Naked

The Blackstone Affair, Book 1

By: Raine Miller

Narrated by: Grace Grant, Shane East

Length: 3 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

The first book in the bestselling Blackstone Affair series.

Naked desire. Secret satisfaction. An affair you'll never forget.

Brynne Bennett has left scandal in her past and is living the good life. An American grad student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she's getting back on track with lots of hard work and focus on a career in art conservation. When London businessman Ethan Blackstone buys her nude portrait, he wants to possess more than just her image. He wants Brynne in his bed, serving him in every way possible. He has no trouble voicing his desires, and he isn't taking no for an answer.

At first his dominant nature captivates her, but it isn't clear if the force of his powerful desire will ultimately awaken or dispel the demons Brynne is carrying inside. There are secrets on both sides of this relationship - huge ones. Can Ethan erase the scars of Brynne's past so that she can reveal her true self to him? Or will the shadows cast by Ethan's own mysterious former life destroy their chance at happiness?

Naked is the sizzling, unforgettable story of what happens when a strong woman meets the one man powerful enough to strip away all her defenses, leaving her standing naked and perfect before him.

©2012 Raine Miller (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Loved it!

I'm kicking myself for not listening to this series sooner. To say I am obsessed with Ethan Blackstone is an understatement. I can not get enough of him and Brynne's story. I'm loving this and can not wait to jump into the next book in this series! ABSOLUTELY A MUST LISTEN!

Pulled in Quickly

This was a short and sweet listen that immediately sucked me in. Yes there are many similarities to 50 shades and the Crossfire novels, but the story is different enough to snag you. I loved the narration split between Grace and Shane. It's a nice change in listening and Shane just flat out did it for me. He ranks right up there with Phil Gigante. I’m a sucker for great accents. I'm also a believer in love at first site and I like stories where the love interests quickly recognize their attraction and act on it. The book ends with broken trust, so thankfully the other two are already available. I’ve jumped into book two without hesitation and I can't wait to finish the series. Don't pass this one up.

Naked

Excellent read by Raine Miller. Love me some Ethan and Brynne. Ready to listen to book 2 All In

Wow!!!!! I'm speechless.

What a great listen! In a similar vein of FSOG, Bared to you, etc. etc. this book was delicious. It's a quick listen so things get straight to the point. I would be remiss not to immediately mention that two seconds in when the male narrator Shane East began speaking I knew this was going to be a scorcher! Grace Grant is good too, but I can't wait to get to book 2 when it's all Shane. I already am intrigued by the characters, especially Ethan---yummy! This seems to be the beginning of a dramatic romance, and I am HOOKED. I listened to this practically in one sitting. As it was coming to the end as I prepared to leave for work, I was almost late leaving because I HAD to immediately buy books 2 & pre-order 3 so my listening wouldn't be interrupted!

SENSATIONAL

I loved this book. It has everything I enjoy in listening to an audio book. I'm immediately going to listen to the next book in the series!!!! LOVE IT. So you know I'm going to say this one is totally worth the credit or purchase price. Just be warned you will have to get the next book in the series.

Is this the next 50, sadly no :-(

This book has many similar elements to 50, the dominant alpha rich man, the girl he can't stay away from and must have, even the you are MINE moment, but as much as people like to bash 50 there was a build up in that story that didn't exist in this one, but for less than 4 hours long what can you expect?

The steamy scenes were steamy and graphic and there was a lot of sexual tension but ultimately everything came pretty easy and I missed the drama, the intensity, the edge of your seat moments...the rooting for the characters to figure it out already you belong with each other!!!!! Most of that was just missing and it left me with the feeling that I missed 8 chapters or so of the chase.

Ultimately my rating is a 3.5, I also feel that due to the length it was too expensive, but I did download book two and will likely finish the series, it's just not what I hoped for.

SEXY BRIT FINDS HIS BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN GIRL

OMG, I've had this book in my wish list for ages….why the heck had I not read/listened to it sooner???? I suppose with the cover, I assumed this would be a very blatant, porn-like relationship???--I'm not even sure why, but I prefer sweep-me-off-of-my-feet romance that is subtle, but strong. And, oh did this wonderful, little sexy book deliver (it was nothing near to my first assumption)!

First, let's talk about the prologue narrated in Shane East's masculine, gorgeous, deep voice with his caressing British accent….OMG….It's like melted butter over a warm pastry…SUMPTUOUS!! Shane East is an excellent narrator, even if he only narrated for the prologue. Grace Grant did a great job as well, as she narrated for the rest of the book.

I loved the intensity of the romance and love affair between Ethan Blackstone and Brynne Bennett. Ethan is a millionaire and owner of Blackstone Security, and Brynne's father, as a friend called up a favor asking for Ethan's help to protect his daughter who was in danger. Ethan was busy and hesitant at first, until he received her picture……

"That picture changed everything. I was not the same after I saw it and I couldn’t go back to the man I’d been before seeing it either. Not after we met that night on the street. My whole world altered because of a photograph. A photograph of my beautiful American girl (Ethan Blackstone)."

Ethan's need, longing, craving, desire, and pull toward Brynne is astronomical. I mean it's off the charts, and I love it when a playboy/rogue can get roped in with that one woman who will come to mean everything to him. Ethan definitely falls for Brynne hard and fast (well, I suppose pun intended since it's accurate.…LOL). Brynne, herself is sweet, smart, and a survivor of a devastating tragedy. We don't find out what that tragedy is, but the reader is aware of how impacting and damaging it was to Brynne's psyche and ability to trust men. But, when Brynne meets Ethan at a gallery showing where he bought her picture, they were destined to be inseparable…mainly due to Ethan's persistence. Needless to say, the chemistry between the leads is ON FIRE and consuming. It was great to see the steps Brynne took in trusting Ethan and her comfort level when spending time with him.

I have to mention that her dad, in particular, was kind of interesting. I mean, he is protective of Brynne, but then again he encourages her modeling (nude modeling) and sends the main nude, but tasteful picture of his daughter to Ethan when asking him to protect Brynne. LOL…I just found that to be an interesting combination…protective dad, but proud of his daughter's nude pics…Well, he is definitely one very supportive parent, and Brynne really needed that since her mother left much to be desired.

The ending was what I expected, as a secret comes out that causes that delicate infrastructure of trust between Brynne and Ethan to fracture. So, it's an automatic download for the second book in the series….I'm going to devour this series and I'm so happy that all of the books in this series are out for my delectation.

Uhhhh...mazing!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have recommended this book...the whole series, actually...to many friends.

What did you like best about this story?

The story was intriguing and the characters were captivating, but the narration, which can make or break an audiobook experience, was perfection.

Which character – as performed by Grace Grant and Shane East – was your favorite?

Both narrators were well chosen and are very skilled in their craft, but I was enthralled by Shane East's performance. With his deep voice, British accent, and ability to change his accent and switch into the voices of different characters, I am left believing that I will purchase any book he narrates in the future...even if the story is poorly written.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was left wanting to know more about the future of the couple, and wishing them well, as I would dear friends. I look forward to more books from Raine Miller, and narrations from Grace Grant and Shane East.

Any additional comments?

Bravo!!!

Unique storyline

Would you consider the audio edition of Naked to be better than the print version?

Yes, Shane East's voice makes it

What other book might you compare Naked to and why?

not sure

Have you listened to any of Grace Grant and Shane East ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Great work

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but since I didn't I listened to it more than once

Chemistry, Heat, and Humor

I really enjoyed this easy quick read and listen. Short on pages, but still a complete story with lots going on. There was chemistry, heat, humor and some secrets! Ethan is a bossy, protective alpha. Brynne falls for who she thinks he is, but can't handle it when she finds out he has secrets too.

“Brynne Bennett:---still pissed and thinks u have a beautiful coffeemaker.
Ethan Blackstone:---thinks I have a beautiful girlfriend. Did u eat sthg?
Brynne Bennett:---ate sthg. U have a pet lionfish. :)
That is Simba. I pamper him and he tolerates me. U 2 have much in common.
His response made me smile. Ethan had a soft spot for animals apparently.”

4.5 Stars!!