Sunday, July 17, 2016

Review Bella and the Beast, Cinderella Sisterhood series by Olivia Drake





Title: Bella and the Beast
Author: Olivia Drake
Series: Cinderella Sisterhood
 Release Date: November 3rd 2015


Synopsis

Bella Jones' father, Sir Seymour Jones, was an explorer/adventurer who revealed to her on his deathbed that the late Duke of Aylwin, whom he helped inquire antiquities in Egypt, had promised him half of a pharaoh's treasure. However, Bella must find the map to the hidden trove to prevent her and her brother and sister from living in poverty.

Bella takes a job as a curator working for the late duke's son to help him catalogue his father's artifacts in London. She doesn't reveal who she is or what her motives are, but when the attraction between them because impossible to ignore, the issue of the hidden treasure becomes a more complicated secret than either of them could ever imagine.



Buy Links

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Review by Iza

The blurb pulled me in, definitely. Beauty and the Beast re-telling? Sign me up! As I started it, I realized it has certain BatB elements but only a few, really. But that didn't bother me because the story was all about ancient Egypt and mummies and artifacts and whatnot. Mysteries. A murder.

So, that pulled me in too. Along with the writing. I liked it. Flowed with no problems. I liked how the hero and the heroine didn't like one another for a good portion of the book. I mean sure, lust was there and they were fascinated by one another but there was no insta-love, which seems to be in almost every book, nowadays.

Now, all of the above? I loved, as I said. And I was grumbling in displeasure for having to put it down, doing real life things, not being able to lose myself in this world that Ms. Drake created. Up until one point; one point that totally ruined it for me. Or well, it disappointed me.

They went from I-can't-stand-you to I-love-you this and darling that. Just like that. I know that it was right toward the end of it but, in my opinion, it would have been better had they said their I love yous right on the last page. This way, it felt like Ms. Drake just wanted to get it over with, to wrap it up already. So, from slow burn it went to insta. Which makes me give it only 3.5 stars, which is still good but it's only for maybe 85% of the story. Really wanted it to be a 5 stars.

I want to thank the publishers for the copy given in exchange for my honest review.


Author Info

Shortly after graduating from Michigan State University with a degree in journalism, Olivia Drake sold her first novel two weeks after sending it to a publisher. She now lives in Texas in a cozy cottage with a feisty cat, a loving husband, and two wonderful daughters who still come back whenever they want a home-cooked meal.

Many of you already know Olivia as Barbara Dawson Smith, author of 24 historical romance novels. She is a New York Times bestseller and winner of numerous honors, including the Golden Heart Award and the coveted Rita Award for excellence in the historical romance genre.


   

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