Beautiful Secret (8) (The Beautiful Series) Paperback – April 14, 2015

To say I have loved every single step of this series would be a huge understatement, Beautiful Bastard drew me in, Beautiful Stranger had me swooning with delight, Beautiful Player had me fanning myself and now Beautiful Secret has me wanting to shout from the rooftops my obsession with anything this dynamic duo writes. Their ability to craft the kind of fictional leading men that could only exist in my dreams, but the kind of kick arse heroines I want to be when I grow up. They're characters are real, sexy, balanced, snarky, sweet, vulnerable, and hilarious, seamlessly blending the perfect amounts of charm and heat, they not only seep through the print into your bloodstream but they leap right off the page and straight into your heart.In all honesty I'm not sure what I was expecting from Beautiful Secret, laughs...for sure, hot sex...heck yes, characters I wanted to fall in love with, definitely, but what I got was so so much more. Niall Stella seems to be steadfast, sure and confident, while he is very much the self assured man in all things business, his personal life is an entirely different matter. Recently divorced, Niall is floundering, not because the love of life walked out of his life and he doesn't know how to move on, but rather because he should feel something more than relief at the dissolution of his decade long marriage. The thing with public perceptions is that they are seldom correct, often what we think from the outside looking in fails to be true.Ruby Miller is young, bright and has a promising career ahead of her, she has the skills and thirst for knowledge that will ensure career advancement. She's self assured, strong, the daughter of successful psychologists, Ruby has been raised to be direct and honest, working in London, across the other side of the world from family and friends Ruby seems to have the world at her feet, she only has one slight problem, she has a massive crush on Niall Stella, VP at her company, up until today he has never acknowledged her presence, and she is about to spend the next month with him alone in New York for work conferences and meetings.Where Christina Lauren have excelled at instant attraction, chemistry and lust in the past, Beautiful Secret is stripped back, it's a slow burn of almost teenage like courting, at times awkward fumbling, as Niall and Ruby navigate a relationship while in New York, away from the drudgery of office filled with over eager ears and snide comments. Niall's innocence and naivety to not just sex but intimacy, to communication and relationships was endearing, for a reader like myself who is often drawn to the alpha type hero, Niall was a refreshing change that caught me off guard. Ruby's youth and effervescence made her instantly likable, her confidence and poise drew me in, but ultimately it was her vulnerability that came through despite how much she fought to keep it hidden that had me falling head over heels.Christina Lauren have quickly become my go to authors for when I'm feeling down and low, for when I just need to laugh, for when I want something that's deliriously sexy that doesn't sacrifice it's storyline for that sizzling heat. I would almost expect after reading my tenth book by this writing couple, that the effects of their words, the impact their stories have on my mind, would somehow have dimmed, that I wouldn't feel the level of excitement I do when I see a cover reveal for a WIP, or when a copy of their newest book shows up on my doorstep or pops up on my kindle, but after finishing and revelling in Beautiful Secret I think my need, my thirst for their words has grown ten fold. There are books that you read, ones you enjoy, ones you experience, then there are books that take you on a journey you weren't prepared for, that captivate your heart and mind, books that leave you feeling lighter, and yet somehow stronger, changed. Beautiful Secret is the kind of book that leaves you envious of all the readers who get to pick it up for the first time as they experience what you already know to be true... that some books stay in your heart and mind long after you turn the last page.

Confession: I read Beautiful Bastard two years ago when it came out and since then I have been hoarding all the books in this series instead of reading them.. UNTIL Beautiful Secret came to my Kindle. Niall Stella peeked my interest so much that I decided to skip all the other books and novellas in this series to read this next. Good news! You can read this book out of order and not feel left out of the loop. Yes other characters (Bennett, sigh) show up briefly but you are still good to jump right in and read Niall and Ruby's story.Beautiful Secret is so different than what I was expecting that I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. Sad, when a male character in a book is such a gentleman that it throws me, lol. Niall Stella was delicious. I really enjoyed his kind of stuffed-shirt personality and the references Ruby makes that compare him to Mr. Darcy (double sigh). Christina Lauren did a fantastic job of creating a story with incredible sexual tension, great dialogue and very memorable characters and flipped it all on its head. Niall and Ruby are not what you expect, their roles are unique and play such a fun part in this story. I know, I know you are rolling your eyes and saying "Boss + intern is not new", but THIS one is! I won't tell you why it is different, that is half the fun, but trust me you haven't read a romance novel quite like this one!I love Christina Lauren, the Wild Seasons series, is one of my favorite series ever, so I knew picking this up it was going to be a great story with tasty characters. What surprised me was that level of heat in this book. Yes, this book has great chemistry and tension (and great sexy flirting) but it wasn't as filthy and/or dirty as some of their other books, which fits this story line perfectly, so no complaints from me on that. Beautiful Secret had me turning pages until the Kindle hit me in the face (meaning I fell asleep reading) and once that humiliation abated I dove right back in and read until there was no more story left to read.While Ruby made me crazy toward the end of the book, I loved that she sticks to her guns and knows what she is worth. Niall, poor sweet, Niall. I loved you and you frustrated me to no end! Niall's character was refreshing to read, but sometimes he almost came off as too naive and too restrained. However, never doubt the brilliance that is Christina Lauren, every personality trait, quirk and overthinking tendency had a reason and that reason made for a delightful story that reminded me why I love reading Christina Lauren stories.Beautiful Secret was a great read, whether you are a fan of this series or not, I recommend picking this up to meet Niall, a real gentleman in the world of crazed alpha males.