Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen
“When Lucy Pickett arrives at Blackwell Manor to tend to her ailing cousin, Kate, she finds more than she bargained for. A restless ghost roams the hallways, werewolves have been reported in the area, and vampires lurk across the Scottish border. Lord Miles himself is clearly hiding a secret. He is brash and inhospitable, and does not take kindly to visitors–even one as smart and attractive as Miss Pickett. He is unsettled by the mysterious deaths of his new wife, Clara, and his sister, Marie. Could Miles himself be to blame for the deaths? Working together, Miles and Lucy attempt to restore peace to Blackwell Manor. But can Lucy solve the mystery of Miles? Can she love the man–beast and all?”
I thought I was done with vampires and werewolves: apparently not! I actually really liked this book! Part of it is that Lucy is such a great character. She is smart, witty, and usually quite tough. Like any girl, she has her moments, but she is determined and capable. Miles is a hard character. He is very unlikable for most of the book, but at the same time, you see little snippets here and there of a different side of him. The supporting characters of Kate and Jonathan are good characters, and they help add to the story line. You have to just go with the apparitions and such that appear in this book; it seems a little corny, but you know what? It worked for me in this book. It’s a little predictable; you know from the beginning who the key players will be, but there are many twists and turns along the way that kept me turning pages. I liked the writing style. It drew me in and kept me engaged. It’s strange because one half of your brain is laughing at the absurdity of it all, but the other half of your brain can’t put it down and just glosses right over all that stuff. That’s what fiction is for, right? I thought it all came together well, and I liked this book a lot.
I like that it’s clean! There is little to no profanity, and no “intimacy” scenes, although there is some kissing, and some more intimate moments. There is some violence, though. There are a few old murders discussed, and some evil vamps out there that have to be fought and dealt with. At least two characters die.
Rating: PG-13+ (No profanity or “intimacy,” but there are some more intimate moments, a few innuendos, and there is some graphic violence.)
Recommendation: 16 and up
Disclosure: I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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*Originally published on 8/8/16; Updated on 12/15/17