Review: Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims

Title: Beauty Dates the Beast
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 10/25/11
Reviewed by: Sara
But the Book:

Summary:

WANTED
Single human female to join charming, wealthy, single male were-cougar for a night of romantic fun—and maybe more.

Me: The tall, sensuous, open-minded leader of my clan.

You: A deliciously curvy virgin who’s intimately familiar with what goes bump in the night. Must not be afraid of a little tail. Prefer a woman who’s open to exploring her animal nature. Interest in nighttime walks through the woods a plus.

My turn-ons include protecting you from the worst the supernatural world has to offer. Ready for an adventure? Give me a call.

Vampires and doppelgangers need not apply.

Plot: 5 Stars
The back cover copy of this novel is what immediately drew me in. It reads like a hilarious personal ad. Once I found out the main character worked for a paranormal dating service, I was sold. In the beginning, I hoped the dating service would play a bigger role in the story than it did. But as the story continued, I had no problem with the dating service taking a back seat because it was such a great story. The idea of the Alliance and how it tried to organize the paranormal creatures was a creative take. I also liked that there were different kinds of weres, and not just wolves. I tend to really enjoy cat shifters, and I really enjoyed the werecougars in this novel.

Pace: 5 Stars
This was once of the best paranormal romances I've ever read, and the pacing of the story played a big part in that. All too often, I find many paranormal romances stall around page 180 to 200. It's right after the hero and heroine realize they should be together, but before everything hits the fan. In between, many PNRs leave me just sitting there waiting. This novel did nothing like that. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, wondering what was going to happen next. And I couldn't put it down.

Characters: 5 Stars
There was definitely chemistry between Bathsheba and Beau was electric. I don't often say that, because I think it sounds a bit cliche, but I can't think of any other way to describe it. The author made the heat between them almost palpable. There were times I was reading in the breakroom at work, hoping no one could tell I was reading a dirty scene. Bathsheba didn't cower to Beau, even though she was human, and I loved her confidence. I also thought this novel had great secondary characters. Bathsheba's sister added some mystery and suspense with her own problems. Everyone else at Midnight Liasons, the paranormal dating service, really rounded out the novel.

Cover: 4 Stars
I absolutely love the blue that was chosen for this cover. It's dark without making the image murky. I just wish it wasn't so monochromatic. The intensity of the blue leaves the cover models looking just a bit flat. But the pink font totally makes up for any flaw. It stands out great against the blue, and is definitely an underused color on paranormal covers. Plus, it's use on the spine makes the novel stand out even if the cover is not facing towards the shopper. I also liked the placement of the cover models. Their close proximity was intimate without the image coming across weirdly smushed together.

Overall: 5 Stars

Disclosure: I purchased with book with a Christmas gift card.