Locked in with the town bad boy . . .
Most women would be scared, but Gabriella’s only worried about resisting Cruz Walsh, who’s even hotter than he was back in high school. Cruz was wrongly accused of the high-profile crime for which he was imprisoned; Gabriella’s desperate for the scoop that will get her career off the ground and get her out of Sweet Hill, where everyone still remembers her as “Flabby Gabby.” Being stuck in a supply closet with Cruz is the perfect opportunity to land an interview. What Bri doesn’t count on is Cruz taking “up-close and personal” to a whole new level.
If there’s a silver lining to the hell Cruz went through, it’s that losing his freedom put everything in perspective. Maybe starting over someplace new would be easier, but after years locked up, Cruz values his family—and his true friends—more than ever. So he’s back home, facing the gossip, dodging reporters . . . and face-to-face with Gabriella Rossi. They’ve both changed: Bri wants a story and Cruz just wants her. Another thing he’s learned? Don’t let a good thing slip away.
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Review
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Coming back to her tiny hometown to look after her grandmother was not the exact homecoming Gabriella had hoped for. Honestly speaking she was hoping to make a bigger splash in front of her former classmates/tormentors and show them that she was a success despite their taunting and bullying. But she returns home with a tenuous hold on her job, a spiteful ex and a strained relationship with her siblings. Of course, she’d run in to her former nemesis at a function at her former high school but that’s soon forgotten when she runs in to none other than Cruz Walsh, star of every high school girl’s dream back in the day. He still looks at hot as ever and she’s instantly reminded of that one stolen moment years ago when they shared a searing hot kiss. He never knew that it was her but she held that secret close. She doubts he even knows who she is but unbeknownst to her, Cruz has often thought of that kiss and the mysterious girl who disappeared immediately after it happened. The memory of that kiss kept him going in jail. It was something that he could always rely on to carry him through that dark time in his life. Back to the present, one of the most ridiculous thing happens when in an effort to avoid some annoying people, she and Cruz end up locked in the janitor’s closet together. Hello? Cliché, anybody? And they’re stuck there for the entire weekend possibly. Suffice it to say things get a bit cozy and Cruz is illuminated as to who his mystery kissing girl was.
What do I say? This book was steamy! Cruz is magnetic with his bad boy vibe that unfortunately overshadows his generous heart. It’s upsetting that a guy of strong moral character is seen only as a convict but let’s face it, that’s reality and most of us would be squeamish about a convict moving in next door, even if he was acquitted of all charges and found to be innocent. Gabriella who has dealt with shame all her life knows what it’s like to have people make assumptions and think that’s all the story there is to know about her. Hanging around Cruz has fired her up and she's ready to show she's no longer a pushover. Meanwhile, though her interest in Cruz is more professional at first, she's finding it hard to resist him. Not to mention now that he knows she’s “the one”, he’s not willing to lose out on this second chance that he's been gifted to get to know her. Their courtship is pretty darn sexy and dreamy, too. The only thing missing for me is further exploration of a subplot with regards to why Cruz landed in prison and why he took the fall for the crime. He mentions it briefly and acknowledges that while the truth could've saved him years ago, it would've destroyed a lot of people. I admire his desire to protect them, even at the cost of his own name and safety but that curious side of me can't let that tidbit go. He put other people before himself and it cost him a few years of his life. That's just always going to be out there and I have no idea if we'll get to find out what actually happened.
Sophie Jordan always amazes me because has so many stories swirling around in that head of hers and delivers them to so many genres. I love that she can write innocence and adventure for her YA fans (that’s how I discovered her), and pure heat for her NA and romance fans. The Devil’s Rock series has given us so much from suspense to romance to revenge; it’s been a whirlwind. With a smart and thoughtful heroine in Gabriella and a sexy bad boy who’s done caring about what other people think of him, Beautiful Sinner is right up there for me.
~ Bel
Tour Wide Giveaway
To celebrate the release of BEAUTIFUL SINNER by Sophie Jordan, we’re giving away one paperback set of the complete Devil’s Rock series by Sophie Jordan!
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS: Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback set of the complete Devil’s Rock series by Sophie Jordan. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance. Giveaway ends 11/12/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.
About Sophie Jordan
SOPHIE JORDAN grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of more than twenty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with anything that has a happily ever after.
