When Beauty Tamed the Beast

By: Eloisa James

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Miss Linnet Berry Thrynne is a Beauty... Naturally, she's betrothed to a Beast.

Piers Yelverton, Earl of Marchant, lives in a castle in Wales where, it is rumored, his bad temper flays everyone he crosses. And rumor also has it that a wound has left the earl immune to the charms of any woman.

Linnet is not just any woman.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love - in just two weeks.

She is more than merely lovely: her wit and charm brought a prince to his knees. She estimates the earl will fall madly in love - in just two weeks.

If she decides to be very wicked indeed... what price will she pay for taming his wild heart?

©2011 Eloisa James (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

I loved it

The amazing thing about this book is that although it is historical romance, the characters are 100% believable and despite their faults, very likeable.

The story held my interest from beginning to end and was enjoyable all the way.

Regency Dr. House.

Piers was like House by Hugh Laurie, cranky and way too smart for his britches. Of course I loved him for that. Nothing like being a smart ass, it is so fun. I love how at first Linnet treats Piers as if he is her gay friend, cracks me up. The ending had me a bit worried how it was going to end, but as in most romances it prevailed and made a fun romance with great characters. This book made my day at work fly by, which is an indicator of how good it was.

Entertaining with just the right amount of sap!

If you could sum up When Beauty Tamed the Beast in three words, what would they be?

Funny, sexy, and heartwarming

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the hero in this story. I loved his witty personality that was rude, arrogant, and sexy all rolled up in one. The chemistry between the characters is extremely well written and believable.

What about Susan Duerden’s performance did you like?

I was highly impressed with her performance. She pulled of each character so well that when I read the story weeks later, all I could hear is her interpretations.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The most moving part to me was when mother and son reunite after the boy has been in the hospital alone and the mother forbidden to come.

Any additional comments?

I have read most of Eloisa James' books but this is my first audio by her. Needless to say it is one of my all time favorites and I will definitely be listening to more from this performer.

Strange beginning

While listening to the first 3 chapters, the switching between characters, was very disconcerting. This was my first time to hear Susan Duerden. Her voice doesn't lend itself to creating a great distinction between male and female voices. This made the switching between characters more difficult.
Finally, the book improved. The story was interesting and very different from the regular regency romance. I'm not sure I'd recommend and I certainly would not give another listen.

So good!

Eloisa James is such a good author. This book is a wonderful fairy tale story.

Lovely story

Setting: London, England & Wales. late 1700s (circa French Revolution)
Genre: Fairytale romance
Linnet Thrynne is the most beautiful lady in London, known for her charm and wit. All the men of Society worship her. She even gains the attention of a prince. After many kisses and declarations of love, Prince Augustus says he is ineligible to wed her (apparently she, a Viscount’s daughter, is not high born enough to marry a prince) just as scandal about the cut of her ball gown breaks. Everyone thinks she’s carrying the prince’s babe (and give her the cut direct) which would ordinarily ruining her for marriage to anyone. Fortunately Robert Yelverton, Duke of Windebank thinks she is perfect for his son who was rendered incapable of “the act”. Linnet’s baby by the Prince will be his son’s heir. So, even though she is not pregnant, off she goes with the Duke to meet his son. Piers lives in Wales where he runs a teaching hospital. He has chronic, excruciating pain from a wound he received to his leg. He is a brilliant diagnostician, but very foul tempered. He refuses to marry Linnet, refuses to speak to the Duke, whom he hates, and tells them to leave. They stay anyway. Then his mother arrives. A relationship between Linnet and Piers develops, almost against their will. Things happen (no spoilers!), then something else, then HEA. There are several sex scenes but they are well written, notvfalling into the erotica category.
This is my favorite EJ novel. The Beauty and the Beast premise is well done. It gets the gist without including the magical curse, relying instead on a history of events from his life to give Piers a beastly personality. The plot hanging on that premise is excellent and includes amusing instances as well as pathos. I love all the people in this book. James seems to love her characters enough to give them the full gamut of thoughts and feelings. For instance, Linnet is beautiful, yet she does not see her other qualities. She has doubts about her value beyond her beauty. And Piers is more than just a bad tempered beast. Even the secondary characters have a bit of flesh on them. Perhaps the best thing about this book is the dialogue, which is often amusing.
The audible production is wonderful. Susan Duerden’s performance is flawless. Her pacing is great and she differentiates well between characters.

a

i wished it was longer it's the first time i finished audiobook in two days. Totally love it

wow what a wonderful surprise!

I loved this story I did not struggle at all. I listen to it pretty much that's all I did until it was done It was so good. amazing take on the story. Ms James does romance like no one else. wonderful. and the narrator was off the charts good. pretty much the only female narrator that can do a male voice this well. you will not go wrong with anything by Miss James but especially this story. historically very good. thank you!

Loved it!

This is the second Happily Ever After book. I am just loving this series. I thought it was going to be a typical regency romance with the Beauty and the Beast storyline, but James sensei adds so much more too it.

For example, I really don't care for unnecessary long sex scenes and IMHO the author has put in just enough with fun twists. In this series they were actually romantic as well as sensual and fits the story perfectly.

In this book the heroine Linnet(beauty) is almost faultless while the hero Piers is Dr.House of his time. He is a brilliant doctor but has no bedside manners, has horrible temper, is generally cranky and has a bad leg. I love the banter and battle of the wits that ensues between them.

Unlike the other regency novels there are no rivals, balls and the ton in this story. Instead there are sick patients, arguments and healing in the harsh but beautiful setting in Wales.

I just loved this happily ever after for adults! More please

Enjoyed this book very much.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the book. The story line was simple easy to follow and quite enjoyable. The narration was very good by Susan Duerden and I will be looking for more audio books that she narrates. I still think the narrator is the one who makes or breaks the workings of an author.