As a disabled reader drawn to scarred characters, this book with its modern day theme of Beauty and the Beast captured my attention from the first page to the last. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of the erotically-charged and intensely emotional Beast by Alana Albertson, along with my impressions of it, then learn even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this book make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $15 Amazon GC too!
Love doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be true.
Isabella—Grady Williams is a national treasure, the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient, America’s scarred superhero. With tattooed arms sculpted from carrying M-16s, this bad boy has girls begging from sea to shining sea to get a piece of his action.
When my father squanders away my college fund, I make a deal with this dirty-talking Devil Dog—I will pretend to be Grady’s girlfriend for the Marine Corps Ball, and my dad will write Grady’s war memoir.
Grady is fearless. Hell, this badass jumped on a grenade to save his fellow Marines! As much as I crave him, I refuse to allow myself to become addicted to a dangerous man who will detonate my heart.
Grady—Isabella Cuesta is an angel who can see beyond my mangled skin, a pawn used to repay her father’s debt, a woman who makes me feel like a man instead of a monster.
But I no longer believe in fairy tales.
She’s mine until our contract ends. I’ll take her hard and rough, listen to all her hopes and fears, lay down my life to protect her.
This beauty will never let herself love a dangerous man like me—a man who has killed, a man who runs towards gunfire, a man who never backs down from a fight.
But without her love, I’m not a man—I’ll remain forever a beast.
EXCERPT:
Guilt from my initial reaction to his injuries tormented me.
At first I was determined not to stare at his face, horrified that he’d be insulted by my reaction. But the second his face came into focus, I held back a sob, and a lump grew in my throat.
The right side of his face was mangled, taut raw flesh accented with blue and red scars. His jaw was uneven, and his right eyelid slumped, filled with what must’ve been a glass eye. The remnant of his ear was dappled and twisted. But the other half of his face was clean-shaven, handsome and rugged—a bright turquoise eye, strong chin, black hair shorn in a Marine Corps high and tight haircut.
Flashes filled my brain, stored images I must’ve retained from newsreels and graphic war movies. Had it been a roadside bomb? An outmanned firefight? Some type of chemical attack? I wouldn’t ask him. For now, I was content with the trust he had shown me by unveiling his scars.
“I guess I should’ve gone to the party as Two-Face,” he said, his voice somber.
“No, you’re beautiful. You make a sexy Hulk.” I caressed his face, my fingers tracing its divots. “Plus, then you’d be DC, and I’d be Marvel. We would’ve never had a chance."
He let out a small laugh, but flinched at my touch. “You’ve seen me now. You’re free to go."
This was my chance to end this night safely and in control."
Or I could get wild—do what I’d only ever read about in my books.
Cut loose.
I’d always admired those women who owned their sexuality, like Marisol. Indulged in pleasure without any guilt or shame. I wondered what it would be like to live in the moment.
I was picky, but I still had needs, and right now I needed some action—and sadly these days the warm glow from my eReader was about the closest that I felt to having any heat radiating on my body. But even the artificial afterglow of one hot night with my latest romance hero did little to warm my heart. After all, I hadn’t hooked up with a guy since winter break. I missed everything about being around men—their masculine scents, their non-subtle eye fucks, their rough hands. At least my book boyfriends were gorgeous, witty, and incredible lovers—but most importantly, they wanted more from their heroines than just a one-night stand.
And I was sure this man wasn’t looking for anything more than a hookup.
Isa, put on your clothes and get the hell out of here. This is not you. You are responsible, conservative, and goal-oriented.
Faced with the opportunity to indulge in my fantasy of hot, wild sex with a hunky alpha male, I had to admit that the reality of the situation made me realize how rigid I’d always been.
But somewhere deep in my soul I wanted to lose myself in this damaged man, give him pleasure to alleviate his pain, experience ecstasy and release.
And maybe he could heal me too.
The heat between us rose, and I erased the distance between us, like two magnets being drawn together.
I traced his face with my fingers, running the tips over his lips. Rough, wild, and dangerous. As he remained still, my hands explored his incredible body—rock-hard muscles, deeply embedded scars, and intricate ink. All making him look like the sexiest badass alive.
He bit his bottom lip, his pupil dilated.
Hungry.
Ravenous.
Intense.
His chest heaved, and the sight of this raw, ferocious man before me sent a shock between my legs. I ached for him to relieve the tension that consumed my body.
I pressed my palm onto his chest, the green body paint staining my hand. “I want to stay. I want you."
Damn, did I just say that? My words betrayed my will.
The left side of his mouth widened into a grin, although his right side remained frozen in time. With one arm, he clutched my ass and wrapped my legs around his waist. I gasped as his mouth covered mine. His lips were neither soft nor sweet—they were hard and hungry. The length of his cock and the hair on his chest let me know that, unlike my previous boyish lovers, I was about to be fucked by a real man.
There was no turning back. I needed this Marine inside me in the worst way.
His kisses were out of control. I’d never been kissed like this before, like I was an oasis in the middle of the desert. His mouth tasted minty and hot, and his manliness intoxicated me. He awoke a latent desire in me, summoning my inner wildcat. I kissed him back, kissed him everywhere. His mouth, his lips, his neck, his scars. My hands explored his insanely ripped body, stroking him like he was my personal sex toy. I gripped his hair and dug my nails into his back, kneading him closer to me, never wanting to let him go.
I’d always been the good girl, living vicariously through my friends’ hookups, only indulging in my fantasies in the safety of my mind. Whether it was from a place of fear or control, I had never allowed myself to fulfill my desires. But tonight, with this nameless sex god in my grasp, I made a silent vow to not hold anything back. I was going to let him fuck me like it was the last night of the world.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a quadriplegic I'm drawn to less than perfect characters as well as the Beauty and the Beast theme which Ms. Albertson has put a modern spin on in this steamy erotic work. From the first page to the last readers are pulled into the intensely emotional journey of a soldier whose life has been ripped apart by an act of heroism who sees a chance at HEA with the equally bruised young woman still dealing with the fallout from her mother's suicide. Both of them are hurting, holding back from embracing the future, out of fear and doubt and it's a rocky road full of anger that sometimes brings out the worst in Grady. It's ultimately a story about healing and empowerment and with a turn of the final page you'll find yourself cheering.
Grady loved being a Marine and was focused on becoming a sniper when an act of heroism changed his life irrevocably. Losing his best friend and dealing with the loss of sight in one eye as well as horrific and painful scars has left him a shadow of his former self. He's now mired in self-pity and doubts regarding his manhood which has left him angry and belligerent. All he wants is a woman to see the man behind the scars, a man capable of keeping her safe and happy. A neighborhood costume party gives him the chance to do just that and from the moment he meets Isa he knows he's found a woman worth lowering his defenses for if he can put aside his own fears and self-doubts. Grady is super sexy despite his scars and has a commanding presence that leaves you drooling. His self-loathing leads to feelings of depression that are palpable and have you fearing the possibilities as issues regarding suicide are addressed in the story. Grady can be sweet and charming one moment and become angry and bitter the next as seen in moments of hurtful comments he directs at Isa. Though his anger over his situation is understandable his treatment of Isa still frustrated me at times. Despite everything Grady's still a compelling hero whose triumph is uplifting.
Isa was once Queen of the dance floor, starring on a tv show, until her mother's death took away her joy of dancing. She's now a bit adrift with only one friend and a father who's willing to steal money from her. His act leads her to making a deal with the scarred war hero who she's becoming increasingly attracted to which creates conflict in a burgeoning relationship that began as a one-night stand. Isa's been hiding from the nasty aspects of fame but fate pulls her back into that world in an attempt to prove herself to Grady when his self-image has him pushing her away. Isa's a kind hearted woman, almost too forgiving when it comes to her father, and is just what Grady needs to start putting his past behind him. She's got issues of her own though in denying her desire to dance again and needs to start living in the light instead of hiding in her own grief.
The relationship between Isa and Grady is combustible. He's clearly the more dominant and it makes their sexual interludes even more scorching. A lot of time is devoted to their erotic encounters but they were nicely balanced with quiet and introspective moments too. Grady's feelings regarding his scars and fears for his future with his disability are realistically and heartbreakingly depicted and had me feeling sympathetic towards him even in his most exasperating moments. Overall this was a quick read with good flow that had only one glaring event that marred my happiness. Towards the end of the story Isa's reunion with her former dance partner takes a bizarre and melodramatic turn that came out of left field and felt over the top and unnecessary. Despite that this was an erotically-charged read that brought two bruised souls together in a rocky journey to HEA that had me blushing as well as cheering and I recommend it to those looking for a modern twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme!
Grady loved being a Marine and was focused on becoming a sniper when an act of heroism changed his life irrevocably. Losing his best friend and dealing with the loss of sight in one eye as well as horrific and painful scars has left him a shadow of his former self. He's now mired in self-pity and doubts regarding his manhood which has left him angry and belligerent. All he wants is a woman to see the man behind the scars, a man capable of keeping her safe and happy. A neighborhood costume party gives him the chance to do just that and from the moment he meets Isa he knows he's found a woman worth lowering his defenses for if he can put aside his own fears and self-doubts. Grady is super sexy despite his scars and has a commanding presence that leaves you drooling. His self-loathing leads to feelings of depression that are palpable and have you fearing the possibilities as issues regarding suicide are addressed in the story. Grady can be sweet and charming one moment and become angry and bitter the next as seen in moments of hurtful comments he directs at Isa. Though his anger over his situation is understandable his treatment of Isa still frustrated me at times. Despite everything Grady's still a compelling hero whose triumph is uplifting.
Isa was once Queen of the dance floor, starring on a tv show, until her mother's death took away her joy of dancing. She's now a bit adrift with only one friend and a father who's willing to steal money from her. His act leads her to making a deal with the scarred war hero who she's becoming increasingly attracted to which creates conflict in a burgeoning relationship that began as a one-night stand. Isa's been hiding from the nasty aspects of fame but fate pulls her back into that world in an attempt to prove herself to Grady when his self-image has him pushing her away. Isa's a kind hearted woman, almost too forgiving when it comes to her father, and is just what Grady needs to start putting his past behind him. She's got issues of her own though in denying her desire to dance again and needs to start living in the light instead of hiding in her own grief.
The relationship between Isa and Grady is combustible. He's clearly the more dominant and it makes their sexual interludes even more scorching. A lot of time is devoted to their erotic encounters but they were nicely balanced with quiet and introspective moments too. Grady's feelings regarding his scars and fears for his future with his disability are realistically and heartbreakingly depicted and had me feeling sympathetic towards him even in his most exasperating moments. Overall this was a quick read with good flow that had only one glaring event that marred my happiness. Towards the end of the story Isa's reunion with her former dance partner takes a bizarre and melodramatic turn that came out of left field and felt over the top and unnecessary. Despite that this was an erotically-charged read that brought two bruised souls together in a rocky journey to HEA that had me blushing as well as cheering and I recommend it to those looking for a modern twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme!
My rating for this is a B-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Alana Albertson is a multi-award winning author, current President of Romance Writers of America’s Contemporary Romance Chapter and the former President of both Romance Writers of America’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, new adult and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time playing with her sons, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes Homeland, Devious Maids, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.
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Sounds intense. Thank you for another nicely detailed review!
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