Five years ago I told a lie that would land Brandt Browning – local hero and heir to the Mentley Mill fortune – in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.I ruined his life with three small words. “He did it.” I didn’t even have to be there to testify in court. It was too easy.But that was five years ago. And now Brandt has been released.He’s coming for me.This time I’m not waiting around. I’m going … I’m not waiting around. I’m going to run so far away that no one will ever find me. The trouble is, you can’t hide from money. Eventually Brandt will catch up with me, and when he does, he’ll want payment in blood.
I’m not strong enough to resist the pull between us. If that man gets his hands on me he’ll realise I’m still half in love with him – and that can only end in disaster.
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Awesome read…..my heart went out to Brandt and what he had to endure. Because of this I could forgive him for all he did to Harper. I need to know Harper’s story….she did something terrible that lead to Brandt’s ordeal but we still do not know why. This book ends on a cliff-hanger and as such I assume we will only get Harper’s back story hopefully in the next book. This however does not detract from a good read. It only keeps you wishing for more
Harper regrets putting lying and putting Brandt in prison for 10 years. He is out after 5 years because of good behavior. You can feel the hate that Brandt has for Harper and understand his need for revenge. He decides that he is going to torture Harper for 5 years to let her kn ow how it feels. Once he kidnaps her, he is pretty brutal. But he offers to let her go if she goes to the police and confess. We don’t know why, but Harper can’t do that. She decides to just accept what Brandt has to give. We know that Harper hasn’t had it easy in the last 5 years and we know that her husband has died. She has no money, no home and she hasn’t been eating. I will say that what Brandt puts her through is hard to read. And there is no resolution. We are left abruptly to wait for book 2 and there will be a book 3. Aaargh….Christina, how could you do this to us?! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really wish authors would tell you right from the start that a book will end in a cliff hanger. Put it in the description so people know. While I generally do not mind books that end that way, I do tend to wait until the series is complete before I start reading. I am not a fan of books that end as a cliff hanger and then I need to wait who knows how long until the next book because a) I tend to lose interest and b) I have got myself invested in books with cliff hangers that never had the much needed follow-up book. It is for this reason that I gave the book a 3 star rating. That aside if you like a very dark and twisted read that is full of anger, revenge, suspense, and kink you will probably enjoy this read. I did enjoy it very much. It hooked me very quickly and I felt compelled to read it though in one reading, but it did take me 2 days. It was that good…. until it hit the end and now, I have to wait, goodness knows how long until the next book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed reading this book, it has a good storyline, it is entertaining and filled with action and adventure. The chemistry and interaction between the characters is wonderful. I can’t wait for more from this author. I received this book as a FREE ARC copy to read and I voluntarily leave this review.
As I expected, this story grabs you and drags you along at breakneck speed. I found myself breathing heavily and turning the pages to see what would happen to poor Harper next. Of course Brandt has is own problems to contend with, not the least of which is Harper’s refusal to acquiesce to his demands. As in real life: The best laid plans of revenge and restitution often go awry… I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2.
Tormented, emotional, angsty characters make this an engrossing read. The book did end on a cliff hanger…… hoping the next book comes out soon! Really want to know if things work out for Brandt & Harper.
I received an arc of this book from booksprout.
ONE TITILLATING ROLLERCOASTER!!!
Fabulous! Mandara dazzles delivering this fascinating approach, spinning all the shenanigans and mayhem, with all the ingenuity, style, imagination and unique insight, welding this sparkling jewel together sleek, shiny and tight. Twixt, combined and intermingled, exposing the soaring ups and soaring Twixt, combined and intermingled, exposing the soaring ups and heart pounding downs, grounding in it’s strength and awe inspiring in it’s depth. Satisfaction is an understatement, this baby comes packing a punch that’ll bring you to your knees, keeping you riveted on a razors edge. Rousting the drama, turmoil, intrigue, danger, mounting suspense and nerve racking situations along with a boatload of trouble while dodging bedlem, makes for one chart topping, jaw dropping experience. Maneuvering through terrifying trials and torrid tribulations, noting the shocking twists and wicked turns, testing our characters in ways they could have never envisioned. A tumultuous wild ride chocked-full of vexing circumstances and unexpected events, blasts those swirling emotions into play, booting this glittering jewel into a roaring tempest, catapulting it into a tailspin with an explosive culmination. The characters are complex and authentic with depth and traits that blend and flow, transforming into genuinely relatable personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and descriptions you have no problem picturing each scenario creating a colorful backdrop that makes the storyline pop. Amazing job Mandara, thanks for sharing this little gem with us.
This book has left me speechless! At first I thought this book is too dark for me. But like a car crash I couldn’t look away or in this case stop turning the page. Harper has put a man away for a crime she knows he didn’t commit. When he gets released he comes for his revenge. This book has so many layers to it, unfortunately this book is a cliffhanger and you have to wait for the next one to come out to find out all the why’s. It’s well written and I wish the next one was out so I could continue reading!
Brandt is determined to have his revenge but Harper means more to him than he is willing to admit. They both have secrets and have suffered but there is a passion burning underneath the surface. As the secrets begin to unfold Brandt’s parents start to implement their agenda, more secrets. It is hard to read some of what happened to Brandt and even though he is being almost cruel, it is hard to dislike him. Harper is a true victim but the reader is sure there is a valid reason for her actions. The ending was so unexpected and now we have to wait.
Harper is on the run—she knows the minute Brandt is released from jail, he’ll come after her. After five years of prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Brandt is about to be released. His wealthy parents did nothing to help him—they left him to be beaten and sexually abused by hardened criminals. And now he wants revenge—to make the woman who put him here pay.
He catches Harper and holds her prisoner in his house, tormenting her emotionally and sexually with all kinds of implements that tantalize, torture, and tease. But there’s a raging attraction burning between the two of them.
All the delicious BDSM naughties in this book will make your pulse pound and dampen your…well you get the picture. You’ll lose track of time quickly swallowed up in the torment and desire these characters are experiencing.
Brandt wants Harper as bad as she wants him even though both of them are fighting tooth and nails against what they’re feeling. Beautiful Tears ends in a cliffhanger, leaving the reader still missing a lot of information on how this all developed. I’m chomping at the bit to get my hands on the next book.
Re-read October 2020 in order to complete the trilogy.
I think I enjoyed this even more second time around, there is just something about Christina Mandara’s writing style that connects with me on a very deep level. She has me feeling sympathy for Harper, who did Brandt wrong, but not for Brandt himself, even though her lies led to some truly horrific experiences for him. I sort of love-hate Brandt when I should actually be feeling that emotion for Harper instead.
I could understand Brandt’s motivations and reasoning, as could Harper. But it’s clear that she hasn’t been living the life of Riley whilst he was inside, there are hints her suffering has been almost as bad as his. Does it justify what she did? The jury is still out on that one, but there is a lot of foreshadowing to suggest the situation is very complicated indeed.
There are some incredibly steamy and erotic moments. This pair certainly have a strong attraction to one another, their chemistry was burning up the pages. The BDSM aspects weren’t too extreme, though they were used as a form of sexual torture and were definitely NOT consensual.
I loved the juxtaposition of, yet also the parallels to, Brandt’s recounting of his experiences whilst in prison. Whilst the scene held a lot of hot, kinky activity, Brandt’s commentary was like a wash of icy water over the whole thing. The intensity of his erotic actions and Harper’s response to them contrasted sharply with his aural retelling of the abuses he suffered as a result of her lies. This gave us some very thought provoking and deep moments, before we got a rather wham, bam, thank you ma’am whirlwind of an ending.
I can’t wait to jump into book #2.
Ugly, bitter, festering revenge dominates Brandt after 5 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Brandt was a normal, attractive young man when he went in to serve his time, and an angry, muscular bodybuilder when he was released.
Fear, worry and tension invaded my soul as I felt Harper’s emotions. Terror is what I experienced when I read what Brandt had planned. Because of what he was forced to suffer, he is entitled to his hatred and his plans for retaliation. But, we have not yet heard the motivation for Harper’s action. After being incarcerated, Brandt has become evil, kinky, erotic and exciting as hell.
Even though I am anxious to read the next book, I must say that this is one of the best cliffhangers I have ever read! Take a chance, this story is sooo worth the read!
This is the first book in a new series.
It is a tale of revenge, regret and guilt. Thinking about the choices you made and their consequences. For 5 years brandt did nothing then think about revenge and now the moment is here. Will it be as sweet as he thought it would be.
Harper is still a bit of a mystery. She has to live with the consequences of her action, but her life hasn’t been easy either.
Both of them have secrets and there’s an attraction both of them can’t deny. I can’t wait to see what happens next.