This was an intriguing retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Cassandra (Belle) was not coming to rescue anyone, she was the one who needed rescuing after an assault during a girl's night out. Cassandra was also a lot more vulnerable in this version. That was an interesting angle, she needed someone to love her, prove to her she was worth love and care and protection.
Raven, a demon had been alive for millennia. He had seen the world shift and change, but one things he knew with absolute certainty when he rescued Cassandra. She was his and he was going to devote the rest of his life to loving caring and protecting her. He never saw her as anything but beautiful. And his.
I loved the secondary characters to, Daniella and Fallon. How they helped Raven make Cassandra at home. They had great personalities.
Cassandra is a plus-sized woman who was saved by Raven a gargoyle like creature from two men trying to beat and rape her. Raven and his kind were created by the gods to protect humans from evil beings in the world many years ago. Cassandra was raised by her father who neglected her after her mother left them. Cassandra went out for dinner and drinks with who she thought were her friends who abandoned her when Raven found her with her attackers. Cassandra woke up from her attack with Raven saving her. There is an instant attraction between them. Raven believes that Cassandra is her mate after seeing her aura. This short-story fantasy romance novella was an absolute pleasure to read.
This was a great book! Spice was there and abundant. I loved the way he protected her and loved her! Short sweet and spicyyyy!!!!
i’m just gonna say, I don’t think I’ve ever been this jealous of a fictional relationship like ever!!! I mean, I love beauty and the beast. It’s my favorite Disney story ever and this retelling was just perfect in its own way. It was short I have to admit, I wish it was much much longer, but I still found it really cute and really really special.
This novella is always gonna have a special place in my heart.
I loved Raven and his actions and his personality and the fact that he’s a creature, a beast and still better than the most men says a lot.
I feel like I haven’t felt this connected to a fictional character in a while like I did with Cassandra. I just felt like I’m her, she’s me. I loved the Epilogue and the way Raven reacted to the pregnancy I loveee himmm. And I’m definitely gonna read the second book.
AND ALSO THE LIBRARY GIFTING MENTION AHHHHH😩😫
Reviews in Other Languages
cute
- 5 stars: 53 (68%)
- 4 stars: 25 (32%)
- 3 stars: 0 (0%)
- 2 stars: 0 (0%)
- 1 star: 0 (0%)
This was an intriguing retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
Cassandra (Belle) was not coming to rescue anyone, she was the one who needed rescuing after an assault during a girl's night out. Cassandra was also a lot more vulnerable in this version. That was an interesting angle, she needed someone to love her, prove to her she was worth love and care and protection.
Raven, a demon had been alive for millennia. He had seen the world shift and change, but one things he knew with absolute certainty when he rescued Cassandra. She was his and he was going to devote the rest of his life to loving caring and protecting her. He never saw her as anything but beautiful. And his.
I loved the secondary characters to, Daniella and Fallon. How they helped Raven make Cassandra at home. They had great personalities.
Cassandra is a plus-sized woman who was saved by Raven a gargoyle like creature from two men trying to beat and rape her. Raven and his kind were created by the gods to protect humans from evil beings in the world many years ago. Cassandra was raised by her father who neglected her after her mother left them. Cassandra went out for dinner and drinks with who she thought were her friends who abandoned her when Raven found her with her attackers. Cassandra woke up from her attack with Raven saving her. There is an instant attraction between them. Raven believes that Cassandra is her mate after seeing her aura. This short-story fantasy romance novella was an absolute pleasure to read.
This was a great book! Spice was there and abundant. I loved the way he protected her and loved her! Short sweet and spicyyyy!!!!
i’m just gonna say, I don’t think I’ve ever been this jealous of a fictional relationship like ever!!! I mean, I love beauty and the beast. It’s my favorite Disney story ever and this retelling was just perfect in its own way. It was short I have to admit, I wish it was much much longer, but I still found it really cute and really really special.
This novella is always gonna have a special place in my heart.
I loved Raven and his actions and his personality and the fact that he’s a creature, a beast and still better than the most men says a lot.
I feel like I haven’t felt this connected to a fictional character in a while like I did with Cassandra. I just felt like I’m her, she’s me. I loved the Epilogue and the way Raven reacted to the pregnancy I loveee himmm. And I’m definitely gonna read the second book.
AND ALSO THE LIBRARY GIFTING MENTION AHHHHH😩😫
cute
I need more I need to know how Cassandra and raven are doing with the baby ahhhhhh I’m in love with this book 10/10 the plot is amazing and the spice is just the right amount of spice
This was a really quick, darker, beauty and the beast retelling with a happily ever after. It is a novella so I’m forewarning you all that it’s under hundred pages. And while, it was a short and quick read, it was SO good. The spice? Perfection. The mated fates aspect? Also perfection. Our MMC and FMC were perfect for each other and their love was really beautiful and sweet. I wish it was longer. Happy reading all!
Very very short book, I NEED soooo much more haha BUT I really enjoyed it, just wanted it to keep going for longer. Or a sequel... come on Melissa, I need some more of Raven and Cassandra, pretty please lol xx
Proof Love has no bounds
I was tempted to listen to this story, but I'm a reader first. I immerse myself within the pages to imagine the characters. Who they are as they're described. What they look like to each other. I couldn't put Cassandra and Raven's book down. Even if you had written fifty chapters.
I was hoping she would be the one to name him and when he asked her to, hit me in the feels.
I could relate to Cassandra's dilemma with her "friends". Been there done that and I'm good with my life. I've yet to find my Brutal Beast, but I'll keep an eye out and 💚 open.
Perfect short read with spice.
Bought this on amazon , and i couldnt put this down . Such a hot spicy book . I highly reconmend this book. Hoping to get more of this author's book .
Short but sweet
This was a good read despite being a shorter book. It was touching, relatable, and has a good amount of spice without taking away from passion. 10/10 recommend; read the whole thing through at once.
My only disappointment is that I was supposed to get a bonus chapter for signing up for her newsletters but the file won't open. ☹️
Love it....will definitely look at the other stories.
This was a good short novella. I felt for Cassandra and what she went through in her life. I was very happy once things progressed with Raven. I wish I could run into a Monster who wanted to keep me and cherish me for life! 🥰 Definitely recommend this if you just need something quick to read.
sweet and spicy
Really enjoyed this story of two lost souls coming together. Sweet “beast” character who loves passionately. What’s not to enjoy? I enjoyed the author’s writing style and will be looking at more of her work. Recommended.
Loved this book! Highly recommended!
I love that this book has a Beauty and the Beast feel to it. But what I was most excited about was that the Cassandra (FMC) was a brown thick girl like me that felt all the things she felt. Ms. Cummins put me on the page and I immediately connected. Then when she came the Creature and he asked her to name him and when he told Daniella his new name he took her Cassandra's last name as his own… Raven Leon..oh that just made my heart swell!!!!
The happy ending was perfect!!!!! Big as he is how in the world he thought he could hide when he was following her, I have no idea….lol
I am can see this being a series. My only question is was Raven a gargoyle? I thought that a lot because he said some of his kind have been sleeping rather than do what they were created to do.
Ms. Cummins, please make this a series!!!!!!! with more monsters!!!!!
My Brutal Beast by Melissa Cummins was a nice Dark Fantasy Fairy Tale Retelling. I loved the story, I also love how well the story was told with 100 pages. It was a beautiful and dark read that I enjoyed.
Cassandra is figuring out that she’s not happy with her life. Enter a creature to change her life forever.
Short, very steamy and HEA
Looking for a good read this it. A great short read crammed with action and emotions. All the goodies that makes it a must read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cute and quick monster romance. I have the paperback version and will probably reread it around this time next year
A lot of times I don't like when authors math with classics. But when they are different, but with a hint of the book they retell it can be very interesting like this one. Make the female, curvy and not a skinny petite and that's even better.
This book has some great twists and turns well having the hint of the original beauty and the beast story. Decent plot, decent character development decent world development. There was something lacking in at the moment I can't put my finger on it. That's the only reason I did not give it a five -star but I do recommend.
I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings. This one is probably one of my favorites. Raven and Cassandra are so cute together that I can't stop swooning for them. Raven is such a cutie pie when he needs to be and such a protective mate. These characters are so well written that you fall in love with them from the beginning. It is a novella, so it is fast-paced but it's so good and sexy. I couldn't stop reading until the very end. It is my first novella by this author, but I can assure you, it won't be my last.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Oh gosh.
I knew this was going to be hard and fast (pun intended) but I didn't know it would also be so heartwrenchingly beautiful.
Cassandra is every woman out there who's ever needed to find her own strength and backbone.
Raven is every partner who has ever been right there even when we pushed them away.
This story is short and sweet, but poignant, and the author writes it out beautifully in just a few chapters.
10/10 recommend.
• Plot 📖📖📖 /5
• Characters: 🫂🫂🫂
• Drama/Angst: 😰😰
• Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
• POV: dual
• HEA? ✔️
• Would I re-read? ✔️
• Epilogue? ✔️ (A month or two later? Unnamed)
• NOTE: Has gore/violence & attempted assault in the story if you’re sensitive to that
I really wasn’t sure what to expect in this story and I was pleasantly surprised! The story starts off kinda dark and the FMC is having a tough time of it, but the MMC comes to her rescue in an extreme show of violence.
The steam was quick to happen, but super hot. The MMC was incredibly sweet for a violent dude and he genuinely cared for her, which I loved. He wanted to support & encourage her but also didn’t want to let her out of his sight.
I really, really wanted a little more substance to the story and the development of their relationship because what was there was REALLY good and I found myself wanting to know more of the MMC’s history and more relationship building.
Even so, it was a FANTASTIC read if you want something quick, dirty, dark & cute 😉
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. The opinions above are 100% my own & 100% genuine!
Hot steamy story where the hero rescues the heroine with a twist. The hero is a gargoyle who takes her to his home and insists she’s his, and she wants to be. Needs to be longer, though.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
My Brutal Beast is a short, but very spicy Beauty and the Beast-retelling.
Cassandra comes to the conclusion that her “friends” only use her. As she tries to leave the club, she feels dizzy and strange. Her nightmare becomes reality: someone spiked her drink. Before blacking out completely she is saved by a beast, who will become obsessed with her. What happens next, is for you to find out!
The characters are very likeable and the chemistry between Cassandra and Raven is so hot!
I am an absolute fan of Raven! Can he get any cuter? Oh my god!
I was hooked from the very beginning of this book! This was the fourth book I’ve read of Melissa Cummins and she keeps surprising me! I absolutely love her writing style!
Tropes: touch her and you die, fated mates, monster hero.
5⭐️ (ARC-review)
I enjoyed this unique take on beauty and the beast. First reading this author and it won't be the last. Recommend!!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Cassandra is forced by so called friends into a night of playing designated driver which forces her to accept she doesn't truly have real friends.
Leaving the establishment becomes difficult and when she is attacked an unlikely saviour assists her.
The creature she has named Raven has claimed his little star but.. Will she feel free or trapped?
I loved this monster romance that takes a dark protector and transforms him into a lovey dovey carer.
Cassandra had never felt wanted or well treated and I adored that this unlikely male can be the one to heal all her broken parts.
I was completely in love with the role he instantly took in her life and the precious way in which he views her.
This story was like a tiny perfect present that was almost too treasured to open yet I'm glad I peeked beyond the wrapping for the core gift.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
