The first one of this series I certainly enjoyed for its writing style and reimagining of fairytales, particularly Snow White, whilst there was one characters that really annoyed me and that was Bella (Sleeping Beauty), but I'm happy to say whilst I didn't love all the characters, none annoyed me the way that she did in the first book and she's much more likeable here.

The best aspect for me was, once again, the skewing of the fairytales, in particular this time we focus a lot on a switched-up Beauty and the Beast which was great and Goldilocks was another favourite of mine and not an interpretation I've seen before and I am so down for badass Goldilocks.

The one thing that I will say that was taking away from my enjoyment was the troupe of actors. I dunno if it was just how many characters had been introduced at that point and introducing another 5 at once sort of overloaded my brain but I really struggled to get attached and care about the actors or their pov, even if I was intrigued by the Puss in Boots connection.

I would definitely recommend this series if you like fairytale retellings, and I do think, on the whole, this is an improvement on the first book and I am curious to see where it goes.

This is a great sequel. I enjoyed both books. If you haven’t read book pen pedi don’t know this is a sequel then I can see why you would be confused.
This is a different take on the original story and I like the way it’s told.

Really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are written really well and will look forward to more from the author.

Entertaining is a good word for this book. I had a hard time with it because it’s not my usual type of read! I did laugh in places. Prince Charming was not what I expected.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

Not as good as the first but entertaining none the less, an easy easy read. Thanks to the publisher for my copy

The first book was a surprise, this second one, on the other hand, took me by surprise because I was not thinking of a series even though the premise was all there. Unfortunately, however, as often happens to books "in between", this one bored me a bit moreover the number of fairy tale characters further increased and it also ended in a cliffhanger, so all in all, I liked it not so much overall.

Il primo libro é stato una sorpresa, questo secondo invece, mi ha preso di sorpresa, perché non pensavo ad una serie anche se le premesse c'erano tutte. Putroppo peró, come spesso capita nei libri di passaggio, questo mi ha un po' annoiato inoltre il numero dei personaggi delle favole é ulteriormente aumentato ed inoltre é finito in un cliffhanger, quindi, tutto sommato, non é che mi sia piaciuto complessivamente un granché.

I received a digital advanced review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I requested this book as an ARC from NetGalley not realizing it was the 2nd book in the series. The summary did not make it clear and neither did the cover or the description unless you looked closely at the fine print. The beginning of the book gave a bit of a backstory that the fairy tale princesses we know and love have been wronged in some way by Prince Charming. The story has a cute premise but the princesses were almost mixes of each other so it was hard to tell which story each princess was supposed to originate from.

I DNF'd this book because it got too confusing and it wasn't grabbing my interest enough to go back and read the first book in the series.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

interesting concept that felt quite underfulfilled by the book. a mess of characters with a mess of storylines and subplots that are very hard to keep a handle on. 2.5, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

I had not read the first book not knowing this was a series and felt very confusing so was not able to continue but will go back and read the first one then this

3.5 stars

Totally on me that I did not realize that Beast was a sequel, so I did find myself a bit confused when characters from book one were mentioned/appear. That being said, overall I enjoyed this even if it wasn't quite what I expected.

Beast is the second book in the Charming series by Jade Linwood, once again Prince charming goes missing, but this time he hasn’t stolen any treasure just the futures of everyone, including himself is left hanging in the balance. unlike last time, however, he had nothing to do with him going missing and finding himself locked in a castle with his every need met in every comfort scene too by seemingly invisible people. His hostess is a bear in Prince charming nor his two companions can leave unless they figure out the riddle or the full moon. The only problem is the full moon isn’t going to appear until the same day. He’s supposed to meet and keep a deal with a demon. and to make matters worse his two housemates or members of warring factions from the same forest. while Prince charming, may not be wandering his conscious is, and as it goes through the history of all that he has done. he isn’t feeling so charming anymore. there’s so much about the story. I didn’t want to put in my review because OMG there are surprises that made me so giddy. We get to see all our favorite princesses, ladies and strong heroines once again save the day or at least attempt to. We also get to see Puss in boots whose real name is Cassius and she be friends a troop of actors and don’t even get me started on what they were doing in the story. This book is full of lol moments that continue the story, while at the same time giving you just enough to know there’s going to be a third book. I love these books so so much and sometimes can’t even think of a word. Brilliant enough to describe how great this book is. If you love fairytale remixes, then you will definitely love this book. It can be read as a standalone, but why would you want to miss the first one which is just as awesome. What more can I say? I freaking love these books! #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #JadeLinwood, #Beast,!

This is book two from the Charming series, which is a spicy, gender-bent reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. This story takes off as Charming is on an adventure to find a demon, when he comes across a manor owned by a beast. There, he becomes imprisoned and only has the princesses to save him. This book leaves off feeling unfinished and I’m looking forward to a third book to complete this trilogy… unless there’s more!

This book is getting a 4 star from me. I loved the vibes from this book, the fantasy and romance were great. I appreciated the humor that was also brought into this book. It was a little all over the place and hard to follow at some parts but over all it was good and I am glad I read it!

Beast by Jade Linwood is an enchanting, darkly romantic fantasy that seamlessly weaves together elements of fairy tales, mystery, and unexpected twists. This unique retelling is perfect for readers who enjoy gripping plots with rich world-building and complex characters.

The story follows Jean-Marc “Charming” Arundel, a former con artist who once had a reputation as Prince Charming, but now finds himself on a dangerous mission with far more at stake than his usual schemes. Traveling through an ancient, mystical woodland, he takes refuge in a beautiful mansion during a storm, only to discover that he’s now trapped in a cursed house, hosted by a fearsome Beast. The Beast, a noblewoman cursed by a fairy, is just as much a prisoner in the house as he is.

Charming, along with two other guests, Johannes and Wilhelm, must navigate this strange and suspenseful situation where every interaction with the Beast is laden with tension. They find themselves partaking in a series of oddly romantic activities like reading by the fire, picnicking in a menagerie, and attending formal dinners—all in exchange for mysterious red roses. The true purpose behind these strange rituals is unclear, and the trio quickly realizes that the stakes are higher than they originally thought. Time is running out, and not just their lives, but perhaps much more, depends on their ability to solve the mystery of the Beast’s curse.

Linwood does an excellent job of creating a sense of foreboding and intrigue, with beautiful prose and moments of romantic tension that keep readers hooked. The relationship dynamics between Charming, the Beast, and the other characters evolve in unexpected ways, adding layers of depth to the story.

Beast is a captivating blend of magic, romance, and mystery with plenty of twists to keep readers on edge. It’s a fairy tale like no other, filled with complexity, suspense, and a dash of danger—an absolute must-read for fans of dark fantasy and reimagined classics.

I stumbled across this book by sheer and utter, this book cover is pretty let’s see what it is about. I genuinely love all things Beauty and the Beast.
This story was really simple to get into but, there were some times where I felt like it was a bit crammed. There was too much going on as far as the story line goes. There were too many characters to be focused on. Like there was Goldilocks and the Bears and Red Riding Hood, the good part of the story just so happened to be like a war between the two. I think that was nice but, it took away from the story a bit. Towards the end, it all started to make sense because they were all linked in some way. I still liked the story because having a female beast was so cool versus the original way. All the other characters that were originally what we know and love are all different names that are not too different from the names, so you know what the names are. A pretty good retelling.

I enjoyed the character of Charming, and felt that his character and dialogue were funny and worked well with the reversed Beauty and the Beast part of the book. I liked that there were two other men trapped in the castle too and this added to the storytelling and the strange but romantic tasks they had to complete.
I liked the other characters, Roland and the princesses, working together to uncover another aspect of the plot. However, I think this took away from Charming and the Beast. The events in Beast's castle were the parts that I enjoyed most and would have liked more on that rather than going back and forth between different perspectives.

Title: Beast ( Book 2 of charming)
Author: Jade Linwood
Pages: 360
Rating: 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4 for good reads)
Spice level: 🫑Plain but tasty

Arc Copy (gifted) - review left voluntarily
UK publish date - 25th March 2025

"If you go down to the woods today.."

This was an endearing take on "beauty and the beast" but gender swapped.

At the time, I hadn't realised that this was a second book to a series, so I went in blind. The book itself was still easy to read even though I hadn't read the first book "charming". However, I think it would have helped.

The book is a fairytale romance with no actual intimacy, flirting etc. It's a short, cosy read for anybody who likes reading.

I enjoyed the characters. The strong females of the other princesses (versions of Rapunzel, sleeping beauty and snow white) and the clever ways Hansel and Gretel, red riding hood and Goldilocks were incorporated. However, I did find myself trying to figure out who was who and compare the storylines to the original story.

There are multiple perspectives in the book, which due to the amount of characters were a bit confusing sometimes. (Trying to remember who is who)

Charming was a lovable rogue but had little depth to him. I think this is where not reading the first book failed me as I didn't have much backstory.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book. I look forward to reading more of this series.

You'll love this book if you like
- fairytale influences
- strong female characters
- no spice
- loveable rogues
- different character pov

This book is a unique twist on Beauty and the Beast, blending fantasy, romance, and a bit of intrigue in a way that feels fresh and exciting. Jean-Marc “Charming” Arundel, a former con artist with a lot of charm (pun intended), finds himself trapped in a mansion with a fearsome Beast—who turns out to be a noblewoman cursed by a fairy. What I really loved was the mysterious vibe throughout the story, with Charming and his companions having to participate in increasingly strange and romantic activities, like reading by the fire or picnicking in a menagerie. As the clock ticks down, you’re left wondering how this all fits together and what’s really at stake for these characters.

The mix of a Beauty and the Beast retelling with The Bachelor elements—plus werewolves and bears—really makes this story stand out. The slow-burn romance between Charming and the Beast, combined with the eerie atmosphere of the cursed mansion, creates a sense of tension and anticipation that kept me hooked. It’s definitely a different take on familiar fairytale tropes, and if you like your romance with a dash of fantasy and mystery, this is a great read!

I wanted to love this book because the premise sounded so good, and I adore Beauty and the Beast. However, I didn't realize this was a sequel. It got a bit confusing with the characters from the first book (I'm assuming) thrown in the mix for the majority of the book. I was expecting it to focus more on the Beast concept. I suppose if you had read the first book and enjoyed it then you would enjoy this one as well.

A topsyturvy fairytale jumble. It’s spun around the curses had an emphasis on feminism with the princesses. It sprinkled in some funky humor like in the movie Shrek. Although not as overly pervy and dark in their humor. It was enjoyable, funny, sweet and unexpected.