Beauty and the Beast by Teresa Ives Lilly from the Love Everlasting Series was released in February of 2017 and continues to be a consistent seller. Teresa hails from Texas, not far from the destructive path of Hurricane Harvey and has spent time in the last week collecting money and supplies to make up hygiene packs and deliver them to shelters for those who have had to leave their homes because of the flooding. Way to go, Teresa!
Her story of Beauty and the Beast was a quaint tale about a young woman named Izzy and a miserable man named Griffin. Izzy’s irresponsible father left her alone when he went on a fruitless quest for gold. Starving, he stumbles into Griffin’s store, steals food and eats it before falling ill.
Griffin, deeply scarred both emotionally and physically from a battle over a lost love, insists Izzy’s father work in the store to repay his debt. Her father is not well enough and so he sends for his daughter to work off the debt and care for him until he recovers.
As they work together, Izzy sees the kind and generous side to Griffin he keeps hidden from the rest of the rowdy town. She falls in love with him while bringing order to his neglected store. Griffin must decide if he will let love enter his heart once more or continue to hide behind his ghastly scars.
The story was fun and entertaining and carried several allusions to Disney’s well loved Beauty and the Beast. Teresa has written many inspirational romances and her skill in weaving a delightful plot with likeable characters makes you want to read more of her work.
