Freya? If so then at the end of the story, what happened to Freya? What did the mirror represent? Why is it that at first, it showed Senna as an old woman, another time, it showed Senna engaging in intimacy with Lise, then later on, it only showed Senna standing alone as her beautiful self? I'm just gonna assumed that the mirror represented Senna's deepest fear.
I also wish the story to have an epilogue, I feel like the ending is missing something, maybe it was because it didn't really cover Lise and Senna's future that much, but as a reader, I can kinda guess the future already, I just wish the author could confirm it more clearly in an epilogue.

[Velvet Lounger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th of Caren J. Werlinger’s books I have read and once again she has stepped outside of the traditional romance genre. After a series of extremely well done lesbian novels and the start of a mage/dragon lore fantasy series, The Beast That Never Was is by far the lightest and most fun of her stories to date.

This is a fairy tale, told in the style of a novel, and a romance at that, but it’s a fairy tale to the core. Set in the wild forest and with a cast of the Kings’ Huntsmen, woodchoppers, howling wolves, packs of scared torch-wielding villagers and the obligatory curse on the beautiful young woman, it has everything we expect from the best bedtime stories.

With Ms Werlingers’ excellent writing style and gorgeous prose the descriptions flow off the page. The characters are whole and deep without heavy descriptions. The tension of thwarted lesbian lovers runs alongside that of the cursed beast’s fear of discovery. And the whole is sweetened by some charming inter-relationships and the innocent love of two young women.

I don’t particularly remember loving fairy tales when I was young, although I do remember having a heavy tome of them my parents read from, but this was thoroughly enjoyable reading. All you mum’s out there, this is a perfect counter to traditional ‘prince gets the girl’ stories we grew up on. And for the rest – it is an extremely well written and charming read.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. This was a different take on Beauty and the Beast. It’s my favorite fairytale and I will never get tired of retellings of it especially when they do something unique with it like this. It’s a lesbian retelling where Beauty is also the Beast and the curse is a house. It was a fun time.

The writing is gorgeous and so atmospheric and I really enjoyed the main characters. The romance moves very quickly but I honestly didn’t mind and it wasn’t unexpected given how short this book is. Lise and Senna are wonderful characters and I did like their relationship. I do feel like they both weren’t as developed as they could’ve been but that was fine. Not really a complaint. It was an engaging read and kept me invested all the way through. I’ve been wanting to read Werlinger’s books for a while and I think this was a pretty good place to start.

[Geo (rain) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No matter how much her head told her she and Senna could never be together, her dreams took her where her heart would go."

I guess this could be considered a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with some changes, of course. The most obvious is that the Beast is another woman, and she's not exactly a beast-like creature. That's all I'll say because I think it's better to find more about it reading it!

Our protagonist is Lise, the eldest of four daughters who, after her father's death, took upon herself most of the work around their farm. Up until his death, her father had the position of King's Huntsman, which allowed them to live a fairly comfortable life without much effort. Now her family has to work hard producing and selling cheese. To improve their living conditions, her mother is also expecting her to marry the current King's Huntsman's son, who is also Lise's childhood friend. But Lise knows that's not what she wants. She knows she's not interested in him on that way. And things change for her when she meets Senna, a beautiful woman she encounters one day in the forest, right at the time some strange sightings start occurring, scaring the villagers.

And so this is also Senna's story. Cursed a long time ago by a witch, Senna's is used to being alone, fleeing from place to place and hiding. But when she meets Lise, this young woman who sees her, a little hope grows inside of her.

One word I'd use to describe this book is "cute", because it was. I really liked the writing, it has that fairy tale feel, with many of its elements, one of which I'm not particularly fond of: the instant attraction between the protagonists. But considering the type of book, it didn't really annoy me. I thought the characters were well-developed, and likable, it had a nice atmosphere, and an interesting enough story to keep me turning the pages. For me it was one of those books that catches you and doesn't let you go until you finish it, or well, until real life requires your immediate attention. :>

Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

[Wren (fablesandwren) · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHO HAS SEEN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST AND WHO LOVES IT? I need to know everyone's opinions stat! I won't be able to go see it until my family comes to visit later this month, and Belle is my spirit-princess (that's now a thing).



With that being said, you can only imagine how pumped I was for this retelling. The beast and the beauty gender switched? That's amazing. Why hasn't anyone ever thought of that before? I love the idea of gender switching stories like that. This story is so male-heavy too so it was just a wonderful read.

The only reason my rating is a little low is because I didn't really connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. I like to dig deep into the minds of a character. I like to learn their quirks and bad habits and horrible personality traits. I didn't really feel that here. It was all a little surfaced to me.

What I did love about it, is that it is completely fairytale. You get the whole package of fairytale with this. It is sweet, even though it could have gotten darker for my twisted mind, it was insta-love, which is only expected in things like this, and it was "and we all lived happily ever after" type of a feel. I needed that and it got me pumped for the movie.

[F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fairytale/ fantasy version of Beauty and the Beast. Thankfully it is far removed form the Disney version of the tale. The writing is beautiful, and it is easy to forgive some slight sticking points in the plot, because the story and characters are quite compelling. In true fairytale style there is not a lot of interaction required for people to fall deeply in love. This is to me a quirk of the genre rather than a flaw in the book. I would have liked to see more interaction between the characters, simply because those scenes were beautifully written.

I enjoyed this immensely and would definitely recommend it.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

CW: Homophobia

Less "what if Beauty was the Beast" and more "What if the Beast and her eventual girlfriend were raging lesbians?" And I am ALL for that.

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Being alive doesn’t mean anything if there is no one to love who loves you in return.”

I originally thought I would rate this 3.5 stars, but now that I've sat down to write my review, I find that I have so little to say about it, it probably has to be more like a 3? Not that a 3 star is bad in my rating scale, but I had a pretty good time while listening to this and I can't think of any major complaints that I have. But I'm familiar enough with the author's writing, and I know that she can really leave a huge emotional impact, and this didn't really do that? It's a sapphic Beauty and the Beast retelling with a few twists, following the daughter of a deceased huntsman who's trying to take care of her mother and younger sisters, and a mysterious woman in the woods who takes on monstrous forms. I absolutely eat up stories about women as monsters, and I was expecting that to be my favourite part about this, and all the imagery and commentary that would come of it... and it end up just being fine. I liked it, but it didn't compel me in the ways I wanted it to. I was inordinately annoyed at the jealous sister storyline (did we need it?) and I wanted Lise and Senna to have more time together. The romance was lovely, but just kinda sparse. The different parts of the plot with all the different villagers was a little janky, though I guess it came together well enough in the end. I don't know! This was good, but I was expecting something with more emotional teeth.

Listened to the audiobook as ready by Justine Eyre, who just has a voice that I LOVE, which is probably why this was such a good listening experience for me. But the book itself wasn't as good as others I've read from the author. I'm sure I'll find others I like better as I continue slowly reading her backlist.

[Netgyrl (Laura) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars - audio book version - retelling of beauty and the beast - i enjoyed it, a lot

I got the book for cheap on Amazon and the audio book was like an additional $1.50 or something so I said what the heck and got that too as I am running out of decent books to listen to on Audible Escape and I am hording my credits for true gems of audio books.

First off, this is the second retelling of beauty and the beast that I have listened to, and I liked this one a 1000x better. In the first one, the author made the person playing the "beast" so ghastly that I friggen HATED her guts so much it was hard to get behind the romance. In this one, the beast's (Senna) big folly was to be vain and play with people feelings which lead to a tragedy for which she was cursed to always appear to each person she meets as the thing they fear the most. By the time we meet her in the book she has more then paid her penance and has seen the folly of her past behavior.

Lise is our hero and she a good person but not "too perfect" if you know what I mean. She is real. Her mom wants to marry her off to improve the family's prospects since the father died and left them to fend for themselves. The mom is kinda a b*tch. Lise firmly does NOT want to marry cuz she likes the ladies, which is a no-no, so she figures she will just keep that to herself (cuz god forbid anyone find out) and secretly pine for the town cutie, until she dies. She also doesn't want her life and livelihood beholden to any man (go girl!).

People start seeing weird shit in the forest and nobody's stories line up because everyone sees something different. Lise comes across 'the beast" and see's Senna as herself aka a beautiful girl. Senna doesn't understand why she doesn't transform into something else (as she always does) when coming across people in the forest. Hmmm... I wonder....? :)

I will leave it there because their relationship development is part of the fun.

There is a bit of action and angst, which is mostly worrying about the town folks coming after Senna with pitchforks and whatnot.

The narration was good. The narrator really made me hate Lise's mom.

If the author decides to do some more re-tellings of classic fairy tales, I am 100% in!

There is a HEA as all good fairly tale should have but I wish we had been treated to an Epilogue as well as I would have liked to peek into their lives at about a year into their future just for the solid warm fuzzies.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved fairy tales and fantasy books so much! Reading all of the new versions of the original stories has been wonderful! I really enjoyed Caren's creativity in her version of "Beauty and the Beast." I think it was enchanting and moving with just enough romance. Well maybe a tiny bit more would have been nice too, LOL!

The way the beast would became what each person feared or saw in themselves was a creative and fascinating twist on the original story. I also loved the family dynamic entwined into her story, most insightful was the mother-daughter relationship. I think that parents sometimes believe they always know what's best for their children. At times they are right but others, not so much.

The discovery and sacrifice for love, make this a most delightful and charming fairy tale.
It was a very sweet story. I loved the characters, the way they were developed and the happy ending.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beauty and the Beast. The timeless classic of Stockholm Syndrome and bestiality. Or a preparatory tale to get young women ready for arranged marriages back in the day. Or a sweet romance, depending on your perspective. I just watched the new cinematic adaptation on DVD. Very nice remake/live action update. Anyway, I was inspired and this freebie was just sitting on my kindle and waiting and so...well, this isn't really a retelling so much as a story inspired by. More along the lines of beauty and beauty with a twist and a lesbian angle, it's decent enough, but very simplistic. It's either YA (character ages would work with that) or written like one, but as far as lesbian fairy tales go it's probably pretty much what one would expect if expectations were set reasonably. Cute and cheesy, sort of a babybel of a novel. Very quick read too.

[Celina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this one. It felt like a retelling of something.. but I am not in pace with these childhood stories. I loved the part where when one looked at Senna, you saw what you feared the most... very traumatising. I would probably see medusa because snakes are a no-no.. all those slimy stuff. But I would probably see her real face instead, being gay and all. (Hahaha - we are the chosen ones.)

[Menestrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caren J. Werlinger never ceases to surprise me.

Hunting the darkness in every single one of us to find the light.

This is the fourth book by Caren J. Werlinger I’ve read, and I knew already that I would have liked it. A bit presumptuous, eh? Not at all, because I know that this author has an excellent prose and while others might linger more on characters’ description and less on the setting/environment and atmosphere so to speak, Caren J. Werlinger is master in setting the atmosphere where the characters will move in. And so, The Beast That Never Was, inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s This is The Creature” or all the Roses poems, sets you in a land far away, in a country that never was, with inhabitants that never were, typical of the fairy tales. Dark woodlands, heavy rain, snow, trees that turn into hands trying to trap you, the darkness playing tricks to your mind.

I always loved fairy tales, not only when I was a child, but also later on, when I could understand all the nuances behind them, their moral, less explicit than a fable, but still there (see Italo Calvino, for example). What I have never read, was a fairy tale where the hero is actually a heroine and there’s no prince, but a princess. I’m so grateful to Caren J. Werlinger for writing it and mixing it with traits of the Gothic and Romantic novel. The Uncanny, The Other, The Unknown.

What if the Uncanny wasn’t as scary as we all always thought? Why are we so scared of what we cannot explain? Why we grimace when we see horror? Is there any beauty in it? Could there be good in what seems evil?

Lise is the first daughter of the late King’s Huntsman, who died in a terrible accident while hunting and left Lise, her mother, and her sisters to themselves, with no other solution than the one to start working and try to make a life without a man. But Lise is like no other girl, she’s always felt different and lonely in a village where all the women had one purpose, as decided by society, getting married and be good wives and mothers. Lise is a free spirit, her father taught her everything she needed in order to survive with her own strength. The only think she never taught her was how to love. This is something that she will have to learn herself after her encounter with a beautiful stranger in the forest: Senna. Her apparition coincides with strange happenings in the remote village where Lise and her family live. Can it be that love doesn’t have any boundaries? Can it be that no matter how much reason and society forces you to comply with rules, the matters of the heart have their own means to a greater happiness? Can love be enough to break all the horror? Is it fair to force someone to love another one? Are we free to love who we love?

When I said that I was attracted by the fairy tales for their subtle moral, I meant it, and after reading The Beast That Never Was, it all came clear to me that what I was reading was no simple fairy tale, there was more to it that met the eye.

Fear. That’s what Senna represents to all the villagers, but Lise and her younger sister Isabel.
Fear has always been what drove the crowd to madness. Fear of what is different has always been a vessel of hate, jealousy, envy, wars, killings, sacrifices, martyrdom.

What cannot be explained causes fear, and in ancient times this always led the crowd towards witchcraft. Women have always been hunted and tagged as witches, whenever the crowd decided so. The “Unnatural” shouldn’t exist in a real world.

The Unnatural, is such a modern word. You are free to love who you love, they say. Do they really mean it? Is homosexuality still considered “unnatural” nowadays? Why? So many people prefer to think like that, for fear. Fear of knowing. Maybe knowing is not as scary as they might think. There can be beauty in it. Love is beauty and uncanny, but it takes a similar to know another one.

Lise sees herself reflected in Senna’s eyes and vice versa. Lise is the only one who can see Purity when she encounters it: a white rose, Senna.

Lise is fearless and she knows that she doesn’t need a man in her life; women can do anything if they want it. I cannot shake the feeling of how much, in some ways, Lise reminds me of Jo March in Little Women. Must be also because Isabel reminds me so much of Beth, so kind, so loving, so pure.
Senna is instead such a mysterious and complicated character. It reminded me at the beginning of a redeemed Narcissus, and later on of the distressed damsel who becomes a fury and saves herself and her loved one.

After all this blabbering, it’s clear… I just loved The Beast That Never Was. I’m a sucker for The Beauty and The Beast and all the classic fairy tales, plus Care J. Werlinger has a way of writing that just lets you immerse yourself into another world. So smooth, so pleasant, so likable. Something to read at night and dream after. A wondrous read, indeed.

I’d summarize it as “To truly see and be seen.”

[Caron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a version of Beauty and the Beast that is even more twisted than the retellings usually are. If it weren't for the Beauty/Beast aspect of the book, one would think it was its own story, which in a way, it was.

What was different about this retelling apart from the girlxgirl part- which is the first I've seen of this particular tale- is the fact that the Beauty was the Beast. That alone is what made me want to read the book. I wanted to see how exactly the author went through with that idea.

Characters: Lise is such a relatable character even in this fantasy novel because she goes through what so many people in real life do. She's the responsible one, so everyone expects her to do things even when they're clearly capable of doing it themselves. There's this huge stigma surrounding the town and the people therein that makes Lise unable to be who she really is, love who she wants to.

I liked Senna the second she was introduced. She had this air of mystery and I, much like Lise, wanted to know who this beautiful woman in the forest was. Where she came from and what her story was. She was so isolated but not so much that she didn't draw people to her. The fact that she had her own POV really helped with understanding her and her curse better.

Likes: The characterisation in this book was amazing. From their introductions to the way their developments were shown. Some of the characters started out at such a low point and rose above everyone else's opinion while some that refused to get down from their high horses were knocked down.

I loved the plot line, truly. The way the author turned an idea that could've remained just that, into something so worth reading.

The pacing in this book was excellent as well. Nothing was rushed and everything fell into place like a perfect puzzle. Things happened so seamlessly that even if there was a flaw, it wasn't noticeable.

Dislikes: There wasn't really anything I disliked about this book. A character here and there I could've done without but I guess they helped with the story.

Overall Thoughts: I've read a book by Caren J. Werlinger before and I fell in love with her writing style and the way she manages to suck you into the story. I jumped at the opportunity to read the story and this has only solidified my love for her writing even more. I look forward to reading a lot more.

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[A.W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lise does all the harder work for her family because her father, the King's Huntsman, died. Almost everyone sees her marrying her childhood friend but she knows it isn't something she wants.
After a few mysterious sightings in the forest by the villagers, Lise herself sees a mysterious woman.

Much to her surprise, Senna regains hope from meeting Lise that she would no longer be lonely.

The sightings are somehow all connected to Senna.

I was invested in the story from beginning to end. What intrigued me most was learning about Senna and the curse she has to live with. I also enjoyed getting to know Lise and her village.
The relationship between Lise and Senna did develop quite quickly for my taste, Lise got over her crush rather quickly. However, reading about their relationship and how it developed was quite sweet.

I wish there was more scenes between Lise and her sister Isabel.

I definitely recommend this book to young adults, even adults who enjoy reading YA novels.

Review also posted here: http://wp.me/p4Pp9O-vI

I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have really come to love fairy tales reimagined through an LGBTQ+ lens. It's a genre I never even knew existed when it could have helped the most, but it's so great to explore.

This book is a Beauty and the Beast type of story, but reimagining both the central romance and the idea of what makes a beast. Ideas of fear, and the ways humans tend to react when afraid. Along with fairy tale mystery. It reads a bit like an allegory about fear and love, as well as a fully complete story.

I have loved everything that I have read by this author.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous coming of age story with a generic historical setting (I have a weakness for these) a believable family dynamic, a dark curse, and a lesbian romance.

[Verechnaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review written & published on www.criticalwrit.com

A fantasy F/F romance that is heavily inspired by The Beauty and the Beast, without the creepy stuff from other versions like Disney’s, and with women? Count me riiiiight in. And now I want more F/F retellings of fairy tales. Why do we cater to men who think that it’s ok to stalk someone by stealing their shoes or kissing people in their sleep (don’t read the original version of that one, I warn you)? And who cares about royalty anyway? Let’s reclaim the means of production and be farmer princesses, or, I don’t know, itinerant warrior princesses.

Strange things are happening in the village’s forest— howling, sounds of a woman weeping, mysterious sightings of monsters from fairy tales. For Lise, a level-headed, hardworking girl who does most of the work in her impoverished family’s farm since her father’s death, this is nonsense. And when she heads into the forest to seek answers, she finds no monster but instead a strange woman with bottomless sadness in her eyes. She soon learns that the woman is cursed, doomed to never form any bond, forced into an endless flight for survival as the ignorance of men leads her to be hunted. Lise had always been afraid of her attraction to women, but she finds acceptance in Senna… And soon, reciprocation. As the villagers gear themselves toward a hunt for the creature that lives in the woods, and as Senna prepares herself to leave this place forever, Lise will learn she will have to fight for her love.

Senna suffers from a terrible curse. Once the object of many people’s envy, she was cursed to become what they loathe and fear the most. Living in a house that provides to all her needs and keeps her alive, she is drawn to face those who enter the woods and reveal them the extent of their fear, their guilt, their shame. The spell, like all curses, is bound to conditions and can only be broken two ways— one is the easier way, to cut the white rose the curse is bound to and disappear forever. The other, well, she's lost hope of that happening years ago...

It’s a surprisingly cruel spell to have innocent people be subjected to (although it soon becomes clear that not everyone is innocent), considering why it was cast in the first place, but it’s suitably terrifying alright. It reveals the pain of others, make it impossible to ever be accepted or loved. It's especially hard on Senna, who feels and sees everything they feel. She knows and understands people's fear, and the disgust they feel when they gaze upon her.

But the spell doesn’t work on Lise. Her family has fallen on hard times. They used to be the family of the King’s Hunstman, and as such, they were never in need of anything. But when their father was killed by wolves, they had to sell what they have and become cheesemakers. Lise works hard, and while her mother would have her wed to the current Huntsman’s son so as to secure their future, she prefers the work of the farm and her freedom to staying at home and raising children. She obstinately refuses the boy’s advances but cannot help falling head over heels for Senna.

True to the material its inspired from, The Beast That Never Was deals with complex ideas such as self-empowerment, economic and social independence from men, what we think is best for us versus what people think is best for us… I also believe it acts as a metaphor for bigotry and more specifically, lesbophobia. Everyone who sees Senna will see what they fear and hate the most, but Lise sees the real woman underneath. Their relationship starts free of bigotry and prejudice, and the bond they form is true despite each of the protagonist’s fear that their difference (being interested in women for Lise, and being a “monster” for Senna) will repulse the other. On the other hand, other villagers will be unable to see beyond the curse and their fear and violence will escalate.

Caren J. Werlinger writes beautifully and this book was an extremely enjoyable read that makes me want to see more works inspired of old fairy tales; works that remove the twisted and outdated morals these fairy tales still carry to this day. Perhaps the only problem I had with this book however, was that it uses the “Gypsy” slur at one point, something I feel should definitely be changed in a future edition.

[Nicole Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, I did not expect to like this novel as much as I did.

Written by heretofore unheard of (by me) novelist Caren Werlinger, The Beast That Never Was is not so much a lesbian retelling of Beauty and the Beast as a story loosely inspired by the events of that fairy tale and then unfolding in its own way.

Lise is the daughter of the late Woodsman, whose job it is to keep watch over the woods, stop anyone from hunting or laying traps in the King's land and generally just kinda love the woods. She's also a girl who dresses up in 'boy's' clothing in order to get done the work she knows how to do to keep her family afloat after her father is killed by a wolf.

Her mother, Yana, is trying her hardest to raise four daughters and desperately trying to get them off into good marriages after her large demotion in life after her husband's death. And that is why she is trying to match Lise up with the new Woodsman's son.

While it's clear that Lise and Rhein have a good relationship, it is clear very early that this is the relationship of that between a brother and a sister, even though Rhein and, I don't know, pretty much every other character, would like it to be more. It's equally clear, through Lise's lingering looks over at Sabine--a minor townsperson--that Rhein is the wrong gender to be of any interest to Lise.

Senna is a young woman with a curse upon her but, when Lise meets her, she doesn't see anything of the curse, or does she? What Lise sees is just a gorgeous young woman whom she is soon infatuated with. The romance between these characters is well paced and believable and because we get scenes from both of them separately, I found myself incredibly fulfilled by it. The curse is cleverly written and part of the reason why I said above that the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale is merely something that inspired this story, rather than instructing the plot points of it.

By the last quarter of the story, I was sure that it was rounding down and I was prepared to be bored as the story went beyond the point when it had exhausted itself but, again, Caren surprised me with a final section of the story where both girls make huge strides in finding themselves separate to one another that I would not have done without.

This book was sweet at all the right points and well written at every point and is available on Netgalley for another 5 days.