Maiden and the Monster

By: Michelle M. Pillow

Narrated by: Mason Lloyd

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Vladamir of Kessen, Duke of Lakeshire Castle, is feared as a demon in the land of Wessex. The Kings have granted him a title of nobility in exchange for his part as a political prisoner. Discontent, he bides his time in his new home until war will once again rip through the land. But boredom soon turns to devious pleasure as the daughter of his most hated enemy is left for dead at his castle gate. Now the monster bides his time plotting revenge.

Lady Eden of Hawks' Nest doesn't know what to think of the man who saved her life, but she can't wrench her thoughts away. His words are those of a tyrant, true to his vicious reputation, but his touch is that of a man, stirring passion and lust when there should only be fear. It would seem the infamous monster is not as monstrous as he appears.

©2012 Michelle M. Pillow (P)2013 Michelle M. Pillow

I wish I had a Monster!

I read the other reviews before getting this book. Some of them almost made me not get it! I do not write many reviews but the ones bashing this story and sequence of events are making me feel like I have to write one.
This is a wonderfully told story, as usual the couple are in love with each other (secretly of course - lack of communication) but they are over the top in lust with each other, mutually attracted to each other in a very heady sexual attraction, which is a very good thing if you have ever had it in your own real life!!!
I felt the author and the narrator created many beautiful/sexy and sensual love making scenes. You can actually feel the attraction between these two as it is so powerfully written!

Little Spoiler: This story takes place like in 850AD So yeah, people's views were a little bit different then those of today and what women could endure. Other reviewers thought the speed and position of the loving making unreasonable, but so would being beaten near to death and yet the heroine survived that....I would rather have a handsome man making wild passionate love to me!! LOL
So if you are not a prude...give this book a try as I am off to find another one by this same author as her story was WONDERFULLY TOLD!!

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Great Story and a Great Preformer

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book was great. Michelle created a great story. There is a lot of tension between her characters and I did not want to stop listening to the book. The book is filled with emotional upheavals. The two main characters are very passionate with one another even though in the beginning they did not trust one another.

Which character – as performed by Mason Lloyd – was your favorite?

My favorite character was Vladimir as performed by Mason Lloyd. His accent was amazing and I could listen to it again and again. At the beginning it took me a few moments to get use to it but overall it was great. At times I could tell there was a little discrepancy when he changed characters but that did not detract from the book.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Maiden and the Monster

Over all the story and narration were good. I just felt parts of it were drawn out a bit. And it totally drove me nuts that she called him her fiancé (I do understand the word started in France in the 14th century), but in those times most would have called him her intended or betrothed. The ending of the book was fantastic! Very well written and edge of your seat worthy! Lots of secrets are revealed.....

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

good entertaintment over the 4th of July weekend

This was a good historical Romance read. Sometimes you read a description of the hero and it says he's a monster and you find out that's he's really not. This hero in my opinion did have monster like qualities, but I liked him. The heroin knew what she wanted and was determined to have it. She didn't mind needing the hero's help and was very glad to have it. The narrator did a good job with the female and male voices. This story has a little bit of a erotic tone.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

fully in its time, while being completely modern

Vladimir is depressed and cranky, and takes no little pleasure in the fact that many of the castle’s servants and visitors are afraid of him: the differences in his speech, dress and rather imperious bearing combined with his hair-trigger temper are his weaponry against his involvement in life and the pleasure it could bring. Widowed some 6 years earlier, he has no patience for the gods of his own childhood or those of the new Christian religion he has converted to: merely halfheartedly nod at the conventions and wishes of the King. Scarred from a fire that took his family, his servants are afraid of him: his control and impatient nature.

Eden was dumped, beaten and near death in a pile of skins, entrails and dirt outside the front gates of Vladimir’s keep. A mystery to solve, for sure, combined with the rarer emotion of protectiveness and attraction keeps Vladimir curious about her appearance, even as his baser nature for revenge against her father is all consuming. Eden is able to see beneath the iron-fisted control and shuttered emotions to find the pain that is mostly hidden beneath his brashness.

There is a palpable attraction between the two, despite the discrepancy in their relationship: her desire to not return to her father’s house yet lack of fear from what he will do TO her shows her inner core of strength, and makes her all the more attractive and unusual for a woman of her day. His struggle to remain aloof and protect his heart against the desire and attraction that she is able to stir in him, after long believing his chances for a life with a woman long dead show the kindness and sense of regret that he has, despite his often cruelly voiced reactions.

This is a slower story, better suited to savoring and allowing the inflections so capably provided by the narration of Mason Lloyd to depict the emotional confusion and struggles that each character is experiencing. Lush details that fill out both the scenes and the scents of the story, as they provide a sense of the time to readers effectively display Vladimir’s differences to his Saxon neighbors, and delineate his high standards for his surroundings, even though he had spent the past year carefully cultivating an impression of disinterest to all but his harshly barked orders. It isn’t difficult to understand the attraction between the two, that understanding quickly turning to compassion and empathy until you are hoping that the two will speak clearly and open to the happiness awaiting them together.

Another cleverly crafted historic romance from Michelle M. Pillow that manages to incorporate a serious level of sexual tension before culmination for the two lead characters. There are accounts of less savory moments, although these are detailed with a sense of purpose, and the perpetrators do get to answer for their behavior. Mixing in historical details, dress and even approach to conversation keeps the story fully in its time, while being completely modern in description and imagery. I really did enjoy this AudioBook, and fans of the genre, who are seeking an era that is not predominant in the genre will, I believe, enjoy it as well.

I received an AudioBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good until the ending

It was so good until the end. I barely stopped the audio book only to get to the last ten minutes and be pissed off.
Spoilers. A servant married a noble but before that lied to a king and a Duchess. The woman gets away with it and isn't punished. The epilogue is the only reason it has the stars it does. I will try more more from this author.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

maiden and the monster

this was a really good book to listen to. it kept my attention will re-listen again and again

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A Wonderful Medieval Romance!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend MAIDEN AND THE MONSTER to anyone who enjoys a good medieval romance OR to anyone who enjoys fractured fairy tales. It took me a bit to get in tune with the characters, but, once I did, I was subsequently fully invested in the story and listened raptly until the end. The story was set during the Vikings vs. Saxon's period in Wessex (an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the south of Great Britain) in 879 AD.

What other book might you compare Maiden and the Monster to and why?

MAIDEN AND THE MONSTER by Michelle M. Pillow was a very enjoyable medieval romance complete with knights, kings, castles and a maiden to rescue. I love the story of The Beauty and the Beast and this story was reminiscent of it in many ways. The characters were quite engaging. Vladamir, our hero, came across as an unfeeling, imperious monster at first. He was the Beast (from Beauty and the Beast) before-his-Beauty-worked-her-magic-on-him personified. Scarred from a fire that had taken his famiy, Vladamir's appearance alone instilled fear. He enforced that terror with a quick brusque temper. Vladamir's first wife had been a detestable, narcisstic person; She had soured him against women and any long-term relationship.
Enter Lady Eden, our heroine, smelly, beaten to a pulp, covered with entrails and unconscious. As she slowly awoke and as the swelling and bruising ebbed away, her inward beauty began to shine. At first, she had no recollection of who she was or how she came to be buried in the pile of smelly pelts that had been dumped outside the Duke's Lakeshire Castle. Vladamir was adamant that she would vacate his castle as soon as she was able, but as her memory slowly began to return, she knew that she needed to stay under his protection. I loved Lady Eden - she was classy and sweet - and strongly attracted to Vladamir. Vladamir's bark was a facade - much worse than his bite. He talked tough but his actions were actually nothing but kind towards her. I held out hope thru-out that they would each find a way to open their hearts to each other and that their prior lives/families/politics would not undermine their destinies.

Have you listened to any of Mason Lloyd’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've never listened to Mason Lloyd before. He was very good. His voice was very clear and he articulated in a captivating brogue. He was a reader type of narrator, not an actor which is not a bad thing; but a fyi in case someone has a personal preference; Because of the period's accent he was speaking, I think that if he had added acting, it might have been too much. This was my first time listening to Mr. Lord. Based upon his performance with this book, I would not hesitate to listen to him again.

If you could rename Maiden and the Monster, what would you call it?

A Fractured Retelling of Beauty and the Beast!

Any additional comments?

Michelle's storytelling is superb! She has obviously researched the time period well as the story is rich with historical details. I found myself alternately laughing, sighing and reeling in horror. There were some unsavory scenes - necessary to the story, but unpleasant - while other parts had me holding my breath with emotional suspense. Prior to listening to MAIDEN AND THE MONSTER, I had read one other story by Michelle, LOVE POTIONS (WARLOCKS MACGREGOR #1) which I absolutely loved. (It was actually one of my top five reads for CY2014.) I will be checking out more of her books soon! I would recommend MAIDEN AND THE MONSTER to anyone who enjoys a good medieval romance.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

It's pretty good

There is a Beauty and the Beast vibe going on with this story that is pretty fun, the sexy scenes go between romantic and sexy and just too much back door business. Really, there is a believable limit to what a virgin is likely to do with any level of comfort which this book seems ignore. Although I enjoy most of Michelle M Pillows books I wasn't as pleased with this one.

Poorly written

First 5 min put me off. H talks about having a headache and stress. It's the eight hundreds..no one talks like that. Modern language took me out of the time period/story.

Not good but Okay - ish!😒

I choose this book purely because the narrator is Mason Lloyd.
He has such a great voice that I believed I could listen to Mr Lloyd read anything and it would be great! I was almost wrong😟
I struggled and struggled with this book and only finished the book out of pure admiration of Mr Lloyd.
Chris

Be still my heart. 😍😍

This has to be one of my favourites by Michelle. So pulled into the story, with every emotion going into overdrive. Love love loved this one. xXXX