#1 BESTSELLING ROMANTIC COMEDY A full-length STANDALONE romantic comedy from USA TODAY bestselling author R.S. Grey. Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras. … worked best for stuffing bras.
That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window.
A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.
Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.
Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.
My old friend, Mr. Fortier.
But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.
When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.
Let’s hope he knows how to guard his.
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This one was pretty good, although I didn’t like the first 1/3 of the book as much as the rest. Thanks to the author for providing me a copy in exchange for a honest review. I’m giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
So first off, I liked Beau a lot, but mostly later on in the book. He’s going on my book boyfriend list. Although I kind of feel like there’s a lot more to learn about him as a person. This book wasn’t nearly long enough to satisfy my curiosity, and I felt like it left major plot points unfinished. I did like Lauren quite a bit as well, although she’s not my favorite of the heroines I’ve read from this author.
This book is labeled as a romantic comedy, and while I did find myself laughing here and there, I guess I was expecting more. A lot of the book was more angsty, with some romance, as opposed to comedic. Some of the side characters were entertaining, especially Lauren’s mom, but I also felt like we didn’t see much of anyone else beside Beau and Lauren for like 90% of the book. Just a warning that if you don’t like the characters right off the bat, you might not enjoy this book.
Can we talk about how happy I was to see a book set in New Orleans?!? I loved seeing this city in The Originals, and reading about it furthered my love. Without really giving anything away, in this book we see the past and the present. The past wasn’t my favorite part, although there were some great moments. But I did love the present. However based on the summary, I was expecting different events to occur between the two main characters. Regardless, this was a pretty enjoyable book, and I’d recommend it for any romance reader.
I giving it 3.5 stars.
I was having trouble with the second half. The first part was okayish, I get setting stuff up and what not. But everything that happens 10 years later just seemed too rushed? Convenient? I don’t know, it was meh. There was one part that really bugged me. Her bestie told her that she may be a bad kisser and Lauren totally believed her! WTF?! Then she spends weeks in a high state of anxiety about how she’ll suck in bed. Again, WTF?! I don’t know, it bugged me. I’m just going to chalk it up to not one of my favs but I still like reading the authors books. I would’ve love an epilogue tho.
This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased, honest opinion.
First off let me say, I have NEVER had such a love/hate relationship with one book before. It was insane the emotions I felt while reading this one. In the beginning, the book was set in the past with our main characters being 10 years younger than the present day portion. Lauren was 17 and Beau was 24. I did not like the age gap whatsoever. Couldn’t Lauren have been 18 and a senior about to graduate high school instead?? Couldn’t Beau have been 20 maybe 21?? I think this small change would’ve made a world of difference in how I felt. I concentrated on this huge age gap so much that I almost DNF’d the book SEVERAL times. I get the teenage crush that Lauren had. I was in the same boat as her once, so I totally get it. Beau however…..I didn’t really get his pull to her. He didn’t do anything, don’t get me wrong but it was still a bit awkward to read.
Fast forward 10 years and I’M IN LOVE. Now Lauren is 27 and a full adult woman. NOW I can get on board with this relationship. Lauren is back in town having graduated college/gained work experience and is planning to open up a coffee shop/gallery. Beau is also back in town having started up an investment company with a friend from college. They meet again and it’s like the stars align, fireworks go off, etc. It’s just that perfect moment that you hope happens in every story.
I definitely swooned more than I have in a really long time. I loved Beau and Lauren’s flirtations. I’m grinning now just recalling all their adorable moments. It was the cutest thing to “watch”. It just blows my mind how I couldn’t stand the first 30% of this book and then the rest of it ended up being the most amazing experience ever. This was definitely my first time dealing with such a strong range of emotions for one book.
I laughed SO much during the second half. Lauren killed me with her random thoughts. I loved hearing all the kooky things she was thinking. Everything from her becoming a firefighter, to eating cereal from dimples in butt cheeks LOL! I really enjoyed her character and hope she makes an appearance in another book somehow. (Beau too!!!) Can we get a sequel for this one please?!
Overall, this was such a roller coaster experience that I loved so much. I love that the book did a complete 180 and quickly became a top favorite for me. I can only deduct that it’s from the author’s talented writing. I’m so glad I discovered R.S. Grey and don’t plan to ever stop reading her books.
P.S. I am a little irked that we don’t have a better closing on how Lauren’s gallery opening went. Would’ve love to see more on that, especially since it was talked about so much.
R.S. Grey has turned into one of my all time favorite Rom Com go to authors. I love the chemistry and life she gives her characters. Lauren was 17 at the time she met Beau. After a hurricane separated them along with a decade of not being in NOLA. Lauren comes home to open her own art gallery with coffee. Beau see’s it as a chance to get the girl of her dreams. Before it would have been wrong due to their age difference and with Beau living in the detached apartment. Now, all things are up for grabs. But an old friend of Lauren’s comes in to play and Beau wants him out once and for all.
“everyonefuckingleavemealone-it is”
“Rose spent her early 20s figuring out her likes and dislikes in the bedroom. I spent my early 20s figuring out if I prefer deep dish or stuffed-crust”
I have to say that this now my new favorite R.S. Grey book. I fell in love with Lauren. I want to be Lauren in the way she comes from high society but can also be herself, somewhat unfiltered.
Well, while I liked a lot the other book by R.S. Grey I read, The Foxe & the Hound, this one felt a bit repetitive. Maybe because the author uses a similar plot but with slightly different characters, I don’t know. There was something about this story that allured me but at the same time I didn’t know if I was into it or not. Somehow, it felt as if the author didn’t know where she wanted to go, as if she didn’t have this story planned and just went with it. This is why the 4 stars rating that is more of a 3.5.
The story is divided in two parts: the past and the present. I liked this because I like those types of plots where the characters already know each other but can’t be together in the past and they have a new chance in the present.
Speaking for this book, the reason why Beau and Lauren can’t be together in the past is because of their age gap. Beau is a Law student that goes to live in Lauren’s parents house because it’s close to his uni. He’s 24 and handsome, a classic fascinating guy who works hard to make a name for himself and get back the house just in front of Lauren’s that once belonged to his family. He’s also a serious guy, so when he realizes that Lauren, who is 17 and is in her junior year, seems to like him and would want a relationship with him, he tries to stay away from her. It’s not illegal to be with a minor in the state they’re in, but Beau thinks that it’s better if they keep things as they are, since he’s also studying a lot to get a degree. Lauren is heartbroken because her crush sort of broke her heart, but moves on. Well, she’s forced to move on because something happens that separates her from Beau and makes it easier for her to go on with her life, even though she pines for him and would love to know what and how he’s doing.
In the second part, we see what’s changed 10 years later. Lauren is now 27 and Beau 35, so age difference is not a problem. But still, since Beau rejected Lauren in the past, she now wants to do nothing to do with him, although it’s hard. Beau is back in New Orleans and she is too, and they’re bound to meet again because her mom grew attached to him and he also kept in contact with her father through all these years.
Let’s talk about the characters. Beau is 24 in the first part of the story, then 35 in the next. I liked that he never tries to take advantage of Lauren even though she once throws herself at him because she likes him. It shows that he respects her and that he respected her parents who were offering him a place to stay. It seems like 35 year old Beau is very much the same, but I don’t know, at times I felt his actions to be out of line. For example, (view spoiler) In general it felt as if 35yold!Beau was more mono-dimensional than 24yold!Beau. And this is not growth, it’s regression.
When the book starts, Lauren is 16-17 and she acts like a girl her age, so her age fits her POV. She has a crush on Preston, the son of the mayor, although he doesn’t seem to care much. When she realizes she likes Beau more, she does what a girl her age would do. The problem with Lauren as well is that when we see her at 27, she seems to have the same innocent and teen personality she does in the first half. Sure it’s her character who’s a bit silly, weird, and kind, but some of her inner fantasies were of a teen. In those 10 years she had done many things, but it felt as if time stopped for her as well. She was mature at times, but I don’t know, her monologues felt like the ones a girl in high school would do.
In general, I liked Beau and Lauren, but I wished for more character development and maturity on both parts, because I didn’t like how they responded to some things happening (like the one I wrote above). Maybe a story with past mixed with the present would have had more impact on the reader, but I don’t consider this plot bad. It’s just… felt like it lacked something. It was fun, yes, but a bit empty.
DNF at 60%
This is listed as a RomCom ~ but it’s only sporadically funny in Lauren’s internal dialogue. I think a lot of what was supposed to be funny fell flat.
The first 35% of this book is set 10 years in the past. I guess the author is establishing their back stories, but it drags on and feels superfluous. Beau proves himself to be a mature and focused law student and Lauren is a typical 17yo high schooler.
35-60% is a lot of Lauren turning down Beau repeatedly and then her internal dialogue is asking why. Yeah ~ WTF? You’ve been fantasizing about this guy for 10 years, no one has given you any reason to believe he’s turned into scum, you still find him attractive ~ but 10 years ago he turned you down because you were a minor and somehow that transforms into unwillingness to say yes to a single date? I’m so confused. She also keeps trying to date Preston despite only listing all the things wrong with him.
The blurb says, “I’m older now… poised and confident”. No. Nope. Nada. Frankly there’s quite a bit of the book that portrays Lauren as being more mature at 17 than she is at 27. At this point (60%) I gave up because I felt like Beau should be running from this needlessly emotionally immature train wreck of a woman.
I’m pretty sure the narrators are the only reason I stuck with this as long as I did. I’m a big Joe Arden fan and Luci Christian is good. This is my second R.S. Grey book and while I managed to finish the first one, I don’t think her style/writing is for me.
Loved Beau from the beginning.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was funny, sweet, emotional and all around charming story.
I definitely recommend this book and this author. A must read.
The Beau & The Belle is my first R.S. Grey and will definitely not be my last! This was everything that I love about romance – it was so well written and well rounded – the perfect mix of emotion, humor, and heat. There is so much trope-y goodness – a 10 year age difference (love me some older man/younger woman action), second chance, and a slow burn – the book was utterly delicious. I fully understood why Lauren fell for Beau; hell, I fell for him too! And R.S. Grey’s method of story telling, with both a dual first person POV and flashbacks, was perfection. I also really loved the secondary relationships – between Lauren and her bestie Rose and Beau and his mom. I was truly blown away by the book and now I have to read the rest of her catalogue – and purchase them all in paperback because she has the cutest covers! 5 out of 5 wine glasses.
4.5 Stars!
R.S. Grey is quickly becoming one of my favorite Rom com authors! The Beau and The Belle is another fun and sexy story!
The only reason I’d drop half a star if Goodreads would let me, is because I would have liked for an even shorter ‘Past’ section. I liked having the background of them knowing each other when she was 17 and he was 25, but I don’t really enjoy stories about unrequited teenage love. And while she was clear that the age of consent in Louisiana was 17, so something could have happened with no legal repercussions, there was still a little ick factor for me. Nothing actually happened expect for one brief, chaste kiss that he didn’t return, but some of his thoughts were very detailed. Maybe I would have liked that section a bit more if he had of thought of her as a kid sister and not noticed her as a woman til 10 years later.
The ‘Present’ section was 2/3 of the book and it was great! I LOVED the masked gala scene where the first met again after 10 years. I loved that he constantly persued her. I totally understood why she felt so unsure of herself and I loved that she listened to him when I told her how wrong she was and how much he wanted her. I loved when stupid Preston tried to convince Lauren that Beau was bad news, there was NEVER one doubt in her mind that Preston was making stuff up.
I do wish there had of been an epilogue! I would have liked a glimpse into the 2 or 3 years later when her gallery was successful and they were happily married with a kid or one on the way. Good thing I’ve got a great imagination!
There’s one sex scene towards the end. It’s descriptive but not over the top. There’s another, less descriptive sex scene in the very last chapter. There’s a few uses of the F word but not many.