Bared to You (Crossfire, Book 1)

Searock

You've Been Warned! No Matter How Much Hype/Pop...

"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. Edited for additional info/warnings about the storyline. 5 stars. This book was no less than amazing~ But first a PSA then the rave :) 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! Because: You will likely find all kinds of things to dislike about this book as well and will likely 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 four hundred 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 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 seems like redonk behavior to me. ******************************************************** Okay, that said, let's move on the raving portion of our program :) As I mentioned, Bared to You is an amazing read. It's emotionally gripping and very sensual. 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, 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-intense, sexual relationship with one another. The characters feel co-dependent at times and things often feel dysfunctional. It's totally appropriate to the material, but things are rather dramatic and charged as this couple work toward their very tentative and at-risk HEA (or rather, their HFN as we await the sequel). Both characters are so well-drawn I was rooting for both of them from jump street. 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 it 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! ["

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April 26, 2012 Verified Purchase

Jamie724

Oh, Gideon, I can't wait to learn more about you!

"Sylvia Day made me want to go into a room, lock the door, curl up into a ball and read this story from cover to cover. This book has it all - dark pasts, controlling men, beautiful people, wealth and power. The story features Eva Tramell, a twenty-something college graduate from a wealthy and influential family that wants to make her way in the world based on her own merits. Eva is no virgin, and comes with her own dark past. Eva lives with her bisexual best friend, Cary, with whom she has a completely platonic relationship with. Cary is beautiful, and an aspiring model with a penchant for falling in love with the "right" guys and then screwing up those relationships with the "wrong" woman or man. Cary shares with Eva a dark and disturbed past. Before Eva's first day on her new job at an advertising agency, she scopes out her place of work. She accidentally bumps into a tall, dark and beautiful man. This is our first introduction to Gideon Cross. Unbeknownst at the time to Eva, Gideon Cross is the owner of the building she works in, The Crossfire Building. Immediately, Gideon's demeanor changes when he looks at Eva. Something happens between them, leaving Eva breathless and Gideon on the hunt, so to speak. Gideon is magnetic. He's full of maleness and confidence and immediately enthralls Eva with his looks and his grace. Eva is no shrinking violet. The first thing she thinks about after she meets Gideon is what it would be like to have sex with him. Her thoughts include the words "primal" and sheet-clawing." Eva's second day of work brings her interesting news - her boss explains that he received a request for proposal (RFA) from Kingsman Vodka, a company owned by Crossfire Industries. Eva is invited to the pitch, and the pull between Eva and Gideon begins in earnest. Eva and Gideon's relationship begins, him by wanting nothing more than to have sex with her, and her playing hard to get. Eva might like sex, but she's nobody's toy. There are lunch meetings and dates, and their relationship progresses. Eva demands that sex with her be personal. She says that there doesn't necessarily need to be romance, but she requires friendliness and respect. I like Eva very much because she doesn't give in to Cross like a doe-eyed little girl caught in the headlights of a rich and powerful man. Eva's from a similar background to Cross - she wants Cross, but she's going to do it on her terms. Although Gideon sees Eva as "trouble" for him, he is drawn to her and cannot let her go. When Eva rejects Cross' suggestion of no-strings-attached sex, he is the one willing to "revisit and revise" what he wants from a relationship with her. So Eva and Gideon begin a friendly relationship. Eva learns that Gideon has a dark and tortured past. This is a plus for me as a reader, because there are few things I adore more than dark and twisted pasts. I love tortured and vulnerable characters, making this book like a drug for me. Gideon makes many mistakes along the way, which I chalk up to him not knowing how to deal with Eva. He's falling in love with a woman against his better judgment. He doesn't really know how to be in a normal relationship. We see the darkness in Gideon several times, but Eva does her best to stand by her man. We discover Eva's twisted secrets, but Gideon's run deeper and darker. He is very disturbed by something that happened in his past. My only problem with Eva is that her answer to any problem with Gideon is to run away. If she's feeling hurt, used, pissed, jealous or any negative emotion, her answer is to take off without a word. The first time she does this, I can understand her fears. But by the end of the book, I had had enough of that behavior. Eva has a few moments where she really can't make up her mind about what she really wants from Gideon. One minute, Eva thinks Gideon only wants sex from her. When he shows the world that he's in an actual relationship with her, she's not quite happy with that, either. There are a few places in this book where Gideon deserves Eva's anger, no more so than at the end with the introduction of someone from Gideon's past. But to be fair, Gideon is very up front with Eva, and I believe that he really does want and love Eva. However, both of these characters have dark and desperate pasts to deal with, and until they do that, they will continue to hurt one another. I especially enjoyed when Eva put her foot down concerning Gideon's ex calling him every day. Gideon, like many men, cannot see why or how this would bother Eva to the degree that it does. Ha! I love how Eva plays him at the end of the book - telling him that if he doesn't put an immediate end to his ex's infatuation with him, that she will take his cue while dealing with her own ex-boyfriends. This is just the type of thing to drive Gideon crazy! Gideon, though, is able to show his vulnerabilities to Eva, which is a big start for him. Like I stated earlier, I'm a sucker for dark and tortured characters. This book delivers on several characters that can fit this description. From Eva and Gideon, to Cary and even Magdalene and Corinne (both ex-lovers of Gideon). I think we're going to see a lot of drama in the next book. I think that Corinne is going to play a bigger role in aggravating Eva, and I think that Corinne isn't all that she appears. I think Gideon is going to make progress on his past issues, and that Eva will be there with him, until she can't handle the jealousy that she will undoubtedly have because of his ex-lovers. I think Deeper into You is going to be an emotional roller coaster, and I'm just happy to say that I will most definitely be along for the ride! ["

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July 1, 2012 Verified Purchase

HC

Intense Powerful Erotic with DEPTH!

"Sylvia Day is the master of high spice romance. I have yet to read another series that can combine Level 5 spice with an incredible story and emotional healing journey to compliment it. These are intense books and are so rewarding. You will fall in love with Gideon and Eva and luckily the series goes far to continue with them. Sylvia is one of my favorite authors and this book does not disappoint. There are some heavy trigger warnings to be aware of - but everything she writes has a place to grow and learn from - and I absolutely loved this series. No I did not read 50 shades as it felt like spice that lacked substance. Crossfire has depth and backup for all the spice. ["

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May 6, 2026 Verified Purchase

Mithrendiel

Great romance with an incredibly sexy alpha male

"This book blew me away. I loved it. It's emotional, highly romantic, and incredibly swoon worthy. It left me cheering wildly, sighing, and yes, even hugging my kindle at various moments. In Bared to You, Eva is a driven, strong business woman that's broken away from her wealthy family and is carving out her own place in the world. She's chosen to start in at the bottom of a company, and work her way up the old fashion way. To this end, she's secured a position for herself as an executive assistant at a marketing firm. What she doesn't count on in her five year plan is meeting Gideon Cross, the company's incredibly sexy owner. She stumbles into him (literally) several times, and they have an instant connection. While their chemistry is undeniable, she is scared off by his approach, which is very high handed and aggressive. He's a beautiful, wealthy man, and is a man used to getting what he wants with very little effort. Eva isn't impressed by his wealth, and she quickly determines he's more trouble than he's worth. And so the hunt begins. And it is enthralling. One of the hottest things about this book is just how much Eva legitimately fights her attraction to Gideon, and how doggedly he pursues her. I loved every second of his chase. Gideon Cross - what can I say about him? He's incredibly sexy, 100% alpha, but able to see and appreciate the intrinsic worth in Eva, and express his love for her openly and beautifully. Both he and Eva have tragic pasts that have given them ample reasons to close themselves off. However with each other they are they are truly open - completed bared to one another. The title of the book is apropos as there are definitely a lot of sexy times in the novel, but there is also a baring of souls that I found incredibly moving. Both of them have to work through their past hurts to be good for one another. It all felt very real, and vital and I cried on more than one occasion as they learned how to open up and love one another. Eva is amazing - she's strong, intelligent, and nurturing. Her past has given her a wellspring of sympathy and care for others. She looks after her friends, mothers them, and protects them. For all her strengths, she is also very fragile in love. Her past has given her a fight of flight tendency. She runs when she's hurt. I really identified with her strengths and failings, and found her to be an incredibly realistic and likeable character. The romantic path this novel takes is not a straight line. The trauma from both character's pasts ensures they take two steps back for every one they take forward. This creates a delicious amount of romantic tension and suspense. I was never quite sure Gideon and Eva were going to make it, and that doubt kept me on the edge of my seat. I hate when romance novels throw us easy love stories. Two destined soul mates that instantly fall in love, and know they'll never be apart. The ease of the love stories cheapens them in my estimation. Eva and Gideon have an uphill fight every step of the way with their love, but that pulled me into their story. It made me care. And it made every victory they experienced as a couple that much more cathartic for me. The author has a way with words. Her prose is poetic and moving. I had a hard time picking what quotes to put in this review, because there are just so many good ones. Bared to You has been criticized for being Fifty Shades of Grey 2.0, and, as much as I hate to say it, I think it kind of deserves that censure. This is the only negative thing I can say about the book. It's SUCH a similar story, but it's better written, with stronger, more likeable characters, and more realistic phycology. It also has less S&M elements. I wish I'd read it first, so I could have spared myself the inevitable comparisons to Fifty Shades because it's five times the book. This story had me laughing, crying, and swooning in a major way. It's everything I look for in a romance story. Great characters, and a romance that keeps you captivated, in suspense, turning the pages, just waiting to see if everything turns out well in the end. Recommended for fans of Fifty Shades, Beautiful Disaster, and Easy. ["

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June 19, 2012 Verified Purchase