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4.10.2014

What I'm Reading :: Beautiful Bastard

Just a note...this is actually the second time I'm writing this post. I got through ALL the way to the end before Blogger decided to delete it all and autosave. I threw a little tantrum, did some retail therapy (I wasn't having the best day in the first place) and now I'm back. 

I am not ashamed to admit that I've read and reread all three books in the Fifty Shades of Grey series. I know there are still women out there who keep their Christian Grey fantasies a secret, but I will tell you right now that I'm counting down to Valentine's Day next year. 

Now, enter the Beautiful Bastard series. To be honest, it took me a while to actually want to read the book because of the name, but I quickly got over it once I realized how addicting the story is. 
About Beautiful Bastard...

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He's exacting, blunt, inconsiderate--and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard. 

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family's massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who'd been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative--completely infuriating--creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he's never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe's so tempting he's willing to bend the rules--or outright smash them--if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they're willing to lose in order to win each other.

There are three main books in the Beautiful series and a handful of smaller novellas with lots of lemons and fluff, not that I'm complaining. The first book, Beautiful Bastard, isn't actually my favorite of the three - that would be the third, Beautiful Player. The second, Beautiful Stranger, is probably the most...devious, as much as I hate that word. Each book focuses on a different couple, all of whom are friends and whose worlds intertwine. Each one is steamy, absolutely hilarious, and so sweet in the most unexpected of ways. 

Probably one of the things I love most about these books are the characters. A big problem I have with contemporary fiction, including Fifty Shades of Grey, is how everyone feels the need to suppress the female characters. Every time I start reading a book and it's revealed that the main characters are a virgin and a bad boy, I have to take a step away and think about whether or not I actually want to read it. This series most definitely breaks that mold. You have really strong female characters who are sexually confident, successful, smart, and do not let a man dominate her (unless it's in the bedroom). It's refreshing, really. 

I'm also a sucker for series that weave multiple story lines in one universe, which might be why I love this series so much. Another example of this would be the Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines, which I absolutely adore. That one is more sexy young adult, and I could totally see it being made into a teenage drama a la OC or Dawson's Creek. It's fantastic. 

I've read a few other books lately, including Play in the Stage Dive series. I did a little review of Lick last year, which was the first book in the series, and I have to say that I liked Play just as much! This series also has different characters and stories incorporated into the one Stage Dive universe, but with a rock star twist. These books are hilarious and wonderful in every way possible, and I cannot wait for the next to come out!

I would also recommend LoveLines, which was completely adorable, and the Unidentified Redhead, though I'm only on the second book in that series. As of today, I'm happy to report that I'm actually ahead of my reading schedule, and have read twenty-one books toward my goal of seventy-five for the year!

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3 comments:

Unknown said...

I started to read this book, but halfway through, I realized that a lot of the character's names are based off of twilight, and I haven't had the chance to finish it yet. Though, I have to admit that this book is pretty good, I kind of wished that the authors changed up the names a little.

Unknown said...

It's kind of odd - I actually read this book a few months ago, and recently read the series, but in the editions that I've read, none of them have the same names? I honestly didn't even know it started out as fan fic, since I think the characters were really different than those from Twilight. When did you download the book? I know that authors will update every once in a while, so I would definitely look into that. In the version that I read, his brother's name was Henry, his wife's name was Mila, and their parents weren't Esme and Carlisle. Again, just odd that we read two different versions?

Unknown said...

I believe that it started out as fanfiction, and then it probably developed into a book. I've had this book sitting on my macbook since I first heard about it. I'm probably going to need to check out the newest edition. Thanks for the info! :)