The Beast of Beswick
by Amalie Howard

Beauty and the Beast meets Taming of the Shrew in this laugh-out-loud and heartfelt Regency romance.

Lord Nathaniel Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick, spends his days smashing porcelain, antagonizing his servants, and snarling at anyone who gets too close. With a ruined face like his, it's hard to like much about the world. Especially smart-mouthed harpies—with lips better suited to kissing than speaking—who brave his castle with indecent proposals.

But Lady Astrid Everleigh will stop at nothing to see her younger sister safe from a notorious scoundrel, even if it means offering herself up on a silver platter to the forbidding Beast of Beswick himself. And by offer, she means what no highborn lady of sound and sensible mind would ever dream of—a tender of marriage with her as his bride.

Caroline's Review
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Adored this funny, super sexy and heartbreaking story! A daring, sassy-mouthed heroine and a beastly hero with a heart of gold.

”She was not the sort of woman who heated his blood…and yet his blood was on fire.”

Lady Astrid Everleigh is desperate. To prevent the marriage of her younger sister to the repugnant Earl of Beaumont, she is willing to sacrifice herself to the Beast of Beswick AKA Lord Thane Harte, the Duke of Beswick. His moniker has been well-earned due to his harsh personality, as well as his appearance. A handsome war hero who returned home a hideous travesty of his former self. When the beautiful Astrid invades his sanctuary with an outrageous proposal, he is beyond fascinated and attracted to her but he has no interest in marriage or the begetting of heirs. However, when she and her sister are in need of sanctuary, he finds himself unable to turn her away.

”In the pit of her belly, she also felt a shock of pure heat, of raw physical awareness.”

I just loved this story. It was humorous, sensual and somewhat heartbreaking. Astrid never bargained on her inexplicable attraction to such a beastly man. His appearance was in no way as offensive as his personality. He was boorish, crude and wholly compelling. I loved her irreverent bluestocking character – she was infinitely forward-thinking and more than a match for the Duke. I found his carnal thoughts about Astrid was thrilling. They had such combustible chemistry between them. I loved how Astrid looked beyond Nicolas’ physical appearance to the beautiful, wounded man beneath. He was definitely a handful for her to handle but her heart was big and I loved that she fought for him. She knew when to push and when to leave well alone. She showed him her desire through her actions, as well as her words. I loved her pragmatism and matter-of-factness. Nicolas needed so much love and care. He needed affirmation and, in turn, my heart melted at how he put aside his own discomfort to be there for Astrid.

”What was offensive was his desire to see her utterly unclothed and open, with nothing but that salty mouth holding him at bay.”

The passion between them was so riveting. His desire for her was overwhelming and visceral – a palpable, living thing. He was just as desperate to keep her at arm’s length, as well as keep her in his bed. My heart hurt for him and his lack of self-worth. This was a such a beautiful story about beauty being skin-deep. It was an affirmation of character, of compatibility, of understanding, and a love for the ages. Such a wonderful story that clutched at my heart, and I can’t wait for the next book!