dontjudgeabrooke 's review for:

At Summer's End by Courtney Ellis

2.0

---

I was drawn to this book because of my lifelong proclivity for Beauty and the Beast-type stories, and while it was enjoyable, it wasn't quite what I was looking for.

Although Courtney Ellis's writing shows promise, you can tell she's a novice author. I didn't find the characters or the plot to contain enough conflict or intrigue, and I wasn't swayed to feel much for anyone. I predicted that

Anna was Julian and Lucy's daughter

well in advance of the reveal, while I found the reveal behind

Celia and Julian's years-long conflict

to be weak and unrealistic. I also expected more mystery and suspense surrounding Julian's character, more akin to the Beast, Archibald Craven or, hell, even Rigoletto (please tell me someone else remembers Rigoletto). Instead, he

immediately opens the door for Bertie the first time she knocks and gives her many of the answers she seeks the first time she asks

.

I also couldn't believe Julian would be so reckless as to get her pregnant after what happened to Lucy.

I enjoyed the atmosphere of the novel and still liked it better than most romances I've tried, but in the end, it was just okay.

*Listened to audiobook