Aleveria / KarenL

I received a copy of Beast in exchange for an unbiased review.

Mary Catherine Gebhard is a new author for me, but the description for this book was so intriguing I couldn't pass up the opportunity to grab an ARC of this book to read and review. I'm *so glad* I did.

I'm very picky about this genre (mafia/hitman/etc) of romance, so in order to impress me it had to be good. It doesn't fit the mold 100% because the "Hero" - Beast/Anteros - had a lot of layers. He was a complex and varied character, which is a big plus for me. I've said this in some of my previous reviews; character studies are a huge selling point in any medium. Beast was a great example of a man with many sides.

As far as our heroine goes, she was also quite complex, but not as much. That's not a bad thing - it's mostly because she wears her heart on her sleeve. Frankie is selfless and kind, and betrayed at every turn. She wants to see the best in everyone, and is shown the worst. Her life becomes a sea of nails and she can't walk without stepping on each and every one of them.

I usually get a little angry when I get to the end of a book and there's a cliffhanger, but not in this case. I'm anxious for the ending, but I think the book needs more in order to tell the entire story.

I love finding an author that makes me want to find more of their books, so thanks Mary, you've done your job.

I'm giving Beast 4.5 stars.