ABOUT THE BOOK
Ruthless Bastard. White Knight. But I just call him “boss.”
Thomas Goldstone. A man of billion dollar deals in custom-tailored suits, he demands more than your best. He’s scary. Driven. Haunted by inner demons that have taken him to the brink. But beneath the arrogant, controlling façade lies a heart of gold. It makes me want to solve him one growly, messy piece at a time. To be the only one who sees the truth of the man.
But I’m . . . me. A pink-haired, anime-loving, data-crunching geek with an office in the basement of Goldstone HQ. My chances with the big boss? Statistically insignificant.
His burning gaze and clenched jaw say otherwise though. Gives me hope and ignites a flame so hot my glasses fog up. I shouldn’t mix business with pleasure. Shouldn’t tempt the beast upstairs. Shouldn’t keep wondering . . .
Do fairy tales really come true?
MY REVIEW
I’m tackling my large TBR pile again and found this dark and sexy beauty-and-the-beast-themed romance by Lauren Landish. It’s a steamy romantic suspense filled with passion, angst, and sabotage.
Thomas Goldstone, aka The Ruthless Bastard, The Golden Boy, and Tom Nicholson to name a few, is a fucked up mess. He’s rough and confident on the outside, but mushy and insecure on the inside. Not to mention he hears his father’s nasty voice in his head telling him how inadequate and lacking he is. His inner beast is ready to let loose at any time until he meets a beautiful, quirky and brilliant data analyst in his company. She sets his beast free and makes him feel happy. But this is not a fairy tale.
Mia Karakova loves her job at Goldstone, Inc. She’s left alone in the basement to turn up her music at will and concentrate on her careful and scrupulous data analysis work. In fact, she does her work so well, the big boss, Thomas Goldstone, has asked her to be on a team to evaluate a hospital he wishes to purchase. Seeing him rage at a colleague for a mistake first puts her on edge, but as she spends more time around him she sees something vulnerable behind the angry beast. He’s a good man and she is willing to take him as he is. But fairy tales don’t always come true.
It’s good to see an alpha male with vulnerability for a change. Thomas was dealt a tragic blow when he was small, and he had to grow up with a heartless and shitty father who always degraded him. So Thomas’ drive and ambition prove his father wrong and he is now the head of a billion-dollar company. However, the voice in his head rages at his insecurities and though he has fallen for Mia, he feels he doesn’t deserve her. Thomas does seem a bit of a raging lunatic at first, but watching him start to relax and become happier in Mia’s presence is a pleasure to see. Mia is a brilliant, strong, and vibrant personality who dresses in anime t-shirts and has a way with beasts. I love how she bravely demands Thomas to stop and listen to her as he starts to tear into her. She earned so much respect from Thomas at that moment. He’s able to make the nerdy girl with colorful hair feel beautiful and sexy. The sex is off the charts with these two and they do have some personal and professional obstacles to overcome including a sabotage plot with a surprising reveal, but all is well in the end.
Mia’s friends Izzy and Charlotte are an important part of Mia’s sanity as they give her advice and support when needed. Mia’s Russian papa is also a nice addition considering he’s the total opposite of Thomas’ nasty father, Dennis. I was a little confused about why the puppet master villain of the story gave up on his mission to get Thomas though it looks like he’s turning his villiainary on someone else close to Mia. Can’t wait to read that one.
I am delighted to recommend this dark romance filled with drama, intrigue, and hot, passionate, erotic sex.
Dirty Fairy Tales Series:
1. Beauty and the Billionaire (2019)
2. Not So Prince Charming (2019)
3. Happily Never After (2019)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Landish is a 30-something bestselling author who lives between a rock and an even harder bad boy! Her books have routinely hit the top of the charts and have garnered a legion of praise from her readers.
When she’s not plotting about how she will introduce you to your next sexy as hell book boyfriend, you can find her deep, deep in her writing cave, furiously tapping away on her keyboard, writing scenes that would make even a hardened sailor blush.
Lauren, who lives in NC with her boyfriend and fur baby, warmly invites you to her worlds of rock hard abs, chiseled smiles, and men with deep, fat pockets…but beware! These stories are guaranteed to have you addicted and needing your next fix!
Follow Lauren on her website, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Amazon.
