Belle : an Amish Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

GIVEAWAY

PRICE, SARAH
BELLE : AN AMISH RETELLING OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

In author Sarah Price's fresh and inspirational retelling of a beloved classic, a dutiful young Amish woman agrees to marry a notorious recluse for her family's sake -- but the consequences are more than either bargained for...

To most townsfolk, he's known simply as The Beast. Annabelle Beiler has little interest in gossip, but she;s heard about Adam Herschberger's scars and his gruff, solitary ways. Though he sounds like a character from one of Belle's treasured books, the man is real and, it turns out, just as unreasonable as the rumors claim. When a buggy accident wipes out the last of her daed's money, forcing him to sell their farm, Adam buys it. Then he offers Belle a deal -- marry him, and her family can keep their home.

Everyone is shocked by Belle's decision, but she's determined to be a good fraa, cleaning Adam's rundown house and tending the overgrown garden. Breaking through her new husband's icy reserve will be another matter. Belle's courage and strength are abundant, but it will take true faith to guide Adam back to the heart of his Amish community -- and to the loving marriage they both deserve.

My Review:

True confession: I'm a tad shy of giddy over this new series -- and beyond grateful to whoever brought it to my attention during one of my Reader's Choice Weeks.

First off -- I adore fairy tale retellings -- I'm kind of compulsively crazy about them so I get butterflies in my tummy whenever I discover one in the Christian Fiction genre. But to add Amish into the mix? Be still my heart. It won't stop yoyoing around in an ecstatic frenzy because that combination is sweet perfection.

Love the seamless way Price has woven inspiration throughout the story. There are many stop-dead-in-your-tracks-and-ponder-that-thought moments. I love how both Belle and Adam grow as they dare to live their faith bravely. And it takes a lot of courage to banish past heartache and face the thoughtless cruelty of townsfolk who should definitely know better.

While the author stays true to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, she has also created a unique romance -- Belle and Adam's love story is fresh and poignant, even funny in places. And she does an amazing job with the 'beastly' qualities Adam brings to the story. While Belle's gentle kindness coupled with a good dose of pluckiness keeps her 'beast' off kilter. So much fun to read -- and to pick out the fairy tale elements along the way.

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Price but it sure won't be the last. Especially since she's set up the next two books in the series so perfectly...at least, I think she has. Definitely a Cinderella retelling is coming out next -- there's a sweet peek of it at the end of Belle. But there's also another character, Sadie, who is a bit of a mystery and I'm thinking her story might just be a Snow White adaptation, but that's just my wild guess.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Belle, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 26 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!