I'm a bit torn on this one. It felt long and slow moving, but I wouldn't call it boring. Maybe just a low build? Belle has always been one of my favorite Disney princesses, so it was great to read a story about the life right after the curse. Belle and Lio both showed real depth and character development.. I also enjoyed how tidbits from the original story were used in this one.

I was really excited about the premise of this book. Disney and history are two of my favorite things, so combining the two was a dream come true for me. On top of that, it’s a Beauty and the Beast sequel. It had everything going for it. I was really enjoying this book at the start. I loved seeing how Belle was handling her new life as the spouse of a royal. However, as the story progressed, i found that Belle wasn’t. She felt very one-note throughout and there wasn’t a lot of character development. Also, everything I loved about Belle from the movie seemed to be missing here. The loving, selfless dreamer she was in the movie was replaced by a shell of her former self. I found it hard to root for her, which is so sad considering she’s always been one of my favorite heroines.

The other characters were pretty monotonous and predictable, too. In fact, the whole story was pretty predictable. There just weren’t any aspects of this story that kept me interested in the outcome. I’m still looking forward to the other books in this series; I love the concept of it and think some great stories could be brought to life. However, this first entry fell way short for me.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Rebel Rose in exchange for an honest review.

Rebel Rose is a 'what happens next' adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast set against the political climate of a France on the cusp of revolution. B&B seems to be everyone's favourite fairytale to adapt for YA audiences so I've read a plethora of B&B retellings this year, so let's talk about how Rebel Rose fails as one.

First and foremost, to retell/adapt a story, you have to deeply love the original. This doesn't mean that you think its flawless (because then what would the point of adaptation actually be) but retellings/adaptations should always be a labor of love. The story you create should thrive because of the aspects from the source material it chooses to use, not despite it. Now, Rebel Rose is a Disney published continuation of a Disney property so it definitely has a lot less flexibility than adaptations of the original fairytale, but oh my god does this book seem to really, really want you to forget all of the original character's personalities.

Let's talk about Belle because... there's a lot there. Belle's married to the beast (called Lio in this version) but refuses to take the title of princess or queen because of... reasons. Her big arc is to stop being meek and passive and realize that she was worthy of voicing her opinions and taking the crown all along. The problem here is that our movie Belle already was headstrong. If I'm remembering correctly, this book even starts off with her being described as headstrong. She's one of the least meek pre-Princess and the Frog mainline up (aka, Nala and Meg don't count) princesses so having that be her arc made no sense. I honestly originally just assumed her character arc would have more to do with her learning about the more subtle ways progress had to be achieved in aristocratic societies (Harper from ACSDAL is a really good example of that) but instead we get her constantly saying she's unsure of herself with the book also going 'but remember, no she's not!'.

Brief obligatory section on Lio because his sections in this book were also brief. Belle had more chemistry with literally every other character in this book and I hated him.

We really have 2 main cast additions here, Bastien and Marguerite. Bastien is Lio's duc cousin who Belle meets and goes "hmmm he seems sus" so me saying he's the bad guy doesn't feel at all like a spoiler which was a shame because a lot of this book was spent trying to make the reader go "is he a bad guy?" even though all intrigue was killed by having our protagonist hate him for little to no reason and spoil the reveal. Marguerite's main plot point was being a secret gay with most of her significance plotwise being Belle going "hmm I wonder what her secret is?" but again, that's not really a spoiler because she's just so heavily queer-coded from the moment she's introduced. I honestly think Marguerite existed mostly for PR so the book could go "look! Bechtal test! Female badass friend!" and also so the book could try to redeem themselves by adding positive queer-rep for whatever the hell happened with LeFou who yes, is still a canon gay character in this. They both bored me but at least they gave us someone for Belle to have some semblance of chemistry with.

The last straw for me was definitely LeFou and the choices made there but that's definitely a spoiler so let me just say... what the hell was that?

Have you ever watched Beauty and the Beast and afterwards found yourself wondering what ‘happily ever after’ actually looked like? Well, if you have you’re in luck, as Emma Theriault’s upcoming novel, The Queen’s Council: Rebel Rose, does just that.

“Happily ever after is only the beginning as Belle takes on the responsibility of becoming queen and learns to balance duty, love, and sacrifice, all while navigating dark political intrigue-and a touch of magic.
It's 1789 and France is on the brink of revolution. Belle has finally broken the Enchantress's curse, restoring the Beast to his human form, and bringing life back to their castle in the province of Aveyon. But in Paris, the fires of change are burning, and it's only a matter of time before the rebellion arrives on their doorstep.
Belle has always dreamed of leaving her provincial home for a life of adventure. But now she finds herself living in a palace, torn between her roots as a commoner, and her future as a royal. When she stumbles across a mysterious, ancient magic that brings with it a dire warning, she must question whether she is ready for the power being thrust on her, and if being Queen is more than just a title.”

The Queen’s Council: Rebel Rose begins only a few months after the lifting of the curse, with a trip to Paris where Prince Lio (although most of us know his as the Beast or Prince Adam) must present himself to King Louis of France after his 10 year absence from court due the curse. Much to the surprise of both Belle and Prince Lio they arrive to find France in a state of unrest and King Louis desperate for support and funds. While Lio attends the King at court with his cousin, Belle takes time to explore Paris and unwittingly stumbles into the middle of the growing unrest and is forced to come to terms with what it could mean for her home. As the story progresses Lio and Belle return home to deal with the fallout of France’s revolution, ultimately leading Belle to step into a role she never wanted: Queen of Aveyon.
As the first in a new series of YA novels to be released by Disney-Hyperion that will explore what happened to our favorite Disney princesses once they became queens, and Rebel Rose stand as a strong start to the series. The novel digs deeper into the character of Belle as imagined by author Emma Theriault, while also attempting to create a better picture of Prince Lio. Unfortunately, the story is so Belle centric that although the character of Prince Lio is given some interesting features, such as some PTSD from his time as the beast, he is often forced offstage and overlooked in favor of Belle. However, Theriault did a wonderful job bringing to life some of everyone’s favorite supporting characters in her portrayals of Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and Chip, making them every bit as lovable on the page as they were on the screen. Not only that be the new characters introduced throughout the story, such as Prince Lio’s cousin Bastion, are well crafted and fit seamlessly into the world as Theriault created it.
Beyond the characters, Rebel Rose is also a stunning example of what can be done with historical fiction in terms of accuracy, as it makes multiple references to actual people and events of the French Revolution. This includes multiple references to French philosophers and their writings as well as events like the taking of Versailles by the people. That being said, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the accurate descriptions of the unrest and violence occurring at the time as well, as I feel as though this area can often be glossed over in favor of romanticism. There is no shying away from the reality of what being royalty or nobility meant in 1789 France and its principalities, in fact the story hinges on these details. It is refreshing to come across a YA novel that well written and still clings to historical accuracy as much as possible.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. In fact, I read the entire book in a single sitting on my day off. Rebel Rose is a perfect book for teens (and adults) looking to jump back into the world of Beauty and the Beast or even just looking for a nice piece of historical fiction.

DNF'd around 30% of the way. I usually really enjoy retellings, and I love everything Disney, but this just didn't do it for me. It was awkward and felt really off brand for Disney as a whole to publish a story like this. I didn't mind that it was after the curse, and thought the entire concept as a whole was super unique and interesting, but the writing was flat and the author made Belle a really dull character. I was not impressed with the story or the direction it was going, and felt that Belle and the Beast were portrayed as awkward older counterparts to who they usually are.

Beauty and the Beast mixed with historical events and exploring the question of what happens after “happily ever after?” The story follows Belle and her Beast as they are now happily married and curse free, and must integrate into political court. The story takes place during the french revolution where the people are fighting back against the rich and even has, you guessed it, Marie Antionette. The story is mainly focuses on Belle refusing to be a “princess” or a “queen” and essentially going on about how she refuses to change herself or take on the role and responsibilities.... even though she literally married into it and constantly goes on and on about how she wants to represent the people and fight for equality. See, I was struggling to get through this book because I was just so frustrated with Belle. She doesn’t act like the Belle you think she would be, she ignores a lot of red flags, and is so stubborn and set... I just did not enjoy it. The story drags for a bit and doesn’t really pick up till the last quarter of the book. I just couldn’t fathom Belle’s reasoning and the way she was acting, she was constantly saying how much she loved her husband and how she wouldn’t change a thing but then she wouldn’t really do anything to support him as he was dealing with political decisions, she wouldn’t talk to him about important conversations, and the thing that kept being brought up that truly got on my nerves was the “we never talk about the curse or how you kept me prisoner for a while” ... that is not a healthy relationship at all. They avoided difficult things, they didn’t really compromise in their relationship, and just... I really wished I had liked this book. It had so much potential, and the cover is gorgeous. I was all on board for an empowering reimagining of Beauty and the Beast mixed in with 1798 French politics.

*Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I'm giving this 3.5 stars for a retelling/continuation of Beauty and the Beast, but 4 stars as a book on its own. I hope that will make more sense as I continue with my review.

First of all, I love the cover and the premise of this story. I was hooked from the moment I heard Beauty and the Beast, and it quickly became one of my most anticipated reads for 2020. While I enjoyed it, I do think one should know going in that this isn't the Belle and Beast from the Disney movie. I mean, technically it is, but not how I imagined them. Let me explain.

Rebel Rose follows Belle and Lio (the Beast) after they break the curse with their love, causing the Beast to turn human and the castle and its inhabitant to return to what they once were. Newly married, the couple travels to Paris as part of their tour-of-the-country honeymoon. Only, Paris isn't the city Belle once knew and loved. Set at the onset of the French Revolution (Bastille Day included), Paris is full of riots and marches as the people urge their King hiding in Versailles to hear them. Frightened of what will happen to their own kingdom of Aveyon, Belle and Lio, along with Lio's cousin from Paris, return to Aveyon to stop the unrest from following them home.

Readers follow them along as they fight to make the changes necessary to keep Aveyon safe and happy from the unrest in the rest of France. Revolution is coming, but can Belle and Lio stop it from taking over the kingdom they just saved from a 10-year curse?

I loved the idea of historical fantasy mixed with a fairytale retelling, however, the version of Lio and Belle I got from the book is not the Belle and Lio I loved from the movie. Belle adamantly fought against the title of princess and queen, to the point where I found myself annoyed as she put herself in front of the kingdom she supposedly holds dear to her heart after years of yearning to leave it behind.

The writing style itself leaned more towards a running course of Belle's thoughts, which was an interesting approach to the story. But, she spent too much time wanting to be the peasant she once was rather than embracing her role and changing things to suit her fellow commoners. I didn't get a lot of the "rebel" qualities from her that I felt when watching the movie. I felt as if she took a step back and became a different person.

Lio also felt like a step back from the Beast we got to know in the movie. But, this is probably rather obvious seeing as he's no longer a beast. However, I think part of my expected those hard parts of him to stick around in his personality in some ways, especially when it came to being a leader. But, that was not the case. Instead, I felt like he and Belle both became meek and mild, which was a little disappointing.

However, the book itself was pretty great. If you don't look at it as a retelling or continuation of Beauty and the Beast, then I think it makes a really interesting historical fiction book. I loved the addition of the French Revolution, and I also loved the new characters in the book. I think without the connection to Belle and her beast, the book stands very well on its own and is quite enjoyable!

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie, so I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations.

I think the biggest problem was the combining of the world Disney created with the real world. Disney's world is a magical place, and no matter how dark things get, there's still a lightheartedness to it. The real world, on the other hand, is a stark contrast. Rebel Rose takes place during the French Revolution, which is definitely not a light topic. I expected the tone to be a bit darker and grittier, but the reality is a strange combination of the two. I keep picturing the scene from Sleeping Beauty where Flora and Merryweather are fighting over Aurora's dress color, and the result is a mess of blue and pink (not the end scene where it switches back and forth, but the mess they create while still designing the dress). Some moments seemed darker, some more lighthearted, but somehow the two just didn't come together to create a cohesive story.

I also had issue with the characters. They just seemed to fall flat, whether that's Belle, or the Beast, or his cousin, or the beloved side characters. Just like the world, the characters in the book felt like a weird combination of those we know and love from Disney, and the characters that would have felt more at home in the real world during the French Revolution. I liked that Theriault tried to address PTSD in the book (both with Belle and the Beast) but even this seemed to fall flat.

The one thing I really enjoyed in this story is the concept of The Queen's Council. It really is a neat idea, and I look forward to seeing how it's played out in the other stories Disney has planned. Kudos to Theriault for bringing this concept to life.

Sadly another DNF.
I'm very disappointed. This was an incredible story concept that fell wayyyy short. I found it cheesy and hard to follow, and I wasn't a fan or the writing style so I didn't care to finish.
(Many thanks to Netgalley and Disney Hyperion Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC!)

This book can't seem to decide what it wants to be when it grows up. Love story? Fairy tale? Historical fiction? Tale of Two Cities meets Beauty and the Beast? Political polemic? The result is a meandering, drab storyline that moves with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth. (I had Margeurite pegged in about three heartbeats..)

After Belle breaks an enchantress's curse and marries the newly restored, new and improved Prince Lio (formerly the Beast), she struggles with taking on the title of "Princess." All this while 1789 France teeters on the brink of revolution and civil war.

Later, after the Kingdom of Aveyon secedes, Belle can't figure out whether or not she wants to wear the Queen's crown. This takes about 15 chapters, with not much else going on besides a lot of hand-wringing and second-guessing. Yawn.

It has potential if you have the patience. If you don't, better stock up on No Doze.

#TheQueensCouncilRebelRose
#NetGalley

This book was a mixture of many things good and bad. I really liked the premise and most retellings I'm game for, so this book was up my alley for sure. There were times I liked the book and enjoyed it, and yet other times it was frustrating and not what I had hoped it would be. The hard part with referencing a major movie and keeping the main cast of characters for your book is that I already have ideas and thoughts about them, so trying to have these characters continue on, you need to be careful because it's not characters you created. It was just not a fluid book for me, the characters lacked and no real progression was made except for Belle in a way. Not to discourage readers from this book as it had it's moments that were fun and enjoyable, and if you like Beauty and the Beast you might enjoy this book. However, for me this book fell too flat to be something exciting or a favorite. It was a decent read, but not something I'm going to be chatting about.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault was a treat for Belle fans. While the Disney movies ends (appropriately) at a happily ever after, Rebel Rose continues Belle's story and shows how she adjusts to her new royal role and the growing turbulence in France of the French Revolution. I appreciated how the author kept Belle true to herself (a free spirit always seeking answers and knowledge) and I also enjoyed Belle's relationship with Lio (who was having his own struggles being back in the world as a prince, but still retaining some of his beastly behaviors).

I have always enjoyed Disney character backstorys as well as story continuations after the happily ever where the movies usually end, and this is a good read. Fans of Belle, fairy tales and Disney will find a lot to like here.

It took me a while to get into this book. It's hard reading a story based on a character that you have known your whole life but I was intrigued by the idea that the 'after' story took place during the French Revolution. For the most part I think the author did an excellent job staying true to Belle's personality and I think all the fears and insecurities expressed by both Belle and the Beast are spot on for people who have gone through a trauma together.

The story line was so great! This book has court intrigue, spy's, deception, and redemption. I truly enjoyed the ending and all the amazingly positive images that this book shares. It was well written and I will be recommending it once it's on our shelves!

Thank you Disney-Hyperion Publishing and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
The Queen’s Council: Rebel Rose is about what happened after Belle married the beast. The Disney fairy tale ends in happily ever after, but what if Belle and the beast had to deal with the French Revolution? The story follows Belle as she struggles with her new life as a princess. Belle and her husband the prince of Aveyon (formally known as the beast) see the start of the French Revolution on a trip to Paris. They are worried that their town will also be affected by the Revolution and are afraid their people will turn on them.
I think this book is perfect for historical fiction and fantasy lovers alike. It is an interesting retelling and I love thinking about what happened to Belle after she marries the Beast. The only thing I didn't like about the book was it was a bit boring at times. I would rate it a 3.5.

Picking up about 6 months after the events of the original story, we meet Belle and Lio (the Beast) as they begin a tour of the continent starting with a stop in Paris. Belle has been looking forward to returning to Paris, but not to meeting the king or being part of the court in Versailles. When she inadvertently gets caught up in a protest and witnesses firsthand the anger and violence of the mobs, she knows it will get worse before it gets better. In an attempt to prevent revolution from taking hold in Aveyon as well, Belle and Lio return home to their castle instead of continuing their continental tour. But trouble is brewing at home, too, and danger seems to be everywhere. Who can Belle trust? Family? Friends? She's not even sure she can trust herself!

I really enjoyed this continuation of Belle's story. She's always been my favorite princess because she has a brain and because she doesn't fall in love after 2 seconds. (Plus, I'm a librarian, how can I not love a girl who honors books and intelligence over looks and brawn?) :) There are twists and turns, some of which I saw coming and a few I didn't. I figured out the main culprit before the big reveal, but the how and the why were surprises. I definitely recommend this book for fans of fractured fairy tales, adventure, strong female protagonists, and YA lit.

Disclaimer: I received a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What I enjoyed in Rebel Rose was how Theriault does not shy away from the rough spots in Adam and Belle's relationship. The inequality in their backgrounds becomes even more of an obstacle as they begin to advance their station and social calendar. While Belle may not be a Queen, she certainly is drawn into a space, not of her choosing, that does not truly know what it is like to be common. 1789 France is on the edge of revolution and it's possible Belle is the only person who can stop it from spilling over to Aveyon.

Rebel Rose is firmly centered on Belle and her character. Will she be able to stay true to herself, even as the nobility looks down at her, and the commoners might resent her? At the same time, will she be able to advocate for the rights of her friends and Aveyon against those who want to maintain the status quo? Because it quickly becomes apparent that the trials of their relationship are far from over even though the curse is broken.

What drew me to Rebel Rose was Belle. I love her story. A fierce, independent woman who isn’t afraid to be herself. And a book to continue her story? Yes please!

What I didn’t expect was version of Belle. She was unsure, easily intimidated and almost shy. At first I thought it was her adjusting to her new life, but as the story progressed she questioned her ideas, opinions, and decisions constantly. This isn’t the Belle I loved and admired.

However, the history was great! I loved how it was lined up with France’s revolution. My favorite was when Lio came back from touring the noble’s estates and told of King Louis and Marie Antoinette’s downfall.

The story has great potential, but it lacking the pull to keep a reader focused and story moving.

The number of positive reviews for <em>Rebel Rose</em> by Emma Theriault has honestly left me wondering if I read the same book as everyone else. This is largely due to two characters, the two that I would in fact name the <em>main </em>characters of this novel, and the <em>glaring</em> problems with them. Ironically, when I speak of the two main characters of <em>Rebel Rose</em> I do not, in fact, mean Belle and Adam (Beast). Rather, I mean Belle and Bastien, Prince Adam's cousin.

<b>Let's Put It All In the Open </b>

I'm not going to beat around anything here: I honestly kind of hated <em>Rebel Rose</em>. It's not necessarily a <em>terrible</em> book. There's a lot of merit to the story that Theriault was trying to tell by weaving in the actual history of France into her rendition of Belle and Adam's happily ever after. In all honesty, though, I think she really failed in her goal.

In that sense, I find it rather baffling that the book has received the amount of praise it has.

<b>Belle (and Adam)</b>

To put it very simply, if you pick this book up because you love <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>, you should probably put it right back down. These are not the characters you know and love. In fact, Theriault does an absolutely disastrous job of bringing them to life. And this isn't even relegated to the lead two, but extends out to literally everyone. Barring the fact that they share the same names, it's near impossible to see the original characters in Theriault's renditions. This is true from Belle to Adam to the supporting characters of Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts.

There is precious little of Prince Adam in this story. At nearly every turn he is running off on some venture to deal with the politics of his station. In each circumstance, he leaves Belle behind. If you wanted to read a story about their relationship, you're not going to get it here. In fact, the only interesting thing about their relationship is the fact that Adam has some <em>severe</em> PTSD that's never addressed beyond the fact that it exists and they both have to work through it.

Which is such a shame because this was a genuinely intriguing plot point I would have loved to explore.

<u>The story primarily features Belle.</u>

The unfortunate truth of Theriault's Belle is that she is a shell of her former self. Instead of the wonderful, courageous, stubborn, and intelligent woman we've all come to know and love Belle is reduced to a meek and self-doubting girl who keeps all her opinions to herself. I don't know about you, but this is <em>not</em> a Belle I recognize. And it bugged the hell out of me.

In fact, the entire plot of the novel centers around Belle's refusal and inability to see herself as a leader. She cows to others at the slightest push, Despite her original character portraying precisely the opposite spirit and drive, Belle is eager to let others take care of things and wants very little to do with the responsibility of being a Queen.

Theriault's main goal with this character is to develop her into someone who is eager and ready to take on that role. And it makes me wonder why she bothered using Belle in the first place because this is not something she, as a character, needed to be developed to. The Belle we already had<em> </em>was fully ready to be the leader she needed to be. There's not a single moment where I believe for a <em>second</em> that Belle wouldn't have been up for the challenge, <em>especially</em> when the wellbeing of the kingdom was a topic of discussion.

<b>Bastien</b>

Ironically, Bastien was my favorite character.

A long lost cousin, having forgotten entirely about Adam during the curse, Bastien is introduced very early on. In a way, you kind of fall in love with him at first. And, if I'm being honest, he has more chemistry with Belle in those introductory chapters than even Adam does. If that's not a red flag for you, I don't know what is. Add in the fact that he spends more time with Belle throughout the course of the novel than Adam ever does and it just gets worse.

Despite all of this, Belle is suspicious of Bastien from the start. And she has <em>literally no reason</em> to be. There is nothing, other than Belle's strange intuition, to suggest that he is anyone to be wary of. So, why is Belle suspicious of him, then? Is it because he's part of the French aristocracy and in direct conflict with the good of the common people? Well...

I'd be perfectly fine with that being the case, I suppose. Unfortunately, Theriault completely eviscerates not only his character but any chance of having a decent plot in one fell swoop.

<b>Unfortunately, I cannot explain this further without spoilers.</b>

<spoiler>I already had my issues with <em>Rebel Rose</em>, but the moment Bastien's "true colors" were revealed sealed it for me. You can kind of see the book headed in this direction with his actions throughout the course of the novel. And it was fine, really, when he was being portrayed as a spoiled rich man trying to gain political power. However the second he turned into a voice of the resistance, his arc lost all credibility.

What purpose was there behind this plot thread other than to put Adam's life at risk? What motivations did Bastien have for acting in this way? I'll be honest, I can't find any. It was just patently ridiculous. The lack of any genuine and visible motivation behind his actions was quite literally the <em>worst</em> thing about this entire book. And I <em>hated</em> it.

I'm not even going to get into how utterly stupid and annoying that nonsense with LeFou was. That was some of the most idiotic flip-flopping I have <em>ever</em> seen. And it was all for the purpose of pushing the plot along, so deus ex machina rears its ugly head. </spoiler>

<b>In Conclusion</b>

The only good thing about this book--barring the opportunity to explore Adam's PTSD--was the incorporation of historical events. And even that was a little contrived in the end, being as surrounded by idiotic side-plots and pointless new characters as it was. And it's not that I think this book was <em>terrible</em>, exactly. Eliminate that stupid plot with Bastien and replace it with something actually rooted in French history and this might have been a superb novel with only the issue of Theriault's inability to capture the true essence of the Beauty and the Beast characters for me to complain about.

I don't know what book everyone else read and seemed to love so much, but this was just not it for me.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

Rebel Rose caught my attention by the cool cover and then the description of the story. Even though I knew it was based of Beaty and the Beast, I didn’t have many expectations so I was going open minded.

So putting aside, what we know of Belle from the movies, this Belle (for a lot of the story) is self questioning, very petulant about her new role as the wife of a prince aka a princess, and hard headed about putting herself in danger because she wants to be a commoner. That drove me nuts!!!! I think there was a better way to portray Belle in where she’s questioning her new role, not her values/opinions, but using the power that it comes with to help the commoners as she desperately wanted to.

While I understand that Lio (aka Beast, no real name ever given by Disney lol) and Belle are now navigating new territory after breaking the curse, I can’t see them going through all that and having Lio disregard Belle’s opinions/needs. The many many manny times when Belle wanted to have important talks with Lio and she just let him plow through her needs/wants put her in a very submissive role which bothered me because I can’t ever see Belle letting him treat her that way. Thankfully, way later in the story, with the support and reinforcement of Mrs. Potts Belle was able to get her act together and be the empowered young woman she is.

I’ll be honest for majority of the book I was so frustrated and annoyed by Belle and Lio but towards the end of the things did pick up. It was nice seeing old beloved characters and one not so beloved. And the new characters might not be loved now but could be as the series progresses.

Focusing on the last part of the book and how things ended, I would say it’s a really good book. Overall, I’d say it was decent with great potential.

I've read a few different retellings of Beauty and the Beast, but sequels to this tale aren't something I come across often, and I love the way this story explored Belle and the Beast's lives post-curse. In Rebel Rose, Belle is trying to figure out how to balance the responsibilities of being queen – a title she never wanted – in a time where revolution may already be lurking within her own castle. I enjoyed the elements of actual French history included in the story, and the way that it shows how the Disney happily-ever-after isn't that simple. In a story with characters that are so familiar to us, and with Belle being a character I've seen written many different times, I liked this portrayal of her which kept her as strong and independent, but also showed her as someone with self-doubts and even flaws. There were definitely times throughout the novel when I just wanted to yell at Belle to stop doubting herself and trust her gut, especially when certain things felt a little bit obvious, but I liked seeing this other side of Belle that did still need to grow and learn about herself. I found this story fun, definitely building suspense as it went along, and a great sequel to one of my favorite tales. I definitely recommend picking up your own copy!