Title: The Beau & the Belle
Author: R.S. Grey
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Edition/Pages: Ebook, 346 pages
Goodreads page

Summary

Lauren is 17 when she meets Beau for the first time, he is 24 and moving into the guest house in their backyard. They grow closer but when Lauren makes a move, Beau immediately shuts her down.

Now 10 years later, they both find themselves back home in New Orleans and the chemistry between them hasn’t lessened. But Lauren isn’t sure if she can trust Beau.

Overview

This is told in 2 parts – the first half 10 years in the past and the second half today, as adults.

It’s also told in dual POV from Lauren and Beau’s perspectives.

What I Liked

1. I typical R.S. Grey fashion this is a cute, rom-com that definitely had me chuckling. All of her books would make such amazing rom-com movies!

2. While this definitely wasn’t a favorite for me, I still read/listened to this really quickly. Grey’s books are always so quick and addicting.

3. Audiobook: These narrators were amazing. The male narrator could have read the dictionary and I would have listened.

What I Didn’t Like

1. I was expecting their fall out to be an intense culmination. Especially since the past chapters lasted for about half the book. But instead it was just Lauren throwing herself at Beau, Beau being an adult and saying no, and her walking away. It was so anticlimactic. There was nothing angsty or romantic. It was just Beau not being a total creep.

2. This entire book felt so possessive. Beau was constantly telling Lauren how to feel or what to do. At one point Beau forces her to call her date and dump him while she sits in Beau’s office. Then later while she is working in her own business building, he tells her it is too late and too dangerous for her to be there alone. And then shows up every day at the time he thinks is acceptable and walks her home. The whole thing just rubbed me the wrong way.

3. Despite the flash forward to Lauren being 27, everyone continues to treat her like a child. And she continues to act like one. She’s constantly talking about how “grown up” and “adult” Beau is. And everyone is always talking down to her. There is a scene where Lauren throws an adult temper tantrum and Beau scolds her. The whole older man/younger woman thing just felt so forced.

4. My main gripe with this is the complete lack of an actual plot. This book felt so aimless. It was just Beau and Lauren’s half-assed attempts at not dating for no actual reason.

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Overall this one was a miss for me. But I love R.S. Grey’s books in general so I will definitely continue my listen of all her backlist books.

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