Beautiful Bastard (The Beautiful Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

I read my first book by this writer and loved it so I started this series--and I was appalled. The h/h are both strong people, both attractive and hard working. Then, one evening (SPOLER ALERT), the hero asks her to stay late to meet with him. Alone in the building, he assaults her. He puts his hands on her body and massages her without her consent. I don't know what happened next because I stopped reading. It may be and probably was that she reciprocated but what he did is sexual assault . He touched her body intimately without any lead up to this, no certainty she wanted this other than he was just irresistible. This was written before the #Metoo movements but it was written by TWO WOMEN who should have realized this is creepy. I had this happen to me twice without my consent--a man has no right to use our bodies for their pleasure, to assume "we want it.". She's alone in a building with her boss who is stronger than she. There is no one to hear her if she screams. This is frightening not sexy.

This book has gotten so many 5-star reviews and was at the top of a bunch of Listopias that were up my alley, so I was interested to read it to see if it lived up to all the hype. In short, pretty much... yeah. VERY steamy! Basically, the book description is your set-up because in chapter 1 (without much exposition), they get it ON. Not in a Fifty Shades way (which I actually appreciated about this one), but in a "hate to want you but can't help myself so do me now" way. Early. Often. And with varying degrees of remorse/confusion/angst/bliss/etc. after each encounter.Chloe Mills is an intern at the major company in Chicago where she has been employed since college. She has worked for the CEO and his older son (who both appreciate her hard work and like her), but now reports to the younger son to whom she refers to as "Beautiful Bastard" because he is drop dead gorgeous but is always a total dick to her. She has had to put up with him for several months, and to date, their relationship mainly consists of him giving her crap and her rolling with the punches while biding her time knowing she is the best at what she does and once she completes this multi-million dollar deal (which doubles as her master's thesis), she has her ticket punched for whatever and wherever she wants. But while "Mr. Ryan" infuriates her, she also can't help but appreciate the packaging.Bennett Ryan has always been a perfectionist, and he demands it from all of those who work for him, including Miss Mills with her stony silences and delectable ass...ets. Bennett knows to never mix business with pleasure, and he has worked his ass off to get to where he is as a businessman in his own right; now that he has returned to assume a leadership role in the company his family built, he cannot afford to be distracted. But as tough as he is on her, he can't help but appreciate both her ability to manage him and her feminine wiles. Does she wear those work clothes to intentionally torment him? How can he possibly be attracted to her when she is such a bitch to him most of the time? After dealing with his conflicting feelings for months, Bennett believes he just needs to get it out of his system and finally goes for it in the conference room he finds himself alone with her in after hours... and she doesn't stop him. But that encounter doesn't satisfy him; it only makes him want more. And the same thing happens the next time. And the next time. And the.... you get the picture. This situation is out of control, and both Bennett and Chloe find themselves in a position they are entirely unfamiliar with how to proceed.What I liked:--- Very strong chemistry between the 2 MCs who were likeable in different ways (though Bennett had to grow on me a little bc he was pretty much a total dick at first)--- The interactions they had gave me more than a few chuckles - the humor enhanced the story--- Their bickering was what inflamed things in the first place; it was amusing to see them do verbal battle and then throw each other up against walls/wrap legs around and go to town--- STEAMY GOODNESS - and my specific brand (not too graphic/over the top with details but very steamy and HOT); no BDSM elements (not that I don't enjoy it now and then, but it is overdone in the workplace in a post-Fifty world); they stuck with the basics (meaning mostly main event and a couple oral sessions); and way the author built things up between them, you could feel how they basically wanted to inhale each other which was hotWhat I didn't like as much:--- Not much; I wish there was an epilogue because I felt a little cheated without it (mostly I wanted SPOILER to see them together, together --- for most of the book, it was them trying to figure things out with each other; I would have liked to see them as a real couple at least for a little while END SPOILER--- A little too much angst at time SPOILER specifically, the separation at the end of the book seemed to go on much longer than necessary END SPOILER--- More than a little weird that they were banging each other and still calling each other "Mr. Ryan" and "Miss Mills" until about the 70% mark of the bookOverall, a humorous enemies-to-lovers read with workplace shenanigans and STEAMY goodness galore!Plot --- 4.5/5Main Characters --- 4.5/5Supporting Cast --- 4/5Steam Level* --- 4/5Violence --- noneLanguage --- somePOV --- Dual*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! ; 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

FINAL DECISION: Funny, sexy and a joy to read. These characters kept me engrossed from the first page. I loved how their relationship began with angry and frustrated sex and ended up as something much more.THE STORY: Chloe Mills is a hardworking intern working towards her MBA. Her boss, Bennett Ryan, happens to be tough, annoying, brilliant -- and incredibly sexy. Bennett finds Chloe infuriating, but he can't stop thinking about her. When the two cross the line between boss and intern, both want to deny what is between them, but can't seem to stop. When angry and desperate attraction tempts both to want something more, the question is whether it is even possible for something more to exist between two demanding independent people.OPINION: I absolutely loved this book. The characters, the sexy, hot interactions between these reluctant lovers. The bickering, two independent and fierce people finding out that they are perfect for one another.This is the only the second Christina Lauren book that I have read (although my review of JOSH AND  HAZEL'S GUIDE TO NOT DATING is upcoming as of the date of this review). This book was so good that I immediately began reading the second book in the series.I loved that these two characters are engaged in intense erotica type encounters, but that the book always remains rooted in the characters and not what body parts go where.Bennett is kind of a jerk when the book starts, but by the end, I began to see him differently. These two are hot and fiery and I loved their battles.Chloe is an independent business woman. And I really liked that the conflicts between her and Bennett respect her intelligence and her business acumen. The two have some serious bumps on the way to their HEA, but the story is never bogged down with stupid decisions or brainless encounters. These two are smart and hot and driven.This book is just fun. The pages went incredibly fast and I devoured this book. I loved the turnaround of the normal story. Sex first and then the relationship. And yet, there is always something connecting these characters. Strong, vibrant people who have a deep passion for one another and fight their way to a happy ending.WORTH MENTIONING: This book is told in alternating first person points of view.CONNECTED BOOKS: BEAUTIFUL BASTARD is the first book in the Beautiful series.STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

Beatiful Bastard, or the BB and Chloe is the unconventional couple who from the outside look like they should be together but when put together their strong personalites and the optics of working together clash. This series is seriously hot. If you love some sexy with romance this is the book / series for you. I would recommend reading Beautiful Bitch next.

I have read this book several times. Each time I remember why I love Chloe and Bennett. One spark of fury, ignites a passion that is red hot.Chloe and Bennett are hilarious, with their snarky remarks and put downs. Both of them give as good as they get, not only in the boardroom, but the bedroom, stairs and many, many other places. They are a formidable duo.Christina Lauren are an equally formidable duo and I love their books and sense of humour.This book has been a firm favourite of mine for many years now. Reading the updated version just gave me another excuse to love these two even more.I firmly believe that you can never have enough Chloe and Bennett in your life.

If i could give it 2.5 stars i would as I thought half of this book (maybe 3/4) was pants but the last few chapters were OK.The beginning of the book we are told Chloe hates her boss, literally next thing he's bonking her in the board room..... Came across to me as more sexual assault than sexy.I knew nothing about the characters, no real build up just straight in there.... LiterallyI did like the fact that Chloe's character was quite funny, some of her lines in the book made me laugh.Cant say i cared for Bennets (or is it Bennett) character.I nearly gave up in this book after 4 chapters but as i have paid for it i continued and im glad i did as it did get better. Read it really quickly as the font and spacing is on the larger side.There are better sexy novels out there

This novel is everything a hot, romantic fiction novel should be! I cannot recommend it highly enough!! Also it’s a standalone - HOORAH!! Cannot wait to read the next / other 3 standalone novels in the Beautiful series. 🎉

I really enjoyed this book was a good read , I'm a sucker for a romance novel and it had plenty of sass and humour in it, but I've got to be honest £5 is too much for 1 kindle book which I have devoured in less than 24 hours , and considering its part of a 4 book series I literally can't afford to read the next instalment of this series, and to make things worse the 2nd book in the series is £6! I don't know how authors can justify this price for 1 kindle book, if it was a hard back fair enough but it's not! So was it worth my £5 .......... I've got to say no! I did enjoy it but should be paying £5 for the series.