Cruel & Beautiful

De: A. M. Hargrove, Terri E. Laine

Narrado por: Erin Mallon, Jason Clarke

A USA Today Best Seller

This is a new adult contemporary romance stand-alone, full-length novel that includes mature content, not suitable for younger listeners (rated R).

This book is based on a true story.

Cate Forbes, a dedicated college student with a carefully plotted future, doesn't know the first thing about love. When she accepts a blind date with a rumored tasty piece of eye candy, she thinks she can get by with a night of fun. Cate's plans quickly unravel when she gets one look at the sexy...

Drew McKnight.

The relentless, hockey-playing medical resident knows what he wants - a career in oncology and Cate. Although he's heard the gorgeous brunette is a little relationship skittish, a single night out isn't what he has in mind. Determined to have her - in every way possible - he shows her just what a future with him would hold.

Only life has other plans. The unthinkable happens, and everything begins to shatter. Both in too deep, they will have to fight the cruel and hang on to the beautiful.

Warning: This book will leave you in the dark with questions. That is the point. Resist the impatient urge to skip ahead, and just enjoy the ride. All questions will be answered. Promise.

©2015 Terri E. Lane & A. M. Hargrove (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Can't stop crying!

I absolutely loved this book. It was very hard not to skip forward to find out what happened in the end. Fair warning, this book will make you bawl your eyes out, so have your tissues ready.

Love this Book!!!

This book will make you cry every time you read it!!!! It is the most beautiful love story you could ever imagine and the most heart breaking at the same time ;) This book is a must read!!!!

Ugly cry in a beautiful book with superb narratio!

Confession #1: I've had this book on my TBR, bookshelf, and kindle for a year!
Confession #2: I maybe was a bit afraid to start it. I mean look at that cover! That title!! It is sure to be cruel to my heart!!
Well, Last week I decided to download the audiobook version and started listening... Yes, it was cruel, but oh so beautiful!! First I have to say that the narrators were amazing. Audiobook is definitely the way to go, that was a great decision on my part. Waiting a year to read this... not such a good decision!

I loved the way that while the story went back and forth between the past and present day I was constantly guessing and feeling almost off balance with not knowing where I was being taken.
The story was so emotional that I will have to add Confession #3: Yes, I was bawling. Listening to the audiobook while driving on the highway may have been another bad decision ;-)
Also, along with the emotions was humor and heat in wonderful balance! I will never look at strawberries and whipped cream the same way again! And don't get me started on "sex on a graham cracker" and Louise!!!
I'm so glad that I discovered this writing team and I can't wait to discover more of their writing!!

Decent story

This story goes for your heartstrings and was pretty decent. It is kind of drawn out and hard to follow at first. I listen in pieces mainly on my way to and from work which made it a little more difficult going back and forth between past and present.

I picked this story based on the narrators because I love Jason Clarke... this was mainly a Erin Mallon narration with Jason only making an appearance in the epilogue which was disappointing.

Definitely Beautiful!

Would you consider the audio edition of Cruel & Beautiful to be better than the print version?

This book really through me for a loop even though it starts out sad it grows beautifully. If only everyone had a love like Drew and Cate. Loved Ben for being the very best friend both Drew and Cate could ever have!

Get the tissues

This was an amazing book. It had me in tears and giggling. The only thing I would have loved to hear more of Jason Clark. I highly recommend this book.

Definitely Cruel

I'm new to both of these authors and didn't know what to expect. I was informed that this was based on a true story which intrigued me so I decided to read on...glad I did. This book is long (a little over 14 hours), it will make you cry, make you fall in love, confuse the hell out of you, and then make you ugly cry (get a whole box of tissues ready)! Just try to pay attention to all the chapters going from the present to past and vice versa.

Erin Mallon carried the whole story and did amazing! I always loved her male voice and didn't make me miss Jason Clarke as much. Jason (even only having read the last chapter) captures Drew and his emotions and the audience with all the feels.

I recommend this book and advise that you make time to pay attention to get the full experience.

WOW

For me the prologue had me teary eyed. I went into this book thinking that it was a second read for me but I was wrong. I actually never listened to it and I definitely wasn't expecting it to be as emotional and I have to say a little confusing. This story takes you through past and present, it is beautifully written and again emotional. The narration is awesome but a little warning Jason Clarke is only in the epilogue. Erin does a phenomenal job with her narration.

Box of Kleenex and sleepless nights

This book will stay with you long after you’ve listened to the last word. Be prepared to feel like you need to go back and listen to this book all over again. At the same time you feel like you can’t because you’re emotionally spent.

Cruel & Beautiful

4.5 stars

This was a very emotional ride. After the prologue I knew this was going to be a tough one but wow. It’s all from Cate’s POV and we go from present, back to the past when she first meets Drew McKnight in her Jr yr of college. He is her BFF’s older brother’s BFF but they have never met before (7 yr age difference). She is focused on school and Drew is a Dr. in a medical residence about 45 mins away. He’s persistent to get a first date and they slowly become more. This is interspersed with alternating chapters in the present where Cate now lives in D.C. about 2 1/2 yrs after the prologue. It’s obvious a lot has changed in Cate’s life and you slowly learn more. Things end up a bit different than I was expecting and hoping for but it definitely lived up to its name as a cruel and beautiful story. The last chapter/ epilogue was from Drew’s POV and it was perfect, touching on events in the present going forward a few time to 5 yrs later. It was a beautiful ending.