Published: February 1, 2018 (TODAY!)

Genre: New Adult/Romance

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

Happy Release Day!!!

Today is the day that The Beau & The Belle, R.S. Grey’s latest, is officially out in the world! I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of this one and get to participate in the release day festivities!

Let me start this review by saying that R.S. Grey is a romantic comedy queen.

I’ve never been a big romance reader—I enjoy romance in the books  I read, but typically you won’t find me in the romance section of the bookstore (which is funny considering my love for romantic comedy films and for Hallmark Christmas romances). But after spending a little time in the book blogging world, one name kept popping up again and again: R.S. Grey.

I decided to branch out a little and give this whole “new adult” romance a try, and I loved it. Without fail, Grey’s books have me swooning as well as laughing out loud. I’ve only read a handful, and I’m excited for the ones I still have left to read!

Here’s the synopsis for The Beau & The Belle:

Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.

Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.

My old friend, Mr. Fortier.

But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.

When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.

Let’s hope he knows how to guard his.

The Beau & the Belle did not disappoint. In fact, I think it’s right up there as a new favorite alongside The Foxe and the Hound (I LOVED Madeleine and Adam). I devoured this one in just a couple of hours–which is sort of a given with Grey’s novels. They’re always compulsively readable, and this one was no different.

I think what made me love The Beau & The Belle so much, aside from Grey’s signature wit, sass, and charm, was the backstory. I loved that the whole first section of the novel takes place in the past, when Lauren is still a kid  in high school and Beau is the college guy she’s crushing on. I think the book easily could have been told entirely in the present, with just references to the past. But the fact that we actually get to be there when Lauren and Beau first meet makes me that much more invested in the story. And it makes it that much more of a reward when they finally get to reconnect 10 years later. I also loved seeing the ways each character had grown and become successful over those 10 years. Some of my favorite details were the ones that involved Lauren getting all excited about her coffee-shop/gallery. It’s fun to read about young women starting successful businesses!

I think my one criticism would be that I wanted there to be more at the end… things fell into place a little too easily. I think there could have been more drama, or at least some more complications, at the end that would make the final pay off even better. As it was, I reached the end and was surprised that it was the last page. I double checked to make sure I hadn’t skipped ahead somehow and missed a section.

I think the character of Preston was where this could have come into play more. It felt a little too easy with him in the final half of the book, and while Jealous Beau wasn’t my favorite Beau, I think their rivalry could’ve played out just a little bit more, that way the ending feels a little bit more like a triumph.

That’s a small complaint though, given how much I enjoyed these characters and their love story. It was fun, sexy, cute, and very funny (I’m not exaggerating at all when I say I laughed out loud several times while reading it).

If you’re a fan of new adult romances, and if you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted love story, I’d definitely suggest picking this one up!

Add THE BEAU & THE BELLE on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36992205-the-beau-the-belle

Get your hands on THE BEAU & THE BELLE now:
★AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2DVSRNd
★AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079D852KG
★AMAZON CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B079D852KG
★AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2DGRoqO

About R.S. Grey:

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com

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