| Title | : | Bared to You (Crossfire, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published April 3, 2012 |
| Awards | : | All About Romance (AAR) Annual Reader Poll Best Erotic Romance AND Most Tortured Hero (2013), Goodreads Choice Award Romance and for Goodreads Author (2012) |
"Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness."
""
He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily
Gideon "knew." He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each others most private wounds and desires.
The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart "
Bared to You (Crossfire, #1) Reviews
-
Possible spoilers and definitely NSFW (unless your workplace is made of awesome).
Oh, my god, you guys, this book! Oh, my god...
I went into this thinking it was going to be completely and totally lame. Another Fifty Shades of Moronic Writing. Another horrifying testament to the standards which modern writers are apparently held. And do you know what? It WAS. Buuuut....for the most part, I had a good time. How? By laughing uncontrollably at nearly every sex scene (and believe me, there are many).
There isn't much of a plot, but then, I guess there doesn't really need to be since it's just smut cleverly (*snort*) disguised as literature. But fans generally defend the story, and I've gotta say, as far as stories go, it's pretty lame. I mean, come on, peeps. They're damaged, they're melodramatic, they're whiny and self-absorbed, they're like, sooo hot, and the entire "story" is them fucking and then whining about it, and then fucking some more. When I first got started, I was terrified because I hit pretentious wordage in the second sentence:
"I wasn't surprised by my roommate's emphatic pronouncement."
The entire book goes on in a similar vein. Plus there's the added bonus of being told very inconsequential details, like what color shoes Eva's wearing, how many steps she had to climb, how often she eats yogurt to keep regular (I'm making up my own, but you get the gist). Having your eyes raped by adjectives and other useless textual diarrhea does not usually make for a highly compelling read. There is seriously a point where Eva tells the reader how in love she is with New York because it's so different from her hometown of San Diego with all the people and activity and sights and sounds (I'm really not kidding). The first quarter of the book was basically just useless info dump nonsense.
Things picked up a little bit when Eva first met Gideon, only because the writing in that scene was so ludicrous. Phrases like "exquisite masculinity", "magnificent maleness", "scorching force of will"...and let's not forget such treasures as, "I thought for a moment that he might be able to make me orgasm just by talking long enough." and "I looked at him in his civilized, urbane, outrageously expensive suit and thought of raw, primal, sheet-clawing fucking."<--- Try saying that three times fast.
This was also when I was introduced to Gideon's apparent mind control powers. Eva just goes on and on about how he's put some kind of spell on her, she's inexplicably drawn to him, caught up in his magnetic force, blabbidy blah blah. I suppose it doesn't hurt that Gideon is "savagely gorgeous", and that Eva's eyes "burned just from looking at him".
But then! Oh, then I got to the good stuff. I'm not saying that as a pervert, but as a lover of all things inappropriately hilarious. If I didn't know any better, I would swear to everything holy that this book is satire. Because while some of the sex scenes were hot, they were almost always laced with one or two lines that had me laughing so hard I was in tears.
Without further ado, I'm going to treat you to a small sampling. Seriously, prepare yourselves for this. Take a deep breath, make sure your bladder is empty and that you've got water and aid nearby in case you fall over. And for the love of eye bleach, don't let your kids read it:
"...his powerful body straining with the primal need to mate."
"The rhythmic slap of his heavy balls against the curve of my buttocks."
"Then he ripped open his button fly and pulled his big, beautiful penis out."
"Gideon battered my tender sex with that brutally thick column of rigid flesh..."
"...his breath leaving him in primitive grunts every time he hit the end of me."
"'I'm so deep in you...I can feel it against my stomach...feel my dick pounding into you.'"
Seriously, is that shit supposed to be sexy? Because it's just not. He can feel his dick through her abdomen? No. That's not how wombs work. Or dicks. Or anything. She calls her ass her rear, and that's silly when you're talking about a guy finger banging your fart box, but when Gideon jammed his finger into her "puckered hole", I nearly lost my dinner/sanity/sense of direction. Just take your pick because my mind shorted out for a few seconds. I hate the word "puckered" and all its variations now. I really wish she'd just called it her puckering poopshoot and at least given the reader the joy of alliteration. Did I mention he's apparently ramming his semen in there? Oh, and this is after she stands up and drips his load all over the floor, making Gideon all hot and bothered because, apparently, lack of adequate hygiene is a major turn on for rich, neurotic alpha males.
[Edit 12/21/15: I read mostly m/m romance now, and I've read and enjoyed some pretty raunchy anal sex scenes, complete with semen insertion. And you know what? I still don't find this book hot.]
At one point, Gideon says he feels a desire to "mark" Eva like she's his property...
I always get sidetracked when writing reviews like this because all I ever want to focus on is how funny it all is, but maybe you want to hear how the story stacks up, how the characterization is, how the plot progresses, or what the obstacles are. I can probably sum each area up in five words or less.
Story: Two people fucking.
Characterization: Cliched and irritating.
Plot progression: It's two people fucking...?
Obstacles: Sexual abuse and shallowness.
Yes, they're both damaged and need each other and he's dark and brooding and she's blonde and angelic and the two of them end up in this mindfuck of a relationship, this monumentally codependent clusterfuck of sex and jealousy and petty mind games, and when I wasn't laughing, I kinda wanted to shoot myself in the face.
Guess what else?! Gideon gets all rapey when he's sleepy! (No, seriously, he rapes in his sleep...)
It's stupid.
Really, really stupid.
So why two stars? I'll tell you why two stars...
"The room lit up in a sudden flare of illumination. I turned toward him...And found him masturbating with shocking viciousness."
Happy Reading!
-
4.5!! WAAAAY better than that Fifty Shades of Grey. I do get the comparison, but truly this is a MUCH better read. Simply put, this book had the polish that FSoG grossly lacked. (I read FSoG just before I read this one. Sadly, I found it disturbing and only gave it a
1-star review.)
The major similarities:
--hero is a young (late 20's), gorgeous, brilliant zillionaire business mogul who sports non-stop erections and has sex on the brain 24/7
--hero has a controlling and obsessive desire for the heroine, including a jealous streak that is off-the-charts
--hero a has a dark and tortured soul that shapes his very world, brought on by years of abuse as a child
--hero maintains a platonic relationship with his past sexual partners, which drives a major wedge with the heroine
--HOT, HOT, HOT sex scenes
The major differences:
-- Gideon isn’t a predator. Unlike Grey, Gideon never tries to coerce and manipulate Eva into doing anything that is for his sole pleasure alone. He doesn’t try to coerce and manipulate her into believing his desires should be the only desires that matter.
--Eva has about 100+ IQ points on Ana, and can actually converse in an intelligent conversation without all of the “Whoa!”, “Oh, My!” and “Gasp!” (To say I like Eva better than Ana is an understatement!)
--Gideon isn’t into ‘period sex’. Yuck.
--No BDSM, at least not yet. This series will continue, so hard to say where it will go. Hmmmm. There was some light talk of subs & doms, pain-as-pleasure…etc.
--No Arnica cream to sooth ‘bruising, sprains and injuries’. (Christian’s remedy for a bruising sore ass, oh lovely)
--The writing is great. Tight, edited and well plotted. It is also quite refreshing when compared to the comic book tone of FSoG.
--Not just ONE, but TWO main characters with damaged souls. (Yep, Eva has a dark soul too and it controls her.)
There are some other small similarities to FSoG, but for the most part I found this book stood well on its own. Gideon was a damaged soul, and the relationship between him and Eva often felt like a co-dependent mess and not a true romance. Eva’s past continues to haunt her, so the main question is can two damaged souls build a healthy relationship? Beneath all the layers of their relationship I did believe they will find true love and heal as best they can from their past. I never believed that with Grey and Ana in FSoG. This was a gripping story and I loved watching these two come together and try to get it right.
If you are holding off reading this because you didn’t like FSoG, you might miss out. If you like dark, edgy erotica romance with great writing, then forget the comparison to FSoG. I can’t wait to see how Sylvia Day closes their story.
_____________________________________
Sept 21 - Audiobook review and update
The audiobook version of this book is really good! Loved the narrator.
I think I enjoyed this book even more the second time through. The connection between Gideon and Eva is so deep and emotionally raw, and I think I connected with them even more in my re-read. They are intensely interesting characters, both individually and together as a couple. I picked up on many of the subtle details this time that helps to further explain why they are damaged souls, and why their turbulent relationship might be the healthiest thing for them. -
6 +++ stars!!!!
SQUEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!! HOLY. FREAKING. GOD. THIS. BOOK. IS. BEYOND. AMAZING.
This book was absolute perfection for me!! It had me swooning, drooling and panting over Gideon Cross and had me reading for the better part of it with the world's biggest grin on my face. It was the perfect blend of heart warming, HOTNESS , and seriously tortured Alpha hero (and heroine).
The story is told from the perspective of Eva Hammel, a 24 year old girl who comes from money but wants to make it on her own in the world. She chooses to start at the bottom and work her way to the top and gets a job in an advertising agency where she meets the guy who owns the company she works for (and pretty much everything in NYC) Gideon Cross and its just an instant connection between then. Sparks fly from the first glance. And things go from there.
Gideon Cross is just pure perfection in my eyes! He is tortured, passionate, controlling, but isn't afraid to admit he f*cked up, tender, possessive, gorgeous , absolutely and utterly in LOVE with his girl... <3 <3 Gah! my heart is bursting here! <3
He's so messed up but he's trying his absolute best to be everything his girl needs him to be. I love how on the outside he's this unobtainable larger-than-life god but on the inside, he's just a man who wants to be loved by his girl.
"Oh, Eva." He rubbed his cheek against my damp face. "I must've wished for you so hard and so often you had no choice but to come true."
"What do you want, Gideon?" I asked softly.
He caught me to him and cupped my cheek in one hand. "I want to keep feeling the way I feel when I'm with you. Just tell me what I have to do. And give me some room to screw up. I've never done this before. There's a learning curve."
There are a lot of wonderful book couples out there but the thing that made me just LOVE this book was how fuctional Gideon and Eva were. Despite both having very messed up pasts, and both having their fair share of f*ck ups, they worked through everything functional and passionately in a way that deeply warmed me heart. I loved how open and honest they learned to be with each other. They both made mistakes but they were understandable mistakes, nothing that make me want to throw my Kindle at the wall, nothing where I couldn't understand the reaction they had, and they always talked everything through after. I loved how their love for each other made them stronger than any problems that came their way. It was so refreshing and heart warming.
[This relationship] is going to be a lot of work, Gideon." I warned him.
"I'm not afraid of work." He was touching me restlessly, his hands sliding over my thighs and buttocks as if caressing my bare skin was as necessary to him as breathing. "I'm only afraid of losing you."
I pressed my cheek to his. We completed each other. Even now, as his hands roamed possessively over me, I felt a thawing in my soul, the desperate relief of being held - finally - by the man who understood and satisfied my deepest, most intimate desires."
I loved how neither of them were man-whores or virgins before meeting each other. Not that I have a problem with either one. But it was refreshing and realistic that they had both been in a normal amount of relationships for a couple of mid-twenty year olds.
I also LOVED the side characters. Eva's boss Mark and his partner Steven were delightful and fun. Her bi-sexual room-mate and best friend Cary was just so lovable. He was the ultimate big brother character with his own set of problems - I really really hope he gets a HEA. He so deserves one! We don't get to see much of his past, but you can tell its really heart-breaking. I loved how he knew Eva so well, he just knew when something was wrong just by looking at her.
"I want there to be happily-ever-afters for the f*cked up crowd. Show me the way, Eva honey. Make me believe." ~Cary
And did I mention how utterly HOT this book was?? I swear I was fanning myself from the moment they met (which was pretty much right at the beginning) till the very last page.
For those of you wondering about the connection between this book and Fifty Shades, I'd say they have about as much in common as Fifty Shades does with Twilight. Sure the basics are similar, mega-billionaire hero who is possessive of his girl... wait, no, that's it actually. The BDSM element is utterly UNlike Fifty. There is no contract or anything like that, and it only comes up about 70% of the way through the book, and only briefly at that. Its more about the sexual control, but even then, its not about the kinky f*ckery the same way that Fifty was. But don't let that deter you, this book is HOT, SEXY, deeply emotional, and a serious page turner.... I found this book more deeply emotional than Fifty and I loved Gideon even more than Christian which is saying a lot cuz all of the Fifty books are on my 6 star list.
"You forget who submits, Eva,” he said gruffly. “I’ve given up control for you. I’ve bent and adjusted for you. I’ll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I can’t be tamed or topped. Don’t mistake indulgence for weakness.”
… and gah, the library scene!!! *dies* seriously HOTTTTT
I just loved seeing these two people from such tortured and broken pasts coming together, finding peace in each other, making things work… its a beautiful story!!
“I love you, Gideon.”
“God.” He looked at me with something that resembled disgust. Whether it was directed at me or himself, I didn’t know. “How can you say that?”
“Because it’s the truth.”
“You just see this”—he gestured at himself with a wave of his hand. “You’re not seeing the fucked-up, broken mess inside.”
I inhaled sharply. “You can say that to me? When you know I’m fucked up and broken, too?”
The ending was in a perfect place. Happy, resolved but leaving me biting my nails waiting for October to pleeeeease get here faster!!
We'll never be over, Eva. ~Gideon
This is a MUST read!! I’m buying it in hard copy to put on my favorites shelf and know for sure that I’ll be rereading it many times!! *swoon*
CASTING:
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I decided to read Bared To You because it was sold as a well-written version of Fifty Shades of Grey. To give credit where credit is due,
Sylvia Day is not
E.L. James. Her grammar is good, she varies her sentence structures and, although her propensity for purple prose is at times off-putting, she's a competent wordsmith. That being said, I would not want to imply there was anything remotely literary about this book. There isn't. Which is a shame, because someone should start writing literary erotica again.
It was certainly gratifying to discover that at least this heroine wasn't a 22-year old virgin who'd never masturbated. However, like FSOG, it casts improbably young people in improbably mature situations. Eva is 22, a recent graduate who has landed a job at an ad agency in Manhattan with little to recommend her. She lives in an apartment with a wine fridge and a bi-sexual roommate who tucks bottles of Cristal on ice for her as a favour. Gideon Cross is a 28-year old billionaire who seems to own half of Manhattan.
I have to admit to being puzzled by the choice of age of the characters, both in this novel and in 50 Shades, until I realized that there is no way the litany of contrived conflicts in the plot would work with even marginally mature grown-ups. It takes characters with hair-trigger reactions, non-existent impulse control and an expectation that your lover comes to you without a past to make the plot move forward. Just like 50 Shades, the story jerks spasmodically along from emo moment to sex scene to emo moment like pawns doggedly inching their way across a chessboard of adolescent over-reactions.
The sex is interestingly written. It's a rather strange hybrid between female-focused sex acts and the sort of cliché-ridden over-explicit dialogue that people who learn from porn-sites call 'dirty talk'. He's either going down on her repeatedly, or gasping out lovelorn remarks like 'your cunt's so tight'. Well, she's 22. I'm not sure how this goes down with the mommy consumers of mommy porn. Does it remind them to redouble their kegel exercise efforts, or do they resign themselves to saving their pennies for a vaginoplasty?
Still, I'm unsure whether it's the sex that is supposed to get you off or the conspicuous consumption. The book is littered with brand names. An ever-present materialism thrums like drone through the whole novel and is eerily reminiscent of Bret Easton Ellis's psychopaths obsession with brand names. It is so ubiquitous, I have to wonder if the 'kink' hiding in this story isn't actually subliminal "1% fetishism". Except, of course, the 1% doesn't refer to everything by brand name. It's the wannabe 1% who do that - or psychopaths.
Along with the consumerism is an unvarying textual obeisance to the buff, ripped, perfect body. No one in this novel has any flaws. No one is plump, no one is bony, no one has acne, no one has visible scars. No one has a single physical shortcoming. It's a world of Calvin Klein ad models, toned and photogenicly sheened in odorless sweat, fucking on the immaculately decorated set of a feature piece for Vogue.
Their perfect bodies might be read as an ironic juxtaposition to their myriad emotional scars. But probably not. It has the heavy taint of soap opera about it: the baseless, instant jealousies that are conveniently forged into both signs of inner damage and smoldering romantic love. There is a supporting cast of the mildly villainous and the long-sufferingly loyal to provide that friction: catty female rivals and overly affectionate gay friends. Puppets to adorn the rococo melodrama.
Don't mistake me. There is actually a very compelling and rather serious plot beneath the glutinous and facile emo soup. Had this been a novel about two realistic, imperfect, damaged souls who struggled to negotiate a sexual and emotional relationship in the wake of those experiences, it would have been a very good, and very hot, novel.
But sadly, this novel has used what might have been a very credible and almost insurmountable internal conflict and commoditized it, much like the bodies, the wardrobes, the interior décor and the characters.
Perhaps I'm just not the right sort of woman to read these types of books. I don't need my fiction strewn with glossy images of super-rich lifestyles, impossibly sculpted bodies, decorated with brand products, or have my fictional mental traumas used to such transparently sensational plot-driven ends. The explicit sex doesn't compensate for the number of times I rolled my eyes while reading this. I miss reading stories about adults.
Finally, I am quickly recognizing the blatantly mercenary strategy for publishers to manipulate readers into buying into a whole series by shoddily and abruptly ending the first book. Both this book and FSOG used this strategy. It is a supreme comment on how publishers - even the big ones like Random House and Penguin - have become nothing more than Mall-Chain discount sellers. No wonder they are quickly loosing their legitimacy as arbiters of good fiction. -
Fell short of my expectations.
I really wanted to like this book. The first few chapters held promise for me. I felt as though it was well written and had good dialogue. There are terrific reviews, and I picked it up after just having finished FSOG. I assumed it would be everything I was searching for in my next read but, for me, it fell short. My biggest issues were being unable to connect with Gideon at all, and I didn't find that the characters ever came alive. I never felt that the book explained what made Eva so different in Gideon's eyes or why he had an immediate obsession with her. They used sex instead of talking through their horrific issues, and it seemed to fix everything and nothing at the same time. I don't mind a steamy read -- but I have to be emotionally connected to a story in order to appreciate it, and with this book, I just wasn't.
I know there is a sequel, which obviously will explain more of Gideon's character, but I just hate finishing an entire book feeling as though I don't know one of the lead characters.
Book Stats:
▪ Genre/Category: Erotica
▪ Steam Caliber: Maximum steam
▪ Romance: Fairly weak and unconvincing. Insta-lust.
▪ Characters: Tormented and damaged. Alpha hero.
▪ Plot: Skimmed the surface of an in-depth storyline.
▪ Writing: Well-written and expressive.
▪ POV: First person: Heroine
▪ Cliffhanger: Yes. Left open for more story.
▪ Next Installment: Follow up/continues
-
***6 STARS***
Gideon...Gideon...Gideon. Christian who? I only love Gideon.
I know that is probably not a very popular thing to say but since I read the Crossfire series Fifty Shades never even registered. If you haven’t read this series...READ IT NOW! It has everything: sex, angst, intrigue, billionaire lifestyles and so much more.
It is one of my favorite book series of all time and I love to reread it. I always pick up on something new.
I will spare you my other platitudes of bliss with this series and just say my safe word: Crossfire. -
Español - English
Eva Tramel, rubia, latina, 24 años, nueva en la ciudad de NY.
Gideon Cross, moreno, ojos azules, 28 años, dueño de medio NY (!?!)
Hermosos y perfectos los dos, pero ambos esconden pasados abusivos.
Cuando se conocen tienen al instante la sensación de pertenencia, pero por el pasado de ambos no será nada fácil. En lo que no tendrán ningún problema es en el sexo porque tienen una química tremenda.
El nombre del libro no sólo tiene que ver con la desnudez física (que existe en exceso en el libro) sino como Eva se presenta ante Gideon y le enseña todo lo que es y le habla de su pasado.
Es un libro erótico, pero con una historia interesante.
--
Eva Tramel, blonde, Latina, 24, new in NY City.
Gideon Cross, dark-haired, blue-eyed, 28, owner of half NY (!?!)
Beautiful and perfect both, but both hide abusive pasts.
When they know each other they have the feeling of belonging, but their past will not be easy. In what they will not have any problem is in the sex because they have a tremendous chemistry.
The name of the book not only has to do with physical nudity (which exists in excess in the book) but how Eva presents herself to Gideon and teaches him everything that she is and tells him about her past.
It's an erotic book, but with an interesting story. -
There are a handful of authors that can get a 5 part series commitment from me (here's looking at you Leigh Bardugo;Brandon Sanderson; S. T. Abby), sadly, Sylvia Day is not one of them. Ergo, I'm DNFing this baby.
Gideon and Eva are the epitome of everything I dislike about rich angsty book characters. Shallow and immature with no redeeming factors.
Aaaannd, I'm out -
★★★★★! Bared to you (book 1). The beginning of Gideon’s and Eva’s epic, spellbinding & addictive story with suspense, challenges, self-discovery and their intense dysfunctional love!
“There were thousands of women in New York alone who could replace me in his life, but there was only one Gideon Cross.”
Best experienced, The Crossfire series is Gideon’s and Eva’s epic love story, both broken, flawed and co-dependent and yet so determined and relentless for their elusive happily-ever after. Follow them through sky-high ups and rock-bottom lows as their relationship is tested with demons from their pasts, envy, jealousy, secrets and lies. Yet their biggest obstacles will always come from within. It’s their journey of self-discovery and fulfillment and about pushing all limits and surrendering it all for love.
Books in the Crossfire series must be read in order:
Book 1:
Bared to You
Book 2:
Reflected in You
Book 3:
Entwined with You
Book 4:
Captivated by You
Book 5:
One with You
Bared to you (book 1), follows Gideon and Eva from their first meeting. Upon meeting Eva, Gideon has a singular goal and a very straight forward approach:
“Because I want to fuck you, Eva. I need to know what’s standing in my way, if anything.”
He only intended to seduce her… but before he knows it he is all caught up in wanting more. Their budding romance is electrifying, beautifully depicted with plenty of sinfully steamy sex scenes. But they are wounded souls with much to overcome; vindictive villains, surprises and shockers. Their against-all-odds love was just as spellbinding to read this third time around. Book 1 does not have a cliff-hanger ending, instead is leads you right to book 2 for the continuation of their saga.
Gideon Cross is my ultimate hero. His combination of larger-than life personality and uncanny good looks; enigmatic and elusive; intense and in-control; broken and flawed; ruthless and unyielding, yet when it came to his Eva vulnerable, relentless and human.
“He wasn’t just beautiful; he was… enthralling. He was the kind of guy who made a woman want to rip his shirt open and watch the buttons scatter along with her inhibitions. I looked at him in his civilized, urbane, outrageously expensive suit and thought of raw, primal, sheet-clawing fucking.”
***
“There was something sweet in watching him pull himself back together, restoring the façade he wore for the world while I knew at least a little of the man beneath it.”
Six words to describe Gideon: Unforgettable, intense, ruthless, enigmatic, dominant and captivating.
Like it or not, but Eva Tramell is everything Gideon needed. Five words to describe Eva: Endearing, needy, tenacious, smart and fragile.
“Eva.” He sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. “I spend a quarter of every day inside you. When you set limits outside that I can’t help but see them as arbitrary.”
Epic! Spellbinding! Captivating! Addictive! Unforgettable! In my humble opinion likely to become one of the best love stories of all times!
“You forget who submits, Eva,” he said gruffly. “I’ve given up control for you. I’ve bent and adjusted for you. I’ll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I won’t be tamed or topped. Don’t mistake indulgence for weakness.”
For me the theme song for Gideon’s and Eva’s story is:
♫ Listen to Otis Redding’s soulful rendition of “My precious love” ♫. The lyrics so simply depicts the intensity of Gideon’s love and need for his Eva.
***
Hero rating: 5+++ stars
Heroine rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 5+ stars
Sex scenes frequency: 5 stars
Storyline concept rating: 5 stars
Storytelling skills rating: 5 stars
Story ending rating: N/A
*******************************************
Overall rating: 5 stars
Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes. -
5 Big Stars!
This is a sophisticated, provocative, titillating, highly erotic, sexually driven read and is extremely well done. The title fits the book in more ways than one. It not only applies to the sexual nature of the book, but how Eva and Gideon give of themselves to one each other in body, mind, heart and soul. Eva is a smart, self-assured woman who finds herself drawn to the charismatic, enigmatic Gideon. Their relationship is initially based solely on sex, but their connection is so powerful, that they are overwhelmed with the need to be with one another. Most times their dates, rendezvous, encounters…whatever, result in some very primal raw sex. The two of them are insatiable, especially Gideon, who takes it to a level with Eva that leaves her completely undone. The scenes are quite vivid, and the feelings they exude…well WOW and WOW and WOW again!! Gideon is all about giving pleasure and then saving his for last. I was EXHAUSTED!! The misting fan could not compete with his exuberant bouts of sex, yet, none of this ever felt dirty, but necessary for the two of them. Much of this has to do with the fact that Eva and Gideon are tormented from past trauma and this is a form of healing for them. Eva’s confides in Gideon, and he is slowly opening himself up to her.
So, as the book came to its conclusion the story of Eva and Gideon did not. I was satisfied enough that I could leave them for a while, but I need to know how this all plays out, and that my friends will remain to be seen…hopefully in October! In the meantime...I can't recommend this book enough, you will run the gambit of emotions while you join Eva and Gideon on their quest to find themselves and each other.
This is my Gideon...I know he doesn't have blue eyes, but the rest...ahhhh!
Just my thoughts on this matter!
Much has been made about the comparison of
Bared to You and
Fifty Shades of Grey, and frankly I don’t see it. In any romance and sub-genre there are always going to be similarities, it can’t be helped, but the direction the story takes, the personality of the characters, how they are presented, and of course the writing, is what makes each of them unique. I enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey, but I loved Bared to You. There is no doubt that EL James is a gifted author, but Sylvia Day is a talented, skilled writer and has written an exceptional book. So, if I had to choose between the two…Bared to You...without a doubt is my pick!! Why? Because it's 50 times BETTER!
Crossfire by Brandon Flowers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD4npn... -
WARNING : THIS IS NOT A REVIEW
THIS IS A THIRST TRAP
Grab YOUR water bottles girls
I'll be flashing y'all a spcieman
Also keep that in mind It's not a review with spoilers it is spoiler with review 😂
First of all I almost didn’t want to write a review on this book
Why?
Because Gideon feels too personal , too mine, my possession and I feel too much territorial about him.
Too much raw and real to share him with the rest of the world 😢
I know how insane this sounds but it is what it is, in romance community we DON'T judge right ? 😍 Love is suppose to be free and infinitive, little wild and insane.
So I am not gonna write anymore proper review on the rest of the books of #Crossfire series .
Simply because I Don't have the balls to do that. I've used every bit of my Testosterone here 😷🤒 and Estrogen ain't allowing me any further to share her man (yes dramatic much?)
Anywayyyyyyyy..........
I've written little bit when I've read it for the first time and I am not editing that.
Apart from Gideon there are two other fictional characters (male protagonist) I feel this way.
So I'll try my level best 😍 with this one.
Pardon on my mistakes if I get too crazy 😂
The Review (MY LOVE LETTER)
First Read :3 Stars🌟🌟🌟
Second Re-Read :4 Stars🌟🌟🌟🌟
Third Re-Read :5 Stars 🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠
MY PERCEPTION ON FICTIONAL CHARACTERS:
So whenever I read a book in my head my fictional characters don't have faces. They come in colour, shape and very very very distinct characteristics. In my head I can hear their voices. So in my reviews I Don't like to add any face.
But when I read Bared to You I found that Male protagonist's description was totally similar to
Henry Cavill
I was kinda confused
Then I saw I am not the only one. Author also follows Cavill on IG. So I'll just use his pictures 🖤
Gideon Cross"Damn it. My eyes closed. Gideon Cross. I thought the name suited him. It
was as sexy and elegantly masculine as the man himself."
So I when I first read his name I googled it "How to pronounce Gideon"
his name has sort of a force and a vibe that suggests
he is the majesty
Nothing more nothing less
He is born to rule
"I had never seen hair that purely black. It was glossy and slightly long, the ends drifting over his collar. That sexy length was the crowning touch of bad-boy allure over the successful businessman, like whipped cream topping on a hot-fudge brownie sundae."
The especially about the whole crossfire series is how the author describes the characters
I've never read fictional character's description this phenomenal"I caught a glimpse of his wrist at the end of his cuff and for some crazy reason the sight of that small expanse of golden skin with its light dusting of dark hair arrested my attention. He was just so...............…male."
"I was hyperaware of Cross walking beside me. The way he moved, with animal grace and arrogant economy, was a major turn-on."
As Eva says he has Animal Grace
I think him like a Werewolf
Prime Alpha
Like a Lion
Always Ready pounce his Prey
I think he radiates power
His each move screams dominance
He just stands out.
"A ghost of a smile touched his lips and made him impossibly more handsome. Dear God.......…"
His smile is arrogant and cocky
But Gideon has this special secret smile that is just reserved for Eva."The man had talented hands, confident and skilled, and he took what he wanted with them"
"I loved the way he kissed me, as if he had to, as if he’d go crazy if he didn’t and had nearly waited too long."
Eva dear how you Don't pass out on him? 😶 I would have had a heart attack even if he just breaths in my direction.........
"My thumb brushed over what I assumed was his handwriting. It was bold and masculine and sexy".
"ll be clear and say there won’t be any other men for you, Eva.” A shiver moved through me at the blunt finality in his tone and the iciness of his gaze.
"Gideon, who was running with the fluidity of a well-oiled machine"
"There wasn’t an ounce of excess flesh on him anywhere, just hard slabs of honed muscle. He had washboard abs and that super sexy V of muscle on his pelvis that Cary called the Loin of Apollo.
Gideon didn’t wax his chest like Cary did, but he groomed with the same care he showed to the rest of his body. He was pure primal male, the embodiment of everything I coveted, fantasized about, and wished for."
"His features were harsh with lust, his skin stretched tight over his cheekbones and jaw. His eyes were so dark and dilated they were black, and I knew I was staring into the face of a man who’d passed the limits of his control."
.
"Shh, angel … I’ll take care of you."
“You forget who submits, Eva,” he said gruffly.
“I’ve given up control for you. I’ve bent and adjusted for you. I’ll do anything to keep you and make you happy. But I won’t be tamed or topped. Don’t mistake indulgence for weakness.”
“You’re a machine,” I told him. “Or a god.”
“It’s you.”
“I’ll make us coffee, while you get dressed.”
He finished his coffee and I held out my hand for his mug, but he bypassed me and rinsed it out himself. Another mortal task that made him seem accessible, less of a fantasy I’d never have a chance of holding on to.
"I’ll always take care of you, Eva. I live for it.”
Eva Cross“Hmm?” He kissed the end of my nose and ran his hands down my arms.
“I’m not the type you usually go for, am I?” His brow arched.
“I have one type: Eva Lauren Tramell. That’s it.”
I Can Proudly Say It Out Loud That
I IDOLIZE EVA
My love and respect for her grew more and more throughout the whole series
First of all
🌟Eva is absolutely confident and elegant.
🌟She is really really smart and sharp
🌟She is independent, doesn’t need Gideon's money
🌟She is well mannered, yet when necessary she can be rebel and defiant
🌟 Just like Gideon she is gorgeous and can get any man she wants
🌟She has backbone and she is one of the most strongest Female leads out there
🌟She can't be tamed
🌟She loves Gideon more than breathing
🌟She is Fierce
🌟She can keep Gideon on his toes and when it is necessary she can bring him to his knees
And that's really not it there are sooooooo many other qualities she possesses. I just love,
respect Eva to the moon and back. I feel a deep gratitude towards her 💕💕💕💕💕
note: I have to point it out one year ago when I discovered this series she definitely motivated me to take working out seriously because of her kickboxing and strength training are my two most favourite workouts.
I love how she eats well and takes good care of her body 🖤💕Gideon pressed his lips to my temple and murmured,
“Stay.”
“Yes.” He hugged me.
“You’re so brave, Eva. So strong and honest. You’re a miracle. My miracle.”
In short they are equals
AND EVA IS MY MOST FAVOURITE FICTIONAL HEROINE"Oh, Eva.”
He rubbed his cheek against my damp face.
“I must’ve wished for you so hard and so often you had no choice but to come true”.
“You’re definitely trying to kill me. Are you wearing the garters again?” Pulling the hem of my skirt up, I showed him where the top of my black silk stockings hooked to my black lace garter belt.
His muttered curse made me smile.
“Oh, boy.” My nose wrinkled.
“Hello, Mr. Comfortable. I’m Miss Complicated.” His grin flashed.
“Never a dull moment.”
"Don’t ever apologize for being yourself with me.
It’s what I want. I want to be your safe place, Gideon"
P.S - If I have to give Eva a face then she is definitely Scarlett Johansson ❤
#Gideva
"You have to meet me halfway."
I think they are the most perfect couple I have ever come across
It is them Vs the world concept
They fight for each other and together ❤
Both of them are vulnerable and broken
Yet they are always each other. They will jump in the fire for each other.
No one can separate them.
They are just made for each other.
"I’ve never wanted anything this badly.”
Their connection is startlingly intense, Emotionally, Mentally they Possesse each other."I need to hang on to you for a while.”
“I need to be held.”
"He looks at you like you’re the only person in the room."“Excuse me,” I said from the threshold of the room. “I’m looking for Gideon Cross, the man who doesn’t have romance in his repertoire.” He grinned sheepishly, a boyish smile so at odds with the mature sexuality of his bared body. “I don’t think about it that way. I just try to guess what might please you, and then I give it a shot and hope for the best.”
“I’ve always seen you, angel. From the moment you found me, I’ve seen nothing but you.
“Make love to me,” he begged in a breathless whisper.
“Make love with me. Touch me, angel. Put your hands on me.”
Tears coursed down my temples.
“I love you, Gideon.”
“Please …” His eyes squeezed shut.
“I love you.”
I straightened and Gideon sat up and wrapped himself around me. He took me back down to the floor, where he buried his face in my throat and cried until dawn"
When a man shed tears just from the thought of losing his girl (and he hadn’t even done anything wrong) especially someone so Rough, tough and in control like Gideon.
I swear I DON'T think there is anything more beautiful than this. It is just the most emotionally intimate thing."I want you here.”
“I want to be here.” He paused beside me.
“Can I hold you?” I turned into him and squeezed him hard. “Please.”
“I am home.” He caught me from behind and buried his face in my soaked hair.
“I’m with you.”
Thank u ❤ for reading my review.
As I mentioned it is hard to put my feelings out there for Gideon.
It took me quite a lot of time to finish writing it and
After writing it and reading all these quotes again
I feel emotionally drained
#Gideva's story means so much to me
It is just super close to my heart
I Hate to say Goodbye to them..............
Happy Reading xoxo 🌹🌹🌹 -
Hot, passionate and totally addictive read.
The chemistry between Eva and Gideon, explodes on the page. They are made for each other. They're not perfect, as they have their own issues to deal with. But as they work themselves through it, you'll be taken on an emotional ride like no other. Wow, what a ride!
Gideon
If you want a great story with a lot of heat, you can't go wrong with this book. Loved it! -
What to say? Hm....
Bared to you centers around Eva Tramell, a twenty four year old woman who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Eva finds it extremely hard at times to overcome this past, but she is drawn to young, billionaire Gideon Cross as soon as she meets him. It is later revealed in the book that Gideon is also a childhood sexual abuse survivor. The two must find a way to heal each other in order to move on from their pasts and establish a healthy romantic relationship.
I used to love reading books about hot men who are playboys, but if I'm being honest, it now bores me because this kind of story is being repeated all the time.
I've read 'This Man,' 'Up in the Air,' and 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' and most of the concept in these books/series is sex, and I think after reading this book twice, I've had enough of reading erotica. I've actually had enough! Like I want something different for once! Not the same thing being repeated multiple freaking times! (Can you tell I'm frustrated with this!?)
In this book, when I saw that a sex scene was coming up, I skipped all the pages and sighed to myself saying, 'Yup, another one.' (Surely I'm not the only one who did this?)
And with this series....it's like never ending? I thought after Entwined with you...it was the end but I guess not,but *sigh* I don't know anymore...
The men in these series really have a problem, like how many times do you need to get laid...
I don't know maybe I'm just not in the mood to read this kind of genre anymore... -
Warning: slightly spoiler-ish
1.5 stars
Okay, so I don't know how someone who was raped repeatedly should act. I can't empathize with the anal rape of a boy and its effect on the man. I am not an expert, but I have personal experience with abuse. The abused all come out different, react differently and are affected, differently. That said, what cajones of this author to deal with such issues!
Eva Trammell is an extremely jealous woman who has abuse issues and finds herself deeply, sexually attracted to Gideon Cross in an elemental and, purely, raw way. It's the same with Cross, who drops the gauntlet, spearing Eva with the "I want to F**K your brains out" line. Of course, Eva must fight this, as this kind of behavior is borderline the same behavior of the tormentor from her past, who abused her. But homegirl doesn't hold out long, and soon Eva and Cross are going at it.
But wait, not to forget that in some way (which, annoyingly, is never revealed) Gideon is as much a survivor of raw abuse as Eva, and his trauma affects him in his sleep, which makes it dangerous for Eva to sleep with him. Enough issues for you yet?
How about this? These two are convinced they love each other, but the minute Eva gets deeper into Cross's life, his past affairs and his society, she runs or breaks down at the first sign of trouble. And every time this happens, there's the chase, except the one time when we get the sense that Gideon Cross has something hidden that makes him too ashamed of himself to keep his pursuit.
Further, add in secondary characters of a similarly traumatized gay best friend who takes out his frustrations in orgies, the techy, stalker mom and her filthy rich I-know-everything husband.
There's more, and there's not. The story ends with no resolution or epiphanies(I wanted...something). Going to therapy is mentioned but never highlighted. It is just Eva and her equally-issued paramour still hanging on to each other, survivors of mental destruction.
2 1/2- stars for the mess that is the characters' lives
Minus 1/2- star for reminding me entirely too much of Fifty Shades of Grey, and inducing me to scan thru some parts.
Minus 1/2 star for starting towards "something" and not FINISHING. Hence, therapy, decision-making and some much needed interventions!
Potential headnod for the possible redemption in character development and plot direction (that could be taken just from the abuse and reparation aspect alone).Maybe not LOL
Update: June 2015 -
I’m just going to start by saying that this was a tough book to get through, and a couple of times it almost landed on my DNF shelf. Had I not read it right on the heels of the Fifty Shades trilogy, I might have enjoyed it more, and one look at the ratings and you’ll know that I’m in the minority when it comes to how I feel about this story. Oh well, it is what it is, right? Here are my thoughts about Bared to You.
Oh, before I begin, it’s important to note that I am not comparing this book to the Fifty Shades books as far as quality goes, but because both books pushed similar buttons, I’ll mention them side-by-side.
I’ve heard it said, repeatedly, that Bared to You is similar to, but much better than, the Fifty Shades books. While I agree, the writing was much more polished, I was surprised at how similar the stories are and how unremarkable this one is overall. As in the Fifty books we had the same type of hero, same type of heroine and both had similar conflicts as Ana and Christian (the Fifty H/h) had. Again, as in the Fifty books, the thoughts and actions of the H/h are in total contradiction to what we’re expected to believe about them. For example, despite the repeated references to his need for sexual control, Gideon is *not* a dominant. And sadly, as in the Fifty books, Eva, the heroine in this story, has completely emasculated him, in my opinion. I do not find anything about that appealing in any way, shape or form – and wouldn’t regardless of whether or not I’d read Fifty. Another issue I have with this story is a sex scene towards the end that just didn't add up. To avoid spoilers I won't go into details, but will just say it was too soon, too wrong for their circumstances, and not sexy considering said circumstances.
I’ve had the pleasure of reading a couple of Sylvia Day’s other books and I know she’s a talented author, capable of creating her own unique worlds and characters. Unfortunately, I found Bared to You to be so similar to Fifty Shades of Grey that rather than enjoy this story, I kept being distracted and annoyed by the similarities.
The bottom line: The most disappointing part of this story is that I know what Sylvia Day is capable of, and it's better than this. It's almost as though she and her friends were sitting around bashing Fifty and someone dared her to write the same story, but better. Well, it's the same story, just not 'better.'
Breakdown:
Originality - 1
Writing - 4
Sex - 3
Hero - 3
Heroine - 2
Overall - 2.6 rounded to 3 stars -
In order not to step on anyone's toes or hurt anyone's feelings I won't rate Bared to You. DNF when I hit the 50 % mark. As far as I can judge, Bared to You is a sensitive topic because it's already related to Fifty. Frankly, it's not my intention to start a turmoil by writing a negative review. When I'm reviewing a book I want to be able to write about my feelings. I want to be honest, and a review should always reflect my emotions why I didn't like a book. Naturally it's the same the other way round. With that said, I'm trying to write my reviews in an open and respectable manner. I know this is not always possible--sometimes we get out of line. We all know that tastes and opinions tend to differ. And that's all right--that's the beauty of books.
Bared to You did not work at all for me for numerous reasons. My rating would have been very low and I'll be honest when I'm gonna say that my review would have been the opposite of flattering. Even though I'm happy for those readers who loved the book, I demand that you respect my point of view as well when I say this was a bad book for me. Needless to say that I don't get the hype. Funny thing is while reading Bared to You I never got the Fifty vibes. Bared to You is a different book but I didn't like it all the same. Personally, I think the book benefits in a major way of the fact that many readers have rec'd it to Fifty devotees. Again, it's all right and it's nothing that will compromise my reading life in a severe way. Anyone who is seriously interested to know why the story didn't work for me may send me a message, and I will outline my issues.
Kristen Ashley has written something very beautiful. I borrowed it from her book Golden Trail:
"See, that's the beauty of books. We get to take what we want out of them and it can be different for everyone. You get a good one, you may even find what you need."
Unfortunately it was not a good one and I couldn't find what I needed. Anyway, I'm off to the next one.
Bared to You was kindly provided by NetGalley.com in behalf of Sylvia Day (publisher & author) -
Re-read it recently and couldn't believe that this was one of my favorites 2 years ago.
-
I loved the way he kissed me, as if he had to, as if he’d go crazy if he didn’t and had nearly waited too long.
An incredibly INTENSE, Emotional, Palpable, Riviting, Erotic read that I devoured.
"I want there to be happily-ever-afters for the f*cked-up crowd. Show me the way, Eva honey. Make me believe."
Yes, please Ms. Day! I need that for this couple!
Coming October 2012 is the second installment and I can hardly wait.
Deeper in You -
Um wow... holy spicy, this book is spicy!! To be honest I wasn't a fan of Gideon Cross at the beginning but I slowly fell in love with him and him and Eva's relationship. I cannot wait to read the second book!!
-
As anyone who has seen my updates on this will know, I've been having a REALLY BIG PROBLEM with this book. I should have known better; I tried to read this months ago and almost threw my kindle across the room (where, oh where is my "wallbanger by proxy" paperback when I need it?!). To be kind, let me just say the "similarities" to FSOG were just too much for me.
Well, since then, even more FSOGrip-offssorry, homages have been released, and I've made the mistake of reading those too. I've got so many young, hot, gazillionaire dominants, wussy, clumsy "oh I'm not beautiful" heroines, messed up roommates (male, female, straight and otherwise) fucked up parents, traumatic childhoods, impossibly successful careers, spankings, cunnilingus, drenched slits, beautiful cocks, and endless bouts of shower sex running around in my head I can't keep ANY of these fucking books straight anymore.
The biggest thing this subgenre had going for it, and the reason I was sure it would eventually go the way of other "of the moment" books, was that they are all being written by unknown first-time authors. Self-pubs, too. These silly books won't be here 2 years from now, I figured. There's still hope for us.
And then Sylvia Day threw her hat into the ring, in an obvious attempt to ride the tsunami that was FSOG.
Of course, the writing is better - more polished, and you can tell that someone who can actually write has done this - but the story is the same. Same, same, SAME. So much the same that for anyone who has read that stupid book that started it all it is jarring. What's even worse is that about a third of the way through the book it veers away from the FSOG checklist and becomes (sort of) it's own story.
Unfortunately, it doesn't last long, and what is even more disappointing is that it becomes almost an "opposite" FSOG. It's like the author took the that book, then deliberately made her book opposite. "Hmm. Ana was so not submissive, so Eva WILL be. But she won't KNOW she is. Yeah, yeah, that's it!" and "Ana bit her lip and it drove Christian crazy. So in MY book, Gideon will LICK his lip and it will make her sex clench. Ha! No one will know!"
I had two major streams of thought while I was reading this:
1) Oh, for fuck's sakes, are you KIDDING me???
2) Sylvia Day, you should be fucking ashamed of yourself.
The first thought is self-explanatory. The second is probably going to get me in trouble.
I can't help it. Why would an established writer throw out an obvious re-write of FSOG and NOT ADMIT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING. That's what really has a bug up my ass.
If you want to have a go at the trope, be my guest. But don't try to feed me a line of hooey about how you published yours first. Do you think we're all STUPID? Here's a quote from an interview she gave to InD'Tale Magazine, published in their September issue:IND: Now, that takes us right back to when we visited last April for a few minutes. You were on the verge of publishing a book independently, “Bared to You”, and you were very excited about the fact that it would be indie! Tell us what happened?
SD: Yeah, well........ WOW! I think it struck a chord with readers and it struck that chord because it was personal to me. It was written just for myself, with only myself in mind. Had I written it for a traditional publisher, there are some elements in there that they might have toned down or not included so it could be considered as commercial as they need. I think readers responded to the rawness, though.
IND: How do you react to those who say you are just riding the coattails of “50 Shades..” with this book?
SD: There really is no way to respond to that. I don’t get defensive over it. If people take the time to look at when things are released, how long it takes to write a book, things like that. They would understand it would be impossible. By the time “50 Shades” made its first appearance, my book was already on shelves. It’s just one of those freak things.
Anyone who reads romance knows that there are particular tropes that are common and these two books do share some of those tropes. If someone has only read these two books, then I understand how they could get them mixed up but once they start reading more and more romance books, they will find that there are a lot of tortured millionaire heroes, a lot of heroines who have just graduated from college.... so yeah, they’ll see with any genre of fiction, there are certain elements that are pretty much transcendent through that particular genre. That’s why it is a particular genre - there are recognizable features.
*blinks*
A couple of things she said stand out: I think it struck a chord with readers and it struck that chord because it was personal to me.
Huh? Personal to you in that you figured you could build a better widget, you mean.
Oh, and I love this one: If people take the time to look at when things are released, how long it takes to write a book, things like that. They would understand it would be impossible. By the time “50 Shades” made its first appearance, my book was already on shelves. It’s just one of those freak things.
C'mon, lady. I'm looking at the copyright on the $30 paperback I bought in December 2011, when FSOG came out in vanity press. Don't think your self-pub was out yet. Not to mention the fact that MotU (FSOG before it was pulled to publish) was around for AGES. That's just sloppy.
I call bullshit. And her answers make me think she thinks I'm not smart enough to figure out she's bullshitting me. (Whoa, sorry about that. My brain hurts from re-reading that sentence.)
Ok, now I'm just really pissed off.
I will NOT be reading any more of this series.
On a go forward, I will NOT be reading any more of Sylvia Day's work.
I am SO disappointed in her.
There. Rant over.
-
used to think this was better than 50 shades... it’s not
-
This Review is a Warning Label and a Rave!
I was going to edit this to tone down the snark factor, but it still felt right the next day, so I am keeping it.
Otherwise edited for additional info/warnings about the storyline.
5 stars. This book was amazing~
Highly recommended for fans of Fifty as it reads like an homage to the best of that series except it is very well written.
Note to those who hate erotica, are disgusted by the Fifty series, think Fifty was a psychopath because he was possessive, controlling or sexually dominant and/or those who could not embrace the lead characters in that series because they both had "issues" and you felt that sent a bad message or they just irritated you or you found yourself badmouthing them for one reason or another:
Please do not read this book.
You will likely find all kinds of things to dislike about this book as well and will trash it in your reviews also. So again, I would like to encourage you not to read it in the first place (really tempted to add the word, "duh" here). Even if this book becomes sooooo popular that you feel "compelled" to read it because of the "hype".
Even then. Don't do it. Trust me.
I know, I know...
it's burning its way up the Amazon charts as we speak.
But stay calm. Control yourself.
Don't let your twitchy finger hit that one-click just yet!
You know, I'm trying to help you avoid that thing you did with Fifty when you read it and HATED it- exactly the way you knew you were going to when you read the other reviews that described, in detail, all the kinds of things you would hate about it ahead of time... before you read it... in advance. You know(?), right before you proceeded to read the book anyway then wrote a thousand word diatribe regarding all the things you disliked about it.
So let me be clear: My warning is for the readers who made the decision to read the Fifty series based on 5-star reviews and popularity who moved out of their genre, taste or reading level to do that. Then they trashed it.
Trashing a book because it is out of your taste range and deals with subject matter you would normally find toxic or unappealing is redonk behavior.
Okay, that said, let's move on the raving portion of our program :)
As I mentioned,
Bared to You is amazing, gripping, and sexy. It is clearly a nod to Fifty and distills that series (which was hugely flawed as it was written by an amateur, neophyte author) and re-works it into a polished, well-paced, engaging story with a similar, but unique storyline.
The writing here is excellent.
Not because it's poetic or lush or any of that, but because it is clean and efficient and didn't get in my way, ever. The story and characters are the stars of the show.
They are riveting.
The narrative is about two very flawed, emotionally scarred people, both victims of childhood sexual abuse and explores their process of working out the emotional and relational "issues" that arise as they participate in this highly-charged, sexual relationship with one another. The characters feel co-dependent at times and things get pretty intense and cra-cra several times.
If you need your characters to be good boys and girls, to remain emotionally stable throughout the narrative and to never pose a risk to the other at any time or ever engage in unstable behavior, stay away.
*spoiler-ish comments below, but only mildly so and may be important for you to know in advance*
If a bit of stalker-ish behavior, obsessive behavior, grabbing, shaking or carrying off another person or one giving the other a mighty slap once is gonna make you bonkers, leave this one on the shelf.
That said, the characters do not tie each other up (he may tell her to hold onto something and not let go a few times, but he never binds her) and they do not physically punish one another (well, except the mighty slap). They also know that they need therapy/intervention to get through their turmoil as a couple and individually as survivors of abuse and they get that.
*end spoilers*
However, once again, if there is anything beyond a repetition of words and poorly constructed sentences and inner goddesses that you did not love about the Fifty series, then stay the hell away from this one.
Just sayin'.
Can't wait for the next book! -
Update: As reviewed for:
Read Our Lips Book Blog
Gideon and Eva
Bared to You was getting tons of fanfare on Goodreads. People were going crazy over it! It didn’t take long for me to understand why. I was hooked in the first chapter. Eva Tramell, a 24 year old new graduate has moved to New York City with her best friend, Cary (a bisexual man) to be closer to her mom and stepfather. She has a new job in the Crossfire Building at an advertising agency. The day before she starts her new job, she stops by the office and literally crashes into Gideon Cross, who at 28-years old, is a billionaire business mogul, owner of the building she works in and the most gorgeous man Eva has ever laid eyes on.
After a few elevator encounters, it’s clear that the heat between them is mutual. When I say heat, I mean that it’s possible that I’ve never have seen such incendiary lust put to page. It borders on unhealthy and crosses over that line a time or two.
Gideon is determined to get Eva into his bed, but he doesn’t date. He has women that he sleeps with and women that are his friends and never the twain shall meet. Eva is not opposed to a friends with benefits arrangement, but wants a little more than a business transaction. So begins the chase.
Eva tries to hold out, but Gideon uses every one of his considerable resources to win her over. This borders on stalking which really bothers Eva because her mother is already ignoring the boundaries Eva has set in her life. Unfortunately, it’s a big error on Gideon’s part, but let’s just say Gideon is a little OCD on the information gathering.
Eventually Gideon wins her over. Their first sexual encounter has some of the hottest dialogue I’ve ever read and it only gets hotter from there. (see excerpt).
But both Eva and Gideon have serious issues to overcome. Eva has self-esteem issues mostly due to a sexual abuse history and Gideon, is battling demons of his own though it’s unclear exactly what kind. He is a Sexomniac and has vivid dreams that are upsetting for Eva to witness, and one of his dreams brings Eva’s traumatic past roaring to the forefront once again.
But both Gideon and Eva become quickly and fiercely devoted to one other. They try to mend a lot of their differences through sex, though it’s hard to tell that’s what they are doing because they literally cannot keep their hands off of one another. But they are both aware of their own flaws and try hard to work on them.
There is serious family drama on both sides and both characters make major relationship mistakes. But it’s an incredible journey to witness. Gideon learns to open himself up to someone and is so crazy about Eva at times it feels as if he’ll jump out of his skin if he can’t touch her or be near her. Eva works hard at not running when things become difficult and admits to being very jealous and possessive and even uses it to try to warn Gideon away in the beginning. Through it all they explore elements of Dominance and submission, though there is no bondage or physical punishment, it’s fascinating to watch them figuring it out.
This book was just incredible. I couldn’t put it down! The sex was so hot and the relationship was so juicy that I just had to know what was coming next! There is a sequel planned to be released later in the year, but there’s not an uncomfortable cliffhanger that will make you wish that you waited for the sequel to come out to read both books. Definite recommended read.
Initial assessment:
Wow! This book was so hot. There was so much emotional angst, I felt it physically. I can't wait for the sequel. I know a lot of people are comparing this to Ifty Shades, but I like the heroine in this book more. A lot more. She stronger, sexual and a little broken, but so is Gideon. I thought -
DNFed half way through. When the hero takes the heroine to his love shack hotel room filled with love toys where he's had many women in the past, I decided this book wasn't for me. There's no emotional connection between the hero and heroine, just sex and more sex.
Also the writing seems disjointed and stilted at times. Had a hard time following.
Seems way too much like Fifty Shades and makes me think the author jumped on the Fifty Shades bandwagon. -
UPDATE II. I'm deducting the star I added for the erotic encounter that I mistakenly thought was original because I've just read the scene in Fifty Shades Darker that, um, "inspired" Ms Day the copycat. Shame.
UPDATE. Now that I have read Fifty Shades of Grey I'm even more unimpressed with Sylvia Day's book. Can you say "BIG ASS COPYCAT?" Sheesh.
Touted as the 50SOG for the more discriminating romance reader, I say...Ms Day probably shouldn't believe her own PR. Eva and Gideon are the glitterati of Manhattan, impossibly wealthy and beautiful. Sadly, they fight and have jealous snits, generally behaving like high schoolers in a tediously predictable pattern. The make up sex is frequent and over the top. Their love is the greatest most neediest emo love ever, so special that Gideon can't even say "I love you" because it's just not enough to convey the depth of his all-consuming passion. Greatest most specialist love evah. *jaw-cracking yawn* If either one of them had even the tiniest sense of humor they'd be laughing at their own melodrama. But no.... both are too damaged by their pasts. Do I think the author used childhood sexual abuse as a cheap shortcut to make her characters more sympathetic? Why yes, yes I do.
I'm tempted to give one additional star for chapter 16 in which they briefly behave and converse like adults but in the next chapter those darn kids go back to breaking up and making up. Chapter 16 also boasts the only truly inventive and original erotic encounter in the book. Very hot and imaginative so I tacked on the extra star for a sex scene I won't soon forget.
I haven't read 50 and don't plan to. I have read enough to know that this book is a blatant knockoff. I can't imagine this book setting the world on fire the way a book written by an outsider to the world of NY publishing has. Day is an insider in the NY agent/publisher sameness mold. I wish they'd all move outside the box and dare to be different. It would be more productive than making fun of that Brit who did set the world on fire. -
He bored me,
And she bored me ever more :P
-
This is approximately 1000 times better than That Other Book! Similar themes, but with better characters, better writing, better plotting, better sex, and minus the degradation.
-
❝I've always seen you, angel. From the moment you found me, I’ve seen nothing but you.❞
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ¾
Bared to You was a little beyond the comfort zone of what I usually read but surprisingly I found myself actually enjoying this. I know Bared to You is closely compared to Fifty Shades of Grey, and even I was having some sort of deja vu at first because of how similar these two book were to each other. But I found that Bared to You was a whole different level better than Fifty Shades.
For one, Gideon Cross is 100 times more Mr. Dangerous and Sexy than Christian Grey. Years after I've read Fifty Shades, I can even say that Christian Grey isn't even hot, sexy, handsome, or any of the above. Maybe it's just years of maturing and realizing or maybe Jamie Dornan just screwed up a character that's beyond "fifty shades of fucked up". But enough about Christian and more about Gideon. Even though I think that Gideon was dangerously sexy, he still had things going on about him that irked me.
POSSESSIVENESS and STALKER TENDENCIES. Two of the worst possible qualities a significant other can possess. It's okay to be possessive and let others know that you are in a relationship with your SO, but gah. He took things too far at times and left me cringing. On top of that, he was going full-on stalker. Digging up personal info, making duplicate key copies, having Eva followed, and many more examples. Sometimes it came off as protective and done out of good intentions, other times I was just screaming at the book begging for Eva to run the other way. In a way, his stalker tendencies weren't too much of a big deal but geez give a girl some privacy and space.
As for Eva, she was likable. I enjoyed her character (especially more than "innocent" Anastasia Steele) but she did get irritating at times. I could see where she was coming from in certain situations but other times Eva got too dramatic and stirred up problems for no good reason. I understand. We get jealous. It happens. But don't start running just so the guy can come running after you, which was exactly what was going on in Bared to You. More than once, I might add. Their relationship was hot and enticing, especially in the beginning but for every sexy moment they had, there was a rollercoaster ride of tug-a-war emotions flying all over the place. They were hot one second and cold the next. It got pretty annoying. But when things were going good, their relationship was actually great and I found myself rooting for them.
I could already tell that I have so much more ahead of me that's coming in this series and even though this isn't the strongest series starter nor the best love story I've read about, I'm pretty intrigued about these books. I'm curious as to what happened to Gideon Cross and why it turned him into the man that he is now. We have yet to see... ;) -
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My friends are constantly trying to force me to read erotica books - the more they think I'll dislike it, the more they want me to read it. I was wary about starting BARED TO YOU for several reasons: one; it's frequently referred to in the same breath as FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, which
I did not like; two; I've been acquainted with this author before via her historical romance novels, which
I also did not like; and three; it's got one of those vague non-summaries that doesn't tell me what the book is going to be about, which kind of makes me suspect that it's not going to have much in the way of substance besides, well, copious sex.
As it turns out, I was sort of correct and sort of incorrect on all three counts. BARED TO YOU is the story of an early-twenty-something and a late-twenty-something using kinky sex to self-medicate their traumas - only, instead of one of them being god-like and rich, they're both god-like and rich...and so is everyone else in the book. I'm still not sure if this levels the playing field, or if it just underscores the vapid, shallowness of these types of books.
***WARNING: SPOILERS TO FOLLOW***
I buddy-read this with my friend Sarah, and I have to
agree with her that Gideon is a much better hero than Christian. As controlling and stalky as he is, at least he listens to the word "no" and doesn't beat her with belts and control her eating habits in order to come to term with his own demons. They actually do couple things together, like eat out (no, not just that way) and work out together, and go to charity balls...and other things that normal couples do together. The only downside is that Gideon apparently acts out rapes in his sleep, both on the receiving end and the giving end. Um.
The sex - and man, there was a lot of sex in this book - was actually good, for the most part, which was a pleasant surprise after reading ASK FOR IT and being treated to the not-so-sexy image of creamy bodily fluids gushing every which way. BARED TO YOU has some great scenes...but since this book is basically 70% sex or prelude to sex, they lose their power and get repetitive after a while.
Also, there's just some really bad scenes in here:
...his powerful body straining with the primal need to mate (91).
"I'm so deep in you...I can feel it against my stomach...feel my dick pounding into you" (137).
His balls were heavy and big, an audacious display of his powerful virility (162).
Gideon battered my tender sex with that brutally thick column of rigid flesh (230).
"You're milking the head of my dick with those hungry little squeezes" (237)
And some of the worst phrases for buttholes:
the pucker of my anus (234)
my sensitive rosette (235)
that darkly sexual place (237)
I did find it a little irritating that the bisexual best friend of the hero sleeps around constantly with people of both sexes and basically comes across as a shallow jerk. The author gives a reason for this behavior, but it's still annoying to see characters conform to stereotypes (I also side-eyed her flamboyant gay boss). I'm all for inclusivity and practice makes perfect, but this is not a book I would ever pick up to fulfill any #diversefiction challenges. Let's put it that way.
Likewise, the way the other wom(en) are portrayed in this book made me feel similarly torn. Day tries to give them more substance than just that beautiful conniving temptress who swoops back into the hero's life to still him away from the virginal heroine. In this case, Gideon's women are portrayed with some degree of nuance (more so towards the end). The women who sleep with Cary (the bisexual BFF of the heroine), however, do not receive that same courtesy, and at one point, Eva refers to them as trash or something like that. Stay classy, Eva.
The way one of my coworkers described this book to me at my old job made it sound like this book was about assassins, and that title - Crossfire - made me think that I was about to get my hands on some Bastien Toussaint-type anti-hero. I think I know what happens next (based on her spoilers), and I'm curious enough to learn about Gideon and Eva's backstories that I'd probably pick up book 2. If it was cheap. I think my favorite part was when Eva, starry-eyed from her move from San Diego to New York, New York, marvels at the modern wonder of the garbage truck. Because of course, in California, we grind our garbage up and put it into fair trade coffee or smoke it in bongs, I guess. Please, tell me more about this New York-exclusive rubbish-processing behemoth on wheels... -_-
Edit: Can I just say that I'm so tickled by the fact that this edition has "discussion questions" in the back of the book? They're absolutely hilarious. Here are some of my favorites:
Initially, it's the physical attraction that draws Gideon to Eva, but by the time he lures her to his nightclub there's something deeper involved. What is it about Eva that causes Gideon to pursue her so relentlessly? (337)
Gideon's life revolves around his work and his philanthropic commitments; Eva's social life is more personal. How do these differences affect them as a couple? (338)
Gideon and Eva have a very sexual relationship. Considering their pasts, why do you think sex is such an important way for them to communicate? (338)
2 to 2.5 stars
