Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



GoodReads Synopsis: It was bizarre and inexplicable, but after it happened no one spoke of it and Ingrid Waverly was forced to leave her life in London behind. She had to trade a world full of fancy dresses and society events for Paris with her mother and younger sister, Gabby.
In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house her twin brother Grayson found for them isn't a house at all. It's an abbey. A creepy, old abbey with a roof lined in stone gargoyles that one could almost mistake for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson is missing.

Yet no one seems to be concerned about Grayson's whereabouts save for Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant who has some secrets of his own.
There's one secret about the city that he can't keep hidden, though. There's a murderer on the loose. And every day Grayson is missing means that there's less of a chance he's alive.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn't dead--she can feel it deep in her soul--but she knows he's in grave danger, and that it's up to her and Gabby to find him before all hope is lost.

Only the path to him is more than she could ever imagine.

My Thoughts: I've said it before and I will say it again. I tend to shy away from "historical" novels. This one took place in 1899 and I didn't realize it at the time I requested the galley. But once again, I am wrong and thoroughly enjoyed this historical paranormal story. I almost wrote "romance" which would have been wrong. There is some interest amongst some of the characters, but the "romance" would be the least of the plot points.

I love gargoyles and the thought of them coming to life and protecting their homes was intriguing. This storyline had the gargoyles, dispossessed, as a kind of slave to angels and they are used to protect humans. These gargoyles have an uneasy kind of alliance with a human group who is aware of and fights demons.

I loved that these young women are not the helpless "damsels in distress" types. They are headstrong and don't want to be reliant on anyone. If only the men of the time would allow them to be more self-possessed. Part of the conflict. But the women are smart enough to run an end game on the guys.

The story was well written if a bit predictable. I will definitely be on the lookout for future installments. I'm hoping that there may be some coming surprises!!





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