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.
See that utterly pathetic pile of melted, swooning goo on the floor right now? Yep. That’s me. Who would have thought I’d meet my end at the hands of a bearded, pierced, and man-bun wearing virgin?
Because if anyone was going to make my manwhore and asshole loving self fall completely head over heals for a virgin, it had to be Kristen Callihan. Having read 2 other male virgin books before this and being mostly underwhelmed, third time was most certainly the charm for me. Because this book? I loved it. I beyond loved it. I want to marry it and have it’s babies. I want to rub myself in it and roll around basking in it’s pure awesome all day. I want to lick it. Alright, you get the point here I think.
What I love particularly about this series, aside from the swoony heroes that somehow get better with each new book, is that the timeline progresses. What I mean is, with 
Adorably quirky, laugh out loud funny, and deliciously sexy, Nuts was the perfect escape read I’ve had in quite a while. Alice Clayton just gets better and better with each new book, but she simply outdid herself with this one. If the Nuts is anything to go by, we have quite a bit to look forward to in Alice’s new Hudson Valley series.
Roxie Callahan is a celbrity chef in hollywood catering to the rich, famous and the entitled. She loves to cook…dealing with some of her clients? Not so much. So when an unfortunate butter incident costs her almost most of her clients, suddenly her kooky mother’s request for her to come back to the town she grew up in and run the restaurant while she’s away doesn’t sound so bad. Then a certain bearded farmer changes her outlook on the small town entirely…
In addition to the fantastic secondary characters, the wit and the humor, the setting of the book is what really hooked me. The author did such a fabulous job truly engrossing the reader in this wonderful town. I couldn’t help but be transported there myself as I was reading it.
Ella Frank is a chameleon of genres. The woman is a damn genius is what she is. Whether it be contemporary, MM, Urban Fantasy, and now PNR, it seems like she really cannot do any wrong. I had no idea what to expect when I picked this book up, but I knew two things for sure:
Truth be told, I’m always hesitant with the first book in a PNR series because almost always it will suffer what I refer to as a case of the firsts. What I mean is, between the introduction of all the characters, the world building, and everything in between, I often find myself taking a while to get into the story and wrap my mind around everything. I was beyond thrilled and not a little surprised that that wasn’t the case here. I was sucked into the book immediately. The character development, the rich world building, the unbelievably sizzling sexual tension is what made this book the unputdownable read that it was.
Alasdair is a first sired; one of the most powerful vampires in existence second only to his sire; Vasilios. Ruthless, unapologetic, and with a magnetic sexual appeal there’s not much in life that Alasdair doesn’t have. His face has lured plenty a human to their death while experiencing a pleasure unlike any they’ve ever experienced. But he’s also a vampire of particular tastes. Being alive for centuries has ensured that not just anyone experiences the pleasure of receiving his carnal attentions. But then one human changes everything…
You know how sometimes you read a book by a new author and you just know that this is someone that you’re going to be hooked on for a long time? Exposed by Ivy Stone was that book for me. It was a page turner I never wanted to set down. The writing was complex, enthralling, with a touch of grit and incredibly sexy. The characters were well developed and multi-layered. What truly hooked me was the author’s voice and writing style. I simply couldn’t get enough of it. If this book is anything to go by, Miss Stone has quite the career ahead of her and she certainly got herself a huge fan in me.
Lindsey Jenkins has been to hell and back. She’s lost everything and had to pick up the pieces not only for herself but her younger sister when she was just a kid herself. Now she’s older, stronger, and with enough secrets that may very well bury her.
There were a few things that left me with questions about both Mason and Lindsey. Things that I wished were fleshed out a little bit more. Things about Lindsey’s past and how she got into the life that she did that I wish we got more development on. I also found myself questioning a few decisions that Mason made as a cop that I had difficulty suspending my disbelief on.
I became an instant fan of Meghan March when I first read 
Yve Santos is determined to stand on her own two feet. She’s no one’s mistress or kept woman. The last thing she needs in her life is an entitled billionaire, even if the asshole is sexier than sin. She wants nothing to do with him, and tells him that often. Unfortunately her words lack conviction when said asshole also turns her own body traitor on her and turns her on with just his broody stare and husky voice alone. 
But it’s also so much more than billionaire meets sassy but down on her luck heroine. There’s a very solid story that weaves flawlessly with the romance to make this one unputdownable read. While it’s clear that Lucas has his secrets, Yve has her own, and they may just be deadly. Can she let Lucas in enough to save her or will they crash and burn with their fiery passion? Guess you’ll have to read to find that out. You didn’t expect me to tell you that, did you? What I can tell you is that these books seem to get better and better for me. I loved everything about it; the characters, the romance, the writing, and the oh sweet baby jebus scorching hot sex. What? I never claimed to be virtuous here and the sex was that hot. All growly and hatey and everything. DELICIOUS. If you haven’t read this series yet, I strongly recommend you do. While you can just as easy read this book as a standalone, I think it’d be best enjoyed read in series order. Besides, if the last 2 heroes I read by Meghan March are anything to go by, Con and Simon are sure to be just as hot. Trust me on this, this is a series you need to read.
It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with all things J. Daniels (see what I did there?) and for damn good reason too. The woman never fails to serve up a hero that is guaranteed to make me pant and drool over. Ever since Mason was first introduced in 
Between her inner monologue and banter with Joey, Billy and Dylan, Sweet Obsession brought some major LOLs which is what I’ve come to associate with this author. She just has this perfect combination of sweet and sexy with laugh out loud funny. I can’t get enough of it.
Can you get a sweet and sexy romance with Melanie Harlow’s signature brand of light-hearted humor while dealing with a very heavy mental health issue? In the case of this book, that’s a resounding hell yes. As a matter of fact, I’m in awe of the author for actually pulling it off as well as she did. She wrote fantastic, multi-layered characters without taking away anything from their issue but still managing to write a feel good sort of romance. That’s no small feat if you ask me.
This beautifully written and emotional book is everything that I love about second chance romance. Everything. I’m not sure where I’ve been that I’m only discovering this fantastic author and this series now, but boy am I glad that it’s finally on my radar. Everything about this book worked for me; the writing, the secondary characters, the story, the romance, and most especially the H/h. Simply put, I adored it.
Oliver has always been Estelle’s older brother’s best friend…until a kiss changed everything. They had a few stolen moments together and then everything changed when Oliver walked away. Estelle may have moved on and got engaged to someone else, but she never got over Oliver.
I loved the alternating flashbacks from past to present in both their POVs. It truly allows the reader to be fully engrossed in their story and fall for both them just as hard. The writing is beautiful and flawless and it gripped me from the first chapter alone. I simply couldn’t put this book down.
If you’re looking for a touching and beautiful second chance romance, this series is an absolute must read. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to dive straight into 
His present was a lie and he didn’t know what his future held. One moment it seemed possible and the next a distant dream. His biggest worry was that if he stopped running, he’d die.
What is it about an MM romance by Barbara Elsborg that just does it for me? Every. Single. Time. I’m pretty sure it’s the perfect combination of incredibly erotic sex scenes with a dry wit, snark, and humor along with some suspense that all adds up to be exactly what I need it to be. If you’ve read 
If you enjoy your MM with two very distinctly ALPHA males, this is not a book that you’ll want to miss. That was quite possibly one of my favorite parts about this. The fact that both the MCs are very much alpha and have a power struggle on who will bottom. Damn but it was delicious. But beyond that, Barbara Elsborg has once again managed to deliver and emotional and erotic story about two very broken people that find strength in each other and heal.
While recovering from an injury that almost paralyzed him and may not have been quite the accident that everyone else believed it to be. he’s sequesters himself to a house on the lake to go through the physical therapy he needs to finally gain his strength back. The last thing he expects to do is save a random drowning surfer.
Barbara Elsborg has become an auto-buy author for me and this book is a perfect example of why. I only hope that there may be more books in this series, but if I’m being honest, it doesn’t even matter because whatever this woman writes, I’ll read. Without a doubt.
