⋙ [PDF] The Spinster The Beast A Regency Novella edition by Caylen McQueen Literature Fiction eBooks

The Spinster The Beast A Regency Novella edition by Caylen McQueen Literature Fiction eBooks

Download As PDF : The Spinster The Beast A Regency Novella edition by Caylen McQueen Literature Fiction eBooks

The Spinster The Beast A Regency Novella edition by Caylen McQueen Literature Fiction eBooks

I usually don't like novellas, because the plot almost always seems rushed and the characters are never fully developed. But after reading the premise of "The Spinster and Beast", I decided to give it a try and put my reservations on the back burner. I was treated to one of the best stories that I have read in quite some time.

Liz Wicklow is a 36 year old spinster who is helping her nieces during their Season. While she isn't necessarily desperately unhappy with her life, Liz is resigned to the fact that it is unlikely that she will ever have a husband and home of her own. When a past beau starts courting her 18 year old niece, it is too much to bear. She pours out her frustrations in a letter and rashly places it under a rock in a park. She never really thinks that someone will respond, but to her delight that is just what happens.

********** Potential Spoiler Alert!- as suggested by another reader

Adam Calloway is a recluse. He was disfigured in the war and now he spends his days with his 80 year old Nan. He only ventures out at odd hours covered in a mask. During one of his walks in the park he happens across Liz's letter and has to respond. His response starts a heartfelt correspondence that ends with the love these two lonely characters only ever dreamed of.

I loved these characters. I understood both Liz's and Adam's motivations and feelings. They were both smart, witty people with level heads and an abundance of good sense. In addition to loving Adam and Liz, I also adored Nan, his grandmother. Her interaction with Adam made me laugh and smile. All of the supporting characters were used judiciously, but this was primarily about the correspondence between Liz and Adam.

Kudos to the author for using the letters as a device for why these characters intitally got together. The fact that the letters were anonymous made it easier to understand how these lonely characters could let down their guards and really open up to each other. I could feel their friendship grow into something deeper. It worked so much better than the old "love at first sight" device that a lot of authors use in short stories. All of their hopes, fears and ultimately the love between them were all right there in their correspondence. It was refreshing to have the chemistry build between these two on a level that was not purely physical. And the scene when the lovers meet for the first time will melt your heart.

I loved this book. There wasn't a word I would change or anything that the author could have improved on for me. I recommend it wholeheartedly. It is a desert island read for me. I am just so happy that I gave it and this author a chance. I'm sure that others will as well.


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The Spinster The Beast A Regency Novella edition by Caylen McQueen Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

I enjoyed this novella. You have an older woman of the Regency period escorting her nieces. An encounter with a beau of her own youth (a decade past) is demoralizing because he is now looking to court one of her nieces. Her anger and bitterness are written down in a letter and hidden under a rock. Later she realizes that perhaps she was a bit hasty and shouldn't have let the letter out into the world. Too late, it's been found and there is a reply to her instead.

The hero is also heartbroke though he seems past his anger and bitterness and lives with his grandmother who is an invalid. He essentially took a musketball or shrapnel to his face and has given up all hope of even going out into society. He finds her letter and answers, seeing it, at first, as a light entertainment or a flirtation that can never really be or perhaps merely answering the anger and bitterness he sees in the letter and knows that the unknown writter can rise above it.

She describes herself in one letter and learns of his appearance from the shallow ex-beau who is oddly disappointed that she doesn't respond to his flirts (even though he's only trying to get closer to the nieces) -- after all, she is a spinster. So I could forgive them falling in love without seeing each other.

I understood the motivations of everyone, was mildly entertained by the story and got my "Awwwh" HEA.

Well worth the $0.99.
It's ashame we don't actually write letters anymore! To actually sit and take the time to compose a letter is sadly something that has been replaced by texting. Love this version of Beauty and the Beast reflects current day events of those who are scarred by their service even if it's a regency tale. Love the characters and truly the saying "beautyis in the eyes of the beholder" holds true always.
Consider it 3-1/2 stars. I don't feel I wasted my dollar at all.

This is "sweet" romance (no hot and heavy love scenes) which worked for me and fit with the overall story very well.

Yes there were flaws in the writing. Some events too contrived. Terminology that jarred. But I went with it because enough of it was sweet and unexpected and I liked that.

I was completely expecting a "Persuasion"-type tale at first, where the old suitor "pretends" to court younger girls as a way to stick it to the heroine (for reasons of his own), while all the time he's only thinking of her. But no. That wasn't where things were going at all. I didn't read the story synopsis very well, because I wasn't expecting a "Mr Nobody" to be of much importance.

I loved Mr. Nobody. As soon as he appeared I knew that either he had to get THIS girl, or some girl. Glad things worked out for him.

(SPOILERS) The story gets 3-1/2 stars because it got a little too purpley in the prose, and the characters "fell in love" a little too quickly. Just by mail? For real? To know that they really like each other and are drawn to each other before meeting I can believe. But there are declarations of love! Declarations that go on and on! It just felt like our hero and heroine were getting too carried away, too soon.

But I still liked it. It was unusual and sweet. I liked the atypical parts, like the age of the heroine, and the age difference, and the hero's situation. It worked for me. I will be checking out more by this author.
I usually don't like novellas, because the plot almost always seems rushed and the characters are never fully developed. But after reading the premise of "The Spinster and Beast", I decided to give it a try and put my reservations on the back burner. I was treated to one of the best stories that I have read in quite some time.

Liz Wicklow is a 36 year old spinster who is helping her nieces during their Season. While she isn't necessarily desperately unhappy with her life, Liz is resigned to the fact that it is unlikely that she will ever have a husband and home of her own. When a past beau starts courting her 18 year old niece, it is too much to bear. She pours out her frustrations in a letter and rashly places it under a rock in a park. She never really thinks that someone will respond, but to her delight that is just what happens.

********** Potential Spoiler Alert!- as suggested by another reader

Adam Calloway is a recluse. He was disfigured in the war and now he spends his days with his 80 year old Nan. He only ventures out at odd hours covered in a mask. During one of his walks in the park he happens across Liz's letter and has to respond. His response starts a heartfelt correspondence that ends with the love these two lonely characters only ever dreamed of.

I loved these characters. I understood both Liz's and Adam's motivations and feelings. They were both smart, witty people with level heads and an abundance of good sense. In addition to loving Adam and Liz, I also adored Nan, his grandmother. Her interaction with Adam made me laugh and smile. All of the supporting characters were used judiciously, but this was primarily about the correspondence between Liz and Adam.

Kudos to the author for using the letters as a device for why these characters intitally got together. The fact that the letters were anonymous made it easier to understand how these lonely characters could let down their guards and really open up to each other. I could feel their friendship grow into something deeper. It worked so much better than the old "love at first sight" device that a lot of authors use in short stories. All of their hopes, fears and ultimately the love between them were all right there in their correspondence. It was refreshing to have the chemistry build between these two on a level that was not purely physical. And the scene when the lovers meet for the first time will melt your heart.

I loved this book. There wasn't a word I would change or anything that the author could have improved on for me. I recommend it wholeheartedly. It is a desert island read for me. I am just so happy that I gave it and this author a chance. I'm sure that others will as well.