Beauty and the Recluse by Ellie Gray tells the story of Kiya, who takes a housekeeping job after she sees an advertisement. The people around her wonder why she wants this particular job, especially since she’ll be working for the recluse St. John. Kiya takes the chance anyway. She accepts the opportunity to work for St. John, but he has strict orders for her to follow. She is to stay away from him. Easier said than done, since Kiya is curious about her boss. Can she help? Does he want it? Is there more to him than meets the eye? The more St. John pushes Kiya away, the harder she tries to bring him out of his mental prison. The question is, how far is she willing to go?
I absolutely loved the contemporary twist to the classic story of Beauty and the Beast. I loved the story and cartoon as a child, so Ellie Gray’s version had me engaged. I literally read Beauty and the Recluse in one sitting, because I was on the edge of my seat, anticipating what would happen next. When Kiya asks St. John, “Why won’t you let me in,” and he replies, “I can’t,” I felt the emotions of them both. When the author describes St. John’s past, my heart went out to him, and the way Kiya tries to bring him back to life is beautiful. It’s amazing what we as humans can get through with the right people around us to help. I highly recommend this as a great read. Again, it’s a beautiful story.
4 Stars!
Reviewed for Readers' Favorite
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/beauty-and-the-recluse
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