Cutie and the Beast is the first book in the Fae Out of Water series, a paranormal/fantasy romance series. One of my favorite things about this book is the worldbuilding: E.J. Russell mixes fairytales, folktales, and paranormal standards to create a fascinating world with it’s own unique rules. As the title of the book alludes to, there is an element of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale, but E.J. Russell puts her own spin on that trope which I really liked.
I fell in love with David—he was sweet, adorable, and had a spine of steel. He instantly became one of my favorite characters. His spunk and sass mixed with a caring nature and a determined spirit was refreshing and instantly won me over. Alun was sweet too, underneath all his angst, and I loved how protective he was over David, but still respected him. This was a fun book with an engaging and action-filled plot and sweet romance.