A Rough Beast, My Love by Alice X is not just another paranormal romance novel. This shapeshifter / werewolf story stands out for its powerful use of language and imagery, its carefully crafted characters and its twisting, surprising plot developments.
A Rough Beast is a compulsively readable short book that you can devour in an afternoon. But make sure you leave a window open because things get hot very quickly in this one!
Elsa Black is the story’s heroine. She’s young, independent and single. She’s also sexy as hell. Elsa decides to celebrate her 30th birthday by treating herself to a voyage aboard The Sapphire – the most luxurious and opulent luxury liner in the Atlantic.
Once aboard The Sapphire, Elsa meets Charles Grimm III, maybe the sexiest man alive. Tall, dark, strikingly handsome and rich, Charles owns The Sapphire. He and Elsa immediately realize that they share an electric, almost animal, electricity and chemistry. Their relationship quickly ignites into a torrid love affair that leaves both of them gasping for breath.
A dark reality quickly intrudes upon their passion. Also aboard The Sapphire is a mysterious and maniacal killer, who begins slaughtering passengers one by one. Elsa soon learns that Charles is keeping an incendiary secret from the world. Could her lover also be the killer?
The title A Rough Beast, My Love was inspired by the last stanza of W.B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming.” It portends the primal danger and strong emotion that the reader will find in the book’s pages.
Here’s a sampling of what early reviewers have said about A Rough Beast:
“Engrossing throughout. I had to read the whole book as quickly as possible. Hoping for new stories from Alice X soon.”
“Fantastic quick read. One of the best paranormal romance books I've read in a while. Has all the elements you're looking for. Highly recommended!”