Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - Darling Beast

I’m sure I’m not the only one who reads this series who has loved Apollo from the he was introduced. His is a tragic and complicated past. I believe this story can be read as a standalone, but to really understand the horrors Apollo has suffered it’s best to go back and at least read Duke of Midnight.

Lily has been mentioned in many of the past stories, but she hasn’t been introduced until this book. Lily is an actress and quite famous in London. After the theater she was contracted with burned down, she was unable to find work because of a perceived snub of another theater owner and Harte (aka one of the Makepeace brothers!) is allowing her, along with her son and nurse/companion, to stay in the husk of what was once his magnificent theater and pleasure garden. It’s not a known thing that Harte is Asa Makepeace or that his partner and the brilliant mute gardener happens to be none other than the fugitive Apollo Greaves.

The beginning of this tale is rather sweet. Lily’s son, Indio, at first thinks Apollo is a monster in the gardens. He soon is fascinated with the rather large gardener and spies on the man whenever he has the chance. Lily thinks her son has a vivid imagination until she finally sees this monster for herself. Apollo does nothing to sway her opinion that he is a simpleton since he cannot talk, yet with his sharp mind and kind heart she soon realizes there is much more to Apollo (at this time known as Caliban to Lily and her family) than he is letting on. Watching these two fall for each other despite the secrets they must keep and the barriers between them was spectacular. The interactions between Apollo and Indio are also quite heartwarming.

Once Apollo starts to regain his voice, he truly says the sweetest things to Lily. Not because he’s trying to charm her or win her over, but because he speaks from the heart and his heart is a beautiful thing. He doesn’t pull his punches or hold anything back when expressing his feeling to Lily. He knows his mind, he knows his heart, and he doesn’t see any reason to keep those things to himself.

The last few chapters seemed a bit rushed to me. There was the mystery of who committed the murders of which Apollo was accused. It seemed once Lily and Apollo resolved in finding their HEA the author had to still resolve the murders and it was a bit slapdash. Not that it doesn’t make sense, because the logic plays out. The pacing of that aspect of this story just seemed off compared to the rest of the book.

I enjoyed that some strange bedfellows banded together to help Apollo. There is a new Duke in town whom I wasn’t crazy about through much of this story, but the more I got to know him the more I am curious about him. His reaction to Hippolyta Royle, who has been a mystery so far in this series herself, was a brilliant introduction to a possible love match.

Finally, next, the lovely Phoebe will get her HEA. She is one of my favorites with her determination, sass, and vulnerability.

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smithrachaelynn's review against another edition

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emotional funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Apollo is amazing!! I absolutely loved his character and was rooting for his happiness from the beginning. This was a really beautiful story.

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givemaribooks's review

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emotional inspiring lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This was ok. Just ok. I really liked the couple, and most of the side characters, but the story itself just fell flat to me. Apollo was great, and I really wanted to like his story but it just didn’t work for. The story didn’t make a lot of sense, plus the character kept being dumb. They kept having conversations where they could easily be overheard about things they were trying to keep secret. I just got the sense the author didn’t know where she wanted to take this story. The murderer reveal didn’t make that much sense, and that story with Indio’s father was not necessary.

I’m also confused as to why Apollo pulls out when they first have sex, she makes a big deal of it by thanking him, but after not mentioning it again, they keep having sex but he doesn’t pull out again. That made no sense, especially since Lily didn’t think they had a future together.

And lastly, I have an issue with how disabilities are portrayed in the book, and how the hero gets his voice back and is “cured.” Even though it’s a historical, the author could have avoided certain words that we now know are offensive.

I will say that I’m looking forward to Phoebe and the Captain’s story based on what we got see of them.

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dreamfyre's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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morganphoenix's review

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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