I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Ever since the fire which left him scarred, and killed his father and brother, Damian, Earl of Grimsby, has hidden himself away from the world. Knowing that his estate needs to be secure with an heir, Damian plans on finding his nephew a bride, and agrees to host a summer house party to do that. He’s accepted that he will never find love, and will never put a woman or children through seeing his scars, but wherever he is around Theodora Grace, he wants to be with her. Theodora finds herself intrigued by the mysterious earl, and though his nephew is handsome to be sure, she wants to find a husband who is kind and caring. She knows that Damian is hiding more than just his physical scars, and she's not going to back down without a fight.

I loved the chemistry between Damian and Theodora so much in this book. They were both sensitive characters, and hid a lot of themselves behind their masks - both literal and figurative. Theodora was a sensitive soul, and it was obvious that only someone who shared her love of music would be the man for her. Damian knew that hosting the house party would take him out of his comfort zone, but he would do it for the good of his earldom. Because of his injuries and the scars, he was jilted by his fiancee, and would never want to put another woman, or even children through seeing a man as scarred as him. Hiding in his hidden music room, with his faithful dog, Shadow, is his only reprieve, so Theodora stumbling into the room and invading his every thought is too much. Theodora made him realise that he needed to come out of the shadows and was deserving of love.

"Never Judge a Beast By His Cover" by Alanna Lucas is a delightful tale that beautifully weaves together romance, mystery, and redemption. Lucas's characters are richly drawn, each with their own unique quirks and depths, making them feel incredibly real and relatable. The story's message about the importance of looking beyond appearances to discover true beauty and goodness resonates long after the final page is turned. With its enchanting prose and heartwarming storyline, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking a charming escape into a world of love and second chances.

Absolutely loved this story!

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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It had so much potential for me to love this one but something didn’t work for me, still liked it though so it wasn’t as bad as I thought

A beautifully written clean romance about being your best self and loving people for who they are. I really enjoyed this book!

Such a great book! I love your way of writingg and will totally read the rest of the books of this series. I would love to know more about the Grace family. Hope to read more from you... soon.

I didn't love this book. I also didn't hate it. I didn't really connect with Theodora or Grimsby. Their love/romance consisted of little more than longing looks and listening to the other play music. There was very little substance behind either of their declarations of love. I found myself more interested in Evelina and Raine's story arc, which I presume will be fleshed out in the third book, versus that of Theodora and Grimsby. For readers who like sweet and clean, this is a good option. There is zero steam, and I struggle to remember if there was even more than one kiss. Not bad, but not my exact cup of tea,

2.5 stars rounded to 3. Thank you for NetGalley and Dragonblade for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

This is Book 2 of The Three Grace's series, and is Theodora's story. This is a sweet retelling of Beauty and the Beast. After trying to rescue his father and brother from a fire, Damian is left with scars, both emotionally and physically, which is why he prefers to live his life away from society. While he has decided to live alone and never marry, he hosts a house party to help his cousin find a bride. Theodora attends this house party, and while she only plans to marry for love, she is more than happy to partake in the festivities with her sister and their friends. While Damian keeps to the shadows, Theodora is intrigued by him, and he in turn is drawn to her. Both are passionate about music, and this is a bond that draws them close together. But Damian's scars cause him to keep pushing her away and despite that, Theodora is determined to get to know him more.
This was a thoroughly sweet and enjoyable romance. It was well-written and the storyline kept my interest from start to finish. The characters were well-developed and endearing and I enjoyed following their journey. A lovely addition to the series!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Damian, the Earl of Grimsby, carries physical and mental scars from the deaths of his father and brother in a fire. He saved his sister and mother, but feels guilty for his own survival.
Theodora Grace is intrigued by the man in the shadows. She first spied him at the ball he gave in his nephew's honor as his heir. Invited to his house party, Theodora is determined to know Damian, but he keeps pushing her away. Music may be their common bond. Very melancholy and never seems to change the tone of the story. Even others finding their own husband or wife doesn't bring any great joy. The final chapter does have an upbeat ending.
Some mild kissing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Damien, Earl of Grimsby was scarred by the fire that cost the lives of his father and brother. Since he's done his best to hide from all of society. His duty to the title means he must encourage his cousin and heir to take his place.

Miss Theodora Grace is happy to help play match maker at the upcoming house party. The elusive Earl is the only man of any interest to her.

This is a sweet historical romance with lovely interesting characters. Emotions and fear play a big part, with a good amount of humour to lighten the mood.

This is part of a series involving three sisters, but each one gets her own individual story. So you could read any one of them on its own or the series in order.

Good fun.

The Healing Power of Love

They called him “The Beast” because of his scars, but Theodora did not see a beast. Damian was preparing his cousin to take the earldom once he was gone. Could falling in love change his thinking? Damian was determined to resist, but Theodora was determined to draw him out of his shell. Which one of them would win in the end? Might they both win that war? I enjoyed this Regency romance and would recommend it to those who like historical romance with beauty and the beast trope.

Very Sweet regency retelling of Beauty and the beast.
If you want a small, quick lighthearted romance this is your book.
I absolutely adore Theodora and Damian, loving through music.

“Never Judge a Beast by his Cover”, by Allana Lucas, is a very sweet, fast read with a wounded, recluse hero tormented by his past and a heroine full of kindness and empathy.
Damian is very hard on himself and sees himself as a “scarred beast”; having isolated himself he lives in loneliness only opening to his faithful dog, Shadow.
Fortunately some of Damian’s family and friends are resolute and determined to break this cycle of isolation and so is the assertive heroine.
I enjoyed this story as the hero is not the conventional beast full of rage; on the contrary, Damian is such a gentle, sweet soul. You can early see that by the way he interacts with Shadow.
The need for human connection is so strong that you cannot but sympathize with Damian as he longs to “be surrounded by family and friends, to feel love again”.
He also reveals some other very special traits that make him appealing: the fact he becomes so smitten with Theodora, or the anxiety he experiences sometimes.
Theodora is a pragmatic heroine, and the stubbornness is ideal for dealing with the recluse. I liked how she’s so sure of herself and of her feelings for Damian.
I also liked watching the power of healing through compassion and gentleness, and how Damian slowly lets go of the guilt and sorrow.
It was interesting how the leads connected through their shared love of music and two sweet dogs.

This was definitely a "didn't love it, didn't hate it" kind of book. The characters are fine, the plot isn't necessarily a brand new concept but it's done well, and the pacing is good. I found that I would have actually preferred more of the secondary romances than the main one between Damian and Theodora. The obstacles keeping Norley and Naomi apart were more difficult to overcome (and that entire plotline just gets dropped after the first chapter). Same with Daisy and Mr. Malone - and their elopement is then barely mentioned as though it was a totally normal thing to have happen. The only impediment to Damian and Theodora getting together is Damian. We get little snapshots of what happened when he tried to save his father and brother but it's never fully revealed. And he never discusses it with Theodora - it's more that he is able to finally put those events in the past now that he has found someone he loves and who accepts him as he is. To sum up, I just felt like I wanted more than what the author gave me here. It's still an enjoyable read, it's just not as good as it could have been.

Due to his heroic actions Lord Grimby has burn scars on half of his handsome face and it’s a face he keeps covered up with a mask but needs must and since he is training his young protégé he must throw balls and show his face or at least the one with the mask on it. The young Miss Theodora Grace is being sponsored by her great aunt due to her and her sisters being orphaned know one of these balls she becomes intrigued by the very secretive and handsome Lord Grimby. The Lord does his best to stay out of sight and in the dark shadows because he is tired of all the gawking and tittering ton. This is why when he is introduced to Miss Grace and all she wants to do is discuss the beautiful music and her favorite composers he to becomes intrigued that keeps his distance do to pass hurts and his scars both emotional and physical. When he throws a weekend summer party for his young apprentice Miss Grace attends again and once again tries to involve him in conversation especially after she’s already gone the affection of his dog shadow. He does his best to avoid her but after he hears her play the piano he has second thoughts about marriage and family but could he really be a good husband to lady Theodora and would she even be willing to consider it? there was way more to the story like the sisters and their secret society Theodorus sisters possible betrothal ET see I love historical romance especially when there is a handicap or scarred person involved or just anyone who’s not your typical love interest but I didn’t feel like Theodora and the Lord had any chemistry he kept blowing her off and I know people love this book and for the most part it was very interesting I love sweet and clean historical romances and some maybe it was me who missed something but for the most part I wasn’t feeling it I did route for them but that is mainly to do with the other stuff in the book it really was an OK book I just didn’t feel the romance it was all it was supposed to be. I want to think Dragon Blade publishing and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Music and dogs are their common ground, where their attraction to each other takes a foothold to lead possibly to true love and HEA. If only they can overcome his fear of loss. Lovely novella with many subplots that can lead to other tales.

I received an ARC from Netgalley and leaving my review voluntarily.

A beautifully crafted and moving story in this second book of the three Graces. As Theodora and her sister attend a house party, she must deal with the Earl who has a sad and dark past. This author has used music and unconditional love to draw the reader into the lives of many characters all searching for that one soulmate to complete their lives. Fully enriched with these secondary characters, the story unfolds and provides insight to the suffering family loss and it's long term impacts. Can't wait to read the third book and plan on going back to re-read the first one.

Never judge a beast by his cover by Alanna Lucas
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶
The Second book of three

If you love Historical fiction/Romance you will like this book, the story is so well-written and easy to digest! I adore the personality of the main character, she is so determined and true to herself. And our male lead! Such a perfect gentleman 🎩 love him so much

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. I have never watched phantom of the opera but I saw a lot of correlation to what I know of the plot In this book so if you enjoy that I would suggest this book for you. Theodore was instantly drawn to the reclusive earl that feels that he does not deserve others love or attention ( including his family) they bond over there love of music and dogs. The only negative I feel is that I don't think The earl is fully Developed, We don't see a whole lot of his actual personality just A deep explanation of why he feels The way he does. I wish we had gotten to see more of his gentle nature that was spoken about but not truly shown. I'm excited to read the last sister's book because it seems like it's gonna be enemies to lovers. Thank you NetGalley for The opportunity to read this advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Theodora Grace & her sister are invited to a house party at Grimsby Hall , where she hopes o catch a glimpse of the reclusive earl. Damian, Earl of Grimsby has no intention of spending any more time with his guests than he has to. He’s merely there to help his younger cousin find a bride and secure the family line. For he himself will never marry.
A thoroughly enjoyable, well written gentle romance. The characters have depth & I loved how Theodora followed her heart & how Damian wooed her with music. The pace is good & I loved their journey to a HEA
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

It's always a gamble to choose a book from an author unknown to you, especially when you pick up midway through the series. I've come to really like Dragonblade as an indie publishing company because they've produced stellar authors like Lexi Post and Emily E.K. Murdoch. Couple that in with the fact that I can't resist Beauty and the Beast retellings featuring scarred heroes. I don't know what it is that jagged facial scars unlock something primal in me. Never Judge a Beast By His Cover was very sweet, but it leaned more towards Phantom of the Opera than Beauty and the Beast. I mean the hero hid in the shadows and composed sonatas about the heroine. How much more Gaston Leroux can you get?

Theodora and Damian were as sweet as spun sugar and destined to be together, but it was the epitome of slow burn. I even checked my Kindle percentage bar and they didn't lock lips until 80%. I understand this was a daintier romance novel, but I wanted to see some sparks I knew they possessed. Reflecting on this novel, Damian was very taciturn and barely had any dialogue. His dog had more interactions with the heroine than he did. I'm not a fan of canines and it was annoying to see Shadow receive more affection than the love interest. I'm sure I would be half as perturbed if Damian had a cat as his main companion.

Never Judge A Beast By His Cover was a tender lullaby, but it felt like an unfinished composition. I thought featuring music as a major theme was very special and I liked how the couple bonded over their common interest. Despite the hero's burns, he was more suited to a mask crafted by Andrew Lloyd Webber than Walt Disney. It can't be helped that "beast" makes more sense as a title than "phantom" when there aren't any paranormal aspects in the novel. This book was cute, but I don't believe I'll continue with the series. I prefer my romances at a brisker pace and minimal animal interactions. I know I must Never Judge A Beast By His Cover, but they never said anything about phantoms!