I made a mistake and didn't realize this was the second book in a series. I definitely should have DNF'd it but continued even when I was so hopelessly lost at the start. This is a culmination of several different stories all happening at the same time (with a large cast of characters), eventually piecing together to form a full picture story. But OOF getting there was confusing (again I'm mostly blaming this on the fact that I didn't read book 1). The story felt so scattered it often made it difficult for me to keep up with what was going on. I love the idea of a genderbent Beauty and the Beast, but the execution didn't work for me. In addition to being confused a lot while reading I just didn't care about the fate of the characters. Charming and the Beast had zero chemistry, and I couldn't find it in myself to root for their HEA. This one wasn't for me, but I'm guessing if you read and enjoyed book 1, you'll like this one too. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC.

Thank you netGallery and Solaris for the opportunity to review Beast, the options featured are my own.

Pre thoughts;
- Beauty and the beast

Post thoughts
- I liked the integration of different POV's thought the novel, an interesting way to integrate multiple plot-lines.
- A good flow to the reading
- I will be reading the first book in the series
- The romance aspects were great
- The strong female characters were amazing

tropes
- fairy tale re-telling
- magic
- limited romance
- strong female characters
- multiple POV's

3.5 stars rounded to 4

On his way to meet Mephistopheles, Charming tries to take a shortcut through the forest. But ends up finding a seemingly abandoned manor. Once he enters he soon realizes he is trapped, along with two other men, and the manor is under the curse. And the only other occupant, the lady of the house, has been transformed into a Beast. Meanwhile the ladies are waiting to meet up with Charming only to realize something has gone wrong. And they must find him to make sure they don’t feel the ripple effects of the demons wrath, should Charming not make the deadline.

This is a genderbent twist of Beauty and the Beast. And honestly I struggled through it a lot. I had trouble keeping up with the stories and characters as it kept switching between so many POVs. And this was a busy story, so much was happening. Although I gotta say when I found out what happened to the servants in the manor my jaw dropped, that seemed so cruel. I also felt like the romance fell a bit flat, for both Charming and Marie, but maybe we will see more of that in the next book. I think this would have been easier if I had reread Charming for a refresher, but in the end I did like this book.

Rating 3.5 stars

I don't know how to review this book.

I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

This book reads more like a collection of short stories than a complete novel. Some of the chapters did not feel like they belonged to the story being told. I did enjoy the concept; that part was very intriguing, but it just fell flat for me. I liked the spin placed on Prince Charming and the fairytale princesses; I also loved the spin on the story of Beauty and the Beast.

Because I initially read this book with a different story in mind, I am willing to give it another try to see if my mind changes. Also, I am starting this world with book 2. It may be helpful to read book one and then reread this one.


Thank you to Netgalley, Rebellion | Solaris, and Jade Linwood for the ARC of this interesting book.

I read the first of these turned-upside-down fairy tales, Charming, last year and I really enjoyed it. Beast had the same easy flowing readability, and brought back the characters from the first book whilst adding some new fairy tale staples. The central story is a twisted Beauty and the Beast retelling, but there's lots more action happening in the wings. My only complaint is the cliff-hanger ending, I always feel slightly cheated without a nicely rounded finish.

I really enjoyed this book. The BATB vibes were amazing, and it was a nice palette cleanser in my opinion. I had never read anything from this author before, but definitely will in the future!

Posted on Goodreads: 3/17/2025

If you are looking for a funny fairy tale to get lost in, this book has it all. It has humor, curses, and a princely con artist who gets trapped in a rosebush surrounded mansion. This is the second book in the series, but I read it before the first book, and was able to fill in any blanks from the previous book fairly quickly. I definitely enjoyed this book, but for some readers it definitely requires a mindset shift to something more light-hearted and purely for enjoyment and laughs. I was given a chance to read this book through NetGalley and I hope it finds other fairy tale readers who enjoy it as much as I did.

This is book 2 in the charming series. It’s a beauty and the beast retelling with a twist. The book is full of humour and had me laughing out loud in parts. Would recommend if you are looking for something lighthearted and engaging.

I was really excited to read a gender-flipped retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but I got so confused by all the different side stories and keeping up with all the other reimagined characters. It felt like a great idea in theory, but the execution just didn’t quite work. Also didn’t realize it was part of a series, so from the beginning, I was trying to catch up with everything that had already happened and felt like I needed some kind of chart to help me identify everyone.

Having previously read and enjoyed Charming I was eager to read this second fairy tale inspired story and I’m happy to say that I found it just as whimsical and clever as the first. We find out more about Charming this time and he does become a tad more likeable, although it is again the strong female characters and the bonds of solidarity they have formed with each other that make them the ‘hero’ characters to my mind. The story ends, as many great stories do, on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next adventure.

I am sorry but I had to DNF this book. It wasn’t my taste and I had a hard time connecting with the MMC mainly because of his name. It was too silly for me.

⭐️⭐️ (2/5)

I picked this up thinking I was in for a fun, gender-swapped retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and while there were definitely some entertaining moments, the book felt like it was juggling way too much at once.

Let’s start with the good: the humor. Jade Linwood has a knack for witty dialogue, and some of the comedic moments really landed. Prince Charming’s roguish charm and the whole “magical Bachelor-style competition” setup had so much potential. Plus, I loved the fairytale world-building—it’s clear the author had a blast playing around with classic characters.

But here’s where things got messy: the sheer number of POVs and side plots. Every time I got invested in Charming and Beast’s relationship, the story would jump to another subplot, leaving me frustrated. Beast, in particular, felt underdeveloped, and I really wanted to see more of her dynamic with Charming instead of bouncing between other characters. The romance should’ve been the heart of the story, but it got lost in the shuffle.

By the end, I was left feeling a bit confused and underwhelmed. It wasn’t a bad book, but it was chaotic, and I wish it had focused more on the central romance. If you love fairytale retellings with a lot of moving parts and don’t mind a bit of narrative whiplash, you might enjoy this more than I did.

Thank you Netgalley and Rebellion for the eARc.

*Beast* left me feeling puzzled and unsatisfied. While it’s a gender-swapped *Beauty and the Beast* retelling, the constant jumping between side plots featuring Snow White, Rapunzel, and Sleeping Beauty distracted from the main romance. I wanted more focus on the Beast and Charming, but instead, the story felt chaotic and confusing.

The characters didn’t resonate with me, and the abrupt ending didn’t leave me eager for the next book. While I typically enjoy fairy tale retellings, this one missed the mark. With some editing, it could have been much better, but it wasn’t for me.

I loved initially that this was a gender bent version of Beauty and the Beast- I loved even more that it incorporated bits of other fairy tales as well. However, the execution is at times confusing. It is difficult to keep up with what is happening sometimes. Still an enjoyable story though.

"Charming her will be a monstrous challenge", that is what the cover says. It also became quite the reality because I found myself in a big reading slump the last few weeks. I really wanted to read (and love) this book, but would this book be able to charm me back to reading?

In general, I think the author put down a good story. It was very funny and interesting, making it very enjoyable.

This book is a retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast', but there were also other fairytales (and its characters) that popped up. I think the story is extra fun if you have a little knowledge of all the famous fairytales (because that way you can really see all the fun things that are thrown in the big fairytale mash-up) but I also think it's just as fun if you don't have a clue.
But here is a little note to keep in mind: Because there are so many other characters popping up, there are also a lot of side plots and other characters their backstories to keep track of. I didn't mind that, but some people can find that harder. (While I'm writing this review, it kind of makes me think about the TV series 'Once Upon A Time', where all the fairytales are also connected in some funny or weird way. So if you liked that, definitely add that as a reason to check out this book!)

Talking about the characters in general, I particularly liked Charming very much. He was so much fun to read about, I'm pretty sure he was my favorite of everyone. He was for sure one of the reasons the answer to the question of this book succeeded to charm me is a "Yes."

I received this book as an ARC, and I am very grateful for that. I had a good time and I'm leaving this review 100% voluntarily!

Beast by Jade Linwood is a captivating retelling that blends multiple classic fairy tales into a haunting and romantic narrative. Former con artist Jean-Marc Charming Arundel, known to his friends as Prince Charming, is on a fateful journey through an ancient woodland when he seeks refuge in a mysterious mansion. There, he encounters a noblewoman cursed by a fairy spell, as well as other unwilling guests, including Johannes and Wilhelm. Together, they must endure strange and romantic tasks set by the enigmatic Beast.

The story beautifully weaves together elements from familiar fairy tales—Snow White, Rapunzel, Goldilocks, and Beauty and the Beast—creating a richly layered world where nothing is quite what it seems. With werewolves and characters like Red Cap further adding to the intrigue, a solid knowledge of these fairy tales adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience.

The romance between Beast and Charming is slow-burn and filled with tension, rooted in forced proximity as the two begin to learn more about each other. Charming, ever the prince with his self-absorbed tendencies, focuses on clothes and the backgrounds of his fellow competitors. On the other hand, Beast is cautious, quietly harbouring feelings for Charming while doubting his affections. As they navigate their strange circumstances, both are forced to confront their desires and fears.

Beast offers readers a compelling mix of magic, romance, and intrigue, perfect for anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings with a darker edge.

3.5/5.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

When I read CHARMING, I didn't realise it was the first book in a series - I thought it was a standalone novel. However, I was delighted to discover it has a sequel, which was just as much of a fun romp as the first book.

This book focuses around a gender-swapped Beauty and the Beast retelling, Charming being the accidental beauty. There are also elements from Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks thrown in too. Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks are very much the secondary tales here, a sort of gang warfare going on between werewolves and a witch with bear familiars, while the focus is Charming trapped in the house.

I liked how much the tables had turned on him. Usually, he's the one taking advantage of curses and beset maidens, but here he is at the disadvantage and floundering. It was also a nice way of keeping the fairy-tale theme without it feeling like a repeat of the last book and letting Charming continue is arc away from cad.

The heroines of the first book are also back, and trying to save Charming from the house so he can fulfil his meeting with the demon (and thus not get anyone else hurt.) They're an effective team and also bring another piece of continuity over. It does mean the book has a very large cast of narrators - almost every character is a narrator between the four heroines, Charming, Beast, the two others in the house, and the players (who have puss in boots with them).

Given my surprise at there being a sequel, I am not even going to attempt to guess whether there will be any more books in this series. I would very much enjoy another entry and it does feel like there is space - after all, Charming has an appointment to keep with a certain devil.

The first one of this series I certainly enjoyed for its writing style and reimagining of fairytales, particularly Snow White, whilst there was one characters that really annoyed me and that was Bella (Sleeping Beauty), but I'm happy to say whilst I didn't love all the characters, none annoyed me the way that she did in the first book and she's much more likeable here.

The best aspect for me was, once again, the skewing of the fairytales, in particular this time we focus a lot on a switched-up Beauty and the Beast which was great and Goldilocks was another favourite of mine and not an interpretation I've seen before and I am so down for badass Goldilocks.

The one thing that I will say that was taking away from my enjoyment was the troupe of actors. I dunno if it was just how many characters had been introduced at that point and introducing another 5 at once sort of overloaded my brain but I really struggled to get attached and care about the actors or their pov, even if I was intrigued by the Puss in Boots connection.

I would definitely recommend this series if you like fairytale retellings, and I do think, on the whole, this is an improvement on the first book and I am curious to see where it goes.

This is a great sequel. I enjoyed both books. If you haven’t read book pen pedi don’t know this is a sequel then I can see why you would be confused.
This is a different take on the original story and I like the way it’s told.

Really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are written really well and will look forward to more from the author.