"Beast" is the sequel to Linwood's "Charming" and picks up where the latter ended.

It's a gender flipped Beauty and the Beast meets The Bachelor story, which fans of the first book might enjoy. Unfortunately, i didn't like the novel. "Beast" has a lot of side characters with their own POVs and stories to tell, and the main plot got lost in this sea of subplots. I think getting many balls rolling for the third book in the series did "Beast" a disservice and makes it suffer from Middle-Book-Syndrome.

This book had a cool premise and a fun gender-bending twist, but it went in a lot of different directions. I found it hard to keep track of all the storylines and wished it had focused more on Prince Charming and the Beast—that part was the most interesting to me. Overall, a creative idea, but just a bit too much going on.

Huge thanks to Jade Linwood, Rebellion | Solaris, and Netgalley for the advance copy.
Beast is on sale April 1st 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebellion (Solaris) books, and Ms. Linwood for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This was fun - like Ocean's 8, if the lady criminals were instead a handful of reimagined fairy tale princesses and the treasure they were out to steal was in fact a reprobate... human. It had some really strong heist vibes, with a lot of moving parts and multiple storylines going on simultaneously. We revisit Marie Blanche (Snow White), Bella (Aurora), Dr. Rapunzel (Rapunzel obvs), and Nell (Cinderella) as they pick up the pieces left by Prince Charming and try to track him down to get him to his meeting with Mephistopheles (an upper-level demon). There's also charming imp Roland, and a group of amateur theater performers joined by Puss in Boots, and Hans and Will who are trapped in the Beast's manor along with Charming himself. Then we have the Red Cap (Thelise (sp?), leader of the werewolf pack, and Goldlockchen, Bear Witch, who are at odds in the forest around the Beast; Nell's godmother makes an appearance as well. I had no trouble keeping the characters straight until the theater troupe arrived: those were harder to keep clear.

I had a lot of fun reading this although I think the presence of SO MANY characters and story lines did a disservice to Beast (who got very little page time or resolution) and, surprisingly, to Charming, whose redemption arc was sidetracked by everything else going on. Nonetheless it was a fun story and I sincerely hope Ms. Linwood completes the stories (or at least some of them) in a book #3. I am particularly eager to find out if Charming's redemption will stick, what Beast's actual name is and what she plans to do now that she's free, and, let's face it, whether Roland will succeed with his inn.

⭐⭐⭐1/2

I’m thoroughly enchanted with this novel. It weaved characters from fairy tales into a colourful tapestry. Brought back fond childhood memories of reading fairy tales. The descriptions were vivid and I couldn’t get enough. The twists and turns kept me guessing.

In book 2 of the Charming series, Former con artist Jean-Marc Charming Arundel (a.k.a. Prince Charming) is on his way to an appointment with a demon that he has to keep no matter what, when he seeks shelter from a sudden storm in a beautiful mansion. There, he finds himself an unwilling guest of a fearsome beast: a noblewoman transformed by a fairy curse, as much a prisoner in the house as he. Charming and his two fellow “guests,” Johannes and Wilhelm, must attend the Beast in strangely romantic settings—reading books by the fire, picnicking in a menagerie, a formal dinner—for which they are rewarded with mysterious gifts of red roses. But to what end? And when will they be freed? The clock is ticking, and more than just his own life depends on it…

I love these fractured fairy tales, where Prince Charming is a smarmy con artist, and all of the Princesses in the kingdom that he has conned have turned vigilante and are out for his head. These are a very feminist take on the fairy tales we all grew up on, where the princess waits for the prince to come along and "rescue" her. These could potentially be read as a standalone, but I think you would enjoy the story much more if you had read the first book - Charming.

What happens when you, a fan of legends and fairy stories, come across the book number 2 in a series inspired by classic folk and fairy tales? You read the first book in the series to catch up. And immediately follow it up with Beast, the second installment in Jade Linwood's Charming series, incapable of resisting the siren song of finding out what happens after the cliffhanger.

Beast is the continuation of Charming and should not be read as a standalone. While Linwood quickly reminds her readers of the entire (and ever-growing) cast of main characters, the story lacks in substance and understanding without covering the first book in the series. In Beast, we are reunited with the sisterhood of duped princesses as well as the very pleasing and even more conniving Prince Charming. This time, however, the tables have turned and it's Charming who is in desperate need of rescue but who can be persuaded to care about the disappearance of a seemingly heartless grifter whose sole companion in the first book was but bound by spell to him? In Beast, Linwood takes us on a different adventure: the ever-escaping prince is imprisoned alongside two other unsuspecting bachelors in an enchanted manor with unforgiving rose hedges and a very big shadow lurking behind the doors.

The prose remains faithful to Charming: easy to read yet infused with delight and humour, enough descriptions to vividly paint the fantasy world we're exploring without being overbearing, a little dialogue-heavy (and still, those incessant "{character] said", no other verbs to signal who's speaking - one of my minor grips with the writing style) but also action-packed (no paragraph-skipping allowed in this series!) and distinct voices for each character (and there are many). Whereas Linwood followed the traditional role adherence in her first book: a prince coming to save princesses in distress, she dabbles in gender swap in this second book and makes the Beast female. I'm glad to report the gender swap twist is well executed and works. Other quirks are added to the mix: it would appear the Beast's curse is not the product of moral lapse, unlike the Beauty & the Beast tale we're all familiar with; the bachelors are dealt with in very, well, Bachelor/ette fashion with roses being handed out (I admit, I chuckled when the first rose appeared) and a certain "production team" being behind this unfortunate game (mere mortals being the playthings of those from the magic realm is a classic, after all). This fresh, feminist and vibrant modernisation is a seamless delight that kept me hooked until the very end.

Beast's main downfall is its construction: the story Linwood wishes to write requires a large cast with new members being added to the pack (another princess - and her fairy godmother, other fairy tale heroines like Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks but also werewolves and bears and other supernatural creatures - plus a travelling theatre group) and a side quest that seems to take over the main plot halfway through the tale. I found the book to feel both too long and too short in the second half: either Linwood should have doubled down on making Beast longer than Charming and added another few chapters to flesh out the budding love story between Charming and the Beast or some editing choices should have been made to condense the storyline and balance out the two plots better. In any case, I felt a little disappointed with the manner in which the developing feelings between our romantic interests was dealt with. I couldn't quite figure out why they were in love. On the one hand, Charming seems to develop a sense of empathy and morality a little out of nowhere, not quite connecting the dots between his captivity and his virtuous growth. On the other hand, the Beast was mostly lusting after a man she felt was out of her league, both in her cursed animal form and her once-upon-a-human life. Something deeper and truer was lacking, alas.

And yet, here I am, mere hours after having finished Beast, sitting with a certain grief at the thought that the wait commences. Linwood leaves us on another cliffhanger and I'm already lamenting the 1.5 to 2-year delay until the next book. The Charming series is, true to its name, charming. It's easy to point out its (few, mind you) flaws but this reads like a binge-worthy TV series, leaving you with the kind of sentimental attachment to the large cast of colourful characters and their many adventures that turns waiting in between volumes into a virtue, perhaps the moral of the Beast's tale itself.

"Even those who were fascinated by her, even those who thought they adored her, what they really felt was fear. She couldn't hide what she was, not really, not for long. But if all you have is fear, who will be there for you if you need help? In the end, there are pitchforks, or there is silence."

This story has a captivating twist on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast by introducing a gender swap, which undoubtedly adds a fresh perspective to the classic fairytale. However, the book is slowed down by an overwhelming number of characters and an array of subplots that ultimately muddle the storyline. The author’s attempts to weave in multiple perspectives and narratives dilute the focus on the central romance and character development. Had there been a stronger emphasis on the main plot and a more streamlined cast, this tale could have evolved into a truly enchanting and memorable story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rebellion for providing the ARC.

So I actually didn't know that this was the second book in a series when I picked it up, but it definitely explains why I was just dropped into the story without much to go on in the beginning. Despite that, I do feel like there's enough there to pick up the context, so I didn't feel like I was completely lost.

This book doesn't take itself too seriously and it's playfully irreverent tone is really the selling point. It's charming and funny overall, but that's really as much substance as you get. I didn't get drawn into the tale which I found unusual since I love Beauty and the Beast retellings usually. But there wasn't enough about the characters that really kept my interest.

Plot and pacing were okay - about what you would expect from a fairy tale retelling, although I did find it interesting that there were three suitors instead of one. And that the beast seemed just as eager to be rid of the curse as her captives were to leave. Overall though, there just wasn't enough to capture me long term.

I read a lot of fairy tale re-tellings and I am always hopeful the author will surprise me with something new. This gender swapped version of Beauty and the Beast wasn't it. I had just finished a similar tale and that one was done better. I think I failed here in not reading the first book prior to getting this one. However, I just couldn't invest myself in the characters and ultimately it did not work for me.

Thanks to Solaris and Netgalley for this aRC.

Almost as charming as the first book, but got too lost in side plots at times. I would rather have had it more focused on Charming and Beast. However, it's still as fun to read as the first book, full of clever one-liners and irreverent references to fairy tales. Overall, despite the occasional wandering too far from the main story, I had a lovely time reading this and will continue keeping up with Jade Linwood's new releases!

This book is a reverse gender telling of beauty and the beast, it is the second book in the series and has the same characters as the first book with addition of the beast.

Prince Charming gets lost in the woods and stumbles across a house which is the home of the beast. There are numerous characters and povs in the story including princess from other fairytales.

I struggled with so many povs and would have enjoyed it more with just two or three. There were so many characters to keep track of in the story. I did like some of the princess and their views on modern feminism. I also enjoyed the romance between Prince Charming and the beast.

This book is a continuation of Jade Linwood's first book, Charming, and features nearly all of the same characters with the addition of the Beast. (So yes, please read Charming first.) It's a gender flipped version of Beauty and the Beast, but it also clearly combines aspects of many different fairytales.
The story follows Prince Charming, who--during a tumultuous journey in the woods to meet with a demon--stumbles upon the magical manor belonging to the beast, a former lady afflicted by a curse.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Solaris for this digital e-arc.*

I managed to get to about 40% of this book. The premise drew me in. I liked the gender bending of this classical tales. On only wish the writing was tighter. This feels a bit YA in parts.

The cover is beautiful and I loved that it had my favorite classics. Beauty and the Beast and Red Riding hood.

Thank you for the arc.

This book goes in a lot of different directions and I found it hard to keep track of all the stories. I wish it focused more on Prince Charming and the Beast. Interesting take on gender bending but too much going on.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I constantly promise myself not to request arcs for sequels when I haven't read at least one of the previous books in the series. I also constantly break that promise. When I saw this book I got curious and requested a digital review copy and luckily Solaris granted me one. I quickly caught up with the first book in the series and after finishing that one I was even more excited to read this sequel. I was absolutely hooked!

If you loved the first book in the series, you will without a doubt also love this sequel. All our favorite characters from the first book are present and we're meeting an entire new cast of characters. Which means that a lot of new fairytales are introduced too! I'm not gonna give away which ones, because it's much more fun to discover that on your own, but they fit in seamlessly and I love how the author mashes up these tales without making this one giant mess.

I also love that the author didn't fall into the "the prince is the worst person ever"-trap. We can all agree that it would have been great if he showed any kind of remorse in the first book, however, I'm glad that the author uses this book to flesh him out, to give him his own story and to show that he's, in a way, also only human. I loved reading his chapters. I loved watching him grow. I loved seeing him slowly changing into the person he can be.

And although the author changes the plot of quite a lot of fairytales in this novel, she does keep the important messages of these tales. The story is light hearted, the story is funny and entertaining and yet, in between the lines, there is a deeper layer. It actually feels like the author is simply presenting us with a new fairytale. A fairytale with characters we already know, but new plots and yet, at its core, still very much a fairytale. I can't wait for the next book!

Prince Jean-Marc Charming Arundel, aka Charming stumbles upon a mansion that is hidden and locked away by magic. There he meets Beast, a woman who has been cursed and two other men. On the other side of this magical forest, Princess Marie Blanche De Neige ( Snow White), Queen Ella de Braise, Bella Lucia dei' Sogni (sleeping beauty), Doctor Ranpuzel are trying to find Charming so that he can have a meeting with Mephistopheles in order to save several lives. Charming wants to help Beast break the curse and also make it to his meeting with Mephistopheles. We also encounter characters to the likeness of  Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks and Red Ridding Hood. Will Charming help Beast break the curse and save everyone else from Mephistopheles and return the two trapped men to their feuding families?

Beast is a magical retelling that will have you rooting for the Beast, while also falling for Charming's witty and sometimes cynical charm.

Thank you Netgalley and Solaris for this magical retelling.

This was an entertaining read and the 2nd in the series. I'd highly recommend reading the first for context and a better understanding of half of the characters but, it isn't strictly speaking necessary.

In a world where Prince Charming does indeed charm and break the hearts of all the princesses (not a new concept but always a fun one) he finally meets his match in Beast. Charming has always been able to "break" any Princess's curse and now he's faced with the one curse he might not be able to break, as it requires for him to feel true love - something he hasn't experienced before. Can he break her curse and rescue himself, her and her other two suitors from the fae imprisonment they find themselves under? Or will Beast be stuck there forever and Charming disappear from her life without being able to remember her?

What to expect: magical shenanigans, cleverly renamed princess characters (it's easier to follow if you've read book 1 or are familiar with some of the European languages), forced proximity, opposites attract, rivalry for love....

3/5 stars

Would I read the next book in the series? Probably.

This one wasn't for me! I thought I'd give it a chance despite not really enjoying the first book, and that's on me. This just wasn't my style of disjoint fairy tale retelling, though I liked the concept! If you liked the first book, you'll probably like this one too.

Loved beauty and the beast, my second favorite princess. Was super excited to read this! Excited to continue reading the series!!!

Although I knew this was the second in a series when I picked it up, for some reason I thought it was a series of standalones connected by a theme. I also thought it was reality show-based, what with the whole "I choose you with a rose" thing. But guess what? I was wrong about both of those things! This book would probably work best if you read and enjoyed the first in the trilogy. (Also I now know it is a trilogy, because there are definitely plot threads left dangling at the end of this.)

All that aside, I did have a fun time reading this. My favorite part was watching Charming fall for the Beast: I would wait with bated breath for their chapters to come around. Because oh, did I not mention? There are at least 7 different POVs, and each chapter rotates to another one. I do think that if I'd read the first book, I might have been more interested in what Rapunzel or Bella were doing. But instead, I just wanted more with Charming and the Beast!!

So. This was fun! Approach with caution and read the first book! Enjoy :)

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.