• How Beauty Met the Beast

  • Book One of Tales of the Underlight
  • By: Jax Garren
  • Narrated by: Therese Plummer
  • Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (308 ratings)

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How Beauty Met the Beast  By  cover art

How Beauty Met the Beast

By: Jax Garren
Narrated by: Therese Plummer
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Publisher's summary

The Beast

Scarred. Damaged. Living with a terrible secret. Agent of the Underlight Wesley "Hauk" Haukon has nothing left but the fight for liberty against the oppressive Order of Ananke. He's starting to lose hope... and then he sees her.

The Beauty

Despite her night job as a burlesque dancer, grad student Jolie Benoit has always played the mostly good girl. That all changes following a scorching sexual encounter with a stranger whose face she doesn't see. After she's kidnapped by thugs and rescued by a man with a very familiar voice, Jolie becomes a pawn in a struggle she never knew existed.

Hauk knows he cannot have her, and resolves to protect his heart and his secrets. But as they work together and grow closer, he finds new reason to keep fighting. Dare he risk hope in a new life, one where Jolie can see past his ravaged face and where their friendship can grow into something more?

The trilogy continues in How Beauty Saved the Beast.

©2012 Jax Garren (P)2012 Audible, Inc

What listeners say about How Beauty Met the Beast

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

A Disappointment...,

I bought this book because of the reviews and was quite excited for this sexy, Steampunk retelling of my favourite fairy tale, but I sadly was very disappointed. To start with I felt a little concerned that beauty is only 17 and working in a strip club.I don't think that is legal or moral. The book was not very sexy or very Steampunk. There's only one sex scene at the very beginning, but it felt forced. And the whole time I just kept thinking "how is this physically possible?"! There was a cloth screen between them so I must have missed something, because otherwise it just wasn't possible to be doing what they were doing.

As for the Steampunk element, well, I did kind of like how it was portrayed. It's more underground Steampunk, literally. There's the Underlight society which is located underground and that's where all of the steam and clockwork is. But we don't get to see too much of it either way, since our hero and heroine are on the run from an enemy society. I'm still not fully clear on what was happening with that. I just kind of nodded my head and continued reading and was glad to reach the end.
Glad the book was only a few dollars or I would have felt very ripped off

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Left me wanting more...

Great start to this story, but this is book one of three. I have read all three and this was my favorite. The book is too short, but if you are looking for something quick to fill a few hours then this is perfect. And if you like it you there are two more books which are out now so you won't have to wait for the like I did.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beastly Amazing!

Be careful...the cover really implies that this is supposed to be a retold version of Beauty and the Beast Steampunk, Urban Fantasy style. While I agree to the Urban Fantasy, I wouldn’t exactly say this is Steampunk. That being said this is an Adult Romance that is mind blowing breath taking and beautiful. I don't want to give a lot of details but amazing does not describe this book! The writing isgreat and the plot is well planned and executed. I loved both Jolie and Hauk. They were both well-developed characters. There were several secondary characters that added to the book.

There was not HEA for this Beauty and this Beast but maybe in the next book....I had to keep that in mind when rating this book since this was a good start to a new series, but my only criticism was that I was left wanting...wanting to know more of the mystery about Hauk and wanting more of the relationship between Jolie and Hauk. I can only hope as I wait for the next books in the series.

Expected publication of How Beauty Saved the Beast (Tales of the Underlight #2): February 2013; Followed up shortly by How Beauty Loved the Beast (Tales of the Underlight #3) : May 2013.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoyed it!

I loved the relationship that is developing between Jolie and Hawk. Jolie's sauciness was so entertaining. I can't wait to see how the rest of the series develops. Hawk is a wonderful hero!
Jax Garren’s world is very interesting and Therese Plummer’s voices are distinct and very recognizable. TP is a very talented narrator.

Over all I believe it’s going to be a good series. I have already downloaded the 2nd and 3rd books!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

When Beauty left the Beast wanting more.

Story was not what I expected. More a political battle between two communes/ cult that supposedly have big clout over the world. The chemistry between the two started off hot but there was no other action. The sparks were there, but I like more action between the sheets. The writing was good the story original but too short, I believe the story could have been extended for a better book. I didn't realize it was the beginning of a series until after I had listened to it, so I will be getting the rest. Narration was good. Defiantly worth the price.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sexy and Surprising

I am in awe of what Jax Garren has created in this new series. Especially her great idea for a sexy male hero. Both main characters are fascinating and I have already purchased the next book.

I especially enjoyed the combination of this story and the reader. Therese Plummer has the ability to do great male voices, and makes them sound sexy and sweet. I fell in love with Hauk.

Bravo!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A good start.

What did you like best about How Beauty Met the Beast? What did you like least?

The story was nice...but it is clearly the beginning to a series and I didn't know that going in so I was disappointed that the story didn't have closure at the end...just a very open plea for another book to continue the story.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES

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

The compassion to look beyond the exterior of a human being is overwhelming!

Any additional comments?

Therese Plummer is the best narrator EVER

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

hold on for the ride!

What did you love best about How Beauty Met the Beast?

Fresh ideas and take on a classic. I love that stereotypes are not stereotypical or not predictably so.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are likeable and engaging. I could find myself hoping for friends like these. I want to live in the underlight!

What does Therese Plummer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ms Plummer gives life to the book. Listening to the book allows me to sink into the story and live it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened in one sitting and was online looking for the second book immediately.

Any additional comments?

The book starts with a very "adult" bang. Don't abandon hope it quickly moves into a true storyline.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Pleasantly Surprised

First of all thank you to Therese Plummer who is amazing. I wouldn't have found this book or taken the chance on it if it wasn't read by her.

I was really surprised by how much I liked this book. I usually don't listen to books that are this short but was very glad I did because this one was awesome. I must admit i was half expecting some cheesy rendition of Beauty and the Beast. However, thankfully that was not the case. This story took on a life of its own and surprisingly the characters were really well done. There is so much about this book that I loved; the romance, the action, suspense and the magic. Hauk was definitely my favorite character though. He just has so many intricate details about him and is just plain awesome. Trust me....just listen. I don't think you will regret it.

Can't wait to finish the whole series!

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