A Charming, Modern Twist on a Tale as Old as Time | Review: Beau & Bett by Kathryn Berla
5:20 PM
Is anybody else humming the entire score to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, right now? Just me?
About
After Beau LeFrancois's
mother wrecks Bett Diaz’s luxury SUV, his family faces an impossibly
large bill—with no car insurance to help pay it. To pay off the debt,
Beau spends his weekends working at the Diaz Ranch.
Beau’s prepared to work, but he’s definitely not prepared for the infamous temper of Bett Diaz, also known as "The Beast" at school. As Beau learns the secrets behind Bett’s tough exterior, he finds himself falling for her . . . until he catches Bett in a lie.
A contemporary twist on a classic fairy tale, Beau and Bett is a timely story of family, friendship, and the power of speaking out and standing up for yourself.
Beau’s prepared to work, but he’s definitely not prepared for the infamous temper of Bett Diaz, also known as "The Beast" at school. As Beau learns the secrets behind Bett’s tough exterior, he finds himself falling for her . . . until he catches Bett in a lie.
A contemporary twist on a classic fairy tale, Beau and Bett is a timely story of family, friendship, and the power of speaking out and standing up for yourself.
Beau & Bett by Kathryn Berla
Rating: ★★★☆☆
As always, a copy of this book was provided by the publisher or author in exchange for my honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way.
There's just something about Beauty and the Beast retellings. While I enjoy the fairy-tale and the Disney film to an extent, it isn't my favourite. The funny thing about this fact is that retellings based on or inspired by Beauty and the Beast are actually a favourite of mine. The entire premise of Beau and Bett was intriguingly sweet and as the author was new to me, I was pretty keen on getting my hands on this book.
Summertime is the perfect time for a good contemporary read and Beau and Bett certainly fit the bill. As I began reading the novel, I realized that all of the impressions I got from the novel's synopsis were incorrect. Which was actually quite satisfying and never took away from the novel's central charm. If you are to take anything away from the experience of reading Beau and Bett I would hope it was that it charmed you as it did me. Because, at the end of the day, this was the thing that Kathryn Berla most accomplished with it.
I loved the flair of modernity that came with this book and, of course, the gender reverse spin on the classic fairy-tale. The resemblance between the two stories is quite small, but it is still there. Which revitalizes this tale as old as time. Overall, I found that the message behind Beau and Bett was simple and effective. It left me feelings lighter and a little energized for the week ahead and was certainly a great change of pace in comparison to other novels I've read this year.
Beau and Bett is beautifully written, sweet and soulful, with the right amount of romance. It takes a classic story and brings it right into our times that is simple and fun. It goes without saying: I really enjoyed reading Beau and Bett and think that it will find quite the fanbase. If you are a fan of Beauty and the Beast or not, this is definitely worth a second glance.
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