Beauty (Everland Ever After #3)

WESTERN:  Arabella Mayor is no longer the beauty she used to be - which is unfortunate, as the twice-widowed bookseller has a ten-year-old son in need of stability and is running out of money. Without her beauty to recommend her, Arabella doubts another marriage is possible and confines herself to the three rules her second husband laid out years before. World famous violinist Vincenzo Bellini wishes to retire from a life of performances and intrusive crowds and hide in Everland, where his hideous scars and eccentric nature might be overlooked. However, even a monster such as he is unable to resist helping the sweet widow who reads to him, or her cheerful son. But is his worth diminished by his scars or will he show Arabella that one’s value isn’t tied to appearances after all?

A sweet Beauty and the Beast retelling with hints of Rigoletto, “Beauty” is the third book in the “Everland Ever After” series and can be read either as a standalone or part of the series. Combining a quirky but interesting cast of characters and a meddling magical group of fairy godmothers makes this a light romance, if a little slow.  Despite the predictability of the tale there are a few new twists to keep the reader hooked, in addition to some significant character growth. “Beauty” is a sweet fairy tale reboot which makes for a good read on a lazy afternoon.

Sarah E. Bradley