Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard, #1) by Christina Lauren
Series: Beautiful #1
Published by Gallery Books on February 12, 2013
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 305
Goodreads

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.