Beast

By: Judith Ivory

Narrated by: Barbara Rosenblat

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Judith Ivory's tantalizing romances are a hit with critics, readers, and fellow writers alike. When the brainy, luminous Louise Vandermeer embarks on a transoceanic quest to marry an aristocrat, she dives into a scorching affair with a stranger on the ship.

Their trysts take place in darkness, so Louise does not know her lover is Charles d'Harcourt, the passionate European playboy who just happens to be her intended! Charles is playing a game, but his plan has unexpected results. Louise has fallen for her shipboard Casanova, and Charles will have to open her eyes to his own charms if he expects to win her heart. With exotic tales featuring radiant women and vigorous men, Ivory builds her legions of fans every day. Narrator Barbara Rosenblat delivers a rousing reading that deliciously amplifies the intensity of Louise and Charles' search for love.

©1997 Judy Cuevas (P)2001 Recorded Books

Loved it

This author is enertaining without endless sex scenes that do nothing for the story. I recommend it .

Another Great Story

Judith Ivory is an incredible author. I have been so impressed with the character development and unique story lines of all her books. This one is one of my favorites.

Excellent!

The story was so interesting with all of its plot turns. The characters are well developed and very likable. The hero and the heroine, Charles and Louise, have their foibles which play into the developing plot smoothly. And it was quite funny. (Who leaves her husband forever with one bag of underclothes only in her negligée?) Narration was excellent also. Overall quite delightful.

This Book was like "Full Metal Jacket"

The first half was vastly diffrent than the second. Unfortunately, I found it very difficult to like Louise in the second half of the book. Judith Ivory writes interestingly complex romances, but she may have outsmarted herself with this heroine.

Ivory and Rosenblat make a Great Team!

Beast is a different spin on the age old fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. Even though you know the hero and heroine will find their way together by the end of the story, you want to continue to listen to how they finally get there. Barbara Rosenblat is a genius at creating a unique voice for each of the characters. If you like romance, I recommend this book.

great story & performance

Loved the story and performance was excellent. Great voice variations. Definitely worth the credit spent!

Hero afraid of his actions to his wife

When the hero found out that his betrothal arrangement was not as he anticipated, he decided to become a man who could seduce his fiancé, but in the dark. After the seduction, he told his fiancé, as the other man, that they would go their separate ways.  The fiancé fell in love with the man in the dark. She had a difficult time trying to love her new husband. The husband was afraid to come clean about his being this other man as his wife was telling him she now hated that man. Cute story with a HEA. Narrator did a great job.

Meh...

I was almost half-way into this book, and it just didn't grab me. I understood the characters, but I really didn't like them--not enough to care about what, or what I surmised would happen, to them. I very rarely do this, but I skipped to the last chapter and all was revealed as I thought it would. There was too much psychological talking/explanations for their actions within either of the main characters to hold my interest.

Wonderful narration, hateful people

The characters are just sordid and unpleasant. I found myself wishing that the ship would hit an iceberg.

great narration/bad book

Any additional comments?

I waded thru 6 hrs of this book only because of the narrator. I skipped the next 5 hrs and nothing much had changed. I skipped to the last 37 mins. Finally Louise got the message. The biggest problem to me is that both the hero and the heroine totally change personalities when they actually meet as themselves.