[I received an ARC from the Author, as part of the LibraryThing giveaway, in exchange for a review.]

I have read a couple of Rita's earlier works, which I loved so it was natural that my interest was piqued when I saw her latest work and I jumped at the chance of reading her book.

As much as it is a retelling of beauty and the beast (Is it me, or are there too many of these coming up recently esp on beauty and the beast?), I liked the futuristic take on the fairy tale as it gives a nice twist to the story.

The initial pages caught my attention and kept me hooked for some time, though certain sections did make me pause and read them over once more, as either there was a break in the action or the narrative felt off. There was a reference to Alainn being away and coming back... but from where is not mentioned until much later.

As I progressed, I was able to match the pace with the story, though I felt that there were a lot of ups and down in the action that was happening. There would be a pause in the narrative, and a different thread would be picked up on and taken forward. The whole mountain section when Rose steps out of her window needs a once-over. There's something there that disturbs the flow. The same goes for the detailed description of Lorccan's tower, where the flow again breaks a few times and left me confused a bit. The voice leading Alaine around the house or giving her directions, especially phrases like 'come this way', was left hanging. Come this way ... how... Is there a 3D projection of a life-size Rose leading the way, or are signs flashing around the walls telling her where to go. This section would require a little more information on how Alainn was being led around the house with the voice asking her to take a left or a right or turn around the corner and walk up the stairs, kind of, which would sound more practical and probable.

The sex scene raised an eyebrow... one minute, you have Lorccan writhing in pain on the floor, screaming cause he is living a nightmare, and in a wink, he is awake, and his hand is up her dress, and he wants to roll around with her or in her. I mean—what the heck!

As I said earlier, the story has a few highs and lows. The high point for me was the rescue scene and the fight scene— this is an intense action scene, and the excitement rubs off on you. After the rescue, the story slightly dips into the characters' daily routine, and I began to wonder where it was going.

The dramatic closing caught me by surprise as it concluded the story, which I had begun to think, should have ended a few pages back. Many things get explained here and most of the questions that rose earlier are answered. The end was nice, sweet and sterile.

Good work with the potential to become great. I would highly recommend the author for one more round of editing. ( )

I am just absolutely blown away by the world Rita Stradling has created in the fabulous “Ensnared”, a futuristic “Beauty and the Beast” retelling set in a world in the not too distant future where robots are commonplace and moral questions must be asked about where ethical lines should be drawn. Alainn Murphy is drawn into an impossible situation when her father fails to complete a contract on time, her only solution to impersonate the robot he designed in her likeness for Lor, the reclusive billionaire who lives all alone in a secluded tower. But Alainn quickly discovers that things are not quite what they initially seem, both with Lor, and with the situation she’d once hoped to quickly extricate herself from.

I can only sing the praises of this novel, which is a blend of romance, a little sci-fi, and a little thriller combined. Stradling shows off her masterful storytelling in tight pacing and constant twists and turns in plot development. Things never start to feel slow, and I can admit to being at certain points early on in the novel and thinking “Wow, something like this is happening already!” and only finding myself unable to put the book down as the twists and turns in the conniving of who the real mastermind really was kept being further revealed. And that’s where Stradling excels as well. Her characters are richly drawn and deliciously complex, all with backstories we’re fed bit by bit, leaving me so sorry to finish the book, but eager to pick up another by her. I desperately enjoyed “Ensnared” and was thrilled to get to read!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book. ( )

A sci-fi retelling of Beauty and the Beast... Honestly, I had my reservations. But this turned out to be a rather interesting read.
(I did finish it in a day, picking it up every spare moment I had, but that might have been more because of my need to read after a few weeks almost devoid of books than the actual quality of the writing).
As said, it was an interesting read, with at it's core a solid re-interpretation of the fairytale against an AI-robotic-scifi background. But it was also lacking....something.
It felt rushed in some parts, over-elaborate in others. The story has real potential, but just feels like it isn't there quite yet.
I am putting this author on my 'read more of' list, I'm curious to see how her writing will mature in the future. ( )

Take Beauty and the Beast.... add in robots, AI technology and other sci-fi gadgetry...and you've got Ensnared.

Alainn Murphy is determined to keep her father out of prison. He was hired to create an ultra-advanced robot for a reclusive wealthy man and has been working on it for months. But the deadline has come and gone and the Rose project isn't finished. The project's backer, Lorccan Garbhan, has refused to extend the deadline or provide more funds. In his mind, Alainn's father has stolen from him, wasting his money on gambling instead of completing the robot he was hired to design. Alainn's brother and the family's AI robot are working to complete the project. To buy more time, they decide Alainn should enter Garbhan's household pretending to be the completed robot. Then when the project is actually completed, the new robot and Alainn will switch places and nobody will be the wiser.

But, the plan goes wrong. Horribly wrong. Not only is Alainn stuck pretending to be a robot, but she's falling in love with Lorccan.

I love the Beauty and the Beast story! When I saw this book listed as a futuristic retelling of the story, I knew I had to read it! In a lot of ways, the story does mirror the basics of Beauty and the Beast, but it just didn't have that magical feel of the more traditional story for me. The romance between the main characters fell a bit flat because Lorccan thinks she's a robot. When Alainn was unable to suppress her human reactions to things -- laughing, showing desire, needing food -- -how could he not have realized he was being tricked and that she wasn't a robot?

I didn't dislike the book -- I enjoyed reading it! The story line was really interesting -- I loved the sci-fi angle. The retelling is original and engaging. But the characters just fell a bit flat for me. I really didn't feel invested in the characters or their romantic situation. I think maybe if I wasn't such a big fan of the original story that I would have enjoyed this futuristic retelling a bit more.

This is a retelling aimed at adults. There are sexual scenes in this story and some language, so parental guidance is required before letting anyone under the age of 16 read this book.

To find out more about the author and her books, check out her website: http://ritastradling.wixsite.com/rita-stradling-books ( )

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Even though I’ve been burned in the past by fairytale retellings, I had to give Ensnared by Rita Stradling a chance. I mean, look at that cover! Though now there are two covers, the delightful one I used for this post, but also a sleek blue one, both are fitting and intriguing. Beauty and the Beast with a twist and in the future. That’s what it was marketed as, and that’s what I got. Straight, simple, to the point.

Set in a future full of advanced AI, Alainn is forced to go undercover as a robot ordered by reclusive millionaire Lorccan to keep her father from prison. Though she doesn’t want to, and it definitely wasn’t her plan, she goes along with it. Things proceed exactly as you think it would considering it’s a retelling. What makes it really stand out is the use of AI. It’s truly unsettling and definitely makes you think twice about giving Siri or Alexa access to everything.

This was well-paced, the romance was soft and easy (there is sex so keep that in mind if you’re picking this up). Characters were developed just enough to make you want to continue the story, and the world building enough to sustain the plot. I’m sure if the book were longer, or made into a series, there would be some serious snags, but as is, Ensnared by Rita Stradling is a truly enjoyable sci-fi rendition of Beauty and the Beast that I thoroughly adored.

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this title. // ( )