Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard #1) by Christina Lauren

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. 

Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

3.75 Stars

“What’s that?” he hissed through clenched teeth, his hips slapping against my thighs driving him deep inside. “Never been fucked like this before, have you? You wouldn’t be such a tease if you were being properly fucked.”

Who did he think he was? And why the hell did it turn me on so much that he was right?

“I’ve had better,” I taunted. 

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked up this book. The reviews I’ve read so far were okay and far from stellar, but the blurb drew me in. I decided to go into this with an open mind and just went with it. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying the story. Yes, it was basically the H/h fighting all the time then having incredibly hot sex before and afterwards, but I guess I didn’t mind at all. Shocker, I know. **snort** I think I’m twisted in some way. I loved the banter between the two. It’s like the harder they fought, the harder they fucked. And that, my friends, is all right by me. ;)

Nine months. Nine fucking months of morning wood, jacking off, and endless fantasies about someone I didn’t even want. Well, that wasn’t complete true. I wanted her. I wanted her more than any woman I’d ever seen. The big problem was I also hated her. 

Chloe has worked for Ryan Media Group for last six years, but for the last nine months, her work environment changed dramatically. That’s when the boss’ son, Bennett Ryan, returned. She now works directly for him and it is no easy task. Yes, Bennett is sexy and his presence demands attention, but he can be one big asshole. He is not an easy man to work for. He is oneBeautiful Bastard.

It’s no secret around the office that Bennett and Chloe do not get along. They’re both very driven and both have very strong personalities. They hate each other and neither shows any weaknesses toward one another. As much as they try to deny it, they're both attracted to one another, strongly. All the built up sexual tension between them soon turns into them pouncing on each other in the conference room, but once was never going to be enough for the two of them. They find that they can’t keep their hands off each other, especially after arguing. These two are doing it whenever and wherever. How long can they keep up this charade? Sooner or later someone is going to get hurt. 

“Go ahead and rip them…you know you want to,” she murmured into my ear and then bit down hard. A half-second later, her panties were nothing but a mess of lace in the corner of the room. 

It’s no doubt that this had tons of hot sexy times. Like. Lots. But along with their steamy moments, I did enjoy their softer/human sides. It was refreshing to see underneath their tough outer shells. They were both human, secretly longing to find the one person they could not live without. I think that’s what I liked most in the book; the times where they slowly revealed who they really are. Also, is it demented that I found Bennett’s hoarding of Chloe’s underwear funny? Seriously, the dude really does rips 99% of them off and then keeps them as mementos. Everytime he did this, I found myself shaking my head, snickering. lol. I had fun reading this. The beginning was a little slow, but it picked up fast and hard. Yes, pun intended :) I know it won’t be for everyone, but for me, the story worked. 

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing the ARC. 

This Man (This Man #1) by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Young interior designer Ava O’Shea has an appointment for a first consultation at The Manor with the owner, Mr Jesse Ward. She is expecting nothing more than an overweight, cravat wearing, well-to-do countryman, and on arrival, nothing would suggest otherwise. How wrong could she be? This Man is devastatingly handsome, charming and confident. He is also a conceited, hedonistic playboy, who knows no boundaries. Ava desperately does not want to be attracted to him, but she can’t control the overwhelming affect he has on her. Every instinct is telling her to run, so she does, but Jesse Ward is not so willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her. She knows she is heading for heartbreak, but how can she run when he won’t let her?

The Hero in the book, I hear, is BRITISH!!!!! Yea. Nuff said. I'm sold. ;)

4.5 Stars

His face is serious, but still stunning. 'How loud do you think you'll scream when I fuck you?' 

Holy. Bloody. Fucking. Hell. I...I...I don't know what to fucking say. I'm rendered a bit speechless. This story has left me in a state of frustration; I'm completely dumbfounded. What the hell did I just read? I've never read a story that has left me with more questions than answers. I don’t ever remember feeling like this. Ever. Don’t get me wrong, this story was all kinds of…smutty, sexy, frustrating fun. I’m think I’m just stunned. I need book two. Oh fuck it. I need the next two books because I have a feeling that if this book ended like this, I’m sure the author will undoubtedly leave us salivating after the end of book two. **sigh** Deep breaths. 

‘I’m…going…to…possess every.single.part.of.you,’ He punctuates each word clearly and sharply, ‘There will be nowhere on this beautiful body that won’t have had me in it, on it or over it.’ 

Holy. Bloody. Fucking. Hell. Get use to these words because I’ll be saying this a lot during this review. Oh Ava, Ava, Ava. This poor woman didn’t know what she was getting into when she went to The Manor to meet her potential client. The rich gentleman client asked for her personally to work on designing the extension of his ‘hotel.’ A stodgy man is what she expected. What she didn’t expect was sex personified. Jesse Ward is devastatingly sexy. What is it with This Man that makes her, and us, weak in the knees. 

He rips his hand from the apex of my thighs and knocks me away from his throbbing arousal. In one measured movement, he moves his hands to my backside, lifts me and impales me onto his waiting length.

OUCH! Oh my God and fucking hell! 

**Deep Breath** Fuck. Me. Jesse is one intense man. That’s an understatement actually. He’s so many other things, too: Persistent, controlling, possessive, aggressive and a bit manipulative. Ava doesn’t know what to make of him. I don’t know what to make of him. OMG! He is so overwhelming! Ava is in constant whiplash when it comes to this man. Throughout the story, no matter how Ava ‘tried’ she could not shake Jesse. Ignoring her feeling/libido (because let’s face it, her feelings were intertwined with her libido), was pointless. Jesse was so overbearing that she tried to push him away, but he was the most persistent man, ever. He would not take the hint. Why was he was pursuing her so hard core? The thing is this question, and many others, were left unanswered. I’m still in shock at how adamantly he was in perusing her and never ever even knew why. I’m at a loss. 

‘I’m going to distract you some more now. We need to make friends.’ 

We need to make friends. Ha! This phrase has taken on a whole new meeting. It practically makes me blush at thinking about the hiding meaning behind these words. Let’s just say that Ava and Jesse spend a lot of time making friends in this story. The sex in this book is in-fucking-credible. It will leave you squirming, your jaw gaping and sometimes, just Flat. Out. Stunned. Whew!Ummm, yea. What was I saying? **Shakes head** Sorry, I was reminiscing the sexy times these two had and I was in a daze for a moment. This story will do that to you, you know. It will also leave you frustrated, but in a good way, though. I seriously cannot wait for book two. I already miss making friends with Jesse. **Smirks**

Sometimes Never (Sometimes Never #1) by Cheryl McIntyre

Hope didn't have the best role model when it came to relationships. She’s content with her current no-strings-attached extracurricular activity with the lead singer of her band. She’s never believed in love and commitment.

Mason starts his eighth school in five years anticipating nothing more than the usual—boring classes, fighting more than making friends, and girls happily willing to succumb to his easy smile. He’s never put much stock into love at first sight—until he sees her.

Regardless of their painful pasts, Hope and Mason discover that sometimes never can become forever.

*This is a mature young adult. Recommended for 17+ due to sensitive subject material, harsh language, and sexual situations.

3.75-4 Stars

“I’m afraid that if I let myself feel the way I do about you, ugh, I’m so afraid you’ll realize what I am, and you’ll walk away. And it’ll hurt me.”

“What are you?” I hold my breath, waiting.

“Broken,” she murmurs. 

This is story reminded me a lot of Colleen Hoover’s Hopeless. So if you’re a fan of that story, you might want to hold off on reading this. Strange request, I know, but hear me out. I really liked this story, and maybe if I had read this first, I might’ve actually loved this. However, I’m still in a Hopeless funk and that story Wowed the frick out of me. This is a wonderful story in its own right. I just think I should’ve picked it up after some time off from my Hopeless high. Am I making any sense? 

Anything could happen at any second. So why bother? Why bother meeting people? Making friends? Caring about someone? Falling in love? It’s just going to end. Taken away, ripped from my hands. Tore from my heart. ~ Hope 

Hope is one messed up chick; seriously fucked up. She’s not your typical teenage girl. She’s got multicolored hair and her attitude is sometimes scary. She can seriously kick any guy’s ass. What isn’t well known about Hope is that she’s hiding a pretty dark secret. She’s got this whole laundry list of issues that I cannot even begin to divulge. Something happens to her in her past and believes that she is not worthy of love. She doesn’t do relationships. Even her boyfriend isn’t even a boyfriend. No labels, that’s too personal. However, when she meets Mason, how much longer could she hide behind her tough persona? 

Mason Patel is my counterpart. He is the eraser to my chalk. The milk to my cereal. The chocolate to my peanut butter. We were made for each other…

It’s like I can breathe better. Stand taller. Smile easier. It’s ridiculous. I have this sinking feeling I’m going to regret this. That this boy is going to end up inflicting the worst pain I’ve ever felt. 

I absolutely LOVE Mason Patel. Just an FYI, he made it onto my elite ultimate book boyfriend list. That’s saying something. Anyway, Mason is immediately drawn to Hope. He wants to get to know this girl who just kicked a jock’s ass. She is nothing like the girls he used to date, if you could even call his previous relationships “dating.” Hope is a tough cookie to crack, but he’s a patient man and sooner or later, Hope is going to crack. But when he finds out Hope’s secrets, how will he react? 

I’m done counting the days. Now because of you I’m making the days count. 

This really was a very good story, one I really liked, a lot. The author dealt with some seriously dark issues and handled it very well. The relationship between Mason and Hope is a beautiful one. It’s amazing when you find the one person who truly mattered and can change your life like that. Just beautiful. However, there were times where I wanted to smack some sense into Hope. How she treated Mason at times made me so angry at her. Plus the ending left me a little disappointed. No worries, it ends happily, but it felt just a little rushed Anyway, I have no problems recommending this read, just go into it without certain expectations and with a little patience with Hope’s character.

Come Away with Me (Meet Me in Seattle #1) by Kristen Proby

Being confronted on the beach by a sexy stranger wasn't part of Natalie Conner's plans for a peaceful morning taking photos. And why on earth would he think she's taking pictures of him, anyway? Who is he? One thing’s for sure, he’s hot, and incredibly romantic, feeding Natalie’s wounded soul.

Luke Williams just wants the world to give him a break, so seeing yet another camera aimed at his face has him ready to pounce on the beauty behind the lens. When he finds out she has no idea who he is, he's intrigued and more than a little tempted by her. Natalie has a body made for sex, a sassy mouth and Luke can’t get enough of her, but he’s not ready to tell her who he really his.

Natalie is a no nonsense girl who doesn’t do well with lies and secrets. What will happen to this new relationship when she discovers what Luke’s hiding?

3.5-3.75 Stars

“Because you’re the first woman I’ve brought into my home and all I can think about is getting your beautiful body naked and fucking you senseless.” 

Holy shit! Umm, yea. That’s hot. 

I’ve been wanting to read this for a while now and figured it was good time as any to finally do so. I could never say no to a celebrity Hero character. I’ve read my fair share of these types of stories, you know…the ones where a famous hot actor meets and falls for the typical, non-celebrity, girl. I’m a sucker for those, especially when the steam factor is as hot as this one. 

I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful, sexy, sweet, jealous control freak. 

Shit. 

After taking scenic pictures, Natalie is surprised when a man approaches her and demands her camera. Is she getting mugged? No. Luke is just sick and tired of people taking pictures of him. He’s getting tired of living the celebrity life. He wants his privacy and this woman taking his picture is unacceptable. However, when he learns that she has no clue as to who he is, he’s both embarrassed and intrigued by her. How could she not know who he is? Luke finds this very refreshing and wants nothing more than get to know this stranger. 

The relationship between Luke and Natalie progressed at a very nice rate. Nothing seemed too rushed and the steam between the two was very H-O-T! Normally celebrity love stories often involve long drawn out dramas and miscommunications between the H/h. Though this one had a few minor (like very minor) ones, it was refreshing just to read and not feel angry and frustrated at the drama. It was just a story about the two of them getting to know one another and falling in love. It was a nice change of pace and I’m sure I’ll be checking out more from this author. 

The Valentine's Arrangement by Kelsie Leverich

Tattoo artist Ronnie Clark is counting the days until Valentine's Day is over. Ronnie doesn't do romance. She doesn't do flowers or dates, and she sure as hell doesn't do love--not anymore. After her fiancé cheated on her while deployed, she has vowed never to fall in love again, especially with a soldier.

Sergeant First Class Kale Emerson is home on his mid-tour leave from Iraq, but he can't wait to return to finish leading his soldiers on their mission. He's got no time for a relationship...but casual sex, that's a different story. And when he meets Ronnie, a snarky, gorgeous, take-no-prisoners kind of woman, a fast fling is all he can think about. But when Kale realizes he's met his match with a bombshell woman who is hell bent against love, will just sex be enough? And will winning her over both body and soul be the toughest battle he ever fought?

Three Stars

"You can stop mind fucking me now."

Kale's eyes came close to popping out of his head. "Excuse me?"

Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Let's get this straight, Soldier. I'm not sleeping with you. You can get it out of your pretty little head, and I suggest you do so before I stick a needle to your skin." 

I saw this book on Facebook, thought the cover was beautiful, the blurb interesting and the next thing I knew, I had to have it. Maybe it was the kind of day I was having or if I was just in one of those moods where the cover was too pretty to say no to, but I had to start reading it immediately. I hate to say it, but this story didn't wow me. 

”I don’t have a problem with pain, baby. Touch me wherever your little heart desires,” he whispered as his mouth reached her ear.

Holy fucking…he was driving her body insane. 

Ronnie is a very talented tattoo artist who broke up with her ex-fiancé after finding out he cheated on her while he was deployed in Afghanistan. Men are just cheating bastards. With Valentines Day just around the corner, the last thing she needs is to meet a man like Kale. He’s a soldier and is sex on a stick. It’s pure lust at first site for both Kale and Ronnie. Both aren’t looking for a relationship, but both agree to just a physical relationship. I mean, he’ll be leaving soon again anyway, right? No strings attached, just sex. 

Well obviously we all know where the story goes from here. I did find Kale sexy and hot, though Ronnie did annoy me a little. I didn’t mind the predictability and the steam factor is very hot, but there was just something missing. I can’t really pinpoint it, but it’s the reason for the three star rating.