Review: modern Beauty and the Beast story with a realistic portrayal
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 12, 2014
Review posted on Books on Silver Wings blog.Ara is heavily scarred and retreats to live a hermit. His daily schedule is rigid and severe. He runs his company in his private office in his residence and avoids almost all human contact. His new employee, Ilias, is determined to get through to the lonely man and make Ara live a little bit more.This is a remake of Beauty and the Beast in a corporate world setting. There is definitely a lot of emotion stirred up in the story, especially from Ara. His insecurities, dreams of restoring his face with surgery, and struggles with agoraphobia make up this story. After years of living like a hermit, Ara doesn't know how to react to Ilias in a romance fashion and retreats to his room. Sometimes, it gets tiring to see Ara retreat back into his shell, even though it's normal to have doubts and insecurities. The side characters in the story doesn't make much impact because the story focuses a lot on Ara's growth from a recluse to a confident, caring lover.I like the slow progress of Ara's romance with Ilias, whose a really strong and sure character. Even though Ilias grew up as a farm boy and barely have any love experience, his heart is in the right place. He knows what is important in life and sees past Ara's scars to the man inside. He's also an avid reader and has a tablet full of ebooks. He's really charming when he makes little plans to open up Ara's heart and get him to live more freely. The build up of their relationship is hard-won and slow, but it's enjoyable to read their progression to being lovers.It would also be interesting to read more about Beni, who had a one-sided crush on Ara, and his love story. He reminds me of Ilias, but he isn't strong enough to handle Ara's demanding attitude. If Ara was a different man, Beni might have been the one to change him and bring Ara out of his shell.Overall, it's a great modern Beauty and the Beast story with a realistic portrayal of the isolation and emotional turmoil of the beast and then the courage needed to face the world again.*review copy received in exchange for an honest review*