It’s forbidden… but that just makes it hotter.Courteney Clarke is the kind of girl who rock stars like me write songs about.She’s beautiful, but she’s totally off-limits.Because she’s my best friend’s little sister.Now she tells me she’s a virgin—and she wants me to be her first.But she’s just f*cking with me. I know she is.She just hates me that much.She knows her brother would freak if I … that much.
She knows her brother would freak if I touched her.
And if she plans to keep putting it in my face so I’ll give in… we’re both in a world of trouble.
This is cold war, but I’m not giving in.
Problem is, neither is she.
I know I need to do the right thing here…
But the wrong thing might just be way too filthy to resist.
Filthy Beautiful is the second full-length novel in the Players rockstar romance series, and the tenth book in the Dirty/Players series world.
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Loved this book! Jaine Diamond knows how to write a rock star romance. Throw in an enemies-to-lovers plot AND best friend’s little sister? Doesn’t get any better than that!
Filthy Beautiful is book 2 in the Players series but can absolutely be read as a standalone.
Xander’s and Courteney’s story is one of forbidden love between a little Sister of a troubled music producer and his best friend.
At 18 Courteney finally feels her time to seduce Xander and lose her virginity has arrived, while Xander is fighting the attraction for many reasons – he is 30 and feels she deserves better, her brother, his best friend, is suffering from unimaginable sorrow after a tragic death of his bandmate and childhood friend and getting involved with his sister may send him spiraling out of control.
Xander is in between bands and Courteney has decided not to attend university to stay close to home. Will her attempts on seduction work? Will Xander give in to his desires? This story is beautifully written, with amazing well developed characters and we get to revisit with our favorite characters from the Dirty universe. A definite must read!
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Bᴏᴏᴋ 2 ɪɴ Tʜᴇ Pʟᴀʏᴇʀs Sᴇʀɪᴇs
Was there really a reason I postponed reading this book? Because for the life of me I’m not sure why but I could kick myself for not reading it sooner. This forbidden, older brother’s best friend, age gap, rockstar romance was nothing short of a fantastic read. Looking for hot and steamy this book has it A.L.L.! I thought I loved Ashley Player but Angsty, Xander Rush gave him a real run for his money. . .There is just something special about the drummer in a band .
I’m a mom of young adult daughters and was immediately skeptical if I’d appreciate the age gap in this book. But, it is just that-a book! Doesn’t mean the author is saying the age gap is or isn’t ok or even offering her opinion on the matter. So, I let myself go back to my 18 year old self and My 18 year old self would have totally gone after Xander! And, because it’s only a story, I got caught up in it and rooted for Courtney and Xander and loved their HEA!
I loved the connection between Xander & Courtney, and their chemistry is oh so hot!! This book has all the feels, and you will not be disappointed. I am loving The Players, and look forward to the next book in the series. Another amazing book, by an equally amazing author.
I think this story of Xander and Courtney could have been told with less words. It seemed a little dragged. Xander took so long to admit to what he was feeling, Courtney had to basically do all the pursuing and he had the balls to say she is the one that is childish. At least she was woman enough to go after what she wanted even with all her fears of rejection. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I hope I’ll know more of how Courtney’s brother is coping.7
Jaine Diamond swept me into her ‘Dirty’ rockstar series world from the very beginning. I’ve devoured all her books and loved those rocking hero’s like the stars they are…unforgettable!
So now, she’s spun us into a new connected, exciting rockstar series, Players, beginning with Hot Mess (if you want to read that one, I absolutely loved it). This book, Filthy Beautiful, book 2, could stand alone and you might even spot a few familiar faces along the way…don’t you love when that happens!!!
This gorgeous cover grabbed me the moment I saw it, but the story inside melted my heart. Courtney Clarke has worshipped her older brothers friend and former bandmate, sexy drummer, Xander Rush, from afar for so many years of her young life, it’s almost embarrassing. She thinks he doesn’t ‘see’ her the way she wishes he would but…wrong! He sees too much, confused by his attraction to her, his best friend, Cary’s baby sister who is 12 years younger but sure is grown up now! Courtney is wiser than her years in one way and exactly the 18 year old young woman she actually is in others. Xander is a playboy rockstar with women falling at his feet, so why then does he just keep seeing Courtney in his head? He doesn’t have a clue on how to act around a young innocent woman like her, but those thoughts and dreams keep messing with his mind and heart.
Courtney’s brother Cary (I’m so curious about him!) isn’t really present and hasn’t been for 4 years. A tragic accident has him still hiding away from the outside world, leaving Courtney bewildered, living in his home but feeling so alone. Zander, now back from his tour, is living in the pool house, trying to be there for his friend while being so temptingly close to Courtney, contemplating a future with a newly forming band.
Watching Courtney and Xander circling around each other was exciting, frustrating and wildly sexy. They had the hate/love thing perfected. She had plans for him and what fun it was to watch Xander squirm as she attempts to implement them.
Do you love a hot rockstar romance as much as I do? Jaine has this genre perfected and this book had everything you could want in a forbidden, angst and temptation riddled romance! The supporting characters cracked me up much of the time, adding some spicey fun to the story here and there.
Towards the end, a glimpse of what’s to come next is revealed…bring on those Players, Jaine, the sooner the better! I highly recommend this author, these connected series and this book.
My thanks to the author for this advanced copy to read, enjoy and love. This is my unbiased review of it.
Breaking the Bro Code
Cary Clark had warned his best friend and ex bandmate Xander away from his sister Courteney but Courteney had other ideas. She had just turned eighteen and Xander had just come off from touring with Steel Trapt and the temptation was right in his face because he was living in Cary’s mansion and Courteney had just moved in as well to help keep an eye on her brother who had become anti-social since his friend and bandmate, Gabe died.
The stage is set for one hot little, heavily anticipated romance rock star read. Yes, Xander was the manwhore of the bunch and after not seeing Courteney for a few years was shocked at how much of a beautiful woman she had become but new he couldn’t touch that. Courteney wasn’t sure how to get Xander to take her attraction to him seriously. It was a real power struggle within him to see if Xander could really fight what he felt for Courteney.
As with all of Ms. Diamond’s books this one pulled me in, and kept me on the edge wondering if and when someone was going to break all the while fanning myself. Lol I can’t wait for Summer’s book next!!
Best book opening lines EVER! I loved this book. Courteney and Xander’s story was awesome! The Players group (and the Dirty crew) is SO much fun to keep up with. This is an enemies/brother’s best friend book. So many feelings!!! It made me laugh and cry!
Courteney has idolized Xander for most of her teen years but he never seems to look at her and treats her like a little sister. Little does she know Xander has certainly noticed her especially since she turned 16 but he knows that she is off limits. But Courteney is no longer a little girl she’s a grown woman. She knows that Xander has entertained a string of ladies sometimes right in front of her, and he does not do relationships, but she still has a crush on him.
These two cannot help but continually run into each other as they are both staying at Cadys house. After the death of his band mate Gabe, Cady has become a recluse and Courteney and Xander want to stay around to make sure he is ok.
So let the fun begin as Courteney egged on by her friends does her best to get Xander to notice her, and poor Xander struggles more and more to resist her.
This is a great fun read as teenage Courteney brings rocker bad boy Xander to his knees. Lots of hot and sexy scenes and fun dialogue between these two keeps you smiling all the way through.
Filthy Beautiful is the second book in the Players series which is a spin-off of the Dirty series. It can be read as standalone but I do recommend reading Hot Mess since it’s Ash’s story and well, I love him. It also around the same timeline. I don’t want to spoil anything so I will make this fast. Maybe.
Courteney wanted to be seen. She wants to fit. She hasn’t really been seen by anyone since she was fourteen. Since tragedy struck. And now, she was eighteen, a high school graduate and new assistant to her music producer brother, Cary. She was trying to find her way and right now it was towards Cary’s poolhouse, her new home. That was until he walked in. Xander Rush. Rock star drummer. Brother’s best friend. She hated him. She hated his manwhoring ways. What she hated the most? She wanted to be seen by him. Only him.
Xander needed to stay clear of Courteney Clarke. She looked like an angel but she was trouble. He was at Cary’s for Cary not for his little sister even if she wasn’t so little anymore. She was beautiful. And she was so off-limits it wasn’t even funny. Her brother told him to stay out of her way but it seems she didn’t get the same speech about him. She hated him. She told him so anytime they were in the same room but actions speak louder than words. And when she tells him she is a virgin and she wants him to be her first?
Yep! He was so fucked.
Damn…this book was awesome!! I loved the characters. Courteney might only be eighteen but she was a very mature eighteen. She had to grow up fast and didn’t even hang out with friends her own age. Xander is older but not by much and at times he definitely acted younger. Men. Together, their story is full of sexual tension, angst, banter and all the feels. I can’t wait for the next book!
Quotes:
“I’m not afraid of you,” I repeated, breaking the silence.
“Maybe you should be.” His voice was low and dark, and there was a warning in his words.
“I know you think you’re doing the right thing,” she said softly, looking up into my eyes. “But it doesn’t feel right. Does it?”
“You are such a fucking child.”
“You are such a fucking pig!”
A forbidden romance with a bad boy rock star and his friend’s sister, it’s a page turning, beautiful sexy romantic, hot story! Highly romantic.
Filthy Beautiful Arc Review
Filthy Beautiful is Xander and Courteney’s story. Forbidden love has never been so hot. Older guy younger girl alert.
Xander Rush was the drummer for Steel Trap and Cary’s ( Courteney’s older brother) best friend. Xander is looking for a new band and now home from touring he stays in Cary’s pool house. Courteney concerned about her brother decides to be his assistant and also live with him in hopes of helping him. When Cary stays locked in his studio hardly bothering with anyone, Courteney tries to find things to do but with Xander around they butt heads constantly. A real love hate relationship. Xander does all he can to warn her off but Courteney can’t deny her desire for Xander any longer. She’s willing to do anything to push him to his breaking point. How long can he keep denying the one girl he’s been obsessing over?
A pretty good read with fun characters, lots of angst, a pinch of drama, and steamy/raw desire.
I *thought* I could read this book in chunks in between work. I was wrong. As with all of Jaine’s books, I couldn’t put this one down.
I absolutely LOVE a broken hero. The moment when the hero realizes he’s broken and that the heroine is what will fix him is my favorite part of any story, and this one might be my favorite since Deeper. Xander’s transformation is funny and sweet and emotional and amazing.
And let’s not forget Courteney. She’s figuring things out, too. And they do a sort of role reversal that had me fist-pumping the air! I love a girl who knows what she wants and goes for it. I wish I had more of that in me.
Courteney’s friends – I hope we see a lot more of them! I can’t wait until we actually get on tour and everyone is together!!!
And the underlying story. Not at all what I was expecting. This isn’t your standard rock star romance. This is the underbelly. This is the broken side of rock stars that you don’t hear about. It was touching, heart-breaking, beautiful.
And the epilogue with Summer!!! Eeek! I cannot WAIT for her book, and am SO excited for who her hero is!!!!!!!!!
“He makes me feel electric. There’s this electricity between us… Like everything in me comes awake when he’s there. It’s automatic and chemical and totally unstoppable.” This pretty much sums it up. OH, also, HOTTEST s e x y times ever!
*I received this book ahead of time and made no commitment to leave a review, favorable or otherwise.*
I knew from the first 2 sentences that I was in for a wildly entertaining ride in this rockstar forbidden romance. Filthy Beautiful is a well-written age gap love story told from a dual POV where the author crafted a great spin on one of my favorite romance tropes – best friend’s little sister.
When the deliciously sinful Xander was first introduced in Hot Mess (Players #1), I was immediately intrigued by his character and I am thrilled that he got his own book! I absolutely loved this playboy drummer in that he is a man who cares for and stands by his friends, is dedicated to his craft, but is also flawed and somewhat clueless when it comes to matters of love.
Courtney is 12 years younger than Xander and is the 18 year-old sister to his best friend and reclusive former bandmate. I really liked her as a heroine in that she is a loving sister and knows what she wants even if I did find her a tad pushy at times when it came to chasing Xander.
There is a lot of push and pull between these two as they grapple with their feelings and attraction towards each other and as you can imagine, there are many perceived obstacles in their way. What I especially enjoyed about this book is that it wasn’t a cookie cutter best friend’s little sister romance. There was a uniqueness to the characters and story and I liked how the author touches upon life challenges that impact her characters.
I absolutely loved this book! Loved Xander and Courtney’s push/pull. Jaine outdid herself with this one. Filled with mystery, romance, wit and banter, and of course the rock star scene. Was nice to see the Dirty crew make appearances throughout. I could not put this book down. I received it as an ARC and I’m so thankful. This book was worth the wait! Read it! It’s a must read!
Wow! This series just gets better ! This was so addictive I didn’t want to put it down once I’d started it and I’d finished it in a day. Xander character has hidden depths and there’s so much more to him than meets the eye. He’s the fourth member of the Players with Ash, Summer and Matt . His best friend Cary and former band mate is a recluse and shuts himself away from it all in his studio. His younger sister Courtney has just turned 18 and has moved into Cary mansion to keep an eye on her brother . Xander resides in the pool house and the close proximity proves too much for them. Their chemistry is sizzling and their interactions together are very addictive in a will they won’t they scenario as Xander tries to do the right thing and fights his growing attraction for her. I loved both characters and was rooting for them. I was sad to reach the end but I loved the prologue when we discover Summer love interest for the next book. I cannot wait to read it
I wanted to savor this book but I just couldn’t. I DEVOURED it! This author has a way of pulling me into her stories from the very first page. Xander and Courteney’s story was so good. I already can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Ms. Diamond has done it again … another great read of the second book in this off shoot series. Good story line that flowed smoothly, was easy to read and captured this reader’s attention. I started this novel last night and finished it off this evening. There were enticing characters that make it difficult to leave the book alone and go to bed at a reasonable hour. The characterizations are many, varied and they key characters had life challenges that were relatable.
Great read. Highly recommended for romance reader’s whohaveafondness for musicians.
I voluntarily received an advance review copy of this novel from the author and am leaving an honest and unbiased review. I have no affiliation to this author.