Series: Standalone
Genre: YA, Romance, Retelling, Paranormal
Release Date: May 12th 2015
Book Length: 344 pages
Publisher: Month9Books
Source: Physical copy, Goodreads
Review: 4/5 *Full Review Below.
Publisher: Month9Books
Source: Physical copy, Goodreads
Review: 4/5 *Full Review Below.
Blurb:
They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Raven Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.
To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.
Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.
But Raven's stepdad's drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail, or worse.
Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights.
Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.
But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?
They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Raven Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.
To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.
Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.
But Raven's stepdad's drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail, or worse.
Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights.
Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.
But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?
‘Raven must
choose between Gideon Maddox, the monster the world believes him to be, or the
one she can allow herself to fall in love with.’
STOP,
JUST STOP, My heart can’t take this!
I have been searching no end for this book
since Wendy Higgins recommended it and this woman is never wrong, she is always
on point when it comes to a good romance and she doesn’t disappoint with The Artisans.
I seem to be all about re-telling’s lately and The Beauty and the Beast story
never gets old, no matter how much you originate from the classic or keep it
simple, I always end up invested in the story.
The
book begins with Raven our gothic protagonist who dreams of being a top fashion
designer, she lives with her dead-beat step-dad. After her mother died her father spends all his time drinking and gambling, it soon cost them their
home and now they live in her father’s workshop. Disaster strikes when Raven’s
father burns down a Maddox run business. The Maddox’s are a notorious family
whom people never cross. They demand compensation for the damages and Raven knows her family has nothing to give so she goes to the meeting and like a lamb to slaughter, she offers to take her
father’s place and pay any price…
Raven is surprised to learn that Gideon
Maddox does not money in return but instead her. He demands that Raven must
live with him for a year and steal her designs for his own failing fashion
label. Raven has no other choice but to accept these absurd demands if it means
her father can go without punishment.
For starters I adored that Raven was a goth
girl, to me this was totally refreshing and complemented well with her badass
attitude but ultimately her love for her step-father even though he has done
nothing to help her life really does makes you feel for her. Then there’s the
love interest Gideon… The ‘beast’ well he’s drop dead gorgeous so that
obviously doesn’t fit the description but trust me his personality does. He’s
so arrogant and dominating and is clearly used to getting his own way, Alass
he’s a little bit of an asshole but I LOVED to HATE HIM… at first obvs, you
soon fall in love with him after a whole lot of angst and gorgeous sexual
tension.
The story is filled with mystery as Raven
is soon taunted by evil ghosts and magic coming from the house. Raven sets
out to find out what secrets Gideon is hiding with her obese cat Edgar. I’m a complete sucker for stories with
animals!
The thing to remember with this story is a ROMANCE even with all the paranormal twists aside, so it was a bit predictable but this is no way effected the story for me. If you prefer a bit more action and drama to your books this may not be for you but for fellow lovers of a tortured romance and a little mystery this is perfect!
The thing to remember with this story is a ROMANCE even with all the paranormal twists aside, so it was a bit predictable but this is no way effected the story for me. If you prefer a bit more action and drama to your books this may not be for you but for fellow lovers of a tortured romance and a little mystery this is perfect!
This was my first Reece novel and I truly
loved it and I can’t wait to read more of her work as she truly seems like my
type of author when she says…
“I
love strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a hot guy.’
Amen to that!
YES. I'm right with you with that last quote! That should be a motto or something, seriously!
ReplyDeleteI know right?! Seriously, the woman speaks the truth.. I mean we obviously only read books with hot guys anyway but still the truth ;)
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