ARC REVIEW: Beauty and the Wolf (The Cursed Princes #1) by Marina Myles

Title/Series: Beauty and the Wolf | The Cursed Princes #1
Author: Marina Myles
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Expected publication: June 6th 2013
Format: eBook | Pages: 224
Genre: Paranormal, Historical, Romance
Source: NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
★★★★★ (5/5) Stars!

Marina Myles | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

A Union Of Curses

Isabella Farrington’s marriage was hasty. For all her new husband’s riches, Lord Draven Winthrop is whispered about, avoided, and feared. Yet Isabella is drawn to Draven’s dark good looks, his strength, the charm he can turn on as easily as she can blink. The impoverished daughter of an Egyptologist, she knows there are rumors about her, too, and the amulet she wears. Nothing more than superstitious babble…

But when Isabella returns to Draven’s remote coastal manor, she senses there is something more at work in the grim gardens of Thorncliff Towers than superstition. Draven is passionate and seductive, but he has a brutal, uncontrolled side too, and a history of secrets. To live in peace she must discover the reasons behind a gypsy curse and a mother’s scorn. Especially when she learns Draven believes his sweet young bride is doomed to a fate even darker than his own…

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Beauty and the Wolf was exactly how I thought it was going to be and it lived up to every one of my expectations. In part it was every bit the historical romance book that I loved to read and exclusively read for years. The castle like estate, the moody Lord of the manor, a marriage of convenience. All that delicious historical appeal. And then in another part we have the enchanting retelling of a well known fairytale.

And let me just tell you while putting her own spin on the tale of Beauty and the Beast it never lost that feel of it's original tale, but with our beast turning into a werewolf. Yet laced throughout the story you still saw glimpses of that original telling inside of this adaptation. It was such a fun read. With gypsy curses and betrayals and both murder and attempted murders you never know what's going to happen with each turn of the page and I was truly captivated. There were actually two curses going on throughout this book simultaneously. One being the gypsy curse and another, an Egyptian curse. Both with very fascinating lore that you learned about through the progress of the book. They added a unique spin to this classic tale.

Draven was your ideal, true to form historical hero. He was moody and had a temper. People talked about him and rumors swirled. He was pretty much a womanizing outcast who didn't know how to love anyone but himself, but you know there's something there beneath that surface. It all tied in well with the werewolf side to him and I liked him a lot. Then we have Isabella. Impoverished former governess who wants nothing more than to take care of her father and have a family of her own.

The love story. Ahhh the love story. Sigh. It was completely swoon worthy. Just enough will they, won't they conflict to keep you on your toes. Just enough steam to leave you wanting more. It was easy to become attached to these two and watch as they drift apart and then together through a mess of emotions ultimately to find that deep passionate love. Because it isn't worth it in the end if Beauty doesn't get her Beast right?

I couldn't have been more pleased with this book. Having been stuck in a rut of books with weak heroines who had absolutely no backbone and absolutely irredeemable heroes. I was desperately needing something to bounce back with and I put all my faith in Beauty and the Wolf...and it delivered without disappointment. AND eeep I'm so excited!! At the end there's an author's note saying that if we liked Beauty and the Wolf, in December to look for Snow White and the Vampire. Are you kidding me?! Ahhh I am so jumping on board with that one!

I'd like to thank Kensington Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!