Book Review: Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Stranger
Series: Beautiful #2
Author: Christina Lauren
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Published: 04/16/2013
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre(s): Contemporary Erotic Romance

DESCRIPTION

The all-new scorching sequel to Beautiful Bastard! A charming British playboy. A girl determined to finally live. And a secret liaison revealed in all too vivid color.

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.

MY THOUGHTS (Short and Sweet!)

I am on CLOUD NINE! Max and Sara did that for me. This novel—their story. Everything about this book dazzled me: how much better I thought it was than Beautiful Bastard, how enchanting I found Max and Sara's unusual "courtship," how clever, witty, and hot the dialogue was, how equally I enjoyed reading each of their points of view, and how they communicated so openly even when they were trying to remain "strangers." I really want to know how this novel I was expecting so little from shook me up so much. You know what, I don't want to know. I just need to be able to re-read it when the mood strikes. I mean Max and Sara together are...BEAUTIFUL! *blissful*

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

"We're establishing a pattern here, Sara. You come, you go." ~ Max

~*~

"I got tired of being so old when I was so young." ~ Sara

~*~

Max: “'Do you ever think about how weird it is that we run into each other all the time?' he asked, eyes unreadable."

Sara: "'No,' I admitted. 'Isn't that the way the world works? In a city of millions, you'll always see the same person.'"

Max: "But how often is it the person you most want to see?”

~*~

Max: “'What's going on?' I asked, gauging her expression. 'Talk to me.' She leaned into me again."

Sara: "Don't want to talk."

Max: "Sara, I don't mind being your distraction but at least be honest with me about it. Something's wrong."

Sara: "I'm fine.' But she wasn't fine. She wouldn't have come here if she were.

"Bullshit. You're breaking your own rules by even being here. This is better—this is real—but it's also different and I want to know why.”

~*~

Max: "'Rugby. Come watch my match today. Or, if you prefer, meet us all for drinks at Maddie's in Harlem afterward.' For what felt like a week she remained silent.

'Sara?'"

Sara: "I'm thinking."

Max: 'I walked across the room and fidgeted with the blinds at my window overlooking the park. "Think louder.'"

~*~

“The way you seem nervous makes me think you don’t know that I’m in love with you.” ~ Max

~*~

“When I say ‘I love you’ I don’t mean that I love what being with you does for my career, or I love how often you’re willing to shag. I mean I love you. I love making you laugh, and seeing how you react to things, and getting to know the little things about you. I love who I am with you, and I’m trusting you not to hurt me.” ~ Max

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