One of my favorite tropes is the Beauty and the Beast retelling. Although the idea is the same, every author that has written a book using this story has brought their own twist to it. Amalie Howard's retelling is spectacular. Not only can you truly feel the chemistry between Thane & Astrid but also their individual personalities shine through. Astrid is a regency era feminist, inspired by Mary Wollstonecraft and a champion for equal rights, she has no qualms about speaking her mind even if her opinion is ignored or scoffed. Thane came back from the war scarred on the outside and dark on the inside. He glowers and growls at everyone and shuns high society. This story is witty, the banter between the two lovers is engaging, and they are equally matched in verbal sparring. The Beast of Beswick is a great story in which a marriage of convenience becomes something more.