Beauty Tempts The Beast is the final installment in the "Sins For All Seasons" series and I can't believe this series is over. Although I definitely can see hints for a spin off series if the author chooses to do so, which, I am very curious to see if she does or will she leave us hanging. I guess we will find out what happens. And even though this series I have struggled with I really have appreciated where Lorraine Heath has taken this in the theme of "Baby Farmers" definitely a topic that is so rarely addressed in historical's. And I will say that I was really looking forward to Beast's story, he has always been one of my favorites of the siblings, but, the heroine really ruined this book for me.

Althea Stanwick was once a member of the Aristocracy, but then, her father was found to be a traitor to the crown and conspired against their country and her mother died from the shock and she and her brothers lost everything. She is a barmaid at a pub "The Mermaid" where she meets Beast. There is a connection from the beginning. But after some thinking Althea decides to take control of her life and wants to learn to seduce men and have that power over them and she wants Beast to train her. But Beast offers her an additional proposition.....if she teaches the women at a brothel he owns to be proper and more respectable so they can stop making money by selling their bodies he will give her seduction lessons. But before long those lessons turns into something more than just an agreement between Beast and Althea....it turns into love when they least expect it.

Beauty Tempts The Beast was a likable story in many ways but to be honest the heroine really turned this off for me in the beginning. At first I was really drawn into this story but having just read a book with a similar plot where the heroine wants to seduce and control men ....not really my cup of tea or at least not the way it was written to be honest. I can definitely understand why Althea wants to take control over her own life especially with how she and her brothers were so horribly treated, but the way she goes about this plan just rubbed me the wrong way.

However, the HERO ....*sigh* such a dream boat. I love the various levels to his character that we see in this book and I just fell for him instantly. At first we just see him as this broody hero who is protective of Althea and really any woman to be honest. He has money and connections and uses his wealth to help others. And he is an author. Just a man of many talents and so strong in his character and loyalty to his family and those he loves the most. I love how he is always fighting for Althea even when she spurns his love. He is so devoted to her in many ways and never stops fighting.

I wish that I could have enjoyed this book a bit more, I really had high hopes for it but I think just reading two books in a row with similar plots and unlikable heroines just turned me off from this book. But I am not sure I was ever fully endeared to this heroine, especially since she doesn't really redeem herself in the end, the ending actually made me like her even less. But I am hoping that the next book from this author I will enjoy way more and curious to see what she has planned for us in the future.

I am a huge Lorraine Heath fan and so I was delighted to have the opportunity to review this book for NetGalley. This book is the final story in Lorraine Heath's Sins for All Season series where she chronicles the love stories of each of the bastard children raised and cared for by Ettie Trewlove. This book tells the story of Benedict, or Beast as he is called due to a birth defect.

Benedict (or Beast) encounters Althea Stanwick working as a barmaid in his sister's tavern and is immediately attracted. Althea is a former member of the ton, an aristocrat until her father was found guilty of treason and the family wealth and titles stripped away. Due to her aristocratic bearing and manners, Benedict hires Althea to provide the women in the brothel he protects with some social polish so they can find other employment. Althea accept the offer and decides that she will make her way in the world as a high class courtesan. She asks Beast to give her lessons in seduction. After a few mis-steps, Beast ultimately refuses and a friendship fraught with sexual tension ensues.

What is refreshing about this book are the changes that each of the characters make during the course of the story as they both experience reversals of fortune. Althea and Benedict have suffered as a result of the misfortunes they've experience and have also grown as a result. We also see the suffering and the sacrifices made by other characters in the story that serve as examples for Benedict and Althea.

Although it's part of a series, it is also an excellent stand- alone story. If you're a fan of Lorraine Heath's series, you will enjoy seeing characters from the previous books in the series, as the Trewloves are always involved in each others lives. I really enjoyed this book and is now vies with Gillie's story (When a Duke Loves A Woman) as my favorite in the series. Five stars!

I really enjoyed this book. I’ve loved the entire series and have been eagerly awaiting Beast’s book. I loved how caring Beast is, that he wants to take care of people and give them the means to live better lives. I loved that Thea wasn’t perfect. She was spoiled and looked down on people but when her circumstances changed she acknowledged that she had been not such a great person and bettered herself. I loved her development throughout the book. I felt the chemistry between Beast and Thea was real and natural, it didn’t feel forced. I could read about them all day.

Such a beautiful story! I've truly loved this series and this was a lovely ending to it. The shame that each character ensured by their respective societies was different and get it was similar. It was so interesting how the author drew parallels between the two remarkably different worlds. The romance was also so sweet and i enjoyed watching it unfold. Very good book. #netgalley #beautytemptsthebeast

This book was absolutely wonderful! Benedict "Beast" Trewlove was taken in by Ettie Trewlove as an infant. Ettie was known as a person that cared for unwanted children. His youth was difficult...being a bastard and having a birth defect were just some of the reasons he was targeted as a child. Having to defend himself so often led to skills that helped him into his adulthood. He may have been born a bastard but he was a very astute businessman. He owned 4 ships and ran a brothel in order to protect the women from dangerous situations. His desire was to help these women find better situations for themselves but the ladies needed lessons to help them fit in with proper company.
Althea Stanwick was a Dukes daughter but he was found guilty of treason and hanged. His family was left with nothing. Althea was forced to take employment as a bar maid at a tavern. It is here that Benedict first laid eyes on Althea and realized she did not belong there. He also realized she could help him get his girls a tutor so they could leave the brothel for good. Althea reluctantly agrees to help, but with conditions of her own. Since she will never make a match in society, she wants Benedict to teach her to be a seductress. Benedict agrees but has no intention of following through. He has a hard enough time keeping his hands off of her. If he tries to teach her the ways of seduction, he knows he will not be able to stop. There is a three month timetable in which their agreement is supposed to be completed. A lot of situations occur during that time that bring these two much closer and also tear them apart. I loved every twist and turn of this story! Lorraine Heath is a true storyteller and this book was so much fun to read!

This novel was another great read by Ms. Heath. Such a twist of fate with both characters, both whose life plans greatly changed. Thea had everything has the daughter of a duke but his betrayal stripped her family of everything. Thea had to become stronger and work to support herself, for she could no longer rely on anyone but herself. Ben knows he was born a bastard and has a reputation as a Beast. He provides protection and is trying to get those under his protection into better occupations. Thea rejects Ben's offer, thinking he wants her for sex, but Ben recognizes her aristocratic nature and has another job for her instead. Both debate the terms of the agreement, challenging the other. Ben is honorable and tried to deny his feelings to Thea, but Thea has seduction plans of her own.
I received this novel from net galley and the publisher as an ARC. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Althea Stanwick is destined to marry a member of the ton until her father is found guilty of treason. The family is stripped of their titles and Althea and her brothers must go to work. Benedict Trewlove, known as Beast, sees her in his sisters bar working as a bar maid and is immediately drawn to her. Althea is surprised when Benedict wants her to train the women he looks after so they can find other employment. Althea accepts his very generous offer and moves into the brothel that Beast protects, but she made Benedict promise to train her in the ways of seduction so she can find a member of the aristocracy to take care of her. Benedict doesn't want another man to even look at her, much less take care of her. This begins a friendship between Benedict and Althea that everyone can see is really true love.

This is an amazing swoon worthy read with a dreamy hero. I have enjoyed this series from the beginning, but this one might have been my favorite out of all of them.

I love Lorraine Heath stories. They encompass real life experiences with love makes this such a small and loyalty. This one is no different and I loved every word written.

It’s always a sure bet that a Lorraine Heath book is gonna be good.
Beauty Tempts the Beast wasn’t merely good, it was outstanding.

Going with theme should a child be condemned for a parent’s sin, Heath gives us Althea Stanwick, the daughter of a Duke accused of treason. Society has shunned her and her brothers for her father’s deed. Forced to make their way in the world without anything of left of their lives, including money, Althea gets a job in a tavern.

Into that tavern walks Benedict “beast” Truelove, a man who knows the sting of society’s shun as well since he is a bastard. Beast fell hard for this beauty who doesn’t belong in a tavern or anywhere near Whitechapel. The story that unfolds between them is one only a storyteller of Heath’s artistic caliber could write.

I fell in love with Beast after the first time we meet him and only continued to fall deeper in love with him, as did Althea, as the story progressed.

When a secret identity is revealed and the love story between these two seems lost, Heath pulls out all the stops to insure it doesn’t

I want to thank Netgalley for finally allowing me a sneak peek at a Lorriane Heath book. I’ve been trying for some time to be awarded a copy because she truly is a one-click author for me, but being allowed to read and arc and write a review for her work is an honor.

Wish I could this book more than 5 stars!!!!

This was a beautifully written, swoon-worthy read! Benedict was a lovable sweetheart! He had a huge capacity to love and I could see why Althea appealed to him on many different levels. I was just as intrigued by Althea, selfish moments and all, but it took a bit to warm up to her. Once she started opening up to Benedict though, everything snapped in to place. I even enjoyed the conflict! I was thrilled it wasn’t prolonged and completely nonsensical, but resolved in a logical, understanding manner.

And the Trewlove family! They were a colorful group of friendship, acceptance, and so much love...

I had such a blast with this story!

I haven’t read the entire series (actually just book one) and had no difficulty following along. This can easily be read as a stand alone.

I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley and Avon books. This is my honest review.

Lorraine Heath is a romance author for the ages. Althea and Beast are the perfect couple. She is a society miss who has lost everything, he is the Beast of Whitechapel who knows how the other side live. With his help she will adjust to having nothing and loose her heart in the process. A hot, steamy romance that readers will love.

What a wonderful read!

Its always refreshing to have a female character who is strong and resilient. Althea, or Beauty, has endured so much, but I believe it made her a stronger person in the end. And although Beast has had a rough upbringing, having such a large, loving family nearby always helps. It's nice to have a male character who cares so much for others. I enjoy this book, especially the steamy parts, and cannot wait for another Trewlowe to get caught up in.

This is a beautiful love story! I have not read any of the previous books in this series so I had no expectations. Who I met was Benedict, a man with "Beast" as a name and a heart so good you will adore him. Then I met Althea. A young aristocrat, her family was suddenly stripped of their wealth and titles because their father was declared a traitor and hanged. Althea was trying to live by serving in a pub. I will not write a spoiler review, but somehow I want to you to know that this story is so lovely. These two people are in lives they did not choose for themselves. Benedict was handed over to the Trewloves right after he was born. He knows nothing about his parentage. Althea knows, but everything she knows is gone. Ms. Heath tells their story of suffering, denial, pain, and lots of love...a family that is joined by blood but by choice. Pick up this book, find someplace quiet and go join Benedict as he introduces you to his world.

I have enjoyed every single story about the Trewloves. Beauty Tempts the Beast was no exception. Beast and Althea are a joy. Their story so moving. I shed a few tears and had some surprises. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you can still enjoy this story and then go back and read the others! While sad to say good-bye to the Trewloves, I look forward to reading about Thea’s brothers in future books! A gentle, sweet, and romantic story. A wonderful read! Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book to enjoy and review.

This a wonderful conclusion to another series of lovely Lorraine Heath books. One of my favorite things about reading Lorraine Heath is the breadth of society she shows in her books. We see everything from the truly destitute to the upper class and everything in between. I think this book does a particularly good job of showing the "in betweens." It is also nice to see a less judgmental view of the sex industry as well. Not to mention - Beast/Ben is just a wonderful hero. He's been in the background for the other books and has definitely been a favorite character. Still waters definitely run deep with him. While aspects of his back story somewhat challenged me to suspend my disbelief - I still loved him.

Thea is a strong woman - she is tough and pragmatic after her world fell apart. Ultimately, I think she is handling things better and more practically than her brothers. I didn't get a great impression of either of them - so it will be interesting to see how Heath rehabs them for future books.

Overall - strong characters - beautiful writing. A great ending to the series - but you could 100% have never read any other other books and be just fine!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley but these opinions are all my own.

I'm not even sure I can put into words how much I enjoyed this book! It is one of my favorite books ever! Beauty was so well written and such a strong person. OMG. Then you have Beast! The chemistry between them was spectacular. Add in both sides of their family and it full of turmoil, love and humor. Definitely will be reading this one again!!

What a beautiful story! While this is the last of the Trueloves series, it can be read as a stand alone. Althea was the daughter of a Duke until he was convicted and hung for treason. Her entire world was destroyed leaving her and her brothers with nothing. She took a job at a pub and one night waited on the Beast-Benedict Truelove. That is when her world changed. She becomes a tutor to the last of the ladies of the night he has protected over the years. Thea and Beast find an easiness and camaraderie between them discussing things at nights end. Their attraction is mutual and their love grows. And then, once again, Thea’s world is upended as Beast discovers his parentage. The epilogue is an added bonus as it occurs twenty years later and brings an end to a remarkable series. I have read all of them, but Thea and Beast’ s love story is my favorite!

Fun, sexy, and so romantic. Lorraine Heath continues a great series with this addition. I love the selflessness of Beast and the almost DIckensian quality Heath adds to this period piece. An easy and fun read!

"The world in which she'd grown up lacked magic, depth, satisfaction. Only now did she realize it, only now id she understand that without him, her world had been an arid place where she never would have truly come into herself."

Amazing! BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST is a gentle, sweet, quieter romance that is low in angst but high in attraction. I've tried reading previous Heath's books and couldn't get into them, but I decided to take a chance with this one, since I'm weak for anything involving Beauty and the Beast. This book delivers, and more.

Although this is the last of a series, it was easy for me to follow, and the cameos made by previous characters in the series are minimal. Usually I get annoyed when it feels like there's a push for other characters' stories, but it wasn't overt in BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST and didn't take away from the story, which I appreciated.

We start this book with the meeting of Beast, or Benedict, and Althea at the pub she works at. He thinks she doesn't belong there, while she's struggling to continue life after her father, a Duke, was revealed to be a traitor to the crown. He has a proposition for her: help him teach rules of etiquette for the women who work at the brothel he lives at, and he will teach her seduction to attract men as a mistress after her terms of employment ends. It's high paying, and an opportunity for her to release her brothers' responsibility for her. They agree, and the fun starts.

"'For the entirety of my life, I have been at the mercy of men's whims. Let them be at my mercy for a change. Teach me when to touch, where to touch, how to caress, how to drive a man mad with ecstasy.'"

Beast quickly understands that it's difficult to teach seduction to a woman you're highly attracted to. Through touching dialogue, moments of vulnerability, and an escapade to a gambling hell, the couple grows closer to each other until the lines of employment are blurred. There's not a lot of back-and-forth in the book as both characters are pretty straightforward in their immediate goals, which I appreciated. Despite the meandering pace and lack of actual conflict/angst, I had no trouble breezing through the book because of the cute interactions between the couple and meaningful dialogue. At its essence, BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST is about two people that are a bit wayward in their life paths finding each other, while finding themSELVES as well. It's wholesome and gentle and exceptionally sweet.

Unfortunately, the author tries to instill a bit of conflict and it didn't quite work out. It forces a separation of the couple despite their clear feelings towards each other and stalls the storyline. I didn't think it was well-placed, and the source of conflict wasn't strong as well. This was the biggest weakness in the book, as it felt forced and unnecessary. Another dislike was Heath's excessively long sentences that loved using commas. Breaking down those sentences would have facilitated the flow, rather than making the reader follow long lines of thoughts and introspection.

For the characters, Beast was so amazing and sweet. I absolutely adored him and his kindness and respect towards everyone, no matter if they were highborn or a commoner. He's quiet and humble, although he's also observing as well. His devotion to Althea was also really easy to see through his actions and words. Absolutely lovable. Althea is hard-working and kind as well. I enjoyed seeing her growth as she transformed from a pampered member of the gentry to someone not afraid of hard work and uncertain futures. During the book she's lost on what to do next with her life, but manages to find the answer to that question while falling in love with Beast,

I enjoyed Beast's foster family, the Trewloves, which featured characters of the previous books of the series. They were a rambunctious group that showed great love and support towards one another, as well as with Althea. They were a delightful addition to the story!

Overall, BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST was a lovely historical romance read that is low in angst. Despite the weak source of conflict that the author forces in, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the journey of love that Benedict and Althea found with each other. The families you're born in and the families you make are huge themes in the book, and they only add to the sweet undertones. I'd really recommend this to historical romance readers, although fans of Heath can't miss out on the finale in this series. You certainly don't need to read all the previous books to understand what's going on (but I might just go back to catch up with all those lovable Trewloves).

Trigger Warnings: abandonment, emotional bullying

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the review copy!

I would risk it all for these characters! This was just the book I needed right now. Low angst, romantic, and perfectly readable! I stormed through this book in a few hours because I just could not put it down! Five stars!