The Bride and the Beast - Once Upon a Time Fairy Tale Book for Adults | Perfect for Romantic Reading, Book Club Discussions & Fantasy Lovers

Teresa Medeiros spins a classic `Beauty and the Beast' fairytale that any aspiring princess would love. With mystery, humor and romance, The Bride and the Beast is a beautifully enchanting and well written tale.The Highlanders of Ballybliss are being held captive in their own village. They have been terrorized by a dragon because of a horrible deed one of the villagers committed years ago. The dragon that lives in the Castle Weyrcraig makes demands and the villagers have no other choice but to comply or else great tragedy will occur. One night, the price the dragon asks them to pay is to high, so they see no other choice but to sacrifice a virgin to their horrible tyrant.Gwendolyn Wilder is that virgin.Poor Gwendolyn is tied to a stake in the courtyard of the castle when the dragon comes out to collect her. Gwendolyn does not believe the dragon really exists, and discovers what she has always believed, that the dragon is nothing more than a man. A flesh and blood man bullying the poor villagers. Still, he never once shows his face to her and never reveals his identity. Gwendolyn wants nothing more to flee this place and return to her family but the longer she stays with the dragon and the more she learns about him the less unsure she is about where she really wants to be. And the terrifying dragon? Well, he's not sure he has the strength to let Gwendolyn walk out of his life anymore either.This story was witty, charming and a delight to read. Teresa Medeiros creates a strong heroine who is brilliant and intelligent. Still, despite all that she doesn't know her own worth, so her insecurities allows many people to take advantage of her. When matching wits against the dragon, she is sassy and full of life, but she is unprepared for his kindness towards her. They develop this connection and this kinship that is comforting to both of them, but they don't understand why. Not knowing his identity or seeing his face is disconcerting to Gwen, but it also fascinates and intrigues her. Their attraction is something she can't seem to escape from and something she cannot explain. If they were not learning more about each other, they shared a playful banter that will have you laughing out loud many times throughout the book.The hero, or the dragon as he is so lovingly referred, has a few thorns but that makes him all the more interesting. His past is haunting him, making him less reluctant to trust Gwen, but the solace he finds in her presence makes it impossible to stay away. She is the fiery spirit that he wants to spend his every moment with. He tries to be harsh and coarse with her, but he simply cannot. For a man who has revenge and justice on his mind he now has a bigger issue to face. Will he give up on his search for vengeance because of events in the past when he has a chance for a future with Gwendolyn?The story has secrets and surprises near the end. Some of them predictable and some not. The Bride and the Beast has a secondary story that was quiet charming as well. If you are looking for a light enjoyable read Medeiors' story will delight you and let you believe again that the princess in the fairy tale always gets her happily ever after. Even if the hero is a beast.Overall Rating: 5/5Heat Level: 3/5Lisa @ Once Upon A Chapter