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Ever After, New York #3
Billy & The Beast
A stolen rose leads Billy to the Beast of his dreams...
The rose is so perfectly pink and delightfully fragrant, so temptingly within reach through the bars of the locked gate. One snip later, and a masked man from Billy’s darkest fantasies grabs his arm.
Billy’s punishment for the theft? To toil in the estate’s horribly overgrown garden for the summer. Only this summer job comes with a mystery. Who is the sexy, scarred, irascible man who lives at Malfleur, and what dark secret from his past is he hiding?
The Beast believes he deserves his self-imposed exile for the crime he committed one awful, reckless night—a night he can’t even remember. He believes no one can love the ruin of a man that survived that cursed accident.
He didn’t count on Billy Martin.
BILLY & THE BEAST is a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast that features a rich playboy recovering from a near-fatal accident, a web of dark secrets and gaslighting, a gothic estate, a happy Labrador retriever, and a plucky young man who adores mysteries & monsters.
This book is part of the EVER AFTER, NEW YORK series of contemporary gay romance fairy tales, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
The rose is so perfectly pink and delightfully fragrant, so temptingly within reach through the bars of the locked gate. One snip later, and a masked man from Billy’s darkest fantasies grabs his arm.
Billy’s punishment for the theft? To toil in the estate’s horribly overgrown garden for the summer. Only this summer job comes with a mystery. Who is the sexy, scarred, irascible man who lives at Malfleur, and what dark secret from his past is he hiding?
The Beast believes he deserves his self-imposed exile for the crime he committed one awful, reckless night—a night he can’t even remember. He believes no one can love the ruin of a man that survived that cursed accident.
He didn’t count on Billy Martin.
BILLY & THE BEAST is a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast that features a rich playboy recovering from a near-fatal accident, a web of dark secrets and gaslighting, a gothic estate, a happy Labrador retriever, and a plucky young man who adores mysteries & monsters.
This book is part of the EVER AFTER, NEW YORK series of contemporary gay romance fairy tales, but it can be read as a stand-alone.
ebook
First published September 29, 2020
72 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
About the author
Eli Easton
70 books2,806 followersHaving been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a game designer, an organic farmer, an avid hiker, and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author.
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
As an addicted reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.
Her website in www.elieaston.com
You can email her at eli@elieaston.com
COMING SOON:
See what's in the pipeline here: http://elieaston.com/work-in-progress/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
September 30, 2020
~4.5~
I love fairy tales, especially dirty ones that involve sexy men doing naughty things to each other. Billy & the Beast is that kind of fairy tale.
Loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, Eli Easton's book is set in the here and now and features a kind, hardworking college student named Billy, who picks a rose for his mother from the seemingly abandoned estate on top of a hill, and a reclusive, taciturn, damaged man who lives on the estate.
The man, who tells Billy his name is Aaron, wears a mask over half of his face to hide burn scars caused by a horrific car accident. Aaron demands that Billy pay for his theft by working as a gardener (the estate grounds are rundown and in need of some TLC). But of courses he pays Billy, and pays him well. Deep inside, Aaron is a sweetheart who's drawn to Billy like a moth to a flame.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Billy gets Aaron to open up. He flirts with Aaron shamelessly and takes on cleaning out the derelict pool under the guise of Jack, Aaron's dog, having a place to swim, but really, he does it for Aaron. Everything Billy does, he does for Aaron.
A natural nurturer, Billy's been taking care of his mentally ill mom for years. He yearns for normalcy, for a relationship, and cares naught about Aaron's scars. The first kiss the men share is explosive! Talk about FEELS, baby.
This is such a romantic story, full of warmth and humor. The sex is fairly subdued, but the passion between the men is palpable.
A fairy tale wouldn't be complete without a villain, and the bad guy here is easy to peg the second he appears on page. There's a mystery surrounding Aaron's car accident and his father's death. Aaron doesn't want to leave the estate because he's afraid he might be in trouble with the law, but Billy is doubtful and has his reasons.
I wish Aaron had put his trust in Billy sooner, but the perfect HEA more than makes up for that. The last few chapters are fast-paced and suspenseful. I couldn't put my Kindle down!
I fell for this charming story and didn't want it to end. If you're into fairy-tale endings, you'll love this one too.
I love fairy tales, especially dirty ones that involve sexy men doing naughty things to each other. Billy & the Beast is that kind of fairy tale.
Loosely based on Beauty and the Beast, Eli Easton's book is set in the here and now and features a kind, hardworking college student named Billy, who picks a rose for his mother from the seemingly abandoned estate on top of a hill, and a reclusive, taciturn, damaged man who lives on the estate.
The man, who tells Billy his name is Aaron, wears a mask over half of his face to hide burn scars caused by a horrific car accident. Aaron demands that Billy pay for his theft by working as a gardener (the estate grounds are rundown and in need of some TLC). But of courses he pays Billy, and pays him well. Deep inside, Aaron is a sweetheart who's drawn to Billy like a moth to a flame.
Slowly, ever so slowly, Billy gets Aaron to open up. He flirts with Aaron shamelessly and takes on cleaning out the derelict pool under the guise of Jack, Aaron's dog, having a place to swim, but really, he does it for Aaron. Everything Billy does, he does for Aaron.
A natural nurturer, Billy's been taking care of his mentally ill mom for years. He yearns for normalcy, for a relationship, and cares naught about Aaron's scars. The first kiss the men share is explosive! Talk about FEELS, baby.
This is such a romantic story, full of warmth and humor. The sex is fairly subdued, but the passion between the men is palpable.
A fairy tale wouldn't be complete without a villain, and the bad guy here is easy to peg the second he appears on page. There's a mystery surrounding Aaron's car accident and his father's death. Aaron doesn't want to leave the estate because he's afraid he might be in trouble with the law, but Billy is doubtful and has his reasons.
I wish Aaron had put his trust in Billy sooner, but the perfect HEA more than makes up for that. The last few chapters are fast-paced and suspenseful. I couldn't put my Kindle down!
I fell for this charming story and didn't want it to end. If you're into fairy-tale endings, you'll love this one too.
September 24, 2020
I absolutely adored this modern retelling of tale as old as time Beauty and the Beast. I read it in one sitting, just couldn't put it down. It was angsty, moderately steamy, mildly suspenseful and featured two MCs with slight age and big income gap. The corresponding roles of Beast, Belle, Gaston and Father were easily identified. The villain was obvious and his scheme so devious, but I had such a rush reading it unfold. Literally at the edge of my seat while reading second part of the book! I loved the MCs, Billy and Aaron/Seb. They started off so cute and endearing! In the end both men were in a good place both mentally and physically. Billy was such a kind sweet man that proved to jaded and despondent Seb that beauty was in the eye of the beholder and that he had more courage and goodness in him than he ever thought. It was very uplifting story and just what I needed yesterday! Copy received for my honest and unbiased review
September 30, 2020
I was very lucky to get an early sight of this book and I absolutely fell in love with the wonderful romance and the cleverly plotted suspense element.
Based, obviously, on the fairy tale of a similar name, things seem to be travelling along a familiar path when the story starts.
Billy 'steals' a rose from an overgrown mansion garden and is confronted by a mysterious half masked man who tells him he has to come and fix the damage as payment.
The more time Billy spends at the house, the more our mysterious man is drawn into his orbit. Billy is sunshine and joy in the world, even though he lives a very simple and relatively poor life with his artist mum.
For Aaron, this glimpse into the outside world brings with it a sliver of hope as both develop real and honest feelings.
The twist into the suspense part was so well done I only half saw it coming and nothing like the web which was spun around Aaron.
There's a great pacing throughout the narrative and my heart was starting to race the closer things got to the big finale.
I loved everything about this quirky romance.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Based, obviously, on the fairy tale of a similar name, things seem to be travelling along a familiar path when the story starts.
Billy 'steals' a rose from an overgrown mansion garden and is confronted by a mysterious half masked man who tells him he has to come and fix the damage as payment.
The more time Billy spends at the house, the more our mysterious man is drawn into his orbit. Billy is sunshine and joy in the world, even though he lives a very simple and relatively poor life with his artist mum.
For Aaron, this glimpse into the outside world brings with it a sliver of hope as both develop real and honest feelings.
The twist into the suspense part was so well done I only half saw it coming and nothing like the web which was spun around Aaron.
There's a great pacing throughout the narrative and my heart was starting to race the closer things got to the big finale.
I loved everything about this quirky romance.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
October 8, 2020
Meh, this one didn't resonate with me as much as it seemed to resonate with others.
It didn't actually take me 8 days to read this, I just paused pretty quickly into this and re-read another series that I love.
This didn't capture my attention right away, I skimmed a few parts here and there. I've definitely read better from this author.
Now, were there cute and sweet parts? Absolutely. That's why I'm giving this three stars instead of any less. Despite how this dragged in places, was a little slow, took awhile to get my attention, there were parts here and there that showed the connection these two had. The chemistry could have been better, in my opinion, but it was there and these two were definitely sweet together.
But there was just something lacking for me. The plot didn't grab my attention as much as it should have, and I just didn't care enough to keep reading at first and only got back to it after a couple days. It didn't capture my attention enough.
A modern day retelling of Beauty & The Beast it may be, but it lacks that certain something that makes that story so good. Maybe it's the almost enemies-to-lovers vibe in the original (that wasn't present in this at all) or maybe that aside from Aaron being scarred on the outside to look "beastly" and living in a secluded mansion and Billy being sweet and kind and Billy stealing a rose - like Belle's father does in the original - there isn't much of a similarity between these modern retelling and the original. There's those small elements, but nothing really tying it to the original story.
So overall it just didn't work the best for me. Some cute moments, some sweet moments, but overall it didn't capture my attention enough and wasn't my favorite by this author.
It didn't actually take me 8 days to read this, I just paused pretty quickly into this and re-read another series that I love.
This didn't capture my attention right away, I skimmed a few parts here and there. I've definitely read better from this author.
Now, were there cute and sweet parts? Absolutely. That's why I'm giving this three stars instead of any less. Despite how this dragged in places, was a little slow, took awhile to get my attention, there were parts here and there that showed the connection these two had. The chemistry could have been better, in my opinion, but it was there and these two were definitely sweet together.
But there was just something lacking for me. The plot didn't grab my attention as much as it should have, and I just didn't care enough to keep reading at first and only got back to it after a couple days. It didn't capture my attention enough.
A modern day retelling of Beauty & The Beast it may be, but it lacks that certain something that makes that story so good. Maybe it's the almost enemies-to-lovers vibe in the original (that wasn't present in this at all) or maybe that aside from Aaron being scarred on the outside to look "beastly" and living in a secluded mansion and Billy being sweet and kind and Billy stealing a rose - like Belle's father does in the original - there isn't much of a similarity between these modern retelling and the original. There's those small elements, but nothing really tying it to the original story.
So overall it just didn't work the best for me. Some cute moments, some sweet moments, but overall it didn't capture my attention enough and wasn't my favorite by this author.
September 28, 2020
I LOVE fairy tale re-imaginings, and Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite. So that, combined with a favorite author? oooooh yes, please!
This had a sweet fairy tale feel to it, although it does seem to take place in our normal every day world. Although this is #3 in a series, they're all written by different authors so it's very easy to read this as a standalone.
Billy is such a sweetie. He loves his mom and dogs, he's so mature for his age, and he's definitely a cinnamon roll. He's the perfect match for Aaron to help him recover and heal. I LOVED how grumpy Aaron was - how he grumbled about Billy being around and clearly not taking care of himself, so it was up to him to bring him food and water and work clothes and new tools. LOL, what a grump! :P I really enjoyed the progression of employee/boss to friendship to lovers. It was sweet and gentle and I just loved them.
Of course, not everyone wants them to be happy, and there is definitely an enemy out to keep Billy and Aaron from reaching their HEA. It was a bit...melodramatic? But also worked to give Aaron closure on his past and his accident, and also be able to move forward.
All in all, this was a sweet, feel good fairy tale telling that I really enjoyed!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This had a sweet fairy tale feel to it, although it does seem to take place in our normal every day world. Although this is #3 in a series, they're all written by different authors so it's very easy to read this as a standalone.
Billy is such a sweetie. He loves his mom and dogs, he's so mature for his age, and he's definitely a cinnamon roll. He's the perfect match for Aaron to help him recover and heal. I LOVED how grumpy Aaron was - how he grumbled about Billy being around and clearly not taking care of himself, so it was up to him to bring him food and water and work clothes and new tools. LOL, what a grump! :P I really enjoyed the progression of employee/boss to friendship to lovers. It was sweet and gentle and I just loved them.
Of course, not everyone wants them to be happy, and there is definitely an enemy out to keep Billy and Aaron from reaching their HEA. It was a bit...melodramatic? But also worked to give Aaron closure on his past and his accident, and also be able to move forward.
All in all, this was a sweet, feel good fairy tale telling that I really enjoyed!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2020
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I so wish I could give you all the little gems in this story, but to do so would definitely spoil the marvelous unveiling of what actually happened to Aaron that fateful night. Suffice it to say that Billy not only falls in love with Aaron, but becomes quite the sleuth when it comes to discovering how to get Aaron back when they are torn apart by outside forces. This story, based loosely on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, is chocked full of fun and romance and healing. It is a lovely bit of escapism where everything works out in the end and a happy ever after is had by all.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I so wish I could give you all the little gems in this story, but to do so would definitely spoil the marvelous unveiling of what actually happened to Aaron that fateful night. Suffice it to say that Billy not only falls in love with Aaron, but becomes quite the sleuth when it comes to discovering how to get Aaron back when they are torn apart by outside forces. This story, based loosely on the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, is chocked full of fun and romance and healing. It is a lovely bit of escapism where everything works out in the end and a happy ever after is had by all.
Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.
September 30, 2020
I absolutely loved this story. It’s pure romance at its best. Beautifully written and so romantic. Gorgeous.
October 25, 2020
Lovely. An exceptional story told with a Beauty and the Beast theme and elements, firmly rooted in the real world.
I love a character driven simple narrative, as we have here. The fairytale is unique and everyone knows the tale. It's implied with the author's own unique spin.
Well written, dramatic, suspenseful (that car chase was something else), sensual and endearing. Characters that are real and believable. Melding the two with a B&B theme? Remarkable.
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
High praise to Dear Author for taking on the challenge. Cinderfella anyone? Hint, hint.
I love a character driven simple narrative, as we have here. The fairytale is unique and everyone knows the tale. It's implied with the author's own unique spin.
Well written, dramatic, suspenseful (that car chase was something else), sensual and endearing. Characters that are real and believable. Melding the two with a B&B theme? Remarkable.
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."
High praise to Dear Author for taking on the challenge. Cinderfella anyone? Hint, hint.
October 11, 2020
This was so sweet and I really enjoyed it.
October 8, 2020
Man, I was excited for Billy and the Beast, but I must say it wasn't my favorite. It felt slow and didn't fully capture my attention. It was a slow burn romance, which I typically love, but it was a little too slow for me. I would've liked more time of them together. Lots of off-page happenings, it seemed. I will say Billy and Adam's interactions are cute, and the story is full of hope, but it just didn't all gel for me.
I'd still say go ahead and try it as I'm the minority. Everyone else loves it.
3 stars.
I'd still say go ahead and try it as I'm the minority. Everyone else loves it.
3 stars.
October 1, 2020
I'm a sucker for fairy-tale retellings and a sucker for any stories featuring an MC who is damaged. Eli Easton did a great job modernizing this tale while also adding her own spin to it. I really appreciated the slow-burn lead up to both characters coming together and felt this story had just the right amount of angst and steam. It hit all of my buttons in a good way and proved a great way and I ended up reading the book in one sitting. Recommended!
Read
October 10, 2020No Rating. DNF. Time of death: 51%. I think this will be a hit with many readers but it was not for me. It was so sweet I got a cavity. Which is why I say it’s a case of me and not the book. And why I say why it wasn’t for me. Because what is a minus for me could be a plus for others! Another note, I wasn’t big on the writing style either. I’ve enjoyed quite a few of this authors books though so that seems like a fluke.
February 19, 2021
There's something very compelling about a beauty and the beast narrative to me, if done correctly. And that is that being loved isn't limited to being perfect. And I feel like Eli really hit it with this one. Absolutely beautiful!
January 21, 2022
This has been on my to-read folder FOREVER!! It was nice to finally finished it. It was okay, I guess. Yeah the sunshine/grumpy trope works. But the villainous crime feels a bit over the top for my idea of fairy retelling romance.
October 5, 2020
I really liked this retelling of BatB. Definitely more along the lines of Disney than the Original version, but it worked really well for the story being told. Billy was bright and adorable, too curious for his own good, and completely loveable. ADORED how he looked everything up on YouTube. (I'm not hip with the interwebz speak but I think that's totally a mood.) Aaron was grouchy and stand0ffish, until he couldn't help but want to do things for Billy and was eventually drawn in by Billy's light. I LOLd every time he mentally complained or refused to do something when it came to Billy, but then did it anyway.
At the end of the book, Eli asks what other stories we'd like for her to write; I'm thinking Rapunzel is right up her alley. I don't do Facebook so if someone would suggest that, I'd appreciate it. Also, maybe she and Tara could ask for someone really good at the MM Reverse Harem thing to write Snow White? Who needs a Prince when there are 7 (potentially hot) miners/mechanics/blue-collar workers right there? (I'm looking at you Macy Blake - consider yourself voluntold.)
At the end of the book, Eli asks what other stories we'd like for her to write; I'm thinking Rapunzel is right up her alley. I don't do Facebook so if someone would suggest that, I'd appreciate it. Also, maybe she and Tara could ask for someone really good at the MM Reverse Harem thing to write Snow White? Who needs a Prince when there are 7 (potentially hot) miners/mechanics/blue-collar workers right there? (I'm looking at you Macy Blake - consider yourself voluntold.)
October 1, 2020
What a delight!
The initial setup could’ve been executed a tad more smoothly, but it was nice that the “captivity” aspect of the original story was changed with paid gardening work as ammends! Why not improve the dynamics of the story while putting a modern twist to it, right?
Once the story got going, I was hooked. The slowly building friendship and attraction between Billy and Aaron was so lovely. Billy really brought so much light and hope to Aaron’s life, Aaron really flourished with the affection and intimacy they shared.
The plot went places I hadn’t expected it to, but damn I enjoyed the hell out of the anticipation and the thrill of the mystery. The resulting conflict & angst didn’t feel contrived at all and had me at the edge of my seat waiting for it to come to head.
The resolution got a tad too quick/neat at the end, but I honestly still enjoyed it a lot. This was a good read for me!
P.s., this is listed as being the third in a series, but the other books were written by a different author and this 100% stands alone on its own.
The initial setup could’ve been executed a tad more smoothly, but it was nice that the “captivity” aspect of the original story was changed with paid gardening work as ammends! Why not improve the dynamics of the story while putting a modern twist to it, right?
Once the story got going, I was hooked. The slowly building friendship and attraction between Billy and Aaron was so lovely. Billy really brought so much light and hope to Aaron’s life, Aaron really flourished with the affection and intimacy they shared.
The plot went places I hadn’t expected it to, but damn I enjoyed the hell out of the anticipation and the thrill of the mystery. The resulting conflict & angst didn’t feel contrived at all and had me at the edge of my seat waiting for it to come to head.
The resolution got a tad too quick/neat at the end, but I honestly still enjoyed it a lot. This was a good read for me!
P.s., this is listed as being the third in a series, but the other books were written by a different author and this 100% stands alone on its own.
Read
October 24, 2021DNF at 63% because too much drama
I kinda liked the beginning and how the boys met and slowly started to trust and bond. But then there apparently needed to be DRAMA, someone meddled and our "beast" decided to trust the word of someone who broke into his friend's house to snoop and takes legal action against him without even talking to him? I get it, he has trust issues, but how are they supposed to recover from that? Also, I thought the drama of how Seb lost his memory and the mystery surrounding his dad's death and his own accident would've been plenty drama, so the added drama was just too much for me...
I kinda liked the beginning and how the boys met and slowly started to trust and bond. But then there apparently needed to be DRAMA, someone meddled and our "beast" decided to trust the word of someone who broke into his friend's house to snoop and takes legal action against him without even talking to him? I get it, he has trust issues, but how are they supposed to recover from that? Also, I thought the drama of how Seb lost his memory and the mystery surrounding his dad's death and his own accident would've been plenty drama, so the added drama was just too much for me...
April 9, 2021
A sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast with a side of contemporary mystery. Thoroughly enjoyed.
October 8, 2020
I’m already a huge fan of this author and this story reminds me why. I loved Billy and Aaron and their contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Not only is this story about their friendship and love, but the plot has a wonderful mix of drama and action. Although I’d worked out who the bad guy was, and what he’d one, I was still on the edge of my seat as Billy and Aaron fight for not only their future together, but their lives.
I loved how this story fitted into the setting of Ever After, New York with the references to people and places of the other book I’ve read in the series. Mrs Delphi leaves me more curious about who exactly she is with each new story I read, especially as she knows what to say to nudge people into where they need to be.
I love Billy. He’s so full of life and enthusiasm, despite everything going on in his life. I liked the parallels with him bringing Aaron’s garden back to life, and transforming Aaron along with it. I always appreciate a fellow geek and the references to movie monsters, and graphic novels were wonderfully done. The description of the garden was very vivid, and easy to visualise. I loved the language the author used, and the nods to fairy stories within the prose.
Poor Aaron. He’s so caught in a lie of who he is and what he’s done. He needed someone to come along and see through the scars to who he truly is. I love how he falls for Billy but is at first in denial and how Billy convinces him to take back his life.
Jack is wonderful and a character in his own right. I loved how he’s not only an intrinsic part of Aaron’s life, but soon becomes important to Billy too. I liked Billy’s mother. She’s a good person who needs help to overcome her own demons. I enjoyed seeing her come into her own .
I hated the bad guy—trying to avoid spoilers—and along with Billy got a bad vibe from him as soon as he showed up. I was very pleased with everything catches up with him, although I was seriously worried for both Aaron and Billy. The author writes fabulous action scenes, and I loved how both he and Billy were able to break free of the net of lies tightening around them.
The ending was a perfect HEA to a very satisfying read.
I loved how this story fitted into the setting of Ever After, New York with the references to people and places of the other book I’ve read in the series. Mrs Delphi leaves me more curious about who exactly she is with each new story I read, especially as she knows what to say to nudge people into where they need to be.
I love Billy. He’s so full of life and enthusiasm, despite everything going on in his life. I liked the parallels with him bringing Aaron’s garden back to life, and transforming Aaron along with it. I always appreciate a fellow geek and the references to movie monsters, and graphic novels were wonderfully done. The description of the garden was very vivid, and easy to visualise. I loved the language the author used, and the nods to fairy stories within the prose.
Poor Aaron. He’s so caught in a lie of who he is and what he’s done. He needed someone to come along and see through the scars to who he truly is. I love how he falls for Billy but is at first in denial and how Billy convinces him to take back his life.
Jack is wonderful and a character in his own right. I loved how he’s not only an intrinsic part of Aaron’s life, but soon becomes important to Billy too. I liked Billy’s mother. She’s a good person who needs help to overcome her own demons. I enjoyed seeing her come into her own .
I hated the bad guy—trying to avoid spoilers—and along with Billy got a bad vibe from him as soon as he showed up. I was very pleased with everything catches up with him, although I was seriously worried for both Aaron and Billy. The author writes fabulous action scenes, and I loved how both he and Billy were able to break free of the net of lies tightening around them.
The ending was a perfect HEA to a very satisfying read.
September 28, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and could not put it down and had to stay up and finish reading it. This is not the first fairy-tale remake I read in the M/M genre, and not the first Beauty& the Beast one too, but it is certainly the best yet. i liked how it had a connection to the general plot of the original fairy-tale, but was it's own story with well rounded characters. I fell like most times the fairy-tale remakes rely too heavily on readers know the tale. You get the sense that the story is already set, and is forced to fit the mold of the fairy-tale. This was not the case, it could have just been a regular story about love, schemes, the beauty found within.
Billy is the epitome of "The Sunshine one" trope, his attitude in life and joy in the simple things is catching. Aaron was the grumpy yet not mean recluse, and it was great to have his truly be a nice guy, not just deep down. He was not controlling or overpowering. He and Billy were just swoon worthy together, and thew only bad thing I can say is I would have liked more of them.
Even though I knew who the Villain is early on I was still on the edge of my seat with curiosity. I would gladly read a book like this every day of the year! I hope Eli Easton writes more Fairy-tale remakes soon.
Billy is the epitome of "The Sunshine one" trope, his attitude in life and joy in the simple things is catching. Aaron was the grumpy yet not mean recluse, and it was great to have his truly be a nice guy, not just deep down. He was not controlling or overpowering. He and Billy were just swoon worthy together, and thew only bad thing I can say is I would have liked more of them.
Even though I knew who the Villain is early on I was still on the edge of my seat with curiosity. I would gladly read a book like this every day of the year! I hope Eli Easton writes more Fairy-tale remakes soon.
February 18, 2021
Billy looks after his bipolar mom, and one day, he met Aaron, the scarred man living in the huge mansion on top of the hill. Billy, immediately smitten with Aaron, scars and surly artitude and all, ended up working as the gardener of the mansion. As the summer grows hotter, the attraction between them flourish, but there are secrets and villains that tried to keep them apart.
I loved fairy tales growing up, and even now, as a cynical middle aged woman, I enjoy the shit out of a good fairy tale. Especially one featuring two interesting men, a gorgeous golden labrador, a proper villain and an epic HEA.
Billy was loyal, kind, nurturing, smart and quirky - he loved monsters and monster movies, animals and his mom, and was immediately attracted to Aaron. Aaron was hideously disfigured in a car crash, riddled with guilt, lonely, yet also generous, selfless and loving. Together they were a joy to read about, and I could not rest until I finished the book.
Loved the book, recommended to all fans of fairy tales, good, solid romances, and Eli Easton. She is an amazing writer, and is a total auto buy for me.
I loved fairy tales growing up, and even now, as a cynical middle aged woman, I enjoy the shit out of a good fairy tale. Especially one featuring two interesting men, a gorgeous golden labrador, a proper villain and an epic HEA.
Billy was loyal, kind, nurturing, smart and quirky - he loved monsters and monster movies, animals and his mom, and was immediately attracted to Aaron. Aaron was hideously disfigured in a car crash, riddled with guilt, lonely, yet also generous, selfless and loving. Together they were a joy to read about, and I could not rest until I finished the book.
Loved the book, recommended to all fans of fairy tales, good, solid romances, and Eli Easton. She is an amazing writer, and is a total auto buy for me.
October 3, 2020
Nothing earth-shattering, but nice brain candy for an afternoon. Wouldn't even necessarily have pegged it as a fairy tale adaptation, not that that's a bad thing - they can go overboard on trying to match the source. It was fun.
September 28, 2020
What an amazing update on this story. I absolutely loved Billy and Aaron. The slowly falling in love, intrigue and subterfuge made it even better. I was even happier to see Emmanuel get his comeuppance. This is a great read. Please grab this book you won’t regret it.
October 26, 2020
Billy and the Beast by Eli Easton
Rating: 3.5 stars
I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, and I would have rated this higher but alas The Big Misunderstanding happened, and it brought my rating down a bit. I did like both Aaron and Billy as the MCs. I loved Jack the dog. What I didn’t like was that the plot was pretty predictable start to finish. Yes this is a retelling of a well known fairy tail but this was a modern retelling that could have gone in many different directions and decided to take the well worn path of one MC falling for the lies against the other MC without giving him a chance to defend himself. All in all, the story was good. I did enjoy it but it just fell slightly short for me.
Rating: 3.5 stars
I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, and I would have rated this higher but alas The Big Misunderstanding happened, and it brought my rating down a bit. I did like both Aaron and Billy as the MCs. I loved Jack the dog. What I didn’t like was that the plot was pretty predictable start to finish. Yes this is a retelling of a well known fairy tail but this was a modern retelling that could have gone in many different directions and decided to take the well worn path of one MC falling for the lies against the other MC without giving him a chance to defend himself. All in all, the story was good. I did enjoy it but it just fell slightly short for me.
October 4, 2020
I don't know what I was expecting but it was this. It was kind of like of retelling of Beauty and the Beast but not really. This had corporate intrigue, amnesia, a grumpy, scarred millionaire and Billy. The sweetest guy around. It really was just a good love story with all the other things thrown in there but they kept it interesting for sure. Fun read.
October 4, 2020
4 stars
October 2, 2020
4.5 incredibly sweet stars!
The only reason this isn't a full 5 stars is honestly because of the steam factor. There was an incredible amount of sweetness, love, grumptastic caring, innocent joy, and the way they truly saw one another...all of that was fantastic and came together so beautifully that it needed Eli Easton's brand of sensual, soul-touching steam to balance it out and make it perfect. Think Redemption of River and Mating of Michael level of awesome, but without a ton of sexy times.
Aaron was so incredibly gruff and yet so charming with his "I'll show you, show you how much I want you gone...by buying you expensive work shirts and bringing you meals and spending time with you. *Hmph. Let that be a lesson to you." I loved him. His vulnerability felt real too, not just because of the physical disfigurement, but the weight he was carrying regarding what he couldn't remember and the grief over the loss of his father. His character was simple and yet still moving.
Finding his counterpart in the irrepressible Billy was sweet and fun because Billy couldn't find a way to stay mired in negativity despite his circumstances. It wasn't until the villain stuck their nose into things that he found a pain and hurt he hadn't yet truly experienced. Thankfully his indomitable will got the kick in the pants it needed by a little tea-and-chat session with their resident "witch". His discoveries meant a whole lot of freedom and I enjoyed seeing that bit come together.
The villain was very predictable, both in who they were, their motivations, and their methods. But even with all that predictability, it wasn't annoying. It was slightly over dramatic, but it fit with the tradition of big, dramatic confrontations marked in all fairy tales. Everything worked out, obviously, and the bad guy actually saw justice, amends were made, and Aaron finally found healing, confidence, and freedom. Thanks to Billy's heart and spirit they were both able to get the exact "ending" they deserved. I loved this story, it's my favorite of the series so far, and I can't wait to see what's next for this little town with its own brand of magic.
The only reason this isn't a full 5 stars is honestly because of the steam factor. There was an incredible amount of sweetness, love, grumptastic caring, innocent joy, and the way they truly saw one another...all of that was fantastic and came together so beautifully that it needed Eli Easton's brand of sensual, soul-touching steam to balance it out and make it perfect. Think Redemption of River and Mating of Michael level of awesome, but without a ton of sexy times.
Aaron was so incredibly gruff and yet so charming with his "I'll show you, show you how much I want you gone...by buying you expensive work shirts and bringing you meals and spending time with you. *Hmph. Let that be a lesson to you." I loved him. His vulnerability felt real too, not just because of the physical disfigurement, but the weight he was carrying regarding what he couldn't remember and the grief over the loss of his father. His character was simple and yet still moving.
Finding his counterpart in the irrepressible Billy was sweet and fun because Billy couldn't find a way to stay mired in negativity despite his circumstances. It wasn't until the villain stuck their nose into things that he found a pain and hurt he hadn't yet truly experienced. Thankfully his indomitable will got the kick in the pants it needed by a little tea-and-chat session with their resident "witch". His discoveries meant a whole lot of freedom and I enjoyed seeing that bit come together.
The villain was very predictable, both in who they were, their motivations, and their methods. But even with all that predictability, it wasn't annoying. It was slightly over dramatic, but it fit with the tradition of big, dramatic confrontations marked in all fairy tales. Everything worked out, obviously, and the bad guy actually saw justice, amends were made, and Aaron finally found healing, confidence, and freedom. Thanks to Billy's heart and spirit they were both able to get the exact "ending" they deserved. I loved this story, it's my favorite of the series so far, and I can't wait to see what's next for this little town with its own brand of magic.
September 23, 2020
I have to admit I have a weakness for fairytales and jumped at the chance to read this story for myself.
Billy is a young man who loves a good horror movie and story his room is full of posters from the films, his friends are away at college and he stays in Ever After to care for his mother who has bipolar. To keep fit he rides his bike up the tallest hill in Ever After where all the rich live, true to the Beauty and the Beast trope he is at the top and recovering from his bike ride when he notices beautiful roses in a garden and decides to pick one not realising the home owner is on the other side of the wall watching him.
Suffice to say he cuts off a rose and meets the reclusive home owner Aaron who sets him to work in the grounds of the house in recompense for taking a rose.
Billy agrees and is intrigued by this gorgeous man hiding himself away.
The story moves fluently as Billy and Aaron grow to become friends then more and Billy learns why Aaron hides himself away. Billy is open, kind and honest and wants only to help, he is sweet natured against surly at first Aaron. A wonderful story I read this story in one day and was reluctant to put it down at all and finished it in the early hours. A truly enchanting story in Ever After and I’ve already purchased other stories by Tara Lain from this town which I can’t wait to read.
Billy is a young man who loves a good horror movie and story his room is full of posters from the films, his friends are away at college and he stays in Ever After to care for his mother who has bipolar. To keep fit he rides his bike up the tallest hill in Ever After where all the rich live, true to the Beauty and the Beast trope he is at the top and recovering from his bike ride when he notices beautiful roses in a garden and decides to pick one not realising the home owner is on the other side of the wall watching him.
Suffice to say he cuts off a rose and meets the reclusive home owner Aaron who sets him to work in the grounds of the house in recompense for taking a rose.
Billy agrees and is intrigued by this gorgeous man hiding himself away.
The story moves fluently as Billy and Aaron grow to become friends then more and Billy learns why Aaron hides himself away. Billy is open, kind and honest and wants only to help, he is sweet natured against surly at first Aaron. A wonderful story I read this story in one day and was reluctant to put it down at all and finished it in the early hours. A truly enchanting story in Ever After and I’ve already purchased other stories by Tara Lain from this town which I can’t wait to read.
September 27, 2020
A fun, contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Young pre-vet student Billy Martin bikes his way up to the mansions on the hill daily, and encounters a mysterious recluse named Arron while trying to pluck a perfect rose from the garden of a walled estate. Arron accuses Billy of theft, but then hires him on as a summer gardener to work off his debt. They find that they have much more in common than ever believed possible, and an unlikely romance blossoms along with the roses. This story has a nice, gothic vibe, with a deserted mansion, a handsome young ex-playboy recovering from an accident, a mysterious past, and a dangerous villain twirling his mustache throughout the plot. I’m going to follow up with the others in this series, as I can never resist a good fairy tale retelling!
*Note* I was given an Advanced Reading Copy, and provided an honest, unbiased review. I would have snapped this one up in a hot minute as soon as it hit the virtual shelves!
*Note* I was given an Advanced Reading Copy, and provided an honest, unbiased review. I would have snapped this one up in a hot minute as soon as it hit the virtual shelves!
September 29, 2020
Billy and the Beast by Rli Easton is a contemporary MM retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story. It takes places in the Ever After, New York shared world but definitely stand alone, although I am intrigued and want to read the other books of the universe.
Billy is a sweet young man, looking after his mother and full of life. Aaron is a rich ex-playboy who is scarred and broken from an accident that almost killed him. We definitely get that opposite attract, young life helping heal the hurt feel in this story. Its done wonderfully. I love these two interacting and connecting. Their love story is sweet and steamy.
The story altogether is a fun and amazing read that provides mysteries to figure out, angst to ooooh. About and a love a awwww about. Definitely enjoyed every page.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this title and am reviewing voluntarily and honestly my own thoughts, opinion and reactions based on that copy.
Billy is a sweet young man, looking after his mother and full of life. Aaron is a rich ex-playboy who is scarred and broken from an accident that almost killed him. We definitely get that opposite attract, young life helping heal the hurt feel in this story. Its done wonderfully. I love these two interacting and connecting. Their love story is sweet and steamy.
The story altogether is a fun and amazing read that provides mysteries to figure out, angst to ooooh. About and a love a awwww about. Definitely enjoyed every page.
I was able to read an advanced copy of this title and am reviewing voluntarily and honestly my own thoughts, opinion and reactions based on that copy.
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