Finding Beauty in the Beast by Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 263
Standalone
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Fairy-tale retelling
Published: Jan. 9, 2018
Rating: 4.5 STARS

Synopsis:

Princess Rose’s fiery temper has kept every potential suitor away…until now. After being spurned and humiliated for the last time, the princess forces every eligible man to present a gift to her under pain of death. The man who brings her the best gift will be chosen as her husband.

When Corbin presents his gift, he hopes that his simple offering will keep him safely overlooked. All he wants is to return to his quiet life as a blacksmith away from forbidding castles and beastly princesses. But love works in mysterious ways, and it all starts with a rose…

Review:

Everything changed that day. I suppose everything and everyone died a little when the king and queen died, but no one more than Princess Rose.

Everyone calls her the Beast. Rose has a temper that has given her quite a reputation. Corbin is a blacksmith, who recently moved back to Laurel when his heart got crushed by an ex-fiancee. Rose was supposed to be married to a prince who called off the wedding to marry a commoner. She then demands all eligible men who live in her kingdom to bring her a gift so she can choose from them for a future husband. Any who refuses will be hung.

Corbin just moved in and didn’t know about the ordeal until it was time for him to go to the ceremony. On his way, he finds a rose for his gift. When it is his turn, Rose chooses him to become her husband.

I loved this. It was so cute. I loved the relationship between Corbin and Rose. Its growth was believable and well written. The gender swap was done amazingly. I love when fairy tales are gender-swapped. With Rose as the beast, and Corbin as the “prisoner”.

I wish there was another book of these two but the end was the end. It was tied off quite neatly. I feel like my next read might not be so interesting.

The Love Playbook by Suze Winegardner

My Edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 230
Standalone
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Sports, Romance
Published: November 4, 2019
Rating: DNF @ pg 18 (No Rating)

Synopsis:

When Avery Stone learns her dad will be fired if his high school team doesn’t make the playoffs, she has to get her head out of her day planner and do something—anything—to help him win. Even if it means secretly coaching the team’s newest player, who seems to have more game than skill.

Lucas Black just transferred to Hillside with a fake name and a big secret. The MVP of every team he’d played on since he was seven—not to mention the MVP of every post-game party—he can’t understand why since arriving at Hillside, he’s been unable to catch a single. Freaking. Ball.

Until…Avery. Amazing, kind, generous, and crazy-freaking-hot Avery.

As Lucas goes from zero back to hero and Avery struggles with just what Lucas means to her, she inadvertently sets them on a collision course with Lucas’s secret…a secret that could take down not only Lucas but her father too.

Review:

Oh, this is sad. It’s been a while since I DNFed a book so early. I wasn’t feeling it to start off with. Nothing jumped out at me in the first chapter. Already I didn’t like either of the MCs. Then I had a theory, read some reviews, and the theory was proven correct. I skimmed the little bit of chapter 2 that I did read.

Nothing and I mean nothing popped out at me when I skimmed. If anything it made me want to skip to the end just to know how everything turned out. Instead, I have decided this book isn’t for me. I am going to put it back and part ways. It will be easier than trying to force myself through a book that I know I will give a low rating.