Book Review
Title: Beauty Touched the Beast (Beauty #1)
Author: Skye Warren
Genre: Erotic/Romance
Rating: *****
Review: The reviews for this series are going to be short as the books are short, the first book is only 30 pages long and I have read it before. I went through a phase in my late teens were I rapidly consumed all the erotic fiction I could get my hands on, including Fifty Shades of Grey and Beauty Touched the Beast. Despite this book being so short I do love it because it breaks some conventions in the erotic fiction genre, namely the female pursues the male in this book which is different to many others in the genre and this book also looks at male body image rather than female body image which is another huge bonus for me. When I first read Beauty Touched the Beast, I wasn’t aware it was part of a series and I am now reading through it for the first time.
We are introduced to Erin, a college girl, who is making some money by cleaning for an ex-military man Mr. Blake Morris. Both Blake and Erin have feelings for each other but keep them hidden because of their own insecurities, Erin believes that Blake doesn’t see her as anything more than a naïve college girl and he believes that he is too disfigured to be loved by someone as beautiful as Erin. However, this day is different as Erin catches Blake masturbating and she doesn’t leave, in fact she watches but gives herself away when he calls out her name during orgasm. This almost destroys the fragile friendship they had built over the course of time Erin had been working for Blake but she convinces him that she wants the same and the pair fall into bed. There are two major things I loved about this first scene; 1. CONSENT! Both Blake and Erin make completely sure this is what the other wants before acting on any of their desires because consent is a two way street, my friends. 2. Erin takes control of the situation when she realises Blake is projecting his insecurities about his scars in the way he pleasures her. She understands that he got those scars in his service as a soldier and he should be proud of them and not want to hide them away from potential lovers, especially her. 3. Sex isn’t always needed, in this first scene, there is no penetration intercourse but mutually oral which is interested and fresh to see in erotic fiction that tends to completely focus on penetration when there is a lot more to a sexual relationship.
This get complicated after this as Blake lets those insecurities run wild and it causes him to dismiss Erin as his cleaner as he state that can never happen between them again, however, Erin takes this without complaint, she only objects when he attempts to pay her. Blake sees this as a friendly gesture whereas Erin sees it almost like he is paying a prostitute. Blake desperately tries to explain that isn’t what he meant as Erin leaves and he lets slip that he wants a lot more than just sex from her. At this point, she stops him and tells him if that is what he truly wants then she wants the same and there is absolutely nothing preventing them from taking that step except themselves. As Erin says these words, Blake comes to his senses and the first sex scene takes place right at the end of the book and once again we see Erin taking some measure of control in order to tame Blake’s insecurities. Overall, Beauty Touched the Beast is a brilliant opening to the series and I can’t wait to read the remaining three books.
Buy it here:
Paperback/Hardcover: amazon.co.uk amazon.com
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