Beautiful Secret

By: Christina Lauren

Narrated by: Charlotte Penfield, Jonathan Cole

Length: 9 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The fourth full novel in the New York Times, USA Today, and number-one international best-selling author Christina Lauren's Beautiful series, which began with Beautiful Bastard.

©2015 Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings (P)2015 Simon & Schuster

Naill's is a great addition to the series

Beautiful Secret brings the story of Naill, Max from Beautiful Stranger and Beautiful Beloved younger brother. And Naill is painfully British. He comes off as aloof and very proper. He's always in a suit and nothing is ever out-of-place.

While Max has been living in New York for a while running a business and getting married Naill's has been over in England running a business and getting divorced. But a business trip brings him to New York for a bit so we get to see some of our old favorites from other books, which is always fun.

Naill and one of the other guys from the company were to travel to NYC but something has come up and instead of Andrew coming along with Naill, Ruby, Andrew's intern is coming with.

Ruby has had a huge crush on Naill ever since she laid eyes on him 6 months ago. But Naill's has just started to notice Ruby. But when he takes notice things really start to heat up.

The thing I like the most about Beautiful Secret is that Naill's is the one that's inexperienced with relationships instead of a play boy. He's only been with one woman, his wife. Ruby is the one with the experience and she helps Naill's get out of his comfort zone. While Naill's is older, Ruby is his match in every way from the bedroom to the meeting room. The two really work well together on all levels.

The dual narration that Charlotte Penfield and Jonathan Cole brought to the series was amazing. I already love Cole's work as Max and now Naills. I love his performance of the two Stella brothers and look forward to listening to more of his work. Penfield is new to the series and she was perfect for Ruby. She delivers a great performance with the right mix of sexy and innocent that Ruby brings to the story. I'm not new to listening to Penfield, I listened to her work on one other audio book, Twisted by Emma Chase and like Cole I look forward to listening to her work again.



Now that I'm all caught up on the Beautiful Bastard series I'm going to listen to Christina Lauren's Wild Seasons series while I wait for the next book in the BB series to release. I wonder who it will be about. Christina Lauren has mentioned that Will and Hanna from Beautiful Player will get a novella so maybe that will be next.

Big Let Down

What would have made Beautiful Secret better?

The story was so slow. I loved all the previous Beautiful series. This was such a let down. The H was such a wimp...it just was so immature,

What could Christina Lauren have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Make a strong H like ALL of her previous books.

Did Charlotte Penfield and Jonathan Cole do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

They did a great job.

What character would you cut from Beautiful Secret?

I'm sad to day the Male lead.

Any additional comments?

I waited so long for this book and was very disappointed at this story.

BEAUTIFUL SWEET LOVE STORY

The whole Beautiful series has just been great and this one's no exception. Christina Lauren certainly knows how to write a book that captures your heart and, with this one, the heartbreaking story of Niall's lifeless and loveless 11 yr marriage which left him an emotionally confused and sexually stunted man is so moving. Until the strong, understanding, patient, feisty and loving Ruby slowly and carefully shows him the true meaning of love and he can finally truly embrace how to be loved and how to show love too..... beautiful.

Worth a credit? Told from dual POV's but I had a problem with the narrators - CP couldn't do male voices well and all of JC's characters, including the women, sounded the same. However, despite this it's still a creditworthy listen but it did lose a point because of it.

I REALLY WANTED TO LOVE THIS, I TRULY DID!

I feel guilty about what I'm about to say, because I ADORE Christina Lauren and literally devour every book that they've written...BUT...Beautiful Secret, left me feeling slightly underwhelmed. The best parts of the book are toward the end! Niall, although endearing, his tentativeness about every emotion, thought,or feeling became annoying. I typically melt for Brits but I couldn't get into the narration, from the male nor the female narrator, and that effected my overall perception of the book. I like to lose myself in a book, but I was all too aware for this one. It's definitely not horrific, but it was lackluster in comparison to its predecessors. Every author is entitled to a slip up....this was Christina Lauren's for sure.

Perfect

A FREAKING AMAZING!!!!!! Niall Stella is my second favorite in this awesome series. Bennett Ryan will always be my #1. However Ruby and Niall were perfect. The only thing that really sucks about Christina Lauren's books is that sad feeling you get when the one you're reading is over and you realize the next book doesn't come out until November.

my kinda love

I love this story! I loves that he was older but she was more experienced and taught him how to feel his emotions!

Great book and performance

Real life like story with situations that any women has found herseld in. I laugh and enjoyed every chapter.

Each Book a Little Less Beautiful

I thought Beautiful Bastard was one of the funniest, best written chick lit romances I ever read. It reminded me so much of a well written Katherine Hepburn/Cary Grant screwball comedy. Only raunchier.

Other than the novella about Ben and Chloe's marriage, I thought each subsequent book in the series was slightly less beautiful than the prior book. Unfortunately, that trend continued with Beautiful Secret. I thought the authors were really reaching for a story through most of the book. I thought Niall's hang ups and resistance were pretty unbelievable. He came across as incredibly naive for someone who lived the life he lived. And I thought Ruby should have lost all patience with him about 1/3 of the way through. But I never really cared about either of them. What was very strange to me though, was this book seemed to have little plot and was primarily a loose connection of the main characters not having sex.

The book got better near the end. There was tension and the whisper of a plot. But there wasn't enough tension or enough plot to redeem the book in the end,.

Fantastic Love Story!!! Must READ!!!!

I love this story between Ruby and Niles. It has been a while since I have purchased such a great Love Story as this book! The narrators are Great!! I love love love the Aussie accent, it really adds a special touch to the story. The story between the two lovers really pulled me in I ended up listening to it all night long...I had to see what happened to them and I couldn't put the book down until I did.

I recommend this book to those who really want to listen to a great love story! It was great that there wasn't an outside girl that was brought into the story to damage the relationship like it normally is in other Love Stories. Plus I love all the new things Ruby was able to teach Niles.

The way the love scene was written in the end when they realized what it really felt like to make LOVE to each other was out of this world!!! It makes you wish for something like this to happen to you in the real world. It's hard to give a great review without giving up the good parts of the story so I will stop while I can.

I love all the Books Christina Lauren has written. There has not been a bad book by her yet that I have purchased and I have purchased most of the beautiful series and will continue to buy them all as long as she puts them out there. Thank-you Christina for writing such inspirational love stories that keeps me coming back for more.

Soooooo HOT!!!

This is so different than any other contemporary romance I have read so far. He is wealthy but takes the subway instead of having a driver waiting for him everywhere, doesn't take first class to go overseas and is super cautious getting close to anyone. And the funny part is that is was BELIEVABLE! Did not flaunt his money everywhere. Very refreshing.

Only thing I did not like was Jonathan Cole's narration. The guy has the exact same voice for everyone. Men, women, American or British. He actually can not lose his British accent long enough to at least appear as though he is even trying.

If you can go beyond the narration, you will LOVE this story

A bit different.

This was a nice change of pace to the usual, it's almost like the roles are reversed in this installment. Although it feels a bit distant from the other books so far in the story, even with the appearances from past characters. Looking forward to seeing where this ends up in the long term.
I enjoyed it, I'll continue to follow the story.

3.5 Stars

Book 4 in the Beautiful series and I've got to say my least favourite so far. The story is told in dual POV (my favourite), and tells the story of British boy Niall Stella (Max's brother) and Californian girl Ruby. Niall is still licking his wounds following his divorce and Ruby is struggling with her stalkerish feelings for Niall. When they are forced to spend a month long business trip in New York, lines are crossed and feelings are discussed. The writing as usual is wonderful, I did however struggle a little with the story, I had trouble relating to the characters, Niall especially. I like my men to take charge, and Niall didn't do it for me, he came across as slightly pathetic. I just wanted to scream 'man up'. Ruby also, despite her stalker tendencies, needed to take charge more with the relationship and make a decision and stick to it, I just couldn't relate to her at all.

Love it xxx beautiful characters great story xxxx

really enjoyed would like to hear more about them both see if got married x

Loved this book x

Love the characters and how vulnerable, sweet and endearing Niall was and How open, honest and fiesty London was.
I want more from these two. I really enjoyed the interlinking of characters from other books in the series.
xxxx

Lovely

Loved the story, quite simple but lovely. Good interpretation, clearly read and understandable. Nice voices

NIALL STELLA yes please

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

yes & no Jonathon Cole was brilliant but Charlotte Penfields attempt at a British accent was terrible

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beautiful Secret?

Niall realizing he can have a normal relationship

What aspect of Charlotte Penfield and Jonathan Cole ’s performance might you have changed?

not letting Charlotte Penfield to do a male English accent bring back Grace Grant

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

yes sort of

Any additional comments?

loved the beautiful books but unfortunately Charlotte Penfield ruined it for me

Sadly Lacking

I love the previous books and this had potential but fell short I fell for Niall and Ruby and there story but unlike player or stranger it seemed a bit flat and then finished abruptly .However I do like Jonathan Cole as a narrator and Charlotte was good also no complaints there.