Cruel And Beautiful
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Authors: A.M. Hargrove,Terri E. Laine
Release Date: November 12, 2015
Cate Forbes, a dedicated college student with a carefully plotted future, doesn’t know the first thing about love. When she accepts a blind date with a rumored tasty piece of eye candy, she thinks she can get by with a night of fun. Cate’s plans quickly unravel when she gets one look at the sexy…
Drew McKnight.
The relentless hockey-playing medical resident knows what he wants—a career in Oncology and Cate. Although he’s heard the gorgeous brunette is a little relationship skittish, a single night out isn’t what he has in mind. Determined to have her—in every way possible—he shows her just what a future with him would hold.
Only life has other plans. The unthinkable happens and everything begins to shatter. Both in too deep, they will have to fight the cruel and hang onto the beautiful.
Cruel and Beautiful is a New Adult Contemporary Romance standalone, full-length novel based on true events, and includes mature content, not suitable for younger readers.
…promise me you’ll live. Just live, Cate. Do it for me.
I have no idea how to even begin reviewing this book. After reading the prologue, I knew I was in for a tear jerker, and yet nothing could have prepared me for the full effect. Nothing. Cruel and Beautiful was unlike any book I’ve ever read before. Beautifully tragic and emotionally charged, it’s one of those books that will stay with me for a long while. I finished it last night and still find myself thinking about it. It’s just one of those stories that will touch you on a visceral level. It’s impossible not to have it effect you, it’s just that moving.
When Drew McKnight first laid his eyes on Cate Forbes, he knew he wanted her. Drew is older with his sights set on a career in Oncology, while Cate is still a college student with no plans on relationships or falling in love. But this isn’t an angsty college romance of boy meets girl. It’s a touching love story of two soul mates. It’s captivating, endearing, emotional, and interspersed with just the right amount of humor. You get to watch these two fall in love slowly. You get to experience all their first smiles, emotions, feelings, everything, right alongside with them.
Cate was probably one of the most adorably quirky heroines I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I don’t think any other author could have pulled off a heroine that refers to her vagina as muffin or names it Louise, and actually have it be endearing instead of cheesy. But somehow these two authors did just that. Her lack of filter between her thoughts and what she says, her quirky Cate-ism, everything just worked for me. I fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
“Who the fuck is Louise?”
I hold up my index finger and jab it toward Louise.
“Jesus C. You named it Louise? How did I not ever know that?”
“It’s a private thing.”
Her random thoughts and banter with her best friend and Drew never failed to bring a smile to face. I’m not sure what it was that kept it from crossing over that line to annoying or cheesy, but it was utter perfection. I was laughing my fool ass off at everything.
“Louise loves my snake, Cate.”
“That’s not fair. This is real. I have to pee and I’m afraid.”
I love that the authors added that bit of humor to this emotional story. There was no unnecessary angst or drama. The book flowed flawlessly without any of it. It was a touching love story but it was also so much more. At 436 pages, it was definitely on the lengthy end, and I felt like it could have been cut down in certain parts. But the story never dragged for me either, so I can’t complain too much about it.
As for Drew? What can I tell you about Drew? He was perfection. Sweet yet with an incredibly sexy edge. He stole my heart and kept it, never to be the same again. This man was everything.
It’s told in alternating parts of Past and Present. Throughout the entire time the reader only begins to develop more and more questions. The connection behind everything kept me riveted to the pages from start to finish. I needed answers.
This is one of those stories where the less you know going in, the better. Even the tiniest detail can be a spoiler. So I recommend going in absolutely blind.
What I can tell you, is this is a book unlike any you’ve read before. If you want a romance that will break your heart and melt it at the same time, this is simply a must read. It’s heart-breakingly good. One of the most unique books I’ve read all year. This was my first book by these authors, and I can say with utmost certainty that it will not be my last. I’m a huge fan after this and look forward to whatever they have next.
If you’re looking for an emotional read that’s guaranteed to make even the strongest hearts cry, this is that book. Once you meet Cate and Drew you’ll know exactly what I mean.
ABOUT A. M. Hargrove
One day, on her way home from work as a sales manager A. M. Hargrove realized her life was on fast forward and if she didn’t do something soon, it would be too late to write that work of fiction she had been dreaming of her whole life. So she rolled down the passenger window of her fabulous (not) company car and tossed out her leather briefcase. Luckily, the pedestrian in the direct line of fire was a dodge ball pro and had über quick reflexes enabling him to avoid getting bashed in the head. Feeling a tad guilty about the near miss, A. M. made a speedy turn down a deserted side street before tossing her crummy, outdated piece-of-you-know-what laptop out the window. She breathed a liberating sigh of relief, picked up her cell phone, called her boss, and quit her job. Grinning, she made another call to her hubs and told him of her new adventure (after making sure his heart was beating properly again).
So began A. M. Hargrove’s career as a Naughty and Nice Romance Author.
Her books include Adult, New Adult and Young Adult Romances, including, The Guardians of Vesturon Series (Survival, Resurrection, Determinant, reEmergent, and the novella Beginnings); Dark Waltz and Death Waltz (The Praestani Novels); The Edge Series (Edge of Disaster, Shattered Edge, and Kissing Fire); The Tragic Series (Tragically Flawed and Tragic Desires); Exquisite Betrayal; Dirty Nights: The Novel; and The Hart Brothers Novels (Freeing Her, Freeing Him, and Kestrel).
Please find her at www.amhargrove.com.
ABOUT Terri E. Laine
Wife and mother of three, I’ve always been an avid reader. In my early years, my best friend and I would tell each other stories over the phone when we were bored. We called them our “soap operas” and generally revolved around whatever boy we liked at the time.
Over five years ago, I got this crazy idea to write a novel and try to publish it. And the rest is history. This journey has been a blessing, and a dream realized. I look forward to many more memories to come.
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