This is a re-telling of the classic book "Beauty and the Beast". The story of Ethan Mansthrope, a man with scars both on the inside and the outside and Annabelle Giles, a young woman with a tarnished reputation. When Annabelle Giles stumbles across Ethan in the garden, her life changes forever.



This is a story of how to love from the inside out, a story of forgiveness and healing.

"Beauty and the Beast will certainly love this novel. It is well written and keeps the reader captivated.





Even though this is the second in the series, the reader can jump right in without reading the first book.



I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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I have never been a complete fan of beauty and the beast so I wasn’t sure if I would totally enjoy this story by Carol E. Keen. I am so glad I read it because I really enjoyed the whole story. It just shows that everyone has some kind of baggage in their lives. I really loved Ethan and Annabelle. They grew to respect and love one another. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

The description on the back cover is very accurate. It is a retelling of "The Beauty and the Beast." It is a short book packed with lots of nuggets that remind us that beauty is only skin deep. It is true that many of us have scars no one can see. Ethan is very private and almost detached from the world. We know from reading the book he has physical scars. Those scars turn heads and frighten people. As I read the part about Ethan I thought about a man I saw recently. He was severely burned on part of his face and arms. Our eyes locked as we passed each other in the store. My heart was overwhelmed with the pain he has endured. For that brief moment as we looked as each other, God reminded me to look past the scars and see the scars on his heart. Not only did he have physical scars but emotional scars that for some reason God allowed me to feel. Ethan is much like the man I saw in the store. He was hurting inside but no one really thought about it. People were afraid of him because he looked different.

Annabelle was a beautiful woman but underneath her beauty, was the scars no one could see. I was outraged at how her family treated her . The author eludes to an incident that happened between Annabelle and a young man. I didn't quite understand how it ruined Annabelle's reputation and wanted the author to explore it in more detail. Her banishment from her home was sudden and I knew just where she would end up. It was predictable but I still took away valuable lessons from the story. We judge people by looks and we push people aside when they are emotionally damaged. I enjoyed the book, but felt there were a few things missing from the story which would have made the characters easier to understand. I do love the author's writing but this one fell a bit short for me.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion. ( )

2.5 Stars

A Beauty and the Beast/Cinderella mash up that was a mixed bag of good and bad for me.

While there are a couple topics ripe for exploration, the author fails to develop them, which in turn causes the story to lack some much-needed depth. I can acknowledge that a lower novella word count probably played into this decision, but I would have preferred some other scenes get cut out instead. Plus the ending had me scratching my head a little bit. The author gives a broad overview of what happened but leaves the details to the readers’ imaginations. This case of telling rather than showing occurs a few times during this story.

Annabelle is a likable character and I sympathized with her throughout the book. Ethan is a wounded hero with some secrets he is ashamed of, but his imperfections and his desire to care for and protect Annabelle reveal his tender side. There’s enough happening within this story—secrets, a dubious scheme against Annabelle, two people learning about each other, and more—that I never got bored with the story. Monstrous Beauty is a fast read.

If you’re looking for a light read with action, a bit of mystery, and romance, this one might fit the bill.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. ( )