The Beastвђ™s Bargain By Eva Devon (2026)

The "Beast" in this retelling is not a physical monster but a man fractured by loss. The Duke of Ayrshire is "nearly broken" by the death of his brother. His isolation in a coastal castle is a form of mourning, where he occupies his time by obsessively tending to his late brother’s Roman artifact collection. Devon uses this collection as a bridge between the protagonists; while it represents a painful memorial for the Duke, it offers the very intellectual sanctuary Olivia craves. The Duke’s internal conflict centers on "mourning and duty"—the struggle to balance his love for his deceased kin with the burgeoning feelings he develops for Olivia. The Bargain: Knowledge for Presence

It involves transitioning from being a mere guardian of a dead man’s legacy to becoming an active participant in his own future. The Beast’s Bargain by Eva Devon

This means choosing between filial duty (an advantageous match) and her own happiness (intellectual pursuit). The "Beast" in this retelling is not a