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The Bride and the Beast

The Bride and the Beast

List Price: $7.50
Your Price: $6.75
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Better than the fairy tale!
Review: In this wonderful book we will find the story of "Beauty and the Beast", the great part is that it is NOTHING like it! It is far much better! It surpases the original fairy tale, and it is much more bealivable than the original version.
Gwendolyn Wilder is the only sensible person in all Ballybliss, Scottland. She has 3 sisters, all of whom are of extreme beauty and have the perfect body. Gwen does not view herself as a beauty and the fact that the people in her town including her sisters tell her so and that she eats too much, does not help to the poor concept Gwen holds of herlsef. But do not let this confuse you, Gwen is smart, and has a witt as well as a tongue that could put to shame most heroines of romance novels!She holds nothign in and speaks her mind. And 15 years ago she proved this by standing proud and tall agains the son of the laird of Ballybliss. He was 15 years at that time, and Gwen had fancied herself in love with him, until she fell on top of him and he mocked her unintentionally, so she defended herself and told him a couple of things that left him more than amused. However that afternoon was the last time she saw Bernard MacCallough, for that same night the castle of his father was attacked by the red coats and everyone in the castle was killed.

Gwen grows up to be a pretty woman with a body that has curves. She's a real woman (and thank god for that!).

Unfurtunately she is offered as a sacrifice to the "Dragon" (The Beast) that lives in a ruined and long time abbandoned castle, the castle her beloved Bernard used to inhabite.

The Dragon never shown his face to Gwen, but treats her very well and does not use her in any way that the people of her town gave her up for. He gives her everything imaginable materially speaking as well as her confidence back. As their relationship grows and evolves she finds herself more than attracted to the Dragon, she finds herself in love with him. How is it possible she loves 2 different men during her life she does not know, but she knows that as a child she had adored Bernard and woman she loves the Dragon.
But the Dragon holds a secret that could easily destroy both of them and could drive her away from him, so he fears so show his face to her and tell her his real identity, for the Dragon is in Ballybliss to seek vengance and make pay the traitor that had caused the redcoats to attack the castle and kill the MacCallough's.
The story is facinating as well as entertaining. It is much much better than the fairy tale. It is very tender and heart warming and to top it all of it is hilarious! I know I have my favorite 3 lines of the book memorized, and I just finish reading it!
Ms Medeiros is a breath of fresh air and puts fairy tales to shame!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Too predictable
Review: This fairy tale was not enjoyable.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Really 4 and a half stars . . ..
Review: Very funny and hard to put down, The Bride and the Beast has engaging characters in an interesting situation. I do feel the author was stretching at times to cause an argument between the hero and heroine. The novel seems to lack a certain logic but it's enjoyable nonetheless. This is the first novel I've ever read by Teresa Medeiros and I wasn't disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Delightful Read
Review: This title grabbed my attention immediately. Ms. Medieros has done a wonderful job here. Just as another reviewer remarks, a real size heroin... someone most of us can relate to rather than the idealistic beauties we often read of the heroin here is fuller figured. But that's not all there's a mystery to solve and some lessons to learn. Do give this one a go.... it is an easy read I finished in a half day.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fairytales make the best romances!
Review: I love Medeiros's use of fairytales. What I especially enjoy about this particular book is that her females are not "perfect" and neither are her men. This is an engrossing read that I recommend.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Exquisite!
Review: This book is one of the best romance novels I've read in a long time. Full of warmth and wit and a delightful sense of humor, Medeiros imbues her characters with a wealth of spirit. Gwendolyn Wilder is not the typical waifish heroine. In fact, she seems like most women today - smart, curvy, and longing to be beautiful. Because she's not the typical "beauty," any woman can identify with her, and when the mysterious Dragon falls under her spell, his appreciation of her luscious curves gives her the ability to recognize her own power, her own beauty.

One reader had commented that the sex scenes were few and far between - it made me wonder if I'd read a different book entirely. Sexual tension pervades this book! I couldn't put it down! I even reread the many romance scenes simply to get lost in the story once again.

An absolute favorite!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Bride and the Beast
Review: I thought the book was a good read, definitely not a "keeper" though. The story was humorous in parts and was quick paced. I liked Gwendolyn's personality - she definitely wasn't meek and mild. The love scenes were hurried and almost non-existent and the ending seemed to wrap up overly quickly.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Unimaginative and tedious.
Review: ... This book is not one of this author's best. It had a promising beginning but it just deteriorated as they story wore on. Frankly I found it a little boring and the separation of the characters towards the end did not make any sense. The happily ever after was abrupt and incredibly unimaginative.

This is the story of a girl named Gwendolyn who just happens to be the only virgin left in her village. This is not a good thing because the village has been terrorized by a "dragon" who lives up in the ruins of a castle that once belonged to their laird and his family. Anyway,through some convoluted thinking on the part of the villagers, it is decided a virgin sacrifice is the only thing that will appease this dragon and make him leave them alone. So poor Gwen is sacrificed for the good of the villagers. The so called Dragon is, of course, a flesh and blood man who is intent on terrorizing the villagers for personal reasons. He's really the son of the late laird who was thought to have been killed along with his family. One problem I had with the story was the whole revenge plot. It seemed excessively silly to me that a grown, well to do,intelligent man's idea of revenge was to pretend to be a "dragon" and terrorize ignorant villagers. The dragon doesn't allow Gwen to see his face because she'll recognize him and then she'll unmask him in front of the villagers but then Gwen is being held prisoner by him and has no contact with the villagers whatsoever so what is the point of the anonimity? Gwendolyn falls for him anyway even though she thinks he doesn't allow her to see him because he's malformed in some way. When she does find out who he is and that he's not some malformed monster she is inexplicably angry at him. This was the biggest problem I had with this book. Gwen was supposedly in love with him when they were children and grieved when she thought him dead and then when she finds out he's alive and well and,best of all, interested in her then she leaves him.The reasons for Gwen's anger were just plain silly. She was basically mad at him for being alive and not being malformed. Whatever.

I didn't enjoy this book at all. The story line was not interesting, the secondary characters were one-dimensional and cartoonish, except for maybe Tupper who was like a sidekick to the Dragon, and the villagers were too ignorant and stupid to be believed. There wasn't a single endearing or likeable character. I found the romance to be lacking, the love scenes felt hurried and there was a definite lack of chemistry between the characters that made the love scenes feel forced. I find that this author's writing is excellent and the dialogue in her books is well-written but I've found she's just not very consistent and some her stories can be dissapointing. I had just finished reading A Kiss to Remember by this author and I found it delightful that's why I decided to pick up this dud. She's not an autobuy for me but I will keep reading her books. Not recommended :)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My Favorite Romance Novel of All Time!!!
Review: I think any romance reader loves to run into a heroine who looks like herself. And, since well over half of the female population is full figured, one would think that more romance novels would feature average women that the reader could relate to.
I had actually stopped reading romance novels for that very reason when I picked this baby up. Teresa Medeiros is my favorite author, but I was becoming weary with all the skinny characters. Well, she sure came through for me, so completely read my mind!
I would have loved the book for that reason alone, but to top it off as usual the writing style of Teresa Medeiros is lyrical, deep, rich, with an unmistakable quality that is sometimes difficult to find in romance novels. The plot lines are never boring, never cliche, always manage to make you feel breathy, giggly, teary, and anxious all at once.
By the way, I want to point out that many reviewers described the heroine as plain, which you'll find is not at all the case!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Not So Beautiful Maiden Meets A Not So Normal Beast
Review: When I first read the back of this book, I knew I had to have it. What other people acclaimed to be a masterpiece intrigued me to find out for myself, and I was not disappointed. This girl dreams of Bernard, her clan's leader. She dreams that he'll sweep her off her feet and take her away from her disbelieving, superstitious village, her flirtatious sisters, and her crazy father. Her dreams are ruined when the clan's castle is attacked and someone betrays the clan leader...and his son.
Gwennie, as her sister's call her, is the voice of sense in a town of chaos fifteen years after the event. She nurses her father and tries to protect her sisters , reducing herself to a slightly overweight, average woman who is still a virgin.
Of course in this town, no one is virginal past the age of twelve, so when the mysterious Dragon, whom the villagers pay to protect them, asks for innocent blood, they deduce that he wants a virgin sacrifice, and who but Gwendolyn will do?
The Dragon didn't want a sacrifice, all he asks for is to know who betrayed his father and his trust so many years ago. So obviously, when he finds poor Gwendolyn tied to a stake in the middle of the castle courtyard, he decides to take her in. The only catch is that she cannot look upon his face or all would be lost.
Gwendolyn is a prized character who lives, loves, and makes mistakes. I loved her humane qualities that kept the story alive. The Dragon is a character trapped by his own past, and his own fear to learn to trust. My advice is to read this book. I can promise you that there is never a dull moment. I had to read pages twice so I wouldn't miss the action.
Another piece of advice is if you don't have several hours to read the whole book through, you'll find yourself putting off things to finish it. It truly is the classis tale of boy meets girl; boy falls in love; girl falls in love. It's remarkable!


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