Review: Tainted Beauty

Tainted Beauty by Alesha Adamson is the first book in the All That Glitters series and the last book for me to complete after receiving ARCs of every other book before I got to it. Ending with the beginning, this series has now come full circle for me. Tainted Beauty is a combined retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" and "King Midas." Both stories are blended together equally with no bias toward one or the other. It is a sweet romance with lots of magic and dragon lore. Among the All That Glitters series, this story shares the most similarities to Rapunzel's Gambit by Mary Mecham, but it still stands out as a unique and original dual fairy tale adaptation.


Aurelius seeks the aid of a dragon to restore his family's fortune. The ability to turn anything he touched into gold sounded like a great idea at first, until he accidentally froze his own mother in a gilded prison, turning the blessing into a curse. Soon, he realized that he was a threat to anyone he encountered and decided to cut himself off from society. He receives some solace in the ability to transform into a dragon once a day, rendering the curse null and void in his transformative state. However, this power comes with its own limitations, especially after he rescues the kind-hearted Melora from an arranged marriage and is afraid to tell her his true identity for fear that she will only see him as a monster.

Melora's stay at the castle is split between her time with Aurelius in his glittering human form and with the dragon, without realizing they are the same person. Though she cares for both of them, it isn't until he can be honest with her about who he is and come to terms with his past that a romance can start to blossom. The usually unassuming and humble Melora is not put off by the ostentatious display of gold surrounding her caretaker. Instead, she is more offended by Aurelius's refusal to touch her, even when she needs assistance, due to her ignorance of his curse. Overall, the biggest theme of the story is self-acceptance.

I never would have come up with the idea of combining "Beauty and the Beast" with "King Midas" on my own, yet it works quite well. Melora escapes an abusive father and fiancé to a world of glittering splendor. After a lifetime of being forced to earn her keep, it takes time for her to realize that Aurelius wants her to be comfortable in his domain. The book also incorporates one of the sisters from the original "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale in a more positive light. Melora has a sweet bond with her little sister, Nerissa, and her desire to protect her from their father's abuse extends to the indomitable protection of Aurelius in his dragon form.

Tainted Beauty by Alesha Adamson is a glittering retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" and "King Midas," expertly blending the two classic tales into a unique narrative. With its sweet romance, magical world-building, and themes of self-acceptance, this book is a must-read for fans of fairy tale adaptations. The dual perspective of Aurelius and Melora adds depth to the story, and their bond is both tender and compelling. If you're looking for a fresh take on beloved fairy tales, Tainted Beauty is definitely worth adding to your reading list.
I have always dreamed of being a writer and creating the next great fairy tale princess heroine. Princesses inspire us to be our best selves. While you're here, feel free to follow my page on Facebook, subscribe to my YouTube channel, and check out my books. I'm also on Instagram and Twitter.

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Comments

susan1375 said…
I have always found it interesting how traditional fairy tales are reworked, sometimes they work sometimes they don’t. This sounds like a great read.
August 10, 2025 at 10:46 AM
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