| Title | : | Beauty from Surrender (Beauty, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | ebook |
| Number of Pages | : | 277 |
| Publication | : | First published May 28, 2013 |
How do you move on when he’s every song you sing?
After Laurelyn Prescott walks away from the love of her life, she returns to Nashville to pursue the only dream she has left. Determined to find a distraction from the pain of losing Jack Henry, she immerses herself in her music. But with her old life comes old acquaintances and new expectations. When Laurelyn refuses her record producer’s outrageous demands, she finds herself without a career—until an unforeseen opportunity presents itself. From there it’s a rocket ride straight to the top where Laurelyn finds the success she’s always dreamed of. Will it be enough to bring her the happiness she so deserves, or will the absence of Jack Henry leave her wanting more?
Jack Henry McLachlan never expected to fall in love with Laurelyn Prescott—but he did. After he foolishly let her slip through his fingers, he spends three months searching for her, but their reunion doesn’t come easy. The woman he finds isn’t the same one who drifted away without a goodbye. No longer an insecure girl on an Australian adventure, this Laurelyn is a successful musician with a promising career. Her dreams are becoming a reality, and Jack is terrified his American girl won’t have a place for him in her new life. With only a month to convince her otherwise, will it be enough time to make her visualize a life beyond the glitz and glamour, a life that includes him?
Beauty from Surrender (Beauty, #2) Reviews
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Please let her be all knocked up singing the song about them when he finds her in some dive bar in Nashville, please!?!
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I just finished re-reading this book and came up here to change my rating.
I REALLY didn't like this book, not a bit.
It felt like the same author, who wrote book 1 hasn't written this. It was so narrative type this book. No feels and emotions I could connect with. The dialogues felt forced. L's attitude was getting on my nerves, her mother's even more. It was a badly written book with hardly any story to it. It could have easily been blended into book 1 and the third book and made a nice duet series.
felt the book suddenly became so shitty. I expected more maybe? I don't know. All I know is that it was bad... hardly a story to keep it going, the narration was so forced. Emotions fake and over the top. Too much head talking drama.. which I despise. -
Well, Beauty From Pain absolutely blew me away and I fell hard for Jack Henry. I was completely desperate to get my hands on the sequel after that cliffhanger. I was fully invested in these two and really needed them to find the happiness that they both deserve together.
This one picks up pretty much where we left them – separated by several thousand miles and the Pacific Ocean. Laurelyn has returned to America and Jack has absolutely no idea how to find her. After a disastrous and eye-opening attempt to find number fourteen, Jack hires a private detective to track Laurelyn down. She has attempted to move on with her life despite her incredible sense of loss after walking away from Jack and Australia.
I did enjoy that we got a longer story with these two and an ultimately very happy ending after a period of strife but, in retrospect, I think this may have been better told in just one book. I did really enjoy Jack’s POV in this one and hearing how he was feeling about their situation but I just didn’t love this one as much as the first, sadly.
Laurelyn was still a great heroine and I still really loved her. She remains open, engaging, rather sad but ultimately hopeful. She’s attempting to move on with her life, finding happiness in her singing and is considering starting a relationship with one of her band members who is more than a little interested in her. I felt deeply her incredible sadness at the loss of the love of her life and worried about her situation with her mother and father and her horrific ex-boyfriend.
Jack for me was just not the guy I fell in love with in Beauty From Pain – he seems to be a whole lot less alpha. He’s still very endearing and very sexy but there was just something here that made him seem a bit feeble compared to how I’d seen him before. He comes across as a broken man rather than as an alpha roaring for his mate. Also, Laurelyn and Jack just seemed to be lacking that fizzing connection and amazing chemistry that I’d been so blown away by in the first book. The sex scenes, although still very hot, did rather lack that intensity that I’d enjoyed before. I’m not also sure we got full closure on some of the backstories – Laurelynn’s relationship with her father, what happened to her ex in the end and what about Audrey?
But still, I believe that they got their Happy Ever After that they truly deserve and there’s a beautiful epilogue and there’s still a lot to enjoy in this one. If you loved Beauty From Pain, and so many of us did, this is a must-read to get that sense of completion that we all crave.
3.5 stars
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Le sigh
Looks like this will be going into my "Everyone loved it BUT me" pile.
I was ready to love this book. I really enjoyed the last half of the first one and after the crazy cliffhanger, I couldn't wait to read this. This book...I just...I can't...I think...I'm at a loss for words for what I think. Truthfully, I'm stumped here, so let me try and sum it up the best I could.
The book went live on Amazon
I begin reading the first 20%
I just want them to get together already!!!
Then Jack Henry comes into the picture.
And the scene where Laurelyn sings, I loved that!
But then something happens, and he does something I didn't understand
But that's OK, because Lauren goes after him and then everything is right with the world
And so begins the making up for lost time
You bet your sweet sexy ass Jack Henry!!
Well...OK...we have been separated for so long
Again? Well you are very talented in bed, and you do like to, you know, spend time down under...so SURE!
Seriously? I don't know, I'm a little tired...I haven't done my Yoga in a while...but...you're still hotter than the devil's ass, so OK!
For real? Aren't you worn out yet???!!!
You know what, I feel a headache coming on
Oh shit! It just turned into a migraine....sorry...but umm...here's some lotion and tissues, you just go right ahead. I'm going to take a nap.
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Right then. That covers about 80% of the book. Oh wait, there was a plot too...I think...I can't remember it though. Strange.
But wait! There's more! Then we have the never ending ridiculously cheesy sexual innuendos and various terms for uhhhh sexual organs. Curious? Let me appease you
He glides two fingers inside me and uses his thumb to slowly massage my ecstasy controller.I scream as he puts the Dyson vacuum suction on my quim.
"You give amazing head." When she's finished, she inches up my body and makes a show of licking her lips. I can't resist asking, "Still tastes like chicken?"
"I don't know. You tell me," she laughs as she begins kissing my mouth. When she stops, she pulls back. "What do you think?"
"Hmm. I think I'd go with chicken cordon bleu."
"Funny… I was thinking jerk."
Why do I suddenly feel like I never want to eat chicken cordon bleu ever again?Oh, shit! He's saying my baby hatcher is beautiful?
"Are you hungry, babe?"
"Yes. I'm starving."
"Craving anything in particular?"
She grins mischievously. "I want meat."
"That can be arranged. In fact, you can have a little now and a lot later. I know you like your steak cooked medium but what you'll have later will be done well."
"I like things that are done well— especially when it's me."
I don't have my pole so I'll have to improvise." I put my hand on the crotch of my pants. "There's only one pole that counts and I've got it right here."
I swear, I can just picture this line in an American Pie movie, and it would be Stifler saying it...When I have him naked, I barely push my finger against his chest and he falls backwards. "Tim… ber." He chuckles at my reference. "Don't worry. I've got some wood for you."
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3 SURRENDER STARS.
'Beauty from surrender' picks right up from where we were left hanging with the mother of all cliff hangers in 'beauty from pain'. Yes, for months we have been waiting for answers and they are finally here. The author combines gut wrenching anticipation, and true love yearning in this much anticipated follow up.
Meet the characters ...
Laurelyn Prescott is still as loveable as ever. Feisty, talented but broken over her separation, we are shown the survivor side of our heroine. Laurelyn absolutely won me over in this novel and as I said in my previous review this female lead ticks all the boxes and is easy to fall for.
Jack Henry McLachlan
If I felt indifferent to this character in 'beauty from pain' then I've gone the whole 180 I completely fell for Jack Henry. He shows backbone and I can hardly ever resist a mysterious caveman type, and he fits the bill perfectly for that genre of book husbands.
What's it all about?
A jumble of reunions, questions answered, love finding its way, dreams captured ~ Jack and Laurelyn have faced more than their fair share of misunderstandings and unsaid conversations. We find this couple both heart broken and lost ~ worlds apart from each other. There are obstacles to climb, apologises to be made and a whole host of moving forward before this duo can find their own happily ever after. What you can expect in this story is the journey of hope, of finding what they both want and the possibility of that not coming to pass.
What I liked ..
The chemistry, the development of characters and relationships. The slow build up of will they? Won't they? There's no denying that Geogia Cates captured an audience with beauty from pain and I believe she will be doing it again with the conclusion to Laurelyn and Jack Henry's story.
What Didn't quite work ...
There are some similarities between this series and others of this genre, but that's not a huge minus in my reading experience, it just had a predictability factor that made it an easy ride and at times a little boring. The book was well written and it had the 'nice' factor, rather than the 'wow' factor, so i didn't feel wrapped up in the relationship between the duo and Unfortunately some of the more intimate scenes had a major cringe factor for me, two words - DYSON VACUUM. There is no denying that I enjoyed this novel, but there was something missing for me, and sadly I found myself skim reading towards the end. I would recommend that readers check out other reviews as I'm in a minority with my three stars.
If like me, your a fan of romance, intrigue, chemistry and plenty of between the sheets action add into the mix likeable characters then I'm pretty much convinced this will tick your must read boxes. sadly for me this time it didn't work out as a 5 star series.
3 stars. -
4.5 Ah-mazing Jacktastick Stars!!! :D
Beauty from Surrender takes place right where Beauty from Pain left off. If you haven’t read Beauty from Pain I highly recommend it! It left me shocked, and a bit distraught. Just a quick summary: We have Jack Henry and Laurelyn-
After a ‘3 month arrangement’ while Laurelyn is in Australia, they fall in love with one another. Well, Laruelyn admits to loving Jack, but the truth is Jack Henry is just not in a place to admit his feelings. So Laurelyn takes off. Jack doesn’t know her full name, so he is having a hard time finding her, but he has to find her. He has never felt this way about anyone before and he’s not sure how he let her go. They both miss each other terribly.
Jack Henry hires someone to go to the States and search for Laurelyn. Laurelyn is just as miserable as he is, but she has to start moving on with her life and her career. She finally gets a break, and joins a band. She is very talented and starting to do well in the industry. She has a famous father who has just entered her life, but she doesn’t want anyone to know. She wants to succeed or fail on her own merit. Then we have the creeper known as Blake who is back in the picture- ugh! Anyway, she starts touring with a couple of guys in an established band and she is doing really well. It gets easier with time, but she still can’t move on from Jack Henry. Can you ever move on from a love like that?
Its been months and Jack Henry has followed lead after lead trying to find Laurelyn. He is pretty she he as tracked her down this time. He takes a month off work to go to the States and see her. He gets to Texas (where she happens to be touring at the time) and sees her onstage. Time stops. He knows he will never be able to live another day without her in his life. Their reuniting is emotional. Jack Henry lets his romantic side out in this book. Be ready to swoon for him!
The sex scenes between Jack Henry and Laurelyn were just as smokin’ hot! Love me some Jack Henry and his dirty talk! And stripping. I can’t forget the stripping! wow!
Besides the whole Blake snafu, and some drama with Laurelyn’s parents, things are going great between the two. Thats until its time for Jack Henry to go back to Australia. He has taken as much time as he can. There are huge decisions to be made. Does Laurelyn stay in the states and persue her music career she has worked so hard for? Or does she go back to Australia to start a life with Jack Henry- a real life where they can be together always? I would personally say thats a no-brainer (I would go with you, Jack Henry- no questions asked!) but it’s difficult for Laurelyn to choose. Jack doesn’t want to make her pick him, he doesn’t want her to regret never living her dreams, so he goes back and patiently waits for her decision.
I’m going to stop right there- I don’t want the ending spoiled, but the ending made me a very happy girl! Jack Henry and Laurelyn are a favorite couple of mine. I love them both. This sequel had a lot to live up to. I absolutely loved the first book... so the big question about book 2: Did I love it??? In the words of Jack Henry- Abso-fucking-lutely , maybe not quite as much as the first, but it was still an excellent read! Jack and Laurelyn were mostly on solid ground after they reunited, but they still had struggles with trying to make it work. I’m just going to say how much I love Jack Henry’s mom and brother! Ah it was great catching up with the two of them. I was happy with how it ended, but I think the idea of a 3rd book in the series or a novella would be great. I would like to see how life is for the two of them .
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SERIES INFORMATION UPDATE!! I just asked the author about her plans for the series and here's what she said about it:
"I gave Beauty from Surrender a conclusion for the readers not interested in another book but there will be a third installment. I'm undecided about the length-novel or novella–but I love this couple so much, I'd be surprised if I went with a novella."
PS - This is already live on Amazon and Smashwords already :)
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Multi-millionaire, smart-mouthed, Aussie boy...
Jack Henry McLachlan!
&
Fan-fucking-tastic country star...
Laurelyn Paige Prescott!
Consider me surprised and not disappointed :)
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Pre-Beauty from Surrender Thoughts:
COVER REVEAL + BLURB!!! YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
... and I'm a little disappointed. Maybe I will not read it so it does not taint my beautiful memory of book 1...
& like a drug addict... here I am, getting my fix.
I'm DREADING two typical plots:
1. "I'm pregnant"......
2. "I have these migraines / vomiting days because apparently I have [insert terminal illness here] and my doctor says I have X days to live"
NO. PLEASE NO.
Ms. Georgia pleeeeeeeease surprise us!It could have been easy to find Laurelyn too even if he didn't know her last name because:
He knows of Addison and Ben DONOVAN. Get her phone number with some investigating. DONE.
Private investigator + couple grand = BAM!
Covered! Yes!
Either way. Please don't disappoint.
06/01/13 - OMG! It's like Ms. Georgia read this post and wanted to shut me up <3 I love you lololololol. -
★★★★ 1/2! Beauty From Surrender, book 2 of 3. The conclusion of Aussie alpha multimillionaire extraordinaire Jack Henry spellbinding romance of American girl, Laurelyn. A captivating, sexy and memorable read!
“I want to f~ck on the bonnet, but it might be a little warm for that bum of yours.” He pops his button and unzips. “So I'm gonna f~ck you on the boot and save the bonnet for another time.”
The Beauty Series is the whirlwind romance of Australia’s most eligible bachelor, handsome, controlling, elusive, oh so sexy, multi-millionaire Jack Henry McLachlan and his American girl, aspiring country-singer with daddy-issues, Laurelyn Paige Prescott. In their story you will want for nothing; there will be intrigue and villains, sex and seduction. But also personal reflection and growth in the friendship that ensues and the romance that unfolds.
Books in The Beauty Series should be read in order:
Book 1:
Beauty From Pain
Book 2:
Beauty From Surrender
Book 3:
Beauty From Love
Beauty From Surrender (book 2) follows Jack Henry and Laurelyn in the aftermath of book 1’s shocking ending. Both are trying to come to terms with their situation. How will they be able to sort out their feelings and find their way back to each other? Enjoy a slow and long build-up of sexual tension and suspense; Confusion, set-backs, jealousy and stress mars them at every turn of their against-all-odd romance spanning the globe! It is going to take much more than sheer will to bring them back and keep them together. I will say no more I want you to enjoy their story for yourself!
The Beauty Series is an all-consuming very enjoyable read. Please note that even though a third book has been announced, book 2 is very much the conclusion and the long-sought ending of their story. Book 3 has been described more as an extended epilogue. My wish would be for book 3 to provide lots of glimpses into Jack Henry’s and Laurelyn’s future.
I was my absolute pleasure and joy to watch the calculated, bossy and non-committal Jack Henry in his fall into “whopped”. As the story unfolds we will learn and better understand his background including past experiences with women. This is his journey of learning to trust, give up control and opening himself up.
Six words to describe Jack Henry: Larger-than-life, assertive, controlling, caring, observant, captivating.
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” *** “Fan-fucking-tastic.”
“I put my hand on the crotch of my pants. “There's only one pole that counts and I've got it right here.”
A combination of young and fresh yet wise beyond her years, Laurelyn is a wonderful heroine and exactly what Jack Henry needs. She will also go through a transformation; maturing working through some of her issues and searching for her footing in life.
Five words to describe Laurelyn: Playful, easygoing, charismatic, wise and talented.
“He is always the song I sing.”
Spellbinding story-telling! An all-consuming romance! Scorching hot sex scenes! Well developed and charismatic characters! I very much enjoyed Jack Henry’s and Laurelyn’s journey. Thanks Ms. Cates!
“Everything I've been, I am, or will ever be, I surrender it all to you.”
***
Hero rating: 5 stars
Heroine rating: 4.5 stars
Sex scenes rating: 5 stars
Sex scenes frequency: 5 stars
Storyline concept rating: 4 stars
Storytelling skills rating: 4.5 stars
Story ending rating: 4 stars
Book editing rating (5 = no edits spotted): 5 stars
************************************************
Overall rating: 4.5 stars
Would I recommend this series: Yes.
Would I re-read this series: Maybe later.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
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5 Amazing Stars
This second book starts immediately after the end of the first. Laurelyn is arriving at US, running away from Australia without leaving any form of contact, and Jack is coming home early, ready to tell her what he feels just to find her gone without a goodbye.
He tries to forget her but he soon realizes that he can’t so he hires a private investigator to find her in the US. Since he only knows her first name is not an easy job and is a task that will take three months.
And a lot can change in that time.
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Three months after, even not moving on from Jack, Laurelyn’s life changed a lot. Starting to make a name in the music world she is getting ready to go on tour and her future is starting in US.
So when Jack finally reaches her and they find each other again, can she choose between her future in music and her future with the man she fell in love?
And after all that time and with an ocean and a sinful past between them, do they really stand a chance?
I loved this book. Liked it way more than the first probably because it was sweeter and more honest. There was no fake names, no hiding secrets (well, almost any secrets) and they were just trying to have a second chance at their love.
The amount of drama on this book was just perfect and I wouldn’t have asked for a better sequel. I can’t wait to read the third! ;)
Rating: 5 stars.
Storyline: Slightly predictable but totally enjoyable. The drama/romance/ sweetness/steam ratio was perfect.
Writing Style: Completely addictive. First person and dual POV.
Character Development: Amazing characters. Both of them feel extremely real and their connection is amazing. Neither of them annoyed me (much) which is always good thing.
Steam: Pretty hot!
HEA: -
4.5 Jack Henry swoon-worthy stars!
After that cliffy ending to Beauty From Pain, I couldn't wait to dive into this one. This book starts off right after Laurelyn moves back to the States. She doesn't say goodbye to Jack Henry...she just can't bear to see him say goodbye. This first part was a bit frustrating for me as it takes a while for him to find her. I was under the impression with the amount of money at his disposal, this would not be that difficult. But anyways...... The pacing of the first half is nice and slow much like the first book. Then the second half speeds along more quickly...a week later,
two weeks later.... Sometimes that felt a bit rushed to me but it wasn't confusing or distracting.
We still get the alternating POV of both Laurelyn and Jack Henry but not quite as back and forth in frequency as the first book. It flowed nicely though. I liked getting into each of their heads. Jack Henry has to find Laurelyn and when he does he prays she still loves him and will commit to a future with him...a future in Australia. But she has a budding music career. Will she give it all up to move Down Under? Laurelyn has always counted on herself alone to succeed in this world. It's a huge risk to give up all her hard work for a guy who, a few months ago, only had short term, no-strings-attached agreements. How can someone possibly change so much?
Okay, I seriously think Jack Henry is the shizzle. We fell in love with him in BFP as being the rich, self protective hotness on a stick.
But in this book, all bets are off and he will do just about anything in the name of love. Things that terrified him in BFP he finds himself dreaming of having someday soon.....with Laurelyn. He loves Laurelyn and will do anything to get her to commit to him forever. No more women...she's it for him. The sexual chemistry between these two is off the hook. He's clearly a god in bed! Seven hours of godliness. Everything about him is endearing.... Laurelyn is a fairly strong heroine. To walk away like she did may look weak but it was more self preservation. She did a few things in this book that annoyed me- games she played with Jack Henry but she by far is a very UN-annoying heroine. We get so many weak, spineless ones in books of late and that she is not. I guess she is only 23 which, to me, is still very young for the decisions she had to face....
I loved the secondary characters! Jack's mom Margaret is a HOOT! I couldn't resist falling in love with her. His brother Evan was also a stronger character in this book. I enjoyed the antics between these two. The family relationship between all of them was just believable.... Relatable.
The book ends in the HEA we hoped for thru both books. The author notes she will likely write a third book but has left it in a good spot in case readers want to stop here. I guess there's some potential issues still lurking in the shadows that could add some more angst to their story but I'm totally good with the book as she's left it.
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Ladies, prepare to have Jack Henry melt your panties off! If it is even possible I am more in love with him now then I was before! He is simply amazing and such a wonderful man in Beauty From Surrender. Everything I loved about him in Beauty From Pain just multiplies in BFS and he is seriously the perfect guy. He is caring, LOVING, mature, sexy, rich, he is just EVERYTHING that is perfection. He might just be my ALL TIME book boyfriend, yep, that is right! ALL TIME.
Beauty From Surrender picks up right where Beauty From Pain leaves off. Those who have read BFP were given the first two chapters of BFS and know what a crazy cliff hanger/wait this has been. I was one of those bloggers stalking Amazon waiting for the moment it is released and devoured the book within hours! I read the entire book all in one night. I just LOVED IT! If you follow my blog or Facebook you know I have said many times the Beauty Series by Georgia Cates is my one of my favorites of all time, beating books such as Fifty Shades of Grey that is how in love I am with this series.
What I loved most about BFS is it still had the same feel BFP had. There are decisions to be made, feelings to be expressed, all with a time clock clicking over the heads of Laurelyn & Jack. Though the story was different it still had that magical feel BFP had. I also loved that it was not cheesy or unrealistic love. They may have expressed their feelings but it wasn’t over the top and Jack & Laurelyn were still themselves just like the last book and did not change.
This time around Laurelyn has big choices to make involving her future. She is in the driver’s seat of their relationship controlling Jack and her future together. I just adore Laurelyn too! I love her sarcastic personality and her tough wit; she is my favorite book heroine. Jack Henry’s mother also was a star in this book. Can his family be any better? Laurelyn is a lucky girl!
The book does leave off with a possibility for a third book in the series sometime down the road. I really hope there is one because there are a few things left to be unsolved and of course I must know how Jack Henry & Laurelyn are doing. I was seriously swooning over the lines Jack said to Laurelyn… gosh this man is my god… like seriously!
The first half of the book is slow, which I LOVED! Sometimes I felt BFP went too fast so this was a nice change and more drawn out. The scene of Jack & Laurelyn seeing each other again for the first time is epic. I am glad it was played out well & slow; made it even better for us readers. About half way through the book, the book picks up speed and quickly goes through weeks and months. I did miss the slow speed of the book from the beginning, even the ending was a bit too fast for me.
I love this book and though it might not be as amazing as the first book in the series Beauty From Pain it is still really great! There are still a few questions left unanswered for me… mainly where certain characters went. I hope this is leading up to a third book. Georgia has said she plans to write a novel or novella for Jack & Laurelyn’s story but not for awhile, I want it SOON!
Beauty From Surrender is a great second book for the series. I am always worried about second books but this did not disappoint! Jack Henry alone makes it perfect but the story and characters keep getting better as well.
I give Beauty From Surrender (Beauty #2) 4 Stars. -
I f'king LOVED LOVED LOVED this!!
So sad to say goodbye to Jack Henry and Laurelyn...it does sound like Georgia plans another novel or novella sometime later on but not in the near future and I'm ok with that. I love where their story ended here. This story of them coming together and fighting for the love they had for each other was beautiful and so very VERY hot... Jack Henry is a man like no other.
I highly recommend this series; it's amazing.... -
5 FAN-FUCK-TASTIC-UBER-LICIOUS stars
“A sweat-licking, ass-biting freak—that's what you are.”
**WARNING this review may contain spoilers**
This is the continued story of Jack and Laurelyn. It picks up right where Beauty From Pain leaves off. I read the first book several months ago and I was left heartbroken with that horrible, awful--cliffhanger....Now, the story starts out with Laurelyn and Jack still seperated. Jack doesn't know Laurelyn's last name and he's hired a private investigator to find his missing love...(his PI sucks by the way) Fast forward 3...yes 3 LONG months later and they FINALLY freaking unite and what a reunion it is!!! HOLY HOTNESS....off the god damn charts...AWESOME, SEXY, MIND-BLOWING...you get my point?? The sexual chemistry between these two is AH-MA-ZING!!! I love how they "LOVE" each other and can't live without the other. I don't want to give anything away or spoil it for you, so I recommend this book series to everyone....I'm on cloud nine and i just have to say..BUY IT, READ IT, YOU will LOVE Jack and Laurelyn and there is a HEA! * happy sigh*
“...I love you infinitely.”
“I want to be your song, Laurelyn." I move up her leg and kiss the inside of her thigh. "Always.”
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I struggled a bit with this book and though I did like it, it was nothing like Beauty from Pain which I loved a lot.
Laurelyn & Jack still remain one of my favorite couples and in the previous story and I loved the story line…filled with angst, hot chemistry…I couldn't wait for me to get more of these two totally lovable characters.
I felt that there was really not much of a story in Beauty from Surrender. It was all this finding each other again and spending lots of time in bed and out making love (some awesome and sexy scenes I must add here). I yearned for more emotion; more tension….feel the relationship growing!!!
Some scenes just did not feel real for me….I couldn't see Jack acting like he did in certain situations.
The secondary characters were also a tad flat to me…I couldn't find a connection to her mother and long lost father and even the guy in the band who suddenly tells her he loves her…….thank heavens Jack arrives in the “nick” of time before Laurelyn makes a HUGE MISTAKE!!!
The part that I loved the most in this book was when Laurelyn goes back to Australia. I adore Jack’s family – their closeness, their banter….fabulous.
I am so happy to have read these two books and for me Beauty from Pain
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... remains one of my FAVORITE books to date. -
3 Mr. McLachlan and the Paths we choose in Life Stars
"Nothing speaks louder than your heart. Listen to what it's telling you. You don't need me to tell you how you'll know if she's the one." "My heart's not telling me anything. It's screaming in desperation to find her and tell her how much I love her."
Jack and Laurelyn, refused their hearts' demands and turned their backs on love. Laurelyn returned to America trying to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and left Jack alone to realise what he had and lost. What he let to walk away and the love he had in his grasp and he allowed to slip through his fingers.
He will always be every song I sing.♪♫I made the decision to walk away
And now there's so much distance between you and me.
Now you're so far away, so very far away.
Will you always remain out of my reach?
It's easy to lie myself
but I fear my stupid heart will never be free.♪♫
Now, while Laurelyn faces her parents and tries to build the career that she always dreamed, Jack will desperately look for her and finally admit his feelings. Will they be enough? Will they have a chance to a future together? And more, will they choose to sacrifice their hopes and dreams for happiness?
Passionate and exciting this is a nice conclusion to Jack and Laurelyn's story about love and surrender. Extremely hot, this couple is making the pages sizzle with their chemistry and your heart sigh with their funny banter.
But, huge BUT and the reason behind my lower than expected rating.... I feel that the book dragged a wee bit without reason. Predictable and pretty much uneventful, I didn't feel it lived up to all the expectations, built up from the first book.
Everything was pretty much resolved by 49% and the constant what ifs, angst with no reason and the obvious solution to all the dilemmas, frustrated me and kinda bored me. Additionaly, the almost non-existent secondary character involvement, aside Laurelyn's screw-up parents, deadbeat bastard ex and Jack's delightful mother, didn't help in picking up the pace.
Jack and Laurelyn failed to stand up to the circumstances, face the situation and just plain admit that they can't live without each other!!!
Don't take all this wrong. This is NOT a bad book. This is actually a great story that yes, leaves you in a really good place. I read the author's note about a possible 3rd book. I don't think it will bring anything more to the story as it is, but maybe by introducing some new blood and interesting twists it will be a great addition. I can say for sure that I will give it a try and we will see.... Well if for nothing else, then at least for Jack's dirty mouth and imagination!
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meh.
This is another for the "everyone loves it but me" shelf. Once again, I just couldn't really connect with Jack or Laurelyn. There were some things I really enjoyed -some very sweet lines, and sexy scenes, but for most of the book it felt like a lot of sex, and ALMOST drama leading up to an inevitable, and unexciting conclusion.
I did appreciate that the author didn't go down (or at least not very far down) some of the drama roads she set up. There were a few that I was SURE where going to happen, that just fizzled. However, the one she DID choose, I just felt too lukewarm. It was an issue, but not a BIG issue, so the drama didn't feel like it had any real urgency - it just fell kind of flat.
I think if you loved the first book, you'll enjoy seeing the conclusion of Jack and Laurely's story. If, like me, you didn't love book one, I don't think this will convert you. -
Thank God that's over.
WARNING!!!! MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
I did not see the point of this book. If Ms. Cates wanted to give Jack and Laurelyn their HEA I think an epilogue would've sufficed. My main problem with this book is that THE MAIN PROBLEM was resolved so early in the story that it just went downhill from there. And don't even argue that the main conflict in this book was Jack vs. Laurelyn's career. It wasn't. Ever since
Beauty From Pain, I never felt Laurelyn's devotion to music as a career. For me, her being a singer/musician just came across as trivial instead of being an all-encompassing part of her character. There was no competition there.
Another beef I have with this book was the writing. Several scenes and dialogues sounded so unnatural and unconvincing! For instance, I thought Margaret assaulting her son with her handbag was OTT and corny. Oh, you know what else is corny? These:"When I fell before, you didn't catch me."
She puts my face back on my chest and I'm grateful because I don't want her looking into the windows of my soul. (WHO CALLS THEIR EYES, "WINDOWS OF MY SOUL?!" I think this only works for poetic declarations of love by lonely, old men.)
"I'm close to blasting my swimmers into your cockpit." (I'm embarrassed for you, Jack)
The writing did nothing for me. The flow of the story was choppy and disjointed. I was talking to
CHEL about the characters and we both found it odd that some of them just vanished without a fluid exit. I feel as though they were included in the story because, I don't know, Jack and Laurelyn needed enemies. But as soon as they're done with their antagonist roles then they're gone. Poof! Like that woman who confronted Laurelyn in the washroom (bathroom) and thought that it was appropriate to "warn" her of Jack's propositioning ways. And then as soon as Laurelyn felt woozy she's all, "oh, it's my fault because I told her what you did blah blah blah." And we never really found out who the person behind the vineyard casualties were, did we? Jack assumed it was Audrey but I don't remember it being confirmed. I liked
my theory better. Just sayin'.
I don't know. Unlike
Beauty From Pain, everything just felt convenient here. Addison moving to Australia so Laurelyn takes over her audition and automatically blows everyone's minds away, Addison moving to Australia, Laurelyn's mom doing a complete 180 and showing up at the wedding after being so vocally against the whole thing, Laurelyn leaving the band without any problems. Everyone was so easily agreeable and accepting that it didn't seem believable.
I guess what stopped me from completely hating this book was the fact Jack and Laurelyn never did anything extremely stupid to anger me. They didn't do anything that wowed me either, which is sad, because I really loved them in the first book. I just wished that Ms. Cates was able to take this further in terms of plot and character development because honestly, this was weak and mediocre. -
4 Sweeeeet stars!!
I love Jack Henry!!
This book continues after we were all left hanging in Beauty from pain.
"You're surrendering your all to me, and I can't think of anything
more beautiful than that. I once thought of you as my beauty from
pain-when I thought I'd never see you again-but you're something
entirely different. You're my beauty from surrender because that's what
you're doing-relinquishing the person you once were to give yourself to
me wholeheartedly. And I love you so much for it. I couldn't think of a
better gift to give your bride."
Laureyn is back in the States suffering from a broken heart and pick
herself up and carry on with life. To get back to the things that were
important before she met Jack Henry- her music
Jack Henry is in Australia depressed from letting Laureyn go.
The first woman he ever loved, he lost..
My heart's not telling me anything. It's screaming in desperation to
find Laurelyn and tell her how much I love her."
He hires a private investigator to find her because he doesn't even know
her last name and 3 months later his got nothing.
Whilst trying to mend his broken heart he tries to get another woman-
and he just can't go through it.
Laureyn is IT for him, no one compares and he doesn't want anyone except
her.
"I have to stop this. As much as I'd like to, I can't sit in my car
outside the studio and mind-fuck Jack Henry all day."
Laureyn has a falling out with Blake who threatens her
that if they not together he will make sure her music career is over.
She refuses to be a walkover and tells him to shove it!
So now she officially lost everything that mattered to her.
When she gets a chance of a lifetime to be in a band she takes it and
before she knows it she's on the road and is on her way to stardom!
That's when Jack Henry finds her...
"I'm going to do everything in my power to make it up to her because
I hate what me without her looks like. I'm going to win her back, and
when I do, I'm never letting go of her again."
They have such a sweet reunion and he tells her he loves her and has
been looking for her for months.
"It's you, Jack Henry. It will always be you in every song I sing."
"It was a mistake to not tell you how I felt. It's haunted me since the
day I came home and found you gone. You'll never know how sorry I am for
letting you slip through my fingers. But it won't happen again because
I'm never letting you go. Ever"
Laureyn finally has everything she ever wanted except that she only gets
to keep one:
1) Her career?
2) Jack Henry?
I knew you were the next one the second I laid my eyes on you singing
in that club, but you can never imagine my surprise when I realized that
you weren't just the next one-you were the last one"
Jack Henry spends two weeks trying to convince her that she must choose
him.
"I only know that I want you more than anything I've ever wanted in
my life."
He wants to tell her but doesn't as he needs it to be her choice..
Not to have regrets...
She must come to him when she's ready...
"I hear her soft, sweet voice against my ear and feel her trembling
in my arms.
"Don't leave," she whispers.
I feel the tears when they come and I bury my face in her hair. "Don't
let me leave without you."
And he will wait!
"Laurelyn, I once asked you to be mine for three months. Now, I'm
asking you to be mine forever." She opens her mouth to speak and I place
my fingers to her lips. "But I don't want your answer right now because
you're not ready to say yes. You still need time to spread your wings
and fly. I love you with all my heart and I want you to experience
everything this life has to offer you because it won't wait. But I will.
I'll wait for you as long as it takes, and you can come to me after you
've had enough of this life...when you're ready to spend forever with
me."
Baby, I've waited thirty years for you. I can wait a little longer."
Jack Henry is amazing, sweet, kind and everything Laureyn changed him.
He is literally whipped and she is everything he thought he never wanted
and he wants to spend the rest of his life proving that to her.
"I swear you are my fucking dream come true."
It's amazing how he can take the sweetest things, throw the word
"fucking" in the middle of it, and I could melt into a puddle at his
feet. If my panties weren't already off, I'd be dropping them after
hearing him say that."
"You're everything I never knew I wanted. Every time I picture my
future, it's always your face I see...with some little people who look
like us."
After finally being together they have their own drama which Laureyn
blows completely out of proportion!
"It's because there are three guys in a girl's life: one she loves,
one she hates, and one she can't get enough of. The three have one thing
in common. They're all the same guy, and right now, Jack is the one you
hate. You want to kick his nut sack into his gut, but you have to
remember that he's also the one you love and can't get enough of."
Not as good as book 1 but Jack Henry is so worth the read! -
It's finally happened:
All right, I can't believe I am about to say this, but....there was a bit too much down 'n dirty going on and not enough STORY. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the heck out of the erotic parts of a good book, but it seemed like this was JUST sex and the rest kind of filler.
Laurelyn and Jack Henry are one of my favorite book couples and I absolutely loved their story in Beauty from pain. The plot was so dazzling and enthralling while the dynamic between the two of them was witty, smart and made you beg for more of their perfect connection. In this book, this is pretty much how it goes...
Reunion around 15%
Lots and lots of reunion Nookie while in denial that they live in different countries.
Psycho ex drama
Seperation filled with angst and some phone nookie
Second reunion and....yup more reunion nookie.
Another psycho kinda-ex drama and kinda-seperation
Happily ever after
There are a couple more story plot lines like Laurelyn's parents and another guy in love with her. None of them are really fully fleshed out and I would've like to have seen some more depth into either one of these to make to story a bit more well rounded. I still gave it 3 stars because of how much I adore this couple, the sex WAS hot and sexy, and their bantering was still amazingly funny and adorable. Overall, I enjoyed this book but it fell a little short of book one's magnificence. -
♥♥♥ 3 Stars ♥♥♥
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"You don't always know the true worth of a women's love until it becomes a memory."
-- Evan McLachlan
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Beauty from Surrender picks up where it left off. Laurelyn has returned to Nashville in order to sort out her career. Jack Henry is distraught about not having the chance to tell Laurelyn how he feels. With no way to communicate with her, he thinks he will never see or hear from her again. The only way he thinks he will be able to get over her, is to look for number fourteen. This only ends up making him realize that he can't be with another woman, he needs to find Laurelyn. Unfortunately, this proves to be a lot more difficult than he anticipated. When, he finally does find her, he doesn't know if she will choose him, or the rising musical career that she has made for herself while they were apart. Jack Henry isn't willing to lose her again, so he must come up with a way to prove to her that he is what she needs.
I really liked the first installment of this story. I absolutely loved Jack Henry and all of the other characters. I'm sad to say that this one didn't really pull through for me.
It started out great. I was highly anticipating this one after how the first one ended. The separation has been hell for both of them. Time is slowly going on and Laurelyn has decided maybe it's time to move on. After her ex and producer threatens to end her career if she doesn't be with him, she leaves to join a band and is finding success with them. The lead singer, seems to be having feelings for her. So she thinks it might be time to give him a chance, maybe. At this point, I could not wait for them to be reunited.
And boy, do they reunite! There were having a non-stop sexathon. I don't mind it if a book has a lot of sex scenes, I think it's great! *don't judge*
I never thought there could be too many sex scenes, crazy right? But there was. I felt like it became too much for me. I desperately wanted more story and less sex, I wasn't enjoying it anymore. It was too exaggerated. I kept thinking how is this possible? How is she even walking?!
And then came the comparison to a dyson vacuum.
Yup, she compared Jack Henry's oral skills to a freaking vacuum. I totally thought that was weird, not sexy. But she kept doing it, repeatedly.
Moving on, I still LOVE Jack Henry! He was too perfect! He went through all this trouble and didn't give up until he found her. I feel like he was the one who grew the most. He doesn't do commitment or babies, and now he is contemplating it with Laurelyn. I loved his dirty mouth, and the swoony things he would say. How could you resist him?● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
"I don't regret you for a second. You're my favorite complication and you always will be. I knew you were the next one the second I laid my eyes on you singing in that club, but you never imagine my surprise when I realized you weren't just the next one -- you were the last one."
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Well, Laurelyn had trouble saying yes to him. I get that she had a career that's she worked hard for. I didn't think it was fair for her to just give that all up. But, when you see her clearly not enjoying it 100%, I didn't get why she wouldn't just go to Australia. I did like Laurelyn, despite her indecisiveness. She was confident and I really liked that about her. But, there was one moment where I feel she overreacted.
I loved Jack Henry's family, especially his mom, she was a hoot. I can't say the same for Laurelyn's family. I thought her mom was selfish and her father was no better. He left his wife after their son died for Laurelyn's mom. That must have really sucked for his ex-wife, losing her son and husband. I didn't like that they both kept acting as though nothing had ever happened, like he had never been missing from their lives for twenty-three years.
I would have liked to know more on what ended up happening with the two psychos of this book, Audrey and Blake. They kind of just disappeared and was never seen or heard from again. I found this to be odd, being how they were such creepy stalkers.● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
"You kissed my heart awake."
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Overall, I was not wowed by this book, but it was a hot, good read. I am happy, however, that they got a HEA. It took a long time for it but they finally got it. There were moments where I smiled and chuckled at the dialogue between Laurelyn and Jack Henry. Still, besides the whole, 'Will they be together or not?', there wasn't much going on. I really needed something exciting to happen. There were some parts that were so drawn out and some a bit rushed. Like I always say, what might not work for me, might for you. So who knows, you might enjoy this book more than I did.
-
I'm SO disappointed!!! I have to let it digest before I write about it but one thing's for sure, it didn't even feel like the same characters. Total weak sauce!
-
5 stars!
Gawwd i've waited for this for months!!!
awesome novel!!
Book 1 left me in a haze... I was like 'what the fuck, i have to wait for months... and i hate endings like this, why the hell did I read this?' Well, it was worth the wait.
There are awesome books out there, but there are some that only after a few days, a few weeks, and especially months after reading the book, when you read the title, you can't remember what the story is about,but book 1... I still remember lots of things... -
GAWDDD!! I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT!!!
PUH-LEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
A Teaser from Jack's POV:
As I’m leaving the kitchen I hear Mrs. Porcelli call my name, “Mr. McLachlan?”
I turn and see a look of uncertainty in my housekeeper’s eyes – as if she’s searching for the right words to say to me. “Yes?”
She’s wringing her hands like she’s nervous and my curiosity is peaked. “I didn’t know if I should say anything or not but I decided I thought you had the right to know.”
I wait for her further explanation but she doesn’t give me one. Whatever this is about, she isn’t wanting to tell me. “What is it?”
“I was cleaning your bedroom and found something of Laurelyn’s under the bed. I placed them on your nightstand because I didn’t know what to do with them. Throwing them in the trash didn’t feel right.”
Ah! A pair of Laurelyn’s panties must have fallen under the bed during one of our naughties. I’m sure that’s what has this little gray-haired lady blushing crimson.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
I smile to myself as I walk the hall toward my bedroom. Those will be a nice little memento to have. Hmm … I wonder which pair it will be? I find myself hoping that it will be the white lace pair – the ones I took off of her the day I made love to her for the first time when she told me she loved me.
I can see from the doorway that it’s not the white lace ones; these are colorful. And folded into a tiny rectangle. I can’t recall her ever wearing panties like those so I cross the room for a better inspection only to discover it isn’t panties at all.
Oh, my!!! What could it possibly be?
Another teaser from Beauty from Surrender:
Counting down the days to release!!!
I REALLY NEED IT !!!!!
GIVE IT TOO ME !!! NOW!
-
Did Not Finish.
-
5 FAN-FUCK-TASTIC-UBER-LICIOUS-STARS (borrowed from the infamous Barb)
*This contains spoilers-sorry*
Well what can I say but WOO HOO....IT WAS FABULOUS and DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!!
This book started where BFP ended. Laurelyn is in the states and Jack Henry is in Austrailia. If I'm to be honest.....the first 22% drove me crazy!! How the hell did it take you 3 months Jack Henry to find her? You need a new PI Mister!!! I was disappointed in him. He is a man of action and results so it was frustrating to say the least but the buildup to them reuniting was fabulous!! HOLY HOTNESS...the reunion is AWESOME, SEXY, MIND-BLOWING...AH-MA-ZING!!! (I again borrowed from Barb...she has a way with words -thanks girl)
"Jack Henry. There's been no other man since you-not inside my head, my heart, or my body. No other man will ever reside here. It's reserved for you alone."
"I want to be your song, Laurelyn. Always. And forever."
"It was a mistake to not tell you how I felt. It's haunted me since the day I came home and found you gone. You'll never know how sorry I am for letting you slip through my fingers. But it won't happen again because I'm never letting you go. Ever."
"Jack Henry. Your arrival is unexpected but more than welcomed. You, caveman, are the best surprise I've had in my entire life."
Their reunion has its challenges. Laurelyn is on her way to becoming a rising country star. Her career is taking off. Jack Henry planned to be with her for one month. His lively hood is in Australia. They have to figure out how to make it work. There are trials and heartbreaks along the way but these 2 have such a connection, a passion and a love that knows no bounds. I could go on and one but what I can say, is read it and enjoy the love story that is Jack Henry and Laurelyn.
BR with the Seductress and thanks to all the other GR rocking chicks who were reading along too!! Very fun ladies♥♥ -
"He will always be every song I sing."
I read Beauty From Pain almost two years ago and I absolutely loved it. After doing an audio re-read of it, I decided it was the perfect time to continue on with Jack Henry and Laurelyn’s story. Unfortunately, Beauty From Surrender was just okay for me.
At the end of Beauty From Pain, Laurelyn leaves Australia and Jack Henry without a goodbye, desperately in love with him and thinking her feelings were unrequited. When Jack Henry discovers her gone, he’s heartbroken because he never got to tell her his true feelings. Without knowing her real last name and without any way to contact her, he hires someone to track her down.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make it up to her because I hate what me without her looks like. I’m going to win her back, and when I do, I’m never letting her go again.”
I was surprised by how quickly they are back together and their reunion isn’t drawn out at all. Most of the book is spent with them happy and sexing it up while avoiding figuring out how to move forward. Laurelyn’s music career is just taking off and it’s the worst possible time for her to pick up and move back to Australia with Jack Henry, so that is where the conflict of the book lies.
Our moments together are always the grains of sand falling through the hourglass. A few months here. Another month there. I’m sick of having time restraints placed on this relationship like we have an expiration date.
I enjoyed parts of this book (especially ones with JH's mom), but it seemed almost unneeded. I think I would have preferred if Beauty From Pain had been a bit longer or had an epilogue because this book just didn’t have much meat to it. Thankfully there wasn’t tons of unnecessary drama, just a small thing here and there but that made the whole thing seem kind of drawn out for no reason. I found myself skimming, which I hate, and was practically skipping over sex scenes completely because there were so many. By the way, “ecstasy controller” and “dyson vacuum” were definitely new ones for me, but definitely didn’t help my attention span with the sex scenes or this book.
I still have some mad love for Jack Henry, but I felt like he lost some of his spark here. Instead of being the dirty talking, sexy, alpha we met in BFP, he just seemed kind of whipped. I am a fan of their relationship, but I hate when there’s a sequel for no reason and it ends up feeling like a waste. I can’t even imagine what the third one is about, but I’m guessing… babies –since that topic comprised almost half of their conversations during this book. I think I’m going to call it a day and just pretend it ended after BFP and they live happily ever after.
“Everything I’ve been, I am, or will ever be, I surrender it all to you.”
“You’re surrendering your all to me, and I can’t think of anything more beautiful than that.” -
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME .... REVIEW to come when I am not sick
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BOOK 1: 4 stars
BOOK 2: 2,5 stars
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Review for both books:
In Book 1, Jack Henry makes a proposition to Laurelyn saying he wants to have a no-strings-attached relationship with her for 3 months. She is on holiday in Australia for 3 months and it is convenient as far as the timing goes. No names or contact information are to be exchanged. Just 3 months of pleasure and then no information that would connect them to each other again.
He has done this 12 times and she will be number 13. The reason behind this arrangement is the fact that he is a multi-millionaire and women have tried to take advantage of it in the past, now he is trying to set the rules to protect himself.
She first hesitates about this weird offer but then she agrees to it as she is highly attracted to him.
Then, nearly the whole book is about their bedroom scenes for 3 months (oh, not all of them are in the bedroom :)))
There are a few things happening like some jealousy etc but not a big deal. It is all about pleasure...
Towards the end of their 3-month arrangement, feelings are also involved and things get a bit complicated. I loved how their relationship evolved from an “only-sexual” one to a deeper “feelings-involved” one.
The first book ends in a cliffhanger at the end of the third month when
***********************************************
Book 2, “Beauty from Surrender” takes place right where “Beauty from Pain” has left off.
I loved Jack Henry and Laurelyn as a couple and that’s my main reason to go on this second book and not drop it. This second book definitely feels like an unnecessary one.
If you ask me, the writer could have wrapped up things in one book quite easily. In this dragged out way, one loses interest in something they really liked in the previous one. This is what happened to me. I read Book 1 and gave it 4 stars but then Book 2 came and killed it for me because it was dragging too much. %80 of it is filled with sex scenes. One should know when something good can reach a level that is too much. Their intimate scenes are always good but that high number of them was beyond too much. I love steamy romance books but if nothing really happens that can fill more than 50 pages and the rest of the book is them having sex, well, it gets old, naturally. That was the main problem of this book.
I won't be reading the next one, for sure, because this one, Thank God, ends when they get married and start their happily ever after…
Safety:
There is no cheating when they are together. When they are apart
Writing:
It is dual point of view. Although the writing makes you feel, it is dragging and repetitive.
Recommendation:
At the end of Book 1, I would have recommended it to anyone who likes steamy novels but now, after reading Book 2, not so much...
I have rated Book 1 with 4 stars, but Book 2 felt like 2,5 stars or something like that. I had a hard time deciding if I should lower it to 2 or raise it to 3, and only for the sake of the lovely couple I have grown an attachment to, I am raising it to 3.
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My plea to all writers:
When you find something good to write about, please do not spoil it by stretching it to a point that will make it boring. The more you drag, the more you kill our love for the story and the characters.
STAND-ALONE BOOKS are the best. Make it 300-400 pages if necessary and wrap it up nicely in one book.
Series in which every book deals with different characters are the best! And it is a great joy when we see our favorite couples from previous books in the following ones. For example, appearances that show them having babies and still being very much in love helps our attachment to the series to grow.
Series that deal with the same main characters in all books are what most of us lose our interest in eventually. I believe this kind of series suck and most are doomed to lose readers towards the end!
So.. there it is, my humble opinion... Just saying it and thank you for your consideration in advance :)))
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If it is possible to swoon to death, I think Jack Henry may just do it…
Damn! I’ve had to wait a while to write this review, because I was left in a puddle of goo on the floor after finishing the book, and only now, the day after, do I feel capable of constructing sentences.
I absolutely loved
Beauty From Pain. The story of Jack Henry and Laurelyn completely captivated me, and I have been eagerly awaiting the rest of the story. The book picks up right after the end of that devastating cliffy, with Laurelyn returning to the US, desperately in love with Jack but thinking he doesn’t love her, leaving Jack in Australia, devastated and furious with himself for not telling Laurelyn how he felt while he had the chance.
Devastated and miserable, Jack Henry is broken. But he realises that Laurelyn is the only woman for him, and is determined to track her down.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to make it up to her because I hate what me without her looks like. I’m going to win her back, and when I do, I‘m never letting go of her again.”
Meanwhile, Laurelyn is just as heartbroken, but she tries to pick up her life, throwing herself back into her singing career. Things don’t go smoothly, but amidst dramas with her producer, and her selfish mother, she manages to find success with an up and coming country band.
And then life is thrown into a spin for both of them when Jack Henry finds her. OMG, my heart was racing, and I was squeeing like an idiot. Their reunion takes place as you would expect – a small amount of talking before they are all over each other, followed shortly by declarations of love, and that’s just the start of the swoon.
“I love you so much, Laurelyn. I swear I do.”
…
“It was a mistake to not tell you how I felt. It's haunted me since the day I came home and found you gone. You'll never know how sorry I am for letting you slip through my fingers. But it won't happen again because I'm never letting you go. Ever”
OMG, Jack Henry! He loves his girl passionately, and he embraces those feelings whole heartedly. No longer afraid of what he’s feeling, and letting her know it. And, of course, the two of them together are HOT, HOT, HOTTTT!!! Jack Henry has a filthy mouth, and some blow-your-mind moves - “You’re ordering up some extra dirty with a side of kink today”, but as hot as it is, it’s fairly vanilla, with nothing too disturbing going on.
“A gentleman would have pretended he didn’t see those.”
“I think we’ve established that I’m only a gentleman in public – not in the bedroom. But I must tell you that it makes me feel pretty damn spectacular to know that you needed two of those battery-operated boys to replace what I did for you.”
I loved seeing them together in an actual relationship. They are open and honest with their feelings, and say what is on their mind, but they also acknowledge their difficulties, because underneath all of the romance is the fear of the future. Jack’s future is in Australia, Laurelyn’s career is in the US. They both know that they need to be together, but how do they make it happen?
“I hear her soft, sweet voice against my ear and feel her trembling in my arms.
“Don’t leave,” she whispers.
I feel the tears when they come and I bury my face in her hair. “Don’t let me leave without you.”
But despite their heartfelt pleas *sniff*, neither one of them pressured the other to uproot their lives, respecting each other's careers, and acknowleding the sacrifice that would be required without making any demands.
Jack Henry and Laurelyn are fantastic together, and the passion and intense connection between them leaps off the page. They experience huge ups and downs on the way to their HEA, but they dynamic between them is fantastic - I was constantly either swooning, laughing or fanning myself. Jack is definitely Alpha, but Laurelyn is a strong heroine, and their relationship is an equal one. They are functional, for the most part, although Laurelyn has a moment of stupid towards the end, and I thought she was way out of line with how she handled the situation, but I was never in any doubt about how the story would end.
Big shout out to Jack Henry’s family, I love them all! They are so funny, and the dynamics between them are brilliant. In particular, Jacks’ discussions with his brother, Evan, had me laughing out loud, and his mother is absolutely sensational.
“I interrupted whatever you were doing?”
“Indeed you did.”
“Son, if you stopped to answer the phone, then you weren’t doing whatever well enough and you need to get back to her and do it better. Don’t answer the phone next time.”
Damn. I just got zinged by my mum.”
The book finishes off with a beautiful HEA, although I would have loved an epilogue. Georgia Cates is hinting at either another novel or novella to finish off Jack Henry and Laurelyn’s story in more detail, and I would love to see that happen. But in the meantime, I am very content with everything exactly as it is.
4.5 swoontastic stars.
