Beautiful Surrender

Kings of Capital

De: Ivy Wild

Narrado por: Mollie Stark, Joe Arden

She's so very good at being bad.

Xavier:

My truth is control.

My truth is that good is rewarded and that bad is punished.

Aubrey Knight thought she could disrupt my business and get away with it.

But, she was sorely mistaken.

So, when her father lost the election and came to me begging for money, I struck a deal.

The little brat would serve as collateral until the loan was repaid.

She thinks she can test me.

How laughable.

She will learn that my house has rules, and she will learn to follow them.

Aubrey:

I will never follow his rules.

©2021 Ivy Wild (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing

Beautifully Brilliant Story, Narration & Listen🎧

Ivy Wild never ceases to amaze me with her brilliant mind and ability to create complex stories and characters that are intriguing and unique. “Beautiful Surrender”, another impressive novel set in her equally impressive “Kings of Capital” world, is Xavier Payne and Aubrey Knight’s story. Xavier, another king of the capital, a man of influence, power and money, is called in to help a politician with his election by funding a loan. Aubrey Knight, the only child of long-term Congressman Bob Knight, has lived her life as he and her mother saw fit, the perfect daughter in the public eye, but she is far from perfect. Xavier agrees to the loan, but with a stipulation: that his beloved daughter stay with him until he pays the loan back. Xavier is a calculating man and has reasons for everything he does, though he does not share his reasons, but he sees everything. He may or may not have a vendetta with Aubrey and her antics with Sophie Strong, but he does not show his cards, and Aubrey is at his mercy. Ok, maybe not, since Aubrey is not at anybody’s mercy, but she is an obedient daughter and goes along, putting on her best bratty behavior along the way. There was a lot more to these two characters that met the eye, and it was great watching them interact, the push and pull between them, and it was also great learning more about them. Aubrey hides behind her bratty behavior, hiding how broken she really is, like life beat her down, or just her parents. Xavier’s backstory was a heartbreaking one and shows why he is the way he is and the man he became. Two broken souls whose pieces fit perfectly together, her fire to his ice. Wild’s writing, plot and world building are incredible, as are her character growth and development. I love how everything played out in this book, with plenty of drama, angst, a mind-blowing twist you never saw coming, heartfelt emotions, steamy romance and some well presented and done BDSM scenes. Ivy Wild, thank you for another brilliant story and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 Speaking of brilliant, Mollie Stark and Joe Arden's performances were just that, exceptional at voicing these characters, humanizing them with their personalities and emotions. Stark nailed it as Aubrey, fierce and full of fire, from her bratty behavior to her insecurities to her strength and determination. Arden was just as amazing as Xavier and just as multifaceted, showcasing the complexities of his personality, from a controlling Dom to a tormented and broken man who needs to fix and help others, yet cold as ice because of the wall he built around his heart. The versatility and talent of these two voice artists truly shine in their performances. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to, and their enthralling performance rivets you to the story.

"Bratty" and the Beast

This book honestly felt like Beauty and the Beast meets Fifty Shades of Grey, or better yet, Bratty and the Beast. There was this perfect tension between the two main characters, Aubrey and Xavier, that push and pull between them, had me locked into their story from the beginning.

Mollie Stark and Joe Arden are immediate one-click voice actors for me, and paired together, they are an incredible duo. Their voices fit their character's vibes perfectly; Mollie, with her sass and brattines as Aubrey, and Joe, with his bossy, broken billionaire portrayal of Xavier.

*Spoiler*
I was entertained, engaged, and invested the whole way through. Everything was going great, until the epilogue. That is where it lost me. The story went straight for the cliché. She’s pregnant, let’s get married. It pulled me right out of everything I had enjoyed. It felt like the author didn’t know how to end it, so they went with the classic baby and wedding wrap-up.

Had I stopped reading it before the epilogue, it would have been an easy four stars. But because of that ending, it’s a three-star read for me.
Overall, the performances were phenomenal, the dynamic between the characters was fun, and the story had me hooked right up until that last part. It just deserved a stronger, less predictable ending.

A Slow-Burn Redemption Arc

This book feels like a social experiment: take two emotionally stunted people who have never really known love, lock them in a room together, and see what happens. Xavier and Aubrey are both control freaks in their own way. One needs order to survive while the other uses rebellion to feel alive. Watching them clash, push, and ultimately balance each other out was both frustrating and fascinating.

I found myself yelling at my speakers at times because these two just don’t talk. It isn’t technically a miscommunication trope, but it comes close. If either of them had taken five minutes to have an honest conversation, a lot of the chaos could have been avoided, but we also wouldn’t have had as much drama.

Xavier was portrayed differently than expected—softer, more introspective, and rigid in his need for control. It was interesting to see that come from a place of vulnerability rather than cruelty. Aubrey was the perfect match: bratty, stubborn, and unafraid to push back.

The narration was outstanding. Mollie Stark gave Aubrey her spark and attitude while still letting her vulnerability shine through. Joe Arden delivered an emotional, commanding performance that made Xavier’s inner conflict believable. Together, they had amazing duet chemistry that made every scene feel intimate and alive.

A few pacing issues aside, this story offers a slow-burn redemption for two broken people who somehow find their light in each other.

Great Story, with amazing narrators!

The title of this book is perfect! In infamous Aubrey and Xavier were not nice people, in fact they were basically the villains, but as we all know sometimes villains make the best love stories.
Aubrey is a brat in every sense of the word but she has truly never known love in her life and it is so sad to see her reach for anyone to love her or just care about her in any way.
Xavier had love once but it was taken from him and the pain almost destroyed him. His heart was sealed away and he vowed to never let love burn him again.
I did not expect this story to affect me the way it did. It truly is a beautiful story with so much raw emotion.
The duet narration by Joe Arden and Mollie Stark is seamless and perfect. They evoke so much emotion and give us so much chemistry!! The steam is steamy and the tears are earned!!

Thank you as always to Blue Nose Audio and Ivy Wild for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!

Love this narration

I really enjoyed this story! It was brought even more to life by the narration. Joe was an amazing Xavier and Mollie rocked Aubrey, a very fiery character who is living under the thumb of her politician father. In steps Xavier, to step in and change things up for her. The age gap for me was 🔥. Overall, it was very entertaining!