Astrid was a very strong, intelligent character especially for the time period in the book. Her personality stuck out. Thane was a true tortured hero with a tragic past. I loved their banter, chemistry, and interactions. I even loved Thane's Aunt Mabel who came to chaperone the two girls, Astrid and Isobel, at the residence of Thane. Isobel was a bit wimpy in the very beginning but pulled herself together and shone in the second half of the book. Story was well paced. It ended well. One sitting read. The cover of the book was very pretty. I would highly recommend The Beast of Beswick to anyone that loves a beauty and beast type story that has a happily ever after ending and great characters.