Beast
Once Upon a Villain
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Beast
Narrated by:
Autumn Ivy, Corvin King
Buy for $19.59
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Narrated by:
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Autumn Ivy
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Corvin King
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By:
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Bianca Cole
I’m just a pawn in a game for Mexico's wealthiest, cruelest man.
Following my abduction, I find myself in the opulent home of Gaston Marques, Mexico's most feared billionaire. He's dark, he's dangerous, and he's obsessed with possessing me. I detest him and resist him, but he doesn't care. He takes what he wants, and he wants me.
But then, something shifts. In this gilded cage, I see glimpses of a different side of Gaston amidst the darkness. And against all my better judgment, I find myself drawn to him, pulled in by his magnetism. Even as I push back, I can't deny his strange and powerful attraction.
When my friends devise a daring plan to rescue me, Gaston lets me go. But there’s a twist. He follows me. He's determined to win me over in my world, a place where he's the outsider, not me. I tell him it's impossible, that we could never be. But love, especially one as twisted and intoxicating as ours, doesn't play by the rules.
Beast is the fifth book in the Once Upon a Villain series by Bianca Cole. This dark, billionaire mafia romance explores themes that may be disturbing to some listeners. No cliffhanger and a happily-ever-after ending means this book can be listened to as a standalone.
©2024 Bianca Cole (P)2025 Bianca ColeListeners also enjoyed...
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Romance: 🩷💚❤️💙
Spice/Steam: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂😁😛😍
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Duet Narration
Characters and Plot
Blake and several of her friends have been kidnapped and held in isolated cells. Blake has ADHD and relies on medication she has not received since her abduction. Without it, she feels an uncomfortable itch beneath her skin and worries about how long she can maintain control. The girls were kept apart until the previous day, when their captors began what they call “training.” Now they are held together, hoping they can support one another through whatever comes next.
The Trainers enter the cell and force the girls to strip and kneel. Blake keeps her eyes down even though every instinct tells her to fight. She understands that the men are trying to break them into obedience and submission. They humiliate the girls by describing what awaits them once they are sold, telling them to expect a life spent on their backs. Blake senses that one of the men feeds on her pain and humiliation and wants her to resist so he can justify hurting her. She knows that the men who buy women are not the kind of men anyone would want to meet.
Gaston arrives at Iliana Navarro’s establishment excited to see the new “stock.” His last girl did not last long with him because she lacked fire. Iliana suspects he kills the girls once he is done with them, but he actually puts them to work for him after he grows bored. Gaston is pleased to learn the new girls have only just begun their training. Since training often breaks them, he prefers to take one before that process is complete. He notices that Taran, one of Iliana’s male workers, reacts when Gaston approaches the redheaded girl.
Despite that, Gaston is drawn to the blonde girl at the end of the row. Her spirit and defiance catch his attention immediately. He knows she is the one he wants and claims her on the spot. In his mind, he is saving her. He believes he is taking her from what will be a most likely hellish existence and giving her a life in luxury with him. Gaston avoids real relationships, which is why he buys women instead. Iliana is charging fifteen million for these girls, so he hopes this one holds his interprets longer than the last. Gaston uses his girls both as domestic servants and for his own gratification, and he imagines Blake will love his beautiful home in the city.
Highlights and Limitations
One of the strongest elements of the story is Gaston’s immediate obsession with Blake. His reactions to her are noticeably different from how he behaved with any of the women in his past. It created a surprising emotional conflict because he is undeniably compelling, even though he willingly participates in human trafficking. Gaston begins as an intense and morally grey character, but his development is satisfying. He evolves into a man who genuinely loves Blake and is willing to push past his own boundaries to treat her with the agency and respect she deserves. He shifts from viewing her as property to seeing her as someone he wants to please. He also moves from believing he grows bored with women to realizing he will never tire of Blake and wants to ensure she never tires of him either.
Some plot points did not fully align with what the blurb suggested. The blurb implied that Blake’s friends rescue her and that Gaston follows, so it seemed like that would happen early in the story. Instead, Blake remains captive for quite some time. She and Gaston even have a conversation about how, if he truly wants her to belong to him, he must let her go. He does not want to, but he understands her reasoning and agrees to it, echoing the idea that if you love something, you set it free.
Another confusing element involves a cartel boss who wants territory from Gaston in Mexico City in order to take down Iliana Navarro. When Gaston refuses, the cartel boss approaches the board of Gaston’s tech company. Gaston built the company from nothing and has always worked with intense focus, but the boss suggests that Gaston’s newest acquisition is distracting him. The board members have already noticed that Gaston’s attention toward Blake at a charity event was different from how he treated women in the past. Gaston shuts down their concerns, explaining that working more normal hours, instead of the hours of 2 or 3 men, does not make him any less essential to the company. This part makes sense, but it feels contradictory that he immediately takes Blake on a yacht vacation afterward, which undermines the image he just defended.
Narration
The audiobook is performed in dual points of view with duet narration by Corvin King and Autumn Ivy. Autumn Ivy’s voice suits Blake perfectly. She captures Blake’s defiance and determination with a tone that feels authentic to the character. Corvin King delivers a deep, compelling performance that fits Gaston’s dominant personality. His voice is rich and commanding, and he excels during the more intense and intimate moments. Together, they create a dynamic listening experience that enhances the emotional tension of the story.
Final Opinion
This audiobook delivers a dark, emotionally charged story that blends captivity, obsession, and character transformation. Blake’s resilience and Gaston’s evolution from a morally grey buyer to a man capable of genuine love create a compelling dynamic. While certain plot elements feel inconsistent or at odds with the blurb, the emotional core of the story remains strong. The narration elevates the material, especially through Corvin King’s standout performance. Overall, this is an intense and engaging listen for readers who enjoy dark romance with complex characters and a strong focus on psychological and emotional development. I did go back and get the rest of the series on both audible and kindle unlimited so I can immersive read them all.
Sold, Claimed, and Impossible to Break
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I have loved all of Cole’s books
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