Bella and the Beast (Cinderella Sisterhood, #4)

by Olivia Drake

[stacey_is_sassy]

Beasts who don’t recognise love.

***3.5 Stars***

A wee bit spoilery, so proceed with caution

Yep, we’ve been here before. Those blasted men and their inability to see what’s right in front of them. In Bella and the Beast we have the beastly Miles Grayson, Duke of Aylwin, who is paying for his sins. Unfortunately, he’s such a grouchy man that everyone else around him seems to pay for his sins too. Miles is studying Egyptian hieroglyphics to unlock the secrets of the pyramids. It is his lifelong mission and he has no time for social niceties or doing his part to carry on the family name. He’s leaving it to his cousin Oscar to carry on the name and tradition. Bloody fool. Even if he didn’t want to waste his time in falling in love he should have done his duty just to avoid Oscar getting his hands on the estates. Being a Duke and all, Miles has marriage minded ladies falling, pushed and thrown at him on a regular basis. Any woman who crosses his threshold is put under his scrutiny, but he’s not tempted in the least…until one day.

Bella doesn’t want the beast but she does want a job working for him. Bella’s father was an archaeologist who left Bella and her brother and sister who are twins with very little funds to survive. He passed in Persia and Bella had only enough funds to get them passage back to Oxford in England. Luckily her father, Sir Seymour Jones, left them a little cottage to live in. After attempting to find work without success Bella is desperate. After a disastrous day job-hunting, Bella returns home to find a Lady Milford waiting for her. Turns out Lady Milford knew her father and after a little chatting, Lady Milford tells Bella about a curator's job with the Duke of Aylwin. Thinking that her prayers have been answered, Bella follows Lady Milford’s suggestions and hare-brained scheme to get into meet the Duke and talk him into giving her a chance.

Bella and Miles meet and it’s not a great start. Luckily, Bella isn’t scared of the Beast and has no problems dealing with such a cranky man. Both Miles and Bella are keeping secrets from each other but neither can deny the fierce attraction they have for each other. It seems the more time they spend in each other’s company the more they like each other.

This is the second book I have read by this author and in this series. I hate to say it, but I enjoyed His Wicked Wish a lot more. Miles is an arrogant jerk, talks down to everyone and seems to miss things that go on right beneath his nose. There were some things that turned me off Miles and made him a less than desirable hero. The hero goes to a whore to get the woman he really wants out of his system. Now, this doesn’t really bother me before a couple comes together. What really bothered me in this instance is that when he gets back to the house he makes a move on the heroine and starts spouting endearments and soft words while smelling of another woman's perfume…YICK YUCK!! Luckily the heroine puts him in his place and tells him to take a hike. Obviously, as time goes on Miles and Bella can’t deny their feelings. Bella knows that she is way out of the Duke’s league and should be thinking with her head not her heart as she has her siblings to consider.

I liked Bella and the Beast but I did struggle with it as well. There are a couple of steamy scenes and a mystery to solve as well. Normally at the end of the story, I’m grinning with delight and happy that love has found its way. Unfortunately, it went from insults to endearments too quickly. One minute the Beastly Duke is shouting and the next he’s all…My Love…My Darling…I can’t live without you… Oh geez… cue the eye rolls.

I still enjoyed it enough to go back for more. Olivia Drake writes interesting storylines and interesting characters. I think there were just a few too many niggles that made this one a like instead of love.



I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -