Curses

Merit Cravan's mother arranged a marriage for her daughter to a prince, but he was not the prince of any girl's dreams.  When Merit refused to marry the much older man, a fairy godling cursed her into the form of a beast.  Now she must marry a man her mother approves of by her eighteenth birthday or be cursed to live as a beast forever.

Tevin Dumont is a con man in a family of cons.  His usual scam is convincing rich girls to fall in love with him so their parents will pay him off.  His parents are the least responsible members of his family, and when his mother crosses the beast, she decides her handsome son will be a good trade for her freedom.

Merit doesn't want a prisoner, but she does want recompense.  She and Tevin make a deal.  He and his friends will go undercover as wealthy guests to help her determine which of her many suitors would be the best match.  What better judge of character is there than a con man?

But there is more going on in this political game of matchmaking than either of them knows, and the more time Tevin spends with Merit, the less he wants her to marry any of the options her mother approves.  

Lish McBride's gender swapped Beauty and the Beast tale is a fun romantic adventure.  One of the most questionable parts of the traditional story is removed since Tevin is not kidnapped and held as a prisoner.  He is simply paying off his mother's debt, and it is clear he could leave at any time.  Even though he is less inclined to do so the longer he stays.  I loved the support group for cursed people, and I really think McBride should do a sequel with the diamonds and toads sisters.  There is also plenty of LGBTQIA representation across the spectrum of secondary characters.  Highly recommended.