Customer Reviews

The Bride and the Beast

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Practical, level-headed Gwendolyn Wilder doesn't believe in dragons...but the superstitious highlanders of Ballybliss do...and they will do anything they can to rid themselves of the Dragon's curse ....including getting a fair virgin to satisfy the beast's insatiable appetite.

Being the only virgin in town, Gwendolyn finds herself securely bound to a post as a sacrificial lamb waiting to be slaughtered - or - more accurately devoured by this mythical beast. Imagine her surprise when "the dragon" emerges from a stream of silver smoke to take her away...

The "dragon" turns out to be devastatingly handsome man (though he hides his face from Gwendolyn) who is much more dangerous than any real dragon could be....and when he decides to make a "pet" of the fair Gwen, the fun begins....

I discovered Teresa Medeiros with the wonderful CHARMING THE PRINCE and have been a fan ever since. Her heroines are usually smart, funny and have a good head on their shoulders....and Gwendolyn Wilder, the heroine of THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST is no exception. The Dragon is charming, virile, dangerous and everything a sexy hero should be.

I loved reading this offbeat humorous retelling of Beauty and the Beast and couldn't put it down. If you like a bit of offbeat humor mixed in with your romance, this one is for you. Enjoy.

Gwendolyn Wilder did not believe in dragons, but the people of Ballybliss did. When the 'Dragon' starts aking for more and more food, and finally money to make him go away, the vilagers decide to give him a 'sacrifice' to appease him and mabye he'll let them be. Only a virgin will do, and being the only virgin in the village, Gwendolyn is taken to the Castle Weycraig and tied to a pole in the courtyard and left to await the Dragons' appearance.

While Gwen waits to be 'eaten or whatever else the Dragon might do to her' she realizes that her predicament is precarious. She knows that the so-called Dragon is a fraud, and that there was a good explaination for all of the lights flickering and bagpipe playing that has drifted down from the castle, but as a terrible storm approaches, she gets nervous and wonders what will happen next. When it does and the Dragon comes out from the silver mists and she sees his face, she faints.

The Dragon carries her into his lair and keeps her as his papmered prisoner, never showing her his face. He'd made her faint for God's sake, if she saw his face again she may get hesterical! But the night was his cover, and soon Gwen falls for his sensual allure, his passionate kisses, and becomes aware that the Dragon is only a man. A flesh and blood man, out for revenge; from what she didn't know, but as the story unfolds and all is finally revealed, including his true identity, Gwen understands the true meaning of betrayal and heartbreak.

Can the Dragon make her understand his motives and make her love him again? Can Gwen ever trust the 'real' man that the Dragon is, or mourn the Dragon she thought him to be.

I love Teresa Medeiros. The first book I read of hers, Charming the Prince, had me hooked. Her writing syle is so compelling and full of feeling, that you'll fall in love with all of her characters. You'll never be disappointed with anything written by her!

Teresa Medeiros has been one of my favorite authors since way back when and she just keeps getting better. I didn't think she could top CHARMING THE PRINCE, but she did it with this one. I can't explain why her writing is so powerful, but she makes me feel all of the emotions her characters are feeling. I fell in love with "the Dragon" right along with Gwendolyn and to me, that's true magic! (I have to confess that I also fell a little in love with Tupper, too!) I also loved the fact that her heroine wasn't a size 2 in this book, but a "plump" beauty. (Just like me!)

Teresa Medeiro's THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST is a rich tapestry overflowing with emotional drama. Readers will be spellbound and left guessing right up until the end as the climax slowly unravels its memorizing tale.

Known only as Dragon, a fearless creature set on reeking vengeance on the helpless townspeople of Ballybliss. He ruthlessly demands an unrealistic sum of one thousand pounds, the citizens known such a high price could not be provided. They offer the only alternative equivalent to the sum, Gwendolyn Wilder, a well-known virgin. Surprised at the gift the townspeople offer, he is captivated by the spirit and beauty Gwendolyn exhibits. Will she have the power to conquer his lair, his chamber, his bed?

Gwendolyn Wilder lost her heart and the love her life tragically fifteen years ago. Now her life consists of caring for an insane father and three haphazard sisters. When the town forces her to sacrifice her life to save them from destruction, she tries to escape. Unfortunately, she is captured and delivered to Castle Weyrcraig, known as the Dragons Lair. Dragon refuses to reveal his mysterious face, and communicates through a smoky voice, seductive touch, and a ravishing kiss. Will she have the courage to slay the Dragon and capture his heart?

THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST is deftly plotted and beautifully written. Readers will find it an engrossing tale, with a delightful cast of characters. It will long be remembered and revisited many times to come.

First off I have to say a big "Thank You" To Teresa Medeiros for writting a book with a real sized woman and for having a man who willingly admits he likes larger women. Yeah! About time!. I also liked the fact that the heroine in this story has the same fears and thoughts about her body as modern day women do. It made her so real.
This is the story of Gwendolyn, a virgin who has been sacrificed by her villiage to the Dragon of Castle Weyrcraig. Only the Dragon isn't really real its Bernard the thought dead son of the dead lord. He was thought to have been killed 15 years before by the British. He somehow survives and is now using the Dragon to terrorize the village for its betrayal of his family.
When he finds Gwendolyn tied up to a stake as an offering her is furious but she calms the Dragon and soon works her way into his heart. He is extremely attracked to her but she can't really believe it. It takes quite a bit of convincing to get her to feel good about herself. They have so much to overcome to find happiness but when they do you feel like cheering. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to others by this author.

Gwendolyn Wilder has always been in love with Bernard Macullough, future laird of the clan Macullough of the Castle Weycraig, Ballybliss, Scotland. As a child she used to spy upon Bernard from the top of a tree. Until one day the village betray the clan to the English and the whole family is slaughtered by the English.

Many years later, the Castle Weycraig is inhabited by a most fierce dragon who demands that the village send him food and other items. One such demand included that the village send to the dragon one thousand pounds. Unable to come up with the money, the village decide to send to him a virgin. The only maiden left in the village is Gwendolyn. So the village dress up Gwendolyn and take her up to the castle where they tie her to the stake, for her to await the mysterious dragon.

Gwendolyn faints and awakes to find herself in a bedchamber in the daunting castle Weycraig. Her captor is no fierce dragon but a disarmingly handsome man who will not reveal his face to her. The "dragon" decides to keep Gwendolyn as a captive in his castle because he does not wish for her to reveal his secret. He visits her in the night to watch her sleep and finds her exquisitely beautiful and would like nothing more than to take her in his arms but he stops himself. He lavishes her with ornate presents each day and Gwedolyn finds herself falling in love with her mysterious captor. As the identity if the "dragon" is revealed to the villagers, Gwendolyn does her best to protect her "dragon".

This was a beautifully written story. A twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme. It was nice to read that Gwendolyn was no waif but a real curvy woman that the "dragon" found beautiful. The love story between the two protagonists was a joy to read. A slow build up to a beautiful love story. Teresa Medeiros has a wonderful way of weaving a yarn and I have yet to be disappointed by one of her books yet. A most marvellous author.

Lea Ling Tsang

In this wonderful book we will find the story of "Beauty and the Beast", the great part is that it is NOTHING like it! It is far much better! It surpases the original fairy tale, and it is much more bealivable than the original version.
Gwendolyn Wilder is the only sensible person in all Ballybliss, Scottland. She has 3 sisters, all of whom are of extreme beauty and have the perfect body. Gwen does not view herself as a beauty and the fact that the people in her town including her sisters tell her so and that she eats too much, does not help to the poor concept Gwen holds of herlsef. But do not let this confuse you, Gwen is smart, and has a witt as well as a tongue that could put to shame most heroines of romance novels!She holds nothign in and speaks her mind. And 15 years ago she proved this by standing proud and tall agains the son of the laird of Ballybliss. He was 15 years at that time, and Gwen had fancied herself in love with him, until she fell on top of him and he mocked her unintentionally, so she defended herself and told him a couple of things that left him more than amused. However that afternoon was the last time she saw Bernard MacCallough, for that same night the castle of his father was attacked by the red coats and everyone in the castle was killed.

Gwen grows up to be a pretty woman with a body that has curves. She's a real woman (and thank god for that!).

Unfurtunately she is offered as a sacrifice to the "Dragon" (The Beast) that lives in a ruined and long time abbandoned castle, the castle her beloved Bernard used to inhabite.

The Dragon never shown his face to Gwen, but treats her very well and does not use her in any way that the people of her town gave her up for. He gives her everything imaginable materially speaking as well as her confidence back. As their relationship grows and evolves she finds herself more than attracted to the Dragon, she finds herself in love with him. How is it possible she loves 2 different men during her life she does not know, but she knows that as a child she had adored Bernard and woman she loves the Dragon.
But the Dragon holds a secret that could easily destroy both of them and could drive her away from him, so he fears so show his face to her and tell her his real identity, for the Dragon is in Ballybliss to seek vengance and make pay the traitor that had caused the redcoats to attack the castle and kill the MacCallough's.
The story is facinating as well as entertaining. It is much much better than the fairy tale. It is very tender and heart warming and to top it all of it is hilarious! I know I have my favorite 3 lines of the book memorized, and I just finish reading it!
Ms Medeiros is a breath of fresh air and puts fairy tales to shame!

I was expecting a Beauty and the Beast spin-off, but with Theresa Medeiro's calibre I was enriched by the buoyant and enchanting fairy tale and is pleasantly delighted by the more confident writing in this Hardcover.

Not that her past novels like Touch of Enchantment and Charming the Prince are not engaging, but in the Bride and the Beast, she gives the familiar tale a face-lift, injecting elements like treachery, forgiveness and of course the riveting passion. Gwendolyn Wilder like Ms. Medeiros' heroine is intelligent and suffers the fate of being suppressed by her siblings like the promiscuous Nessa and Glyniss, and thinks herself inferior in the looks department. She is charmed by Bernard McCullough, the heir to succeed as the laird of Ballybliss but keeps her wistful thoughts at bay. But time abruptly runs out - he is killed in a treachery when his father harbours a Prince rebel from Cumberland and apparently his WeyCraig castle was torn asunder from the carnage. He returns to seek revenge on the village clan who had refused to help him by concocting a Dragon tale, and when Gwendolyn is offered as a virgin sacrifice, she finds Dragon irresistible and a penchant for love.

THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST is magical - Ms. Medeiros creates a transient fairy-tale realm, of castle and dragons. Their chemistry is no less incendiary from their banter, and of course the Beast is ultimately touched and revived by Gwendolyn's understanding. Their union is threatened when the revelation of the true identity of Dragon is revealed.

It gives a heartbreaking touch towards the end and the secondary romance between Tupper and Kitty is hilariously done.THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST revives the fairy-tale charm and fuels dreams in us - it is so much more with her emotional-drenched writing that charges up the plot - the only thing beastly is the miracle that this book can be so savagely tender at times.

... This book is not one of this author's best. It had a promising beginning but it just deteriorated as they story wore on. Frankly I found it a little boring and the separation of the characters towards the end did not make any sense. The happily ever after was abrupt and incredibly unimaginative.

This is the story of a girl named Gwendolyn who just happens to be the only virgin left in her village. This is not a good thing because the village has been terrorized by a "dragon" who lives up in the ruins of a castle that once belonged to their laird and his family. Anyway,through some convoluted thinking on the part of the villagers, it is decided a virgin sacrifice is the only thing that will appease this dragon and make him leave them alone. So poor Gwen is sacrificed for the good of the villagers. The so called Dragon is, of course, a flesh and blood man who is intent on terrorizing the villagers for personal reasons. He's really the son of the late laird who was thought to have been killed along with his family. One problem I had with the story was the whole revenge plot. It seemed excessively silly to me that a grown, well to do,intelligent man's idea of revenge was to pretend to be a "dragon" and terrorize ignorant villagers. The dragon doesn't allow Gwen to see his face because she'll recognize him and then she'll unmask him in front of the villagers but then Gwen is being held prisoner by him and has no contact with the villagers whatsoever so what is the point of the anonimity? Gwendolyn falls for him anyway even though she thinks he doesn't allow her to see him because he's malformed in some way. When she does find out who he is and that he's not some malformed monster she is inexplicably angry at him. This was the biggest problem I had with this book. Gwen was supposedly in love with him when they were children and grieved when she thought him dead and then when she finds out he's alive and well and,best of all, interested in her then she leaves him.The reasons for Gwen's anger were just plain silly. She was basically mad at him for being alive and not being malformed. Whatever.

I didn't enjoy this book at all. The story line was not interesting, the secondary characters were one-dimensional and cartoonish, except for maybe Tupper who was like a sidekick to the Dragon, and the villagers were too ignorant and stupid to be believed. There wasn't a single endearing or likeable character. I found the romance to be lacking, the love scenes felt hurried and there was a definite lack of chemistry between the characters that made the love scenes feel forced. I find that this author's writing is excellent and the dialogue in her books is well-written but I've found she's just not very consistent and some her stories can be dissapointing. I had just finished reading A Kiss to Remember by this author and I found it delightful that's why I decided to pick up this dud. She's not an autobuy for me but I will keep reading her books. Not recommended :)

This has to be the best book I've ever read. I read the book in one day because I couldn't put it down. Teresa Medeiros did a great job of making the beast sexy and almost scary, which was very intriguing. I love to feel apart of the books I read, and I felt that I was Gwendolyn. I was sad to see the book end. I wish there had been several hundred more pages.