I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Jaya Rao as Belle and Grey Emerson as the Beast was...fine. It was somewhat compelling, but I was also able to walk away from it easily.

I'm glad Menon went with a dual third-person POV, as we got to learn more about Jaya and Grey that way. It was also an effective way to weave the curse throughout the narrative. Grey was oddly endearing even as a "misanthrope;" his character development was by far the strongest in the book. His pain and desire for a normal life shine through in a genuine way. Jaya was strong and a loyal friend but was a bit more grating with her stubborn sense of "doing what's right for her family" despite EVERYONE'S insistence that she doesn't need to. I also take issue with the way other characters reveal information to each other, especially one scene at the end. (I won't describe it here--because spoilers--but it takes place on a mountain and refers to "wind tunnels" carrying sound.)

If you're in dire need of a sweet fairy tale rework for a YA audience, this is a decent pick.