3.5 stars

I did a buddy read for this, so for all of my thoughts, comments, and quotes: Beast buddy read

"With him, I became aloud the person I had always been silently inside myself."

This quote right here is what I want to read about and feel when I pick up a romance book.

Beast is obviously a play on the Beauty and the Beast story and while you'll get a true feel for it, the heroine does think the hero is ugly with his scarring for a good while, this almost had more of a Phantom of the Opera vibe.

I'm not sure if it is due to the coincidence of reading about young, spoiled, gorgeous heroines lately but Louise annoyed and lost my interest a fair amount of times. She does show growth towards the end but she got tiring to read about.

The hero was uber vulnerable and this caused him to be prideful and scheming at times. I kind of wanted more of his background instead of the total absorption he had with the heroine. It was hard in the beginning and some middle to feel good about his attraction to the heroine because it was based on her looks, as he didn't know her yet; felt like he wanted her because she was so pretty and prove his looks weren't so bad.

Even with these weaker characters, the story in the hands of this author is worth reading because of beautiful her writing can be. I thought she did a better job in Bliss of showing us the characters' deeper emotions instead of having the characters straight tell us as she did more so here.

Definitely still worth your time but Bliss still holds the crown for me.

"I mean, there is a real seduction to having someone listen and know you, accept you just as you are."

More quotes and comments:  Beast buddy read

"My guess is, you can never quite get away from the fact of your beauty, that you live by it. But not tonight. Tonight, if you meet me, you will do so in the dark."

More quotes and comments: Beast buddy read

The hair on Charles's neck lifted.

Doing a buddy read for this one. For more quotes and thoughts:  Beast buddy read

I read this as a buddy read, for quotes, comments, and discussion: Bliss Buddy Read

"Dis non."

I am wrung out from reading this, I quoted and talked a lot in the buddy read, so I'm going to let that for the most part talk for what I thought about this book.

This was published in 1995, it has a bit of different rhythm to it. The heroine and hero are solidly introduced on their own and their characters are established before they meet (around 35% mark), this completely worked for me and if you're looking for depth to your characters that creates an incredibly emotional story, then it will work for you too.

These characters weren't perfect, our hero is addicted to ether, has some struggles with not being the "hot, talented artist" anymore and our heroine is escaping a reputation that gave her a nickname "Miss Seven Minutes in Heaven" and wants a romantic easy life in Paris. It was the underlining truth to these emotions and characters that will have me thinking about these characters for a long, long time.

It was passages like this:
In the musty dark of the attic, Hannah felt heartened at last. And so very impressed with the real Nardi de Saint Vallier. He might not be a prince, but he was heroic: a man ready to face his nemesis, all that had worn him down before. Better than the fancy trousers and pretty coats that had once impressed her, this man had a magnificent fortitude.
that had me absorbed.

The author brilliantly interweaves societal issues and family dynamics through characters' thoughts and actions; these characters were not perfect but they grew.

Secondary characters had me desperately wanting a Director's Cut of the book so I could get a more thorough look at them.

If you can find this book, grasp it with both hands, I've rarely read a book that had such amazing depth to emotions. Read this, read this, read this (then go the buddy read and comment so I can talk about this book more and for years to come :)

"You should know, Hannah, that I would marry you over and over, as many times as it takes to make the world see I love you."