The Beastly Princess

Cowboy Fairytales, Book 4

By: Lacy Williams

Narrated by: Lara Asmundson

From a USA Today best-selling author comes book four in the Cowboy Fairytales series.

Her scars frighten everyone away.

Crown Princess Eloise is used to tabloid headlines calling her a monster and touting her fiery temper. The headlines are true, after all. Although an automobile accident years ago scarred her and stole her dreams, she still has a responsibility to her people. So when her dying father demands she show the media a softer side, she can't refuse. The problem is she doesn't have a softer side. Add a cowboy that sees the woman beyond the scars and Eloise finds she can't hide anymore.

Pro bull-rider Cody Austin was only supposed to be in Glorvaird to stand up in his buddy's wedding. But when he ends up a temporary prisoner in the castle, things take a serious turn. He finds himself drawn to the crown princess, drawn even to the emotional scars that she works so hard to hide. The more time they spend together, the more he sees the true princess behind the walls she has so carefully constructed.

But when Cody's uncle falls desperately ill and Cody must return home, will the princess continue on in kindness, or return to being a beast?

The Beastly Princess is a contemporary western retelling of he Beauty and the Beast fairy tale.

©2016 Lacy Williams (P)2016 Lacy Williams

4-4.5 Stars

The first book in this series (Once Upon a Cowboy) is still my favorite, but The Beastly Princess was definitely a fun favorite. I only wish that there were another 25-50 pages added and devoted to Cody and Eloise's developing romance. As much as I enjoyed the premise and characters in this story, it also seemed the fastest to develop. I felt like there was too much I didn't see behind the scenes in order to understand all of their feelings for each other. That being said, I absolutely loved Cody and his ability to see past Eloise's defenses. Eloise was strong, but hurt and defensive due to hiding from the public for so many years. Their's was a sweet romance. To end this story, my joy was overflowing with the sweetness of Mia and Ethan's news and the wedding of Alessandra and Gideon.

As I've come to expect from Lara Asmundson, the audio narration was consistent and perfect for these characters. I voluntarily listened to an audio version of The Beastly Princess. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

A cozy, warm, modern Beauty​ & the Beast romance!

I absolutely love this 2 hour and 20 minute audiobook. I am keeping it saved on my tablet for whenever I want a short and sweet story to cheer me up and make me go "Awww...". I plan on listening to it many times in the future because this is my favorite version of Beauty and the Beast that I have ever read. "The Beastly Princess" is definitely my favorite audiobook in this series so far. By the way, Book #2 "Cowboy Charming" is a close 2nd.
Aside from the somewhat bizarre idea that this fictional European country lets its princesses marry Americans without having to abdicate, the rest of the story seemed very plausible. The character development was fantastic. Before I listened to this installment of the series, I had no respect or sympathy for Eloise, the extremely ill-tempered and reclusive crown princess of Glorvaird. Previously I had heard about her as the older sister of Allesandra and Mia, and neither of these princesses got along well with Eloise. However, when I learned about Eloise's life, then her current situation and reactions to things made perfect sense. I really started to like her early in this audiobook, and I cheered her​ on. In addition, Cody, her American bull rider love interest, was totally loveable. Aside from his occupation (which I think is ridiculously dangerous), there is nothing about him that I don't like. Eloise and Cody had a slow, careful period of getting to know one another. I like how the relationship developed naturally. It was so charming and touching! The ending was a "happy for now", but I expect forthcoming updates about Eloise and Cody in upcoming books
The narrator is not perfect, but she did a pretty good job. I liked the different tones and accents that she gave to the different characters. The pacing was just right for this story. Sometimes she over-emphasizes words in a sentence in an effort to sound more musical, but it did not bother me much in this audiobook.
We also get a few scenes showcasing Mia and Nathan from Book #2 and what is going on with them. I think that they had needless misunderstanding and drama going on, but their segments were thankfully short. This audiobook also included the first chapter of the next book in the series, and I am looking forward to it.
I received a free copy from the author, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

Lacy Williams Does it Again!!

The Beastly Princess is the 4th book in the Cowboy Fairytales Series by Lacy Williams. I have listened from the beginning, so this is also my 4th listen, as well as my 4th review, from the series. Lara Admundson is the narrator for the books, and she does a great job! Her voice is controlled, she keeps a good pace, has nice volume, and even sounds Princess-like to me with her sweet-sounding voice. :-)

You can read my other reviews on Audible regarding this series if you want to hear more about each book, the author, and the narrator individually. For fear of sounding repetitive, this one will not be as long as the other three reviews....ok so I just finished writing my review and came back to this paragraph. I swear I tried to not make it so long...I failed...oopsie! :-)

I think in one of my earlier reviews I stated that you wouldn't necessarily have to start at the beginning of the series to get an idea of what was going on. I feel differently now, being that this is the 4th book. You will want to have some background before listening to The Beastly Princess, in my opinion. Knowing who everyone is and having a better understanding of the families will prevent you from feeling lost when a character is introduced. I may have been a bit confused if I read this one without reading the others because I wouldn't have the same appreciation of all of the characters and their relationships with one another. Plus, you will want to start at the beginning anyway because books in a series are always better when you do!!

Each book is short enough to listen in one sitting, if you choose to do so. This is what I like most about them, actually. They are short, sweet, and make you feel good at the end because they all have HEA endings. Another thing I like that the author does is gives the listener a glimpse into the next book. This is what has kept me reading the series! She pulls you in just enough for you to get hooked, and then....well, then it ends and I go buy the next one! :-) Also at the end of each book she includes a secret "surprise" for you, so make sure you listen all the way through to the end of the story!

I recommend this clean series for teens through adults. They are well written and narrated, and I'm sure you will enjoy them all as much as I have! Thanks for reading my review! :-)

Loved This Tender Story!

Where does The Beastly Princess rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favorites!

What other book might you compare The Beastly Princess to and why?

I'm not sure. It is similar to the others in the series, in that it has to do with nobility. However, what I loved about this story is how unlovable Eloise believes she is due to her scarring, yet to Cody she is beautiful and worth getting to know.

Have you listened to any of Lara Asmundson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, she has done a great job in all of these Cowboy Fairy Tales.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Cody touches her scars. When he repeatedly tells her she is beautiful.

The Beastly Princess

This was a nice addition to the series. Eloise has lost all confidence in her self. Ever since the accident that left her scared she has hid behind her scars and turned herself into a raging monster. Along comes Cody, who see scars as badges of honor. Now he must help her realize it!