Beast (Avon Romantic Treasure) 
asked by jazzman on November 24, 2006 10:12 AM
An exquisite American heiress, Louise Vandermeer is beautiful, brilliant. . . and bored-which is why she has agreed to a daring adventure: to travel across the ocean to marry an aristocrat abroad. Rumor has it her intended is a hideous cad-a grim prospect that propels her into a passionate, reckless affair with a compelling stranger she never sees in the light of day.
THE BEAST
Though scarred by a childhood illness, Charles d'Harcourt has successfully wooed Europe's most sophisticated beauties. For a lark, he contrived to travel incognito on his own fiancee's ship-and seduce the young chit in utter darkness. But the rake's prank backfired. It was he who was smitten-while the hot-tempered Lulu, now his wife, loves only her shipboard lover, unaware it was d'Harcourt all the time! And Charles will never have her heart-unless he can open her eyes to the prince who hides within.
Reviews
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Louise Vandermeer has been promised to a man who everyone has assured her is ugly, lame, and disfigured. Louise, being possessed of a rare beauty that makes her the object of many men's affection, decides to have one last fling aboard the ship that's taking her to her husband before accepting her fate. What she doesn't know is that her future husband, Prince Charles d'Harcourt, is aboard the ship and aware of her plans. He decides to seduce his innocent wife and show her that looks aren't everything. What he doesn't expect is that his ruse will backfire, and he'll fall in love with Louise.
The first half of Beast is much better than the second. When Louise and Charles are falling for each other, even with their identities supposedly a secret, their connection is palpable and there are sparks at every turn. However, when Louise arrives in France to meet her husband, "The Beast," her actions from then until about the last two pages of the book are intolerable. She acts like the spoiled, selfish, vapid child that she has always been, but for some reason she managed to turn it off when she thought she might get her way. It was ridiculous and obnoxious and fairly ruined the end of an otherwise likeable tale. I liked the first part of this book enough to suffer through the end, but I doubt I'll ever read it again past their romance aboard the ship.
The first half of Beast is much better than the second. When Louise and Charles are falling for each other, even with their identities supposedly a secret, their connection is palpable and there are sparks at every turn. However, when Louise arrives in France to meet her husband, "The Beast," her actions from then until about the last two pages of the book are intolerable. She acts like the spoiled, selfish, vapid child that she has always been, but for some reason she managed to turn it off when she thought she might get her way. It was ridiculous and obnoxious and fairly ruined the end of an otherwise likeable tale. I liked the first part of this book enough to suffer through the end, but I doubt I'll ever read it again past their romance aboard the ship.
reviewed by faithfulone on November 24, 2006 6:56 PM
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I've read all six Judith Ivory books (minus those under her Cuevas name) and this book was my second least favorite (Proposition holds that title for eternity).
The review from reader with this heading "Really tried to give it a chance but..., May 9, 2004" basically said it best. I don't feel like most reviewers that the first part was better than the second. Instead, I had to resist skimming through the first part because when I read a romance I am more interested in how the two "real" characters interact with each other.
It was especially difficult to get a reading on who Charles was and to care for his character as a result in the beginning. I mostly found him to be pathetic for his deceit. Seriously, what's appealing about a random stranger who offers to sleep with you? The fact that Louise fell for it was hardly believable, and this bothered me a bit. It was only till the second part that I came to like him.
While I preferred the second part, it would have been nice if Ivory did what she did best and spent more time showing how these two ended up caring for each other. It was too rushed. And in the end I feel that while I will read this book again I will always feel that Ivory could have done it better. Still, Ivory rules.
The review from reader with this heading "Really tried to give it a chance but..., May 9, 2004" basically said it best. I don't feel like most reviewers that the first part was better than the second. Instead, I had to resist skimming through the first part because when I read a romance I am more interested in how the two "real" characters interact with each other.
It was especially difficult to get a reading on who Charles was and to care for his character as a result in the beginning. I mostly found him to be pathetic for his deceit. Seriously, what's appealing about a random stranger who offers to sleep with you? The fact that Louise fell for it was hardly believable, and this bothered me a bit. It was only till the second part that I came to like him.
While I preferred the second part, it would have been nice if Ivory did what she did best and spent more time showing how these two ended up caring for each other. It was too rushed. And in the end I feel that while I will read this book again I will always feel that Ivory could have done it better. Still, Ivory rules.
reviewed by imtheboss on November 28, 2006 3:12 AM
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It's a 4.5 star one for sure...I'm only knocking off 1/2 a star because of Louise's age. It was fairly uncomfortable to read about an adolescent girl having sex with a much older man. I understand why the author chose to make Louise young - her youth was such a big part of who she was and why she was the way she was. I just would have been a bit more comfortable if she had been around 20 instead.
The beginning of the book was a bit slow. But this book was so emotionally involving for me. I had butterflies in my stomach almost the entire time I was reading. Charles' character is one of the most well-rounded, complex, and intriguing characters I have ever read about. He is so very easy to love.
Louise, on the other hand, borders on obnoxious (as I am sure the author intended her to be). Instead of denying her personality defects, she acknowledges them. She wants to change - she wants to grow and mature. She just needs time and little bit of help from Charles. They are a perfect fit in every way.
The smoldering passion and searing sexuality took my breath away. There isn't necessarily a whole lot of explicit sex, but there is almost an overabundance of rich sensuality. Your heart will race with anticipation!
Definitely a keeper!
The beginning of the book was a bit slow. But this book was so emotionally involving for me. I had butterflies in my stomach almost the entire time I was reading. Charles' character is one of the most well-rounded, complex, and intriguing characters I have ever read about. He is so very easy to love.
Louise, on the other hand, borders on obnoxious (as I am sure the author intended her to be). Instead of denying her personality defects, she acknowledges them. She wants to change - she wants to grow and mature. She just needs time and little bit of help from Charles. They are a perfect fit in every way.
The smoldering passion and searing sexuality took my breath away. There isn't necessarily a whole lot of explicit sex, but there is almost an overabundance of rich sensuality. Your heart will race with anticipation!
Definitely a keeper!
reviewed by alexis on November 28, 2006 6:48 PM