A Ruin of Roses by K.F. Breene – A Book Review

Posted October 25, 2021 by Booksandblurbs in Fantasy, Reviews, Romance / 0 Comments

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A Ruin of Roses

(Deliciously Dark Fairytales – Book 1)

by K.F. Breene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fairytale Retelling, Fantasy, Slow Burn, M/F
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down & Dirty

This is the adult retelling of Beauty and The Beast you didn’t know you needed. Crude, hysterical, and oddly action-packed, it’s a shifter dream and free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it all about?

(Blurb from Goodreads)

A spicy new twist on an old classic – a deliciously dark Beauty and the Beast reimagining.

I could save him, but he would ruin me.

The beast.
The creature that stalks the forbidden wood.
The dragon prince.

He has suffered a fate worse than death. We all have. A curse put upon us by the mad king.

We are a kingdom locked in time. Shifters unable to feel our animals. Stuck here by a deal between the late king and a demon who seeks our destruction.

The only one keeping this kingdom alive is Nyfain, the golden prince to a stolen throne. The last dragon shifter.

He’s our hope.
He’s my nightmare.

When he catches me trespassing in the forbidden wood, he doesn’t punish me with death, as he’s entitled.

He takes me, instead. Forces me back to the castle as his prisoner. Seeks to use me.

Apparently, I can save him. I can save the whole forgotten kingdom, locked away by the demon king’s power.

But it would mean taming the monster beneath his skin. It would mean giving myself to him.

It would mean my ruin.

Note From the Publisher:

This is a dark and sexy Beauty and the Beast retelling, featuring a strong heroine, a dangerous anti-hero, and a humorous supporting cast. It is a full-length novel at 80k words and suitable for 18+. This is the beginning of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Buckle up. The author was let off her leash.

My Thoughts on A Ruin of Roses

That ending!

This is Beauty and The Beast on speed – with an over-the-top adult flair that somehow is everything you didn’t know you were missing.

Instead of a candelabra singing laments, we’ve got a mediocre butler who is forced into shameful acts and subversion by demons who prowl and a curse that has encased the entirety of a Dragon Kingdom -yet he is far from the only one. I mention Hadriel (The Butler) only because he is the most stand-out of the lot, with a quirky, or self-deprecating, sense of humor and verve for a dry line. He tickled every funny bone I have and really showcased the danger apparent in the castle in a way that The Beast could not. With Nyfrain, The Beast, you come to expect that he is a jerk, but you don’t really know WHY, save for the most apparent. Hadriel? He spells it out, in vivid detail, while wearing a fuzzy, purple number we really shouldn’t talk about.

This is witty, intense and a grand slam of a retelling – I can’t wait to see what book 2 shows us, especially after THAT ending!

Perspective:

First Person, Single POV

Ending Type:

Cliffhanger. Of course, it is. Brutal one too.

Rating:

R to X. This is an 18+ only novel.

Romantic Dynamic:

M/F

Taboos:

No Tropes or in-your-face taboos, though the castle staff routinely indulge in demon-inspired hijinx… you’ll understand when you read it.

Character Age Range:

23+

My Final Verdict on A Ruin of Roses

Fairytale retellings are hit or miss with me – either they are perfect, or horrible – and there are no in-betweens. This one edges on the perfect dose of entertainment for me, though I am not sure if it is because of the wit or action included. Regardless, it’s a delightful adventure I highly recommend. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

A Ruin of Roses

Published October 8th, 2021
386 Pages

If you enjoyed this review of A Ruin of Roses, please consider checking out a few of my other articles.

Your Turn

What are you reading today? Have you read this book? What did you think? What other books by the talented and prolific K.F. Breene have you enjoyed? Leave a comment, I would love to talk!