I had read this author once before so I though I would try another one. This is also the start of a series which is better than catching it midway. Jumping back in time in the regency of dress and the like you soon find yourself in a escape that will take you for awhile. There seems to be a bear of a Lord Nathaniel whom seems to prick you curiosity. Lady Astrid has her own agenda with a offer she thinks will save her sister. Funny about those kind of things they usually bite you in the butt. I enjoyed where it went next with the feisty and fun along with the romance.

Who says that there has to be a damsel in distress to make a good romance. In my opinion a good heroine goes against what is expected and makes her own rules. Astrid delivered with her headstrong ways and her fierce heart. The Beast of Beswick is the best of what romance has to offer. Howard delivers her own brand of storytelling. Captivating characters, heartaching twists and temptation beyond measure equals unforgettable in my book.

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite movie and this book is such a great spin! I loved this version! Beswick is warped and beastly in person and personality but Astrid has scars too, just inside. She is strong, smart, and sacrificing while Beswick no longer understands those traits. They but heads, spare with words, and love just as fiercely! Seriously devoured this read!

I've only recently started to read historical/regency romance books. This one feels a bit more modern compared to the rest of the ones I've read. I chose this one because it's a bit on the Beauty & The Beast themed. Sometimes it isn't a good comparison, and that annoys me, but this one did a good job with it.

I just loved the relationship between Lady Astrid and Lord Nathaniel. They had some great banter, some smoking hot chemistry, and explosive shmexy scenes. Each of them were loveable on their own as well. She was fierce, and he was so alpha I died.

While I still feel it's not true regency, I did love this book. I'm so glad I gave it a shot. I look forward to checking out this author more.

THE BEAST OF BESWICK by Amalie Howard is a “beauty and the beast” tale with a scarred war hero and a feminist heroine way ahead of her time. This story has an odious villain whose actions are the catalyst for the heroine to find her hero, but the bulk of the story is about the hero learning to trust and let himself be loved. Lady Astrid Everleigh finds herself in quite a predicament at the beginning of this novel. Although she’s a resourceful and intelligent young woman, she finds herself in a situation that only a marriage of convenience can fix. The dastardly Earl of Beaumont has designs on her younger sister and seeing her wed the earl seems like a fate worse than death. It’s galling for Astrid to have to turn to a man for help, but she is out of options and almost out of time.

Thane Harte, the disagreeable Duke of Beswick has some psychological scars, in addition to physical ones, from his time as a soldier. Consequently, his manners are definitely “beastly”. Astrid’s offer of marriage strikes a discordant note with him for all kinds of reasons. I like the heroine in this book, the steamy scenes, and the independent heroine, but Thane can come of as a bit of a drama queen at times. His social isolation has only made his insecurities and sense of hopelessness when it comes to ever finding love and acceptance that much worse. Thane and Astrid are both very strong-willed, so their encounters are usually passionate – for good or bad. I like that Amalie Howard writes two main characters are realistically flawed and have struggles that make readers root for them.

THE BEAST OF BESWICK has a fierce feminist heroine and a beastly hero tamed by love. In the end, Astrid’s sister reveals a courageous and crafty side, despite Astrid’s worrying over her. The relationship between Astrid and Thane is something that evolves over the course of THE BEAST OF BESWICK, rather than be an insta-love situation. One thing that I really liked about THE BEAST OF BESWICK is how the heroine stands up for herself, and delivers a satisfying parting shot to the villain rather than have the hero swoop in to save her from him. Thane does get his own knocks at the nefarious earl, but Astrid gets her pound of flesh too.

Astrid was a very strong, intelligent character especially for the time period. Thane was a true tortured hero. I loved their banter. I even loved Aunt Mabel. Isobel was a bit wimpy but pulled herself together in the second half of the book. Story was well paced and ended well. One sitting read.

A headstrong, no holding back, bluestocking needs the help of a war ravaged, scarred, reclusive Duke. Add in a younger sister, a rival earl, a valet that won't listen and a fun loving aunt and you have The Beast of Beswick.
This was my first time reading Amalie Howard and I really enjoyed this book.
I laughed, sighed, fanned myself (those steamy scenes), and felt for the disfigured Duke. I loved that Lady Astrid would not give up on him. Thane started out as a beast in temperament as well as looks but that didn't stop her from trying to find the real man behind the beast. It took him a long time to finally believe he was deserving of love, especially Astrid's love but it was wonderful when he did.

The man that ruined Astrid's chance of an advantageous marriage, is now sniffing around her little sister. She will do anything to protect her, even if it means marrying a man know as the Beast of Beswick. Astrid knew Thane before he went off to war, but has only heard stories since he has come back. But she believes that he is the only person that can save her and therefore her sister.

Thane has returned from war with a body covered in scars. He has rightfully gained his name as he has been a beast to live with since his return. When Astrid arrives on his doorstep asking for help, he turns her down. He has no plans to marry and wouldn't want to impose his beastly self on anyone. But he ends up relenting and allowing Astrid and her sister to stay there, while she catalogues the artifacts that Thane's father collected before he sells them.

This, of course, puts Astrid and Thane in close proximity. They are both attracted to the other, but every time they appear to be getting closer, Thane does something to push Astrid away. Will Thane ever realize that he deserves to be loved so that he and Astrid get their HEA?

OMG!! I absolutely adored Astrid and Thane's story!!! Thane did everything in his power to push Astrid away, but she saw the man he was underneath the beast and wouldn't settle for less than the man he could be. I loved that Astrid was a smart woman and gave as good as she got from Thane. The secondary characters had me laughing out loud!! I loved them just as much as the H/H of the story! I can't wait to see what Howard has in store for us next!!

4 Non-Biddable Love Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Back in the day of historical times, a highly coveted woman on the marriage market would be highly feminine, well versed in the needlework arts and most importantly, Biddable. Yes, the willingness to be directed by her soon to be husband was the key...no push back, no mind of her own and never to talk back and have her own opinions.

Thank goodness I am of these times!

In The Beast of Beswick, we are given the circumstances where two sisters are at the mercy of a scheming, money-grubbing uncle and aunt. The parents died and did leave funds for the girls but the uncle has been using them for his own purposes. The good news is that the older sister, Lady Astrid Everleigh, is months away from receiving the untouchable funds which will change everything. Once she turns 26, she will be in charge of her sister and the uncle cannot do a thing about it.

But until then...the scheming is in full force. The uncle has agreed to marry off the sister before she even has an opportunity to be part of her season and to add insult to injury, the cad is the man who told lies about Lady Astrid when she turned him down during her season. It was his telling of false tales about her which caused her to be shunned by the ton.

Astrid will not allow her sister to be bought and sold to this man...but how can she do this...
Lady Astrid knows of one person who would be the perfect answer...a man no one would approach, who would or fight.

Astrid just needs to steel her spine, present the situation, and make the duke see his need for Astrid. Astrid will do anything to save her sister from that man and her uncle. She will present an offer the duke cannot refuse...

Lord Nathaniel Harte, the Duke of Beswick is not living the life he thought he would. He never wanted to be the duke, his brother was destined for that. But fate decided to hand him something very different. Thane was strong, handsome and willing to enjoy the adventures life had...and one was joining the army and fighting for the Regent. He was fearless and when another cowardice soldier ran away, he laid down his life saving the rest of the troops. The wounds were deep and it was a miracle he lived. His scars were nothing but horrific. After many surgeries, the results left him alive but at what cost.

Years had past and as I said fate played a mean hand. His father died and then the brother who was to be the duke died as well. Thane is now the holder of the title and all of the responsibility...and one of the main responsibilities is to continue the line...to produce an heir. But with the body and face, he has now, Thane is more beast than man... at least that is how he sees himself and the ton and others reinforce it.

Thane has only his butler and manservant who push back and speak truth to him. The relationships are tricky but deep. Thane threatens every day to fire these men but would be lost without them.

It is a commotion outside the door of his bathing pool which causes Thane to pay attention. It is late in the day and he is hearing a woman demanding to see him. She will not be turned away and pushes past his men opening the door and finding Thane standing there in only a towel.

Astrid thought the room was a study or library...and turned away so as not to see anything. Thane thinks this disturbance and Astrid's embarrassment is something to play with...and he does..saying inappropriate things causing Astrid to turn red.

Thane tells her to go to the library and he will meet her there...and once he does, he sits so that the light does not show his entire face...after all most are frightened of the sight.

Astrid has come with a purpose and will not allow this man to deter her. She was "spoiled" by her father who allowed her to have the same education a man would. He allowed her to ride horses and she was well versed in many different subjects. She was not raised to be biddable and never would be.

The time has come for Astrid to present her reason for being there. The duke has an extensive artifact collection from his father. Astrid learned of it while waiting for Thane to come to the library. She presents the idea of her cataloging it for the charity auction Thane is doing and he marries her. This marriage will allow him to produce an heir, she will be able to save her sister and it is the answer to all their needs.

Perfect, right...

Well, Thane hears this and almost falls off his chair. He says all sorts of scandalous things to Astrid and she leaves him hoping he will think it over. What he thinks is this woman is crazy...and how could she even want to be with him. What also surprises him is the stirring he feels for her.

These two are forces that will come together due to the need to protect the sister...and through this process, the Beast of Beswick becomes the man Astrid learns to love. Thane is confused, fighting his need to push everyone away with the need to master this woman. He cares for her in a way that frightens him. How can a woman so lovely as Astrid could ever love him...

This was an enjoyable read and it does skirt the Beauty and Beast feel. Astrid has a quick mind and is nothing like the required woman of the time. She is smart, allows her mouth to say what she thinks and is supportive of Thane. She sees the true man he is and brings out his best. Thane is the perfect foil for Astrid, allowing her to be who she is and appreciating it. Their chemistry is perfect and worked.

Amalie Howard was a new author for me and I will keep my eye opened for more.

Beastly good!!!

Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis:
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.

Review:
When Astrid realised that her sister is not safe anymore in their uncle’s home, she takes a drastic step - marriage to a duke! She’s determined that her sister will not be forced into marriage with the slimy, lecherous Earl of Beaumont. The same man who pursued her nine years ago and destroyed her reputation when she refused to let him take liberties! Now Astrid is unmarried with no hopes of any decent man ever offering for her. She needs the marriage in name if nothing else and decides on a bold plan - proposing to the Duke of Beswick or in more general terms, the Beast!!

Thane has returned from the war with a ruined face! The once second son who was fast with the ladies and never cared for the estates is now the master of it all!! When Lady Astrid comes barging into his bathing chamber, she sparks in him an interest he hasn’t felt in some time! She is smart mouthed, bold and he doesn’t know what to do with her! She offers him herself in marriage, heirs and a catalog of his father’s precious porcelain in return for protection for herself and her sister! He k ew the Earl of Beaumont from the war and his opinion of the coward hasn’t changed! He agrees to the deal.

Slowly and steadily Astrid falls for her beast and she realises that he is everything she ever wanted in a husband! Will she be able to get through to him and make him believe he’s good too? Will he ever accept that he’s not a beast?

The best part of the story to me was the characters!! Each one has been carefully crafted with attention to detail. Thane and Astrid are both amazing characters that I could totally connect with and felt like I was living in their story!! The twists and turns in the plot are well placed and I love how bold and confident these women are (makes my feminist heart happy) if you love regency romance with a little heartbreak and a lot of fun this is the perfect read!!

Thane is one beastly grumpy alpha man. Astrid is one strong sexy smart woman. They make for an interesting fun couple. There connection and chemistry is off the charts. Could not wait to see where the story would go. Loved Thane and Astrid. Will read more from this author.

In a Beauty and the Beast trope, Lady Astrid Everleigh, takes on the reclusive, scarred and disagreeable Lord Nathaniel "Thane" Harte, the Duke of Beswick,

To save her sister from being matched with a villainous fiance, Astrid must make a lofty match of her own. Thane, known as the Beast of Beswick, is the perfect answer. Especially if she can thaw his heart enough to love her.

A good book but you definitely needed to suspend belief more than usual for Astrid's behavior in society to match the time period.

Thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for accepting my request to read and review The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard, this awesome novel, prior to publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Wow, just wow! What a fantastic, emotionally-charged reading experience. The Beast of Beswick is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, one of my favorite fairy tales. I could not put this one down. It grabbed me from the first page and kept me to the last. The writing is emotional with great suspenseful scenes and amazing sensually, romantic scenes.

Astrid Everleigh’s character can do it all. Normally that might annoy me, but she does it with such finesse, I totally fell in love with her character. She could do no wrong. Her loyalty to her sister is amazing. She will do anything to save her sister from the villainous man who ruined her when she refused his proposal ten years before. Then to add to her already awesomeness, she is perfect for the beast!

Nathaniel Harte, well, just wow! He is the best beast of all time, well, at least since the original telling of Beauty and the Beast. He is surly, like a wounded bear. His servants run from him, except for a few old retainers, his friends have deserted him, society cannot bear to look upon him. He is scarred inside and out. I could feel his pain and understood why he refused to go about in society, but when he does for Astrid, well, let’s just say, he completely stole my heart!

Talk about fantastic scenes, there are so many it’s hard to choose which one is best! However, when Astrid bears his den, she strides in with her arsenal full, determined to convince him he must marry her. Awesome scene! Then her snarky attitude when she becomes his housekeeper, well, I totally LOVED her.

Astrid and Thane are PERFECT together from their first encounter. The chemistry between them is combustible. The push and pull of their relationship is incredible. I totally understood why Thane kept pushing her away, then he was completely unable to resist her because Astrid will NOT give up on him, no matter how nasty he can be at times. The sensually, beautifully written sexual scenes are amazing. In the last couple of years, I’ve lost the need for graphic sex scenes, but Ms. Howard’s are so emotionally-charged, they thrilled me as I haven’t been thrilled in some time!

If you want to become enmeshed in a story that will have you suspending your normal “Oh, that’s not historically accurate” then you will totally adore The Beast of Beswick. I’ve never read any books by Ms. Howard until this one, but I look forward to reading more of her incredible books. Happy reading!

This is the first book I read by Amalie Howard and now she is an author I will follow. This story is about a Hero, Thane, who is damaged both physically and emotionally. He has ben hurt by people believing he was a beast because of the physical damage he received in the war. And a Heroine, Astrid, who is a strong, smart women who wants to control what happens to her and her sister and not let their life be decided by other people. She wants to protect her sister. When Astrid approaches Thane to help protect her sister the story begins. There are steamy sex scenes, the banter between Thane and Astrid was fun and entertaining. I also loved 3 side characters, Fletcher, Culbert and Aunt Mabel.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

One word to describe this book, sexy. This book was drop dead slow burn, torture and I enjoyed every minute of it. With strong characters, tantalizing chemistry and endless plot twists, I couldn’t help but be swept away in the chaos and beauty.

Thane was just such a beautifully man in utter agony. My heart when out to him as soon as he was introduced and as his story unfolded I couldn’t help but feel the need to soothe this scarred man’s soul. He is truly a gentleman and to heck with society, how dare they treat him as anything other than a war hero. But Thane masks his pain behind enraged expressions, annoyance, and an excellent ability to deter anyone from getting too close.

Enter Astrid. She is so strong minded that it really is a miracle she survived society standards this long. She matches Thane every step of the way in stubbornness, determination, and will to survive. And so begins a battle of the wits and let me tell you, the banter was hilarious. I love a good enemies to lovers and nothing has me giggling more than when an argument turns into a fiery kiss and Amalie delivers!

This book was such a playful, sexy twist on Beauty and the Beast, and while there may not have been magic, I found myself enchanted. And it expands beyond a romance, there is friendship found, trust earned, and revenge bound men afoot. All of these things contributed to development of a relationship between Thane and Astrid. I couldn’t help but swoon and when the swooning ended, Thane’s eccentric Aunt had me in fits of laughter. Just a delightful, quick read.

Thane was severely wounded in war. He is carrying big scars on the inside too. Astrid needs him to help with her sister. They think they have agreed to have a marriage in name only.

Very, very torn about this review. I loved the first third of The Beast of Beswick, and then... it derailed, and so did my interest in it.

That’s not to say there weren’t some great things about this book. The writing is excellent despite the anachronistic elements, the Beast (Thane) is an utter delight—exactly the growls, grumpy, secretly soft-hearted hero I adore—and the supporting characters add a lot of color and humor.

Ultimately, those things are what kept me going despite my mind wandering and my eyes drifting. The story, which began so strongly, stalled around 30-40% and began a repetitious cycle of Astrid and Thane getting close only for him to push her away. Once or twice, sure, but again and again and again was too much for me—this book could and should’ve been shorter. Indeed, at 93%, I stopped reading altogether for several hours despite being achingly close to the end.

The most distracting (and honestly frustrating) thing of all was the surprisingly contemporary feel of The Beast of Beswick. The author paid lip service to the Regency setting, then set out to write a wholly modern story about a headstrong girl Friday who is bound and determined to wed a Beast to save her sister. The language, the sex (although HOT), the behaviors—none of it felt like it belonged in a post-Napoleonic Wars world.

This is a good book, and certainly for readers with little or no problem with inaccuracies and a seemingly neglected setting, it’s sure to be a hit. Sadly for me, it missed the mark.

Who can resist a beauty and the beast story? Certainly not this reader. Yet another fantastic book has been added to my 2019 favorite books list.

"She blinked, an outrageous idea blossoming. It would solve everything. It was a dreadful, desperate plan, but it was something. It was a chance. At five and twenty, she was well on the shelf, but she wasn’t dead. She might be ruined in the eyes of the ton, but she had a sound brain, she’d been raised to run an aristocratic household, and she was the daughter of a viscount. It could work. It could work. She would just have to marry a different kind of beast than the earl to save her sister. And she knew just the man."

The beautiful and headstrong Lady Astrid Everleigh is desperate to save her sister from the same ruin she encountered 10 years ago. Astrid's last-ditch effort is to ask the formidable and scarred Beast of Beswick, Lord Thane Harte, to marry her so he can approve or deny anyone who asks for her sister's hand in marriage, but his answer is unexpected.

Wow! I adore the robust and provocative repartee between Astrid and Thane. They both have been censured in society which has left them vulnerable and alone, but as a couple, they could conquer anything if they would only open their hearts. Astrid's ability to match Thane's rath and ardor is fascinating to read and the love scenes will leave you breathless. I have two favorite supporting characters, Aunt Mabel and Fletcher. Thane's feisty Aunt Mabel is another feminist before her time, has an active sex life of her own, and lovingly embroiders phalluses as a hobby. Thane's valet, Fletcher, is a cunning and quick-witted servant who always has his Grace's best interests in mind.

This historical romance had me enraptured from the start and I declare I am a new fan of Ms. Amalie Howard and can't wait to read more of her books.  Recommend highly!

Thank you to Ms. Howard for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

Beast of beswick 5*
Astrid was outspoken, bold and fierce in the protection of her younger sister, Isobel. She was willing to do anything to save her sister from an unwanted marriage. How I felt for Thane, not only was he scarred through his heroic wartime actions, but he was also reviled by the members of the ton, because of his facial appearance. I enjoyed the banter between Thane and Astrid and Thane and certainly met his match in Astrid. There were some very tense moments between them when Thane tries to push her away as he felt unworthy of her. Aunt Mabel was a gem, in fact everyone family should have an Aunt Mabel! This was an enthralling read with engaging characters. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. However, I did preorder my own copy.

The Beast of Beswick is the first historical romance I’ve read by Amalie Howard but it will definitely not be the last. I grabbed this one because the summary caught my interest. I love Beauty and the Beast and this story won me over with it’s interesting and engaging characters.

Astrid is our heroine and she is in a situation that she can’t solve on her own. When the man who essentially ruined her, sets his sights on her younger sister, Astrid decides to do whatever she can to protect her, even if it means going to the beast of Beswick to get the help she needs. I loved Astrid. She is smart and protective of those she loves. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself either and she is the perfect balance for Thane.

Thane is another great character. He’s grumpy and has a history that we get to learn along with Astrid. I loved how we were introduced to him and while he is rough around the edges, he definitely needs someone who will hold onto him and not just cave to what he thinks. The scars Thane carries are more than just on the surface with him and I love how Astrid (with the help of Thane’s aunt) pushed him to realize he is worth having love and affection. On top of that, the banter between these two characters kept me turning the pages.

As these two work to protect Astrid’s younger sister we get to see how they figure out how to be married when both were convinced they would never be in that situation. I thought Howard did a great job of building the relationship between Astrid and Thane and the secondary characters only added to the story. If you are looking for a historical romance that will keep you interested and wanting to know more, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.