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A Talented #1
Beauty and the Blade
Most London socialites dream of marrying for love or status, but Contessa’s wedding is about justice—and revenge.
Nathanial Woodrow is known on the streets of London as the Beast, leader of the fearsome Lion gang who mark their victims with three slashes on their face. Since her mother was found dead with the signature slashes years ago, Contessa has wanted nothing more than to see her murderer brought to justice. However, the Beast has been impeccable at maintaining his façade as the high society Mr. Nathanial Woodrow, and nobody has been able to gather enough evidence to convict him. When the Beast unexpectedly asks Contessa’s father, the Chief of the Royal Police, for her hand in marriage, Contessa and her father hatch a plan to bring him down from the inside.
As Contessa enters the lion’s den in search of evidence to convict the Beast, she finds that not everything is as she once thought. Her father’s work, hunting down Talented that use their magic to rule the criminal underworld, is thrown into question with each glimpse of the kind-hearted man beneath the mask of a hardened gang leader. As Contessa navigates her search for justice, she finds herself questioning what side she’s really on, and why she finds herself drawn to a man she’s supposed to hate.
Nathanial Woodrow is known on the streets of London as the Beast, leader of the fearsome Lion gang who mark their victims with three slashes on their face. Since her mother was found dead with the signature slashes years ago, Contessa has wanted nothing more than to see her murderer brought to justice. However, the Beast has been impeccable at maintaining his façade as the high society Mr. Nathanial Woodrow, and nobody has been able to gather enough evidence to convict him. When the Beast unexpectedly asks Contessa’s father, the Chief of the Royal Police, for her hand in marriage, Contessa and her father hatch a plan to bring him down from the inside.
As Contessa enters the lion’s den in search of evidence to convict the Beast, she finds that not everything is as she once thought. Her father’s work, hunting down Talented that use their magic to rule the criminal underworld, is thrown into question with each glimpse of the kind-hearted man beneath the mask of a hardened gang leader. As Contessa navigates her search for justice, she finds herself questioning what side she’s really on, and why she finds herself drawn to a man she’s supposed to hate.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2023
222 people are currently reading
3044 people want to read
About the author
S.C. Grayson
10 books203 followersI've been reading fantasy novels since I was a little girl stealing books from my older sister’s shelves, and that has developed into a love of writing and storytelling. My writing is currently focused on fantasy and paranormal romance. When I'm not sitting in a local coffee shop writing and consuming an iced americano, I am a nurse researcher focused on breast cancer genetics. Though born and raised in the Chicago area, I live in Maryland with my loving husband and our two cats, who enjoy contributing to my work by walking across my keyboard at inopportune moments (the cats, not the husband).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
sampled-and-declined
January 27, 2023Another I'm gonna marry my mother's murderer, that handsome criminal with a sexy scar on his face, and, surprise! he isn't the real murderer trope-filled plot with borrowed "Beauty and the Beast" elements. Meh, hard pass.
July 3, 2023
Omg, this book is nothing but them eating breakfast, playing chess, her and her gowns- then them eating dinner. Lmao I’m out.
November 21, 2023
This was amazing!! I have been on a Beauty and the Beast re-telling kick, and this was the best one yet.
Contessa is the daughter of the Chief of Police in a slightly altered London of the past. Her father has dedicated his life to hunting down magic-wielders, those called "Talented" by their supporters and the "Cursed" by their detractors. Contessa has been raised as a weapon, taught espionage and strategy. The man who murdered her mother, The Beast, has recently asked her father for her hand in marriage, despite never having spoken to her. Contessa and her father agree that she will marry The Beast, the suspected head of a criminal gang called The Lions, in order to get evidence proving his guilt so that she can revenge the death of her mother. What unfolds is a romp through the criminal underground, with magic, kidnapping, and pickpocketing.
Contessa is a fun heroine and I loved the love interest. I'm usually not a fan of mafia romance or of (mostly) spice-free romance, but this one was very good! I hope the next book is released soon. I'll definitely be reading it!
Good to know:
- Marriage of convenience
- Enemies to lovers
- Low spice
- Slow-burn romance
- Found family
Thanks so much to S. C. Grayson and Mystic Owl for this ARC through NetGalley! Beauty and the Blade is available as of January 2023 and is available now on Kindle Unlimited!
Contessa is the daughter of the Chief of Police in a slightly altered London of the past. Her father has dedicated his life to hunting down magic-wielders, those called "Talented" by their supporters and the "Cursed" by their detractors. Contessa has been raised as a weapon, taught espionage and strategy. The man who murdered her mother, The Beast, has recently asked her father for her hand in marriage, despite never having spoken to her. Contessa and her father agree that she will marry The Beast, the suspected head of a criminal gang called The Lions, in order to get evidence proving his guilt so that she can revenge the death of her mother. What unfolds is a romp through the criminal underground, with magic, kidnapping, and pickpocketing.
Contessa is a fun heroine and I loved the love interest. I'm usually not a fan of mafia romance or of (mostly) spice-free romance, but this one was very good! I hope the next book is released soon. I'll definitely be reading it!
Good to know:
- Marriage of convenience
- Enemies to lovers
- Low spice
- Slow-burn romance
- Found family
Thanks so much to S. C. Grayson and Mystic Owl for this ARC through NetGalley! Beauty and the Blade is available as of January 2023 and is available now on Kindle Unlimited!
January 29, 2023
A really great twist on the Beauty and the Beast tale! Nathaniel Woodrow is whispered to be the head of one of London's most powerful gangs known as the Lions. Scarred badly from a supposed fight to take power and become the leader of the Lions he is called the beast. When Contessa's mother is brutally killed all fingers point to the beast and his gang so together with her father who just happens to be the chief of the royal police and wants Nate and his followers all swinging from the gallows they concoct plan for revenge and getting her closer to Nate. So when the beast asks for her to marry its just what Contessa needs to get proof that this monster killed her innocent mother and so many others. But nothing is what it seems and with so many lies and dark secrets little by little Contessa learns that while Nathaniel might look beastly he is not a murderer but someone who cares deeply for those around him and that the true monster and murderer of her mother is closer then she thinks. This is a slow burn but a awesome read nonetheless with great characters and strong writing and it puts together a awesome read. The chemistry between Nate and Contessa was their and once the truth comes out so did their passion. I also loved a few secondary characters like the charming rogue Kristoff Mainsworth he was fabulous and Gregor Nate's man who runs his house and keeps everyone going. I love the scenes were Kristoff and Gregor sneak off to spend time together! Their so cute together. And then theirs Rhosyn!!! Love this young girl spirt and strength! She's A fighter and as tough as any of the men in Lions gang but at the same time soft and loving with the little ones. I really enjoyed this book. Until next time Luv's💕💋
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher and Author for this copy😉💋
I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher and Author for this copy😉💋
November 12, 2022
Peaky Blinders meets Bridgerton in this lush reimagining of Beauty and the Beast with an endearing cast of characters, subtle magic, and a deliciously agonizing slow burn romance.
This book was absolutely everything I wanted it to be and more. From the very first chapter we're transported for an alternate historical version of London filled with the subtle magic wielded by the Talented. The descriptions and dialogue fit so well and painted lush pictures in my mind the entire time I read. The use of subtle magic and the way it affects the characters and society as a whole is brilliant, and so refreshing.
The characters, though, are the real star of the show. Each and every one is so beautifully crafted and brings something unique to the story. The main characters, Contessa and Nathaniel, especially, are an absolute delight. What starts with animosity and a desire for revenge slowly transforms into something heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The slow burn is agonizing in the best of ways, and the payoff is well worth it.
I was so happy to learn that there will be more books in this series, because I absolutely need more and cannot wait for another journey into the world of The Talented.
This book was absolutely everything I wanted it to be and more. From the very first chapter we're transported for an alternate historical version of London filled with the subtle magic wielded by the Talented. The descriptions and dialogue fit so well and painted lush pictures in my mind the entire time I read. The use of subtle magic and the way it affects the characters and society as a whole is brilliant, and so refreshing.
The characters, though, are the real star of the show. Each and every one is so beautifully crafted and brings something unique to the story. The main characters, Contessa and Nathaniel, especially, are an absolute delight. What starts with animosity and a desire for revenge slowly transforms into something heart-wrenchingly beautiful. The slow burn is agonizing in the best of ways, and the payoff is well worth it.
I was so happy to learn that there will be more books in this series, because I absolutely need more and cannot wait for another journey into the world of The Talented.
January 2, 2023
Thank you S.C. Grayson for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
YOU GUYS. This is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite “Beauty and the Beast” retelling! This version of the story had everything I was looking for… a mysterious, brooding and misunderstood, heart-of-gold beast, a kick-butt, witty, take-charge leading lady, and a cast of memorable side characters that you can’t help but fall in love with ☺️ I truly couldn’t have asked for a better first read of 2023!
Brief Synopsis:
In an alternate version of industrial London, Nate Woodrow (aka the Beast) leads a nefarious street gang known as the Lions, a group that Contessa Cook (aka Belle) is certain is responsible for the murder of her beloved mother. With the training and upbringing of her father, the Royal Chief of Police, Contessa dives headlong into the, literal and proverbial, lion’s den, and agrees to marry the beast in the hopes of exacting her revenge.
Little does Contessa know that things are not as black and white as she might hope. The “beast” is kind, if guarded, and the more she digs into his activities the more Contessa is convinced, his actions seem to be for the benefit of the people. Those she counts as friends begin to turn their backs on her, thinking her mind “poisoned” from the months spent living with her new husband, and a series of twists of events will send Contessa’s world spiraling, making her question everything she once believed…
My Thoughts:
I LOVED the slow build of romance between Nate and Contessa. They have a chance to get to know one another, make judgments and assumptions, ultimately work through them, and form a strong and lasting bond with just a hint of spice that will have reader’s pulses racing! 🥵
There’s plenty of fun and subtle hints to the original fairytale in this story, and I got such a kick out of the auxiliary characters in this version! It’s often easy for the secondary cast to fall into obscurity, but I think S.C. Grayson crafted them masterfully, in a way that they are not only memorable, but also provide vital aspects to extend the plot.
Ladies maid, Julia, is a bright spot of sunshine and warmth in Contessa’s early days in her new home, and she brings a lightness to the heavy tones at the beginning of the book. Gregor, Nate’s manservant, is a quiet and steady presence, full of kindness and adorable bashfulness as Nate’s close friend Kristoff pursues him and flirts mercilessly with him. Kristoff in particular was a character that brought so much sass and humor to the table, I found myself often snorting aloud during some of his interactions 😂
It was great to see a heroine that truly had the wit and the grit. She may appear to be the perfect, demure lady on the outside, but as she hints in her wily games of chess with the beast, Contessa is not above laying some diabolical schemes and putting in the blood sweat and tears to achieve her goals. Her determination and the mystery of Nate’s true intentions made this enemies-to-lovers tale all the more delectable!
I’m glad to see that this is book one in a planned series… I’ll definitely be waiting impatiently for future installments! 👀
YOU GUYS. This is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite “Beauty and the Beast” retelling! This version of the story had everything I was looking for… a mysterious, brooding and misunderstood, heart-of-gold beast, a kick-butt, witty, take-charge leading lady, and a cast of memorable side characters that you can’t help but fall in love with ☺️ I truly couldn’t have asked for a better first read of 2023!
Brief Synopsis:
In an alternate version of industrial London, Nate Woodrow (aka the Beast) leads a nefarious street gang known as the Lions, a group that Contessa Cook (aka Belle) is certain is responsible for the murder of her beloved mother. With the training and upbringing of her father, the Royal Chief of Police, Contessa dives headlong into the, literal and proverbial, lion’s den, and agrees to marry the beast in the hopes of exacting her revenge.
Little does Contessa know that things are not as black and white as she might hope. The “beast” is kind, if guarded, and the more she digs into his activities the more Contessa is convinced, his actions seem to be for the benefit of the people. Those she counts as friends begin to turn their backs on her, thinking her mind “poisoned” from the months spent living with her new husband, and a series of twists of events will send Contessa’s world spiraling, making her question everything she once believed…
My Thoughts:
I LOVED the slow build of romance between Nate and Contessa. They have a chance to get to know one another, make judgments and assumptions, ultimately work through them, and form a strong and lasting bond with just a hint of spice that will have reader’s pulses racing! 🥵
There’s plenty of fun and subtle hints to the original fairytale in this story, and I got such a kick out of the auxiliary characters in this version! It’s often easy for the secondary cast to fall into obscurity, but I think S.C. Grayson crafted them masterfully, in a way that they are not only memorable, but also provide vital aspects to extend the plot.
Ladies maid, Julia, is a bright spot of sunshine and warmth in Contessa’s early days in her new home, and she brings a lightness to the heavy tones at the beginning of the book. Gregor, Nate’s manservant, is a quiet and steady presence, full of kindness and adorable bashfulness as Nate’s close friend Kristoff pursues him and flirts mercilessly with him. Kristoff in particular was a character that brought so much sass and humor to the table, I found myself often snorting aloud during some of his interactions 😂
It was great to see a heroine that truly had the wit and the grit. She may appear to be the perfect, demure lady on the outside, but as she hints in her wily games of chess with the beast, Contessa is not above laying some diabolical schemes and putting in the blood sweat and tears to achieve her goals. Her determination and the mystery of Nate’s true intentions made this enemies-to-lovers tale all the more delectable!
I’m glad to see that this is book one in a planned series… I’ll definitely be waiting impatiently for future installments! 👀
May 14, 2024
This was a refreshing take on Beauty and the Beast
⚜Genre: Low Fantasy
⚜Theme: Urban Retelling Romance Low Fantacy
⚜Targeted audience: new adults - 16+
⚜Characters: Contessa - Nathaniel
⚜Representation: LGBTQ+
⚜Pace: Fast
⚜TW: kidnapping, execution, violence
⚜ tropes: revenge, arranged marriage, slow-burn, one tub (is that a thing?)
⚜ POV: one-sided third person (pity!)
⚜ spice: 1/2 🌶 one short scene towards the end. without it, this would have been YA
⚜ rating: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟 🔅
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
In the shadowy corners of London where subtle magic is blessed to the few but hated by the authorities, Nathanial Woodrow, known as the Beast, leads the notorious Lion gang, feared for their brutal signature mark,the three slashes. Contessa, whose mother fell victim to the Beast's cruelty, craves justice. Her opportunity arises when the Beast, a man of dual identities, proposes marriage, even though knowing Contessa's father is the Chief of Police. Together, they devise a plan to expose the Beast from within his own lair. Yet, as Contessa delves deeper into the gang's world, she uncovers complexities in her quest for vengeance. The Beast's unexpected compassion shakes her convictions, leading her to question the very essence of right and wrong, and whether her hatred is justified. Caught in a web of deceit and burgeoning forbidden emotions, Contessa's journey blurs the lines between justice and love, ally and enemy.
The book is told solely from Contessa's POV. Up until the 80%, nothing happens between Contessa and Nate. I came by then to the conclusion that the romance is not even a subplot here. Their interaction was bordered by the game of chess they play, and few words they exchange. I did not feel their romance.
and then BAM! they are hot for each other.....ok.
I liked the subtle magic in this book. Some are known as the Talented between each other but the Cursed by the authorities. They are persecuted for their magic that is seen as an abomination raising the ever-present theme "Fear of the different from you".
I liked the twists and turns in the book, and though you may get the hint of that reveal in the end, you still wait for it.
I loved Contessa's strong personality. She is brave and resourceful. She does not cower in the face of men.
Nate, the beast, is actually a teddy bear on the inside, surprise surprise.
I wished the book gave us more of Contessa and Nate. I did not get her sudden shift. You've been told all your life that he murdered your mother, then, when he just say "It wasn't me" you believe him?
It was an enjoyable read
I am going to look to see if the other characters have their own story.
⚜Genre: Low Fantasy
⚜Theme: Urban Retelling Romance Low Fantacy
⚜Targeted audience: new adults - 16+
⚜Characters: Contessa - Nathaniel
⚜Representation: LGBTQ+
⚜Pace: Fast
⚜TW: kidnapping, execution, violence
⚜ tropes: revenge, arranged marriage, slow-burn, one tub (is that a thing?)
⚜ POV: one-sided third person (pity!)
⚜ spice: 1/2 🌶 one short scene towards the end. without it, this would have been YA
⚜ rating: 3.5 🌟🌟🌟 🔅
⚜standalone: yes
⚜Ending: HEA
In the shadowy corners of London where subtle magic is blessed to the few but hated by the authorities, Nathanial Woodrow, known as the Beast, leads the notorious Lion gang, feared for their brutal signature mark,the three slashes. Contessa, whose mother fell victim to the Beast's cruelty, craves justice. Her opportunity arises when the Beast, a man of dual identities, proposes marriage, even though knowing Contessa's father is the Chief of Police. Together, they devise a plan to expose the Beast from within his own lair. Yet, as Contessa delves deeper into the gang's world, she uncovers complexities in her quest for vengeance. The Beast's unexpected compassion shakes her convictions, leading her to question the very essence of right and wrong, and whether her hatred is justified. Caught in a web of deceit and burgeoning forbidden emotions, Contessa's journey blurs the lines between justice and love, ally and enemy.
The book is told solely from Contessa's POV. Up until the 80%, nothing happens between Contessa and Nate. I came by then to the conclusion that the romance is not even a subplot here. Their interaction was bordered by the game of chess they play, and few words they exchange. I did not feel their romance.
and then BAM! they are hot for each other.....ok.
I liked the subtle magic in this book. Some are known as the Talented between each other but the Cursed by the authorities. They are persecuted for their magic that is seen as an abomination raising the ever-present theme "Fear of the different from you".
I liked the twists and turns in the book, and though you may get the hint of that reveal in the end, you still wait for it.
I loved Contessa's strong personality. She is brave and resourceful. She does not cower in the face of men.
Nate, the beast, is actually a teddy bear on the inside, surprise surprise.
I wished the book gave us more of Contessa and Nate. I did not get her sudden shift. You've been told all your life that he murdered your mother, then, when he just say "It wasn't me" you believe him?
It was an enjoyable read
I am going to look to see if the other characters have their own story.
January 23, 2023
WOW! My first five star read of the year and possibly one of my new favorite magic universes! I was instantly pulled into the depth of this novel- the relationships, the magic, the politics, the criminal underbelly. Everything is perfectly introduced and intriguing, setting us up for so many incredible avenues for the future of this series.
Contessa and Nate are a top five book couple of all time for me. The growth of their relationship over the course of the novel was so beautiful and perfectly paced. I have been rereading scenes almost daily since I finished this book a week ago because I can’t stop thinking about these two. I am obsessed.
I can’t tell you what to do, but if I could I would say READ THIS BOOK! Seriously! As soon as possible!
/an advanced reader copy of this book was gifted to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, S. C. Grayson for valuing my review/
Contessa and Nate are a top five book couple of all time for me. The growth of their relationship over the course of the novel was so beautiful and perfectly paced. I have been rereading scenes almost daily since I finished this book a week ago because I can’t stop thinking about these two. I am obsessed.
I can’t tell you what to do, but if I could I would say READ THIS BOOK! Seriously! As soon as possible!
/an advanced reader copy of this book was gifted to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, S. C. Grayson for valuing my review/
January 31, 2023
I’ve been wanting to read this book since I first heard about it over the summer of 2022. And man the author did NOT disappoint!
This book has it all! Love. Betrayal. Plot twists. Magic. A morally gray MMC. And it’s historical! I fell in love with these characters within the first few pages and did not want it to end! I’m so obsessed with Contessa and Nathaniel! I need more of them!
This book has it all! Love. Betrayal. Plot twists. Magic. A morally gray MMC. And it’s historical! I fell in love with these characters within the first few pages and did not want it to end! I’m so obsessed with Contessa and Nathaniel! I need more of them!
February 2, 2023
A huge thanks to netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4 stars 🖤🖤🖤🖤
"It was the first time I realized that maybe - maybe sharp things could be beautiful too.”
If you’re looking for:
✔️ A simple magic system
✔️ A slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance
✔️ Marriage of revenge
✔️ A fast-paced read
✔️ One bed & tending wound trope
✔️ Found family
Then this book is for you. It’s the reason I picked the book, so I don’t see why you shouldn’t.
When you believe your enemy is your mother’s killer you marry him. For revenge. But when lines are blurred and sides are exchanged, right and wrong become hard to differentiate.
I believe this is my first beauty and the beast retelling and I was not disappointed. I’ve wanted to put my hands on this book from the first time I saw it. It is a perfect light read for when you crave some fantasy. The magic was basic and the plot was captivating. The plot twist was expected but perfectly timed.
I LOVE the side characters, especially Kristoff, he has the best humor. And Nate is just perfect. I don’t want to give out anything but he is nice and caring. So caring that it created this warm atmosphere. Connie was sweet but not my favorite although I did admire her wit and intelligence. Her father is the worst, it’s like he’s the one forcing her to do the dirty work and I can’t stand him.
I’m not sure how this is going to be a series since the story feels like it came to an end but I’ll still be looking forward to reading it.
Also, there is an illustration of both characters in the beginning. They're a beauty 🥰
Rating: 4 stars 🖤🖤🖤🖤
"It was the first time I realized that maybe - maybe sharp things could be beautiful too.”
If you’re looking for:
✔️ A simple magic system
✔️ A slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance
✔️ Marriage of revenge
✔️ A fast-paced read
✔️ One bed & tending wound trope
✔️ Found family
Then this book is for you. It’s the reason I picked the book, so I don’t see why you shouldn’t.
When you believe your enemy is your mother’s killer you marry him. For revenge. But when lines are blurred and sides are exchanged, right and wrong become hard to differentiate.
I believe this is my first beauty and the beast retelling and I was not disappointed. I’ve wanted to put my hands on this book from the first time I saw it. It is a perfect light read for when you crave some fantasy. The magic was basic and the plot was captivating. The plot twist was expected but perfectly timed.
I LOVE the side characters, especially Kristoff, he has the best humor. And Nate is just perfect. I don’t want to give out anything but he is nice and caring. So caring that it created this warm atmosphere. Connie was sweet but not my favorite although I did admire her wit and intelligence. Her father is the worst, it’s like he’s the one forcing her to do the dirty work and I can’t stand him.
I’m not sure how this is going to be a series since the story feels like it came to an end but I’ll still be looking forward to reading it.
Also, there is an illustration of both characters in the beginning. They're a beauty 🥰
November 15, 2022
Beauty and the Beast retellings have always been some of my favorite books, and I always dreamed of writing my own. I'm thrilled with how this one turned out! As an author, it's nearly impossible to pick a favorite thing I've written, but this one certainly holds a special place in my heart. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading and thank you for checking out my book!
November 25, 2022
Beauty and the Blade provides a wonderful Dickensian quality as a backdrop to a gripping, enemies to lovers tale. Contessa is a plucky, take-no-prisoners heroine wrapped around a lovely heart. The story is full of both romantic and action filled twists and surprises that keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a terrific opener to what surely will prove to be a must-read series.
June 14, 2023
So bad that it’s not even worth reviewing. Just… don’t read it.
ETA: Oh, god. No. I forgot that this was a line that was actually uttered without irony at one point:
“Remember, the first step in knife fighting is to have fun and be yourself.”
IS IT THOUGH. IS THAT THE FIRST STEP OF KNIFE-FIGHTING?
ETA: Oh, god. No. I forgot that this was a line that was actually uttered without irony at one point:
“Remember, the first step in knife fighting is to have fun and be yourself.”
IS IT THOUGH. IS THAT THE FIRST STEP OF KNIFE-FIGHTING?
January 7, 2023
“𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞, 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐰…𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰, 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐚𝐲?”
“𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞—𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐨.”
“𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭?”
“𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.”
“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
____________________
No one expected the leader of one of the most feared gangs in London to ask for the hand of the Chief of Police’s daughter, but when the man known as The Beast does that very thing her father can only say yes. Raised to be sharp and calculating, Contessa obediently walks down the aisle to the man who presumably killed her mother with only one thought in mind: find the evidence to take him down once and for all. But everything she encounters from their wedding on is at odds with everything she has been taught and led to believe and after a few twists of fate she soon comes to realize that the scarred man feared by so many may only be an orphan named Nate who has had to make his own way in a world that is hostile to anyone different from them. Especially those with magic. As Contessa falls deeper into the world of the Lions and befriends the closest confidants of Nate’s, she finds herself befriending him as well and, in turn, beginning to fall for him. As she develops feelings for him she discovers secrets about herself that she never knew and soon she finds herself at the center of a conflict running deeper and further in the city of London than she could have ever imagined.
I have read a LOT of Beauty and the Beast retellings, but none like this before. A fantastic blend of Six of Crows meets Stalking Jack the Ripper with subtle nods to the classic Disney Beauty and the Beast that we all know and love and a magic system worth of the Grishaverse, this book was FANTASTIC from cover to cover!!
Connie was a wonderful lead and I admired her intelligence, her wit, and her guarded ability, but how through it all she never let any of it make her cold or calloused. She never let go of the love her mother raised her with, or the sweetness of her childhood before her world was turned upside down.
S.C. Grayson is the reigning queen of the cinnamon roll and she continues her streak with Nate!! His story, his driving force, his cause, and his pure love and loyalty to his friends is absolutely everything. How he views his own existence and reputation is heart-wrenching and I just wanted to hug him so many times.
The romance between Nate and Connie is so sweet. Watching them get to know each other, challenge each other, and then partner with each other as comrades and ultimately friends before letting their feelings finally boil over into passionate love was just SO GOOD. I absolutely adore them both and their story gave me ALL of the warm fuzzy feelings.
Beyond that this book contained so many laughs too. Most of them coming from the side characters, but let’s be real…they were all just as important to this story as Connie and Nate were. I loved every single one of them and the magic that happened on the page every time we got Connie, Nate, and Kristoff together was *chefs kiss*. Outside of all that I think Rhosyn was my favorite character!!
All in all I loved everything about this book. The fairytale nods, the banter, the tension, the mystery, the action, the suspense, the romance, absolutely everything about it was spot on. I can’t wait to stay in this world and see what the rest of the series has in store for us.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It was an absolute pleasure reading and reviewing this novel!!
“𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞—𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐨.”
“𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭?”
“𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.”
“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
____________________
No one expected the leader of one of the most feared gangs in London to ask for the hand of the Chief of Police’s daughter, but when the man known as The Beast does that very thing her father can only say yes. Raised to be sharp and calculating, Contessa obediently walks down the aisle to the man who presumably killed her mother with only one thought in mind: find the evidence to take him down once and for all. But everything she encounters from their wedding on is at odds with everything she has been taught and led to believe and after a few twists of fate she soon comes to realize that the scarred man feared by so many may only be an orphan named Nate who has had to make his own way in a world that is hostile to anyone different from them. Especially those with magic. As Contessa falls deeper into the world of the Lions and befriends the closest confidants of Nate’s, she finds herself befriending him as well and, in turn, beginning to fall for him. As she develops feelings for him she discovers secrets about herself that she never knew and soon she finds herself at the center of a conflict running deeper and further in the city of London than she could have ever imagined.
I have read a LOT of Beauty and the Beast retellings, but none like this before. A fantastic blend of Six of Crows meets Stalking Jack the Ripper with subtle nods to the classic Disney Beauty and the Beast that we all know and love and a magic system worth of the Grishaverse, this book was FANTASTIC from cover to cover!!
Connie was a wonderful lead and I admired her intelligence, her wit, and her guarded ability, but how through it all she never let any of it make her cold or calloused. She never let go of the love her mother raised her with, or the sweetness of her childhood before her world was turned upside down.
S.C. Grayson is the reigning queen of the cinnamon roll and she continues her streak with Nate!! His story, his driving force, his cause, and his pure love and loyalty to his friends is absolutely everything. How he views his own existence and reputation is heart-wrenching and I just wanted to hug him so many times.
The romance between Nate and Connie is so sweet. Watching them get to know each other, challenge each other, and then partner with each other as comrades and ultimately friends before letting their feelings finally boil over into passionate love was just SO GOOD. I absolutely adore them both and their story gave me ALL of the warm fuzzy feelings.
Beyond that this book contained so many laughs too. Most of them coming from the side characters, but let’s be real…they were all just as important to this story as Connie and Nate were. I loved every single one of them and the magic that happened on the page every time we got Connie, Nate, and Kristoff together was *chefs kiss*. Outside of all that I think Rhosyn was my favorite character!!
All in all I loved everything about this book. The fairytale nods, the banter, the tension, the mystery, the action, the suspense, the romance, absolutely everything about it was spot on. I can’t wait to stay in this world and see what the rest of the series has in store for us.
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It was an absolute pleasure reading and reviewing this novel!!
May 4, 2023
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars!
It was a nice retelling with good characters but the execution of the plot and world building wasn't that good. I've skipped some pages because it dragged in few scenes. I hope it improves in the sequel. I really enjoyed the main characters Nate and Contessa so I might check out the next book if it comes out.
It was a nice retelling with good characters but the execution of the plot and world building wasn't that good. I've skipped some pages because it dragged in few scenes. I hope it improves in the sequel. I really enjoyed the main characters Nate and Contessa so I might check out the next book if it comes out.
November 1, 2023
YALL this was the first Beauty and the beast retelling that I enjoyed through and through. The pacing, the setting, the character arcs I loved all of it. One of the best retellings I’ve read. Nate has my ❤️
November 30, 2024
"It was the first time I realised that maybe, maybe sharp things could be beautiful too."
I have been wanting to read Beauty and The Blade ever since I first heard about this book. So when I found out there was a chance to read an e-ARC of this, I jumped on the chance and it was perfect in every way. This was a total delight to read and I feel honoured that this was my introduction into SC Grayson's writing world.
This book had some of my all time favourite tropes and the way SC made the story flow and unfold was perfect in every sense.
One of my absolute favourite periods in history is the Victorian era and the way Grayson presented that time in this book was wonderful plus I've read a few Beauty and the Beast retellings but I'll be perfectly honest, this one went above and beyond my expectations.
Connie is a new favourite FMC of mine. I appreciated getting to know her character so much. Her wit, stance, intelligence was admirable but one thing I loved more than anything is that she didn't let anything harden or close her heart off completely and that made her all the more real and relatable in my opinion.
Nate is officially my new book boyfriend. His life story, what he stands for, his cause, and just his pure love and loyalty towards his close circle of friends is absolutely everything. How he sees himself though and his own existence and reputation definitely got me misty and there were so many times I wanted to somehow reach through the pages and give him a hug.
Watching the slow burn romance simmer between these two was delightful. Seeing them lower their guards, yet still challenge each other but through it all learn to trust was everything and made my heart so happy. I also appreciated that even though you could clearly see the passion between the two, it did not over take the plot which was written perfectly.
The political intrigue kept me going and the plot twists were definitely well thought out.
There was also many moments for laughter too that I always appreciate in any book. This was usually whenever Kristoff was making an appearance because who doesn't value a sassy bestie that offers the perfect amount of comic relief and the three of them together is something everyone needs to read and experience. It was divine.
I am excited to see how the rest of the series will carry on. The pace felt very fitting for it being the first book in a new series. Thank you SC Grayson for letting me read an ARC of your new book baby. I am every bit in love with them. I will now be making my way through your back log and fall further in love with them all.
"I've always disliked people who say fairy tales are only for children. If the point of them is to escape into our imagination, then wouldn't adults who are so painfully aware of the weary ways of the world need them most?"
I have been wanting to read Beauty and The Blade ever since I first heard about this book. So when I found out there was a chance to read an e-ARC of this, I jumped on the chance and it was perfect in every way. This was a total delight to read and I feel honoured that this was my introduction into SC Grayson's writing world.
This book had some of my all time favourite tropes and the way SC made the story flow and unfold was perfect in every sense.
One of my absolute favourite periods in history is the Victorian era and the way Grayson presented that time in this book was wonderful plus I've read a few Beauty and the Beast retellings but I'll be perfectly honest, this one went above and beyond my expectations.
Connie is a new favourite FMC of mine. I appreciated getting to know her character so much. Her wit, stance, intelligence was admirable but one thing I loved more than anything is that she didn't let anything harden or close her heart off completely and that made her all the more real and relatable in my opinion.
Nate is officially my new book boyfriend. His life story, what he stands for, his cause, and just his pure love and loyalty towards his close circle of friends is absolutely everything. How he sees himself though and his own existence and reputation definitely got me misty and there were so many times I wanted to somehow reach through the pages and give him a hug.
Watching the slow burn romance simmer between these two was delightful. Seeing them lower their guards, yet still challenge each other but through it all learn to trust was everything and made my heart so happy. I also appreciated that even though you could clearly see the passion between the two, it did not over take the plot which was written perfectly.
The political intrigue kept me going and the plot twists were definitely well thought out.
There was also many moments for laughter too that I always appreciate in any book. This was usually whenever Kristoff was making an appearance because who doesn't value a sassy bestie that offers the perfect amount of comic relief and the three of them together is something everyone needs to read and experience. It was divine.
I am excited to see how the rest of the series will carry on. The pace felt very fitting for it being the first book in a new series. Thank you SC Grayson for letting me read an ARC of your new book baby. I am every bit in love with them. I will now be making my way through your back log and fall further in love with them all.
"I've always disliked people who say fairy tales are only for children. If the point of them is to escape into our imagination, then wouldn't adults who are so painfully aware of the weary ways of the world need them most?"
January 13, 2023
♟ Thank you so much, for this eArc in exchange for my honest review ♟
Beauty and the Beast retelling, set in industrial-era London. London is plagued by the cursed, people with magical skills. The latest king was killed by one of the London gangs, who's members are mostly cursed ones. Connie's mother was killed by one of the greatly feared ones, The Beast. Nathaniel, leader of the Lion gang. Her father, the police chief, is hunting them down. Occasionally they're hung in public to demonstrate the strength of the police. To help her father bring down the Beast, Connie agreed to a marry the man, to search for evidence.
In the first couple of days of her marriage, she doesn't see Nathaniel often and is bored in the almost empty house.
"I've always disliked people who say fairy tales are only for children. If the point of them is to escape into our imagination, then wouldn't adults who are so painfully aware of the weary ways of the world need them most?"
Connie and Nate are growing on each other slowly. And Connie starts to realize not everything she was taught is black and white. And maybe not everyone who works for the law is actually protecting it. 🤔
I adore Connie, she is an intelligent young woman, and learns about the true London fast. Her relationship with Nate is growing to a great friendship over the book. All the secondary characters are to fall for. I can't wait to read more in upcoming books.
"I've found that when I put the important things off, they never get done. Anything worth doing is worth doing now."
I want to add, that I read Spears and Shadows from S.C. Grayson as well, and I don't want to say it wasn't good - I like that book a lot, but you can definitely see the development she is doing. This book was so well written, and I couldn't stop myself, I was flying trough this book and fell in love with each of the characters.
Read if you like:
- arranged marriage
- slow burn romance
- Beauty and the Beast retelling
- enemies-to-lovers
- found family
- hidden magic / magical street gangs
Beauty and the Beast retelling, set in industrial-era London. London is plagued by the cursed, people with magical skills. The latest king was killed by one of the London gangs, who's members are mostly cursed ones. Connie's mother was killed by one of the greatly feared ones, The Beast. Nathaniel, leader of the Lion gang. Her father, the police chief, is hunting them down. Occasionally they're hung in public to demonstrate the strength of the police. To help her father bring down the Beast, Connie agreed to a marry the man, to search for evidence.
In the first couple of days of her marriage, she doesn't see Nathaniel often and is bored in the almost empty house.
"I've always disliked people who say fairy tales are only for children. If the point of them is to escape into our imagination, then wouldn't adults who are so painfully aware of the weary ways of the world need them most?"
Connie and Nate are growing on each other slowly. And Connie starts to realize not everything she was taught is black and white. And maybe not everyone who works for the law is actually protecting it. 🤔
I adore Connie, she is an intelligent young woman, and learns about the true London fast. Her relationship with Nate is growing to a great friendship over the book. All the secondary characters are to fall for. I can't wait to read more in upcoming books.
"I've found that when I put the important things off, they never get done. Anything worth doing is worth doing now."
I want to add, that I read Spears and Shadows from S.C. Grayson as well, and I don't want to say it wasn't good - I like that book a lot, but you can definitely see the development she is doing. This book was so well written, and I couldn't stop myself, I was flying trough this book and fell in love with each of the characters.
Read if you like:
- arranged marriage
- slow burn romance
- Beauty and the Beast retelling
- enemies-to-lovers
- found family
- hidden magic / magical street gangs
December 28, 2022
Thank you so so much to the author for sharing an e-ARC copy of this fantasy romance book with me!!!!
“Waiting for her at the end of the aisle was the man who had murdered her mother.”
“It’s a shame your mother hasn’t gotten to see what you’ve grown into.”
Contessa stopped but didn’t face Nate as she asked, “Oh, and what am I?”
“Whatever you want to be.”
I think I have just found one of my most anticipated release for 2023 !!!!
I don’t know how many times I will thank the author for gifting me an e-ARC copy of it because … I AM ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED !!!!
Wow !!!! A Beauty and the Beast retelling but one done well !!!!!
If you’re fan of The Wrath and The Dawn, Beauty and the Beast and the X-Men but in a regency era … this is the book for you !!!
I don’t know which aspect of the story I loved most.
The plot was absolutely great with some twists and turns that I was not expecting while there were others that I had a slight idea could happen.
The characters were stunning!!! Contessa and Nathaniel were perfect in their faults and so sweet I couldn’t help but fall deeply for them !!! Especially my beautifully troubled and handsome beast, Nathaniel !!!
The action was engaging, the mystery intriguing and the romance addicting !!!
I loved this book through and through!!!
I was hooked from the very first pages!!! The sweetness of the moments they shared, compared to the ugly truth of what they were facing was almost overwhelming… and I loved every second of experiencing it with them!!!
I honestly cannot wait for this universe to take even more shape and to read more books in this series !!!!
“Not to mention, it turns out I need to have my guard up even in my own home because my wife is a thief who won’t hesitate to grab things from my pocket.”
“But then we were getting married, and you looked at me, so lovely and so full of rage that you nearly knocked me off my feet. It was the first time I realized that maybe—maybe sharp things could be beautiful too.”
“Waiting for her at the end of the aisle was the man who had murdered her mother.”
“It’s a shame your mother hasn’t gotten to see what you’ve grown into.”
Contessa stopped but didn’t face Nate as she asked, “Oh, and what am I?”
“Whatever you want to be.”
I think I have just found one of my most anticipated release for 2023 !!!!
I don’t know how many times I will thank the author for gifting me an e-ARC copy of it because … I AM ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED !!!!
Wow !!!! A Beauty and the Beast retelling but one done well !!!!!
If you’re fan of The Wrath and The Dawn, Beauty and the Beast and the X-Men but in a regency era … this is the book for you !!!
I don’t know which aspect of the story I loved most.
The plot was absolutely great with some twists and turns that I was not expecting while there were others that I had a slight idea could happen.
The characters were stunning!!! Contessa and Nathaniel were perfect in their faults and so sweet I couldn’t help but fall deeply for them !!! Especially my beautifully troubled and handsome beast, Nathaniel !!!
The action was engaging, the mystery intriguing and the romance addicting !!!
I loved this book through and through!!!
I was hooked from the very first pages!!! The sweetness of the moments they shared, compared to the ugly truth of what they were facing was almost overwhelming… and I loved every second of experiencing it with them!!!
I honestly cannot wait for this universe to take even more shape and to read more books in this series !!!!
“Not to mention, it turns out I need to have my guard up even in my own home because my wife is a thief who won’t hesitate to grab things from my pocket.”
“But then we were getting married, and you looked at me, so lovely and so full of rage that you nearly knocked me off my feet. It was the first time I realized that maybe—maybe sharp things could be beautiful too.”
January 24, 2023
“𝚂𝚘, 𝚍𝚘 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗, 𝚘𝚛 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚔𝚒𝚌𝚔 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛’𝚜 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚝 𝚍𝚘𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚋 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚝?”
🍷🍷🍷🍷 / 5
🌶🌶🌶 / 5
»»————-✼————-««
Review:
I want to say a huge thank you to the author for providing me with a free ARC for an honest review.
I’ve definitely been on a dark romance kick lately, and although dark beauty and the blade was definitely on the sweeter side! I think the best way I can describe beauty and the blade is:
Beauty and the beast x Bridgerton x Peaky Blinders with magic!
And honestly, I’m 10000% here for it!
Grayson’s writing style is fantastic, it’s fast paced, with witty banter and magical elements that I’ve not read before. Rather than elemental magic or witch magic, the talented have more bespoke magic; like the ability to sense danger, being able to sense peoples feelings or being able to make plants grow. These little powers add a more personal touch to the characters and I could feel myself connecting with them more trying to figure out what their talents might be!
Nate is my book boyfriend of the week (it changes weekly due to the sheer amount I have😅) I love him, he is perfect honestly I love him. He’s seen as powerful and scary, a criminal to be feared; but omg he’s a big teddy bear, I can’t say much more without dropping big spoilers but I hope you read and love him too!
Contessa is such a complex character with so many layers but her sheer determination makes her a force to be reckoned with. She’s witty and funny and just really easy to like.
For lovers of:
- Beauty and the Beast retellings
- Bridgerton x Peaky Blinders
- Subtle magic systems
- Marriage of convenience
- Forced proximity
- Tending to wounds
- LGBTQ+ representation
- MMC with facial deformity / scars
🍷🍷🍷🍷 / 5
🌶🌶🌶 / 5
»»————-✼————-««
Review:
I want to say a huge thank you to the author for providing me with a free ARC for an honest review.
I’ve definitely been on a dark romance kick lately, and although dark beauty and the blade was definitely on the sweeter side! I think the best way I can describe beauty and the blade is:
Beauty and the beast x Bridgerton x Peaky Blinders with magic!
And honestly, I’m 10000% here for it!
Grayson’s writing style is fantastic, it’s fast paced, with witty banter and magical elements that I’ve not read before. Rather than elemental magic or witch magic, the talented have more bespoke magic; like the ability to sense danger, being able to sense peoples feelings or being able to make plants grow. These little powers add a more personal touch to the characters and I could feel myself connecting with them more trying to figure out what their talents might be!
Nate is my book boyfriend of the week (it changes weekly due to the sheer amount I have😅) I love him, he is perfect honestly I love him. He’s seen as powerful and scary, a criminal to be feared; but omg he’s a big teddy bear, I can’t say much more without dropping big spoilers but I hope you read and love him too!
Contessa is such a complex character with so many layers but her sheer determination makes her a force to be reckoned with. She’s witty and funny and just really easy to like.
For lovers of:
- Beauty and the Beast retellings
- Bridgerton x Peaky Blinders
- Subtle magic systems
- Marriage of convenience
- Forced proximity
- Tending to wounds
- LGBTQ+ representation
- MMC with facial deformity / scars
March 4, 2024
✨BOOK TOUR✨
“Bridgerton Meets Peaky Blinders"
📖: Beauty and the Blade (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 1)
🖋️: S. C. Grayson
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 4 of 5
💬: “Remember, we’re doing this for her, Connie.”
Tropes & Themes:
🥀Enemies-to-Lovers
♟️Slow-Burn
🥀Arranged Marriage
♟️Found Family
🥀Magical Street Gangs
♟️Who Did this to You?
After her father lost his job, and her mother was found dead. Her father has been out for revenge hunting down all The Talented and the Beast.
Nathanial, also known as the Beast in the streets of London and the leader of the Lion gang requests to marry Contessa.
“Yes, you’ll do nicely. Every bit the beautiful bride that rabid dog bargained for.”
While marriages should be about love, things aren’t quite what they seem between these two.
Revenge, lies, and tension.
Contessa has one plan only. Take down the Beast. But when you’re living with a mysterious and closed-off man. It might be hard to keep the lines from blurring.
Will Contessa get her revenge? Can the Beast keep his secrets hidden from the Chief of the Royal Police?
“Are you ready to meet the Lions?”
Wow! I was blown away by this book. From the twists and turns. The lies and banter. I loved this book!🔥 Kristoff was perfect and had me laughing so much.
The back and forth with Contessa and Nate was chef kiss.🤌 I always love a good enemies-to-lovers book! I was completely shocked at the end and did not see that coming. I must check out the rest of the series!
Tour organized by @rrbooktours
“Bridgerton Meets Peaky Blinders"
📖: Beauty and the Blade (The Talented Fairy Tales Book 1)
🖋️: S. C. Grayson
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 4 of 5
💬: “Remember, we’re doing this for her, Connie.”
Tropes & Themes:
🥀Enemies-to-Lovers
♟️Slow-Burn
🥀Arranged Marriage
♟️Found Family
🥀Magical Street Gangs
♟️Who Did this to You?
After her father lost his job, and her mother was found dead. Her father has been out for revenge hunting down all The Talented and the Beast.
Nathanial, also known as the Beast in the streets of London and the leader of the Lion gang requests to marry Contessa.
“Yes, you’ll do nicely. Every bit the beautiful bride that rabid dog bargained for.”
While marriages should be about love, things aren’t quite what they seem between these two.
Revenge, lies, and tension.
Contessa has one plan only. Take down the Beast. But when you’re living with a mysterious and closed-off man. It might be hard to keep the lines from blurring.
Will Contessa get her revenge? Can the Beast keep his secrets hidden from the Chief of the Royal Police?
“Are you ready to meet the Lions?”
Wow! I was blown away by this book. From the twists and turns. The lies and banter. I loved this book!🔥 Kristoff was perfect and had me laughing so much.
The back and forth with Contessa and Nate was chef kiss.🤌 I always love a good enemies-to-lovers book! I was completely shocked at the end and did not see that coming. I must check out the rest of the series!
Tour organized by @rrbooktours
January 15, 2023
Thank you for the arc!
I loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling so much that I read it in one sitting. The character development was excellent and it contained some of my favorite tropes; marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, slow burn, & found family. The chemistry between the main couple, especially when expressed through their banter, was delightful, and the culmination of all this tension was perfect.
I loved this Beauty and the Beast retelling so much that I read it in one sitting. The character development was excellent and it contained some of my favorite tropes; marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, slow burn, & found family. The chemistry between the main couple, especially when expressed through their banter, was delightful, and the culmination of all this tension was perfect.
March 9, 2024
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale and I absolutely devoured this book y’all! This was such a great twist on the classic Beast and Belle only the Beast is leader of the Lions, a well to do street gang in historic London, and Belle is Contessa (aka Connie 🥹) who was forced into an arranged marriage with said Beast.
I loved this slow burn romance! We have an intriguing plot and interesting characters, both Nate and Contessa. LOVED the tension and slow build relationship along with their, at times, humorous banter. Nates gentle and caring side was so much like the Beast and I loved it!
There’s a unique form of magic that I really rather enjoyed in this too. This wasn’t extremely action packed but it was fun getting to know these characters and their true motives. There are even a few side characters that were such a delight and added to this story AND a little side romance between a couple of them and I will not say which ones, you must read to find out! There’s mystery and romance wrapped up in a fairytale-esque historical fantasy. Fully recommend if you enjoy a good Beauty and the Beast retelling and gaslamp fantasy!
4.5 stars
I loved this slow burn romance! We have an intriguing plot and interesting characters, both Nate and Contessa. LOVED the tension and slow build relationship along with their, at times, humorous banter. Nates gentle and caring side was so much like the Beast and I loved it!
There’s a unique form of magic that I really rather enjoyed in this too. This wasn’t extremely action packed but it was fun getting to know these characters and their true motives. There are even a few side characters that were such a delight and added to this story AND a little side romance between a couple of them and I will not say which ones, you must read to find out! There’s mystery and romance wrapped up in a fairytale-esque historical fantasy. Fully recommend if you enjoy a good Beauty and the Beast retelling and gaslamp fantasy!
4.5 stars
March 7, 2024
This book was a delight. It was easy to read and follow, and I found myself immediately immersed in the story. As hinted by the title, it does have some Beauty and the Beast elements, which I enjoyed as those are my favorite retellings. The couple starts of by getting married, so it’s a marriage of convenience, but she hates him. She believes that he killed her mother. However, as she spends more time with him she starts to realize that not everything she knew was exactly the truth. And that the beast is more lovable than the public and her father portray him as.
Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!
Thank you R&R Book Tours for the copy!
March 10, 2024
I adored this Beauty and the Beast inspired story! Contessa, the daughter of the chief of police, is wed to Nathaniel Woodrow, who is also known as ruthless gang leader the Beast. Contessa is unsure why Woodrow requested her hand in marriage, but she conspires with her father to use the union to bring him down for the murder of her mother.
I could not stop reading this book because I had to know what was behind Nate’s motivation for marrying Connie. I enjoyed the mystery element of the story to discover the truth behind the murder of Connie’s mother. I loved the sweet romance between the two main characters, and there are several side characters that added humor and depth to the story. There are several twists in the story that I did not see coming. I will definitely be reading the next fairytale retelling in this series!
Thank you to the author and RR Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book. My review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
I could not stop reading this book because I had to know what was behind Nate’s motivation for marrying Connie. I enjoyed the mystery element of the story to discover the truth behind the murder of Connie’s mother. I loved the sweet romance between the two main characters, and there are several side characters that added humor and depth to the story. There are several twists in the story that I did not see coming. I will definitely be reading the next fairytale retelling in this series!
Thank you to the author and RR Book Tours for sending me a copy of this book. My review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
September 25, 2025
It wasn’t bad, but wasn’t overwhelming either.
I love fairytale retellings, therefore I liked the new ideas and aspects brought into the story.
It just felt rushed at some points, especially the finale. Additionally, some revelations didn’t seem as impactful as they should have been?
I mean Cassie’s whole motivation is finding her mother’s murderer and Plottwist regarding that, did not leave the impression that she was as deeply affected as I would have expected.
I love fairytale retellings, therefore I liked the new ideas and aspects brought into the story.
It just felt rushed at some points, especially the finale. Additionally, some revelations didn’t seem as impactful as they should have been?
I mean Cassie’s whole motivation is finding her mother’s murderer and Plottwist regarding that, did not leave the impression that she was as deeply affected as I would have expected.
December 26, 2022
Thank you so much S.C. Grayson for this ARC!
Beauty and the Blade is the first book in S.C. Grayson’s new series, The Talented, and I really enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling, can’t wait for the sequel!
When Contessa’s mother was killed, she and her father came up with a plan to avenge her… and that’s why Contessa is now marrying her mother’s murderer with an intent to expose his illegal activities and kill him. But it quickly becomes clear that the man most know as the Beast is more than he seems and Contessa will have to question everything she knows about her family and her new husband before more people lose their lives.
I love books with slow burn enemies to lovers romance, arranged marriage and lovable, misunderstood hero and Beauty and the Blade has all these tropes and even more of my favorites. Reading this book has been so much fun, I loved our main characters, Contessa and Nathanial/Beast, and I was rooting for them to get together but I also enjoyed their sweet moments when they were getting to know each other (loved all the chess playing), they had such a beautiful and sweet romance I would love to read more about them. All the supporting characters were great written too (Kristoff, Gregor, Julia and Rhosyn were amazing) and the plot was really interesting, I couldn’t wait to find out more about the Talented people and the orphans, I ended up finishing the book in one sitting.
I honestly can’t find a single thing I didn’t like about this book, it was just what I like and what I wanted to read. I really recommend Beauty and the Blade and can’t wait to read more from this author.
Beauty and the Blade is the first book in S.C. Grayson’s new series, The Talented, and I really enjoyed this Beauty and the Beast retelling, can’t wait for the sequel!
When Contessa’s mother was killed, she and her father came up with a plan to avenge her… and that’s why Contessa is now marrying her mother’s murderer with an intent to expose his illegal activities and kill him. But it quickly becomes clear that the man most know as the Beast is more than he seems and Contessa will have to question everything she knows about her family and her new husband before more people lose their lives.
I love books with slow burn enemies to lovers romance, arranged marriage and lovable, misunderstood hero and Beauty and the Blade has all these tropes and even more of my favorites. Reading this book has been so much fun, I loved our main characters, Contessa and Nathanial/Beast, and I was rooting for them to get together but I also enjoyed their sweet moments when they were getting to know each other (loved all the chess playing), they had such a beautiful and sweet romance I would love to read more about them. All the supporting characters were great written too (Kristoff, Gregor, Julia and Rhosyn were amazing) and the plot was really interesting, I couldn’t wait to find out more about the Talented people and the orphans, I ended up finishing the book in one sitting.
I honestly can’t find a single thing I didn’t like about this book, it was just what I like and what I wanted to read. I really recommend Beauty and the Blade and can’t wait to read more from this author.
January 12, 2023
Beauty and the Blade - @s.c.grayson
"ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱᴛᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴋɴɪꜰᴇ ꜰɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴜɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ"
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 /🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This incredible beauty and the beast inspired book has everything you could ever want in a fantasy romance novel!
Contessa, Connie, the daughter of Cheif Cook, is being forced to marry.
But not just someone she dislikes or doesn't know.
No, this is the person who killed her mother.
The Beast.
Also known as Nate.
Contessa is on a mission from her father to find solid evidence of her mother's murder by placing herself in the most dangerous position, right in the middle of the Lions den, in Nates home. By integrating herself into his life, her and her father feel like justice is just a vow away.
But what Connie doesn't expect is to become part of Nates more unsavory lifestyle where she learns to fight, save the children of the parents who her father had killed for being 'Talented' or cursed as they are called or to be wearing pants instead of big frilly dresses. Non of these things were part of Connie's plan.
Neither was finding out that everything she thought she knew was a lie along with Connie finding more out about herself than she ever thought possible.
There are so many twists and so much deceit in this book! It's so gripping and I loved it!
One thing I do have to say is the relationship that is built up in this book is one of the most beautiful I've read in a long time! That bath and bed scene is 🤌 🤌 🤌
You'll love this if you're obsessed with:
->Beauty and the Beast
->Enemies to Lovers
->Arranged/Forced Marriage
->Gangs
->LGBTQ+ Reference (Gregoff FTW ♥ )
->Revenge
->Magic System-The 'Talented'
"ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱᴛᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴋɴɪꜰᴇ ꜰɪɢʜᴛɪɴɢ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ꜰᴜɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʟꜰ"
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 /🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This incredible beauty and the beast inspired book has everything you could ever want in a fantasy romance novel!
Contessa, Connie, the daughter of Cheif Cook, is being forced to marry.
But not just someone she dislikes or doesn't know.
No, this is the person who killed her mother.
The Beast.
Also known as Nate.
Contessa is on a mission from her father to find solid evidence of her mother's murder by placing herself in the most dangerous position, right in the middle of the Lions den, in Nates home. By integrating herself into his life, her and her father feel like justice is just a vow away.
But what Connie doesn't expect is to become part of Nates more unsavory lifestyle where she learns to fight, save the children of the parents who her father had killed for being 'Talented' or cursed as they are called or to be wearing pants instead of big frilly dresses. Non of these things were part of Connie's plan.
Neither was finding out that everything she thought she knew was a lie along with Connie finding more out about herself than she ever thought possible.
There are so many twists and so much deceit in this book! It's so gripping and I loved it!
One thing I do have to say is the relationship that is built up in this book is one of the most beautiful I've read in a long time! That bath and bed scene is 🤌 🤌 🤌
You'll love this if you're obsessed with:
->Beauty and the Beast
->Enemies to Lovers
->Arranged/Forced Marriage
->Gangs
->LGBTQ+ Reference (Gregoff FTW ♥ )
->Revenge
->Magic System-The 'Talented'
January 27, 2023
I’ll be the first to admit that I have spent most of the month of January in a huge reading slump. Audiobooks are the only thing that have gotten me to finish any books at all. It was horrible not finding anything that captured my attention. Until I opened up Beauty and the Blade. I’ll keep it simple and just say, I love this book. So much. So so much (eloquent today, aren’t I?). The characters? Amazing. The tension? I loved every minute. The sheer amount of chemistry?! Perfection. This Beauty and the Beast retelling was all that I needed and more.
I sped through the first half of this book before realizing that I had to slow myself down if I wanted to savor the rest of the book. Thank goodness I made that decision because as amazing as the first half of the book was, the second half was even better. I didn’t want it to end. The main character, Contessa, is clever, creative, and everything a great heroine should be. When you couple that with a heavy dose of enemies to lovers and the perfection that is Nathaniel Woodrow.
What really sold me on the book from the start was the writing style. It was engaging from the moment I was introduced to Contessa and never stopped. I really felt like I was able to get to know each of the characters while they were developing their relationships with one another. As soon as I finished the book, I immediately went and ordered a physical copy because I can guarantee I will be rereading this one.
5/5 stars and more if I could!
⅖ spice
Check trigger warnings if needed.
A huge thank you to S.C. Grayson for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
February 24, 2023
Beauty and the Blade by S. C. Grayson might just be one of my favorite beauty and the beast retellings!
A brief summary:
Contessa, the daughter of the royal chief of police, is certain that Nate, the supposed leader of the gang Lions, murdered her mother. Contessa agrees to marry Nate and get the truth off of him and get revenge for the murder of her mother. Little does she know, things may not be as it seems.
Despite what everyone else thinks, the ‘beast’ is actually kind. She decides to give him the benefit of the doubt to find out more about him and his ways. The more Contessa finds out the more she begins the doubt everything, and everyone, she knows.
~~~~~
I absolutely loved this enemies to lovers romance between Nate and Contessa. The plot twists had me gripping onto the edge of my seat. The book had a perfect pace.
Chapter 18!!!
At the end, I did not want to stop reading their story. I can’t wait to continue reading this series.
~ Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this arc for my honest opinion. ~
A brief summary:
Contessa, the daughter of the royal chief of police, is certain that Nate, the supposed leader of the gang Lions, murdered her mother. Contessa agrees to marry Nate and get the truth off of him and get revenge for the murder of her mother. Little does she know, things may not be as it seems.
Despite what everyone else thinks, the ‘beast’ is actually kind. She decides to give him the benefit of the doubt to find out more about him and his ways. The more Contessa finds out the more she begins the doubt everything, and everyone, she knows.
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I absolutely loved this enemies to lovers romance between Nate and Contessa. The plot twists had me gripping onto the edge of my seat. The book had a perfect pace.
Chapter 18!!!
At the end, I did not want to stop reading their story. I can’t wait to continue reading this series.
~ Thank you NetGalley for gifting me this arc for my honest opinion. ~
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