"THE BEAUTY AND THE BEASTLY, SCARRED HERO"--classic story line--no matter how it's told--here are a number of entertaining versions

 

 

Beauty and the Scarred Hero  by Emily May

The scars of major Reynolds. Major Nicholas Reynolds returns from the Battle of Waterloo a hero. Once, his rakish good looks ensured he had his pick of beauties, but now his battle-scarred face exiles him from high society. Lady Isabella Knox is horrified by the cruel gossip surrounding Nicholas, but intrigued by the man whose steely glance makes her blush on the outside...and burn deep onthe inside. A few stolen kisses later this beauty knows she's lost her head -- and her heart-- to the most notorious gentleman of the ton...

Once A Rake (Zebra Historical Romance)  by Rona Sharon

Irresistible seduction only leads to...

War had scarred the Earl of Ashby's face...and perhaps his soul. Before being wounded in the Napoleonic war and shunning society, the dashing lord had been a notorious rake. Now, Isabel Aubrey, a proper lady, dares to approach the masked, reclusive nobleman for a large donation to a worthy charity—and decides she must save him from his self-loathing. She begins to flirt. He responds. She invites him to a masquerade ball. He accepts and dazzles her with a kiss.

The most scandalous passion...

But Isabel already has a fiancé, and despite her attraction to the earl, she knows she must reject him. Yet no force on earth is greater than the passion that leads her into his bed; nothing she has ever experienced is more exciting and erotic. Now he asks her to stay with him although it will mean her ruin. Isabel must not say yes—and the smitten earl cannot let her say no. To win her body and her heart, he initiates an outrageous scheme that only a rake would devise—and no woman can resist.

Beauty and the Baron (Harlequin Historical Series)

 
by Deborah Hale

Handsome rakehell turned scarred recluse Lord Lucius Daventry had returned from battle intent on forgetting the past. Yet once home, Lucius was presented with one final mission: marry Angela Lacewood and grant his ailing grandfather's dying wish. Or at least pretend to marry. But the young beauty he remembered was now an exquisite woman. A woman strong enough to breach the walls he hid behind and steal his heart. 

 

Beauty and the Beast  by Hannah Howell

On the eve of her wedding to the heir of Saitum Manor, the stunningly beautiful Gytha is shocked to learn that her betrothed, a man she barely knew, is dead. Now, she must marry the new heir, Thayer Saiturn, a battle-hardened knight known as the Red Devil...

With a face scarred in battle and a heart broken in love, Thayer has no interest in marriage. But not even the Red Devil can break the promise his foster-father made years ago and soon finds himself married to a woman whose exquisite beauty and sweet innocence intrigue him. But can his new bride look beyond his scars to find a hidden passion and undying love locked deep inside him? 


 

 

Prisoner of the Flames  by Dawn MacTavish

A horribly scarred Scottish laird goes to Paris to seek healing from the great Nostradamus, and instead finds love with a blind flower girl--and finds himself drawn into a French civil war!
 

MY REVIEW:  An appealing hero and a fascinating historical setting elevate the story line of "Prisoner of the Flames", by Dawn MacTavish. Robert Mack, Laird of Berwickshire, ruled Hume Castle and his Scottish lands with a keen mind and a just heart. Brave in battle, and a seasoned warrior, he was tall and strong. However, one side of his face had been horribly scarred by fire when he was a babe in his cradle. As he grew, the burned skin marred and pulled that side of his face, but the other side was untouched and quite handsome. He wears a helmet which covers his twisted visage, and few have actually seen his real face. As he nears his thirtieth year, he is lonesome and feels the need to marry and produce an heir. Due to his disfigurement, the only female company he has known has been that for which he has paid. With a letter of sponsorship from his Uncle Aengus, a respected monk, Robert travels to Paris, France to seek the healer, Nostradamus. Hoping that the mysterious physician can help his damaged face, Robert dreams of a future free of the oppressive helmet. Robert's journey will one not just of the body, but also of the heart and mind. He will rescue a beautiful, blind young flower girl, Violette, not once, but numerous times, and she will change the course of his life forever. He will meet the great and wise Nostradamus, who cannot heal the flesh burned so long ago, but who will guide Robert toward the destiny of his heart. In sixteenth century France, religion, politics, and superstition are ever at war, and, against his will, Robert becomes embroiled in the deadly, devastating conflicts of the times. With his personal mission greatly changed, and a chance at last for happiness, Robert must fight with all his might to protect those he loves and return to his home in Scotland. The time and place in history, the use of the mystical Nostradamus as an integral character, and the very worthy Robert as the main character made this an enjoyable read. The story line would have been much improved with more development of the character of Violette, who remained almost one-dimensional throughout the story. Robert deserved better.

Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

FOR MORE OF MY REVIEWS:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2333268-virginia-campbell?order=d&sort=date_read&view=reviews