5 SMOOCHES
Synopsis
AN UPTIGHT BRITISH EXECUTIVE. AN ADVENTUROUS AMERICAN NEWBIE. A SEXY INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL IN THE MAKING.
New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Beautiful and Wild Seasons series hook up in Beautiful Secret for an erotic intercontinental romp that celebrates the best of both worlds!
When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.
Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?
Review
“Number of Times Niall Stella Had Glanced at Me During Thursday meetings? Twelve. Number of Conversations We’d Had? Four. Number of Either of these Events He Might Actually Remember? Zero. I’d been wrestling with my Naill Stella crush for six months, and I was pretty sure he still didn’t know that I was an employee at the firm rather than a regular takeout delivery girl.”
First off, let’s talk about the pure elation I felt when I opened my door and realized I had received an advanced copy of Beautiful Secret. I have loved this series from the moment I met Bennett and Chloe and each book after has gotten better and better. When Christina Lauren get together and write a book I know that I am going to get a story that sucks me in, characters I want to know and so much heat that I am left needy and panting.
“It’s an all-too-common predicament,” Bennett added dryly. “Knockout intern. Boss in denial. I’ll draft up a step-by-step plan of containment.”
Niall Stella is adorable, sexy, awkward and the opposite of his brother Max. For all of Max’s bravado and experience Niall is quiet and somewhat innocent even. He was married to the first woman he slept with and never really experimented with sex much. Recently divorced and focused on his career he never expected the shy and quirky new intern at his firm to turn his world upside down.
“Do you think I’m weird?” I asked, voice weaker than I’d attempted. “Yes, weird in the sense that you are unexpected and I am rarely surprised by people. I think you rather exquisite.”
Ruby appears reserved and quiet around Niall but that is only because she has an enormous crush on him and can’t seem to do anything right when he is around. When she finds out she will be going on a long business trip with him to New York she is both nervous and excited. Any opportunity to stare at Niall Stella all day long cannot be a bad one. It doesn’t take long for these two to realize they have an attraction to one another but with Niall’s naivety and Ruby’s knowledge that he is her boss they both exercise extreme control in not giving into their desires. That is until alcohol and their chemistry just become too much!
“I want it.”
“Want what? Don’t filter.”
“For you to suck my cock, and suck it so hungrily that you beg me with your eyes to let you swallow.”
Oh
Niall Stella was a fast learner
While I am a huge fan of this whole series I have always stated that Beautiful Player was my favorite and I believe that is because it is more of a slow burn. I have to say that after reading Beautiful Secret Niall has given Will Sumner a run for his money. While Beautiful Bastard and Beautiful Player are supremely sexy from the beginning of the book, Beautiful Secret seems to be following along the lines of Beautiful Player with having the characters explore each other’s minds and bodies before actually having sex. The sexual tension is off the charts and will having you biting your nails waiting for them to just explode with passion and desire.
“Ruby?”
“I’m having a moment, just give me a second,”
“Was I too forward?”
“No, I just had an out of body experience. Niall Stella just took off my shirt and admired my chest.”
“Do you need to text someone?”
“I just need to remember to add it to my spreadsheet of Niall Stella Moments,”
This technique works so well because it allows us the reader to fall in love with these characters and have that new relationship feeling right along with the characters. That begin said Beautiful Secret is extremely sexy the whole way through but in that new to each other way that only Christina Lauren can write. I don’t know any other writer who can make something as simple as dry humping so sexy. It makes me want to act like a teenager all over again.
“You kiss like it’s your goddamn job,”
The beauty in Beautiful Secret lies in Niall Stella. I loved him from first awkward encounter. His ex-wife really did a number on his psyche and it is a joy as a reader to watch him work though all those young love innocent experiences he missed out on. Ruby is fun and exciting brings him out of his shell. They are dynamic together and the perfect balance for each other. Ruby pushes Niall out of his comfort zone and Niall forces Ruby to analyze her life and find out that love is worth fighting for. While not everything always comes easy for these two their passion for each other is worth the fight.
“I tried to restrain myself, tried to remain gentle, but the tightness in my chest over her admission made me feel demanding, possessive, and desperate to deserve her.”
Christina Lauren has once again written a deliciously sexy slow burn book with characters you want to watch rip each other clothes off. The writing is spectacular and draws you in from page one. Witty and fun if you are anything like me you will be highlighting half the book and calling a friend to quote the book over and over again. Sexy, Quirky, Witty and Fun Beautiful Secret is full of slow burn intensity that will leave you desperate for more.
~miranda
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