Review: Nice story of a Beauty who changes the heart of a wounded man
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 18, 2012
Lord Beast is a charming retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  Just like the fairy tale, there is a beastly man locked behind castle walls and a beauty who sneaks past the fortress and changes the heart of the man living beyond the touch of society.Lord Rhys Ashcroft was a handsome debonair aristocrat until an accident left him with terrible facial scarring.  He now lives alone in his castle, never venturing into society.Danielle Carmichael lives with her elderly aunt and uncle.  She is a kind woman without prospects and she is for the most part content with her life.  She is a curious woman so it is no surprise that she investigates the nearby castle.  She meets its owner, Rhys Ashcroft and she is absolutely fascinated by him.Rhys wears a mask to hide his scars but he also masks his heart and tamps down his more positive emotions.  He is a pessimist and he is strangely drawn to optimistic Danielle who seems totally oblivious to his unwelcoming manner.  Danielle is not put off by Rhys's rough exterior, instead she sees to the heart of the man and what she finds is a lonely man who has lost his faith in humanity.  He fears rejection so he rejects others.  Danielle however is an accepting person and the reader notes Rhys's heart begin to melt.There are some fine scenes written by this author and one of the best is when Rhys must trust Danielle enough to reveal his facial scars to her.  The nervous energy and unsettled feelings by both leads are clearly felt by the reader.In many ways Rhys's internal scars are harder to overcome than his external ones.  Rhys has major trust issues and it takes Danielle's steadfast nature to convince him she really does love him.  He is overwhelmed with self-doubt but Danielle is a wonderful counterbalance to his uncertainty, she is resolute, kind, patient and loyal, a nearly perfect heroine for this tortured hero.