Hungry Eyes by Skye Bailey

Summary

James has always relied on himself for everything. He paid his way through school by taking crappy, low paying jobs. He always put his all into everything he did and never took anything for granted. But that didn’t matter, he was still laid off. But when one door closes, another opens. Now he had no ties to the ghetto town he lived in. He always wanted to be on his own, free to go wherever the wind took him. He settled himself up in the mountains; clean air, nature, and living off the land. What more could he want? Apparently, a lot more. He didn’t know what he was missing until Esme fell into his arms. But just when he thinks things couldn’t get any better, the unthinkable happens.

“She shouldn’t want this. She shouldn’t be feeling like this. Something about the mountain man seemed familiar to her. He kissed her with passion and desire. He’d kissed her like there was no tomorrow; like he’d been hungry for her.

“Something happened at that moment. He knew he wanted her, this broken woman who’d fallen into his life. Something primal echoed in his heart; like a need to protect her and love her. He never wanted to let her go.”

She wanted to take his pain away. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how much this poor man had suffered. If she had to be Esme for him to find some peace and move on…She would be his Esme… 

Characters

Esma is an interesting character, naive and immature. She is quite young when it starts which was a little off putting, but the author is careful to craft it so it’s a little easier to take. James by contrast is a difficult character to pin down. Part tragic, part romantic, and a little questionable on the decision making skills, but very real. As always this author delivers very tangible characters.

Plot

Engaging and gripping. Although it may seem like certain parts of the story will never be told, you eventually get the full story of the events that lead up to the climax. It is gritty and has explicit content that may be triggering for some. My biggest issue with the plot wasn’t the first half, but the far-fetched second half. I just couldn’t buy the thin reason that led to the second half of the book. Although very good, it just defied logic. Don’t even get me started on the bear…

Overall

Despite the someone flimsy plot in the second half of the book, overall it was a quick and enjoyable read. The characters suffer, it brings up very real topics and dangers to young women today. It should serve as a warning to those who just want to fit in and lose their virginity. Not all men are bad, but they aren’t all good either. Overall a gritty read that you’ll enjoy more if you throw logic to the wind!

Rating

3.5 stars (rounded up)

An unconventional romance that is equal part warning and fantasy.

Where did I get a copy?

The author send me one. This is a voluntary review.

Beautiful Life: A Dark Tragic-Romance Series (Beautiful Series Book 3) by Skye Bailey

Summary

“Will you let me in? I can make you forget the past, at least for tonight.”

He reached up to caress her face and kiss her. “Let me love you, Crystal. I need you. You need me. We need each other. We’re both broken souls. Maybe we can be broken together and make each other whole,” he said wiping her tears. He’d show her that she didn’t need to be afraid of the dark inside of her. She wasn’t like them. She didn’t have anything to worry about letting it out.

Her head told her to resist and to fight him but her heart and emotions told her to let herself go. She was lonely and desperate and exhausted from fighting. She wanted to feel some kind of comfort. Travis was offering her physical love and comfort in his own way and even though she felt it was wrong, she needed it desperately. So she gave in. She opened up her body and soul and gave herself to him. She would figure things out later when she could think more clearly. But not tonight. Tonight, she would let him love her and would not resist him.

Note: This is the third and final book of the Beautiful Series Book 3

**Please Note: This series deals with sexual abuse, rape, trauma, explicit and graphic non-con sexual situations that may be triggering for some readers. If such things offend you, please find a lighter read. 

Amazon

Book Overall

With each book it became harder and harder to like Crystal. Her selfishly impulsive nature and the way she would take a backseat in her own life, made it hard to respect or even like her. Despite that she was impressive how she’d pick herself back up and keep going. She may run away, but she bounced back. She wouldn’t complain and throw up her hands, she did try, to be better, to get better.

If you like Beauty and the Beast, you’ll like this modern parable. This is a very adult version that wasn’t shy about its steamy scenes. There were aspects of the story that felt off (some of the pregnancy and child birth facts) but overall had this raw feeling to it. You felt like you were having someone tell you there story it was so visceral at times. It’s darker themes are not to be taken lightly and although everyone suffers, the ending is almost fairy-tale like – most end up happy… you’ll have to read to see what I mean.

Series Overall

This is a very intense series. It was important to be in the right frame of mind to read it, as it has a lot of darker themes and is very descriptive in those moments. In may ways it shows you what a healthy relationship(s) should be and when they only seem healthy…or when they just plain aren’t. The main character gets to experience (more than once) the ugly side of bad men, obsessive men, and even those who only see her as property/a thing. This book would be even more powerful if it had a good editor give it a once over – which I would highly recommend to the author. I can say the series as a whole seems to end well, and overall most outstanding items are resolved, but it is a long hard journey to get there. It isn’t a normal ever after, but it is a happy as can be expected ending.

Rating

4 stars

I’m ignoring many of the faults in the book and instead focusing on the very powerful themes and scenes that make up this darker, tragic romance story.

Where did I get it?

Author send me a copy. This is a voluntary and honest review.

Beautiful Love (Book #2) by Skye Bailey

Summary

“What I really want is to forget. If I could erase those memories I would be free. I want to forget it all. Please help me to forget…

“Crystal looked at her reflection in the mirror. Who was she? Why was she so afraid to meet her family? Crystal was confused about it all. She hated not remembering her past life. Why did she have to lose her memory? It felt awful not to know who she was or where she came from.

*This is the second book of the Beautiful Series Novella Book 2

**Please Note: Mature content with graphic sexual situations, violence or other adult content. Reader discretion advised. 18+

Characters

Crystal is back and is still herself but without the memories. Other characters return as well but the main focus is Crystal again. It was like visiting an old friend. She is so vividly written that her pain and heartbreak and terrible decisions all felt like I was watching someone live their life. I had a harder time liking Crystal this time around because her weaknesses were so predominately on display that I was annoyed with her. Which is such a compliment to the writer since I felt I could just call her out on it, like a real person in the room with me.

Plot

Despite Crystal’s memory loss she is like a beacon for terrible people taking advantage of her. She makes many of the same decisions as last time and once more Paul is there to save her…but these newest challenges may prove to be too much.

Overall

This is such a dark and sad read. Although it seems to point to what a person can endure it certainly isn’t a happy story with any sort of happy end in sight… The writing was easy to follow but did contain quite a few mistakes (could use another edit), but mostly that didn’t detract from the story being told. I will certainly want to read more in the future but will likely need a break because in some ways it felt like a repeat of book 1 and in other ways it felt like it was stacked on top, like a weight over Crystal that she can’t escape. I have a feeling this whole story, Crystals whole life is going to spiral. Although there was a cliff hanger, setting up the next book, it makes me want to pick up the next book despite the promise of future self-inflicted woe. Book 1 was still better in my opinion, but book 2 has all the tragedy and romance as the first and is nearly just as good.

Rating

3.5 stars (rounded up)

If you are a fan of tragic romances – this is a must read! Heart wrenching!

Where did I get a copy?

The author. This is a voluntary review.

Beautiful Blur (Beautiful, #1) by Skye Bailey

Summary

“Maybe I could use the darkness like a blanket? I could wrap myself in darkness and maybe the darkness would protect me.”

Against all odds, I had found my One; the love of my life. A man who saw me for who I was and who loved me, broken and all. But my past soon reared its ugly head. The past began to haunt me and interfere with my new life. Just because I married and started a family didn’t mean I would automatically live a happily ever after. I was trapped in the past; reliving awful moments I couldn’t push away anymore. I had to deal with it, not only for me but for my family. But could I ever let it go and be free from my torturous past?

* Note: This book is the first book in the Beautiful Series Novella with a cliffhanger. The story continues in Beautiful Love.

** Please Note: This series deals with sexual abuse and rape. It may be triggering for some. Reader discretion advised. 18+

Amazon

Overall

Crystal is the main character, it is all from her perspective. There is a raw unfiltered feeling to the novel. No punches are pulled and everything is laid out in terrible and acute detail. It deals with how a person deals with extreme trauma and how a person could bury it to continue to function. At times it felt like Crystal was in my living room telling me her story, that’s how real she was; how real the story felt as you moved through Crystal’s life. There is no magic wand to fix this and her struggle to deal with what happened to her is very real. I loved the romantic elements and how they were together, it was very sweet. The end of the book leaves many unanswered questions, I certainly would pick up book 2 to see the conclusion of this heartbreaking but compelling story.

***This is NOT for children or those who are triggered by certain stories (see above). This is very detailed and explicit in its descriptions of sexual abuse, and the affect it has on the main character. To the point at times I wanted to avert my gaze, as though I could turn away from the horror Crystal was experiencing.

Rating

4 stars

This is a heartbreaking but compelling story with the resilience of the human spirit and how one good person can make all the difference in someone’s life.

Where did I get a copy?

Kindle Unlimited