When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Fairy Tales, #2)

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When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Fairy Tales #2)

by Eloisa James (Goodreads Author), James Griffin (Illustrator)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 6,644 ratings · 782 reviews

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty... Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.

Linnet is not just any woman.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brou...more

Mass Market Paperback, 372 pages

Published January 25th 2011 by Avon

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2011 Romance

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Feb 10, 2011 Rane rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regency-romance-napoleonic-era, keeper

Once upon a time..(looks at calendar) not to long ago. A reviewer named Rane picked up the second in a fairy tale series. Rane enjoyed the first book in the series, and looked forward to next, and thankfully wasn't disappointed or shed tears in her little reviewer corner....or write her displeasure in this review (saved her keyboard from the heartache of pounding keys!) And with joy Rane was able to bestow more stars along with others on this great little tale.

Rane, a true lover of the story of...more Once upon a time..(looks at calendar) not to long ago. A reviewer named Rane picked up the second in a fairy tale series. Rane enjoyed the first book in the series, and looked forward to next, and thankfully wasn't disappointed or shed tears in her little reviewer corner....or write her displeasure in this review (saved her keyboard from the heartache of pounding keys!) And with joy Rane was able to bestow more stars along with others on this great little tale.

Rane, a true lover of the story of the Beauty and the Beast, and looked forward with glee at what this author had in store. The Beauty named Linnet was sassy and smart, with her beauty more of a curse then a blessing, and when gossip cast her and her family in dreadful shadow of doubt all that's left is for her to marry and quick, and perhaps fake having a prince's baby along the way for good measure! Of course this doesn't fool the foul-mouth smart-a....um..hm..ah...butt-head! Of a Beast, who may not be a beast on the outside but is for one on the inside. Piers, the Earl of Marchant half beast/ half doctor with shades of another sarcastic doctor by the name of House, prove to be as smart about all those illnesses of the body as he had a gift of a sharp tongue. With scars and trouble with this leg after a dark accident that befell him, Piers is perfectly beastly to all those (expect his Mama, for I think she beat his as - butt!) The Beauty and the Beast clash like titans of old but not with super powers or swords, no sir!

With Banter and romance, and roses and crashing sea, with steamy passion and..!

...What?

Why are you looking at me so?

To much purple prose? Ah, yes so....back to the topic at hand!

Rane enjoyed the duo banter much greatly, with the Beast seeing behind the Beauty and the Beauty getting the Beast out of his shell. This worked out splendid indeed, but Rane wished with all her reviewer heart for more behind the banter, and while the past came in bits and pieces, substance is what Rane craved more. And like an unexpected shower, more was given and given and given and given. "WHOA!" Said Rane, "while this was nice and all" she said "I feel quiet bloated with so much given, and so few pages left!" The Beast does put his foot in his mouth and the poor Beauty suffer so, and while many hearts were finally open, this happen very quickly. For Beauty finally was accepted as herself and not hiding behind her crutch of beauty and Beast finally stop being an as-butthead! Which was all good and all, but forced Rane the reviewer to kick off a star from her review. Sad..

But not is all lost! For Rane did enjoy herself greatly, with two wonderful characters, and a fairy tale ending, Rane was happy , and as she wrote yet another funny review she proclaimed again "this was another great book indeed!" and that was all and away she went on another book journey! So long!

~~The End~~ ..Until the next review! (less)

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Jun 15, 2011 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-eloisa-james, starts-with-u-thru-w, series-happily-ever-afters-e-james, fairytaleesque, historical-romance, doctor-nurse-emt-paramedic-medic, illness-scarlet-fever, reputation-ruined, second-chances, characters-great-secondary, 4-5-stars, 2011-reads, reviewed-by-me, series-must-read

Just what the doctor ordered!

I’m a big fan of historical romance novels, but admittedly the genre can become a bit tedious due to storylines and characters who are confined to the particular roles and behaviors of their era. I’ve read just about every kind of historical romance, from those of the light and fluffy variety to those that leave my emotions in a tattered mess. Well, I’m happy to say that When Beauty Tamed the Beast struck a perfect balance of both, and was an absolute pleasure to rea...more
Just what the doctor ordered!

I’m a big fan of historical romance novels, but admittedly the genre can become a bit tedious due to storylines and characters who are confined to the particular roles and behaviors of their era. I’ve read just about every kind of historical romance, from those of the light and fluffy variety to those that leave my emotions in a tattered mess. Well, I’m happy to say that When Beauty Tamed the Beast struck a perfect balance of both, and was an absolute pleasure to read. It wasn’t an angsty story at all, and I found myself constantly smiling and frequently even laughing out loud at their ridiculous banter. The dialog throughout the book was priceless with such sarcasm and dry humor that I just couldn’t wait for the next confrontation to take place. And while it was a very funny read, my heart ached for both Piers and Linnet and the internal battles they both fought.

At first, I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that was so appealing about our hero, Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant. He’s a gruff, offensive, belligerent doctor whose bedside manner could leave one contemplating the upside of death. Add to this that he’s not known for being stunningly handsome and I have to ask myself why I was so drawn to him. His no nonsense approach at telling patients they were going to die seemed so callous, and yet, oddly funny. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but I just couldn’t quite decide what that was. Then one of my Goodreads friends asked me if I recognized the similarities between Piers and Dr. Gregory House of the popular television show, House, who I happen to adore. Of course! Why didn’t I recognize it? Maybe it was because I haven’t watched the last couple seasons of the show because Dr. House, as a character, seemed to move away from the man I had come to adore in the earlier seasons. Piers, on the other hand, is exactly what had me falling in love with Gregory House in the first place.

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a beauty who hasn’t been ruined by it. It’s odd, because she knows she’s beautiful because everyone says she is, but it doesn’t seem to matter much to her. Well, not until she faces the possibility of losing her looks. I really enjoyed her as a heroine, and she’s the perfect match for Piers, who needs someone he can’t trample with his cutting words and offensive manners. She’s strong, independent, and every bit as smart as Dr. House’s counterpart, Dr. Lisa Cuddy. Yes indeed, Piers and Linnet are a perfect match!

Now, before you get all offended that Ms. James might try to secretly copy this popular television show, there’s something you need to know; she didn’t do it secretly at all. There’s an author’s note at the end of the book in which she comes right out and states that the character, Dr. Gregory House and the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital greatly influenced her story. But all that said, Ms. James did an incredible job of making Piers unique. In fact, maybe he really did exist and Dr. House developed his technique based on Piers’ work! ;)

When Beauty Tamed the Beast is a great second installment to the fairy tale inspired Happily Ever Afters series, but can be read as a stand alone novel as the only connection to the previous books is that they are fairy tale themed. There is no character or plot overlapping. Yes, this was just what the doctor ordered! It was fresh, passionate, funny, sexy as all get-out and an absolute delight to read!
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May 13, 2012 Lisa Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-romance-historical, m-library-sj-e-book, challenge-disney-princess-reading, 2012-in-2012-group-challenge, zzcover-pink, m-audio-loupe-ysi, child-children-not-baby-featured, vocation-doctor, setting-england, well-narrated, character-duke-or-maybe-1-in-story, reviewed-by-me, lupdilup-com, xyzcover-flower, authors-j, authors-e

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I loved this one, narrated by Susan Duerden, who does an excellent job. I’ll be looking for more of her work. She is so good with the male (not easy) and female voices and the accents, regardless of the country or the social class. Ms. Duerden is very good at making me forget the book is even being narrated, instead drawing me into the story.

Speaking of the story…granted, there are a few things for which I really should mark off on my star rating; howev...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Fani rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-historical, beauty-and-the-beast, disabled-or-scarred, humorous-witty, hero-is-cold-or-rough, emotional, heroine-i-loved, belle-of-the-ball

If you like Dr House in TV, you'll probably enjoy this book too. The hero is exactly like House, the same aching leg and dry wit that drives some people insane and some women like flies to honey:) I belong to the second group because honestly I think there is nothing sexier than a man with brains, providing that he's not only using his wits to laugh at others, but also to laugh at himself.

I also liked the heroine a lot. Linnet was as sarcastic and intelligent as ~~House~~ Piers himself, thus resulti...more

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Feb 09, 2011 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the Historical Romance for those who are bored with the standard or the norm. Different type of hero, and a great heroine. I loved the story..up til the end...the ending ruined it for me.

The opening scene of this book is hysterical. Our heroine Linnet has just been ruined. Why is this funny? There were a couple factors in her being shunned from the ton but the biggie was her new gown. It's this fabulous new frilly ballgown...that makes her look pregnant!!! Combine that with her absolutel...more

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Feb 28, 2013 edzkie♥§*.*§♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, books-i-love-so-so-much, steamy-books

♪♫♪♫daddy i’ve fallen for a monster
somehow he’s scaring me to death
ah yes he is
he’s big and he’s bad
i love him like mad
mamma he’s the best i ever had
daddy i’ve fallen for a monster
he got a black heart♪♫♪♫

I've been a fan of Historical Romance way way back.. and I regret I've pass this author for too long. My second book of her and I looooveeee all this fairy tale inspired book so muuuuuchhh!!!! Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, beast or not, I super duper like him. I love his temper, his foul mo...more

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Aug 20, 2011 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of humorous historical romance & fairytale remakes with a twist

Shelves: historical-romance, eloisa-james, historical-romance-regency, fairytaleesque-bb-cinderella-theme, beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-beholder, rt-book-reviews-top-pick, doctor-or-nurse-in-the-house-shrink, heroine-beautiful-bombshell, hh-smart-intellectual-brainy-geek, heroine-bluestocking-unconventional, heroine-badgirl-improper-scandalous, heroine-desperately-seeking-husband, heroine-debutante-talk-of-the-ton, heroine-i-adore, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, heroine-redhead, hero-titled-wealthy-lord, humorous-at-times-or-fluffy-fun, hh-limp-paraplegic-wheelchair, hh-disfigured-injured-scarred-ill, hh-aristocracy-nobility-royalty, heroine-bad-reputation-fallen, hero-duke-heir-to-dukedom, hero-cold-cruelbrute-dark-dangerous, hero-celibate-virgin-virginesque, hero-brooding, hero-antihero-gamma, hero-alpha‎, best-snarkasm-humor, best-wittiest-banter-dialogue, heroine-kickass-spirited-strong, faux-betrothal-engagement, engagement-betrothal-of-convenience, 2011-reads, 5-stars, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, animals-matter, best-endings-epilogues, best-faves-of-2011, favorites, friends-to-lovers, hero-abused-scarred-tortured-angst, hero-black-sheep, hero-daddy-warbucks-wealthy, heroine-mistress, heroine-ridiculed-unpopular, hh-addiction-recovery-sobriety, hh-love-commitment-marriage-phobic, hh-physical-mental-disability-ill, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, satisfying-secondary-romance, steam-2-warm, steam-3-hot, hero-recluse-loner-lonewolf, i-read-no-longer-own-sold-swapped

5 stars – Historical Romance

After reading three books by Eloisa James that left me less than wowed, I was wary about reading another one. But the premise for this sounded great and all the rave reviews convinced me to give it a try. Boy oh boy, I’m so glad that I did because it’s fabulous...and yes, it wowed me! I loved it!

Sarcastic, snarky humor, witty banter, and snappy dialogue? Check!

A feisty, funny, intelligent, lovable heroine with razor-sharp wit who gives just as good as she gets? Check!...more

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Mar 08, 2011 KatLynne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: g-historical-romance, hero-scarred, part-of-a-series, hero-tortured-flawed, 2011-reads, keeper

My first book by Eloisa James and I loved it! I loved the humor and the tenderness and while other books have certainly had more steam, this one had enough to get the job done. Hot, sexy Dr. Piers, tortured though he may be, became my hero and Linnet Berry Thrynne is my type heroine. Loved her spunkiness. And she was the perfect one to tame the Beast:)

I definately will be reading more by this author.

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Jan 12, 2013 Arttemizza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: leituras-2012, biblioteca-pessoal

Estou completamente rendida à escritora, apesar de este ser apenas o segundo livro que li da mesma já sou uma fã incondicional! Adoro as mini inspirações nos contos de fadas com as suas consequentes adaptações aos mais graúdos e este conta também com inspiração no famoso Dr. House.

Já não é novidade que adoro romances do género mais cor de rosa, sem dramas excessivos e grandes complicações, apenas personagens encantadoras… uma dama que é a “Bela” e um Duque rabugento que o “Monstro”, o amor surge...more

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Jan 22, 2012 Jodie Riverina Romantics rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, hard-copy, on-blog

4.5 STARS

When one of my Goodreads friends read and loved this book I was a bit dubious about reading it myself. I have learned that I am very shallow when it comes to my books - and yes, gasp and throw things at me if you like - but I do have a habit of judging a book by its cover.

So it probably goes without saying that I don't like this cover. It put me off initially picking up this book, but thank goodness for great Goodreads friends, otherwise I would have never picked it up.

For me historic...more 4.5 STARS

When one of my Goodreads friends read and loved this book I was a bit dubious about reading it myself. I have learned that I am very shallow when it comes to my books - and yes, gasp and throw things at me if you like - but I do have a habit of judging a book by its cover.

So it probably goes without saying that I don't like this cover. It put me off initially picking up this book, but thank goodness for great Goodreads friends, otherwise I would have never picked it up.

For me historical isn't my first pick when it comes to my love of romance novels. I'm not a big fan of men feeling superior to women and I'm all about the "I am woman hear me roar" so more often than not historicals tend to annoy me a little. But When Beauty Tamed the Beast - WAS NOT one of those.

I absolutely adored it. The heroine was witty, strong minded and adorable while the hero was one of those arrogant, self assured men that you want to climb aboard with the same amount of enthusiasm as you want to high five him in the face with a brick.

And yes, it did hold a lot of words with more than three syllables. That made it a little daunting at times for a dim witted person like me. Words like ameliorating, misanthrope and irascible....for which I have no idea what they mean, but I skipped over them basking in my complete ignorance because I was enjoying the book so much.

Ohhh and I can't finish my review without mentioning the first sex scene. I wasn't sure if the book would even go into detail of the hot and juicy stuff....but when it finally arrived it was glorious. I had a smile on my face and a dagger in my hand ready to stab anyone that interrupted my reading. LOVED IT!!! ABSOLUTELY. LOVED. IT.

Favourite quotes:

One more time, she promised herself. That wasn't too trollopy. She wouldn't be too trollopy.
But when they actually got to the guardhouse?
Trollopy.

and this quote didn't even have anything to do with the main characters but it made me melt

"If you throw me out of this house, I shall sleep on the path outside. If you return to the Continent without me, I shall follow you. I will build a willow hut at your gate; I will sleep under your window; I will be waiting for you at your own front door."
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Aug 25, 2011 Kelly22 rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Readers loving fairy tales and who could use a good laugh!

Shelves: 1st-marriage-or-lover-was-disaster, alpha-hero, beloved-favorites, brooding-dangerous-hero, enemy-to-lover, favorite-couple, favorite-hero, favorite-heroine, favorite-story, gamma-anti-hero, heartbreaking-powerful-romance, hero-accomplished-lover, hero-arrogant-autocratic, hero-celibate-virgin-less_practiced, hh-intellectual-scientist-genius, heroine-beautiful-pretty-covetted, hh-limp-bodily-or-mentally-imperfct, historical-romance, hottest-love-scenes-ever, made-me-cry, opposites-attract, overtly-possessive-jealous-hero, powerful-endings-epilogues, tortured-hero, hero-merchnt-indstrialist-uber-rich, virgin-herione, viscount-earl-marquess, witty-humerous-funny-comedy, beauty-and-the-beast, 5-stars, 5-stars-and-higher, family-moments, hero-i-am-crazy-abt, hero-gods-gift-to-woman, hero-blackgrd-ruffian-outcast-crook, hero-real-jerk-yet-irresistible, banter-all-the-way, hero-a-master-seducer, favorite-series, archetypical-byronic-hero, hh-aristocrat-peer-royal-nobel

5.00+ Stars - Regency/Historical Romance

Excellent! Too many LOL moments to count for! When Beauty Tamed A Beast, a fairytale-based romance novel, tells the story of Lennet, whose wondrous beauty makes angels weep out of envy, and Piers, whose vicious temper is so infamous that it earned him a nickname called ‘beast’.

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne, daughter of an earl, is London’s most celebrated uniquely beautiful woman making her susceptible to the perils of a beast, her fiancée Piers Yelverton, Ear...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: regency-era, fairytales, romance, favorites, 5-stars, european-historical, historical, retellings, reviewed-on-blog, autobuy-authors

First DIK read of 2011! I had been looking forward to this book for months since I love Eloisa James's work. I am also a huge fan of fairytale re-tellings and this one took my beloved "Beauty and the Beast" tale and turned it on its head!

Piers (the hero) is unique due to the fact that he's an aristocrat and a successful doctor though not a gentle country doctor. It is pretty obvious who EJ's inspiration for Piers was, but it works so well! And Linnet is an amazing heroine who readers can tell wa...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Fiona Goodman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: available-on-nook, damn-sexy-alphas, eloisa-james

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 09, 2011 Jenny E rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: england, own-book-form, romance, all-time-favorite, favorite-heroine, have-kleenex-handy, re-read-potential, swoony, favorite-couple

*** 5++++++ stars *** Just the pick-me-up I needed this week!

I laughed (a ton), I cried, I swooned... I couldn't ask for more from a book!

I was actually a little hesitant to start the book, because I've read re-tellings of fairy tales in the past and left a review something to the effect that it was obvious the author had run dry on plots and needed to meet an editor deadline for a new book! This is a twist on Beauty and the Beast, my FAVORITE fairy tale, but to call it a "re-telling" is to sell...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Diana~ rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Any Eloisa James fan, historical romance lovers.

Shelves: historical-romance, author-eloisa-james, 2011-reads, regency-romance

We all have come to know and love the classic story called, Beauty and the Beast. But in Eloisa James' version of it, there is much more to it than you can ever imagine. It's a story about finding true love, regardless of outer-beauty, how society looks at you, and even if you have disabilities. You would think that Piers, the Earl of Marchant- who is the hero of the story, the Beast right? While Linnet, the heroine of the story, Beauty. But that is not necessarily the case.... and that is what...more We all have come to know and love the classic story called, Beauty and the Beast. But in Eloisa James' version of it, there is much more to it than you can ever imagine. It's a story about finding true love, regardless of outer-beauty, how society looks at you, and even if you have disabilities. You would think that Piers, the Earl of Marchant- who is the hero of the story, the Beast right? While Linnet, the heroine of the story, Beauty. But that is not necessarily the case.... and that is what makes this book such a wonderful keeper! Towards the end, everything takes a turn-- either for the bad or good, I won't say. But it was very heart-breaking and bittersweet that I cried so much for the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves classic fairytale stories, bittersweet endings, and heroine with a backbone, witty characteristics, and a sarcastic bad-tempered hero who is much more than meets the eye.

The Characters:
Piers Yelverton, the Earl of Marchant is no other but the hero of the story. In the beginning, you don't exactly get a good impression of him because he always yells and bickers at everybody (with a hint of sarcasm in it). But inside, he is definitely capable of love and so he falls deeply and heart-breakingly for Linnet towards the end, and she the same. Everyone is afraid of him so of course, he gets an infamous reputation for being a beast because of his horrible temper. He believes that no one would ever want to marry him, due to that fact that he is a cripple. His father, the Duke of Windebank tries desperately to find his son a wife and there's a whole background story of what happened between them that caused Piers to hate him. Anyway, Piers ends up giving the duke a list of requirements stating that his future wife must be as beautiful as the moon and such... thinking that there's no way his father would even be able to find someone like that! And in comes our lovely heroine, Linnet.

Linnet Berry Thrynne's beauty is so beautiful, all the men fall in love with her. But regardless of that, she has a witty personality, she loves to talk back to Piers, very kind to patients, and she has plenty of sarcasm. At the beginning of the story, we find out that everyone in the ton believes that she is pregnant with Prince Augustus' child. It's really ridiculous but she isn't and so her aunt comes and tells her to fake that she's pregnant and have the Earl of Marchant marry her! The plan of course, fails because when Piers first meets Linnet, he knows right away that she isn't pregnant, so she lets go of the act and from then on, Piers gets intrigued by this lovely beauty with a sharp tongue and a brain to match! Apparently, she has a secret weapon that consists of smiling at anyone and they fall in love with her... but that doesn't work on Piers at all!

The Romance:
One of the top most things that I love in any romance novel, is the relationship between the H/hr. It was attraction at first because Piers thought that Linnet was the most beautiful woman that he ever met, while Linnet was intrigued by Piers. I absolutely love how Piers didn't fall in love with Linnet because of her beauty, but rather her personality and sharp tongue. Linnet fell in love with Piers because she sees that he is also beautiful in his own way, plus the chemistry between them was explosive and sexy. There is though, one thing that broke my heart. Piers did not want to marry Linnet because he believes that she is too good for him and deserves someone better. But then again, when it comes to love, you can never control your feelings! I did mention that their romance was heart-breaking and bittersweet right? Well... towards the end, something tragic eventually happens and Linnet ends up being a victim of scarlet fever, after the heart-breaking scene where Piers tells her that their relationship was nothing and that he never intended to marry her. We all know that Piers loves Linnet but because he thinks she deserves someone better, he lets her go. Linnet almost dies due to scarlet fever, but Piers finds her and restores her back to health, with a cost... her beauty is gone and her hair as well. I'm not going to go in-depth in this part because it was my favorite scene in the entire book. You'll just have to read it to find out! Although, I will leave a quote just to tempt readers.

"I love you," he said, his voice catching. "When I thought you were going to die, I wanted to die."

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Aug 30, 2011 Carolyn F. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, library-book, favorites

What a tear jerker! I was bawling at the end. This book was very funny in parts, very romantic in others and then sometimes horribly sad. Wonderful book that I would recommend!

Linnet is dumped by a German prince but everyone thinks they already had something going on before she was dumped because she got food poisoning one day and wore a dress that made her look fat. So, her father and aunt send her off to marry an Earl who has isolated himself in Wales that everyone calls the "Beast" because h...more

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May 27, 2012 Aly (Mircea) Basarab rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, historical, fairytale-ish

This book is lovely. As always EJ can make me laugh and cry with he very lovable characters and great ideas.

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May 30, 2012 Sophie Barnes rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the perfect book for those of you who love Regency romance as well as House MD! Even without the author's note at the end, there was never any doubt in my mind as to which doctor inspired the hero's character in this magnificent story.
Believed to be compromised and carrying the child of a prince, our heroine Linnet is looking for a husband. As it happens, the father of our hero is desperate to find a wife for his son Piers, and an already expectant woman will work out nicely in this case...more

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May 27, 2012 Carol *Young at Heart Oldie* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books

I loved this book and it more than made up for my disappointment with A Kiss at Midnight! Ms James manages to put a refreshingly different spin on a much loved fairy tale.

Meet the Beast

Crippled Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, is a brilliant doctor but he is bad-tempered, sarcastic and to say his bedside manner leaves much to be desired is definitely an understatement. Now, unless you’ve been living in Outer Mongolia for several years, I’m sure you’ll already know that Ms James based Piers on...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Robin (RBBR) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-eloisa-james, historical-romance, fairy-tales-eloisa-james, beauty-and-the-beast-theme

Although Eloisa James is currently doing what I think of as adult rewrite's of a number of Fairy Tales of which this is the second they are all considered to be Stand Alone's rather than part of a series. This one seemed more loosely based on the Beauty and Beast story we're use to and in fact she states at the end in her notes that the Beast is based more on Dr. House of the TV Series and less on the traditional Beast. I like the Hero aka Piers and Heroine aka Linnet but I didn't like her famil...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Sari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Suka....Suka....Suka..... \^0^/

Baru kali ini gw suka sama bukunya EJ, krn baru kali ini gw ga rela berenti bacanya, baru kali ini emosi gw keaduk2 sama jalan ceritanya, baru kali ini kedua tokohnya ga menye2, baru kali ini bukunya EJ tidak mengecewakan gw.

Gw suka alur ceritanya, gw suka kedua tokohnya yg sama2 sinis, gw suka percakapan antara keduanya yg bisa bikin gw ngakak, happy, sedih n senyam senyum sendiri. Dibanding buku sebelumnya, kisah ini ga terlalu berpatokan plek2 dgn dongeng, jadi...more

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Feb 13, 2012 Brittany B. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, high-recommend, rom_best-of-romance

Halfway thru. Every woman should go out and get this on audiobook. I haven't stopped smiling. I feel like I'm the one falling in love... ❤❤❤

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Jul 14, 2012 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, tortured-heros, virgin-heroines, pregnancy, georgian, fairytales-retold

When Beauty Tamed the Beast
4.5 Stars

Synopsis
Linnet Berry Thrynne is the belle of the ball until she is dumped by a prince and snubbed by the ton. Her only prospects are to marry Piers Yelverton the misanthropic Earl of Marchant nicknamed the Beast. Will he succumb to her charms or will she fall for a man incapable of loving her in return?

Review
A sexy and steamy retelling of the traditional Beauty and the Beast tale and a must read for lovers of historical romance.

Piers is obviously modeled on m...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Bk70lvr rated it 5 of 5 stars

...there was a beautiful woman who was ruined by a too many kisses from a selfish, lying Prince -- and a grumpy, crippled doctor who needed an heir. What better solution for either of them, but to throw them together...and let the sparks, canes, vases, books and banter fly!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS STORY!
The female was wity, snippy and strong. The male, sarcastic, scroogey and honest.
IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

And then something goes wrong and near heartbreaking that teaches Lynette, and Piers...LOVE...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Susana rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales, eloisa-james, historical-romance, 2012

I absolutely loved this story and it's characters. Lynnete and Piers make an amazing couple, and i couldn't help but to "devour" their story. The main thing that i like in Eloisa James writing is the inteligent dialogues that characterizes her stories. And this one, was no exception. It was funny, smart, witty, and approaching the end, surprisingly _ or maybe not _ sweet.
A good story, for all of those, who like to read a good romance, all wrapped up, in an unconventional fairy-tale retelling pac...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Lea's Audiobooks Hensley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Narrated by Susan Duerden

When Beauty Tamed the Beast (WBTTB) was my first Eloisa James book – in print or audio – and although I think it would have received no higher than a B grade from me in print, Susan Duerden’s narration secured it as a strong A in audio format. It’s a charming and smartly written tale with one of the most unusual heroes of my experience and a heroine I really didn’t think I’d care for. In fact, I expected a rather mundane historical romance with the story spinning around...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Angela Blount rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

My first book from Eloisa James, and I must say, it was a pleasant introduction. A pithy fairytale retelling—minus the magic and literal bestial transfiguration—with a few truly endearing twists. I'd generally give it a solid 3.5, if Goodreads allowed for better accuracy. But since I gave her retelling of Cinderella a 3-star, I'm going to round up to emphasize the difference in my enjoyment level. :)

I was a little hesitant at first over the male protagonist being an 18th century physician who's...more

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Oct 05, 2011 The UHQ Nasanta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-books-2011, genre-historical-romance, genre-fairy-tale-retellings, romance, romance-disabled-or-scarred-hero, romance-disabled-or-scarred-heroine, romance-virgin-heroine, 2nd-in-series, obtained-in-swap, own, favorites-ii, reread-for-pleasure, reviewed

4 stars

The dialogue was anachronistic and the interrelationships as well, but the author's style of writing carried me along and I was able to disregard how superficially based the book was on the time period. It was a very entertaining read.

I loved the interactions between the heroine and the hero. Linnet and Piers fit each other so well. They were both sarcastic and prone to blunt speech. I loved the fact that Linnet was not afraid of Piers and stood toe-to-toe with him when it came to exchan...more 4 stars

The dialogue was anachronistic and the interrelationships as well, but the author's style of writing carried me along and I was able to disregard how superficially based the book was on the time period. It was a very entertaining read.

I loved the interactions between the heroine and the hero. Linnet and Piers fit each other so well. They were both sarcastic and prone to blunt speech. I loved the fact that Linnet was not afraid of Piers and stood toe-to-toe with him when it came to exchanging verbal sarcastic volleys. Their exchanges were a lot of fun, and I sensed that the author had fun as well. I liked the fact that aside from her extraordinary beauty and compassion for the patients in Piers's castle, the author didn't try to turn Linnet into a perfect heroine. Instead of giving us a heroine so modest that she was oblivious to the effects that her beauty had on the men who laid eyes on her, the author made Linnet a little vain, and willing to acknowledge to herself that she deliberately manipulated men with her beauty and smile.

I loved the character of Piers as well. He was blunt, irascible and sarcastic. He didn't have softer feelings, even when it came to his patients. He did have a typical romance hero disability, but I liked the fact that the pain from his disability was highlighted - and that he was even forced into positions that were somewhat undignified. It was around 65% of the book when I realized who he reminded me of - Dr. House from House, M.D..

I liked the relationship that Linnet and Piers started off with. I liked how it evolved. I liked the detail of Piers making himself unhappy with his actions. And I loved how he realized that he simply could not live without Linnet. I admit, I'm a sucker for this type of realization. The "grovelling" was so well done, I was shedding tears of sympathy for Piers since the moment of his realization to the end of the book.

A final problem I had with the book was that the author decided to make a perfect happy ending - (view spoiler) Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the book. (less)

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Aug 12, 2012 Amy or "Ames" rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who wanted TV's House to have an HEA

Shelves: historical, romance, fairy-tales, bought-in-2012, cheap-reads, read-in-2012, british, series-abandoned

3½★
Meet Piers AKA "The Beast".

Yes, Eloisa James gave Dr. Gregory House a happily ever after. Her intention all along according to the 'Historical Note' at the end.

They share the same scowl, a limp and use of a cane resulting from the same infarction in his quadriceps muscle of the leg producing constant pain, his abhorrence of lying patients, and misanthropic, blunt, bad-tempered, narcissistic and playfully insulting nature. They both have "ducklings" -a group of doctors who follow him in order...more

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Nov 19, 2011 MandyM rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Historical Romance fans

Shelves: historical-romance

Reread 19/11/11. My pick for the Best Romance of 2011 in the Goodreads Choice Awards. One of my favourites from author Eloisa James. This is a beautiful and very witty retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast' with a modern connection. The author takes inspiration from the character 'House' (the excellent Hugh Laurie) for her leading man.

Original Review:
I loved this book by Eloisa James. Her background as a Professor of Shakespearean literature is very evident in the comedy of errors that brought the...more

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About Eloisa James

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeat...more

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Books by Eloisa James

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“I didn't realize you needed a response. When Hamlet is giving a monologue, he just goes on and on by himself.” — 43 people liked it

“I love you," he said, his voice catching. "When I thought you were going to die, I wanted to die.” — 25 people liked it

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