A Beauty and the Beast Retelling (The Otherworld Book 1)

Faeries, plus Celtic lore, plus a loosely based beauty and the beast retelling...consider me obsessed! The Heart of the Fae was a beautifully written, magical and inventive story. I absolutely adored every part of this story!

This novel is set in Ui Neill, which is medieval Northern Ireland. Being Irish myself, I love reading books that take place in Ireland. Emma’s world building and description made me feel like I was back in Ireland. And don’t get me started about the magic of Hy-Brasil! Once again, the setting development was awesome. The rolling, green hills and the partially decrepit castle (and a broody Fae male) sign me up! Ok so I’m kind of rambling now, but it was just SO good!

On to the characters! Sorcha, the female protagonist, was a strong, capable woman that was kind and I loved that about her. She experienced some trauma in her earlier years (and even in her present), but she didn’t let that harden her. Sorcha was a great character and I loved her feminism in the face of a society that considered a woman’s place in the Home popping out kids. Eamonn was also a great character. I am a sucker for broody males with a heart of gold and that definitely describes Eamonn. He was moody, prickly and sometimes antagonistic. I enjoyed that he was flawed, but had a good heart. Their romance did not feel forced. The romance felt like it developed at a natural pace. I enjoyed their banter which, sometimes, put me in the mind of Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy.

Now that my review is super long, I’ll leave off with the fact that this book was fantastic and I cannot wait for the next book! (Seriously cause that cliffhanger was intense!)

The story was captivating from start to finish. I could tell the end was drawing near and everytime I turned the page I hoped there was still just a little bit more to read.

The characters and plot were very detailed but not so much that I was didn't know what was happening. I lost myself in the world the book built around me and I can hardly wait to dive back into the world again.
This is an excellent read and worth every cent. This book is the perfect length, it took me about 5 hours to read. The characters were relatedable and the world well delevoped. The use of language and writing overall is astounding. I don't often find a book that I love this much.

My first thought when cracking open this book was "You mean there's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, set it Scotland, with Faeries, and magic?" SIGN ME UP! And I was so wonderfully pleased with this book. I've read all of Hamm's, and this is by far her best. This is the next level of authorship from this author!

I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the scenery. This brought back memories of my trip to Scotland, and how thoroughly beautiful the landscape was. The sheep, the rolling green hills, the beauty around every corner.

It also had all the legends and myths that I've loved for a very long time. Who doesn't love Faeries? This book is filled with brownies, pixies, kelpies, will o the wisps, and more!

Eamonn is SUCH a tragic character and wonderfully written. Hamm has a way of sometimes making her men a little weak, but he is not in the slightest. This is a warrior through and through, a general who leads his men through battle and comes out scathed but alive.

His scenes were perfectly written with an attention to detail that makes me think of Mr. Darcy mixed with a dangerous edge that was just... awesome.

Sorcha was such a powerhouse of a woman. She never had to say she was strong, and doubted herself enough to make her realistic. But this is a woman I would want to meet in real life. She knew her stuff, and wanted to make a name for herself.

Her love for Eamonn bleeds through the pages, and I couldn't put the book down.

I read this in one day, but for those of you who are not skim readers, you might take a little longer! It's a well thought out story with a cliffhanger ending that was expected and in the perfect spot. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, but I do think this was necessary in this story and that it left me wanting more but not angry.

Now, I need the second book!

I absolutely loved this story! This story is such a fun fantasy and full of mystical beings. The narration was superb and gave that extra flair to the story. It will keep you entertained. This was my first book by this author but definitely will not be my last. I will be reading any books that are released in this series (can't wait). I was given a free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was one of the absolute best faerie stories I have ever read. The world building was excellent, the character development was both believable and wonderful, and the plot was phenomenal. I highly recommend jumping into this book.

I've just finished reading an advance copy of this book. It's a good start to a series, and I like Sorcha as a character. In fact, I found myself caring about all of the characters. Plus, Celtic mythology fascinates me.

This book was an incredible read. It was captivating from the first page and it had me on the edge of my seat for the duration. It made me laugh and cry and sometimes want to chuck the book in frustration with characters that were all too easy to connect with. I love reading it and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the Fae, loves Beauty and the Beast, or just loves a good story. I cannot wait for the next one.

Really, really loved this book! The beauty and beast retelling was fun and it had enough twists in the plot and characterization of the protagonists to make it feel like I was reading Beauty and the Beast for the first time! Could not put this book down!

I absolutely enjoyed Sorcha and Eamonns story and it ended so soon with the cliffhanger and just leaves me wanting more! I cannot wait to read the rest of their journey and to find out more interesting magical creatures in the next book. Definitely similar to beauty and the beast but I find it to be more magical and heart-rending. This tale may not be as old as time but it definitely is a time of wonder and mystery and the world that is introduced is one that I could imagine myself in anywhere and I need to read more about it! This is such a great read and I hope you give it a chance! I ensure you will not be disappointed!

This book was everything! You don't even know how long I've been looking for a book like this! It was perfect in every way. I loved it so much. I loved every thing about each character, including their flaws. You made them and the world they live in so vividly real and I thank you for that!

My first thought when cracking open this book was "You mean there's a Beauty and the Beast retelling, set it Scotland, with Faeries, and magic?" SIGN ME UP! And I was so wonderfully pleased with this book. I've read all of Hamm's, and this is by far her best. This is the next level of authorship from this author!

I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the scenery. This brought back memories of my trip to Scotland, and how thoroughly beautiful the landscape was. The sheep, the rolling green hills, the beauty around every corner.

It also had all the legends and myths that I've loved for a very long time. Who doesn't love Faeries? This book is filled with brownies, pixies, kelpies, will o the wisps, and more!

Eamonn is SUCH a tragic character and wonderfully written. Hamm has a way of sometimes making her men a little weak, but he is not in the slightest. This is a warrior through and through, a general who leads his men through battle and comes out scathed but alive.

His scenes were perfectly written with an attention to detail that makes me think of Mr. Darcy mixed with a dangerous edge that was just... awesome.

Sorcha was such a powerhouse of a woman. She never had to say she was strong, and doubted herself enough to make her realistic. But this is a woman I would want to meet in real life. She knew her stuff, and wanted to make a name for herself.

Her love for Eamonn bleeds through the pages, and I couldn't put the book down.

I read this in one day, but for those of you who are not skim readers, you might take a little longer! It's a well thought out story with a cliffhanger ending that was expected and in the perfect spot. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, but I do think this was necessary in this story and that it left me wanting more but not angry.

Now, I need the second book!

I absolutely loved this story! This story is such a fun fantasy and full of mystical beings. The narration was superb and gave that extra flair to the story. It will keep you entertained. This was my first book by this author but definitely will not be my last. I will be reading any books that are released in this series (can't wait). I was given a free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was one of the absolute best faerie stories I have ever read. The world building was excellent, the character development was both believable and wonderful, and the plot was phenomenal. I highly recommend jumping into this book.

I've just finished reading an advance copy of this book. It's a good start to a series, and I like Sorcha as a character. In fact, I found myself caring about all of the characters. Plus, Celtic mythology fascinates me.

This book was an incredible read. It was captivating from the first page and it had me on the edge of my seat for the duration. It made me laugh and cry and sometimes want to chuck the book in frustration with characters that were all too easy to connect with. I love reading it and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the Fae, loves Beauty and the Beast, or just loves a good story. I cannot wait for the next one.

Brilliant, beautiful story with compelling characters! I didn't prefer the descriptive sex scene near the end, which is why I left off a star. If that doesn't bother you, it's easily a five star book!

Really, really loved this book! The beauty and beast retelling was fun and it had enough twists in the plot and characterization of the protagonists to make it feel like I was reading Beauty and the Beast for the first time! Could not put this book down!