Beautiful Bastard Series by Christina Lauren- A Series Review
4.5 out of 5 for this reader folks!
This is a great series. This is an aggravating series. This is a hot series. This is a series that made my toes curl one minute, and then want to throw my e-reader against the wall the next. This is a must read series if you are into a group of young men and young women finding their BEAUTIFUL OTHER, and the twists and turns, at times stupidity, and perfect moments of self discovery that assist them to finding each other. This series is an oxymoron … and the title BEAUTIFUL BASTARD … is perfectly proper!
The Beautiful Bastard series by Christina Lauren falls into the contemporary erotica genre. It consists of 6 books total, 3 full novels and 3 novellas in between. While it has some similar markers as the whole billionaire tortured man and his innocent sweet woman formula, it strays away just enough to make it it’s own. We have powerful men, and powerful ladies, great friendships that are laced with pranks, humour and absolute honesty, and some mind blowing sex that borders on complete obsession. What I loved the most was that you got to see this group grow up as a whole and after reading the last novella, I felt sad and content. Sad to say good bye, but content that their lives are in the right direction.
Keep in mind that the further the reviews go into this series, I have no choice but to reveal a few spoilers. Hate that I have to do that. I am going to try and keep each review short and sweet though, so please keep in mind that there is always so much more to the story than what I am giving you here. This is just a small taste to a BIG flavour! 😉
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Book 1 – Beautiful Bastard
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DESCRIPTION-February 12, 2013
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 2 million reads on fanfiction sites–Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.
REVIEW
Ah the power couple that starts it all off. Chloe Mills is one smart cookie, hard working and not afraid of any challenge. She shoots from the hip and can deflect an insult with class and sass. She is also working as an intern for Bennett Ryan. Bennett is a also a hard worker and demands perfection from his staff. Well when these two strong willed personalities clash it sets off some serious fireworks and smokin’ panty ripping. Bennett cannot stop this aggravating attraction he has for Chloe and her smart mouth. When they act upon it, suddenly they find themselves opening a can of worms they are not ready to deal with. Chloe can’t believe the nerve of this beautiful bastard, and will not be bullied into submission. Bennett can’t believe he has met a woman who doesn’t take his crap or bow down. Both take as well as they give. At first a game played like chess between these two, soon turns into a game of their hearts. Can they stop fighting each other long enough to reveal their stripped away true selves and feelings??
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BOOK 1.5 – Beautiful Bitch (Novella)
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DESCRIPTION-July 9, 2013
Picking up where Beautiful Bastard left off, Chloe Mills and Bennett Ryan continue their steamy, combative relationship.
Just when Chloe’s career starts to take off, Bennett wishes it would all slow down long enough to spend a wild night alone with his girlfriend. But after he refuses to take no for an answer, Chloe and Bennett find themselves with two plane tickets, one French Villa, and a surprising conversation that, predictably, leaves them wrestling under the covers.
REVIEW
Willing to make a go of their relationship, Bennett and Chloe carry on with their busy lives. Somehow, quickies in the office and late night trysts just are not cutting it. Bennett wants some one on one romantic time alone with his girlfriend. Seeing no other way, he high handedly (yup typical Bennett) decides to whisk Chloe away across the ocean for some one on one. He may have a surprise or two up his sleeve as well. When things do not go his way however, Bennett is forced to spend some time reflecting and questioning all with regards to his beautiful bitch. Can this time alone be more harmful than good to their relationship or will they finally face a question that both have been avoiding?
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BOOK 2 – Beautiful Stranger
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DESCRIPTION-April 16, 2013
Escaping a cheating ex, finance whiz Sara Dillon’s moved to New York City and is looking for excitement and passion without a lot of strings attached. So meeting the irresistible, sexy Brit at a dance club should have meant nothing more than a night’s fun. But the manner—and speed—with which he melts her inhibitions turns him from a one-time hookup and into her Beautiful Stranger.
The whole city knows that Max Stella loves women, not that he’s ever found one he particularly wants to keep around. Despite pulling in plenty with his Wall Street bad boy charm, it’s not until Sara—and the wild photos she lets him take of her—that he starts wondering if there’s someone for him outside of the bedroom.
Hooking up in places where anybody could catch them, the only thing scarier for Sara than getting caught in public is having Max get too close in private.
REVIEW
Sara Dillon is Chloe’s best friend. She also has finally broken up with her jerkface boyfriend and made a big move to New York to start her life over. She is sweet and kind and breaking free from a shell that has suffocated her for years. When she comes across Max Stella, the sexy Brit in a dance club, she thinks … “Why not?”. Max is one of Bennett’s best friends, and he is a first class lady’s man. When he meets this sweet girl named Sara who seductively dances for him and agrees to a rock his world, he is completely gobsmacked. As the two agree to some naughty future encounters (that may just include a camera .. lol) they find they are revealing their vulnerable sides. With vulnerability comes truth however, and suddenly this relationship develops into more than a friend with benefits. Turmoil is ahead however that will define where their path travels, but can these two get out of their own way to realize they have a great thing??
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BOOK 2.5 – Beautiful Bombshell (Novella)
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DESCRIPTION-September 3, 2013
The gentlemen from Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player are out for a wild night on The Strip.
When Max, Henry, and Will steal Bennett away for a weekend of shenanigans and strippers in Vegas, the first stop of the night doesn’t go at all as planned. With their scheme for a Guys Weekend completely derailed anyway, Max and Bennett begin to play a wild game of stealth and secrecy in order to have their bombshells all over Sin City
REVIEW
Oh man .. what do you get when you take hot men to Vegas for a bachelor party? You wouldn’t think, brooding men who want their ladies. LOL Well that is what happens. Determined to see their buddy have a good time before getting hitched the boys have it all planned out. Little does Bennett realize though, that Chloe has something up her own sleeve with the help of his friends. Not intending to ruin their party, Chloe comes in for a quick prank and then carries on with her own girl weekend in Vegas away from the men. Max knows his Sara is in Vegas, and if he has to steal a car or two between bathroom breaks to see his girl, well so be it. Will, thinks his friends are ridiculous, and after a chance encounter with a drag queen decides … GAME ON!
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BOOK 3 – Beautiful Player
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DESCRIPTION-October 29, 2013
A bombshell bookworm. A chronic Casanova. And a lesson in chemistry too scandalous for school.
When Hanna Bergstrom receives a lecture from her overprotective brother about neglecting her social life and burying herself in grad school, she’s determined to tackle his implied assignment: get out, make friends, start dating. And who better to turn her into the sultry siren every man wants than her brother’s gorgeous best friend, Will Sumner, venture capitalist and unapologetic playboy?
Will takes risks for a living, but he’s skeptical about this challenge of Hanna’s…until the wild night his innocently seductive pupil tempts him into bed- and teaches him a thing or two about being with a woman he can’t forget. Now that Hanna’s discovered the power of her own sex appeal, it’s up to Will to prove he’s the only man she’ll ever need.
REVIEW
THIS WAS MY FAVE! Will .. you had it coming buddy! LOL Will Sumner is the ultimate playboy. He has regular hook ups (with no strings attached of course) planned certain days of the week. He works hard and he plays hard. Determined never to fall under a female grasp they way his best pals have, he sticks to his own set of rules. When he receives a call from his college best friend’s sister, he agrees to help her break out of her workaholic tendancies. Hanna is sweet and super smart, spending all her time in lab. Deciding she needs to get a life, she recruits Will to help make her over. Well suddenly Hanna is no longer the kid sister, and Will is a playboy no matter how wrong it is to hook up with your buddies sister. Hanna through her innocent and naturally curious mind throws Will off his game. A thrown Will is a confused and taken back Will. Sexy confident Hanna is not going to wait for Will to make up his mind however, and while she is living her life, Will is questioning his own! Will these two finally get on the same page or will they be doomed to remain family friends … without benefits?
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BOOK 3.5 – Beautiful Beginning (Novella)
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DESCRIPTION-November 19, 2013
Back when not being able to stand each other also meant not being able to keep their hands off each other in Beautiful Bastard, neither Bennett nor Chloe could have seen this day coming.
An exasperated bride who just wants to elope. A determined groom whose only focus is getting to the wedding night. And—of course—a whole lot of name calling.
REVIEW
This is the book that ties it all together. It’s called Beautiful Beginning, but to me it’s Beautiful Goodbye. Chloe and Bennett are getting married. Bennett however has decided to place a “no sex until the wedding night” rule on their relationship. Chloe is not having any of that, and goes about trying to seduce her man with action, naughty words and shock value. Bennett is at his wits end trying to fight off Chloe and making sure she gets her dream wedding. Chloe is done with folding invites and all the wedding crap .. she wants to run away and just get married so she can have her man proper. After Bennett
convinces Chloe that they will have their traditional wedding, he begins to wish he hadn’t. Disaster after disaster, prank after prank, loud mouth family members and sexual frustration begin to wear on their nerves causing their typical Chloe and Bennett blow ups. With the help of Max, Sara, Will, Hanna, cougar aunts, mom’s and dad’s etc .. these two wrap up this entire series in the best way possible. I do, with a side of naughty! 😉
An incredible rowdy bunch that provided pages of entertainment. The writing style was easy and flowed naturally. If you are looking for a new group of friends to make you laugh, get you hot under the collar, aggravate the crap out of you and still manage to give you warm and fuzzies, the you have to check out this series!
Reviews by Rachel T.
