I picked this book up solely because it said it was a retelling.
However, It really isn’t that. This easily would have worked better if focused on mafia romance.
The characters felt flat and underdeveloped so there wasn’t any built interest between Kairus and Azeria even though the book covered 4 months.
I feel the book needed help and also because we couldn’t connect to the characters phrases such as “his duck was as big as a king sized snicker bar” or when they talk about tattooing names on her skin in ch 30-31, “beast”, “I want you to bleed for me”
This book reads more as a slow burn , Stockholm syndrome mafia book more than the redemption and character development of beauty and the beast.
I feel narration alone bought the book its second star but the book felt very choppy.

I'm not sure I could say I liked this because there was just no chemistry between the two main characters. I am a big dark romance lover and find it so Rare to find a dark romance with a black couple but this missed the mark for me in ever aspect there is.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc of the audiobook of "Captured Beauty" by Tay Mo'Nae.

I was very intrigued by the premise of a beauty and the beast retelling. When Azeira's father fails to repay a debt owed to Kairus, she is taken as collateral and forced to live with him for six months until the debt is settled. Now serving as his maid, she finds herself in a grand estate, free to explore its breathtaking garden, expansive library, and a hidden music room. Over time, as she shares her days with Kairus, Azeira begins to see past his cold, beastly demeanor. Slowly, she breaks through his defenses, uncovering the pain of his troubled past and helping him confront the lingering wounds of his childhood.

This book is extremely dark and spicy. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the story. I thought the MC's lacked chemistry. I did enjoy the narration of the FMC; but found the male narrator a bit irritating.

Solid plot and romance, with just the right touch of darkness. I liked the overall story and the suspense was done very well 👏🏻. However, I do feel at times the two main characters lacked some chemistry, and it was kinda forced?
Thank you NetGalley for this ALC!!! 💫

I was excited to try Captured Beauty by Tay Monet, but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. As an audiobook listener, the experience was challenging due to frequent audio lags and long pauses, which disrupted the flow. On top of that, the pacing of the story felt uneven, and I struggled to connect with the characters or the plot. I ultimately couldn’t finish this one, though I can see how others might enjoy it.

I normally don’t like retellings be this was done perfectly with the mafia aspect the narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life

Rating 1.75/5
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

This book was very lackluster. There were too make mini time jumps, or scenery changes that I couldn't didn't know where I was in the story. There wasn't a smooth transition. I don't really expect much world building in modern romances, but I couldn't vision the world nor the characters. Heck, I don't even know what MMC and FMC appearances are. I only know FMC has caramel skin and honey blond curls? MMC is tall and has a scarred face... not to mention his manbits. Spicy scenes were good.....but could have been great if it was better written. I am also tired of the overuse of the word d*ck, so there's that.

Onto the characters....the WAS NO chemistry between the MMC and FMC, nothing nada, nothing they can really talk about, aside from bangity bang. Also, for one MMC is 1000% not emotionally mature (whether or not having a bad childhood). I didn't find him attractive, and his temper tantrums were a BIG turn off. I didn't even care for his POV either. FMC....was just the perfect toy to bend and be trained into what the MMC wanted...

This isn't my first dark romance, but this book wasn't for me. Nothing about the MMC I found was attractive, and was just basically legit Stockholm syndrome. And if this was the author's intent, then good job, you did it well.

I received the audiobook from Netgallery. Though my thoughts are honest and true, I wish the author best of luck. I thank the publishers for letting me listen.

Thank you to Netgalley the audiohouse, narrartor and author for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

I thought this book had a good storyline, I was really excited to listen to it; but the execution did not meet its mark for me. I found the main characters did not have the right chemistry and I just could not buy the passion that was supposed to be there. I struggled with wanting to listen to this book. I think the narrartor did a good job but I do wonder if it was the narration that ruined it for me., perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it.

Just finished listening to the book, Captured Beauty. This book was just released on January 7th. This was a beauty and the beast retelling. When Azeira's father borrows money from Kairus and can't pay it back, she is taken captive for 6 months as collateral until the debt is paid back. So now she is living with him as his maid, she gets to roam the most beautiful garden and library, as well as finding a music room in his huge house. As she is living with him she slowly starts to see the man behind the "beast", she starts chipping away at his walls, and learning about his troubled childhood and helping him through the trauma. And she starts to realize she is happier with her new life here with him, much more than she ever was before him. This was an enjoyable audiobook, it was a dual narration which I definitely appreciate, although the male narrator's take on a female voice did bother me. Also I was left with the question, how did her father come up with the money he owed 2 months early, it was a lot of money and it was never explained how he came up with all of it so fast, even when she straight out asked her father how he did it. But overall it was an enjoyable audiobook! 🩶📚

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this audio ARC of Captured Beauty, in exchange for an honest review.

💜 DARK romance
💜 Forced Proximity/ captured
💜 Fairytale retelling (beauty and the beast)
💜 SPICYYYYY
💜 Opposites attract

This was... Ok. It is dark in the darkest ways. She's taken captive as a debt payment her father owes. Hello beauty and the beast! He is not kind or gentle with her in anyway. When they start forming a relationship it felt very one sided to me. He noticeably never says I love you back throughout the book.

The spicy is 🥵 and the audiobook was well done. I'm just not sure this one worked for me.
Thank you netgalley for this ALC.

This is a captivating read for fans of dark, emotional, and slow-burning romance, particularly those who enjoy exploring complex themes of captivity, kinks, and the blurred lines between beauty and beast, and are looking for a story that investigates the complexities of trauma, consent, and the power of love to transform even the darkest of souls.

3.5/4 stars! I love a good retelling, plus throw in that it's a dark romance. This was my first book by this author and it was on audio! I feel like the audiobook was done pretty will and maybe I enjoyed the book more because i did listen to the audio.

I was intrigued by this book first because it was a retelling. I wasn't sure what retelling it would be though. I thought it was done very well though. I loved the writing style for sure.

WOW!!!! Booktok is going to looooove this one! I couldn’t stop listening. I was hooked from the first minute! The narration was wonderful. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

I love listening to a good dark romance, but this one wasn’t for me. I liked the idea of a modern dark romance Beauty and the Breast retelling. Unfortunately, the connection between the characters wasn’t there. I also like both of the narrators separately (other than the male narrator trying to do a female voice), but I didn’t feel a synergy in their narration. The writing seemed really choppy and didn’t keep me engaged. It pains me to give such a low rating, but I want to stay true to myself and my rating scale. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook by providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m so sorry I couldn’t get on with this.
The main characters didn’t flow right there wasn’t much chemistry.

The narrations from the MMC was quite bad I think he would have come across so much better with a different narrator maybe.

I do think for a dark romance the story is definitely there and could be there possibly another round of edits and consideration of a different male narrator and this could be so much better.

I’m so sorry

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Beauty and the Beast meets dark romance—all bark with extra smut and sass!

Captured Beauty has all the classic elements of my favorite fairy tale princess story: prisoner trapped in a lavish castle (lavish house.) Roses galore, a "beastly" captor, and a prisoner's-to-lovers vibe that makes your Kindle and/or Cheeks blush. The only downside? No talking teapots or sassy candelabras to lighten the mood. The dishes in this castle are strictly decorative, and they’re not helping anyone clean up. (No, it didn't affect my rating; it's only my humor showing. Lol)

Meet Kairus, our beast—growly, broody, territorial type, and the kind of man who, if you dared to hug him, would feel like embracing the thorniest rose in the garden. Definitely not the guy you’d want to owe money to.

Then we have Azeira, our prisoner, thanks to dear old dad, who couldn't repay his debts. She got the one-way ticket to Kairus massive estate, where the sexual tension builds enough to snap a chandelier chain. C'est magnifique!

Azeira isn't one to take her imprisonment lying down (unless Kairus has anything to say about it, wink). She struts around his castle, chatting with the staff while driving Kairus up the stone walls. He’s not used to anyone poking at his grumpy exterior, and the more she does, the more “beastly” he becomes. He's territorial with a "don't touch what's mine."

Captured Beauty is perfect for dipping your toes into dark romance. It’s not too heavy on the darkness—think more along the lines of shadows—but it’s brimming with the alpha we all secretly love.

My only qualm? While the sexual tension and smut are c'est magnifique, there’s a bit of a missing link I would have loved. Kairus and Azeira stay true to their characters, which is great, but I wanted more of that deep, human connection. There was only a touch of it. One thing also left me scratching my head: where did the money come from? Did Lumière hand him some enchanted stacks? I guess we’ll never know. (IUKUK, once you read Captured Beauty. Lol)

A Disappointing Experience

I was intrigued by the premise of Captured Beauty by Tay Mo’Nae. The Beauty and the Beast – trope can be a fascinating exploration of complex characters and emotional growth, but unfortunately, this audiobook fell short for me in several critical areas.

Captured Beauty ♦ Tay Mo’Nae - A Review

Opinion
First and foremost, the writing style didn’t resonate with me. It was bumpy and stiff, making it hard to get into the story. Sentences often felt disjointed, lacking the fluidity that allows a reader (or listener) to lose themselves in the narrative. Instead of being immersed in the world or the characters’ emotions, I found myself repeatedly pulled out of the story by awkward phrasing or abrupt transitions. This was particularly disappointing because the premise had the potential for a much deeper and more engaging execution.

The characters themselves were another significant weak point. They felt vaguely developed, with little depth or nuance. As a result, I struggled to connect with them or care about their journey. The heroine’s transformation from captive to someone who falls for her captor felt rushed and unconvincing, and the hero’s supposed duality — a beast to others but tender to her — never fully came through in a meaningful way. Without a strong emotional anchor, the story lacked the impact it seemed to aim for.

The dynamic between the two main characters, which should have been the heart of the story, felt forced rather than natural. Their interactions lacked the organic development that makes a romance compelling. Instead of a gradual build-up of tension and affection, their relationship seemed to jump from one stage to another without sufficient groundwork. This left me feeling more frustrated than invested in their love story.

The narrators did their best to bring the story to life, and I could tell they put effort into their performances. However, even a talented narrator can only do so much when the writing lacks some polish and flow. Despite their efforts, the stiff writing style made it hard for them to elevate the material.

Conclusion
Overall, Captured Beauty had potential, but the execution left a lot to be desired. A more polished writing style, deeper character development, and a more natural relationship dynamic could have turned this into a gripping and emotional tale. Instead, it fell flat, leaving me disappointed and unengaged. I gave it two stars because the narrators tried their best and the premise was intriguing, but this wasn’t the experience I was hoping for.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really liked this.

I am not surprised that I liked it, but I don't always fully enjoy dark romance, but this one worked for me.

Azeria and Kairus were such a great time. It was definitely dark and I appreciated how their relationship developed. The Beauty and the Beast retelling was excellent and I am so happy that there is more dark romance in the Black romance sphere.

The narratores Tamika Antoinette and Myles Washington did an amazing job, and I really enjoyed them brining these characters to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for an audio copy.