Annabelle Hawthorne Morton hails from an ancient mystical line-even though she herself has not been endowed with the mark of magic that the magic-kind of Thaliana are born with. Despite this, she aspires for magical greatness, and while performing a spell the enchantment backfires in her face, robbing her of half her sight. But it doesn't take her long to realize that within a few months she will be completely blind. When her father enrages the local lord and he's imprisoned for his crimes, Annabelle must muster her courage and save her father from the beast's wrath.

Lord Malachi Hawthorne, Earl of Markham has been horribly disfigured during a magical battle. His sister betrayed him-and now her curse has put him into his own living hell. Believing that the outside world will revile him for his monstrous appearance, he retreats to his enchanted castle. He is determined to make Annabelle's father his indentured servant, until he meets Annabelle. He quickly decides that she is the one that might finally set him free from his living hell, and knows he must have her as his own.

REVIEW

Enchanted Beauty is such a great twist on "The Beauty and the Beast". It has magic and wonder, love and loss, betrayal and loyalty; only who is on whose side is the question. I very much enjoyed the range of characters and where they belonged throughout the story. There is always something going on to keep the reader entertained and held captive in the story. Ms. Mathews has written a fantasy with a twist that you will want to take the time to read. Go grab a comfy chair and enjoy. Matilda, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

Reviewed by: Matilda, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance
www.coffeetimeromance.com

EXCERPT

Malachi didn't know why he'd suddenly had a swift change of heart. All he knew as
soon as he saw her in flesh and blood was that he had to have her. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any other woman. Annabelle could be the one. She could be the one to save him from himself. She would be the beauty to his beast.

"Mercy? I am no monster for you to live in fear of, Annabelle." He looked to her
walking staff. "You won't need to use that. I will guide you back to the castle."

He could feel her shivering in his arms. Without giving it a second thought, he whisked
off his cloak and draped it around her shoulders. She stiffened beneath it but she didn't try to pull away from him. She knew that there was no escape for her. She'd gone too far, and she'd given him her verbal consent. Her word was binding no matter what she had to say to the contrary. He had full power over her. She wouldn't flee from him. Even if she could see the way off his lands, she had to stay in order to secure her father's release.

"Take me to my father, then. I'd like to see him ... I want to make sure that you haven't
hurt him-or turned him into something hideous."

"Hideous? There's far worse out in this brutal world of ours than anything I could have
the heart to subject anyone to. Trust me, my beauty, I've endured it and survived it. I would never ever wish what I've gone through on my worst enemy. Well, strike that-perhaps, I would wish it on my worst enemy." He gave a cynical laugh. She shivered again. He could smell her fear. Annabelle was torn between trusting him and cringing in terror in front of him. Could he blame her? He was a formidable man. He could have done far worse to her father ... and yet, he hadn't. No matter what his sister and Oliver had done to him, they hadn't been able to rob him of his heart.

And, if he wasn't careful, his heart could end up betraying him again. He was already
falling headlong for Annabelle. Her beauty was the sort bards would sing ballads about. She should have been the envy of most of the nobly born women in Thaliana, and yet here she was trying to barter the freedom of a man that wasn't fit to be in her presence, yet alone fit enough to be her father.

Delbert Morton was a moron. He didn't know how lucky he was ... he didn't know how
thankful he should be for having a daughter so devoted to him, that she would risk giving herself to a man like him. Sourness boiled in his stomach. He wanted Annabelle with a fierce craving, but he knew he could never force her into wanting him in return. If he could, he would give her a love potion, if he did that she would become entirely enchanted with him, and he would have her in his bed before he could blink. But he couldn't do that to her. He couldn't deceive her in such a foul way. If she did come to him, it would be of her own free will.

"I would like to see my father ... now, please," Annabelle asked softly but firmly.

Her soft sweet voice broke through his thoughts. He sighed. "In due time."

"No. Now!" He was surprised to find that she had steel running through her-perhaps,
she was strong enough to deal with what he had to offer her. She would eventually get close enough to him to make out his visage. In the light of day, her vision would be improved. He didn't know what he would do if she recoiled from him in disgust. He'd had it happen to him before-and it wasn't something he wished to repeat anytime soon.

"Did you know that your father was here to steal the Hawthorne family Wish Jewel?"

"No..."her voice faltered. "I'm sorry, switch that to a yes. I was told the entire story
from my cousin Glynnis."

"Glynnis? The woman he was acting so besotted with? I should hope she isn't his niece,
that would be quite-revolting."

She forced out a short laugh. "So there is something more to my father's relationship
with my cousin than I originally believed. I've been snookered. They really pulled the
proverbial wool over my eyes. You can rest easy in knowing that Glynnis shares no blood bond with my father-I'm the only one he can call a blood relation. Lucky me." She let out a shaky laugh.

Malachi's heart went out to her. How many times had she played damage control when it
came to her father's colossal muck ups? The man was a poor thief. He couldn't see him ever getting away with a grand score. He warranted that Delbert had spent more than his fair share of time in various prisons. Malachi swallowed and looked up at the sky.

"We should get to the castle. You look tired, and you'll need time to adjust to your new surroundings."

"Adjust? That's what you call getting used to being your prisoner?"

"Not my prisoner. You are not being punished for your father's sins. You're only going
to grace me with your company. I must say, you're a definite improvement when compared to your father. He's running out of excuses to get me to release him. He tells me he did it for you. He wanted to restore your sight."

She snorted. "Restoring my sight was probably not his true motivation. My father can't
help his real nature. It's been a thorn in his side for most of his life. He means well at first, but then his temptations overcome him, and he does something phenomenally stupid. Just like he did tonight. I'm not surprised, but this isn't the first time his actions have cost me pain."

Then, I will remove him from ever causing you pain again." He was affected deeply by the depth of emotions present in her voice. She cared for her father. However, he could see that she was warring with her feelings for her father on a daily basis. Delbert had probably shattered her dreams many times. They shared a lot in common. And, now he had to make sure she never left him. If he had to keep her as his prisoner to keep her with him, then he would have to do the unthinkable. He would take no joy in keeping her with him through force, but he would, if the alternative meant losing her. The Hawthorne men were known to be extremely possessive when it came to their women.

She sighed. Weariness bled through the sound. "You need rest. You can see your father
in the morning," Malachi promised.

"NO. You will not give me orders! Not until our bargain comes to fruition. I've made a
pact with you, now you need to uphold your end of the bargain."

"You are spunky."

"My mother used to say I was feisty. She said I'd never give up without one hell of a
blazing fight. And, then I did this to myself." She sighed, brushing her hand across her temple. He knew by that brief gesture that she was probably heating with a bad migraine.

I can whip you up a potion to ease your pain. Come now, if it will ease your heart I
shall allow you five minutes with your father-and then, I'll let him go. I must say, it will be
quite a relief to hear the end of his constant dithering. You are dithyrambic whereas your father ... just, well... he dithers in the face of impending peril, doesn't he? He seems to think I was going to eat him or something equally gruesome."

She made no sound. He wondered if she was thinking on his physical appearance or if
she was just trying to deal silently with her pain. He wanted to help her, and if her condition was painful, he wanted to ease that as soon as possible.

'I would like to see my father, even if he is rambling. He tends to run off at the mouth
when his nerves are rattled. You must be very imposing to scare my father witless. He's been put in jail by several sheriffs that would scare most men witless and yet my father wasn't even affected. So, I can only conclude that you are an enigma."

"Enigma is one way to describe me. I suppose you know all about me."

"On the contrary. I know very little about you. I don't listen to any of the vicious
gossipmongers. How can I when I know they're spreading hateful lies about me as well? We're in the same boat so to speak, Malachi." He shivered as she said his name. She started. "I do apologize, Your Lordship. I lost myself for a minute there."

'Propriety doesn't have any place in our relationship, Annabelle. I would gladly have
you call me Malachi, whenever you wish. I am at your command."

"You do know how to weave a charming spell." She leaned against him.

He looked down at her. She didn't look as if she had the energy to make the walk to the
castle. He snapped his fingers, hoping she wouldn't feel the move of his magical transportation.

"Did the ground just sway beneath us? I feel awfully heady. I guess the pain is getting to
me." She sniffed the air. "Why do I smell damp?"

"Because we're in the castle dungeons. I took the liberty of giving our travel some
magical oomph."

"So I did feel the ground move under me."

"I guess you could put it that way. I no longer feel the affect of blinking. I've done it so
many times that I'm quite accustomed to it."

"Indeed," her voice shook. She pulled his cloak closer around her shoulders. "Are you
telling me that you were going to let my father while away down here?"

"He is much hardier than you give him credit for."

"He has a delicate constitution."

"I don't think so." Malachi snorted.

"Who's there?" Delbert cried. "I'm hungry-I tell you, my lord, I didn't mean to raise
your ire. I must insist that I have some food! I am wasting away down here. This beef stew isn't enough to stick on my bones."

He heard her make an angry sounding noise. "Greedy little ungrateful ..." She trailed off
when Delbert spoke again.

"I know that voice. Annabelle? No ... it can't be Annabelle, she can barely see one foot
in front of the other let alone find her way up here."

"That's where you are mistaken, Father."

"Oh, shit. Now I'm really in for it."