REVIEW: Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

In Beautiful Secret (Beautiful Bastard #4) by Christina Lauren, Engineer student Ruby Miller has been harboring a secret crush on Niall Stella, who is VP at the firm where she’s completing her internship in London. Watching him from afar suddenly turns into taking a month-long trip with him when her boss decides she’s ready to prove her abilities in engineering and planning. Niall himself is still recovering from the end of his marriage several months ago and looks forward to a new task to focus his attention.

“You also make me think about things I don’t consider gentle, or chaste or very proper.”

“Like what?”

He blinked up, met my eyes. “I believe I’d prefer to show you. I just have to give myself permission, if you’d agree.”

But from the first awkward moment Ruby and Niall are thrown together, one thing is immediately noticeable: they have insane chemistry which can’t be overlooked. She is a nervous wreck at first getting to know him, although his shyness makes her want to bring him out of his shell. Being in New York gives Ruby the freedom to act on her attraction to Niall, who is willing to see where things go. While they unleash hidden desires that draw them ever closer together, their limited time in the Big Apple looms over their head, leaving them to wonder if their affair will drastically change once they are back in the real world.

‘Ruby’s eyes hid nothing: I knew, without a doubt, that she was in love with me, and that it wasn’t just the pleasure of my mouth just now, or the idea of my stoic reserve melting under her charm, but honestly in love. With me.’

Christina Lauren have outdone themselves with Beautiful Secret. I didn’t think I’d ever love one of their heroes more than Max Stella, but his brother Niall is a geek-chic masterpiece.

‘For some reason I was unable to call him by only his given name. Niall Stella was a two-name honor, like Prince Harry or Jesus Christ.’

As much as I love rugged, outdoorsy alpha men, I have a soft spot for awkward, brainy & sexy beta guys. (Maybe because I commiserate with their awkwardness!) Niall Stella was such a lovely, authentic person who was thrown out of sorts having Ruby’s affection after his complacent marriage ended months before. He was such a great mix of thoughtful and caring, but with a sexy, dirty side just longing to break free. The times when Niall really let himself go wild were so deliciously sinful. And when he called Ruby “Love”? You could just hear his posh British accent and feel a swoon coming on.

I love, love, love how Christina Lauren wrote Ruby and Niall’s scenes. From Ruby’s forthrightness with her emotions and her sexuality, to Niall’s reserve and relative inexperience, the scenes and dialogue were fresh and, at times, brutally honest. If you have read any of the other books in the Beautiful series, you know how hot they can be while still remaining emotionally complex. And that was definitely the case here. Ruby and Niall’s love scenes were some of the most intimate and erotic/intense I have read so far in this series. And that’s saying something! 😉

Beautiful Secret is a novel not to be missed. If you enjoy kindhearted, brooding Mr. Darcy types and outspoken brilliant women, I think Niall and Ruby will completely win you over with their charm.

Book Info:

Publication: April 14th 2015 by Gallery Books | (Beautiful Bastard #4)

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?