When Beauty Tamed the Beast [Mass Market Paperback]

Eloisa James (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 25, 2011

“Eloisa James’s writing is absolutely exquisite.”
—New York Times bestselling author Teresa Medeiros

 

“Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James.”

—New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn

 

A wonderful spin on a much-beloved fairy tale, Eloisa James’s When Beauty Tamed the Beast is heart-soaring and fun historical romance at its finest. No wonder People magazine raves about her books, saying, “Romance writing does not get much better than this.” Eloisa’s delightful take on Beauty and the Beast unfolds in Regency England, where a beastly, bad-tempered Earl matches wits with a brazen beauty who has vowed to make the handsome grump fall in love with her in two short weeks.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

After Prince Augustus Frederick reneges on his promise to marry her, Linnet Thrynne faces social ruin since everyone—based partly on her mother’s scandalous past and partly on Linnet’s ill-fated decision to wear a ball gown that gives the impression she is pregnant—now believes Linnet is a hussy of the first degree. Fortunately, Linnet’s aunt, Lady Etheridge, comes up with a solution. Rumor has it that Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, is in the market for a wife. The irascible nobleman’s only requirement is that his bride-to-be be a woman “more beautiful than the sun and the moon,” a condition Linnet easily meets. Linnet is certain once the beastly Piers meets her, he will fall under her spell. But immediately after encountering the cranky doctor, Linnet realizes the intractable, intelligent, and altogether intriguing Piers is not exactly the husband for whom she bargained. With equal measures of superbly nuanced characters, sexy passion, and scintillating wit, James deftly fashions a fairy-tale-perfect romance. --John Charles

From the Back Cover

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty . . . Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.

Linnet is not just any woman.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love—in just two weeks.

Yet Linnet has no idea of the danger posed to her own heart by a man who may never love her in return.

If she decides to be very wicked indeed . . . what price will she pay for taming his wild heart?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (January 25, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062021273
• ISBN-13: 978-0062021274
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (183 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #75,838 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Eloisa wrote her first novel after graduating from Harvard, but alas, it was rejected by every possible publisher. After she got an M.Phil. from Oxford, a Ph.D. from Yale, and a job as a Shakespeare professor, she tried again, with much greater success. Currently she teaches Shakespeare in the English Department at Fordham University in New York City. She's also the mother of two children and, in a particularly delicious irony for a romance writer, is married to a genuine Italian knight.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

#2 in Books > Romance > Historical

#46 in Books > Romance

#51 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#99 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction

#2 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical Romance

#2 in Books > Romance > Historical

#46 in Books > Romance

#51 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#99 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 70 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe she made me cry! January 25, 2011

By Daisy

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I didn't expect any more of this novel than a fun retelling of the fairy story, some good dialogue, the usual enjoyable Eloisa James romp. It was all that and a bit more. I have no intention of giving away any of the story but I had a vision at one point when I was sniveling with the poignancy of the moment of Eloisa James as Kathleen Turner at the beginning of the movie after Romancing the Stone where she's writing the last chapter of her romance novel and sobbing over her typewriter. What can I say, they seem like real people whom the author cares about. I think it's her best yet. (And of course they don't live UNhappily ever after)

40 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it. Period. February 6, 2011

By PhotogNinja

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm an Eloisa James fan anyway but I think this is her best yet. At first I was a little iffy because the first chapter of the book basically just describes how beautiful and perfect Linnet, the heroine, is. However, that skepticism was soon replaced with anticipation of what was going to happen to her. I laughed at Piers' temper tantrums that usually involved funny little insults to his butler, etc. I felt both Linnet's and Piers' feelings of desperation in various parts of the novel. I greatly admired and hated Piers for his dedication to his work. I could go on and on about how emotionally involved I was in this book but to put it simply if you like historical romance you should read this and reread this.

This is honestly my new favorite book. I read it really quickly and regret it because I am now wanting more. I liked "A Kiss at Midnight" but this is exponentially better. I've read 10 books by Eloisa but this one takes the cake.

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars What an emotional roller coaster, but I want to go again! January 25, 2011

By Judith Anne

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I read the excerpt for this novel online and was ready to be charmed by the book, but I had no idea I would fall in love with two wonderfully written characters. I won't go into a story plot outline, that can be found everywhere, but I will suffice to say I enjoyed the witty dialogue and medical "hospital" setting. Piers, the Beast, is a 19th century Dr. House with a closet of skeletons to deal with, a Welsh Castle full of sick people, a double-dipping butler and an unwanted fiancee', Linnet, the Beauty. Add into the mix his long estranged father, the Duke- his mother, whom the Duke divorced - and many persons with various maladies, plus other doctors in residence studying with Piers and you have a book full of fun!
Piers and Linnet (an intelligent beauty) verbally spar from the first moment, a writing tool when done correctly is enjoyable, but here it is sublime. It is a romance with the requisite amount of hot love scenes, but it is also funny and sweet and well done. I enjoyed the ending, since I always like epilogues that give me a glimpse into the future lives of the characters.

SPOILER****

E. James names two of the doctors studying with Piers at his castle hospital Kibbles and Bitts...LOL.