To Beguile a Beast

By: Elizabeth Hoyt

Narrated by: Anne Flosnik

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Can a wounded beast trust a beauty with a past to tame his most secret desires?

Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he’s kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.

Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle—and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and won’t let dust—or a beast of a man—scare her away.

Beneath Helen’s beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn’t back away from his surliness—or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen’s secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find—a happy ever after.

©2009 Elizabeth Hoyt (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“There’s enchantment in Hoyt’s stories that makes you believe in the magic of love.” ( Romantic Times BOOKreviews)

A Decent Read

Would you consider the audio edition of To Beguile a Beast to be better than the print version?

I have never read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked the fact that the female character was not cookie cutter and she had children. That is so much more realistic to life today. So it became a blended family, which was a nice touch.

What didn’t you like about Anne Flosnik’s performance?

I almost feel like her voices were confusing on who was the man and who was the woman. She had this weird raspy voice going on and the male character's voice was strange. He sounded like he could have been a character on Sesame Street, like a big weird monster muppet. Or better yet Count Dracula! And the woman voice was very strong, deep, stern. In my opinion, the woman sounded like an older woman nearing her 50s instead of a 30 year old young mother. I mean Anne's performance wasn't absolutely awful but it did not have a nice flow where I felt I could get lost in the book.

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

I don't think so. I listened to the book while at work and cooking dinner. It wasn't that I couldn't put it down but more so that I had bought the book. So....

Any additional comments?

As I said, it is not an awful read. Its okay...it just wasn't as good as I was expecting. I definitely wouldn't pay full price for this.

Always an enthusiastic fan of this author's works!

I have read/listened to every book available by this author over the years, several of them numerous times. In fact, many of them are still on my shelf right now.

Her tales have assisted me to escape pain, in my mind if not physically at least, following 3 spinal surgeries and the pain resultant from the failure of those interventions. I am recovering from another procedure right now.

There are many aspects I like about her writings. First, in her stories, the couple never retire to the bedroom with the door slammed in your face. Instead the sexual encounters are descriptive, imaginative and steamy. However, the participation is always consensual, egalitarian and sex-positive. The heroines are not submissive, TSTL, nor do they tolerate pain/abuse while being unafraid/unashamed to enjoy sex.

In addition, I find her characters well developed with a lack of insta-love or insta-sex which I find difficult to invest in the outcome. Furthermore, her publications are grammatically well written and edited lacking the irritating errors which can take you out of the story.

In conclusion, there are only two issues I find mildly distracting. The cover of the book does not reflect the description of the heroine in the least, being a brunette instead of blonde. Furthermore, I fast forward through the snippets of a progressive fairy tale which open each chapter in each of her books as I find them a nuisance and just not interested. However, I recognize that literary tool is the author's prerogative and other readers may enjoy them. Therefore I highly recommend all of this writer's works, including this story, as an unfailing delight.

It was OK.

The story was quietly interesting and not not your average romance plot line. Both the hero and heroine were unusual (hero with severe and irreversible body injuries, heroine was an unmmarried mother with two children). I followed the story, despite the narrator's sickly sweet narration. All in all not the best listen, but also not the worst.

Beauty and Beast retold Beautifully!

If you're a fan of this author, you won't be disappointed! It's a little frustrating in that the main characters go back and forth on what the other is thinking instead of just talking but that is a troupe in most romances. But every other aspect of this story 8s so sweet and beautiful.

Super Spicy ...and so sweet!

This was such a well rounded book in my opinion. I loved the children and Puddles and even Alistair's sister. I enjoyed the characters from the previous book making an appearance.

This is one spicy sexy book too!

Loved it! Tied with book 2 as my faves of the series!

Loved everything about this book!!!

Would you listen to To Beguile a Beast again? Why?

I would absolutely listen To Beguile a Beast Again. I fell in love with the characters. It was a book that makes you giggle and smile.

What was one of the most memorable moments of To Beguile a Beast?

When Helen argues with Alistair about his needing a housekeeper, sends her away and she returns with more hired help.

Which character – as performed by Anne Flosnik – was your favorite?

Alistair

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

I wanted to but i forced myself to listen only at work.

Beautiful, Brilliant, Enchanting. A+

It's unnecessary to read the other books of this series. I did not like the first book. I knew this particular novel was highly acclaimed, so I got this one. Oh wow. I can't do this novel justice, it's extraordinary.
It's a true fairy tale. Like Jane Eyre with beautiful bedroom scenes included. My god don't miss this novel!!

The aftermath of war

One of a four part series involving men who served the English king in what the US knows as the French and Indian War, were betrayed by an unknown person, and each suffered a different kind of torture by the indigenous people there. The books are interconnected, but the story of each man and the woman who was able to help him out of his pit of despair is complete in itself. But. Every reader that I know was urgently self motivated to read all of them. Which is why I finally resorted to getting audio, as my paper copies kept getting feet.
This man had one eye put out, severe facial scarring, and two fingers chopped off. Bad enough for anyone, but he was a noncombatant there to illustrate a volume of flora and fauna of North America, much like Audubon. He became a hermit in his musty old castle, not even answering letters from most people.
Enter a frightened but beautiful woman with the two children born to her from the abusive and overbearing duke who had kept her as mistress long after he had tired of her. She was helped to escape by the wife of another of the war victims, and is to be housekeeper at the castle, even though she is clueless.
The plot moves along from there, including the predictable erotica, ending with hope for recovery from each of their forms of anguish. Lots of plot twists as well as clear descriptions for easy reader visualization.
Characteristically, there are a few sentences of a fanciful morality tale at the beginning of each chapter.
Anne Flosnik does the narration in her best overdramatic style.

I tried, but...

I always enjoy Anne Flosnik's narration, but I didn't enjoy the story as I thought I would.

Beauty and the Beast

I love listening to Anne Flosnik read historicals -- and "To Beguile A Beast" is no exception. This title is well worth the time and use of a credit and I look forward to more of Elizabeth Hoyt's work. "...Beast" has exactly and right amount of plot, emotion and intimacy.