Filthy Beautiful Forever (Filthy Beautiful Lies Book 4)

Audio review from 2018

This book was cute. Collins needed the boot in the rear that Mia gave him!!

Have The Tissues Ready For Collins & Mia’s HEA! Their Story Is A Slow Burn Fifteen Years In The Making. Mia Shows Up At His Door Hoping To Cash In On A Promise Made Twenty Years Ago, But Collins Has His Hands Full With His Live-In Supermodel Girlfriend.

This is book four of the four-book Filthy Beautiful Lies series. The series includes:

1. Filthy Beautiful Lies (Colton & Sophie’s story begins)
2. Filthy Beautiful Love (Colton & Sophie’s story concludes)
3. Filthy Beautiful Lust (Pace & Kylie’s story)
4. Filthy Beautiful Forever (Collins & Mia’s story)

This series follows the three Drake brothers. Collins, Colton, and Pace are all intense personalities. They lost their mother in their youth; Collins was fifteen, Colton twelve, and Pace just nine at the time of her passing. She had been warm and loving, and losing her certainly had an impact on the boys. The trio manages to maintain a sense a family in her absence, all living in the L.A. area. Their father had been a philanderer, not much of an example. He lives and works on the East Coast and rarely sees his sons, but is known to always have younger women on his arm. His sons would like to see him retire, but he isn’t ready for that yet. The brothers each have a trust fund to rely upon, but all three choose to work.

Collins Drake, thirty, is the eldest. This is his story.

Colton Drake, twenty-eight, is a workaholic. He is in investment banking and runs a non-profit on the side – his pet project to develop a sustainable community in rural Africa. He is the middle child, so he is naturally a people pleaser. Though every bit an alpha and like Collins in terms of control, he has a tendency to be a little too forgiving. He had a whirlwind romance with Sophie last summer, and the two got married just last month.

Pace Alexander Drake, twenty-five, is the fun-loving youngest Drake brother. He and Colton are often mistaken for twins, but Pace is a softer version of his older brother. He is a relentless flirt, having perfected his pickup skills over the past twelve years. Pace works for himself as a real estate investor. He enjoyed his modest seaside condo, but when he recently fell for single mom Kylie and her infant son Max, they decided it was time to move into a home together.

Books one and two are Colton and Sophie’s story. Pace’s story is in book three, followed by Collins’ in book four.

IN THIS BOOK:

Collins Drake, thirty, is the eldest Drake brother. He is on the serious side, exercising control in everything he does. He is CEO of an investment firm in downtown L.A. and has a live-in supermodel girlfriend, Tatianna Markov. At twenty-three, Tatianna is young with a carefree attitude. She is focused on her career, which allows Collins to do the same. But after three years together, their relationship appears to be on rocky ground. It is stale. Her moving in was originally an arrangement made of convenience, and though Tatianna had pushed for more, Collins seems unhappy. It appears that their relationship boils down to Tatianna enjoying shopping and the lifestyle Collins has to offer her, while he enjoys the convenience of her coveted body in his bed. But as the physical connection fizzles, Collins begins to think about what he really wants in life.

Having just turned thirty, he is taking a hard look at the life he leads. With hindsight, he recognizes that he has been going through the motions for some time. It has been years since he felt truly happy. When he lost his mother at fifteen, Collins’ childhood came to an abrupt halt. In place of his mother, he stepped in to take charge of his younger brothers. But he had his best friend to lean on at the time. It was an age when they were both growing into adults, and as he relied upon Mia for emotional support, he realized that she was no longer the small but sometimes crazy tomboy he had know his whole life. Their relationship shifted, but it ended the night they lost their innocence to one another. Her family had moved away the next day and he never saw her again. He lost both his heart and his best friend that day. It took him a while to get over losing Mia, and he thought he had, but no woman ever had a shot at capturing his heart again. As for marriage and love, they are too messy for his carefully controlled life, and yet Collins hopes for more than the dreary existence he has been living.

Mia Monroe, thirty, just lost her job. Always good with numbers, she had pursued a career in accounting. Things had gotten a little sticky with her last employer and she ended up embroiled in a mess. With no savings, she is at risk of being evicted if she doesn’t get another job soon. She cannot help but note, however, that her thirtieth birthday was just months earlier, and she wonders if it is fate at play. Encouraged by her friend, she does something absolutely crazy. In pursuit of her fairy tale ending, she boards a plane to cross the country and follow up on a promise made twenty years earlier. Collins Drake had been her best friend since age five, when he stood up for her as she was being bullied for wearing a second hand Gremlins t-shirt. She was tiny and fragile then, but he always stood by her side. They had made a pinky promise when they were ten, and she is banking on him remembering. They vowed to marry one another at age thirty if they were both still single. Nobody had ever measured up to Collins Drake, and she hopes he feels the same about her.

Collins and Mia’s story is a slow burn fifteen years in the making. Mia shows up at his door as he is mulling over his future, but he is still with Tatianna in reality, even if the writing is on the wall. Collins is hesitant to let go of their doomed relationship despite the instant chemistry he shares with Mia. He discourages Mia from leaving, but gives off mixed messages as they begin to catch up on the last fifteen years of their lives. Mia sees hints of the boy she knew so well, but is alarmed by his relationship with Tatianna and his sometimes dour attitude. Collins feels the laughter and lightness that Mia ushers back into his life, but Mia had thrown him through a loop when she showed up with an expectation of marriage. Marriage was never in the cards for him. He had assumed she had married and started a family years ago, but seeing her beautifully grown up and single has him questioning his prior convictions. The couple eventually earns a tearful but happy ending.

Mia shows up hoping to cash in on a promise made twenty years ago, but Collins has his hands full with his live-in supermodel girlfriend. Collins and Mia’s story is sweet, but some might be uncomfortable with the fact that Collins and Tatianna are an item. Though the situation is handled fairly well, it is still a little messy. The relationship is a bit odd with Collins still attached. It takes some patience. The rest of the story is heartwarming, however. It does a wonderful job of wrapping up the series. Have the tissues ready for Collins and Mia’s happy ending, which leads into a look at the entire Drake family several months down the road. In less than a year, the brothers each found love. Note that there are a few inconsistencies between this book and Pace’s. Collins and Pace have a conversation about Tatianna. In Pace’s story it takes place in a club, but with Collins it takes place at a later time in the context of a workout. Regardless, the series ends on a wonderful note. This sweet second chance romance is written in first person. The POV alternates between Collins and Mia. I rate this book four stars.

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Finally! I am so excited to finally get a hold of Collins book. I have been interested in him since we met him in the first book. He did not disappoint ladies. Not.At.All.

“I exercise control over all things in my life- from my company, to my relationships, to the way I handle my business- only my cock hasn’t gotten the memo. The selfish prick.”

Collins Drake is a successful business man. He’s spent the last several years in a relationship that hasn’t gone anywhere. Then one day Mia Monroe shows up on his doorstep reminding him of a person he use to be. It also shows him what his brothers have been saying for a long time. That he wasn’t happy.

“That’s the what you’re doing to me, Mia,” I growl near her ear. “Is this something you’re ready to deal with?”

Mia Monroe pretty much lost everything. She runs to the one person that has always saved her, Collins Drake. Her childhood best friend and first love. When she knocks on his door and finds out he has a girlfriend she worries she just blew the last money she had on a fantasy.

“I listened to her heartbeat while she stroked my hair. I didn’t know how to put it into words. But Mia didn’t need words. She knew.”

This book was fantastic. I think this one is actually my favorite from the whole series. While I loved the other guys. This one I think I loved just a little bit more. The story was consuming. The last 30% of the book made me cry. It was just a really good ending to the series. I think Kendall did an outstanding job giving each brother his own story and really nailed it with each book. I’m going to miss the Drake brothers. They were all special in their own way.