For as long as I could remember, Theodore West was in my life as the support system I needed when my parents were too busy building our family’s future. He offered me shoes to dance on, a shoulder to absorb my tears, and the harsh reality of where my life was leading when I was at my lowest point. And when the future my parents planned derailed after a statewide scandal, I had no choice but to … no choice but to fantasize about one for myself that didn’t involve them.
But Theo? He was always in it.
My father’s best friend.
The man who would undoubtedly end me if I didn’t end him first.
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A top read for 202 that will captivate you and make a lover of this author!! The emotion, chemistry and steaminess will freaking BLOW YOU AWAY!! An amazingly written 5+ star read by B. Celeste!!
B. Celeste has once again proven her ability as an author! These characters were very real and life like. I loved this constant push and pull between these characters. They came to life in front of your eyes.
She has an uncanny ability to write age gap flawlessly. This is one of my favorite tropes, and she has become of my top authors who write it. Her love for writing shows with each word typed to paper. Another amazing, emotion al ready by B. Celeste.
Della and Theo. A tale of forbidden, age gap romance that will take you on ups and downs that will give you a happy landing at the end. The chemistry and sexual tension between these two will IMMEDIATELY suck you in!!
A MUST READ BY THIS AUTHOR!!
When I tell you I consumed this book, I CONSUMED THIS BOOK. B. Celeste brings to life a gripping story of finding true love in the most unlikely and potentially taboo of places. Della struggles with so much. After the death of her mother and arrest and murder of her father, she feels extremely alone. The only person she feels in sort of connection with is Theo West, her father’s best friend and also the man she’s been in love with since as long as she could remember. After a drunken night that leads to some heavy touching and extreme making out; Theo can no longer pretend that those intense emotions he has been feeling for Della are as innocent as he would like to hope.
She Reads Rating: /5
Spicy Rating: /5
B. Celeste does an amazing job telling a story of how love can evolve over time. It can start off as innocent with nothing but pure intentions; but can evolve into something that is all consuming with the power to destroy or rebuild the world around you. Della is far from perfect. She struggles with self identity and body image like so many people in the world. She never feels beautiful or good enough. In comes Theo, always making her feel beautiful, always making her feel worthy. He also pushes her to get help and is willing to stand by her through all the ugly. He never diminishes her feelings. He listens. NO WONDER SHE IS IN LOVE WITH THE GUY! Not to mention the sex between the two of them
If you haven’t read this one, I highly suggest you do. Like today. Right now. So worth the time
I’ve read several B. Celeste books and they have all been super powerful, beautiful stories with a hint of taboo and a whole lot of heat! I have been waiting for this one for WEEKS because hello, May to December romance?? Those, mafia romances and southern boys are like my sweet spot. This one, not so much…
This story felt like it took FOREVER! Back story is one thing but I felt like a good 60% of this book was back story and long drawn out thoughts by both Adele and Theo. Once I hit about 50%, I started skimming because I wanted to know how it ended but then the ending went super flat. For all the struggles, heartaches and all-around drama that these two went through I expected the ending to be a bigger OMG moment or at least a silly sweet, wrapped in a bow moment but NOPE!!
Don’t give up on B. Celeste if you haven’t read her other stories yet because she really is a beautiful storyteller who pulls you in to the last page. This one just wasn’t my cup of tea; I am holding out for her next story in the hopes that it will make me feel all the feels.
I’m a little disappointed. I liked all the other books that I’ve read by this author so I wasn’t expecting not to like this one as much…
I wanted the story to start off with Adele and Theo’s backstory. HOW they started feeling more for each other. The first time they kissed and Theo came to her apartment. That’s hardly mentioned at all. I felt the story wasn’t as much about their relationship as it was about Adele’s life after her Dad went to prison for corruption as a state governor. Theo and Adele’s relationship was secondary when I wanted it to be the main focus.
I did enjoy it, but I was left with wanting SO much more than was given.
** spoiler alert **
Huhhh… where do I start.
Slow burn books… are a hit or miss with me. At a certain point… I start to loose interest and my patience. Every now and then… you need to throw a little something, something to keep you interested. This book… was definitely a slow burn. For me… at the 27% mark… I still had no clue where we were going with the main character. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Adele (Della) & Theo yet. He seemed more like a father figure.
I definitely felt Della struggle with her problems everyday. She was struggling to cope with her anorexia and body dysmorphia along with her anxiety. She was definitely battling big issues. It was a daily struggle for her.
The pace of this book is a big issue with me. I’m trying to overlook it…. but, I can’t. This book is really slow. And even when I think things are going to start to pick up after certain things happen between the main characters. It doesn’t. And that was hard for me.
I’m 60% in and I still don’t feel the forbiddeness of Della and Theo. The focus seems to be more on other things. And it’s taking away from their story.
The writing isn’t the problem. It’s the way the story is told. I think if we focused on Della eating disorder and the relationship with Theo. This story would be fine.
But we have the eating disorder, mean girls are out to get Della, the problem with Theo, her painting, her dancing, Her dad’s scandal and murder, the drugs, And another murder/ overdose of a former friend, and her aunt. And the struggle of the up’s and downs of the relationship with Theo.
The suspense aspect in this book was surprising. I mean… I was expecting a forbidden romance… not all that.
It was all too much. And some of the things that happened didn’t work well in the story.
Also, I would often forget that Della was 22. Because everyone treated her as if she was a child. And Della never talked back or stood up to anyone. She just shut down. This went on for almost the whole book. I’m 78% into this book and she has yet to stand up for herself. It’s extremely frustrating.
The whole coke scene with Kat was a big what and why. Why would you hold on to a little bag of coke for so long in your purse. Walk around with it like nothing. Especially If you’re not going to do it. The minute Kat put that bag in Della’s hand…. she should’ve just given it back. Or drop it on the floor if she wouldn’t take it back or place it on the coffee table. Not put it in her purse and walk around with it for weeks!
I mean flush it down the toilet.
Then the whole dad prison murder. The blackmail. The eating disorder. I wasn’t feeling it at all. I was literally clinging to the little parts of intimacy between Della and Theo. Which wasn’t a lot.
Because of everything that was going on.
When I think of forbidden romance all the things I just said don’t pop up. I wanted to feel the pull between Della and Theo. I didn’t. Their romance got put on the back burner with all the other drama going on.
I was expecting one thing and got something totally different with this book. And unfortunately for me…. it didn’t work.
This book also had a Gossip Girl (like the TV show) feel to it. Unfortunately… This book wasn’t for me.
*ARC provided for an honest review.*
Color Me Pretty is my first book of B. Celeste. Is an age gap, taboo and father’s best friend romance. Della is 22 years old, a college student, dancer, with eating disorder issues and a convicted father. Theo was always in Della’s life and became her protector. Della’s started to feel for him when she was more younger. Unfortunately I didn’t feel the chemistry of this couple and was too slow for me. I Had great expectations about this book. But It never fully engage me. However, I’m planning to read more stories of this author.
I have had this book on my TBR for awhile and finally the time read it a few days ago. My only regret is that I didn’t pick it up sooner. This was also the first book I have read by B Celeste and it is definitely not my last!
“Theodore Bennett West. My father’s best friend. The man I’ve loved ever since I knew what love was, even when I shouldn’t have.”
This book is hands down one of my new favorite forbidden romances. This story was angst central and my heart literally cracked wide open for Theo and Della. You could literally feel their connection and the unconditional love they had for each other. This story was truly heart wrenchingly beautiful.
If you’re a fan of forbidden agegaps with tons of steam then this book is for you!
Color Me Pretty is as artistically written as the cover feels. The painting of a struggling ballerina that’s teetering on her rails, about to fall apart, but can she stand tall? Can she embrace who she was meant to be? This is easily my favorite read of 2020 and I’m going to tell you why.
Celeste is a masterful writer and one that emphasizes the struggles of people; deep struggles that live within the soul and are difficult to talk about, let alone write entire novels about them. This is not your ordinary romance novel that focuses on pretentious attraction and lewd sex scenes. While I love those stories when I’m in the mood for them, this book has all the aspects of pure literature within it, leaving your heart sated with a romance that means everything to someone.
Filled with richly written characters that have unique backgrounds and special quirks about them; a plot that focuses more on emotional struggles of people and how they see themselves, how they see others and how they live their lives. This is a story about Adele and Theo.
Adele has known Theo her entire life. Theo is her father’s best friend but was also the caretaker of sweet Della as she grew up as the daughter of a New York Governor who may not have always been able to dedicate the time needed to his little girl. Over the course of their lives, these two have exchanged endearing moments and grown together. Now that Della is twenty-two years old, graduating college, suffering from a self-image and eating disorder after a lifetime in ballet with body expectations, she is facing a cross roads.
Theo is a forty-something year old that runs a massive marketing firm, was best friend’s with Della’s deceased father and is extremely close with her entire family. He struggles internally with his attraction for Della because while she’s a grown woman now, he cared for her like a daughter much of her childhood. Those demons plague him and he withstands his desire to want her as a strong, independent woman because he fears what other people will think of him.
The feelings Della and Theo have for each other have morphed and matured over time and now their is a deep longing they have for one another that they fight against, but the time will come when they have to face those fears and either embrace their love for each other regardless of the skeptics in their lives or walk away from each other completely.
One of the most soul enriching reads I have had in my hands this year, it reminded me that hope is always around every corner, love can be found anywhere and we just have to hold on to what’s most important to us. If we’re not true to ourselves, no one else will do it for us.
5 THEO AND DELLA STARS!! Get ready….Theo and Della will engrave their names on your heart. Their story is full of all feels with lots of angst and mystery that will keep you flipping pages. I read this book in about 5 hours….it was so good. This was my first book by this phenomenal author and I can’t wait to read more. This book definitely need to be on your TBR.
In my opinion this book is not an age gap romance novel even though that is what it was being advertised as. That is woven into the story but it almost seems like an after thought. This book is more about Della trying to over come the death of both of her parents (years apart), the political nightmare surrounding her father’s death and how all of that manifested in severe mental health issues which then caused all her dreams/aspirations to crumble. There was so much drama and stories lines going on in this book that it was too much so it all seemed to be underdeveloped, fell flat and was anticlimactic to me. Since there were so many different story lines running around I felt like there was no development to Della and Theo’s story which is a huge bummer because that is what I picked the book up for.
The story of Della and Theo is a long and loving one. I love the care they have for each other. They seem to be each other’s shelter in the storm of politics, corruption, and tragedy. Watching their relationship change and the struggles they face to come to terms with it while trying to let go of the past is both beautiful and painful. It’s a moving story.
Words cannot express the raw emotions, the high angst and just the all out passion in this story. I will outright say, this book is my new favorite! It’s so amazing that I was torn between reading fast and finding out what happens or savoring it by reading slow. This book has everything you could possibly want. I highly recommend it. I’m not through with these characters. I will be rereading this book over and over.
“Whether you like it or not, you have tattooed yourself into my life and that will never be removed even if you try convincing me that we’re better off not pursuing this.”
One of my favorite things about B. Celeste’s storytelling is the ways she layers inner-struggles her characters have to navigate through underneath the general love story. She shines a light on real situations in an authentic way. And in this story the heroine, Della, faces so much turmoil and scrutiny. We get to see the work, persistence, and strength her character shows while navigating through it all.
I also loved everything about her relationship with Theo. He’s the definition of ALL THE SWOONS! Protective, caring, and encouraging in every way Della needed. And even though their relationship had its complexities, he always wanted to do right by her.
I love the tropes this story included—age gap, father’s best friend—and Color Me Pretty did not disappoint! A captivating, beautifully written story full of emotion I really enjoyed.
I’m pretty special about age-gap romances because they don’t all suit well for me but I absolutely FELL for this one.
B. Celeste’s writing keeps getting better with each book and I always feel drawn to her stories because she gives us real characters and in this story,they’re far from being perfect. In fact,we’re introduced to them in one of the most difficult times for both.
They also have other burdens on their own.
Theo and Della’s story is one for the books. This forbidden/father’s best friend romance it’s angsty,sexy,steamy.. The way he cares about Della and it’s nothing but protective towards her melted my heart. The chemistry between them is undeniable and super hot.
We’re given more than just a romance here. Other topics as how the female character struggles with her image and has a hard time seeing herself as she truly are depicted.
I dare to say this is probably my favorite so far by this author. I highly recommend it.
If i need my angst forbidden heart to get its fix Celeste is my girl! She always gives me the cravings I need and never disappoints. Hoping that doesn’t sound too weird haha but I digress B. Celeste is honestly one of my favourite authors. And has a mind that works in mysterious and wonderful ways.
With each forbidden aspect of a story that she writes, she always manages to write flawlessly and opens up a topic of discussion. That alot of writes might not necessarily do.
With Color Me Pretty i got to see a strong, fierce surviver that conquered her demons and fought for her happiness.
And a Hero who did everything to make sure she knew she was loved and could do anything she put her mind too.
Celeste wrote a story so beautifully imperfect and I adored every minute of reading Della and Theo love.
This author is definitely queen of writing forbidden angsty romances and this story was everything you come to expect from a B. Celeste novel! Not only was this a steamy forbidden story but it was about life experiences and touched on some issues that are real and that people deal with everyday . Theo and Dellas journey was beautifully written and everything I love about a forbidden age gap romance! Definite must read and definite 5 stars from me!
*** I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book ***
B. Celeste means angsty, heartbreaking and soul deep romance with a twist. And I was so excited to read this taboo age gap romance from her. But somehow this story missed the mark.
Della has a struggling life. The harsh criticism from media because her ex-Governor father even after his death. Her body image issues and eating disorder. Whole life she struggled to become beautiful to herself and failed repeatedly. Theo, his father’s best friend was always there to catch her when she fell. But her feelings are crossing limits. Just like Theo’s.
I felt the characters were two boats in a river who were passing each other repeatedly but never colliding. There is Theo. And there is Della. And then some parts where they interact and you feel the power and then it just fizzled out. Theo’s POV was about how he is dealing with his life’s problems. Della’s POV was about how she is dealing with her artwork, ballets and friends. I wanted to feel Della’s pain. I really did. But the author dissected every single feel and I was frustrated. I wanted to feel them on my own. Give me the words and the feels will come. Theo was painted as alpha man but he really didn’t fulfill the criterias.The sex was hot. Dirty. But without feeling any real chemistry between them, it felt artificial. I expected a lot of common conflicts where they help each other and the transition happens from friends to love. I really tried and went to 70% and then just skipped. It was a disjointed mess that just didn’t made me feel.
I believe every book is not for everyone. And B. Celeste is a super talented author. And I would ask you to read her books. But this book was not for me. Age gap or taboo or father’s best friend was not an issue because this is one of my favourite tropes. The issue was with the storytelling.
Received arc from Give Me Books for honest review.
I absolutely fell head over heels in love with this book from the get go. This author always reels me in with her words and her thought provoking.
Theo and Della were MADE for one another. This author does an amazing job of making me believe the characters are real. I sometimes have to tell myself they arent. She takes me on a journey every single time. But this time, it was deeper for me. It hit home. It made me feel things that no other author has before. Although Della was alot older than my daughter, she reminded me alot of her in ways and I found myself tearing up a ton. I even told my daughter today about this book and how she resembles Della alittle. But that she can IN NO WAY read this (she has only just turned 14 haha) my daughter lost her father tragically in a car accident 3 years ago and he was her WORLD. He was the best father to her. She struggles daily with missing him. And although she is SKINNY, she somehow thinks she is fat. I dont understand it. She sits down and can barely grab onto anything and thinks she dont need to eat. And she will try to not eat anything all day. So when I was reading this I seen the similarities with Della and her eating disorder and her fathers death and it just brought out so much emotion in me.
Now Theo, my man. He was there for her EVERY step of the way. Thank God he was. He was her rock. He was her anchor when she was drowning. I am a sucker for an age gap romance. I am a goner for fathers best friend. This was one of my favorites by this author and I am just in awe of her words. I love love LOVE her so very much. She is a writing God. 5 star gold. Thank you for writing this.
First, let me just say that I adore the book cover and in a way, describes Della to a T. Another thing is, all can say is that the author really knows how to deliver a realistic, rawest, and emotional story that will tug on your heart strings and very soul.
What I loved about this story is that, this is more than just the father’s bestfriend trope. Nope. This book far surpasses its trope and told us the pain and struggles of someone like Della. I can’t say anymore about it without giving the story away. But just trust me when I say that Della and Theo’s story is so much more. The slow burn romance and simmering chemistry between the main characters is undeniable as it’s inevitable. I’ve enjoyed reading it and I do recommend it for those who love this kind of romance.
B. Celeste writes another amazing book with characters that are intriguing and unique.
Color Me Pretty isnt just a father’s best friend or an age gap, but a beautiful masterpiece about self image. Every woman doesn’t like their body at one point in their life. Della struggles with her body. The media hounded her and she gained alot of weight between the pressure from them and her dance instructor. She starved herself, and made herself really sick, now she struggles with eating, and thinking that she looks hideous.
Theo is one of my favorites of all of Barbara’s heros. He was always there for Della when she needed him throughout her life. He struggled with his feelings for her. He tells her she is beautiful, and helps her with her body issues. Him and Ramsey are so cute together
Della is a strong heroine that grows so much throughout the story. I absolutely loved her, and was rooting for her the whole time.
I loved Ren and Tiff and hope they get their own books. Preferably a MM for Ren or MMF with Tiff.
I definitely recommend this book if you love this author’s books, or even if you are new to her.