Had me at a beauty and the beast retelling tbh.
This one took me a while to finish though. It might have just been my mood but overall it was a quick good read.

I absolutely love a debut novel - especially when it’s been written with this much care and attention.

This is a contemporary retelling of Beauty and the Beast, loose as the references are. Bellamy is a construction coordinator sent to the mysterious Killington estate to organise a renovation. Here she meets the caretaker Oliver Killington, a grumpy recluse - of course.

There’s more BatB references - a butler Ambrose, chef Rue and daughter Nick, and they add company and interaction alongside Oliver’s remaining family who are all high stakes, high drama people. There's a fantastic AI system - Bl*z3 - which is a friendly, though disembodied voice which automagically works throughout the estate - but with no cameras 😀

So what happens? Bellamy renovates, Oliver initially interferes, then helps. The best bits are the emotional connection between these two. She assertive, he is vulnerable. They’re both grown-ups and all the deliciousness and uncertainty and being out of practice is handled so beautifully as they use their words and care for each other. It’s steamy 🌶🌶 and so so nicely done.

Themes relate to being plus sized, being a woman working in a man’s world, and profound grief, all wrapped around renovation shenanigans, a deadline countdown, family obligation and succession, and all the things you’d expect in a BatB retelling.

I feel as if debut author Mae Bennett has put a whole lot of herself into this charming novel. Recommended!

Thank you NetGalley, Mae Bennett and Alcove Press for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I connected with this author on Bookstagram several years ago on Bookstagram. I always enjoy her posts because we have the same interests - romance! I have found a lot of great books from following her so I got so excited when I saw she was publishing her first book!! This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I LOVED all the Easter eggs for the Disney lovers. I loved how this was a story of a woman trying to make it in a man's world and prove her worth. The tagline says with a Succession twist and being a fan of Succession too, I was excited to see that play out.

The writing was good and I loved the romance and seeing how this story played out. I loved the character development for the Beast/Oliver. This was also a pretty steamy read and it fit the narrative/storyline well. A great debut by the author and I can't wait for what's next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own. 4.5 rounded up.

can’t say i’ve read a lot of fairy tale retellings but this one was beauty and the beast and it was just such a fun time!!

i adored everything about this book!! ugh i loved every single character they were GREAT found family >

i just wanted to give both oliver and bellamy the biggest hug they truly deserve the world,, the nickame really got me tho 🥀 the bare minimum but i need someone that will learn taylor swift songs just bc i like taylor swift

also the TENSION??? MWAHHHHHH pls read this yall you won’t regret it
i had a BLAST

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a sucker for retellings and this was such a fun quirky Beauty and the Beast retelling! Barely Even Friends may not be for everyone but if you are in the mood for a turn off your brain, let's have some fun romance, this is for you! There are plot holes and some scenes that I think should have more of an explanation or discussion between our characters but I was just vibing so it didn't bother me much. Barely Even Friends had some of my favorite tropes and I loved the plus size rep! I also don't read much books about fixing up homes and remodels so it was fun to imagine the before and after. Overall, I had a fun time with this book, it was nice with some good spice. I would read more from Mae Bennett.

BARELY EVEN FRIENDS is a super fun Beauty and the Beast retelling, which has always been one of my favorite Disney movies. (I mean that library? How could it not be!)

Bellamy Price has taken on the role as lead contractor for a huge renovation job at Killington Estate. There is a lot of mystery around the house — the parents were killed in a car crash years before, and the son, who was also in the car, hasn't been seen since. Bellamy hopes if she does well on this job, she'll be able to make a name for herself.

When Bellamy arrives at the estate, she discovers an unexpected hiccup in her plan — Oliver Killington, the missing son and heir to the Killington empire is living in the house and refuses to leave. Not only does Belle have to deal with him, but she also has a tight timeline to restore the house to make Oliver's grandfather happy.

Oliver doesn't make things easy for Belle, but they come together once they both learn they have ridiculous demands from Oliver's grandfather. And then, sparks fly for the two.

But Bellamy isn't one for putting down roots anywhere. And Oliver doesn't trust anyone at all. Can they find a way to let each other in?

This was such a fun (and steamy!) read! There's also an odd butler, a cook, and an AI voice who is all over the house and really funny. I've really gotten into grumpy / sunshine in the last year or so, and this is a great one. And of course there's only one bed (in a mansion! Don't ask, just read it!)

BARELY EVEN FRIENDS comes out June 4th, so make sure to grab a copy!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Alcove for my ARC.

Thank you Alcove press for my gifted copy. All opinions are my own. Also as a disclaimer Mae (twiceuponabook) is one of my favorite people to follow on bookstagram and I always love their recommendations.

I was so excited to get my hands on Barely Even Friends. Bellamy remodels historic homes and takes over a project for her father who’s been ill. She arrives at Killington estate in a similar fashion to Belle in the movie, but doesn’t let Oliver scare her away (although he tries.)

I loved seeing these two soften as they developed feelings towards each other. Bellamy was scarred by a past relationship and Oliver was in a traumatic accident where his parents were killed and he lost his future in football. He’s been a recluse for years at the estate and I loved seeing Bellamy restoring some life in him as well.

I’m a huge fan of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and loved all of the references and nods to the movie/storyline. I really appreciated the side characters, especially Rue, Nick, and Ambrose.

I really recommend grabbing yourself a copy and I hope we’ll get more books from Mae Bennett!

dnf at 25%

I hate not finishing arc's, but this was just not doing anything for me. I couldn't connect with the characters or the direction of the story.

It's not the worst writing by any means... it just wasn't grabbing my attention as I wish it did.

It is a Beauty and The Beast retelling with the following tropes:
• he falls first
• only one bed
• roommance
• plus size rep
• grumpy x sunshine
• frenemies to lovers

*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯-𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

Unfortunately, I’ve figured out quite fast that this book simply isn’t for me.

I was originally quite excited about a beauty and the beast retelling with a plus sized MC and some modern house renovation. It just ended up being… too on the nose. Some lines are genuinely identical to the original, and honestly that wouldn’t bother me so much if it weren’t for the other, incredibly forced lines: such as the MC saying “why do you have to be such a beast!” When the LI said something that bothered her. It’s just feeling so forced, and it a really taken me out of the story. This might work for some, it’s just not working for me.

Thank you to Alcove Press & Netgalley for this eArc!

Barely Even Friends - Mae Bennett

4🌟

This book was so heartwarming and cozy and had me flying through it.

When I started this book I had gotten myself into a small slump and I struggled to get into this but once I sat down and really started reading this I couldn’t put it down. I basically read this in one sitting.

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I’m not usually a fan of the retellings but I actually really liked this one. It didn’t feel too forced to get the original story in and it really did become its own.

I loved the characters. I really enjoyed the tropes in this one as we got a bit of forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, plus size representation for both characters and a sprinkle of Taylor Swift. What’s not to enjoy.

I loved Oliver, nothing beats that grumpy man who gets his life turned upside down by the ray of sunshine FMC. I loved how after a while he was so open with his emotions and feelings towards Bell. I did want to punch him at the end when he just let her leave 👊🏻 However the declaration at the end made me forgive him.

I did really like the plot of this and how she was sent to his house to restore it. I liked the slow burn of their romance as it made the get together so much better. I loved the plus size representation, however there were moments when I felt it was too forced into the storyline. I am a plus sized girl myself and I found it too much at times.

Other than that, I really did love this one. What a debut novel by Mae Bennett and I look forward to more of her work. I highly recommend this story for those of you romance lovers and for those who like their romance with a dash of spice then you’ll want to read this one. 🌶️

Thank you to @netgalley @twiceuponabook and @alcovepress for this ARC. I really loved it and think you guys will too and you don’t have long to wait as this comes out 4th June!

2.5*

I had such high hopes for this book - a Beauty and the Beast retelling, what could be better?

The premise of the story was interesting, the crossovers to the Disney movie was unique and well done and the MMC, Oliver had some really endearing moments.

But, unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations.

The pace was a bit off and there were so many unnecessary details that did not aid the story line at all, that it took me out of the story. There were also some plot holes and disappearing characters.
I struggled to connect with the FMC as her inner monologue, dialogue and actions were rather immature.

Trigger warning: The FMC is "happily" of a bigger stature (the fact that she is "fat" is stated over and over). But, besides sweets, she forgets to eat for lengthy periods of time and the MMC has to remind/force her to eat continuously.

All in all, it was a lighter read and I am sure it will find it's place and become a favourite, as it is very inclusive and contains a lot of representation.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for the ARC to read and review.

DNF at 13%. Though I'm sure this is a fairly inoffensive and run-of-the-mill romance I couldn't get past the writing and being bludgeoned in the face repeatedly with Disney's Beauty and the Beast references. I did put it down for a few days and picked it up again in case it was just a case of me being picky, but no, I did not wish to continue as the characters were pretty one-dimensional, the premise paper-thin, and the stakes just not that interesting.

It is hard to put my finger on what bothered me about about the writing style, except to say it felt juvenile and a bit too focused on how special and different the FMC was in a Wattpad self-insert kind of way. The "montrousness" of the MMC (ie. he was accused of murder! gasp) was a little heavy-handed considering he is just a rude human male not actually a snarling beast. I was actually surprised that this was traditionally published as the prose and dialogue did seem to need the assistance of a firm editor. The introduction of the Lumiere character as a house-wired AI system was interesting and unique but also a bit cringe in the way it was executed. Similarly the other Cogsworth and Mrs Potts/Chip characters seemed caricatures rather than original interpretations of the roles.

In a world where there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of similar contemporary romances being published every week it takes a little something extra to stand out from the crowd, this book just didn't have anything to keep me reading it over the next one in my TBR pile.

Not publicly reviewed due to DNF.

I love a good Beauty and the Beast retelling! This was such a fun and cute one. I loved everything about Bellamy and Oliver, the banter between the two of them was perfect. He falls first and hard. He is just the sweetest grump ever!

Arc review :)

Here’s a reimagining, retelling of Beauty and the Beast, in which the “Beauty” is Bellamy (Bell), a restoration expert, and the “Beast” is Oliver, a football player in self-imposed exile (in the historic home in need of restoration) after a car accident killed his parents and left him with a career ending injury.

The premise had me hooked.

The reality had me shaking my head.

Let it be said that it works on basic spicy romcom levels. Both Bell, an unapologetic, curvy big girl with a penchant for wearing suspenders is wholly engaging. And as her love interest, Oliver is a broody, sexy beast of a man with a heart of gold under all that unkempt hair. They have chemistry for sure.

But if you look too closely at the plot, holes begin to appear - holes that any restoration expert would cringe at.

For your consideration:
•Oliver has been estranged from his twin sisters for eight years, resolved in three pages after they show up at the house - no conflict, no discussion, just, “see you at the party in a few weeks”
•A burst pipe that left an inch of water on the bathroom floor which Bell and Oliver leave for the next day, instead choosing to go to bed together
•Her best friends barge in, stay over a few…days? weeks? (the catalyst forcing her to share Oliver’s bed) and then you realize they’re gone (huh?) with none of the fanfare to which they arrived
•The last 10% of the book is unnecessary - when they reunite, there’s too much exposition
•Never a fan for poor communication, but some authors handle it more deftly than this

That said, I’m sure plenty of readers will find joy in this one.

——
The Price team is hired to restore the historic mansion of the Killington family. But it’s Bellamy who must take the lead because her father is recovering from an illness.

When she arrives, she finds surly Oliver, who has been in hiding since a car accident killed his beloved parents. He refuses to leave, is absolutely against the restoration, but is outranked by his grandfather. He has to let her in.

But as the weeks go by, Bell sees that Oliver’s anger comes from a deeper place, and the two form a tentative bond.

Can Bell fix both herself, the mansion, and Oliver before time runs out?

Thanks to @netgalley, @alcovepress for the eARC. This will be published June 4, 2024.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AlcovePress for the ARC opportunity via NetGalley
I absolutely loved this book by @twiceuponabook1. I think beauty and the beast retellings are my favourite everrrr!! And I absolutely want a bl8z3 in my house 😭 the plot progressed so well and each character is so dear to me. I’d have loved to hear from Adrian killington after he was told off though. But I like that he was basically stunned to silence😂
Wonderful book honestly!

I really thought I would like this based on its premise. Unfortunately for me, this one just felt kind of flat for me. I really enjoyed the setting and the creative take on modernising Beauty and the Beast, but I just didn't connect with any of the characters, which made it a bit of a struggle to get through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Alcove Press for a review copy of this one, all opinions are my own.

This debut by Mae Bennett had a bunch of elements I love in a romance. A grumpy/sunshine, beauty and the beast retelling with plus size rep and I was a happy girl. It was also augmented with some great side characters. Which I always find so important in a romance to help flesh out the story. I think my fav had to be our sassy AI B18z3.

As for or MC's, Bellamy was such a bad ass. I love how she rocked her profession in such a male dominated industry and had such a true passion for it. As well as owning her quirks, like a love of suspenders versus a belt because they were just more comfortable.

There were lots of great little nods to the original Disney story flipped to a modern perspective:

- captivity = forced proximity
- come to life furniture = AI
- wilting rose = cute nickname
- beast/ curse = social recluse with a traumatic youth

I was also here for the spice level. Like one of my favorite t-shirts says "I still read fairy tales. they're just spicy now". Where I did struggle a bit was with some of the dialogue. It could be a bit cringey. But that can be improved upon with experience. And the insta-love as a bit of a whiplash turnaround. That said, I would still check out future books by the author. It was a solid 3.5 star read for me.

As a girl whose favorite Disney princess is Belle (what’s not to love with a secluded castle, prince in disguise, ballroom, house staff, and of course THAT library)- I loved having the opportunity from Alcove Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Barely Even Friends is a Beauty and the Beast retelling about Bellamy (Bell) Price getting her big career break restoring the dilapidated mansion of the well-to-do Killington family. What she encounters there is a mix of social cast-asides, including the heir to the Killington Estate- Oliver Killington. Oliver is fighting his own life struggles and ghosts from his past, but can these two come together for a common goal- seeing this beloved house become a home once again?

Trope:
• Enemies to Lovers
• One Bed
• Forced Proximity
• Grumpy/Sunshine

Things I Loved:
• Book Cover- I loved this book cover, the colors, and how it had such fun nods to the Beauty and the Beast movie.
• “Let me take care of you.”— Will always be one of my favorite lines to stumble upon in a book.
• Spicy-Spice-McSpice- These scenes were… (phew-fanning myself). I blame the gray sweatpants. IYKYK
• Plus-sized Rep – Especially Oliver’s love of Bell’s suspenders
• Women in non-traditional gender careers- I loved seeing Bell excel in and love her job in construction/restoration management, as well as the support in this book given to women in coding.

Things I Struggled With:
• Slow start- it was hard for me to get invested into this story until probably 40-50% in when Bell and Oliver started to interact with one another.
• I think this story would have benefited from being told through a Dual POV. There were multiple times in the book where I was dying to know Oliver’s thoughts and it would have aided the plot and pacing.
• I didn’t connect with Bell- as much as I wanted to- she just wasn’t a character I could get behind and support. Maybe it was because I felt she was very wishy-washy in her feelings for Oliver. There were many times early on in the book when Oliver would start to open up to her about his past and she would not be able to read the situation and make some off-handed comment that would cause him to shut down again. That was frustrating for me as a reader (thankfully this improved through the course of the novel). But it made Bell seem very tone-deaf to the feelings of those around her.
• Another reason I was not a fan of Bell was probably how many times she called Oliver an a**. I get the whole enemies to lovers trope thing- and believe me, I’m as sarcastic as they come in real life- but the amount of times she called him that name through the WHOLE book was overdone and not to my tastes.

Final Thoughts- This was an okay read, but I hate to admit- it did seem plucked from the depths of fanfiction (don’t get me wrong- fanfic has its time and place). I just wished for more here in this story and a stronger, more relatable heroine.

This beauty and the beast retelling was unique in some ways, but also had some small issues with pacing that is seen with a lot of debut authors.

Overall the premise was good, characters did feel a little immature at times, and the author may have leaned into some defining characteristics a little too hard and the characters came across as hard to like.

Mae, I want to thank you for reaching out to me and gifting me an arc of your debut work, Barely Even Friends. Releases June 4th, 2024.

This hit hard for the girlies who have a hard time staying in one place and are plus size. (It's me, I'm girlies). I had every emotion flowing through me as I read this piece of work.

Oliver, our gorgeous grumpy man, has gone through so much in the past few years, I truly wanted to wrap this man and hug him for ages. But the way he learned to come out of his comfort zone for Bellamy? The work he put in, in therapy, by/with himself, with everyone surrounding him, it was so beautiful. His character development from beginning to end had me in shambles. While incredibly stoic, we get a scene in the book that for me, was one of the best things I have read. Bellamy tells Oliver she only ever sees him smile on one occasion, and when he asks what that could be, she mentions whenever he's with her, he's always smiling. And truly, for a man who was abandoned by everyone in his life, for someone who truly thought and carried so much grief and hate for himself, to hear that, everything changed. Because these two truly were a match I will be screaming about forever. He learned Love Story to sing in her ear as they slow danced, like, babe, the bar is on the floor.

My sweet girl, Bellamy. Oh, I love reading happy, strong, beautiful women powering through the world like a tornado. She is everything I love in a female lead. She is resilient, incredibly hard working, and our sunshine girl. This was the first contract she'd be working on her own, her father wasn't on site with her, she wasn't someone's understudy, no, she was the boss for this renovation. The renovation in Oliver's grandfather's estate, the one Oliver is residing in. You can imagine the tension (sexually and every other word that works with them too). The grumpiness he gave off, the sunshine she kept giving him, bound to falling in love. Bellamy was also so real. She was perfect in communication. She realized she couldn't jump to conclusions when it came to Oliver as he hasn't interacted with people in years, so when he did things and she had questioned why he would do that or why he interacted that way, she took a step back and allowed things to connect before jumping to conclusion, thus, creating a much healthier relationship between them, allowing boundaries to stay drawn and respect each other every step of the way. This, I feel, allowed me to fall more in love with both of them as the book continued.

They were soft with one another, careful, caring, and in love from day one without realizing that is love for them. They were so tender, my heart exploded with every tiny interaction between them. They were both shunned away from society, feeling as if no one will ever love them. But they found so much serotonin from glances with each other, simple touches that lead to longing. I truly adore this book and will forever hold it so dearly to my heart.

Thank you so much, Mae, NetGalley, and Alcove Press for sending me this book, because truly, I needed it. <3