Book: Beauty and the Blade by S.C. Grayson
Reviewed by Suzy Wickedly Good Reads
Rating: 5/5
I absolutely love a good Beauty and the Beast trope, and this one hit the spot! Think Peaky Blinders meets Bridgerton with a side of Gangs of New York. In a nutshell- an arranged marriage, a scarred and feared mob boss, family secrets, and a heroine who's entered the marriage with a hidden agenda. Contessa believes Woodrow murdered her mother. As the daughter of the Chief of Police, she's been trained by her father for an undercover mission: marry Woodrow, get close to him, and uncover the truth. Adding another layer to this world are the Talented. These are people born with enhanced abilities who are hunted by Contessa's father. That touch of magic takes what initially feels like a historical mafia romance and gives it a delicious fantasy twist.
Woodrow is extremely scarred, aloof, and has a reputation as a bloodthirsty mob boss. Contessa expects a monster. Instead, despite his rather unsavory profession, Woodrow treats her with an unexpected amount of respect. And as Contessa starts questioning what she believes about Woodrow, she also begins uncovering truths about the people and world around her that make it increasingly difficult to tell who the real monsters are. And that creates a problem. Because the more time Contessa spends with her new husband, the harder it becomes to reconcile the man she's getting to know with the monster she's been told killed her mother. I loved watching her certainty begin to unravel as she questioned everything she thought she knew. And Woodrow? Give me the scarred, feared “monster” who has an entirely different side hidden beneath the surface EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
This is a slow burn, but don't mistake that for no burn because there is definitely spice waiting at the end of that fuse! 🔥
Mystery, danger, arranged marriage, Beauty and the Beast vibes, family secrets, a morally gray hero, AND a slow-burn romance? Yes, please!! Apparently I didn't need much convincing. I've already downloaded Book Two. 😂