Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Review of Lily and the Beast and Lily and the Beast 2 by Amelia Jayne

By Amelia Jayne


Star Rating: 


Genre: Romance
Number of Pages: 134


Synopsis:(From Amazon)
Aidan Pierce led a charmed life. Wealth, power, the love of a good woman - until his taste for kink triggers a devastating accident that forever changes his life. Now a mysterious recluse, Aidan doesn't let anyone see what he's become.

In order to save a loved one, Lily Gray is forced into an agreement that gives Aidan absolute power over her body for one year. Lily has sacrificed her freedom and surrendered her body, but she never imagined he'd take possession of her heart. What will happen when Aidan threatens to dominate her entire life? Steeped in darkness for so many years, Aidan never dreamed his sweet little sub would come to command him with a single smile. Can her love lead him into the light?

Will beauty tame the savage beast, or will his dark desires tear them apart?

*** This is a dark, erotic retelling of the classic fairy tale and contains elements of BDSM. Not intended for readers under 18. *** *** This book contains a cliffhanger. The conclusion, Lily and the Beast 2, is available now. ***


By Amelia Jayne


Star Rating: 


Genre: Romance
Number of Pages: 160


Synopsis:(From Amazon)
Lily and the Beast 2 continues Lily's journey into submission and Aidan's dark desires.

Aidan Pierce led a charmed life. Wealth, power, the love of a good woman - until his taste for kink triggers a devastating accident that forever changes his life. Now a mysterious recluse, Aidan doesn't let anyone see what he's become.

In order to save a loved one, Lily Gray is forced into an agreement that gives Aidan absolute power over her body for one year. Lily has sacrificed her freedom and surrendered her body, but she never imagined he'd take possession of her heart. What will happen when Aidan threatens to dominate her entire life? Steeped in darkness for so many years, Aidan never dreamed his sweet little sub would come to command him with a single smile. Can her love lead him into the light?

Will beauty tame the savage beast, or will his dark desires tear them apart?

*** This is a dark, erotic retelling of the classic fairy tale and contains elements of BDSM. Not intended for readers under 18. *** *** This book concludes Lily and Aidan's story with a HEA. ***


Review:
Together these make one comprehensive story.  While I don't dislike books that go together in a series, these two books easily could have been published together.  The first book is listed at .99 on kindle with the second book at 2.99, altogether putting the full book around $4.  Given that the author used the same description for both, proving that these two books are essentially one story.

Firstly, I gotta say that while "Lily" is an alright name, it doesn't exactly fit what you typically see in a Beauty and the Beast rendition.  The last name "Gray" seems an obvious tribute to Fifty Shades of Grey.  Beyond that, I think that most of the casting is spot on.

The beastly aspect of Aidan is far different than what you may think of from other retellings, but it is brilliant.  Aidan may be beastly, but it's his emotions that seem to have suffered the worst.  Lily's sisters, which were lost in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, are spot on in attitude given the original tale.

I really enjoyed the way that Jayne changed Lily's father from the caring father seen in both Disney's version and the original tale.  The drama and the forced change in Lily's life shows that she's resilient and doesn't need others to take care of herself.  Lily isn't a Mary Sue, nor is she a damsel in distress: she's a perfectly capable individual who has to make a very serious decision regarding love and her future prospects.  In the end, she has to do what she knows is right for her, what she can live with, and what makes her happy.

Although this book (which is what I consider the two parts together) specifically states that there is BDSM, it is incredibly limited, stunted, and a very small portion of the entire book.  I think that having Aidan as a character interested in that makes perfect sense, especially as you get to know his backstory, but you'd think that perhaps the author could have done a bit more research into that world herself.  If that's what you're aiming for, go for some Anne Rice or M. Pierce instead.  M. Pierce is also quite light, but in a more comprehensive and complete way.


Biography: (from Amazon)
Amelia Jayne lives in a cottage by the sea with her two cats and a very understanding husband. When she's not busy writing smut or reading historical romances, she's dreaming up semi-healthy recipes to explore her love of chocolate and Italian food.

To find out more about her works, visit her website at www.ameliajayne.net






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If you have any books you'd recommend, or that you think would fit the one I just reviewed, please feel free to leave a message in the comments below!

Thank you! 




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