Ok, I couldn’t help myself. I just HAD to gush about the second installment in the Kingdom series.  I have this wonderful space to gush and there is stopping the fangirl in me now.

“Gerard’s Beauty”  is absolute book candy to my senses. It is a wonderful retwist of my ultimate favorite fairy tale: Beauty and the Beast.

I’ve read and watched countless versions of this tale. The “Belle” character is always beautiful (hence…Beauty), but I like to interpret it as in the perspective of the Beast, she is a Beauty. It is her intelligence, kindness, and bravery that has her shine. It is her quirkiness as an individual that as her remain as a sparkle in his eye. So as a quirky, book-obsessed  nerd as myself, I fancied my Beast lurking about somewhere in a castle.

So it’s well established I adore Beauty and the Beast. And I adore “Gerard’s Beauty”. Will it surprise you that this is not a romance between Beauty and her Beast, but of a French-guy-that-really-reminds-me-of-Disney’s Gaston?

When I first stumbled upon that plot point, I was a bit miffed. I wanted Beast! But since I fell so hard for the first book, I swallowed my geek tantrum and moved on.

Oh thank goodness I did. Hall absolutely delivers a new and fresh take on this fairytale. And the conflict is freakin’ hilarious. I can’t give it away. It’s too funny to spoil. It’s such an adorable problem that binds our hero and heroine together, The only clue I can give is that they cannot have sex.

I feel the air of bafflement coming from the screen. So this story must not be sexy then? Well it is sexy. There are many ways to be sexy without having sex (don’t get me wrong, sex is awesome). Be prepared for a lot of teasing and sexual tension.

I didn’t even mention our heroine. Her name is Betty. A librarian who goes to LARPing to conventions.

I swear, I solemnly swear that Marie Hall is my other fantasy partner when it comes to fairy tale romance.

Especially with this installment, and every subsequent part, I have felt utter happiness that she knows. Hall knows . Knows what we want. I am a pool of absolute happy-goo after reading them. Hall’s story is so potently awesome that you actually need to pace yourself or you may have fits of delusions. In fact, I worry so much for you, dear readers, that I offer this inconclusive list of side effects after reading a Kingdom Story:

• Keep looking around for a a strange character that may be Danika ready to whisk you away (WARNING: Do not approach old ladies and ask if they’re Danika. This will get into trouble)
• Have the sudden urge to have a cupcake shop, be a librarian, want to work with wolves
• Become impatient waiting for Danika to arrive
• Look for portals to appear
• Snort at the complete blandness of Disney movies
• Eye your significant spouse for any traits of a fairytale character (WARNING: prolonged staring will creep them out)

With these warnings, I leave you to explore the worlds. Indulge in a fairy tale romance. Just because we’re older doesn’t mean we outgrow them. We just view them in a different light.

Length: Novel

Genre: Paranormal-Fantasy-Romance

Primary Book Format: e-format

Publisher/Imprint: Amazon Digital Services, Inc

Blush Quotient: Burning red with sexual desire

Smart Girls Rating:  5 stars

Can order it here: Amazon

Find out more info about the author and series here.

(Disclaimer: This book was purchased by reviewer to enjoy and review)