Darling Beast

Hoyt's Maiden Lane series is a favorite of mine. These are light historical romances, so don't look for historical exposes. but Hoyt does tell us a lot about class and economic disparity, about the way in which the rich rigged the system, consigning those they wished to be rid of to Newgate or Bedlam. Sound familiar? Her characters generally have depth. they are interesting, and that was definitely true of Apollo and Lily. Apollo, a member of the gentry but possessed of no current fortune, has been framed for murder and consigned to Bedlam where he is regularly beaten, eventually so badly he is rendered mute. He escapes and shows up in the same place as Lily Stump, an actress and secret playwright who is rebuilding after her Covent show more Garden theatre burns. She is staying in one intact portion of the ruined theatre with her maidservant (who is like a mother really) and her son Indio and his dog Daffodil (who are charming.) There are absurd elements, there is trooooo lovvvve (I just saw Princess Bride last night for likely the 25th time so I can't type those words without hearing the voice of Carol Kane in my head) and there is a lot of sex -- those are all plusses for me but YMMV. A pleasant vacation listen! show less

Darling Beast is another lovely story from Elizabeth Hoyt in her Maiden Lane series. This one has a Beauty and the Beast theme, which is one of my all-time favorite fairy tales. It follows Apollo, the wrongly accused twin brother of Artemis, the heroine of the previous book, Duke of Midnight. He spent four years in Bedlam for a triple murder he didn't commit, before being rescued by Artemis' hero, Maximus. That doesn't, however, mean that they've become friends. Apollo insists on calling Maximus His Grace the Ass throughout the story, and on the couple of occasions they share a scene, the two men enjoy taking jabs at one another, much to my amusement. I have a feeling that they'll someday bury the hatchet though. As is tradition, Ms. show more Hoyt also includes a short fairy tale story that begins each chapter, and which mirrors the main story. This one was called The Minotaur. It's a twist on an existing Greek myth that also has a sweet Beauty and the Beast theme that I really enjoyed.

As I mentioned, Maximus previously helped Apollo escape from Bedlam, and now he's on the run, trying to evade the soldiers who would imprison him again or worse, hang him for the murder of his three friends four years ago. He's hiding out in the charred ruins of a theater and pleasure garden owned by his friend, Asa. Apollo is a genius with plants and designing gardens, a talent which he's using to help Asa, who is trying to rebuild. Everyone thinks Apollo is just a common laborer, although in reality he's not only the head gardener but also the technical heir to an Earldom. Of course, he can't take up his title of Viscount Kilbourne without being found and recaptured. On top of that, he's also mute (at least temporarily) from a severe beating he sustained in Bedlam months earlier. Apollo is attempting to find the real murderer to clear his name, but doesn't have much to go on or much hope he'll succeed. All he's trying to do is stay one step ahead of the authorities. I had fallen for Apollo when he was only a secondary character in the previous book and was so thrilled when I found out he was going to be the next hero. Unlike most “beast” characters, he isn't scarred or maimed, but is equally as vulnerable. He's a great hulking man who pretty much towers over everyone and who doesn't consider himself to be much of a catch. In fact, he refers to himself as an “ugly lump” and feels completely inadequate next to Lily's beauty. Before being committed to Bedlam he had to pay for most of his bedmates and has never had a woman truly find him attractive until Lily. After spending so much time locked up, he's a very lonely man who is starved for affection. Apollo may be a giant, but he's a gentle one, who is kind to both children and animals. He's also extremely protective of Lily and abhors any kind of violence against women. In fact, it was his defense of a helpless woman that earned him the beating in Bedlam. Overall, he's a very sweet man who never considered himself to be violent before being committed, and although that experience changed him, he still only engages in violence in self-defense or defense of others. Apollo is just a very yummy hero who I definitely wouldn't mind having in my corner.:-)

Lily is a talented actress who is well-known throughout London for her unconventional roles. She's also a playwright, but that is a fact virtually no one knows. Partly because she is a woman and partly because her brother has the proper connections to sell the plays, she allows him to do so in his own name, taking no credit for her work. She is the mother of a young son and desperately needs the money to provide for him and their maid. They're down on their luck and living in the part of the theater that was left standing after the fire. Lily is an excellent mother, kind and caring but firm, and she would do anything to protect her son. When she meets Apollo, she can't help being drawn to him, even though she doesn't really know anything about him. I love how Lily sees him as an attractive man, perhaps not quite in the classical sense, but she appreciates all of his physical attributes – even the ones he himself finds unattractive – when no one else really has. She accepts him for who he is right from the start and instinctively knows that he's a gentle soul. I love how she believes in his innate goodness even before he's able to open up to her about his past and even though she has good reasons not to. When she finds out what he stands accused of, she knows deep in her heart that this man who has treated her and her child with so much kindness and tenderness couldn't be guilty, so she stands by his side, doing what she can to help.

Darling Beast boasts a number of memorable secondary characters. Lily's son, Indio, is as cute as a button and so is his little dog, Daffodil. These two get into lots of trouble together. Of course, since Artemis is Apollo's sister, she and Maximus show up a few times. Apollo's friend, Asa, is, if memory serves, the last of the Makepeace clan still unattached. He has the makings of an interesting character with his cluttered rooms and collection of do-dads, and I have a feeling he's going to get his own book sometime in the future. Another intriguing new character who has loads of potential is Valentine Napier, the Duke of Montgomery. He's a foppish and very mysterious man who seems to thoroughly enjoy collecting information on people and using it to his advantage. No one fully trusts him, but he's invested in helping Asa rebuild and becomes an ally for Apollo. I'll definitely be looking forward to seeing where Ms. Hoyt takes his character. James Trevillion, the former dragoon captain and nemesis of the Ghost of St. Giles, has softened a bit. He realizes pretty quickly the mistake he made in arresting Apollo all those years ago, and tries to make things right by helping him with his investigation to find the real killer. Since his injuries ended his career as a soldier, James is employed by Maximus as a bodyguard to his now completely blind sister, Phoebe, who as a very independent lady rather resents having a babysitter. This leads to some tension between them, and I can't wait to see where it goes when their book, Dearest Rogue, is released next spring (2015). I've been waiting for Phoebe to get her own book for a long time now and think it has the potential to be quite good.

Overall, Darling Beast was a very good read, but not quite perfect. The early part of the book moved rather slowly for me. I think this was because I was having a hard time feeling a deep connection between Apollo and Lily. They become fast friends and share an attraction for one another that is more than skin-deep. They also have a few romantic moments, but in general, I couldn't quite sense the why of their chemistry because they didn't really know each other. (I had this same problem with Duke of Midnight.) Apollo literally can't tell Lily anything about himself, not even his real name, for fear of being found out or worse yet, putting her in danger. Lily is slightly more open, but she still harbors some secrets of her own that she's reluctant to share. Thankfully, once both their secrets start to come out, this all cleared up. Their love scenes were intense and steamy, full of the passion that Elizabeth Hoyt is so talented at creating. These moments bonded them together in a loving and giving way that was impossible not to feel, and brought things full-circle to a romantic and satisfying HEA. Now, I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat for the next six months, eagerly awaiting the release of James and Phoebe's book. show less

I want half stars! This is not quite a five-star book, but it's definitely deserving of more than four stars. Not only was the love story between Lily and Caliban/Apollo absolutely lovely, but Hoyt's re-telling and upending of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur was absolutely brilliant. (I still think Ms. Hoyt and her publisher are missing a golden opportunity by not binding all of her epigraphic fairy tales into a gift volume. Find a good illustrator, put it in a pretty package and watch the money roll in. Even non-romance readers would be enchanted by these tales.)

3.5 stars

Lily Stump or better known as Robin Goodfellow is an actress currently without a stage. Lily, along with her son and friend Maude are currently living in a badly fire damaged theatre while gardeners see to replanting and shaping up the also damaged pleasure gardens. Until the theatre is repaired Lily is making money by writing plays and having her brother sell them. Lily's life is not grand but her son Indio certainly makes it entertaining and one way Indio decides to shake things up is to befriend a Beast in the gardens, except the Beast turns out to be the mute head gardener who is really Viscount Apollo Kilbourne on the run from the King's guards as a convicted murder and escapee from Bedlam. Lily and Apollo have many show more reasons to keep their secrets well hidden but trusting each other might be the key to their survival.

Darling Beast is the seventh book in the Maiden Lane series but I do think it is perfectly fine to read as a standalone, I never felt lost or confused. However, while I didn't feel lost I did feel like I was missing the big payoff, as if Apollo was a character readers of the previous book had gotten to know and this was the deeply emotional happily ever after they had been waiting for. The first 40% was a bit slow moving for me, nothing externally is really happening but rather Apollo and Lily are dealing with internal complicated emotions for one another. It isn't until much later in the book that the scenery even changes and they escape the garden and theatre. Most of this is a character driven story, except for the lingering continuous story thread from the previous books involving Apollo's false murder conviction. When action ramps up in this regard the slow languid pace picks up and I started to get more involved in the story.

Lily and Apollo are both characters readers will like, if not have strong reactions to. Lily is struggling to make the best of the situation she currently finds herself in while finding herself curiously attracted (well, maybe with the way Apollo's chest looks while bathing not so curiously) to the stranger in the garden. Her guardedness, way she cares for Indio, and compassion towards Apollo make her a very sweet and strong character. Apollo's inner strength and continued pain from his confinement in Bedlam showcase a man who has been thrust into the fire only to emerge as finely forged steel. The delicateness each shows one another was the absolute strength of the novel. I must also say Ms. Hoyt knows how to write a bedroom scene (or table scene), it’s carnal without being vulgar and genuinely moving not salacious; which fits with the time period, flow, and mood of the story.

I received this book through a Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway and while I got lucky, the publisher is going to end up winning. With a few mentions in this one, I want to read Apollo's twin sister's story which is the previous book before this one but other readers have informed me that you must start at the beginning to get the full enjoyment of it, so I'm off to buy book one. I also must absolutely read Captain Trevillion’s (he originally arrested Apollo for the murders) story, the next book in the series. That makes one freebie book to five books to be purchased, well played publishers. show less

I was chomping at a bit to read this one and I wasn’t disappointed.

Ms. Hoyt is one of those authors that thrives on telling a good story with a fairy tale hints in them. This one is a perfect “Beauty and the Beast” retelling.

Are you with me on the #’s? This is #7 Maiden Lane series and one of my favorites, and the reason for it is the hero, Artemis’s brother, Apollo.

What an awesome character!

I loved the fact that he was described as someone that is not attractive to look at, yet he displayed a gentle and compassionate soul. And the heroine added such a wonderful contrast to him. A gorgeous beauty with an intuitive mind and a talented actress who is a single mother, making the best of little she has.

Together they make for an show more interesting, sweet and captivating couple whose individual tales are filled with heartache and triumph.

Highly recommending it and the series.

Melanie for b2b show less

One half of the couple thinking the relationship cannot last -until the other is nearly killed and they realize they can't live without them- is a perfectly fine ending! But **7** times in a row? There has to be a hurdle for the couple of course, and death-defying action certainly adds drama, but I miss having some plot variety in a series. I did like how the couple genuinely appreciated the other for their skills and character, not just their attractiveness!

2nd read- I was less bothered by that repeated trope since I knew of it going in this time. Both MCs are well developed and interesting, and the side characters are good support for them. Despite forced communication issues (speech and secrecy) I felt the couple really did get to show more know each other well. The villains they’ve each dealt with were particularly villainous, but not quite over the top. I liked both the hero and heroine. show less

Lily has no where to live as no theater owners will hire her. She moves into, along with her son and maid, the burnt down theater where she was supposed to perform. Viscount Kilbourne is refurbishing the gardens there. He is on the lam after escaping Bedlam where he was placed after being accused and found guilty of murder. Will they be able to get along or will their different stations in life make it impossible?

I liked Apollo, the Viscount, likeable. He disability makes him vulnerable, patient, observant, and, eventually, lovable. Lily is quirky, spunky, intelligent, and loveable. They are a good match. I liked watching their interactions as they each have to overcome prejudices and insecurities as well as threats in their lives. show more Watching them work together to protect and save each other make the story. The secondary characters are interesting. I want to see more of them.

This is the seventh book in A MAIDEN LANE SERIES. I did not read the previous six books but I had no trouble following it. This is a standalone novel. Some characters from the previous book showed in this one but only as side characters. They were not a big part of the story.

I will be reading more of this series. Very enjoyable! show less