Before Beauty

Book excerpt: Can the accursed prince and broken beauty move beyond their hatred for one another, not only to break the curse and save their kingdom...but to find love as well? Prince Everard’s father forged him into a warrior. Upon the king’s death, however, Everard loses himself in his pain and brings a dark curse upon himself and the great Fortress that has long guarded the people of Destin. The prince's sin doesn’t solely affect those of his citadel, however. Isabelle, the daughter of a local merchant, has suffered the prince’s hasty temper before, and it changed her life forever. So when Everard’s curse cuts off his people’s source of protection, and he demands that she, a crippled commoner, help him break it, her shock and horror are rivaled only by her indigantation and even stronger desire to protect her family. All the while, Destin’s enemy crouches at the foot of the Fortress’s mountain, waiting for the right moment to capture the stronghold that has stood for a thousand years. Can Everard and Isabelle move past their brokenness to save Destin together? Or will they and their beloved kingdom remain under darkness forever? If you want the magic of Narnia and the romance of fairy tales, read this clean fantasy retelling of Beauty and the Beast today to escape into the Becoming Beauty Trilogy, as well as the Classical Kingdoms Collection, a series of fairy tale retellings with magical mystery, clean, passionate romance, and heroic happily-ever-afters. Author's Note: Before Beauty is an introduction to both series, but it can be read as a stand-alone as well.