Beautiful Bastard

Title: Beautiful Bastard
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Contemporary Romance


** I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis from GoodReads:
An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the story that garnered more than two million reads online.

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 two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I'm going to admit that I have no clue about all the controversy surrounding this book outside the fact that there is controversy. I'm also aware that Beautiful Bastard is supposedly Twilight fan-fiction, however, I didn't really draw those comparisons. (much more apparent in Fifty Shades...) So I'm only reviewing this book based on the story itself and my love of it! :)

Beautiful Bastard is a love story between two characters who outwardly seem to hate one another. Chloe Mills is an MBA student and intern at Ryan Media Group. She has worked for the company for 6 years, become very close to the Ryan family, and works/interns under the youngest Ryan - Bennett - a.k.a. Beautiful Bastard. Bennett worked outside the country when Chloe began working at Ryan Media. So they don't actually meet until the day he's being introduced in the company.

"Another bout of laughter hit me, and I stumbled backward a bit until I collided with something hard and warm. Spinning around, I was mortified to see that I had just ground my ass onto my new boss' thigh."  -Chloe Mills

For 9 months, the two have had a very prickly yet professional relationship. They even refer to one another as Ms. Mills and Mr. Ryan. That all changes one day - a "disaster" day according to Chloe, when Mr. Ryan punishes Chloe for being late by making her stay late and do a mock board presentation. Well, that day their relationship changes as they become intimately acquainted with a conference table, a window and each other.

From there, we follow their journey to falling in love - through jealousy, doubt, worry over careers, and lots of raw, panty-ripping sex! Chloe believes Mr. Ryan is a womanizer. She also worries that a relationship of any sort with the Beautiful Bastard could hurt her chances at the career she has earned on her own merit. Bennett worries mostly that Chloe doesn't take him seriously where the relationship is concerned.

The journey is a roller coaster ride full of adrenaline pumping highs and stomach-knotting dips and drops. But in the end, they find their way to one another.

Again, I absolutely delighted in this story. I quite liked the writing style, the change in POVs between Chloe and Bennett. I loved seeing the strengths and vulnerabilities of both Chloe and Bennett. The authors did WELL developing the characters and the story. As I've said before, I need a good story with the sex. And it was delivered here. I cared about Chloe and Bennett and I was thrilled with their ending. The side characters also come across strongly despite limited exposure to them. I loved Chloe's friends Sara (who works for Bennett Ryan's older brother, Henry) and Julia. And I adored Bennett's family - particularly his brother, Henry and his wife, Mina. But reading Bennett's Dad, Elliott, telling his son to behave around Chloe...that was giggle inducing! :)

** I rate this 4 1/2 worms

BTW, Beautiful Stranger, a companion novel to Beautiful Bastard, is scheduled for release on March 13. It's Sara's story...can't wait!