Originally published a few years back, Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s new found popularity with Mexican Gothic is bringing back a few books that may have been missed on the bookshelf. One of these titles is The Beautiful Ones, and it is being reissued this April.
Nina is not what one thinks of when one pictures a socialite. Sent to live with her cousin and his bitter wife Valerie, Nina finds herself running afoul of her almost immediately and making a mess of her Grand Season. With genetic skills of telekinesis, Nina has to hide her greatest gift to run from her nickname back home in the county, The Witch of OldHouse. Nina encounters entertainer Hector Auvray, a man who has powers similar to her own. He has recently returned from traveling the world with the hope of reclaiming the love of Valerie, who while he was away broke their engagement to marry Nina’s wealthy cousin. To get close to Valerie, Hector begins to court Nina so he may be in close to her in her home. Nina must learn to play the games of socialites, while learning how to control her gifts, and falling in love with the one man who can help teach her. Valerie’s calculating and wickedness create serious drama, and Nina will need to choose whether to fall apart or grow in who she truly is.
The Beautiful Ones starts off a little slow, but that’s because there is a lot of backstory between Hector and Valerie. I don’t like bullies, and Valerie is no exception. She is calculating, cruel, and because she has suffered she wants others to do the same. Nina, however, is charming and original. It was hard not to fall in love with her. The Beautiful Ones is a delightful read.
