Anastasia has always been a free-spirited princess, even going so far as to cast a spell to sneak out of the castle to be a normal girl for an afternoon. She didn't think anything would change that, even being accepted into the collegium so she could continue her studies without having a husband. However, with her mother's failing health her father had become desperate to get a rose with healing properties from an abandoned castle. Upon learning the castle was guarded by a dragon he made a deal with a neighboring kingdom for Ana's hand in marriage in exchange for the rose and the dragon to be slain. When things don't pan out Ana ends up the captive of the Beast, forced to spend her days with the very dragon who threatened to burn her kingdom. Will she be just as trapped with this fire-breathing beast as she was with her betrothed?
I got this book as one of the deals on BookBub in 2019 because Beauty and the Beast has forever been my favorite fairy tale and so far I have loved all variations I have ever read of it. This book is no exception. A new take on an old classic is always worth a read.
For the most part I loved this book. It really was a new take on the old story. We still had a cursed prince with a deadline. We had a promise that someone would come along and it would be up to the pair if they would fall in love. We have a castle and even a vast library. But there are also differences. For instance, the Beast in this story is a dragon shifter. Then there is the witchcraft. And of course the general descriptions of those involved. Very Scottish vs the traditional French.
For the goods. I loved all the classic aspects, of course. Then the Dragon shifter. If you have been reading my reviews for a while you know I have a mild obsession with all things dragon related. Witchcraft is always great and this is not the first Beauty and the Beast rendition I have read that includes it. The change from French to Scottish was definitely different, but not necessarily a bad thing.
I can't say I loved Beast as much in this book as I did in the classic as I have a personal vendetta against ginger males. I know I shouldn't, but bad experiences for the most part romantically with gingers. Odd considering my best male friend is a ginger, and I love him. But, to each their own in their choices of males. My biggest issue was actually that I don't get how the dragon was talking. Telepathy is normally how shifters are portrayed as talking while in their beast forms, but in this Beast paused talking when he had food in his mouth as if he was actually speaking while in beast form. Very odd.
I have to say that this is an author I will very likely be reading more of in the future. In fact, I am considering getting more books in this series because of how much I enjoyed this book. For this book, though, it is free on Amazon by clicking here so there should be nothing stopping you from enjoying it as well!
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