Her Beastly Stepbrother by Rachel Kenley

This is a review of Her Beastly Stepbrother by Rachel Kenley. This story focuses on a young woman named Belle and a man named Charles. They meet as children because Belle's father married Charles' mother. Belle is 12 when they meet and Charles is 16.  Charles has scars on his face from a fire during an auto accident when he was a 5 years old in which his father was killed. Belle lost her mother to cancer at age 4. They bond over their losses of a parent. They talk for a while at the wedding.They decide to keep in touch via e-mail. The e-mails have large gaps in them. They seem disjointed and all over the place because they are totally random and jump from one thing to the next sometimes skipping years in between the e-mails.

Belle and Charles continue to keep in touch for many years through the emails. Belle wants to see Charles but he never wants her to see him.  Belle eventually decides she has had enough of the treatment she was receiving from her father and stepmother because they wanted to control everything she did. So Belle decides to leave and embark on her own journey. She goes to the town where Charles lives. She stops at a coffee shop and ends up getting a job her first day in town working at the coffee shop. She doesn't have a phone number or address for him but goes to the gallery where he showcases his work exclusively. Charles is a very successful artist that makes glass sculptures. Belle manages to get his address from the gallery and goes to see him.  Charles is shocked to see Belle on his doorstep. When she tells him where she is staying, he tells her that she will stay with him because the motel she is at is not safe.

The two eventually fall into bed with each other but Charles continues to fight his feelings because he doesn't want to feel the way he does about Belle. Belle dresses up and says she is going out with her friend. When Charles sees her outfit, he decides that Belle isn't going anywhere because she is his. He doesn't want another man to see her in that outfit. Charles finally admits his feelings to Belle and wants to spend the rest of his life with her.

This was a short, sweet read and I would definitely recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.