Lyonne Riley

Rupert is so lucky that he has Mr. Castle aka Kellen as his loyal employee and friend. If not for him, he would have still been in his room hiding away and sulking. Ooh and eating ham sandwiches forever. That is when Rupert knew he had really messed up when Peony stopped making delicious meals for him and just assembled (barely) ham sandwiches. I laughed at this part of the story.

I absolutely love this book. I love the way that Lyonne put her own twist on this Beauty and the Beast show more retelling. It is so refreshing to see a new take on a classic. When it comes to Rupert, I have just two things to say...his heart is as big as his stomach and tails rule! Peony and Rupert are cooking up more than just yummy food in the kitchen. The sparks are flying in the bedroom as well. This book is one that you will gobble up! I give it ten stars! A Michelin star recommended read! show less

I get it now. I get why Theo is getting all the love and I must say that I, too, am on board the Theo's hype train lol This minotaur, right here, has claimed the number one spot in the special minotaur corner of my heart and I'll be singing of his praises for a long time.

What's interesting to me from the get-go is how the world in the story is basically an inverse universe, where humans are seen as the outsiders and are living inside a preservation that protects them from the general show more population, the monsters, that may or may not make a hearty meal out of these exotic and defenseless creatures.

So, Theo goes and submits his application to become Celeste's potential marriage partner, while Celeste contemplates living inside New Eden for the rest of her life, away from the lurking dangers of the monster world. However, lo and behold, she chooses him and we get two opposites that truly complement each other, both on the street and between the sheets. I love how Theo's character progressed from the shy and brooding minotaur in the beginning to being an absolute beast of a... beast in bed.

The romance is super sticky sweet and oh so fluffy, which I LOVE in non-human romance. My usual poker face with dark romance instantly turns into squeals and giggles, and it made cheeks hurt from grinning for far too long, which is a very good thing. show less

What does it mean to accept someone truly as who they are? To love someone unconditionally without the need to change them and without reservations?

It takes a lot of strength to be as resilient as the two of them are, to fit a troll’s peen in a human body and birth a troll baby lol. It’s quite the feat.

Lyonne has the Midas touch when it comes to worldbuilding and character development in her stories. Every fictional universe that she crafts is complex, from the political intrigue of show more different warring tribes (human and non-human), to the socio-cultural landscape, and even the characters themselves. I can't get enough! show less

This fairytale retelling was beautiful, sweet, and spicy! Rupert has a grumpy attitude that Peony knows how to fix in a split second because she is his weakness. The emotional depth of Rupert and Peony's relationship had me coming back for more... I may have had two nights full of "just one more chapter" moments that ended at 4 am 📖💤. Rupert and Peony literally fit together like puzzle pieces. She is fierce enough to fight both of their battles when necessary just for Rupert to show more reciprocate by protecting Peony at any cost. The book ended in such a heart warming way that made me feel complete.

Additionally, the blend of sweet romantic moments and smutty spicy scenes was perfect. There was essentially 20 pages of straight spice and steam in the middle---which I would like to personally thank Lyonne Riley for.
Spice rating: 4.5/5 🌶️🔥🥵

Lastly, I need more of Kellen and Ignacio! I feel like there is more to their story... maybe;)
Thank you so much to Lyonne Riley, the author, for providing me with an early copy of The Monster in the Manor to enjoy and cherish ♥️ show less