Fairytale retellings are already my favorite genre, so I was predisposed to love this, and love it I did, on so many levels. Sybelle and Varius forever live in my heart.

Thank you Willow Haven Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

4.5 stars

I love a Beauty and the Beast retelling more than anyone and wow this one really captivated me! The different worlds, the characters, the curse really brought this all together. I think the concept was amazing and I enjoyed this so much I breezed through it!

The development between Sybelle and Varius was amazing to read, they were such headstrong and confident characters, it was wonderful seeing them come together! I also loved the strength of the heroine (there were times where she annoyed me), but she was a really complex character with powers and strength that meant she didn't back down.

The whole concept of the arranged marriage (yes love that trope) and the figuring out of the curse was so entertaining! Also there's a dragon!

I see there's another standalone book in this world which is a sleeping beauty retelling (another favourite of mine) so now I need to read that for sure!

Definitely check this book out if you're look for a Beauty in the Beast romantasy that you won't be able to put down! Out on August 4th!

Ok, this book has SO MUCH potential. But I don't think it is there yet. The first 1/3 of the story would greatly benefit from some more editing. Passive voice is prevalent throughout the book, but it is more than distracting at the beginning. Here are some examples:

"It was taking all my effort..."--> "It took all my effort."
"I let my head sink to the ground." --> My head sank.
"When I reached the throne room doors, I found my sister, Orla, lingering in the hall." --> "In the hall outside the throne room, my sister Orla lingered."
"Neither of these powers would be helpful to me today."--> "Neither of these powers would help me today."
"Shadows continued spiling down the aisle, coating the ground until I could no longer see my feet."--> "Shadows spilled across the ground and down the aisle, concealing my feet."
"But now that I was finally faced with looking upon the Wraith King for the first time, I discovered something that threw an unexpected wrench in my plans."--> But as I looked upon the Wraith King for the first time, I discovered an unexpected wrench in my plans. I was a coward."
"I had had enough of this human." --> "I have had" or just "I had."
"My stomach fluttered with anxiety." --> No writing problems with this one, but the word "anxiety" is overused. This is a show don't tell me problem.
"Already, I felt my body relaxing as I strode deeper into the room."--> With every stride deeper into the room, my body relaxed. Under the dimmed lights from my Lumen, all around me figures lurked in dark corners..."
"The wind was so intense that Azure was having trouble flying straight."--> Combine with the following sentence as each start with "the wind." It also doesn't need to be passive, it was distracting and is easily avoidable.

Also, the same descriptions are overused. When describing physical reactions, it was always the throat, the stomach, the pulse, or the heart. I realize there is only so much you can do...but the exact same words are used repeatedly. Another example, "chestnut hair" and "barbed tail" are the same descriptions overused. There is also a general overuse of unnecessary adverbs.

Minor Plot Concerns:
After the small, intimate wedding, she mentions relief from the "crowd", which confused me.
"Provided we could keep it hidden from the castle staff." --> I think "keep her hidden" would make more sense, since talking about concealing Azure.
"My relief was short-lived as I once again thought about my argument with Varius..."--> The "once again" didn't make sense her as the argument just happened.
"I had a similar dream...after the revel." --> I thought that he hadn't yet slept after the revel. He is talking to her after she sleeps all day after they were up all night. So when would he had been able to have a dream about the revel? Unless I missed something here...

With some editing, this could all be fixed so it is not distracting. I am not trying to be overly critical; I just think this story has SO MUCH potential. I hope my thoughts help you. Feel free to send my other ARCs (or a signed copy :) ). And don't worry, I left a good review on GoodReads and will leave a better one on my social media. I really hope you have time to make some changes because this book could really be a bestseller with some tweaks.

Goodreads review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7714468523):
Social Media: (https://www.instagram.com/house_of_books_and_legos)

Goodreads review full text:

Oh. My. Goodness. This book was--unexpected. As a Beauty and the Beast retelling with fae characters, I worried it would be too similar to ACOTAR. But it wasn't! R.L. Perez storytelling is so gripping; I couldn't put it down.

This book has enemies to lovers, forced marriage, a shadow daddy, immortals and mortals, a dragon, magic, girl power, kill her and face his wrath...It is seductive. It is steamy. It is delightfully spicy. Although I would caution a reader to not try this at home, remember...he is a fae. I also love that it alternates the POV between the FMC and the MMC.

I enjoyed that I got a satisfying ending, along with the potential for a sequel (which better happen! I need it!)

So, with this glowing review, why am I giving this only four stars? This is more of a comment on the editing, than the story itself. Hopefully some changes can be made before publication (I read an ARC). For about the first 100 pages, I fretted I would have to give this book two stars despite enjoying the story. There is little variation in sentence structure (too many sentences start with the subject) and there is too much dialogue and that dialogue doesn't seem genuine. The voices of the POVs didn't really distinguish themselves until later in the book when all these problems disappeared. Unnecessary passive voice also reappears throughout the book. With editing, I think several thousand words could be cut from the text.

I will be passing my more specific notes to the editor via NetGalley. Despite my comments, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I think it is brilliant and with a few tweaks could be a bestseller. R.L. Perez, please write a sequel! I am begging you!!!